NewsOK reported 1st. OSU alum Barbara Pope reeled in this 27-pound striper that is the new lake record on Lake Texoma. Bigger stripers have been caught on Lake Texoma, but not before the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation officially began keeping lake records in 2008. A north Texas woman reeled in a new record-sized Lake Texoma striped bass on Dec. 5, hauling the massive fish out of Lake Texoma near the northern shore.
The 27.29-pound 38 3/4″ striper has been certified as a Oklahoma-Lake Texoma striped bass record, and, weighs in at 6 pounds more than the previous lake record striper catch.
Barbara Pope is a resident of Dallas and a life-long angler. She and her husband entertain their guests in every season by fishing on Lake Texoma. “But I come in December for the trophy fishing”, Barbara says.
Barbara had invited two girlfriends from her sorority days at Oklahoma State University to go fishing. They were fishing with Chris Carey of Striper Express Guide Service in Pottsboro, Texas.
They were drift fishing with artificial bait in water depths ranging from 15 to 40 feet deep. Barbara was casting on an underwater structure main lake point about noon when the big female fish struck her lure.
“Oh my gosh, it seemed a lifetime fighting the fish,” Barbara said. “I was leaning back and the rod was bent so far it looked to break at any time. I knew this was a special fish by the excitement in Chris’s voice. Chris knew this was a big fish. When it surfaced everyone went crazy.”
While heavier striped bass have been caught in previous years at Lake Texoma, this fish represents the largest striped bass from the Oklahoma side of the lake since the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation started keeping lake records in 2008.