Weekly Arkansas Fishing Report – May 11

Courtesy Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

 

Arkansas Fishing Report

 

Central Arkansas

Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir

Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets in Adams, Pierce and Palarm creeks. Crappie are biting fair to good at night on medium-sized minnows. Bass are biting well on light-colored crankbaits fished near the banks. Catfishing is good on trotlines baited with chicken livers at night.

Dan at Gold Creek Landing said bluegill and redear biting well in lily pad patches away from the bank on crickets and redworms from 1½ to 3 feet deep. Crappie fair in the cypress trees. Bass fishing is good on spinnerbaits and soft plastics. Catfishing is good on trotlines and limb lines baited with bream.

Little Red River

Lindsey’s Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is fairly clear with one generator running in the mornings and no generation in the afternoons. Trout fishing is good on red Power Bait, jerk baits and Rattlin’ Rogues.

Lowell Myers of Sore Lip ‘em All Guide Service said pheasant tails, gold ribbed hare’s ear and small tan sowbugs are working well during low water. On high water, brightly colored Micro jigs and streamers are catching fish. Pink and white Trout Magnets are producing good catches during low water. We are expecting considerable generation over the next week, however there should be fishable water in the lower part of the river in the mornings. Always check the Corps of Engineers and Southwest Power Administration websites for current and future water release before planning your fishing trip.

Greers Ferry

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 462.86 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 461 msl).

Jeff Mays of Anglers Outpost Guide Service (501-253-1905) said the upper end the lake began to clear quite a bit last week with temperatures ranging 62-68 degrees. Crappie are spawning in stages with fish in tight out to about 25 feet over tops and in pole timber. Limits have been seen from jig poling in buckbrush, anchoring and using slip bobbers over brush tops, and spider rigging and trolling over the timber. Blue/white tubes tipped with minnows worked very well. Some white crappie examined this week were still full of eggs and were feeding heavily on insect larvae and other invertebrates. Whites and hybrids are schooling against windblown shores chasing shad to the surface. Blacks and spotted bass are cruising in the shallows and are aggressive on flukes and floating worms. Beginning to see more channel cats and few flatheads on trotlines and free-floating devices using live and cut bait. The cold start to May will hopefully prolong the spawn action and keep fish entering all phases over the next few weeks. The evening bite is getting better, look for walleye to be in 10 foot of water or less.

Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level is falling and the surface water temperature is 60 to 68 degrees. Bream fishing is good on crickets, small crankbaits and flies fished in shallow water. Bass are in all stages of the spawn. Bed fishing is good, as is a floating worm, top-water lure, jig head worm or spinnerbait. The shad spawn is starting, so flashy lures will attract some good bites. No report on catfish. Crappie fishing is better as most backed off to deep water during the cold. Most of the river fish have spawned and the lake fish are moving up now. Walleye are beginning to group up, but it will be another week or so before the walleye bite gets good. Try dragging minnows and crawlers in 10-25 feet of water. Hybrids and white bass have showed themselves up the rivers. They are wrapping up their spawn and should be moving back down to the main lake.

Cody S. Smith of www.fishgreersferry.com said the water temperature is in the low 60s and is edging up a little each day. The walleye bite is finally starting to improve although consistent fishing for them specifically is still lagging. Crappie are still staging for the spawn with some actively spawning. The very best bite is still deep (25 to 45 feet). Trolling and longlining jigs is the best way to locate and catch a limit. Bass are in all stages of the spawn. One foot out to 18 feet of water is holding concentrations of largemouths, smallmouths and spotted bass. White bass and hybrids are feeding well and surfacing at different times of the day. In-line spinners, top-water lures and Alabama rigs are working well when schools of whites and hybrids are found

Harris Brake Lake

Harris Brake Lakeside Resort (501-889-2745) said the water is at normal level and the surface water temperature is 60 to 62 degrees. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are slow, but expect them to pick up with the warming trend. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and soft-plastic worms with some limits being reported. Catfishing is good.

Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said crappie are good on minnows and Slab Slay’rs and Stroll’rs in white /salt and pepper, red/chartreuse shad, bone white, Cajun cricket, pink cotton candy, barbecue chicken and blue/white with a green or yellow PowerBait Crappie Nibble. Catfish are good in deep water on minnows, worms, stink bait and chicken/ turkey /rabbit livers. Bass are biting well on tequila sunrise and dark-colored worms, spinnerbaits, Rooster Tails and Flukes. Bream are biting well on nightcrawlers, redworms, meal worms, crickets and rock hoppers. Redear are biting on redworms fished near the bottom.

Lake Overcup

Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) filed no new report.

Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said crappie are good on minnows, Baby Shad, Stroll’rs and Slab Slay’rs in white/salt-and-pepper, red/chartreuse, bone white, barbecue chicken and blue/white tipped with a green or yellow PowerBait Crappie Nibble. Bream are in deep water and are biting on nightcrawlers, redworms, mealworms, crickets and rock hoppers. Bass are fair on tequila sunrise and dark-colored worms, spinnerbaits, Rooster Tails and Flukes.

Brewer Lake

Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) filed no new report.

Lake Cargile

Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) filed no new report.

Lake Barnett

Local angler Nicholas Karras had no report.

Lake Maumelle

Jolly Roger’s Marina had no new report.

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are fair on worms and crickets around main lake points. Crappie are excellent on jigs and minnows fished around shoreline brush and vegetation. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits, jigs and top-water lures. Catfishing is excellent on chicken liver, shad, and green sunfish.

Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said crappie are biting well on minnows, Baby Shads and Slab Slay’rs in red/chartreuse, bone white, pearl, orange/chartreuse, Cajun cricket, pink cotton candy, barbecue chicken and blue/white with green or yellow PowerBait crappie nibbles. White bass are biting well in the main channel on Rooster Tails and Baby Shads in white/salt and pepper. Bream are biting well on nightcrawlers, redworms, meal worms, crickets and rock hoppers. Bass are fair on tequila sunrise and dark-colored worms, spinnerbaits, Rooster Tails and Flukes.

Lake Valencia

Hatchet jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said catfish are biting excellently on chicken liver, chicken hearts and nightcrawlers.

Benton City Lake

Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said a few hand-sized crappie and a couple of slabs were caught out of this little lake last week. Fishing around the docks with minnows did the job. Bream always like crickets and worms and a catfish or two will be mixed in with them occasionally.

Sunset Lake

Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said All the talk is about catfish. Customers are still catching them on a number of different baits from live minnows to stinkbait, worms and chicken liver. Bream fishing has been fair and crappie are beginning to pick up a little early in the mornings. A couple of nice fat bass were caught and released by a customer last week on the back side of the lake. He reported catching them by floating a watermelon seed trick worm in the grassy areas.

Saline River Access in Benton

Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton  (501-778-6944) said some customers have reported catching catfish on minnows while trying to locate some crappie. The bass fishing has been fair early and late in the day. Fishing in the current with a good sized minnow on light tackle works well. Texas-rigged lizards, small cranks and spinnerbaits will do nearly as well. As always, the bream and other small sunfish will provide you with fishing fun almost any time. Just give them a worm or a cricket on a small hook and light, clear line. Take a kid and a camera..

Lake Norrell

Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton  (501-778-6944) said just before writing this report, a regular customer was describing a live well of 28 bream he caught one day last week at Lake Norrell as “fat rascals.” The bream aren’t on the beds yet, but they’re grouped up and quick to eat crickets in deep water. Some bass have been caught on floating worms and Carolina-rigged lizards fished around docks. Catfish are biting stinkbait and night crawlers right at dark just outside of brush piles. No reports of crappie being caught.

Bishop Park Lake in Bryant

Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton  (501-778-6944) said Lake Norman has been giving up some decent crappie if you stay with them and pick them out of the bass that you catch. Crappie minnows fished 16-24 inches deep on light line will do the trick there. Both lakes have been fair for bream fishing the last few days with crickets and redworms. Not much talk about catfish lately. 

Lake Winona

Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton  (501-778-6944) has received no new reports this week.

Arkansas River at Morrilton

Charley’s Hidden Harbor at Oppelo said the flow is down and surface water temperatures are 60-65 degrees. Black bass are on the jetties; use a shad-colored crankbait down the sides of the jetty and a Spook at the tip of the jetty closest to the river channel. Catfishing is good on whole shad fished 6 to 15 feet deep on the front side of jetties. White bass are biting well around the mouth of Petit Jean River, Flagg Lake Cutoff, Point Remove Creek and Coppers Gap. Fat Raps and other crankbaits in shad colors are working well when cranked and paused on the retrieve. Bream are slow, but a few have been caught on crickets fished around weeds near riprap. Crappie are biting fairly well on live minnows fished around weedlines in 5 to 8 feet of water.

Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are biting excellently on worms and crickets around standing timber in the Little Maumelle and Maumelle rivers. Crappie are biting excellently on jigs and minnows in the Little Maumelle and Maumelle rivers. Bass are excellent on flukes and spinnerbaits in the shallows of Little Maumelle. Catfishing is excellent on shad, nightcrawlers and sunfish near the mouth of the Maumelle River.

Palarm Creek: No report this week.

Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool)

Vince Miller from Fish ’N Stuff said the surface temperature is 60-61 degrees. Crappie are biting well on jigs fished along the deep side of rocky points. Bass are biting well near the rocky areas on the main river on soft-plastic lizards and Sweet Beavers. Catfishing is picking up on nightcrawlers.

