Weekly Arkansas fishing report for April 12, 2014. Enjoy your time on the water and catch a bunch.
| Central Arkansas |
Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir
Little Red River (Greers Ferry Tailwater)
Greers Ferry
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 462.53 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 462.50 msl).
(Updated 4-9-2014) Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level is .01 feet above normal pool and rising. The surface water temperature is 50-56 degrees and warming. Crappie are still hit-and-miss; try fishing in front of brush along steep banks on cloudy days and in tight to the wood on sunny days. Walleye have finished spawning in the river, but are slow getting back to the lake; the best bet right now for walleye is slowly dragging minnows on jigheads in 35-40 feet of water. No report on bream. Bass fishing is good with a lot of smaller males moving shallow to make beds. Female bass are sitting at the first drop to deeper water outside spawning flats, waiting for a little warmer water.Try spinnerbaits, jigs, chatterbaits and Alabama rigs on the first drop to deep water to target the larger fish. No report on catfish. White bass and hybrid bass can be caught up all rivers and creeks and some big hybrids in the main lake; try using grubs, jerk baits and in-line spinners.
Lake Overcup
(Updated 3-26-2014) Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said all work is complete on the dam, and the new water control structure is in place. The water is a little high, but is falling. The surface water temperature is 54 degrees, and rising. Crappie are being caught on yo-yos and noodles baited with minnows. A few crappie also are being caught on white/chartruese and pink/white/chartreuse jigs. Catfishing is good on large minnows and cut shad. Bass are slow. Bream are slow.
(Updated 4-9-2014) Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) had no report.
Lake Maumelle
(Updated 4-2-2014) Jolly Roger’s Marina said the water temperature is 54 degrees and the water level is above the spillway. Fishing is picking up. Largemouth bass are excellent on jigs and jerkbaits fished around grass in 5 to 8 feet of water; there are still a few 5-fish tournament limits up to 20 pounds being caught lately. Spotted bass are in 5 to 10 feet of water and are excellent on jigs and shaky head worms. White bass are excellent up the creek. They are spawning, and there are reports of limits coming in on Rooster Tails, crappie jigs and minnows. Crappie are biting well on brightly colored jigs fished around grass in 1 to 5 feet of water. Bream are excellent in 5 to 10 feet of water on live worms and crickets.
Benton City Lake
(Updated 4-9-2014) Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) had no new report.
Sunset Lake
(Updated 4-9-2014) Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said the catfish bite has slowed a little but customers are still having some success on chicken livers and shrimp. Bream are starting to bite crickets and redworms. Bass fishing has been slow. A few crappie have been hitting pink minnows and some jigs.
Saline River Access in Benton
(Updated 4-9-2014) Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said fishing in the river has been difficult the last week or so. Cool rains have caused the water level and temperature to fluctuate, so that the fish and the fishermen have been confused. Some small catfish were caught on a trotline baited with brooder minnows and a few crappie have been caught in some backwaters on minnows. Hopefully the weather will realize it’s spring and fishing in the river will improve soon.
Lake Norrell
(Updated 4-9-2014) Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said customers are starting to report a few big redear sunfish on crickets and redworms fished on the bottom around deep brush and logs. Catfishing has been slow. Bass are biting fairly well on slow-sinking worms and Carolina-rigged lizards around docks and walls. Some have been caught on spinnerbaits fished on windy points. One customer said that the crappie seem to have disappeared.
Bishop Park Lakes in Bryant
(Updated 4-9-2014) Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said some decent crappie are being caught on No. 6 minnows and pink minnows. Catfish have been biting chicken livers, nightcrawlers and some have been caught on minnows. Bream are slow but some have been caught on crickets. Bass have been biting live minnows, small plastic worms and lizards; some have been caught recently on spinnerbaits.
Lake Winona
(Updated 4-9-2014) Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said crappie are starting to bite pretty well on No. 6 and No. 12 minnows. Bass fishing has been slow to fair. Catfish are biting fairly well on nightcrawlers and cut baits. Bream have been slow but a few real nice ones were caught on the bottom of some deep brush. Some walleye were being caught on No. 12 and brood minnows, but they have slowed to a near stop.
Arkansas River at Morrilton
(Updated 1-29-2014) River Valley Outdoors said a few people are catching some crappie on jigs, but overall the fishing has been very slow.
Little Maumelle River
(Updated 4-9-2014) River Valley Marina (501-517-1250) said bass fishing has been excellent on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Catfishing is excellent on chicken livers and minnows. Even a few bream anglers are catching catfish on wax worms. Crappie fishing is good on minnows fished around shallow areas.
