Sooner Lake is a 5,400-acre cooling water reservoir spanning Noble and Pawnee Counties in north central Oklahoma, located approximately 15 miles south of Ponca City and 25 miles north of Stillwater along US 177. Built in 1972 to serve the Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company's coal-fired power generation plant at the northwest end, this reservoir has evolved into one of Oklahoma's premier bass fishing destinations. With a maximum depth of 89 feet and average depth of 28 feet, the lake maintains a normal elevation of 927 feet and holds 149,000 acre-feet of water. The 42-mile shoreline provides diverse fishing habitat, and the lake's reputation as "THE destination" for big bass in north central Oklahoma and south central Kansas stems from an aggressive Florida strain largemouth bass stocking program. Unlike many area lakes that can become turbid during flooding, Sooner Lake maintains stable, clear conditions, making it a reliable year-round fishing location.