Here is your weekly Arkansas fishing report for May 10, 2014. Enjoy your time on the water and catch a bunch.
Fishing Highlight of the Week: Local anglers from crappie.com are having a volunteer cleanup at Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir this weekend to help clear debris from the recent tornado. More than 400 tons of debris has already been pulled from the water by the AGFC. Anglers will meet at Hi-Way Landing across from Bates Field and Stream in Mayflower at 6:30 a.m. Satuday to begin the cleanup. Visit crappie.com for more information.
| Central Arkansas |
Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir
(Updated 5-7-2014) Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said bream are excellent on worms and crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs around cypress trees. Bass are excellent on soft-plastic worms and lizards around the shoreline. Catfishing is excellent on large minnows and small bream fished on trotlines and limblines.
(Updated 4-30-2014) Daniel Zajac at Gold Creek Landing (501-607-0590) said the landing is still open and fishing is good. Bream are biting fairly well on crickets and wax worms about 8 to 10 feet away from the bank. Crappie fishing is fair around live cypress trees. Bass are biting well on spinnerbatis, buzzbaits and lizards. Catfishing is good on limblines and yo-yos.
Little Red River (Greers Ferry Tailwater)
(Updated 5-7-2014) Lindsey’s Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is low. Power Bait is working well on rainbows during the low generation. Wax worms with marshmallows and nightcrawlers also are working well.
(Updated 4-30-2014) Lowell Myers of Sore Lip ’em All Guide Service said recent rains have jumped the Greers Ferry lake level up 3 feet and caused the Little Red River to be high and muddy the past few days. This has shut down fishing on the mid- and lower sections of the river. With expected generation of one or two units over the next few days, the river should be clear and back in good shape by the weekend. Hot pink and chartreuse Trout Magnet bodies on chartreuse and gold jig heads continue to work well. Caddis, midges, San Juan worms, sowbugs and streamers are working well for fly-fishing.
Greers Ferry
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 465.20 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 462.04 msl).
(Updated 5-7-2014) Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level is falling, and the surface water temperature is 62-65 degrees. Black bass will be making a major move to the bank to spawn on the coming full moon. That will be followed by the shad spawn near the bushes close to shore. Bass fishing should be great the next few weeks. The bream will make a major move with the bass as well; try crickets and crawlers. Catfish are eating everything from soap to bream to crawfish and even dog food; the bite has just started and will be really good as the moon rises as well. The walleye have been in a slump the last few days, but the bite will get better with the warmer nights. Hybrids and white bass are capitalizing on the shad spawn as well with good catches coming in. They seem to be in traditional areas about a month earlier than usual for some reason. The bite should be hot until the end of June, even longer if generation continues..
(Updated 4-30-2014) Cody Smith of www.fishgreersferry.com said water levels are on the rise from the rain and storms. Lake levels are up 4 feet and slowly rising. The bite over the last week was incredible. Over the weekend I had 4 guide boats on the water which boated over 200 fish during two 5-hour trips. We caught 31 walleyes and a slough of spotted bass, largemouths and smallmouths. White bass and hybrids are biting in select areas as well. Live bait presentations are still best, however soft-plastic swimmers are running a close second.
(Updated 5-7-2014) Jeff Mays of Anglers Outpost Guide Service (501-253-1905) said the lake has risen about 2 feet and the water is stained full of debris at the upper end. Surface water temperatures range 63-68 degrees and the fish are scattered with some postspawn fish suspending over the river channels. Bass and crappie are in all phases of spawn and can be caught shallow and out to 15-25 feet deep. Trolling jigs in popsicle color is working for most crappie anglers. Walleye are on the main lake flats and points.
(Updated 5-7-2014) Harris Brake Lakeside Resort (501-889-2745) said bream fishing is good on crickets fished around the coves. Crappie are fair on minnows fished around the shoreline, but many crappie still have not spawned yet. Bass are biting well on buzzbaits and other surface lures around the shoreline. Catfishing is good on yo-yos and trotlines at night.
(Updated 5-7-2014) Whiskers Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said the water is clear to slightly dingy. Bream fishing is good on redworms and crickets. Crappie fishing is good in 3 to 8 feet of water on minnows and Slab Slay’Rs or Baby Shads in bone white, Cajun cricket barbecue chicken and monkey milk colors. Bass are slow.
