It's officially casting and blasting time in Oklahoma.
Not only did spring turkey season kick off statewide Wednesday, but the warmer days has triggered some better fishing around the state.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation certified five new lake records last week.
There were some impressive catches but none better than Monday on the Red River where a Louisiana angler landed a 41-pound, 2-ounce striped bass.
Jim Tinsley of Dodson, La., had a 25-minute fight with the monster striper while fishing with Red River Striper Guide Norman O'Neal of Denison, Texas, downstream from the Lake Texoma Dam.
“This is the biggest striper that has ever been landed by a customer of mine,” O'Neal said.
On Thursday, Michael Turnbill of Lindsay caught a 31-pound striper while fishing with O'Neal on the Red River.
The state record striper is 47 pounds, 8 ounces, caught in 1996 from the Lower Illinois River.
Walleye were spawning along the dam at Canton Lake where Hunter McDonald of Weatherford landed a lake record 9 ½-pound walleye on April 1.
On Arcadia Lake, Jeff Smith's 12 ½-pound hybrid bass caught on March 26 was certified as the new lake record.
Antelope bow season moved back
The antelope archery season will start more than two weeks later this year.
On Monday, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission voted to change the bow hunting season for antelope to Oct. 1-13.
The antelope archery season, open to all, was pushed back so hunters who win the once-in-a-lifetime antelope gun hunts through the controlled hunts program would get the first crack at the prairie goats
The 2010 season was Sept. 13-26. Oklahoma has antelope in the Panhandle counties of Texas and Cimarron.
Turtles remain off-limits
State wildlife commissioners also voted Monday to extend the temporary ban on commercial turtle harvesting for two more years in Oklahoma.
The moratorium is only in place on public waters in Oklahoma. Turtles still can be collected and sold from private lakes and ponds in Oklahoma.
The commission first passed a moratorium three years ago to stop the practice when environmental groups claimed turtles were being over-harvested and facing extinction.
Oklahoma's turtles were being sold as pets or overseas to Asian markets, where they are a highly sought after food delicacy.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, in conjunction with Oklahoma State University and Southeastern Oklahoma State University, since has been researching the state's turtle population.
Researchers wanted another two years to complete their findings before making any recommendations.
However, preliminary findings show a significant decline in the turtle population in eastern Oklahoma when compared to a population survey done in the ‘90s by Oklahoma State University.