Lake Altus in Kiowa County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lake Altus is one of the Kiowa County waters in Oklahoma. It stands 1,565 feet above sea level. It covers about 7.9 sq miles, which means weather matters as much as tactics. The shoreline runs to about 24 miles, far more than one trip can cover. By size it stands out even at Oklahoma level. 5.4 miles away sits Granite, the nearest town. The big place round here is Wichita Falls, 83 miles distant. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Lake Altus

  There is a figure for this one: 118 ft. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Kiowa County records list orangespotted sunfish, green sunfish, Rio Grande longear sunfish and channel catfish among the fish reported. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Fish Lake Altus where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 83°F at the top of summer and 37°F at the bottom of winter. The awkward stretch is midsummer, not midwinter. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Expect Lake Altus to follow that timing. A steady wind fishes better than a still, bright day.

• Tackle & Baits

  This sits on public land, so access is generally straightforward. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is State of Oklahoma Reformatory Lake, 3.7 miles out. Check the position on Lake Altus before loading the car.