Central Arkansas
Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir
Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is stained and at normal level. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets fished near brush in Pierce Creek and around the Arkansas Hwy 89 Bridge. Crappie are biting excellently on minnows and jigs in 4 to 6 feet of water near Pierce Creek, Gold Creek, Caney Creek and the Arkansas Hwy. 89 Bridge. Bass are biting well on soft-plastics fished along the shoreline. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers.
Lindsey’s Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is low, with very little generation. Trout fishing has been good on wax worms and marshmallows or Power Bait. Fly fishing has been good as well.
Just Fishing Guides said water releases have been very low with several days with no generation. Only two days in the last week saw water releases at 3,000 cfs. Lots of smaller browns are being caught along with rainbows with smaller streamers. Bigger browns have been tough.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 454.21 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 461 msl).
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water temperature ranges from 55 to 62 degrees. Bass are getting into their winter patterns and the bite has improved. Try 45-degree banks, ends of points, secondary points and flats with a Rat-L-Trap or spinnerbait. Wiggle Warts and Alabama Rigs are working along steeper banks and Carolina rigs and football head jigs are working around the points. Catfish are biting well on deep flats with shad. Walleye are biting better after the turn over, but most are still floating around suspended, try trolling crankbaits, or fishing Road Runners and minnows. Bream fishing is better now, try crickets and crawlers shallow on secondary points and out to 27 feet on the ends of flats with crawlers and minnows as well. Crappie are biting better as well. Try minnows and jigs in 5-15 feet of water on any wood or other structure. White bass and hybrid fishing has finally cranked back up. Try flats in 25-60 feet of water with shad balls in the graph. Use spoons, in-line spinners, hair jigs and swim baits. Look for birds to tell you where the action is. The bite will be good all winter on sunny days with wind.
Cody S. Smith of www.fishgreersferry.com filed no report.
Harris Brake Lakeside Resort (501-889-2745) said the water is low and clear. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs around stumps and docks. No report on any other species.
Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) filed no report.
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) had no report this week.
Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said crappie have been biting well on minnows, Baby Shad, Stroll’Rs and Slab Slay’Rs in white, salt and pepper, red/chartreuse and bone white in deep water. Try PowerBait Crappie Nibbles in green or yellow. Bream have been biting well, also in deep water, on night crawlers, red worms, meal worms, crickets and rock hoppers. Bass can be taken with tequila sunrise and dark-color worms, spinner baits, Rooster Tails and Flukes.
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) had no report.
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007)had no report.
Jolly Roger’s Marina said the water is 6 feet below the spillway. Largemouth bass are excellent, with many small bass being caught around drop offs, pockets and points in 10 to 15 feet of water. Try Pop R’s and Tiny Torpedoes early in the morning, then switch to Carolina rigs during the day. Spotted bass are biting well on Rooster Tails and jighead worms in 8 to 10 feet of water. White bass are biting well around North Shore and the restricted area on Rooster Tails, trolled crankbaits and jigging spoons. Crappie are excellent near the main channel in 25 to 30 feet of water. Try pink minnows, dull colored jigs and grubs. Bream are biting excellently on worms in 20 feet of water. Many large bream are being caught. Catfish are biting well on trotlines baited with bream or prepared bait near the main channel.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report.
Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) filed no report.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report.
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the lake is clear and normal. Bream reports have been good with jigs in shallow water. Bass have been good on shallow-running crankbaits in up to 5 feet of water. Crappie and catfish reports have been poor.
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the river is clear and at normal level. Bream are slow. Crappie are fair on brightly colored 2-inch grubs. Bass are excellent on red crawdad-colored crankbaits, 3/16-oz. black/blue jigs and 4-inch watermelonseed worms. Catfishing is slow.
Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo filed no report.
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report.
Main River Channel: Bass are biting well in the current breaks behind jetties and obstructions in the river. Try a shad-colored spinner bait or shaky-head worm right at the swirl of the current. Catfishing is fair on night crawlers, brood minnows and chicken livers.
Palarm Creek: No report this week.
Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool)
Vince Miller from Fish ’N Stuff said the water is stained and at normal level. The water temperature is 55 to 58 degrees. Crappie are biting well on minnows fished around brush. Bass are biting well on crankbaits and jigs fished around rocky points and jetties in 3 to 15 feet of water. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report.