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)
(Updated 4-2-2014) Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said crappie fishing is excellent in backwaters on pink minnows, red/chartreuse jigs and Beetle Spins. Bass are excellent on shad-colored spinnerbaits and chartreuse/black shallow-diving crankbaits in backwater areas. Catfishing is excellent on minnows, chicken hearts, livers and worms.
Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool)
(Updated 4-2-2014) Vince Miller from Fish ’N Stuff said the river is muddy to clear and the water is still cold. Crappie are fair, but bass fishing has picked up in the shallow areas around jetties and backwater areas. Square-billed crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps, chatterbaits and lizards are working well on the bass. Tuesday night tournaments on the river are getting underway soon. Give Fish ‘N Stuff a call for details.
Clear Lake
(Updated 4-9-2014) McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is muddy and at normal level. Bream are fair on worms and crickets close to shallow timber. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and shallow-diving crankbaits.
Peckerwood Lake
(Updated 4-9-2014) Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is clear to dingy, depending on the wind. Small crappie are fair, but the water is too cool for many of the large crappie to move in and spawn. Catfishing is good on liver and worms.
| North Arkansas |
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 659.21 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 654 msl).
(Updated 4-9-2014) Ken Minsky of Ken Minksy’s Loch Leven Guide Service said the big change to the mid-lake area (Point 24) is the dogwoods have started blooming and the turkeys have started to gobble! The main lake temperature is up a few degrees since last week, to about 51 degrees. The fish remain undecided, making short movements into shallower water as the water warms in the afternoon and back out again in the evenings. Look for movements in larger creek arms, fishing shallow and moving deeper until you find fish. The best results are still with a deep and slow presentation over 35 feet of water, casting toward shore on secondary points. Expect hits to come when the bait is at least halfway back to the boat keeping your lure as deep as possible. Smaller shad and crawfish imitations seem to be the most productive.
(Updated on 3-26-2014) Mike Worley’s Guide Service said surface water temperatures are in the 40s. Walleye are starting to move to the rocky main lake points and a few are being caught on suspending stickbaits, Alabama rigs and jigs. A warm rain should get the bite going after the cold winter we have had.
White River (Bull Shoals Tailwater)
(Updated 4-9-2014) Newland’s Resort below Bull Shoals said water conditions are trending toward the higher side, with 4-5 generators all day, including weekends. Popular baits have been shad, sculpins, pink artificial worms, Rapalas and Little Cleos. Several nice browns were caught last week, in the 18-22 inch range. Be sure to visit the Projected Water flow page and live web cam at Newland’s web site.
(Updated 4-9-2014) Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said seven generators have been running around the clock. Fishing form a boat has been good with Power Bait catching quite a few rainbows. Some big fish are being caught on large stick baits, shad and soft-plastic trout worms.
(Updated 4-9-2014) Berry Brothers Guide Service (870-453-2424) said the hot spot was the section from Cotter down to Rim Shoals. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers, Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, ruby midges, pink and cerise San Juan worms, and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective (try a cerise or pink San Juan worm with a midge pattern (ruby midge) suspended below it). The Corps of Engineers have been running a bit more water and that has been an advantage to streamer fishermen using sex dungeons and circus peanuts. We have had a few reports of caddis hatches. Though sparse, the trout did key in on them, it is a harbinger of spring and a promise of what is to come.
(Updated 4-2-2014) Ken Minsky of Ken Minksy’s Loch Leven Guide Service said the White is producing nice rainbow trout and brown trout on just about anything you want to throw at them lately. Green, brown and black woolly buggers are producing well, and the caddis hatch is not too far off. Be sure to bring some soft hackles with a little green in them and let them swing in the current; expect the hit to happen at the end of the swing, as the fly rises. Bring some small dry flies with you too.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 553.83 feet msl (normal conservation pool: September-April – 552 msl, April-September – 554 msl).
(Updated 4-2-2014) Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters said Norfork Lake is at normal pool. The water temperature is in the high-40s and rising. The water visibility is stained. The lake is warming up fast and the stripers are moving to the banks. The big fish have moved up the creek and are starting to feed. Shad have started moving to the banks and the stripers are following. The lake should be in the mid-50s by the beginning of the next week. I had five outings without a striper bite but this week we are catching limits and having lots of action. The stripers are being caught on 7-inch gizzard shad. Stripers are looking for big baits right now, so if you are throwing rouges make sure you use 5 inch or bigger. Crappie are biting on minnows, small spoons and jigs and minnows on brush piles in 10 feet of water in the mornings. As the day warms up the crappie are moving shallow. The walleyes will be spawning now that the water is warming. The best spots are at the state line, Liner Creek, Udall Marina, and from Bridges Creek to the 160 bridge.