Lake Overcup
(Updated 4-30-2014) Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is a little high but clear. Crappie are finishing their spawn and moving to deeper water. They are being caught in 8 to 10 feet of water, but some are still shallow. A pink/chartreuse, pink/white/chartreuse and black/chartreuse jig seems to be best. Bream are starting to bed up and are being caught on crickets, redworms and wax worms. Catfish are fair on cut shad and large minnows. Bass are being caught in the shallows on lizards and black sot-plastic worms.
(Updated 5-7-2014) Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs with Bobby Garland baits in bone white, barbecue chicken and blue/white.
(Updated 5-7-2014) Jan Johnson at Brewer Lake Bait Shop (501-354-4108) said the water is clear with a surface temperature around 70 degrees. Crappie are still spawning and biting well on minnows, white jigs and clear/sparkle jigs 2 to 6 feet deep. Bass have slowed some, but still being caught on fire-and-ice and peanut butter-and-jelly plastic worms, white and chartreuse spinnerbaits and live minnows. White bass have completed their spawn and are in deeper water, being caught with live minnows and shad-imitating lures. With the warmer weather, catfish are starting to move out of deep water preparing to spawn. Channel cats are biting very well on liver; blues on worms and small bream; flatheads are still slow. Bream are fair on crickets and worms.
(Updated 4-30-2014) Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is clear and still a little low. Crappie are being caught over brush piles on white stingers and red/white/chartreuse jigs. Bream are biting fairly well on crickets and wax worms. Catfish are being caught on noodles and trotlines baited with cut shad, liver and night crawlers.Bass are fair.
(Updated 4-23-2014) Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is a little high and clear. Crappie are spawning and can be caught in shallow water on jigs and minnows. Bream are beginning to bed up and are fair on redworms and crickets. Bass are biting well on spinners and soft-plastics. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers and on trotlines baited with shad or liver.
(Updated 4-30-2014) Jolly Roger’s Marina said the water temperature is 80 degrees and fishing is steadily going better. Largemouth bass are excellent on black/red spinnerbaits and floating worms in 5 to 10 feet of water around grass. Spotted bass are excellent on jigs fished in 5 to 10 feet of water. White bass can still be found up the creek past Sleepy Hollow, and can be caught on Rooster Tails, crappie jigs and minnows. Crappie have spawned and are moving out to 10 to 15 feet of water. Bream are excellent in 10 to 15 feet of water on crickets and live worms fished around any brush you can find.
(Updated 4-30-2014) Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bass are fair early in the morning and late in the evening on bone Super Spook Jr.’s, sexy shad-colored crankbaits, white/chartreuse spinnerbaits and watermelon/red Senkos. Fish are holding close to creek channels and ledges, waiting to move up and spawn. Crappie are excellent from 20 feet deep, all the way to 5 feet deep. Some fish are pre-spawn, but most are moving up to spawn now. The best lures are electric chicken Bobby Garland jigs, pink minnows and crappie minnows. Catfishing is fair off main lake points and places with wood and rock both nearby. Trotlines baited with shad, liver, stink bait and green sunfish are working well. Bream are fair on redworms and crickets in 10 to 12 feet of water.
Benton City Lake
(Updated 4-30-2014) Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said some bream and catfish have been caught on worms and crickets. No recent reports of bass or bream action have come in lately.
Sunset Lake
(Updated 5-7-2014) Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said catfish are still biting fairly well on shrimp, chicken liver and nightcrawlers. Crappie fishing has been fair for some customers using pink minnows. Bass are biting well on live minnows, small plastic worms, soft-plastic lizards and small spinnerbaits. Bream are biting well on crickets and redworms.
Saline River Access in Benton
(Updated 5-7-2014) Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said crappie are biting well in some coves and backwaters. No. 6 crappie minnows and Kalins 2-inch triple threat grubs in black and silver have worked well for some. Bass fishing is good right now on large minnows and crawdad crankbaits fished in the current below shoals. Catfish have been biting fairly well for one customer baiting trot lines with brooder minnows and black salties. Bream will almost always bite a cricket or redworm and provide hours of fun for all ages on the river.
Lake Norrell
(Updated 5-7-2014) Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said bream fishing is off to a slow start this year but it is picking up fast. Crickets and red worms are catching some nice ones from various depths. Bass have been biting plastic worms and lizards fished around docks, walls and brush piles. Spinnerbaits will work during windy conditions. Crappie have slowed and customers are reporting very few being caught now. Catfish are being caught on no. 12 bass minnows and black salties at night. Chicken livers and nightcrawlers have worked for a few cats during daylight hours.