Fourche Creek: No report this week.
Murray Lock and Dam: Crappie and bass are biting well on chartreuse twin-tail grubs. Catfishing is fair on cut shad below the dam.
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the river below Terry Lock and Dam is low. The water is clear and the surface temperature is hovering in the 50s to 60s. Crappie are biting well on jigs fished around rocky points and jetties. No report on bass, bream or catfish.
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is clear and low. No report.
Peckerwood Lake
Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) is closed until February 2013
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 report.
North Arkansas
Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is clear and low with only one generator running at times. Trout are biting well on wax worms and soft-plastic trout worms. Fly-fishing is good as well.
Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge(870-499-5185) no report.
Just Fishing Guides said as of Monday, the river was very low. Ponca was at 1.61 feet, Pruitt was very low at 3.50 feet, Tyler Bend was low at 3.51 feet and Buffalo Point was low at 2.71 feet. No recent report of fishing on the Buffalo.
Just Fishing Guides said the water is at 9.51 feet at Kelly’s Access. Water temperatures are in the lower 40’s in the morning to near 50 degrees in the afternoon. Get ready to fish slow and deep for smallmouth.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 646.69 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 654 msl).
Mike Worley’s Guide Service said water temperature is 59 degrees. Be very careful when boating as the low water level has exposed hazards that we haven’t seen for several years. Walleye are starting to bite in shallow water (less than 10 feet deep) and biting on suspending stick baits, such as Rogues and Lucky Craft Pointers, and on Alabama rigs. Smallmouth bass and large stripers are also biting on this pattern. Trolling Alabama rigs in 20 feet one day last week produced six hooked stripers in the 30-lb. range with three boated and released. Crappie are suspended over brush piles and in the standing timber along bluff banks, and are biting on jigs and minnows and ¼-oz. jigging spoons. White bass and spotted bass are biting on jigging spoons in 30-60 feet of water.
Just Fishing Guides said water releases have averaged 2,000 with highs to 6,000 cfs. Generation has been a soft 1-2 units around the clock, although there have been a couple of days without water releases. This is allowing wade fishing in certain areas as well as good drift fishing. During generation streamer addicts are having fun throwing larger patterns looking for the big bite. During periods of non-generation, wade fishermen are having fun as well fishing a variety of their favorite presentations. Recommended flies this winter include soft hackles, scuds, sow bugs, midges, micro caddis, blue wing olives and medium to large streamers. Remember the area above the state park is closed until February 1 to protect spawning browns.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 541.83 feet msl (normal conservation pool: September-April – 552 msl, April-September – 554 msl).
Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters said stripers are still up the lake near Red Bank and Calamity Beach. I fished the last two days and caught stripers and hybrids in 28 and 40 feet of water. The water has warmed to the high 50s. Look for bait balls and fish on top of the bait; the stripers are holding in the bait and will come up for your offering. Once the weather begins to cool, the bait will move to the channels and the best bet will be main lake channels near Bidwell, Blue Lady, Crystal Cove, Float, and Panther Bay.
Lou Gabric of Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said fishing patterns changing with the cooling water. Since my last report, most of my fish were caught in water 50-60 feet deep, but over the last couple of days I have seen a movement of the larger fish to shallower water. It appears fish are starting to move to their winter patterns and locations. Downsize your baits and fishing line and slow down your method of fishing. The bass bite has improved for bigger fish. I have been vertical jigging with a ¼-oz. spoon in 18-30 feet of water around brush piles. Sunday afternoon I was fishing a main lake point near our resort and landed seven bass including a 20.5 inch largemouth. The others were all spotted bass in the 12-15 inch range. Saturday evening was much of the same, but the walleye were biting. I landed a 22-inch walleye and lost two others at the boat. All of the walleye were in 18-25 feet of water on the bottom. Crappie are still scattered, but are starting to show up on brush in 30-40 feet of water. I have caught many crappie over the last couple of weeks, and most were caught in places where I did not expect to find them. I was striper fishing about a week ago around a sunken bridge and was spooning with a 1-ounce spoon off of the edge in 60 feet of water. I was dropping my spoon in baitfish 40 feet down and caught two nice white crappie. I caught one along a bluff line in 50 feet of water. They are a very skittish fish and get spooked easily. I have only been using my ¼-ounce spoon, but live small minnows on a slip float and also a small grub tipped with a crappie minnow will work great. Striped bass fishing has been hit and miss for most, but there have been some nice fish caught.
