November 8 , 2006

The forecast for Thursday and Friday is for lows in the 60’s and highs in the 80’s. It will be clear and sunny with 10 to 15 MPH southerly winds. Saturday will be a few degrees cooler with a light north wind. A slight chance of showers is forecast for Sunday night. The next seven days should be partly cloudy with the lows close to 50 degrees and the highs in the 70’s. You could not ask for better weather for striper fishing.

The fall striper run started in October and is continuing thru November. Now is the time to enjoy some of the best striper fishing Lake Texoma has all year long. Limits were being caught on practically every boat during the first week of November. Many of the limits of stripers were being caught on top water lures and slabs this past week. The gulls are feeding over the large schools of shad and stripers. This makes it easier to find the fish for everyone. For you catfish fishermen, drop your baits down to the bottom where the stripers are feeding on the shad. You might be surprised at how many catfish are feeding on the shad parts the stripers miss and drop to the bottom.

Rain in late October and the first week of November has raised the lake level two more inches and cooled the water down another eight degrees. Bait fishing large feeding schools of stripers on structure is super. The rains have added some much needed oxygen to the water and the stripers are more active this month. The shad love the rising water and stripers go into a feeding frenzy when the water starts getting colder in the fall.

We fished 436 fishermen in October and cleaned 3,773 stripers. This does not include the stripers that were caught and released. Some of our customers only want to catch and release fish. Since the first of November we have already fished 79 fishermen and cleaned 780 stripers. Several catfish were caught, also. On November 2 one group of customers caught 18 catfish at the dock while the guide cleaned stripers. Pictures of our customers’ catch for October thru November the 8th are posted on www.tinker.net. We apologize if your picture does not get posted. Some of the time we have a camera problem and don’t get pictures good enough to post.

We are leaving the dock as early as 6:30 AM for our morning trips since Daylight Savings Time began October 29th. It will be getting dark before 5:30 PM. With the shorter daylight hours our afternoon trips will begin around noon or earlier. Our guides will only be fishing one trip a day so everyone will be able to get plenty of time on the lake. The bottom line is that you can depart about any time you want to for trips in November and December and catch limits of stripers. The early morning bite is preferred my most hardcore fishermen. The late bite is super during the full moon and customers always catch more and larger stripers in the afternoon and early evening. The moon was about 86% visible last night and will be full again December 2. You can take off a little early from work and drive to Texoma for a very productive afternoon striper trip and stay the night with me free and fish the next morning at a discounted price.

As of 8:00 AM, Wednesday, November 8 the water pool level was 615.13 feet, a three feet rise since September 6th. The normal annual pool level is 617 feet. The water temperature is 64 degrees. This is 21 degrees cooler than it was on September 6th. The Corps of Engineers is going to generate from 6:00 AM until 11:00 AM thru Friday. Sunrise this morning was 6:52 AM and sunset will be at 5:28. There are 11 hours and 28 minutes of visible light. Yesterday’s low was 56 degrees and the high was 73 degrees.

Our guides furnish tackle, bait and friendly instruction for you. Tinker’s private boathouses are always available for our guests to fish for catfish, striper, perch, crappie and bass before or after the guided trip. Everything is furnished except food, drinks, licenses and rain gear.

Our bedrooms are comfortable, clean and fully furnished with private entrances and baths. All types of outside cooking facilities are available for your use. The game room has pool, card and domino tables, plus dart boards, washer boards, stereo and TVs with DVD, CD, VCR and surround sound.

Open Dates
We have one or more boats open Monday thru Friday during the rest of November. On Sundays, November 19th and 26th we have boats available each day, with free lodging only on the 25th. We have one boat available on each Saturday in November. All of our free lodging is taken on all Fridays in November. Occasionally, we have late cancellations. We always fish on the holidays. Please call our toll free number to make sure we have an available boat on the day you can fish.

We have received several phone calls and emails about our Christmas Gift Certificates since my last report. Purchase your personalized Christmas Gift Certificate before November 30, 2006 and receive a discount for each fisherman. Don’t forget that special fisherman this Holiday Season. Call early; the certificate can be used on any available date before December 31, 2007.

Winter Specials from Tinker's Striper Guide Service
As a valued customer and friend, you are invited back to Lake Texoma for a relaxing day of striper fishing. Reserve a room, boat and guide with a deposit before November 30 to receive one of our unbelievable winter specials. These specials are for December, 2006 and January and February, 2007 only. Two fishermen can fish for only $225. 00; three fishermen only $275.00; four fishermen in one boat only $350.00. For the Best Deal of all, five fishermen in one boat can fish for $400.00. You can stay over night FREE at Tinker's with any of these winter specials. Everything is furnished except food, drinks, and license and rain gear. At these prices, we will fill the open days fast. Call us soon.