(Updated 4-9-2014) Lou Gabric of Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said fishing is heating up. Stripers, bass and crappie are all starting to bite. The fish are moving to the banks to feed both in the day as well as in the dark. The lake surface water temperature has consistently been in the low to upper 50s. The best bite for striped bass is still back in the creeks. A few fish are starting to move out into the main lake, but the water temperature needs to rise more for a consistent main lake bite. Live bait is working very well; shiners, threadfin shad and gizzard shad are all working. If you are live bait fishing, make sure you have several lines out with no weights. It will not be long before fluke and spook fishing will start to take off. Over the last several days bass fishing has become much better. Largemouth, spots and smallmouth bass are moving into the shallows feeding on baitfish. Stick baits, swimming minnows, crankbaits and plastics are all starting to work. Crappie have started to move into shallow water over brush. The water is pretty clear so when you are fishing brush piles you will need to stay away and cast into them. The fish will not be very deep, so you don’t want to spook them. Live bait with a slip cork or small paddle tail baits tipped with a minnow work great. Walleye, white bass and catfish fishing should start to heat up very soon. Look for these species on shallow flats and main lake points. Currently the walleye and white bass are back in the creeks and will be moving out. Catfish will be starting their spawn soon if not already so look shallow.
(Updated 4-9-2014) Guide Steve Olomon said the water temperature is in the low 50s in the main lake and in the mid- to upper 50s back in the creeks. The main lake is clear and the creeks are stained. The better fishing has been in the warmer water. Stripers are hitting live bait and swim baits. I have had better bite at night throwing Rouges right at dark on the main lake flats and on some points. Hybrids, stripers and an occasional walleye or two. Just reel your lure slowly. Bass are hitting jigs, jerk baits and swim baits and will be heading to the bank to do their thing soon. I haven’t seen much top water action yet.
North Fork River (Norfork Tailwater)
(Updated 4-9-2014) Berry Brothers Guide Service (870-453-2424) said the Norfork has not fished well of late. This is possibly due to cold water temperatures on the lake. The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and soft hackles like the green butt. Double-fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended 18 inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise). There have been reliable hatches of small midges and very small caddis (try a size 24 Adams parachute).The fishing is better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday. Some anglers have been fishing heavy articulated streamers on sink tip lines on the higher flows.
Buffalo River
(Updated 4-2-2014) Berry Brothers Guide Service said the Buffalo National River is navigable and clear. With the cool temperatures, smallmouth are inactive. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.
Crooked Creek
(Updated 4-2-2014) Berry Brothers Guide Service said Crooked Creek is navigable and clear. With the cool temperatures, the smallmouth are inactive. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.
| Northwest Arkansas |
Beaver Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,121.81 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 1,120 msl).
(Updated 4-9-2014) Bailey’s Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) said walleye are done spawning and the white bass are right behind them. Stripers are on the prowl for warmer water and food; they are biting throughout the day with peaks at dusk and dawn. Fishing is fair with stripers taken on live shad fished from the surface to 25 feet deep. Trolling small umbrella rigs with white grub, Rapalas, Bomber 15-16As or spoons on flat lines with planer boards near the channel are also producing. Watch for schooling fish and have a spoon or Redfin plug ready! Check the following hot spots: At Lost Bridge North, walleye and white bass are being caught on medium-diving crankbaits; Highway 12 Bridge, walleye are being caught on medium-diving crankbaits, spinner rigs with nightcrawlers and minnows and jigs, and white bass are being caught in numbers; at Prairie creek, medium-diving plugs, jigs and spinner rigs with nightcrawlers are catching good walleye. War Eagle and the junction of War Eagle and the White River are producing walleye and white bass, as well as plenty of stripers. Blue Springs is producing stripers, walleye and white bass on medium-diving crankbaits, jigs and spinner rigs with minnows.
(Updated 4-9-2014) Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is muddy. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting very good on minnows and jigs fished around cover just off the bank. White bass are upriver, but you have to find clear water and fish deep-diving crankbaits for them . Walleye are biting well on black grubs and minnows as they move upstream to spawn.
