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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
Watts to Tahlequah: Oklahoma's scenic float river. Neosho smallmouth in the gravel runs. The river tops out around 10 ft. The depth chart is built from real NOAA hydrographic survey soundings, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Traced from the shoreline, Illinois River (Oklahoma) runs 1,906 acres with 106.7 miles of edge. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 17.4) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. The basin spans about 25.6 mi end to end and 9.3 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Adair County. For a second option, Stilwell City Lake lies 19 mi south.
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 10 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 10 ft, and they winter in 3 to 10 ft. Riffle & run (mile 0.6) is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring smallmouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for spotted bass tight to the bank in 3 to 10 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 10 ft; the winter hold is 3 to 10 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Riffle & run (mile 0.6): a rock pile around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A drop shot over brush or an underspin + fluke (schoolers) is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft) | Ned rig on gravel points, Shaky head |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft) | Drop shot over brush, Underspin + fluke (schoolers) |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft) | Walking topwater, Underspin |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 50 ft | midday | Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft) | Damiki/hover rig, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts channel catfish in skinny water — 3 to 10 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | open water | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | open water |
Start shallow in spring: common carp sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 10 ft covers summer, 3 to 10 ft covers winter. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | open water | |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 18 ft | midday | open water | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | midday | open water |
Count 10 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Riffle & run (mile 0.6), sits near 3 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Oklahoma waters are set by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation — and special regulations can apply to Illinois River (Oklahoma) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Oklahoma fishing regulations →
Illinois River (Oklahoma) is about 10 ft (3 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, common carp on Illinois River (Oklahoma).
Riffle & run (mile 0.6) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For smallmouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Illinois River (Oklahoma) is regulated by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Check the official Oklahoma regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Stilwell City Lake 19 mi · Lake Eucha 23 mi · W.R. Holway Reservoir 24 mi · Spavinaw Lake 28 mi · Lake Hudson (Markham Ferry) 28 mi · Fort Gibson Lake 30 mi · Brushy Creek Reservoir 35 mi · Greenleaf Lake 36 mi · Grand Lake 'O' the Cherokees 40 mi · Beaver Lake 47 mi, AR · Claremore Lake 50 mi · New Spiro Lake 58 mi
See how Illinois River (Oklahoma) stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Oklahoma · best channel catfish lakes in Oklahoma · best spotted bass lakes in Oklahoma
Browse all Oklahoma fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA hydrographic surveys. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.