Miles and miles of shoreline
By BYRON BEERS
[email protected]
Lake Tenkiller
Referred to as Oklahoma’s clear-water
paradise, construction on Lake
Tenkiller began in 1947 on the Illinois
River, about 13 miles upstream from its
confluence with the Arkansas River.
Lake Tenkiller covers around 13,000
acres and has about 130 miles of
shoreline with a dozen marinas and 20
launching ramps in various spots. Popular
game fish include black bass, sand
bass, striped bass, crappie and catfish.
Rainbow trout are stocked in the river
below the dam. For sports enthusiasts,
the lake often plays host to fishing
tournaments. Many places around the
lake also offer boating rentals, cabins,
restaurants, convenience stores and
other amenities. To learn more about
the lake and those who support it, visit
www.laketenkiller.com, call 918-457-
4403, or search online for Greater Tenkiller
Area Association.
There are plenty of marinas, campground
areas, resorts and restaurants
throughout the Lake Tenkiller area.
Cookson Bend Resort & Marina offers
boat rentals, Bottoms Up Bar &
Grill, cabins rentals and a motel.
Burnt Cabin Resort & Marina is a
full-service marina that offers gas,
food, ice, beer and bait. It has boat
rentals, an easy access boat ramp and
trailer parking, a large number of boat
slips, a floating restaurant, lake view
cabins, and RV sites.
Sixshooter Resort & Marina includes
a marina store and office, Skippers
Floating Restaurant, boat rentals, boat
slips, a swimming area and recreation
equipment.
Other options are Pine Cove Marina,
Strayhorn Marina, Snake Creek Marina,
Elk Creek Resort, Horseshoe Bend,
Pettit Bay II (South) Marina, Sizemore
Landing, Cato Creek Landing, Carter’s
Landing, and others.
Fort Gibson Lake
Fort Gibson Lake is west of Tahlequah,
with delightful sites for afternoon
fishing, a shoreline picnic or
an overnight camp-out. The lake has
Lake Tenkiller. Photo by Stan Weed
14 Tahlequah Daily Press | Green Country Scene • Lake & River Edition • July 2020