(Updated 4-9-2014) Jason Piper of JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said fishing for bass has been very good up either river arm. Fish a spinnerbait or a jerkbait along sloping banks with timber or a Carolina-rigged lizard or craw over points and in small pockets off the river channel. Main lake fishing has been a little slower but still productive using a craw pattern Wiggle Wart along sloping banks and over points. A shaky head lizard or craw has also produced fish around docks. Most fish have been suspended in 5 to 20 feet of water. Crappie fishing has been best up either river arm, primarily upstream from the 412 bridge. Fish a baby shad type bait on a 1/32 oz jighead or a shineee hineee jig under a small cork 2-4 feet down around log/tree jams, pole timber or lay down trees close to the main channel. A minnow under a cork will work as well. On the main lake look for fish to be suspending 2 to 6 feet down over water deeper than 20 feet under docks and along bluff lines. Same technique as above will catch these fish as well. Best action has been on warmer sunny days. Spawn is still about 10-14 days away. Best color combos have been solid chartreuse, black/chartreuse and pearl/pink. Upstream from 412 bridge has produced good numbers of crappie, Eden Bluff and Monte-Ne have also been producing a few fish. White bass have begun to make their way up the river arms and main coves. Look for them to stay close to the channel along bends, points or flats. Anything that resembles a shad will do the trick. The spawn is still at least two weeks out. Not many reports on catfish. Best bank action should be at Hickory Creek or the 412 Bridge access using liver or worms.
(Updated 3-26-2014) Scott Branyan at Ozark Fly Flinger said there is a bit of a fishing slump on the tailwaters with the increased releases, cold water temperatures and high feeder streams the past week. Some warmer weather, sunshine and stable water conditions will improve the fishing. Fishing on Beaver tailwater was slow the end of last week. Water temperature was 41 degrees with the prolonged generation. Some afternoon shutdown returned beginning Sunday, but weather has been cold. There were no signs of shad coming through last week with the peak in generation. Shad patterns did not produce well either. Darker streamers work better although catch rates were way down. Generation early in the morning and again late in the day continues this week.
(Updated 4-2-2014) Beaver Dam Store said walleye fishing is picking up downstream from Houseman Access to Holiday Island. Drifting crappie-size minnows along the bottom or trolling a firetiger Flicker Shad crankbait at 2-3 mph looks like the ticket. A customer brought a picture of a 28″ Brown caught with a a streamer last Sunday. Midges, pheasant tails, peacock herl soft hackles and woolly buggers will get some attention. Nickle and gold Colorado spoons are hard to beat. We have some GULP maggots that will work when nothing else will on a micro jig.
Lake Elmdale
(Updated 4-9-2014) Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said the lake is at normal level and the water surface temperature is 58 to 62 degrees. The crappie really started Thursday of last week. The bite was on and minnows were the bait of choice. Fishing under a bobber at about 41/2 feet over structure worked the best. When the minnows ran out, a red /chartreuse tube jig,, tipped with a crappie nibble, kept the bite alive. The bluegill and redear can be caught using redworms fished a foot off the bottom in 10 to 12 feet of water. Bass have been caught on suspending jerk baits, and beaver-shaped creature baits.
Lake Fayetteville
(Updated on 3-26-2014) Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said some small crappie are being caught, but no big keepers lately. A few largemoutt bass are showing up. Catfishing is very good on nightcrawlers. Slip rental fees are due for everyone keeping a boat at the dock.
Lake Sequoyah
(Updated 4-9-2014) Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is muddy, cold and high. No report.
Prairie Grove Lake
(Updated 4-9-2014) Lake Manager Dennis Kruse said the lake is open for the season. Cold weather and rain kept many anglers off the water last week. No report.
| Northeast Arkansas |
Lake Poinsett
(Updated 4-9-2014) Lake Poinsett State Park said they have been selling a lot of minnows. The crappie are picking up. They’ve also heard about the catfish pikcing up, but not much news on the bass. Don’t forget the fishing tournament is this Saturday. Be sure to come and pick up your application at the Vsitor’s Information Center. The launch begins at 6:30 a.m. and weigh-in is 11 a.m.
Crown Lake
(Updated 4-9-2014) Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is stained and the surface temperature is 55 degrees. Crappie are biting well on minnows and small jigs around docks in shallow bays, where the water is warming up. Bass are biting well on jigs and soft-plastic worms. No report on bream or catfish. The 24th Annual Buddy Bass tournament will be held on Crown Lake April 19. Call 870-670-4496 for more information.
