By OKFR Staff

Right now, fishing in Oklahoma can feel a little like everything else this time of year.

It is hot. The water is warm. The easy part of summer has worn off, and if you are standing on the bank in the middle of the afternoon expecting fish to jump on the hook just because you showed up, you may be disappointed.

That does not mean the fishing is bad. It just means the fish are doing what most of us are doing by late summer. They are looking for cooler places, easier meals and the most comfortable part of the day.

Across Oklahoma, late-summer fishing is often a game of timing. Early mornings, evenings, overnight hours and cloudy days can make a big difference. Fish may still feed during the heat of the day, but many species are more active when light is lower and water temperatures are not quite as punishing.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation notes that summer fishing often improves during low-light periods, especially for species like catfish, which are active at night and can be caught on punch bait, stink bait, cut bait and other scented baits.

Catfish are one of the best late-summer targets for Oklahoma anglers. Channel catfish and blue catfish can both be caught this time of year, and they are often a good choice for families, bank anglers and anyone who wants to keep the setup fairly simple.

Look around creek channels, points, riprap, deeper holes and areas where wind or current may be moving food. Cut shad, worms, prepared stink bait, punch bait and other strong-

smelling baits can all work. If you are fishing a pond, try near the dam, deeper water or around structure, especially later in the evening.

For largemouth bass, August is not always easy, but it can still be productive. The biggest

adjustment is realizing that bass may not be where they were in spring. In hot weather, they often relate to shade, deeper water, vegetation, docks, brush, creek channels and other places that offer cover or access to cooler water. Early in the morn

ing, topwater baits can be worth trying along the bank, around grass or near shallow cover. As the sun gets higher, it often pays to slow down or move deeper with soft plastics, jigs, crankbaits or other baits that can reach fish

holding off the bank.

White bass can also provide good late-summer action, especially when they are chasing schools of shad. This is the kind of fishing that can go from quiet to exciting in a hurry.

Watch for baitfish breaking the surface, birds working over the water or sudden splashes that look like the lake is boiling. Spoons, slabs, small swimbaits, inline spinners and shad-colored lures can all be good choices.

ODWC’s white bass guidance notes that anglers can have success in summer by vertically jigging spoons and slabs off the bottom over ledges, which is especially useful when the fish are not visibly schooling on top.

Crappie can be more challenging in late summer, but they do not disappear. They may simply move deeper or hold tighter to brush, standing timber, docks,

bridge pilings or other structure. Instead of beating the bank like you might in spring, look for shaded or deeper cover. Minnows and small jigs are still reliable choices, but presentation matters. Sometimes the key is getting the bait down to the right depth and keeping it there long enough for a fish to decide it is worth the effort.

Bluegill and other sunfish should not be overlooked, especially if you are taking kids fishing or just want steady action.

They can often be found around docks, weeds, brush, rocks and shaded banks.

A small hook, light line, a bobber and a worm can still be one of the most dependable combinations in the tackle box. In ponds, bluegill fishing can be a good way to keep everyone interested while waiting for catfish or bass to cooperate.

No matter what you are fish

ing for, late summer usually rewards anglers who pay attention. Look for shade. Look for baitfish. Look for moving water, wind-blown banks, deeper edges, brush piles and places where fish do not have to work too hard for a meal. In clear water, natural colors may work better. In stained water or low light, a little more scent, vibration or contrast can help fish find the bait.

It also helps to be realistic. August is not always the time to fish harder. Sometimes it is the time to fish smarter. Go earlier. Stay later. Try after dark where it is safe and legal.

Keep water for yourself, watch the weather and do not forget that hot weather can be hard on both anglers and fish. If you are catching and releasing, handle fish quickly and get them back in the water as soon as possible.

Before heading out, anglers should also check the current Oklahoma fishing regulations, including license requirements, daily limits and any lake-specific rules.

The 2025-26 Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting regulations are available through the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, and rules can vary by species and location.

Late-summer fishing may take a little more patience, but there is still plenty biting for those willing to adjust.

Catfish may be waiting after dark. Bass may be tucked into shade or deeper structure. White bass may be chasing shad. Crappie may be buried in brush. Bluegill may still be ready to make a bobber dance.

In other words, the fish are still there.

They are just trying to beat the heat, too.

By Norman Winter | Horticulturist, Author, Speaker

The Vermillionaire cuphea has won twenty awards, including a Perfect Score in Minnesota, Top Performer at Oklahoma State, and a Perfect Score at the University of Tennessee to name a few—and it will win at your house too!

Now, after growing seven more years, including seven at my home on a forested hillside in west Georgia, I can say this is a must-have plant

When I say must-have, you may be thinking that is a pretty strong recommendation. Now in late July/early August, my plants are about 24 inches tall and 36 inches wide.

The orange-red tubular flowers are non-stop and produced by the hundreds on each plant. There are always five or six hummingbirds on them, leaving occasionally to go hit on my giant Amistad salvia.

The bees are there in great numbers, too, and every once in a while appear to challenge a hummingbird. This usually ends up with the hummer quickly showing who’s boss.

The thing that has surprised me most, however, are the butterflies. Every day there are Spicebush swallowtails, Eastern Tiger swallowtails, and even Pearl Crescents. This is truly a plant for anyone who enjoys the pollinator garden.