Bishop Park Lakes in Bryant
(Updated 5-7-2014) Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said crappie fishing has been good for a couple of customers that stay after them. No. 6 crappie minnows are working and catching a few catfish as well. Bream fishing is good with crickets and worms. Bass have been biting fairly well on larger minnows and floating worms.
Lake Winona
(Updated 5-7-2014) Lisa’s Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said crappie have slowed, but a few are still being caught on no. 6 and no. 12 minnows. Customers report the bigger ones being caught on the bigger bait. Some jigs like Bobby Garland Baby Shad have been working, too. Bass have been biting Texas-rigged worms and lizards and spinnerbaits early in the mornings. Catfish are biting live minnows and nightcrawlers right before and shortly after dark. Bream fishing is fair with crickets and redworms.
Arkansas River at Morrilton
(Updated 5-7-2014) Charley’s Hidden Harbor at Oppelo said the fronts have made fishing hit-and-miss lately. Bass fishing has been good in 4 to 8 feet of water around wood with a green pumpkin lizard. A lot of the grass was out of the water because of low water conditions over the weekend. White bass and stripers were holding around the mouths of Petit Jean River and Point Remove Creek. When the flow was low, a CC spoon worked well on the white bass and stripers, when the flow was high, a wobble spoon produced well. Brea are biting well around sandbars on crickets. Catfishing is picking up, with many catfish beginning to move shallow for spawning.
(Updated 5-7-2014) River Valley Marina (501-517-1250) said bream fishing is good on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are excellent on spinnerbaits and crankbaits back in the creek. Catfishing is fair.
(Updated 4-30-2014) Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bass are excellent around brush and stumps on watermelon/red lizards, Senkos and trick worms. Black/chartruese crankbaits also are working well. Crappie are excellent around stumps, brush and bridges on Cajun cricket Bobby Garland jigs, red/chartreuse and white/chartreuse MidSouth super jigs, pink minnows and regular crappie minnows. Catfishing is fair on troltines set around stumps and baited with shad, skipjack, livers, stink bait and green sunfish. Some good flatheads and blues are starting to show up. Bream are fair with a few folks catching some in the fresh water trickling in from the rain; redworms and crickets are working the best on the bream.
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)
(Updated 4-23-2014) Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said crappie are biting well on Roadrunners and red/chartreuse or black/yellow jigs fished around wood and rock in slack water. Bass are excellent around jetty points on square-billed crankbaits, Senkos, lizards and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is excellent on trotlines baited with sunfish, skipjack, livers or worms in the main channel. No report on bream
Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool)
(Updated 5-7-2014) Vince Miller from Fish ’N Stuff said crappie are biting well on jigs fished under a float near the shallow end of jetties. Bass are spawning in the backwater areas and holding on the ends of jetties. Bass are biting fairly well on soft-plastic worms and crankbaits. Catfishing is picking up, with some catfish trying to spawn. They are being caught in the shallows on worms, stink bait and fathead minnows.
(Updated 4-30-2014) Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bass are fair on the fronts and rear of jetty points on shad-colored square-billed crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps. Soft-plastic lizards adn Senkos have been producing well in the backwaters near cover. Crappie are fair, but are getting better. A few limits have come in lately on white/chartreuse, red/chartreuse and black/yellow MidSouth super jigs fished in slack water near current. Catfishing is excellent drift fishing and trotlining around depe holes. green sunfish, skipjack, livers and worms are working well. Try to fish areas near current with cover.Below the dam, white bass are excellent on chartruese split-tial grubs and bass innows. Crappie are excellent below the dam when the flow is high out of the hdyro plant.
(Updated 5-7-2014) McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said bream are biting well in the backwaters on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well in backwater areas on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is good on skipjack and shad. Bass are biting well on crankbaits and soft-plastics fished around rocky points.
Clear Lake
(Updated 5-7-2014) McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said bream are biting excellently on redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on worms, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is still slow.
Peckerwood Lake
(Updated 5-7-2014) Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is fairly clear and at normal level. Bream are just starting to pick up on crickets with a few bigger ones finally coming in. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair to good. Catfishing is excellent.
Lake Pickthorne
(Updated 4-16-2014) Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said crappie fishing is excellent in the stumps on minnows, small, 1/4-oz. spoons and red/chartreuse jigs. Bass are excellent on Senkos, finesse worms and square-billed crankbaits.
Lake Valencia in Maumelle
(Updated 4-30-2014) Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said catfishing is excellent on worms, minnows, liver, hot dogs adn stink bait.