Guide Steve Olomon of Steve’s Guide Service said the water temperature is in the low- to mid-60s. There are some stripers up the river and in the creek arms. If you don’t use live bait, try slowly cranking a swimbait through any schools you find. Black bass are hitting jigs, suspending jerk baits and crankbaits; try throwing a green/brown back Wiggle Wart. Use caution while boating, as the lake is very low. There are not many boaters on the lake, so make sure your cell phone has a full charge and let someone know what area of the lake you are going to fish and what time you are going to be back.
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.
Just Fishing Guides said water releases have been about 1,000-5,500 cfs several times per day. As winter gets closer and low dissolved oxygen in the lake, releases will be several per day with shorter times. Some days there have been brief pulses of generation and on other days generation is starting late morning with one unit. There have been periods of low water every day for wading anglers. The hot flies lately have been the squirrely tuckas and olive zebra midge. Mid-morning and late afternoon/early evening is when the fish are keying on midges. Fish a size 8 streamer the rest of the day. Olive, rusty brown and natural tan colors are all working for the streamers. Have a selection of scud, sow bug, worm and egg flies as well.
Northwest Arkansas
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,109.74 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 1,120 msl)..
Bailey’s Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) said surface water temperatures are in the mid to high 50s. Stripers are scattered due to the cool water temperature and can be caught from Point 12 to the Indian Creek area. White bass, small stripers and hybrids are schooling on the surface. Throw small Kastmaster spoons to schooling fish. Beaver lake striper fishing will be fair with striper taken on live shad fished on down lines and lightly weighted balloon lines trolled 50-100 feet behind the boat, set 10-40 feet deep. Down riggers and flat lines are also producing with artificials, such as no. 14 Husky Jerks in black back or purple back colors. Live shad is the go-to approach for trophy stripers on Beaver Lake. Stripers are hitting shad in the 4-8 inch range. The hot spots for stripers have been Indian Creek (in the mouth of the creek and past Lost Bridge), Lost Bridge North, Point 4 (check the humps near the cedar thicket and in fish trap hollow), Lost Bridge South (look on the flat between fish trap hollow and LBS), Point 6 (many walleye as well as stripers have been caught), Big Clifty, Rocky Branch (Try the island and road bed that extends to the island, also check the islands in front of the Larue boat ramp, both are producing stripers on large Rat-L-Traps at night), and Prairie Creek (stripers, white bass and walleye all being taken on the flats and cuts around the islands, especially Deer Island). Stripers are beginning to show up around Copper Mine and Ventris. Check the rock piles in front of Copper Mine Lodge and the channel near Ventris Resort Boat Dock. Most walleye are about 5-15 feet deep, and are being caught off flats near the channel. Flat line troll with Hot-n-Tots, Rapala Tail Dancers, Shad Raps, Reef Runners or Ripstiks in natural blue or black back combos or chartreuse/orange and clown colors. Also try Cotton Cordell super spots and Rat-L-Traps in similar colors. The best places to look for walleye have been Prairie Creek around Deer Island, Blackburn Creek, Beaver Shores, Escapalia Hollow, Horseshoe Bend, Monte-Ne and the junction of War Eagle and the White River.
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is low and clarity is good. Bream are fair on crickets in shallow water. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs around brush near drop offs do deep water. Bass are biting well on crankbaits, jigs and other crawfish imitations fished shallow.