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said crappie are biting well on jigs fished around jetty points near Burns Park. Bass are biting well in the backwater areas on Brush Hogs and crankbaits. Catfishing is excellent near the main channel on shad, skipjack and green sunfish.

Fourche Creek: No report this week.

McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is high and clearing. Bream are fair near the bank. Crappie are fair. Catfishing is fair on shad. No report on bass.

Clear Lake

McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is high and clear. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are fair on black/green jigs. Bass are slow on soft-plastic worms, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Catfishing is slow.

Peckerwood Lake

Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is murky and at normal level. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are fair on minnows. Catfishing is good on stink bait and worms.

Lake Pickthorne

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report on the lake this week.

Lake Willastein

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no new report.

North Arkansas

White River

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said rainbow trout are biting well on shrimp. Some nice brown trout have been caught lately on jigs and stick baits.

Berry Brothers Guide Service (870-453-2424) said we had significant generation and no wadable water. The lakes in the White River system are all above the top of power pool and we are getting much more generation. I expect this trend to continue for the next few weeks. Our most prolific hatch of the year, the Rhyacophilia caddis, is on the wane a bit. Our major mayfly hatch, the sulphurs, are next to come off. Before the hatch, concentrate on fishing mayfly nymphs. My favorite is the copper John. When you observe fish feeding near the surface but see no insects, the trout are keying in on emergers. The best fly for this phase is a partridge-and-orange soft hackle. Then, when you observe insects on the surface of the water and trout keying in on them, you switch over to the adult insect fly. My hands down choice is the sulphur parachute (14). On the White, we have had no wadable water. The hot spot has been the section from Wildcat Shoals down to Cotter. The best time to fish is early morning or late in the afternoon. Midday can be slow. The hot flies were prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, copper Johns, pink and cerise San Juan worms, gold ribbed hare’s ears and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small beadheaded nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended 18 inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise).

Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185)

Buffalo River

Berry Brothers Guide Service said the Buffalo River is navigable, but with the impending rain I would carefully monitor the water level before venturing out. With spring here, the smallmouth are beginning to get active. Look for water temperatures over 55 degrees.

Crooked Creek

Berry Brothers Guide Service said Crooked Creek is navigable, but with the impending rain I would carefully monitor the water level before venturing out. With spring here, the smallmouth are beginning to get active. Look for water temperatures over 55 degrees.

Bull Shoals Lake

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 661.39 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 654 msl)..

Mike Worley’s Guide Service said the water temperature is in the mid-50s to low 60s. Bass fishing is pretty good most days with stick baits, grubs and lizards in less than 20 feet of water. White bass are biting on shad-colored jigs, spinners and crankbaits in the backs of the creeks with colored water on windy days. Walleye have mostly finished spawning and are moving to chunk rock banks in less than 20 feet of water; they are starting to bite on spinner rigs, stick baits and crankbaits.

Lake Norfork

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 558.51 feet msl (normal conservation pool: September-April – 552 msl, April-September – 554 msl).

Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters said we have had lots of rain the last few days and the lake has risen 2 feet and should rise a couple of more feet. For May that is good news, the higher water covers up some of the buck brush and lets the newly spawned fry have some hiding places and the shad a place to spawn. I saw last week the first spawn of threadfin, with the warmer weather coming the shad will spawn in earnest. This will happen all over the lake and bring the stripers out into the open water and near the banks. The lower end from Diamond Bay to the dam and up Big Creek and Brushy will see lots of top-water action and stripers chasing shad. The afternoon bite will kick in. Fish the points and make sure you stay out until dark. The stripers will get very active the last hour of light.

Lou Gabric of Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said fishing is taking off, finally. The extreme weather changes during April have made for some interesting fishing. The crappie should have been spawning a week or two ago, but it appears they have moved to the banks again and this time to stay. Largemouth and smallmouth bass have started to move to their beds over the last few days. We are a couple of weeks behind where we normally are, but for a positive note, this delay should make for a fantastic May bite. May is typically a good fishing month, but I think this year should be outstanding. All this said, I am assuming the air temperature is going to get back to normal and start to warm the lake. The other positive lake effect is that the water has risen a little and the buckbrush is getting submerged. With this lake level the shad will move into the brush and the fish will follow making for a great shallow bite. Threadfin shad that I netted this morning are really fat, telling me they are ready to spawn. With all the brush in the water they will be all over the lake spawning. The fish will start to move out of the major creeks to feed on the spawning shad. This morning was a fantastic striper bite. I caught my limit is less than an hour. I was using gizzard and threadfin shad and the fish were coming up to get the bait. This weekend I had several boats out crappie fishing and even with the cool front and a lot of rain the crappie seemed to stay on the banks and on shallow brush. Try using a light weight hair jig, a paddle tail or twister tail grub. For best results tip with a crappie minnow or some crappie niblets. Largemouth and smallmouth bass have also started to move onto their beds over the last several days. They are coming up for Spooks, Rogues and Flukes. You will also find some good top-water action early and late in the day. The main lake from Mallard Point to the bridges and beyond is very clear. Hummingbird Hideaway’s cove did get somewhat stained over the gin clear conditions of three days ago. Great fishing color in the coves and creeks. The surface water temperature has fallen to the upper 50s, again. This should warm and stabilize over the next few days with our current beautiful weather forecast. Over all the lake is in great shape.