Lake Frierson
(Updated 4-9-2014) Lake Frierson State Park said wind and weather have kept many anglers off the water, but warmer days are forecast. Some surface activity is happening at dawn and dusk off main lake points. Reports continue of crappie in the flooded bushes of the northern end of the lake. This area is very shallow and may not be accessible to larger boats. A few bass have been caught on a variety of lures and minnows. Some channel catfish have been caught with liver, dip baits and nightcrawlers. We still need some warmer nights and warm rains to get the water temperature up some more to really get the fish biting.
| Southeast Arkansas |
Arkansas River (Pine Bluff Pool)
(Updated 3-26-2014) The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Team said the surface water temperature is right around 60 degrees in Lake Langhofer and other protected backwaters; the main channel of the river is a few degrees cooler. Visibility is about 1 foot in Lake Langhofer and protected backwaters, and around half a foot on the main channel. There is a little flow on the river, just not very fast. The bass are shallow and hungry. Moving lures such as crankbaits, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits have been catching fish in less than 5 feet of water. On slow days, jigs and soft plastics have been working as well. Catch rates have been improving for several weeks, it’s finally time go have some fun on the water!
Cane Creek Lake
(Updated 3-26-2014) Seth Boone at Cane Creek State Park in Star City said the crappie are biting shiners at a depth of 6 feet. This is particularly true around submerged stumps and standing timber. The bass have continued to go shallow to prepare for spawning, Watermelon/chartreuse worms are recommended. Catfish are biting as well, one local angler caught a 50-pound blue catfish on chicken liver using a pole. With the weather warming up, things should only get better.
Lake Chicot
(Updated 4-9-2014) Geoff Wright at Lake Chicot State Park said folks have been catching lots of catfish on yo-yos at Lake Chicot, using everything from minnows to nightcrawlers to dough bait. Some crappie have been caught using minnows on yo-yos.
| Southwest Arkansas |
Millwood Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.64 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 259.60 msl).
(Updated 4-9-2014) Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said the lake level is 5.1 inches above normal conservation pool and rising. There is increased current of Little River with the gates releasing around 2,727 cfs. Surface temperatures are 57 to 60 degrees, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day. Clarity and visibility are fairly stained in most areas on the main lake, with 5-8 inches of visibility away from current. Over the past few days, bass that were in a spawning mode were hammered with cold fronts, high winds, thunderstorms and torrential rainfall. The high winds and incoming cold rainy weather pushed a lot of the bedding fish deeper. Prespawn bass full of eggs have been caught over the past 2-3 weeks up to 9 pounds prior to the recent weather change. Plastic lizards, Rat-L-Traps, chatterbaits and hard jerkbaits have been taking staging bass on flats with stumps, ditches and in creek channels. Bass Assassin Shads were catching Largemouths in the 5-7 pound class over the past several weeks. Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs in Texas Craw, Watermelon Candy-Red, or Green Pumpkin Candy colors with a Berkley Pit Boss or Yum Wooly Bullee trailer continue randomly taking a few prespawn bass in the 4-7 lb class. Chatterbaits were catching nice bass in Mud Lake oxbow over the past couple weeks in dead lily pad stems and new pad blooms. White bass disappeared with all the rain, muddy water and current. Prespawn crappie are around 6-10 feet deep in creek channels around cypress trees. A few have been caught on white, chartreuse or black Blakemore Roadrunners, Beetle Spins, Little Cleos, and H & H spinners. Blue and channel catfish continue to improve with the increase of current in Little River this week on trot lines running 7-10 feet, and on yo-yos in Mud Lake and other oxbows up Little River, using chicken liver, blood meal, and cut shad.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 547.71 feet msl (Flood pool – 548 msl).
For more information on crappie fishing at Lake Greeson, visit www.actionfishingtrips.com/tripreports.htm.
Lake Greeson Tailwater (Little Missouri River)
Visit www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com for a daily update on fishing conditions.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 407.53 feet msl (flood pool – 408 msl).