Jason Piper of JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass fishing has been fairly productive. They continue to hold close to pole timber in 25 to 45 feet of water along chunk rock banks and also along rock-to-gravel type banks. Jigging spoons and drop shot finesse worms have worked well along the pole timber and crankbaits and spinnerbaits have worked well along the rock banks. Prairie Creek, Ventris, Van Winkle Hollow and Rambo have all been good places to fish for bass. Crappie fishing remains very good since the water temp has not plummeted as winter approaches. Look for crappie to be suspending 10 to 25 feet close to brush piles and pole timber in 25 to 45 feet of water very close to run off channels and creek channels. White/chartreuse and pink/chartreuse curly tailed grubs and yellow/white and blue/white tube jigs all fished on a 1/16-oz. jighead have been producing good numbers. Work the baits from the bottom up until fish are located. Horseshoe Bend, Piney Creek, Ventris and Eden Bluff have all been good places to fish for crappie. White Bass have been schooling throughout main lake coves and adjacent points. Once a school is located, ½-oz. jigging spoons have been working well. The best way to locate whites is to slow troll medium- to deep-diving crankbaits along the creek channel drop offs. Coose Hollow, Ventris, Blackburn, Monte-Ne and Prairie Creek have all been good places to find whites. Catfishing has been best after dark using night crawlers or chicken liver. The Arkansas Hwy. 12 Bridge, Hickory Creek and Horseshoe Bend have all been good places to fish.
Just Fishing Guides said water releases have been in the morning for 2-4 hours at 2,000 cfs. Most days there are no water releases. Fishing Wednesday was excellent with high numbers of fish caught. Olive or gray scuds, gray or olive zebra midges, peach and yellow eggs and olive woolly buggers are all working well. For spin fishermen, olive marabou jigs and black/gold and shad-colored Rapalas are catching good numbers of fish. Generation has been off most days but expect increases with the colder weather. Cover the water to find concentrations of active fish. The lower tailwater below Bertrand Access has been fishing slowly lately.
Lake Elmdale
Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said the rain has caused a silt line. Although it’s easy to see, it didn’t offer any advantage. Bass were caught on green hula grubs and wacky-rigged soft-plastics. Areas with grassy patches near drop offs to 5 to 7 feet have been producing well. There haven’t been many crappie anglers on the lake because of high winds.
Just Fishing Guides said the water is 2.57 feet at Grandview Bridge. Water temperatures are in the lower 40’s in the morning to near 50 degrees in the afternoon. Get ready to fish slow and deep for smallmouth.
Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said the water is murky because of high winds. The water temperature is 47 degrees and dropping. Crappie are slow, but a few have been caught in 15 to 20 feet of water. Bass are slow. No report on bream or catfish. The lake will be closed for fishing Dec. 23-Jan. 15.
Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is at normal level. The clarity is good. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs fished closely to cover. Bass are biting well on crankbaits and soft-plastics. Catfishing is good on chicken liver.
Upper White River (Twin Bridges area)
Just Fishing Guides had no report.
Just Fishing Guides said the water is 0.74 feet near Huntsville. No report on fishing activity.
Northeast Arkansas
Lake Poinsett State Park had no report this week.
Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is clear and low. Crappie are biting well on minnows fished 40 feet deep. Bass are fair, but there’s no real pattern.
Justin Huss at Lake Frierson State Park said the water is low and clear. Bass are biting fairly well on soft-plastics fished around timber. Catfishing has been fair on live bait, cut bait and nightcrawlers in deep holes and on live bait suspended from floats during warm days. Saugeye are fair on crankbaits.
Mark Crawford with Spring River Flies and Guides said water levels are running 216 cfs at the spring and water clarity is clear. The weather over the last week has been all over the place. Hot and cold temperatures can make the trout really turn on one day and back off the next. On the hot days Y2K’s wear the trout out. On days when the trout are much pickier, mayfly emergers and Mark’s nymphs are the ticket. It has been a really good week with really nice trout being caught. Low clear water has been providing some excellent sight fishing. Spin fishers have been having great success with hot pink and white Trout Magnets, Rooster Tails and cocktail shrimp.
Southeast Arkansas
Cane Creek State Park‘s Geoff Wright filed no report this week.
Local angler and guide Jessie James (870-355-7800) filed no report.
Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of MonticelloBigBass.com had no report this week.
Southwest Arkansas
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.4 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 259.2 msl).
Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said surface temperatures range from 61 to 68 degrees, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, and time of day. Discharge at the dam is 171 cfs. Clarity is good, with 10-15 inches of visibility in the river depending on location. 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 almost complete. USACE expects to have completion reached and park open soon. Bass have been excellent most days through mid-afternoon. Many techniques and lures are catching bass. Clear Baby Torpedoes, Bone Pop-R’s, Bomber crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps are working early and late in the day. Later in the morning, largemouth, spotted bass and white bass will begin full-blown surface breaking. Switch to Cotton Cordell, Kastmaster, or Johnson Splinter spoons, Little Cleos, Little Georges and Rocket Shads. Shad have been grouping tighter with the cooler weather, forcing bass to surface feed in these groups. Points are producing best in Little River, while pockets and coves are providing good action in the oxbows. Bang Vapor Shads in Salt and Pepper/Silver Phantom continue catching solid bass around most any vegetation, remaining lily pads, or grass when bass are not schooling. Bomber and Excalibur crankbaits also continue catching schooling largemouths, spots and white bass along Little River and the oxbows, creek channels, ditches, and flats over the past couple weeks. Rat-L-Traps in shad patterns are working in Little River as well as shallow creeks and ditches or depressions deflecting on stumps (adjacent to flats) in the later morning hours. White bass continue roaming and schooling in Little River, Horseshoe, and McGuire oxbows in large schools over the past few weeks chasing shad. The Whites can be found slow-trolling shad colored crankbaits, and Rat-L-Traps in Little River and in the oxbows. Rooster tails in red and white will also get good response from the white bass along Little River. Crappie continue to improve with the cooler weather. Southern Pro Crappie Stingers in red/white, pearl or pink/white, Berkley white or smoke-colored curly tail grubs, on light wire jig heads and Blakemore Roadrunners continue catching some nice slabs over the past week. Target planted brush piles in 10-15 feet depths out of current along Little River for best action. Catfishing has been consistent along Little River on yo-yos and trotlines. Try cut bait, cut shad and Catfish Charlie on trotlines hung 18-22 feet deep along Little River on the outer break lines and bends where any slow current remains.
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) had no report this week.
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) had no report this week.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 538.0 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 State Park As of Wednesday, the Vandervoort gauge was at 2.26 and the gauge at De Queen was at 2.33.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 395.88 feet msl (flood pool – 408 msl).
Local angler George Graves said surface water temperature is in the upper 50s, and the lake is clear throughout. Bass fishing remains good with many nice catches coming from major coves and creeks. Look for fish on secondary points from midway back to the end. The fish will be up shallow, 4 to 6 feet, during stable weather and out deeper, 10 to 20 feet, during a front. For the shallow fish, use a lipless crankbait in shad or chrome patterns or a double-bladed spinnerbait with a chartreuse skirt. If the fish are not up shallow, try secondary points in the coves with a Texas- or Carolina-rigged green pumpkin or red shad worm fished 10 to 20 feet deep. The best areas have been between Arlie Moore and Cox Creek, but don’t overlook Big Hill Creek. Crappie fishing remains more miss than hit, with virtually no significant reports. The few fish that were reported came from the Shouse Ford/Point Cedar areas. Look for deeper brush in 18 to 20 feet of water. The best bet now is live minnows fished on a slip float rig set to about 12 to 15 feet. Be sure to fish over the thickest part of the brush because that is where the fish will concentrate. Hybrid fishing is great with fish in most every major cove between Caddo Drive and Shouse Ford. The coves are loaded with shad schools in big balls and the hybrids are just following the shad. There are no breaking fish, so the best way to find the schools is to troll. Use the trolling motor and run at about 2 mph. Start at the mouth of the cove and troll to about half way back or until the water depth is less than 30 feet. Use the sonar and look for shad, if schools of shad are located, the hybrids will be close by. Best lures have been Fat Free Shads, Shad Raps, and 4-inch swimbaits. However by far the best pattern is a five-arm umbrella rig loaded with 3-inch curly tailed grubs. Be sure to run a long line at about 120 feet, these fish are boat shy. Yancey and Big Hill Creek are both good bets for hybrids. Bream fishing is fair with the fish schooled up shallow when the weather is stable. Look for fish in the coves and fish a redworm or cricket with a float on the shallow fish and just tight line the bait near the bottom around brush during colder weather.
West-Central Arkansas
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 342.47 feet msl (flood pool – 373 msl).
Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) filed no report.
Lake Bailey (Petit Jean Mountain)
Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) filed no report.
Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) filed no report.
Bill’s Bait Shop (479-637-7419)had no report this week.