Guide Steve Olomon said the surface water temperature was in the upper 60s until the last cold front, when it dropped back to the low 60s. There were a few fish coming up earlier in the week when the water started warming. The night bite is picking up on Rouges for stripers, hybrids and a walleye or two. Some bass are on beds. They are hitting swimbaits, Spooks , Pop-Rs, Carolina rigs, soft jerk baits and jigs.

Campground News: Jordan Campground on Norfork Lake is open April 1-Oct. 1 and managed by Jordan Marina. Formerly run by the Army Corps of Engineers, Jordan Campground is a favorite of families camping on the south end of Norfork Lake and is the gateway to Sand Island and Jordan area beaches. This area also is a favorite of scuba divers, with 30 dive sites within 2 miles of the campground. Jordan Campground has 41 RV and tent sites; sites with 50-amp service and 30-amp service are available for $20 per night. The campground, adjacent to Jordan Marina, also features a swimming beach, picnic pavilion, boat launch and two restrooms. For more information, call (870) 499-7223 or Jordan Marina at (870) 499-7348.

Norfork Tailwater

Berry Brothers Guide Service (870-453-2424) said there has been wadable water on the Norfork almost every day. The action has picked up somewhat. With no wadable water on the White, it has been very crowded, particularly on the weekends. You should fish early or late to avoid the crowds. The most productive flies have been small (size 20 or smaller) midge patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and Dan’s turkey tail emerger or soft hackles like my green butt or the partridge-and-orange. There has also been a sparse hatch of very small mayflies; reliable hatches of midges (try a size 22 parachute Adams for both) and some smaller caddis (size 16). The crane flies have been hit or miss (try a size 14 light Cahill or a partridge and yellow soft hackle). Olive woolly buggers have also accounted for a lot of trout. The fishing is much better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday. Dry Run Creek has fished well for the youngsters. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective.

Northwest Arkansas

Beaver Lake

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,121.78 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 1,120 msl).

Bailey’s Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) said water surface temperature is in the low 50s. Striper activity is picking up and the white bass run is on. Beaver lake striper fishing is good with striper taken on live shad fished on free lines and down lines from the surface to 40 feet deep. Troll small umbrella rigs with white grubs in clear water and chartreuse in stained water for some good action. Flat line trolling, and trolling three-way rigs with Rapalas and Rogues are also producing. Beaver lake stripers will be located in area’s holding bait near the main channel. Live shad as always on Beaver Lake when fishing for trophy Stripers is the go-to approach. Stripers are hitting larger shad in the 8-12 inch range. Check the following hot spots for stripers: Indian creek past lost bridge and in the mouth of Indian creek; Point 6 (look for birds working the surface and check the channel and treetops from 25 to 45 feet deep); Rambo Creek Arm (birds are working the area and stripers have been caught toward War Eagle Cavern on umbrella rigs and jerk baits); Highway 12 bridge (check the cove at Serenity Point and work your way toward Prairie creek); Prairie Creek (stripers will be using this area frequently to avoid the dirty water), and Coose Hollow (try both arms of Coose Hollow, there have been schools of whites working their way through here). Walleye are being caught in Blackburn Creek (on flats near the channel), Beaver Shores and Horseshoe Bend. Most walleye are about 4-8 deep and are headed back down river to the main lake after visiting spawning grounds. The rain slowed them down a bit, but they are recovering nicely and starting to feed. You can flat line troll with Cotton Cordell spots, hot-n-tot’s, wiggle warts, Rapala tail dancers, shad raps, reef runners, or ripstiks in natural blue or black back combos in clear water or chartreuse/orange and clown colors in stained water. Jigging spoons around brush and rock piles are also producing. White bass are piled up in every major creek upriver.

Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is slightly stained and is 3 feet below full pool. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in 5 feet of water. Bass are biting well on top-water lures and soft-plastic worms fished in shallow water. Stripers are biting well on live bait and jerk baits fished between Rocky Branch and Prairie Creek. White bass are biting well on shad-imitating lures around Twin Bridges.

