Expert Guided Weekday Afternoon Striped Bass Charters
Private Trip
Lakes/Reservoirs/Ponds Fishing
Fourhour weekday afternoon striped bass fishing on Lake TexomaAll gear, live bait, and complimentary fish cleaning includedProfessional guide instruction for groups up to three guests
Looking for a solid half-day fishing trip that won't mess up your weekend plans? Captain Zach McClendon at Bigfoot Stripers has you covered with his Monday through Thursday afternoon charters on Lake Texoma. This four-hour guided fishing experience kicks off at noon and wraps up by 4 PM, making it perfect for locals who want to sneak out for some quality time on the water or visitors looking to squeeze in some serious angling without burning a whole vacation day. With a max of three guests per trip, you're getting personalized attention and plenty of elbow room to work those fish properly.
Captain Zach knows Lake Texoma like the back of his hand, and he's built this trip around the afternoon bite that happens when the striped bass start moving into their feeding patterns. You'll meet at the dock at 12:00 PM sharp, and Zach will have everything rigged and ready to go. The boat's equipped with quality rods, reels, and tackle that can handle anything from schoolie stripers to those trophy-sized fish that make Lake Texoma famous. Live bait is included in your charter fee, and Zach typically runs with whatever's working best that week - whether that's live shad, skipjack, or threadfin herring. The beauty of this timing is you're hitting the water when the afternoon sun starts positioning the baitfish, and that's when the predators really turn on. Plus, you'll be back at the dock with plenty of daylight left to enjoy your evening, and Zach takes care of cleaning and skinning your catch right there at the marina.
Lake Texoma's afternoon fishing is all about reading the water and adapting to what the fish are telling you. Zach runs a combination of live bait fishing and cut bait techniques depending on what species are active. For striped bass, you'll often be working with downlines and planer boards to get your bait down to where the fish are suspended, typically in 20 to 40 feet of water. The lake's structure includes plenty of humps, creek channels, and drop-offs that hold fish throughout the day, and Zach uses his electronics to locate schools and baitfish concentrations. When the catfish are biting, you'll switch over to bottom fishing with cut shad or live bait near the deeper holes and channel bends. The gear provided handles everything from 2-pound white bass up to 20-pound stripers and hefty blue cats. Zach's boat is set up for comfort during those four hours, with plenty of shade and room to move around when you're fighting fish or switching spots.
Striped bass are the main attraction here, and Lake Texoma produces some of the best striper fishing in the country. These fish typically run anywhere from 3 to 15 pounds, with occasional giants pushing 20 pounds or more. Stripers are most active during spring and fall, but the summer afternoon bite can be fantastic when you know where to find them. They're aggressive fighters that make long runs and test your drag system, which is why anglers get addicted to targeting them. The lake's healthy shad population keeps these fish well-fed and chunky.
White bass provide consistent action and are especially fun on lighter tackle. These schooling fish typically weigh between 1 and 3 pounds, but they make up for their size with sheer numbers and fighting spirit. They're most active in spring during their spawning runs, but you can find them year-round if you know the right spots. When you locate a school of white bass, the action can be fast and furious with multiple hookups.
Channel catfish are reliable year-round and typically range from 2 to 8 pounds in Lake Texoma, with some reaching double digits. They're most active during warmer months and provide steady action when other species slow down. These fish are excellent table fare and give you a different style of fishing compared to the more aggressive striped bass.
Blue catfish are the heavyweights of Lake Texoma's catfish population, often weighing 10 to 30 pounds with monsters exceeding 50 pounds. They're most active in deeper water during summer months and provide the kind of arm-burning fights that create lasting memories. Blues are primarily found in the deeper river channels and main lake points.
Flathead catfish are the ambush predators of the lake, typically ranging from 5 to 25 pounds with trophy fish much larger. They prefer live bait and structure-rich areas like submerged timber and rocky points. Flatheads are most active during evening hours and warmer months, making them a exciting bonus catch during afternoon trips.
This weekday afternoon charter fills up regularly because it hits that sweet spot of convenience and productivity that's hard to find elsewhere. With only three spots available per trip, you're getting a semi-private experience with personalized instruction from Captain Zach, whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced angler looking to learn Lake Texoma's specific patterns. The included gear, bait, and fish cleaning service means you just show up ready to fish - no need to worry about licenses, tackle, or processing your catch. For the price point and the quality of fishing Lake Texoma offers, this four-hour trip delivers serious value. Book early, especially during peak seasons, because these afternoon slots are popular with both locals and visitors who want to make the most of their time on one of the top striper lakes in the region.