Lake Willastein in Maumelle
(Updated 4-30-2014) Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bass are excellent around grass on Senkos, spinnerbaits and top-water lures. Crappie are fair around the bridge and dock using minnows. Catfishing is excellent on minnows, worms, livers and stink bait. Bream are excellent around culverts and docks on redworms and crickets.
| North Arkansas |
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 659.51 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 654 msl).
(Updated 5-7-2014) Ken Minsky of Ken Minksy’s Loch Leven Guide Service said Bull Shoals is fishing pretty good, but last week’s low pressure put the fish back to deeper water. The main lake temperature is in the mid-60s and rising. Some spotted bass have moved to the shallows, however many are still deep, and some are even in the 45-foot range. Largemouth’s are starting to show up in the shallows as well, with fish biting in 2 to 14 feet of water. Sight fishing to spawners with plastics is producing some very nice fish. Smallmouth’s are still a bit spotty and remain in deeper water, but will move soon. Walleyes are hitting well with nice catches coming on deep presentations. Keep the boat over 35 feet of water and cast toward the shoreline with jigs along the backside of primary points. A few suckers remain back in the creek arms but have pretty much completed spawning. White bass are feeding well on primary and secondary points and are eagerly taking shad jigs and trolled baits. Bow fishermen should be happy as the gar are just about in full swing and moving up the water column to within bow range. Concentrating your efforts along main lake bluffs and primary points will produce the best results.
White River (Bull Shoals Tailwater)
(Updated 5-7-2014) Newland’s Resort below Bull Shoals said water conditions are trending toward the higher side, with 3-5 generators all day long. There has been less generation on the weekends. Popular baits have been shad, sculpins, Power Bait (white and yellow) and Little Cleo spoons. 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 4-30-2014) Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said trout fishing is good, trolling a pink worm with marshmallow or Power Bait from the boat. Two to four generators have been running all day, so wade fishing has been eliminated. Some large brown trout are being caught on Rogues and Rapalas
(Updated 5-7-2014) Berry Brothers Guide Service (870-453-2424) said the hot spot was 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 prince nymph suspended below it). The Corps of Engineers have been running more water and that has been an advantage to streamer fishermen fishing sex dungeons and circus peanuts. We have had some spectacular caddis hatches. The trout have not been keying in on them due to the higher flows. This is our best hatch of the year and hopefully we can get some lower water before it is over. Before the hatch, fish green caddis pupa or prince nymphs (size 14). You will often get more strikes at the end of the drift as the fly rises. When the move to the surface and begin keying in on emergers switch over to a green butt soft hackle (size 15). When they start taking adult insects off the water’s surface, you should switch to a green elk hair caddis pattern (size 14).
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 554.07 feet msl (normal conservation pool: September-April – 552 msl, April-September – 554 msl).
(Updated 5-7-2014) Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters said Norfork Lake is at normal pool. The water temperature is in the high 60s. The water is stained. The shad have moved back into the creeks and are having another spawn. Stripers are staging half way up the creeks and some have moved to the main lake points. The night bite continues to be very strong all around the lake. I caught stripers off the main lake points and bays in Big Creek, Crystal Cove and the Cranfield area. If it’s sunny, stripers move offshore and very hard to catch. The best bite is when the weather is overcast with a slight wind. Crappie are in their late spawning cycle and are biting on minnows, small spoons and jigs on brush piles, stickups and bluff walls in 2 to 8 feet of water in the mornings.
(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 5-7-2014) Guide Steve Olomon said the surface water temperature is in the upper 60s in the creeks and in the mid 60s in the main lake. he main lake visibility is clear. There hasn’t been much topwater activity yet. Just a few fish coming up sporadically. The night bite has been picking up the last couple weeks throwing stick baits and reeling them very slowly back to the boat. The stripers are hitting live bait and some were hitting swimbaits early in the mornings before the sun was hitting the water surface. There are some bass still on beds and there are some hitting swimbaits, jigs and Texas-rigged worms. Some walleye are hitting stick baits at night but it’s been hit or miss the last few nights.
North Fork River (Norfork Tailwater)
(Updated 5-7-2014) Berry Brothers Guide Service (870-453-2424) said the Norfork has fished a bit better of late. Since it has had the only wadable water, it has been a bit crowded. 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 (try a size 24 Adams parachute) and caddis (try a size 18 elk hair caddis).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 5-7-2014) Berry Brothers Guide Service said the Buffalo National River is navigable and clear. With the water warming, the smallmouth will soon be active. The most effective flies are Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. Carefully check the water level before entering the Buffalo River.