Jason Piper of JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass can be found up shallow spawning. Look for beds close to the bank in 3 to 12 feet of water, depending on clarity, around flooded cover in backs of pockets, coves and along sloping banks. A split-shot rigged lizard or tube worked around the bed will entice a bite. Also, try a spinnerbait or swimbait worked parallel to the bank along sloping gravel banks with timber. Little Clifty, Van Winkle Hollow, Ventris, Monte-Ne and the White River arm have all been good. Crappie are in all modes of the spawn process. Most are suspending 10 feet deep around timber or above brush piles in 20 to 30 feet of water, not far from their spawning grounds. These fish can be caught by swimming a 2-inch curly tailed grub on a 1/16-oz. jig head through the cover. Some are still on the bank and can be caught around shallow weed beds, lay down trees and flooded logs along sloping banks and pockets. A 2-inch swim bait or tube on a 1/32-oz. jig head 2 to 5 feet under a small cork worked in those areas has been very effective. Monte-Ne, Piney Creek, White River upstream from War Eagle Marina and the coves around Eden Bluff have all been producing limits. White bass are biting well up both river arms and in the backs of main creek arms throughout the lake. They are biting anything that resembles a shad. Catfishing has been slow, but a few can be caught in the evening using liver or cut bait. Hickory Creek, 12 Bridge and the 412 Bridge access have all been good places to fish.

Beaver Tailwater

Beaver Dam Store said the walleye and white bass slowed down again this week. Hopefully a couple of warmer days and they will be moving back upriver. I did very well using a grey over white Clouser minnow. Flicker shad, night crawlers, and small minnows are also working. Many decent trout reports have come from everyone from the fly guys to the bait fishermen. Table Rock Lake is back at normal power pool. This takes away some access and slows the water down. With the higher and slower water, try larger (size 12 and 14) prince nymphs. Fish a soft hackle in the slower water by stripping it. Midge fishing early and later with scuds are catching fish. Fire Tiger Flicker Shad are fun to fish and work well. We used an olive and a white micro jig with good results. Colorado spoons are a great choice. Gold spoons, micro jigs and Rapalas are doing good for the spin fishermen. For the bait fishermen white PowerBait with a wax worm is hard to beat. Try a nightcrawler while the walleye and whites are coming up for a chance to catch a couple of different species of fish.

Lake Elmdale 

Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said the water is up. It’s hard to establish a pattern on the crappie. But they haven’t spawned yet. Small jigs fished 5-6 feet under a bobber worked, as have minnows. Bass fishing has picked up. Green pumpkin finesse worms and jigs are working well on largemouth. Bluegill are biting well on redworms and crickets most days.

Lake Fayetteville

Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Black bass are biting well on top-water lures and on shallow-diving crankbaits. No report on catfish.

Lake Sequoyah

Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is clear and at normal level. The surface water temperature is 58 degrees. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms and are starting to bed up. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished along the bank. Bass are biting well on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on chicken liver and shad, with many 10-lb. fish being caught lately.

Prairie Grove Lake

Dennis Kruse (479-444-3475) had no report thanks to last weekend’s snowy weather.

Northeast Arkansas

Lake Poinsett

Lake Poinsett State Park said this is about the favorite time of the year for anglers. Many bass are being caught on a variety of lures. Many crappie are being caught in shallow, calm water. Bream are biting well on crickets. One 32-pound flathead catfish was caught on Saturday.

Crown Lake

Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is a little dingy and is at normal level. The surface water temperature is 65 degrees. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished 15 feet deep. Bass are biting well on Carolina-rigged soft-plastics. Catfishing is good on chicken livers.

Lake Frierson

Lake Frierson State Park said the lake is several feet over normal pool, but falling. Water temperatures still range from the upper 50s to mid-60s, depending on day, location and weather. With the high water, fewer boats have been out. Channel and blue catfish are still good on nightcrawlers, minnows and dip bait; no reports of flatheads yet. Fish are being caught under floatation devices and from the bank. Some more crappie have been turning up on minnows, jigs of various colors and jigs tipped with minnows at various depths; try around cover near deeper water such as points or channel swings. Bass have been fair; the water level changes have scattered the bass, many of whom have already spawned making them difficult to pinpoint. Try baits that cover a lot of water such as spinnerbaits and crankbaits to locate fish and then slow down and cover the area with soft plastics thrown at any type of cover. You may need to make repeated casts to the same area to get a bite. Bream have been good on small pieces of nightcrawlers, redworms and pieces of hotdogs. Try different depths under a small bobber until you locate fish. A few saugeye were caught last week; some on minnows and one on a hot dog.