Hit the water on our recently restored 24ft Bay Hawk center console, powered by a reliable 200HP Suzuki that'll get you to the fish fast. This clean, well-maintained boat comfortably handles up to 8 anglers and comes loaded with everything you need for serious striper fishing on Lake Texoma. We've got GPS and radar to track down schools of bass, plus a fish finder to pinpoint exactly where they're holding. The wireless trolling motor lets us sneak up on spooked fish without spooking them further. Keep your drinks cold in the onboard icebox while you wait for that next strike. Guide Zach McClendon knows these waters inside and out, and with all the modern electronics at our disposal, you'll spend more time fighting fish than searching for them. Perfect setup for chasing those Lake Texoma stripers.
Ictalurus FurcatusBlue catfish are the heavyweights of Lake Texoma's catfish family. These slate-blue bruisers regularly hit 10-20 pounds, with trophy fish pushing 40+ pounds. They patrol the main lake channels and deep creek arms, usually in 20-40 feet of water around rocky structure and drop-offs. Summer through early fall tends to be best when they're actively feeding before winter. What draws people to blue cats is the sheer power - they'll strip drag and give you a workout that stripers can't match. The meat quality is outstanding too, firm and mild-flavored. They're opportunistic feeders, so fresh cut bait like shad or skipjack works great. Unlike other cats, blues will often suspend mid-water to feed. Texoma tip: look for them scavenging under schools of feeding striped bass - they clean up the wounded baitfish that fall to the bottom.
Ictalurus PunctatusChannel catfish are reliable fighters that give you a solid bend in the rod. These whiskered bottom-dwellers typically run 2-8 pounds, though we've pulled some pushing 15 pounds from Texoma's deeper holes. They hang around creek channels, rocky areas, and mud flats, especially where there's some current flow. Summer nights are prime time when they move into shallower water to feed. What folks love about channel cats is they're always willing to bite and they're fantastic on the dinner table - sweet, flaky meat that's hard to beat. They'll hit everything from live bait to stink baits, but cut shad works best here on Texoma. They use those barbels to taste their way around, so don't be afraid to let your bait sit still on bottom. Local trick: fish the creek channel edges where the current brings food right to them.
Pylodictis OlivarisFlathead catfish are the apex predators lurking in Texoma's deeper structure. These olive-colored giants with their signature flat heads can exceed 50 pounds, making them true trophy targets. They hide in deep holes, around submerged timber, and rocky ledges during the day, then move to shallow flats to hunt at night. Summer is peak season when they're most active in the warm water. What makes flatheads special is they only eat live prey - no stink baits here. The fight is incredible on heavy tackle, and the meat quality is considered the best of all catfish species. You need live bait like bluegill, bass, or big minnows to tempt them. They're ambush predators, so patience is key. Here's the secret on Texoma: target the deeper creek channels with good timber cover during daylight hours, and use the biggest live bait you can handle.
Morone SaxatilisStriped bass are the main attraction here on Texoma, and for good reason. These silver powerhouses with distinctive black stripes can weigh anywhere from 5 to 20+ pounds, with some monsters pushing 30 pounds or more. They love structure - rocky points, creek channels, and drop-offs where they ambush schools of shad. Spring and fall are prime time, but they bite year-round if you know where to look. What gets people hooked is their hard fighting style - they'll make blistering runs and test your drag. Plus, they're excellent eating with firm, white meat. We typically find them in 15-40 feet of water around structure during the day, then they move shallow to feed at dawn and dusk. Here's a local tip: when the stripers are deep, try slow-trolling live bait just off the bottom near channel edges.
Morone ChrysopsWhite bass, also called sand bass, are scrappy little fighters that run in schools throughout Lake Texoma. These silvery fish with dark horizontal stripes typically weigh 1-3 pounds but can reach up to 7 pounds. You'll find them cruising open water and around rocky points, especially during spring and fall when they're most active. They love to chase shad near the surface during dawn and dusk, creating those exciting feeding frenzies where you can catch multiple fish quickly. What makes them popular is their aggressive strike and the fact they taste great fried up. They're perfect for kids and beginners since they bite readily on live minnows or small jigs. Pro tip: when you hook one, keep your bait in the water - where there's one white bass, there's usually a whole school nearby.
Lake Texoma