Recently the editors of FLW Outdoors Magazine conducted an in-depth survey to identify the greatest bass fisheries in America. Professional anglers, outdoor writers and tournament directors were polled, and while many of the results were expected, a number of lesser-known fisheries received numerous votes.

We are proud to say that Broken Bow Lake made the list!

Here's what FLW Outdoors had to say about our fantastic fishing:

Broken Bow Lake
Tucked neatly away in the foothills of the majestic Ouachita Mountains of far southeastern Oklahoma lies one of that state's best-kept secrets: Broken Bow Lake. With its crystal-clear water and numerous islands, the 14,200-acre gem is rapidly becoming one of the better-known smallmouth-bass fisheries in the region.

With the impoundment of the Mountain Fork River, which is known for an abundant population of native Ouachita-strain smallmouths, it was merely a matter of time before this lake exploded into a bronzeback angler's dream come true.

Broken Bow is one of Oklahoma's deepest lakes, with some areas reaching 140 feet, and its shoreline consists of mostly steep, rocky banks cradling clean, clear water - the perfect recipe for smallmouth bass to thrive and reproduce year after year.

Almost all of the lake's smallmouths are hybrids of the river's native strain and a Tennessee lake strain first introduced into the waters in 1993. Eleven years after that introduction, Broken Bow boasts smallmouth bass with the best features of each strain. The Ouachita smallmouths are known for their fierce, never-give-up battles from the point of hook all the way into the boat. The Tennessee strain grows larger than the native fish. The result: a fighting machine that Oklahoma anglers consider the state's feistiest game fish.

Tournament anglers, who visit the lake with thoughts of abundant spotted bass and double-digit Florida largemouths (the Oklahoma state-record largemouth of nearly 15 pounds was caught here in March 1999), are noticing winning stringers consisting almost exclusively of smallmouth bass in the 2- to 6-pound range. Few Southern lakes can boast that kind of diversity in a bass population.

For more information, contact the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife at (405) 521-3721 (www.wildlifedepartment.com).
- Bob Gunn