by Barry C. Shrader

As Redbud’s begin to first blossom and the many colorful songbirds sing harmoniously at the sight of the rising morning sun, it’s a good indication that the pre-spawn within the wonderful community of game fish at  Blue River in Oklahoma is about to begin.

During the spring, the music made by the river traveling over the granite and limestone outcrops becomes a xylophone of the rhythms of a river.  The river’s music can bring both peace and excitement to the angler.

It seems that wherever you are on Blue River during the spring months, you can sense something exciting is about to happen.  Excitement so measured by the quality of the experience…. it only happens in our fishing life on occasion; a rarity.

Blue River is almost an oddity in itself; a misplaced river of sorts.  Located in southern Oklahoma, this meandering collage of waterfalls, riffles, pools, eddies and runs is something that looks like it belongs in Colorado.  It’s about everything a fly fisher would dream of compacted in six miles of accessible water.  The many braided branches and forks of Blue were created by the uplift of the Arbuckle Mountain systems millions of years past.

The majority of the water that meanders, sometimes gently - sometimes in a hurry, emanates from the prolific Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer.  The water of Blue is crystal at most times.

The pre-spawn season at Blue can be a wonderful and exciting time for fly fishers and other anglers alike.  Not just landing fish; but water blasting, sudden and surprising, exhilarating strikes that will leave fishing memories etched in the mind of the angler forever.

During the pre-spawn, spotted and smallmouth bass become almost singular in mind.  Actually they have only two things on their agenda; eating and making love.  It’s during this time they become extremely aggressive striking at almost anything the fly fisher can present.  However this is not always true and we should always be reminded to watch the water to see what might be attracting the fish.

As far as the waters fly fishers should seek there is not such a thing as “bad’ water.  Pre-spawn bass can be found in wide flat waters, riffles, eddies, and the many remote pools created by the forks and branches of the beautifully twisted path of unique river

”What flies to use” always comes to question.  Top water! Fished early or late dries, foam poppers and hard body poppers will all bring excitement to the fly angler during the pre-spawn.  Patterns such as Dave’s or Al’s Hoppers, frog patterns, foam beetles and grasshoppers all hold the promise to get absolutely blasted out of the surface film.  Miss Prissy Poppers along with Round Dinny’s also will produce quite well.

At the same time and especially during the later summer months large Wooly Buggers, Clouser’s crayfish imitations, and the many variations among leech and minnow patterns can produce lifetimes of fly fishing memories.

Although Blue River is best known as a designated trout stream during cold water season; she should not be overlooked during the warm water season and particularly during the pre-spawn which occurs during April and May each year.

”A bass I seek, a bass I am so fond,
let me seek fish during the pre-spawn,”
The fish are ready as I am too,
to do worthy jousting on the river Blue.”

Long live Blue River!  And good fishing to all!

Barry Shrader