I have mine intermingled with

My son, who I sometimes consider the “Adventurous Color Designer,” uses them in large containers with lime-green ornamental sweet potatoes, and even calibrachoas. He uses them extensively at an outdoor shopping center, where the clientele is often stunned at seeing hummingbirds at the mall.

Botanically speaking, Vermillionaire is a Cuphea ignea hybrid. It develops into a woody- like plant and, as I said, bears hundreds of scarlet orange flow

milkweeds and the colorful Luscious Basket Tangeglow lantana. The combination has been very pleasing and successful.

ers for months.

In zones 8 and 9 it will get knocked to the ground by freezes, but normally returns faithfully in the spring, provided it doesn’t sit in water during the cold winter. It is growing in colder areas as an annual, much like you would a petunia.

When you locate your Vermillionaire cupheas, buy at least three, select a site in full sun and plant in well-drained soil. Set out plants 24 to 36 inches apart, planting them at the same depth they are growing in the container. Apply a good layer of mulch, water to get established and then enjoy.

In early summer, pinch growth as needed and more branching will follow. My son does this religiously, while I tend to leave them naturally. Both methods have proven very successful. But even planting in August will have you feeding hummingbirds and butterflies until frost.

Feed in mid-summer and again in early fall with a light application of a balanced, slow- released fertilizer. These species are drought tolerant, but watering during prolonged dry periods will pay dividends come fall.

Plant them informally in the garden rather than in straight rows. They pair beautifully with

other hummingbird favorites, such as firebush, Luscious lantana, and the new Chicklet Gold esperanza.

Blue flowers, like the spikey Rockin ‘Playin The Blues salvua, create partnerships you will want to photograph as much as the hummingbirds. A lot of hot weather remains, and Vermillionaire cupheas would make a fine addition to your garden!

Norman Winter is a horticulturist and national garden speaker. He is a former director of the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens. Follow him on Facebook at Norman Winter “The Garden Guy.”

By Ann Asher

Bats have never had the best public relations team.

They come out at dusk, fly in quick, uneven patterns and have spent too many years being tied to scary movies, old barns and Halloween decorations. For a lot of people, the first reaction to seeing a bat is not appreciation. It is usually something closer to ducking, squealing or hurrying back inside.

But out in the real world, especially across Texas, bats are doing quiet work most of us never see.

While we are closing gates, turning off barn lights, watering the last few plants or heading toward the house for the evening, bats are just getting started. Many of the bats found in Texas feed on insects, including moths, beetles and other night-flying insects.

That makes them part of the natural system working across farms, ranches, ponds, creeks, barns and backyards after dark.

For farmers and ranchers, that matters. Insects are not just a backyard nuisance. They can affect crops, gardens, livestock comfort and the general balance of the outdoors. Bats are not a cure-all, and they are not going to wipe out every mosquito or pest insect on a place, but they are beneficial wildlife. They eat at night, when many birds and other daytime predators are no longer active, which gives them a different role in the landscape.

One of the biggest misconceptions about bats is that they are blind. They are not.

Many bats use echolocation to help them find insects and move through the night, but that does not mean they cannot see. Another old fear is that bats want to fly into people’s hair. They do not. A bat flying low or

That said, bats are still wild animals. They should be respected, not handled.

Rabies is the main safety concern people think of with bats, and it is a serious one. Not every bat has rabies, but any bat that is found on the ground, acting strangely, unable to fly or found inside a home should be treated with caution.

No one should ever pick up a bat with bare hands. If a person or pet may have been bitten or scratched, or if there is any chance of contact while someone was sleeping, local health officials or animal control should

close is usually chasing insects or trying to navigate away, not looking for trouble.

be contacted for guidance.

Common sense goes a long way. Keep pets vaccinated. Teach children not to touch wildlife. If a bat gets into a house, do not panic, but do not ignore it either. Close off the area if possible, keep people and pets away, and contact the appropriate local professionals if there is any concern about exposure.

Around farms and ranches, bats may roost in trees, bridges, barns, old buildings or other sheltered places.

Sometimes that is not a problem. Other times, especially if bats are entering living spaces or heavily used work areas, they may need to be excluded.

Timing matters. In some

For landowners, the goal does not have to be turning the place into a bat sanctuary. It can simply mean understanding that bats have a job to do. They are part of the same outdoor world as songbirds, pollinators, frogs, owls, deer and the insects we notice whether we want to or not.

They are also a good reminder that not everything useful is pretty, popular or easy to appreciate at first glance.

Some of the hardest-working creatures on a farm or ranch are the ones we barely see. Bats do not ask for attention. They do not announce themselves in daylight. They simply take the night shift.

So, the next time you see one dipping and turning through the evening sky, maybe resist the urge to think of it as something spooky.

Think of it as a neighbor clocking in after dark.

Not a pet. Not a monster. Just wildlife doing its work while the rest of us head inside.

cases, sealing an opening at the wrong time can trap young bats inside or create a bigger issue. Wildlife professionals or Extension resources can help property owners understand the safest and most responsible way to handle a bat colony in a structure.

Some people choose to put up bat houses, and they can be a good option when placed correctly.

However, a bat house is not a guarantee that bats will move in. Location, height, sun exposure, temperature and nearby habitat all matter. Natural roosting areas are also important, which is why dead trees, wooded edges, water sources and undisturbed spaces can play a role in supporting bat populations.