Weekly Arkansas Fishing Report April 19, 2013 – Details and recommendations from fishing spots around the state.
| Central Arkansas |
Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir
Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is fairly clear and high. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets fished near the bank. Crappie are biting well on jigs and minnows fished against stumps and trees near the bank. Bass are excellent on lizards, spinnerbaits and frogs fished near brush. Catfishing is good on chicken liver, shad and nightcrawlers.
Dan at Gold Creek Landing had no report.
Lindsey’s Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is a bit murky and one generator is running. Trout are biting well on wax worms with marshmallows and Power Bait. Fly-fishermen are doing well on zebra midges and sowbugs.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 462.45 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 461 msl).
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level is falling and the surface temperature is 52 -65 degrees and climbing. Bass fishing is good from the bank to 20 feet deep. In deep water use football head jigs and Carolina rigs. In shallower water try Texas-rigged soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and small crank baits. The walleye bite is still tough, but should be good in the next week or so. Bream are biting well on crickets in about 5 feet of water. Most white bass are done spawning up the rivers and some hybrids are upriver now trying to eat the fry. Try grubs, in-line spinners, spoons and Alabama rigs; the bite will be great again after they get back set up in the lake. Crappie are biting very well all over the lake, with minnows and jigs in the brush and even out to 20 feet of water. No report on catfish.
Cody S. Smith of www.fishgreersferry.com had no report.
Harris Brake Lakeside Resort (501-889-2745) said the water is stained and at normal level. The surface water temperature is 60 degrees. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished around the banks and docks. Catfishing is good. No report on bass.
Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said crappie are fair on minnows and Slab Slay’r and Stroll’rs in white /salt and pepper, red/chartreuse shad, bone white and Cajun Cricket colors with a Power Bait crappie nibble in green or yellow. Catfish are fair in deep water on minnows, worms, stink bait and chicken/ turkey /rabbit livers. Bass are biting well on tequila sunrise worms, spinnerbaits, Rooster Tails and flukes. Bream are in deep water biting on nightcrawlers, redworms, meal worms, crickets and rock hopper jigs.
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said fishing has been slow on Lake Overcup. Trotlines and yo-yos are catching a few catfish on cut shad and skipjack. The water is at normal level. Water temperature ranges from 48 to 52 degrees. The fish are in good shape and ready to spawn, all we need is a few warm days and nights.
Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) had no report.
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said fishing has been slow. Trotlines and yo-yos are catching a few catfish on cut shad and skipjack. The water is at normal level. Water temperature ranges from 48 to 52 degrees. The fish are in good shape and ready to spawn, all we need is a few warm days and nights.
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007)said fishing has been slow. Trotlines and yo-yos are catching a few catfish on cut shad and skipjack. The water is at normal level. Water temperature ranges from 48 to 52 degrees. The fish are in good shape and ready to spawn, all we need is a few warm days and nights.
Jolly Roger’s Marina said the lake is full and water is steadily flowing over the spillway. Lake temperature is 56 degrees. The temperature in the coves is 60 degrees. Largemouth bass are excellent, with many spawning in shallow water. Largemouths are hitting jigs, jerk baits and Rat-L-Traps during the day around rocky shorelines and points. Spotted bass are excellent on jigs and finesse worms fished along channel edges near the bank. White bass are excellent with the warmer weather. They’ve moved into the creeks and are spawning. Whites are hitting on Rogues, Rooster Tails, grubs and Rat-L-Traps. Crappie are biting well in about 4 to 6 feet of water in the grass. They can be caught on dull color jigs with bright neon jig heads and minnows. A few can still be caught on the edge of the channel. Bream are excellent on worms and crickets in 15 to 20 feet of water. Catfishing is good on trotlines fished near the main channel.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are excellent on worms and crickets. Crappie are excellent on minnows and jigs in 20 to 30 feet of water. Bass are biting well on crankbaits, soft-plastics and topwater lures. Catfishing is excellent on shad and green sunfish.
Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) filed no report this week.
Hatchet jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said catfish are biting well on chicken liver, chicken hearts and nightcrawlers.
Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said the lake has plenty of water, but fishing is slow.
Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said some catfish are still being caught on chicken liver and frozen shad right around the docks. Bream have been biting crickets and redworms but are still scattered and mostly small. The crappie bite has slowed considerably but a few are still hitting no. 6 crappie minnows and Tennessee Shad grubs. Customers have reported catching some nice bass on no. 12 bass minnows and small spinnerbaits. Please remember, largemouth bass must be released immediately at Sunset Lake.
Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass are being caught on no. 12 bass minnows and big brooder minnows. Watermelon seed and pumpkin seed-colored 4-inch lizards Texas-rigged on light line with small bullet sinkers are working as well. Crappie and catfish have been hitting minnows late in the day along steep banks and just out of the current. Bream and other sunfish will bite crickets and worms all day long.
Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said we are already hearing about some big stringers of big redear mixed with a few good bluegills being caught by tight lining with crickets and redworms in the middle of deep brush. Crappie are tough to find but a few big ones have been caught recently on no. 6 crappie minnows. Bass are hitting watermelon/red trick worms and lizards fished around docks and rock walls.
Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said customers fishing the lakes are reporting a few catches but fish are slow to bite and seem to be scattered.
Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said a couple of regular customers and Lake Winona crappie fishermen have been heading out with plenty of no. 6 crappie minnows and 2-inch blue ice Kalin’s grubs. Bream are biting crickets and redworms fished around brush, rocks and logs in 2-6 feet of water. Not much talk about bass or catfish lately.
Charley’s Hidden Harbor at Oppelo filed no report.
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are biting well on crickets and worms in the Little Maumelle and Maumelle rivers. Crappie are excellent on brush in Little Maumelle on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on Spooks, buzzbaits and topwater frogs back in Little Maumelle.
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 surface water temperature is in the high 50s. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on crankbaits fished on the outside of grass beds and on tubes, lizards and jigs fished just at the edge of the grass. Catfishing is fair on cut bait and nightcrawlers.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said crappie are biting well on jigs fished around rocky areas in Burns Park and at the dam. Bass are biting well around current on jigs and jerk baits. Catfishing is excellent on green sunfish, shad and nightcrawlers.
Fourche Creek: No report this week.
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is high and fairly clear. Crappie are biting well on small spinners and Beetle Spins fished along weed lines. Catfishing is fair on whole shad. No report on bass or bream.
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is murky and high. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets fished in brush around the bank. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished in brush. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits and soft-plastics. No report on catfish.
Peckerwood Lake
Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is dingy and high. Crappie are fair on jigs and yo-yos baited with minnows. Bass are fair. Catfishing is fair on yo-yos. No report on bream.
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) said bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Crappie are biting excellently on jigs and minnows fished around brush near the bank. Bass are biting excellently on 6-inch soft-plastic worms fished around grass. Catfishing is excellent on nightcrawlers, chicken livers and hearts and green sunfish.
| North Arkansas |
Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is dirty with one to two generators running. Trout are fair on Power Bait. Drift fishing is excellent. Fly-fishing has been good but no report on specific patterns or locations.
Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185)
Just Fishing Guides has closed, and we are currently looking for a new contact.
Just Fishing Guides has closed, and we are currently looking for a new contact.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 653.48 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 654 msl).
Mike Worley’s Guide Service said the water is slowly rising and is clear in most areas. The surface water temperature is in the upper 40s to lower 50s. Light line, such as 6-lb.-test, is necessary during the daytime. Bass are biting a variety of baits in shallow water; jigs, grubs, stick baits and live minnows are all catching fish. The walleye are biting in the late evening and at night on suspending stick baits like Smithwick Rogues and Lucky Craft Pointers. White bass are biting well in the afternoon, mostly in the backs of the creek arms in 5 to 15 feet of water on white or shad-colored jigs, spinners and crankbaits.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 553.46 feet msl (normal conservation pool: September-April – 552 msl, April-September – 554 msl).
Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters said fishing is heating up for all species. With the recent runoff, the creeks are stained and the stripers, bass and crappie are spawning or are in pre-spawn and are biting. The last two days we caught over 20 stripers, a lot of them were short, but some big were hooked and got off. The next several days the fishing should be very good before the rains come, The water is warming. Look at Big Creek, Brushy and Bennett’s Bayou. The fish are coming up early morning and late evening; throw Rogues and have a top-water plug ready.
Lou Gabric of Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said fishing is heating up for a great spring season. The lake has finally warmed up to the low 50s and the temperature is gradually increasing each day. Striper fishing is improving daily. I fished Friday and Saturday with live threadfin shad with great success. White bass fishing had been phenomenal the last couple of weeks on spoons, trolled umbrella rigs and cast crankbaits in the Cranfield area. Also look back in Pigeon Creek, back in the Bennett’s area and up river in the Calamity area. The males should be waiting. Crappie had started to move up to the shoreline before our unseasonal snowfall. They moved back out, but with the warming of the water they have started to move back to the banks. Look for dead timber on the shoreline and shallow brush and you should start to find the crappie.
