A fisherman and his dog enjoy the day near the boat docks at Oklahoma City’s Lake Hefner last month. [CHRIS LANDSBERGER/THE OKLAHOMAN]
A fisherman and his dog enjoy the day near the boat docks at Oklahoma City’s Lake Hefner last month. [CHRIS LANDSBERGER/THE OKLAHOMAN]
Forty anglers completed Oklahoma’s Grand Slam during the first year of existence of the state’s designated Fishing Trail.
The trail is a marketing campaign by Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell along with state tourism and wildlife agencies to highlight fishing in the state. The hope is to bring more visitors to Oklahoma’s waters and thus more dollars to the state.
The Oklahoma Fishing Trail highlights 38 lakes around the state, plus an additional list of 20 central Oklahoma fishing experiences that are part of the Wildlife Department’s Close to Home Fishing Program. The trail has six loops, one for each region of the state.
The official webpage for the trail is FishinOK. com. It provides not only information on the lakes and the species of fish in each one, but links to marinas, fishing guides, lodging, campgrounds, hiking trails, state parks, restaurants and entertainment venues in the area. For someone planning a fishing vacation in Oklahoma, it’s a one-stop shop for information.
Anglers can earn an Oklahoma Fishing Trail Grand Slam decal by catching a bass, crappie, catfish and sunfish (or bonus fish: paddlefish, trout, walleye or other species) and submitting photos of the fish through the website.
In the first six months after the trail’s launch, there was a 2% increase in Oklahoma resident annual fishing license sales over the same time period the previous year, and a 23% increase in nonresident annual fishing licenses. In recent months, there has been a surge of fishing and outdoor activities due to COVID-19.
Projected lodging revenue generated by Oklahoma Fishing Trail digital advertising between July 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020, was estimated to be about $39 million, according to state tourism officials.
“We have been thrilled with the success of the Oklahoma Fishing Trail, and we expect things to only get better,” said Pinnell, who is also the state’s Secretary of Tourism & Branding.
For its one-year anniversary, state officials are offering anglers a chance to win a guided fishing trip with Pinnell and J.D. Strong, director of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. To enter, go to the TravelOK.com Facebook page, Facebook.com/ TravelOK. The prize package also includes a one-year parking pass for Oklahoma State Parks and a selection of Oklahoma Fishing Trail gear.