(Updated 4-2-2014) Local angler George Graves said the surface water temperature is in the high 50s. The lake is clear up to Point 14 and has a moderate stain on up. Overall fishing remains slow as the water temperature is very slow to climb. Bass fishing is probably the best bet now, even though that fishing is only fair. Best areas are upriver between Point 15 and Cox Creek. Throw medium-running crankbaits and spinnerbaits to the bank at secondary points outside spawning coves. If you see any schooling activity, try a five-arm Alabama rig with 4-inch swim baits. Also try Texas-rigged 4-inch finesse worms along bluff banks for Kentuckies; good bluffs are at Point 14 and across from Point 15. Crappie fishing remains poor with no reports of any fish anywhere. Hybrid and white bass fishing is very slow with only a couple fish reported coming from far up the Caddo River. No reports on catfish or bream.
| South-Central Arkansas |
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
(Updated 4-2-2014) Local angler Jaret Rushing said the Ouachita River Oxbows are beginning to see an influx of new water from the rains we had last weekend. This should slow bass down from moving into spawning stages. Bass are still actively hitting slower moving “shad-like” baits and jigs. Again, color selection is key when targeting bass in these lakes and tributaries. Anglers should match their color choices based on water clarity. Crappie are still biting well on minnows and lighter colored jigs fished around outstretched trees in about 4 feet of water. Their bites are somewhat light, so pay attention and use fluorocarbon lines if possible to help detect the strike.
Tri-County Lake
Jaret Rushing had no report this week.
White Oak Lake
(Updated 4-9-2014) Stacey Jackson at White Oak Lake State Park (870-685-2748) said catfish are biting on trotlines in the lower lake and bream are biting on crickets and worms. (Remember, the catfish limit is only 5 for the lower lake, bream daily limit is 50 and all other species are catch and release only in the lower lake). On the upper lake, bream are biting well on crickets and worms early in the morning and evening. Catfishing is good on worms during the day and on trotlines at night. Bass are a little slow, but can be picked up in the mornings and evenings on artificial lures. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs.
| West-Central Arkansas |
Lake Bailey (Petit Jean Mountain)
(Updated 3-26-2014) Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said bream are fair on redworms, nightcrawlers and Rock Hopper jigs. Catfishing is fair on stinkbait and livers. Bass are fair on dark-colored worms, spinnerbaits and Rooster Tails.
Fourche La Fave River
(Updated 3-26-2014) Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said the river is stained and low. Crappie are biting well on minnows and Bobby Garland baits in red/chartreuse, cajun cricket, pink cotton candy, barbecue chicken and blue/white. Catfish are slow on stink bait, livers and minnows. Bass are slow on tequila sunrise worms, spinnerbaits, Rooster Tails and drop-shot worms.
Lake Hinkle
Bill’s Bait Shop (479-637-7419) had no report this week.
Lake Dardanelle
(Updated 4-9-2014) Chuck Morrison at Classic Catch Guide Service (479-774-9117) said the water temperature in the river is 59 degrees, warming to 62 degrees in some of backwater. Most of the river is dingy, but a few backwaters are clear. Bass fishing is excellent throughout the lake. You can find them deep and shallow and can catch them on practically any technique. The crappie has been moving back and forth from the shallow water to the deep water as the cold fronts move through. Knowing when to change technique is the key to success. Crappie has been excellent on jigs and minnows from 1 to 5 feet deep. Catfishing has been excellent on cut skipjack on the river, and worms and minnows in the creeks. White bass and stripers have been good below the dams and at the outlet of the nuclear plant on swimbaits, crankbaits and topwater baits. Bream have been excellent on worms and crickets fished around stumps and brush in the creeks.
Blue Mountain Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 389.28 feet msl (flood pool – 419 msl).
Lake Hamilton
(Updated 3-5-2014) Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports in Hot Springs said the water temperature is in the lower 40s. Black bass are biting Alabama rigs and jigs over brush piles in 8 to 12 feet of water. In the afternoons, if the sun comes out, fish rocky banks where the sunlight is warming the shore with crankbaits. Crappie are in 10 to 12 feet of water around brush. Use a float and fish a straight tailed jig slowly.
Lake Atkins
(Updated 3-19-2014) Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said the lake is clear and up a little at Lake Atkins. Several bass over 7 lbs. have been caught over the past few days. There also have been reports of crappie being caught below the spillway on minnows. Catfish and some bream are biting in very deep waters on crawlers and redworms.
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Bear Creek Lake
(Updated 1-8-2014) Mississippi River State Park had no new report.
Storm Creek Lake
(Updated 1-8-2014) Mississippi River State Park had no report.
White River
(Updated 4-2-2014) Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the river is clear and the surface temperature is at 48 degrees. Crappie are fair on minnows in the brush piles along the channel. Bass are fair on soft-plastic worms and creature baits. Walleye seem to have disappeared lately.
Maddox Bay
(Updated 3-26-2014) Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is still on the rise and dingy. The surface water temperature is 58 degrees. Crappie and catfish are fair on yo-yos baited with minnows. There haven’t been many good reports on crappie or catfish by pole fishermen. Bass are excellent.
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