Guide Steve Olomon said the surface water temperature is in the upper 50s to low 60s. The water is warmer the farther you get back in the creeks with the off colored water. The bite is getting better every day. The stripers are up in the water column (10 – 25ft.) A few are coming up busting shad early and just before dark. After dark throw a stick bait and remember to reel it very slowly. Bass are hitting soft jerk baits, swimbaits, crankbaits and the deeper fish are hitting jigs. Look for whites in the back of the creeks.
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 has closed, and we are currently looking for a new contact.
| Northwest Arkansas |
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,117.68 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 waiting to spawn.
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is clear and low. The surface temperature is in the mid-50s. Crappie and bass are biting well on artificial lures. Walleye are biting well on minnows, jerk baits and Alabama-rigged swim baits. No report on catfish or bream.
Beaver Dam Store said trout have been biting well for everyone from the fly guys to the bait fishermen. Midge fishing early and late in the day is working, as are scud patterns. We used a olive and a white micro jig on fly-fishing gear with good results as well. Gold Colorado spoons, micro jigs and Rapalas are the best lures for spin fishermen lately. For the bait fishermen, white Power Bait with a wax worm is hard to beat right now. Walleye and white bass have moved into the tailwater as well. A jig-and-minnow combination is working well to pick up the occasional white or walleye.
Lake Elmdale
Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat had no report.
Just Fishing Guides has closed, and we are currently looking for a new contact.
Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said the water is murky and at normal level. Bream are biting fairly well on worms. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Largemouth bass are fair on artificial lures. White bass are fair on minnows and crappie jigs. No report on catfish.
Just Fishing Guides has closed, and we are currently looking for a new contact.
Dennis Kruse (479-444-3475) Dennis Kruse had no report due to bad weather conditions.
| Northeast Arkansas |
Lake Poinsett State Park said the season has begun. Many crappie are being caught at Lake Poinsett. The water temperature has come up 10 or more degrees and is at 60 degrees. There is a high demand for minnows. The crappie should be moving into the coves for spawning. Catfish are biting well on nightcrawlers in 8 to 10 feet of water. Some bream are being caught on crickets.
Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is clear and at normal level. The surface water temperature is 57 degrees. Bream are biting well on redworms and pieces of nightcrawler. Crappie are biting well on minnows, jigs, Road Runners, and Beetle Spins. Bass are biting well on crankbaits, jerk baits, soft plastics and jigs. No report on catfish.
Lake Frierson State Park said the lake is slightly above normal pool. The surface water temperature ranges from 55 to 65 degrees, depending on the time of day and location. Channel catfish have been good on nightcrawlers, minnows and stinkbait in 3 to 10 feet of water. A few blue catfish have been mixed in with the channel cats, but no report on flatheads yet. Bass have been biting well on minnows, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and soft plastics in shallow water. Top-water baits, such as poppers and buzzbaits, have produced some good bass early and late in the day. Small bream are being caught with redworms or pieces of nightcrawlers along the bank. A few nice crappie were caught last weekend, but not many limits.
Mark Crawford with Spring River Flies and Guides said water levels are running at 350cfs at the spring and water clarity is clear. The Spring River has been at its prime during the last month. The trout are biting excellently and the smallmouth have been biting well with the warm up. Woolly buggers in a variety of colors and Y2Ks have been hot. Candy corn and white Trout Magnets and black, white and yellow Rooster Tails are doing great with spinning rods. On overcast, cloudy days the catching has been awesome and on sunny days the trout are still biting well, just got to get the fly down to the bottom. We are using 3-weight fly rods with 3x-4x tippet and a weighted fly. Indicators are optional. A simple high stick nymphing technique with a swing out at the end has been very efficient.
| Southeast Arkansas |
Geoff Wright at Cane Creek State Park’s said the surface water temperature is 54 degrees. Crappie are beginning to pick up as the water warms. Catfishing and bass fishing are beginning to improve with the warm water as well.
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 259.40 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 259.2 msl).
Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said the lake level is 12 inches above normal conservation pool and rising. There remains strong current in Little River. The largemouth bass and crappie bites all but shut down over the past week and a half. Little River’s have worsened with water clarity since last week with all the fresh incoming muddy water. Surface temps as of Monday were 59 degrees 69 degrees, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day. Discharge rate as of Monday was 19,020 cfs. We expect the lake to crest over the course of the week. All 13 gates at the dam are open 4 feet each releasing much velocity into the tailwater, making some golden opportunities for snag fishing and striper fishing below the dam. We were seeing Largemouth Bass in bedding areas and Largemouth Bass going on the beds over the past 2 weeks. Some really fat females have been caught, weighed, and released, in the 8-10 pound range on or near bedding areas upriver and on the main lake sheltered pockets along the west end, over the past 2 weeks, but this week, the game has changed. Beds are extremely hard to see, and multiple species fish are scattered.
