Lower Illinois River

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Operator: Tailwater of USACE operated tailwater of Lake Tenkiller

Driving Directions:  Two popular public areas along the LIR USACE fishing area below dam:  From Gore travel approximately 6 miles N on Hwy 100 turn R onto Powerhouse rd and follow to the end ODWC Simp and Helen Watts Area:  From Gore travel approximately 4.2 miles N on Hwy 100 turn R onto E 0990 rd and follow to the end Gore landing: From Gore travel, 1.5 miles E on Hwy 64 then turn L onto Gore landing road.  Travel N approximately 0.6 miles and turn R into the Gore landing area.

Physical Description:  The Lower Ilinois river is an 8-mile section of river that is a continuation of an Ozark type river with cool, clear water, chert, and limestone gravel bars and Oak/hickory covered hills giving way to the bottomland of the Arkansas River at the confluence.  It is only one of two year-round trout fisheries due to the cold water releases from Lake Tenkiller.  Being a tailrace, the natural flow regime is highly altered and fishing conditions are heavily dependent upon hydropower and other releases from the Tenkiller dam.  Current conditions can be found at USGS Gage Gore & USACE Tenkiller

Species of interest:  Rainbow Trout, Striped Bass (Striped bass can be found in the pools along the LIR and are very popular).  Other species that can be found in the river or at the confluence but are less popular include Largemouth bass, White bass, Sauger, Walleye.

Fisheries Management: Rainbow trout are stocked regularly throughout the year and are very popular.