Chuck Morrison at Classic Catch Guide Service (479-774-9117) said bass are holding on gravel bars upriver. He has been able to catch them on spinnerbaits, Rat-L-Traps and diving crankbaits. Around the Horsehead area, cast a spinnerbait around points and rocks to locate fish, then come back with a swimbait or jig to look for bigger fish in the same areas. Around Spadra, he caught a few fish off points with Alabama rigs, but found better fish around the lily pad stems on jigs and spinnerbaits. Also look for big timber and points around Cabin Creek with a spinnerbait. On slow days, a jerk bait or swim bait may work, as well as a jig in lily pad flats. The Alabama rig paid off big in Mud Creek and Shoal Bay. In Piney Bay, a jerk bait was the best presentation, but a few still hit swimbaits. At Hickey Town, spinnerbaits and swim baits caught the fish.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 376.00 feet msl (flood pool – 419 msl).
The water level is 11 feet below winter level. Access to the lake at this level is off a temporary ramp on a raised gravel road past the Ashley Creek Access ramp. This wooden ramp is off the river bank, and boats of all sizes, except pontoon boats, have had no trouble launching. A boater can easily operate within the river channel and into parts of Lick Creek (follow your depth finder if you are not familiar with the lake). Crappie and catfish have been biting fairly well lately. The river portion of Blue Mountain Lake can be accessed off the newly renovated Hise Hill ramp near Sugar Grove. This area was renovated by the AGFC during summer. It was widened and the area dug out, so that access to the river is now possible. The river and the lake are two separate bodies of water, separated at Persimmon Point due to siltation. You cannot motor between the lake and the river.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 569.67 feet msl (flood pool – 578 msl)..
Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort said the water temperature is 56 to 60 degrees, and the water is clear. Black bass are biting well on peanut butter and jelly-colored football jigs, citrus shad crankbaits and drop shot rigs with watermelon candy finesse worms. Stripers are still fair on live bait or trolled hair jigs around main lake points. Crappie are very good and being caught near and over brush in water 20 to 25 feet deep on minnows and crappie grubs. Catfish are fair and being caught on cut bait and live bait on jug lines and trotlines set 20-30 feet deep.
Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service filed no report.
For a report on the crappie fishing at Lake Hamilton, visit Family Fishing Trips.
Drawdown Update: Entergy Arkansas says winter drawdowns of 5 feet on Hamilton and 3 feet on Catherine will be maintained until March 2013. Water released at the dams will be used to generate hydroelectric power. 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.
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 57 degrees with clear conditions in the tailrace. Short generation periods are the norm as Entergy has scheduled releases to maintain lake levels and this flow could occur at any time during the day. Rainbow trout fishing remains good as the majority of fish have migrated toward the dam. Fly-fishermen casting micro-jigs with a strike indicator in areas of current have taken limits of quality trout on a daily basis. Trout are very scattered and fly anglers are using boats to access areas that hold numbers of trout. Egg patterns in white or orange are also working well. Bank fishermen are still having trouble reaching fishable water, but have caught rainbows on wax or meal worms fished just off the bottom. Live minnows tightlined over deeper water have taken trout in the 16 inch class. Boaters anchoring on points and casting 1/16-ounce jigs in white are having success when the turbines are running. Trolling crankbaits that run 3 to 5 feet deep below the bridge is proving to be most effective in the current. Moving water is key to the success of artificial lures this time of year. There hasn’t been much white bass action in the tailrace, which is unusual. Good numbers of shad are present but lack of current flow has inhibited feeding periods for these fish. Some hybrid and striper action has been observed, but this action is short-lived and hard to spot. As the trout stocking schedule increases each month, more stripers will migrate into the area to feed.
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.
Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) filed no report this week.
South-Central Arkansas
Moro Bay State Park at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay, had no report this week.
Jaret Rushing had no report.
Jaret Rushing had no report.
East Arkansas
Mississippi River State Park Mississippi River State Park had no report this week.
Mississippi River State Park Mississippi River State Park had no report this week.
Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is very low and no one is fishing. No report.
Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is low and clear. Crappie are excellent on jigs fished next to stumps in 4 feet of water. No report on any other species.
Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water is clear and low. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets around shallow lily pad stems. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs around the pier in 8 to 10 feet of water. Bass are biting well on crankbaits and soft-plastics fished near lily pads. Catfishing is good on cut bait and worms.
If you have something to report from your latest fishing report, a tip to share, what you’re catching and what they’re biting, please share it with others in the comments section below.
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