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) had no report this week.
Joshua and Jacob Bass of Sarepta, La., said the weather kept them off the lake last weekend, but they did have a report from week before. They managed to catch 101 channel catfish and 68 crappie in four days and three nights of running yo-yos between three anglers. They used only shiners, and set their yo-yos about 12 inches away from the grass about halfway up the lake on the west bank. There have been no reports on bass or bream.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 547.070 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 407.44 feet msl (flood pool – 408 msl).
Local angler George Graves said surface water temperature is in the mid-60s and the lake is clear throughout. Bass fishing is great with lots of nice catches reported. The fish are now moving up to the spawning areas and are being caught on many different rigs. Some of the better patterns have been medium-running crankbaits or jerk baits off secondary points in major coves and creeks in the morning and evening. During the bright part of the day, Texas- or Carolina-rigged worms and lizards are working best. Also some big fish are coming on the jig with craw trailers. If schooling fish are located, the umbrella rig with 5-inch swim baits is hard to beat. Try running a big double blade spinner bait around standing timber for some big bites. Best areas have been the north bank between Point Cedar and Woodall Cove, Point Cedar/Beaton Creeks, the north side of Goat Island, Big Hill and Brushy Creeks. Crappie remain scarce with a few reported coming from the back of major coves with lots of brush cover. Look for fish in 5 to 10 feet of water and throw a Tennessee Shad curly tail jig on a 1/16-ounce jig head next to the cover. Look for fish in the big coves at Lenox Marcos, Woodall Cove, Yancey Creek, Big Hill and Brushy Creeks. Hybrid fishing has been slow with only a few small fish reported. The fish should be back downriver and in the Shouse Ford area by now, but they are not showing. A few breaking fish have been seen at sundown around Point 15 but they are few and far between. Trolling is only producing a few small fish. Bream fishing is picking up with the warmer water. Look for fish in coves with some cover at depths of 5 to 8 feet. Use a float and bait with crickets or redworms. Some catfish are being taken on trotlines set in the upper part of the lake between Point 14 and Point Cedar. Use chicken livers, Catfish Charlie, cut shad, nightcrawlers or hot dogs. For live bait, try small bream and big minnows.
| West-Central Arkansas |
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 355.34 feet msl (flood pool – 373 msl
Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said crappie are biting well in deep water on minnows and Bobby Garland Baby Shad, Slab Slay’rs and Stroll’rs in white /salt and pepper, red/chartreuse, cajun cricket, Barbecue chicken and blue/white. Bream are biting well in deep water on nightcrawlers, redworms, meal worms, crickets and rock hopper jigs. Bass are fair on dark colored worms, spinnerbaits and Rooster Tails. Catfish are biting on nightcrawlers and chicken livers.
Lake Bailey (Petit Jean Mountain)
Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said bream are biting well on nightcrawlers, redworms, meal worms and rock hopper jigs. Catfishing is good on redworms, nightcrawlers, minnows, stink bait and livers. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits, Rooster Tails and dark soft-plastics.
Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said the river is stained and very low. Crappie are biting well on minnows, white /salt and pepper and red / chartreuse shad and cajun cricket Bobby Garland jigs with a green or yellow Power Bait crappie nibble. Catfish are good on stink bait, minnows, and livers. Bass are fair on dark colored worms, spinnerbaits and Rooster Tails.
Bill’s Bait Shop (479-637-7419)had no report this week.
Chuck Morrison at Classic Catch Guide Service (479-774-9117) said the bass are on fire, and there are multiple ways to catch them. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jigs, plastics swim baits, Alabama rigs and floating worms are all catching bass in the spawning flats and creeks. Pockets and cuts off the river will be heating up this week for pre spawn bass, and the drops out from the spawning flats will begin holding some post spawn bass. Crappie have been caught both shallow and deep on jigs and minnows with some river crappie being caught on small Rat-L-Traps. Catfishing has been good on cut shad and worms. White bass and striped bass have been good on tailspinners and jerk baits. Bream are fair on worms in the creeks.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 394.40 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.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 578.59 feet msl (flood pool – 578 msl).
Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort said the water is clearing and the surface temperature is 54-62 degrees. Black bass are excellent on jerk baits, Carolina-rigged green pumpkin lizards and floating worms. These fish are spawning and staging for the spawn. Walleye are still good on flashy crankbaits and inline spinners as well as bottom bouncing nightcrawlers near cover 15-25 feet deep. Stripers are still excellent on C-10 Redfins and Alabama rigs with 3- and 4-inch shad-colored swim baits or live bait. We are still getting great reports on the south fork of the river from Joplin to Denby. Bream are still slow and being caught with crickets or worms in 20-25 feet of water. Crappie are biting very well on minnows and crappie grubs fished near and over brush in 15 to 20 feet of water; suspend the lure 4 to 10 feet deep. Catfish are biting very well on jug lines and trotlines baited with cut bait and live bait and set 20-30 feet deep.
Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports in Hot Springs the water temperature is in the mid 60s and the water is in the buckbrush. The water is stained in the creeks and clear on the lower main lake. Good stringers are being caught shallow; the spawn is on. Bass are on beds, and fish are being caught in 5 feet of water and less. Try any shallow-running lure, like a jerk bait, spinnerbait, floating worm, or anything you want to throw in pockets. White bass are running in the river and most major creeks. Crappie are shallow and are biting jigs and minnows.
Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports in Hot Springs said the water 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 bedding and the spawn is on. Fish are biting shallow-running lures like jerk baits, floating worms, shallow crankbaits and any other lure fished in 5 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 and are 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 Entergy has been running around the clock generation below Carpenter Dam in an effort to bring Lake Ouachita down out of flood pool. Fast currents and changing water levels are the norm and this trend will continue until normal lake levels are achieved. Water temperature is 46 degrees with clear conditions in the tailrace. The final rainbow trout stocking until mid-November is scheduled for this month with thousands of quality trout already thriving below the dam. Bank fishermen need to target areas that have some protection from the heavy current and stick to proven live bait presentations. Wax and meal worms, nightcrawlers and redworms, crickets and live minnows are all productive baits and will greatly out-fish any artificial lure this time of year. Spin fishermen casting small spoons and in-line spinners can still catch trout in the current with shad in short supply. Fly-fishermen continue to wade to areas that hold feeding trout and are having success using small streamers in white. Micro-jigs are another quality fly that closely resembles the threadfin shad that inhabit the area. Boaters trolling small crankbaits have taken trout in the 14- to 17-inch class below the bridge. Crappie continue to spawn and are being caught on live minnows close to the dam over deep water. A few good limits of fish were caught this week before the storm shut down the bite. Bigger numbers of white bass are now present in the tailrace and are actively feeding on shad while the turbines are running. Striper fishing is very slow with no reported catches this week. Freshwater drum are beginning to spawn over shallow flats. Many of these fish are over 20 pounds and can be caught on crawfish and nightcrawlers. 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) said fishing has been slow. The water temperature is between 46 and 50 degrees. The lake has been clear this past week but is still a little high. Some larger bass have been caught, and some crappie have been taken on yo-yo’s. Some catfish are being caught on trotlines. But overall, the bite is slow.
| South-Central Arkansas |
Arkansas River (Pine Bluff Pool)
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Team said water temperatures on the main channel and Lake Langhofer are in the low to mid 60s. Water visibility is around 1 foot in Lake Langhofer. There is current on the river. Right now is the best time of the year to be in Lake Langhofer. Bass are biting very well on rock and wood cover near shore. Some can be caught on shallower sand flats offshore as well. People are catching them on multiple lures; the fish are not very picky right now. Jerkbaits, crankbaits, jigs, lizards and flukes are just some of the lures I’ve heard that have caught them lately.Moro BayMoro Bay State Park at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay, had no report this week.Ouachita River OxbowsJaret Rushing said the water is on the rise due to the heavy rains from last week. However, bass seem to be hitting pretty well in warmer pockets of water using a finesse-rigged worm in either a green or orange color due to the color of the crawdads. Some female bass have already spawned, so getting a reaction strike when the water warms up a little more should be the way to go. Several crappie have been caught on large black/blue or green/red jigs in about 6 feet of water.Tri-County LakeJaret Rushing had no new report.
| East Arkansas |
Mississippi River State Park said crappie are biting on green and black jigs in 10 to 15 feet of water. Bream are biting on crickets. Bass are moving to shallow water and are biting well on spinnerbaits and gitzits. Catfish are biting on green sunfish.
Mississippi River State Park said Storm Creek Lake is very mossy. No word on any fish biting.
Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is low and clear. Crappie are fair on minnows fished around brush. Bass are fair on tube baits. Walleye are slow, but a few have been caught on live minnows. No report on catfish or bream.
Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is high and clear. The surface water temperature is 58 degrees. Catfish are excellent on yo-yos baited with stink bait. No report on any other species.
Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water level is low. Bream are biting well on worms fished off piers. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs fished near piers. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits near lily pads. Catfishing is good on yo-yos baited with cut bait and minnows.
Loading ...