Spring River

Mark Crawford with Spring River Flies and Guides said water levels are running at 432 cfs at the spring and water clarity is 50/50. The river is up some and care should be taken when wading. The trout are biting great on Y2Ks and brownies. Crayfish imitations are working great with a little extra weight to keep the fly near the bottom in the current. Hot pink and purple haze Trout Magnets, and yellow/black Rooster Tails are working well. Trout Magnet also carries a 3-inch stick bait called a Troutcrank. It has been working great in trout colors. Make sure to run extra heavy tippet on your spinning rod for walleye strikes.

Berry Brothers Guide Service said the water level is fishable. This is a great place to wade fish when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season has not begun and the few boaters still around should not prove to be a problem. The hot spot is the Dam Three Access. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks.

Southeast Arkansas

Cane Creek Lake

Geoff Wright at Cane Creek State Park’s said catfish are biting well at Cane Creek Lake. Most anglers are using chicken livers or dough bait. We saw several catfish over 30 lbs. this weekend. Largemouth bass are still being caught as well. We had one 9-pounder brought in this weekend.

Lake Chicot

Lake Chicot State Park filed no new report.

Southwest Arkansas

Millwood Lake

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.30 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 259.2 msl).

Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said the lake level is 2 inches above normal conservation pool and steady. There is reduced current in Little River. Surface water temperature ranges from 67 to 77 degrees, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location and time of day. Discharge rate as of Monday was a total discharge of 2,798CFS. Clarity and visibility drastically improved over the past week. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity ranges 10-20 inches. The USACE upgrade project and maintenance work including installation of a new bypass valve at the River Run East recreational area below the spillway is complete and River Run East park at the spillway is now open. Bass fishing improved, especially with top-water action, since most largemouth are post spawn. The best bite is occurring around daybreak, and best reaction baits lately continue to be buzzbaits, Spooks, Spitn’ Images, Chug Bugs, Pop-R’s and Bass Assassin Shads. Largemouths continue hitting the Rat-L-Traps in Transparent or Spring Bream colors in clearer water of the oxbows, around 6-8 foot drop-offs of flats with stumps nearby. Six-inch lizards in black, blue fleck and green pumpkin are working near old bedding areas around cypress. Chatter baits in chartreuse/white, or black/blue and War Eagle spinnerbaits have been taking some nice size bass as well, up Little River in the oxbows around vegetation lines and lily pads. Spinnerbaits in Aurora, Spot Remover, and firetiger colors continue working along drop offs from flats into the stumps from 5 to 9 feet deep in the better water clarity areas. Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs in VooDoo, June Bug, and Baby Gator colors with black and blue or pumpkinseed craw trailers continue working around cypress trees, knees and stumps in 5-8 foot depths around patches of sawgrass and where alligator weed is in close proximity to cypress trees. White bass have finished their annual spawning runs up Little River near Patterson Shoals. Crappie continue improving around cypress trees and some continue spawning. Several crappie in the 2-3 pound range have been caught over the past week moving from bedding areas back toward creek channels and depressions between 8-12 feet depths on jigs and tubes in white, white/red, and hair jigs in white and gray with silver tinsel. Channel cats and flatheads are good on trotlines baited with chicken hearts, gizzards, livers, blood bait and cut shad in the outer bends of Little River placed from 8-12 feet deep.

Lake Columbia

Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) had no report this week.

Lake Erling

Joshua and Jacob Bass of Sarepta, La., filed no new report.

Lake Greeson

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 546.14 feet msl (Flood pool – 548 msl).

For more information on crappie fishing at Lake Greeson, visit Jerry Blake’s website, www.actionfishingtrips.com/tripreports.htm.

Lake Greeson Tailwater (Little Missouri River)

Visit www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com for a daily update on fishing conditions.

Cossatot River

Cossatot River State Park As of Wednesday, the Vandervoort gauge was at 2.26 and the gauge at De Queen was at 2.33.

DeGray Lake

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 406.80 feet msl (flood pool – 408 msl).

Local angler George Graves said the surface water temperature is in the high 60s and the lake is clear throughout. Bass fishing has slowed with the cold weather and only a few decent catches reported. The cold has moved the fish from the shallow spawning coves to deeper water off secondary points. The best pattern now is a Texas- or Carolina-rigged worm or lizard worked slowly on or near the bottom in 10 to 20 feet of water. A jig with a plastic craw type trailer in a crawfish pattern is producing some nice fish as well. Try secondary points in coves between Edgewood and Cox Creek. Also the creeks such as Brushy, Yancey and Big Hill have been yielding some good fish. Crappie fishing remains slow with very few catches reported. However some big fish are showing up on the attractors in the lower end of the lake around Iron Mountain and the state park. Post spawn is approaching and the fish will move to attractors in the main lake at depths of 20 to 25 feet. The best pattern is to drop a 2-inch curly tail grub or tube on a 1/16-oz. jig head to just above the brush. Natural shad and chartreuse/black are good starting colors. Hybrid fishing is improving with fish now scattered between Shouse Ford and Point 28. A few breaking fish have been reported in coves with shad. Also look for fish on offshore humps and ledges in 20 to 35 feet of water. Since the fish are scattered, trolling is the best method. Try an umbrella rig with 4-inch white or chartreuse curly tail grubs. No. 5 and 7 Shad Raps also are producing when trolled. Get the lures down about 10 to 12 feet since the fish are suspended at about 15 feet. Morning and late evening are the best times. Bream fishing is now good with the fish moving shallow in coves with cover. Most any shallow cove in the lake will hold bream, so just keep trying different areas until fish are located. The fish should start bedding on the next full moon.

West-Central Arkansas

Lake Nimrod

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 345.44 feet msl (flood pool – 373 msl).

Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said crappie are biting well on minnows, Baby Shads, Slab Slay’rs and Stroll’rs in white /salt and pepper, red/chartreuse, bone white shad, Cajun cricket, pink cotton candy, Barbecue chicken and blue/white with green or yellow PowerBait crappie nibbles. Bream are biting well on nightcrawlers, redworms, meal worms, crickets and rock hoppers. Bass are biting well on tequila sunrise and dark-colored worms, spinnerbaits, Rooster Tails and Flukes. Catfish are biting on nightcrawlers and chicken /turkey/rabbit livers.

Lake Bailey (Petit Jean Mountain)

Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said bream are biting well on nightcrawlers, redworms, meal worms, crickets and rock hoppers. Catfish are biting well on redworms, nightcrawlers, minnows, stink bait and chicken/turkey/rabbit livers. Bass are fair on dark-colored worms, spinnerbaits, Rooster Tails and Flukes.

Fourche La Fave River

Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said the river is stained. Crappie are biting well in coves on minnows, white /salt and pepper, red/chartreuse shad, Cajun cricket, pink cotton candy, barbeque chicken and blue/white Bobby Garland soft plastics with a green or yellow PowerBait crappie nibble. Catfish are biting well on stink bait, minnows and chicken/turkey/rabbit livers. Bass are fair on tequila sunrise and dark-colored worms, spinnerbaits, Rooster Tails and Flukes.

Lake Hinkle

Bill’s Bait Shop (479-637-7419)had no report this week.

Lake Dardanelle

Chuck Morrison at Classic Catch Guide Service (479-774-9117) said water temperatures have warmed to mid-60s. Upriver bass can be caught in the backwaters on jigs and lizards. Mid river bass have moved out to around 5 to 6 feet of water and have scattered due to the cold front. They can be caught in crankbaits, swimbaits and spinnerbaits. Lower river bass can be found holding close to rocks. They can be caught on jigs, spinnerbaits and plastic worms. Catfish are doing good on liver. Crappie are slow, but can be caught on minnows and jigs. No report on stripers or white bass. Bream are biting well in the back pockets on crickets and worms. Kentucky bass are holding tight to wood cover. They can be caught on jigs and spinner baits.

Blue Mountain Lake

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 388.00 feet msl (flood pool – 419 msl).

Blue Mountain Lake is now full and lake can be accessed at all concrete ramps. Things should start picking up with the warm weather. Many new fish attractors were placed during the drawdown, so it’s a great time to get out and motor around the lake marking new spots on the GPS.

Lake Ouachita

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 577.68 feet msl (flood pool – 578 msl).

Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort said the water is clear and the surface temperature is 60 to 64 degrees. Black bass are excellent on floating worms and brush hogs and some top-water action has started. Walleye are still good on spoons and inline spinners as well as bottom bouncing night crawlers near structure 15-25 feet deep. Stripers are still very good and are being caught on C-10 Redfins and live shad. Bream are fair on crickets or worms in 20-25 feet of water. Crappie are still very good and are being caught near and over brush. Minnows or crappie grubs are still working best. Catfish are very good and being caught on cut bait and live bait on jug lines and trot lines from 15-30 feet deep.

Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports in Hot Springs said the surface water temperature is in the mid-60s and the water is in the buckbrush. The water color is stained in the creeks to clear on the lower main lake. Black bass are being caught shallow. Try any shallow-running lure, like a jerk bait, spinnerbait, floating worm or anything you want to throw in pockets. The spawn is most of the way done, but you can find beds on the southeast end of the lake. White bass are running in the river and most major creeks. Crappie are in 6 to 8 feet of water and are biting jigs and minnows.

Lake Hamilton

Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports in Hot Springs said the lake temperature is in the mid to upper 60s and the lake level is full. The color is stained and there is trash floating from the rains. Bass are 75 percent through with bedding. Black bass are biting shallow-running lures like jerk baits, floating worms, shallow crankbaits, and any other lure fished in 8 feet of water and less. White bass are running in most major creeks and biting on shad-type lures. Crappie are in 7 feet of water and less biting on jigs and minnows.

For a report on the crappie fishing at Lake Hamilton, visit Family Fishing Trips.

Lake Catherine

For weekly flow releases from Carpenter Dam, visit www.entergy.com/hydro.

Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service said water temperature below Carpenter Dam is 53 degrees with clear conditions in the tailrace. Lake level has returned to normal with a highly reduced generation schedule. Rainbow trout fishing is excellent with quality limits of fish taken daily. Bank fishermen using redworms, nightcrawlers, wax worms or meal worms have done well presenting these baits with a bobber or just off the bottom with a marshmallow floater. Boaters trolling the main channels with shallow-running crankbaits have quickly recorded limits of trout in the 14-inch range. Spin fishermen casting Trout Magnets, Super Dupers and Little Cleos have had success in the reduced current. Crappie continue to inhabit the tailrace although the spawn is almost over. Live minnows and small jigs have been the baits of choice this season and have accounted for the best catches. A few walleye remain feeding and resting for the move downstream to the main body of the lake. These fish can still be caught trolling and fishing Carolina rigs tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers below the bridge. Large freshwater drum are spawning below the dam and are being caught on minnows and crawfish. Many of these fish are over 20 pounds and are ferocious fighters. Striper activity is low. Thousands of shad are moving into the tailrace to spawn every day, but little top-water action has been observed.

Drawdown Update: Entergy Arkansas says winter drawdowns began Nov. 3. Lake Hamilton will drop 5 feet and Lake Catherine will drop 3 feet. Water released at the dams will be used to generate hydroelectric power. Both lakes will return to their normal summertime levels in March 2013. The annual drawdowns help with shoreline maintenance and inspection, and are part of a plan to help control nuisance aquatic vegetation. Entergy Arkansas coordinates the annual winter drawdown with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. 

Lake Atkins

Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) had no new report.

South-Central Arkansas

Arkansas River (Pine Bluff Pool)

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Team said water temperatures are in the mid- to upper 60s after last week’s cold snap. Visibility is around 6 inches on the main channel and gradually clearing to around 1 foot as you go further into Lake Langhofer. There is light flow on the river. Bass in the backwaters and Lake Langhofer are biting well on shallow running shad-imitating lures. Slower moving worms and jigs are also working when the bite slows. Darker colored plastics and jigs are important with the muddier water. Bass have not yet made the transition to offshore brush piles, and they are still keying heavily on rocks.

Moro Bay

Moro Bay State Park at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay, had no report this week.

Ouachita River Oxbows

Jaret Rushing said the water is finally receding, so fishing for bass, bream and crappie should pick up. Once the waters recede in the Ouachita River Oxbows, anglers should try to target warmer water pockets. Temperatures are hovering around the low 60s right now in some places, but there are shallower pockets that are getting up into the mid-60s. Anglers should throw fast-moving topwater baits. Baitfish seem to be moving up, so throwing something with a flash, like a spinnerbait, should trigger a good bite, too.

Tri-County Lake

Jaret Rushing said bass are hitting Brush Hogs on the points of the fingers and around docks. Fishermen seem to be using watermelon-colored brush hogs and 1/16-ounce weights to keep the bait in the strike zone longer. As with the oxbows, the shallower pockets of this lake should be warming up drastically, and you can probably get some great reaction strikes on top-water baits in the backs of coves where the water is 2 to 4 feet deep.

East Arkansas

Bear Creek Lake

Mississippi River State Park said the water is at normal level and clear. Bass are good on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Crappie are biting on minnows fished around brush. Catfish are biting on rice slicks. Bream are biting on worms.

Storm Creek Lake

Mississippi River State Park said the lake is at normal level and clear. Bass are good on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Bream are biting on worms. Catfish are biting on rice slicks.

White River

Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is clear and at normal level. Crappie are fair on minnows fished around brush. Bass are fair on soft-plastic worms. Walleye are slow, but a few have been caught on nightcrawlers. No report on catfishing or bream.

Maddox Bay

Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is clear in the lake and high. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie and bass are slow. Catfishing is good on trotlines and on rod-and-reel.

Horseshoe Lake

Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water is low and is 60 degrees. Bream are biting well on wax worms in the shallows. Crappie are slow, but a few have been caught on minnows and jigs. Bass are excellent on spinnerbaits fished along the edges of lily pad fields; also try a buzzing toad in the thick part of the pads. Catfishing is excellent on yo-yos hung from cypress trees.

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