Crooked Creek
(Updated 5-7-2014) Berry Brothers Guide Service said Crooked Creek is navigable and clear. With the water warming, the smallmouth will soon be active. The most effective flies are Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek.
| Northwest Arkansas |
Beaver Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,120.37 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 1,120 msl).
(Updated 5-7-2014) Roger Cravens of JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said look for bass to be along gravel banks with timber and visible cover. A Texas-rigged craw flipped around the cover or a spinner bait fished parallel to the bank should entice some strikes. For fish that are staged a bit deeper, look for them to be holding in the middle of small pockets and the adjacent points. A Carolina-rigged lizard or tube should catch those fish. Monte-Ne, Blackburn, Prairie Creek, Both Clifty’s and Van Winkle have all been good. Crappie are post-spawn on the south end of the lake and are starting to spawn north of the 12 bridge. Look for fish to be under log jams in the backs of pockets, under laydown trees along sloped banks and along pole timber close to the bank or suspended between 4-8 ft over brush piles in 15-25 ft of water. A 1/32 or 1/16 oz jig under a bobber will do the trick in these areas. For deeper fish look along a channel close to brush piles or timber in 15 to 30 feet of water. A curly tail jig on a 1/16-oz jig head will work in those areas. White River upstream from point 12, Piney Creek, Monte Ne, Joes Creek and Blackburn have all been good for crappie. White bass continue to bite well in the backs of windblown coves and far up each river arm. Anything that resembles a injured shad will do the trick. Indian Creek, Coose Hollow, Monte-Ne, Hickory Creek and both War Eagle and the White River have been good. Catfishing has been good late in the day into the evening using liver and worms in Monte-Ne, Hickory Creek and the 412 bridge area.
(Updated 5-7-2014) Bailey’s Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) said stripers are on the prowl looking for food. They are biting throughout the day, but are best at dusk and dawn. Live shad fished from the surface to 25 feet deep will work best, but Trolling with Rapalas, Bomber 15A and 16As, small umbrella rigs and Smithwick Rogues will work as well. Watch for schooling fish and have a spoon or Cordell Redfin ready! The Highway 12 bridge and the mouths of Prairie Creek and Coose Hollow are extremely good right now. At Prairie Creek, and the north side of Deer Island, the bite starts at 6 a.m. and is typically over by 7:30 a.m. with a few stragglers being caught a little later, but it’s absolutely loaded with stripers right now. Try any of the bars or flats between Prairie Creek and Highway 12 Bridge as well. The mouth of Coose Hollow is hot, but not as good as Prairie Creek.
(Updated 5-7-2014) Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said bream are biting well on crickets. Carppie are fair on minnows and jigs in 8 to 10 feet of water. White bass are biting well on Rooster Tails and Creme Little Fishies. Black bass are biting well on soft-plastic worms and spinnerbaits.
(Updated 5-7-2014) Beaver Dam Store said walleye fishing is still good from Houseman to Spider Creek. Nightcrawlers or minnows drug along the bottom are the best bet. We are still catching some white bass on the lake at the north cove. Hopefully they will come back up the river after a couple of warm days. Midges, pheasant tails, peacock herl soft hackles and woolly buggers will get some attention from the trout. Nickel and gold Colorado spoons are hard to beat for spin-fishermen. White and yellow Power Bait with a wax worm and GULP maggots on a micro jig will work when nothing else will.
(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.
Lake Elmdale
(Updated 4-30-2014) Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said the lake is clear and around 2 feet below normal. This has not stopped the crappie from spawning, but could effect where the redear and bluegill spawn this year. The most active area for crappie is from the flood discharge area at the end of the dam along the west shore up to No Fish Cove. Trolling close to Harmon’s Bluff also has produced well. Then on south from around Goose Island, up into the Brush Creek area. Minnows are working the best, but a 1/16-oz. jig tipped with a crappie nibble will produce a few fish. Bass fishing has been good on brown finesse wacky worms. Square-billed crankbaits and chatterbaits have produced as well. Crickets have worked best for the bluegill, but redworms are a close second.
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 5-7-2014) Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is clear and at normal level. The surface temperature is 71 degrees. Bream are excellent on crickets and worms close to the bank. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs around the bank; they are ready to spawn. Black bass are biting well on just about everything you can get in front of them as they are spawning. Catfishing is good on shad and chicken livers.
Prairie Grove Lake
(Updated 5-7-2014) Lake Manager Dennis Kruse said fishing picked up a bit last weekend, with bass biting well on Rattling Rogues and spinnerbaits when the wind puts a chop in the water and on topwater lures when the water is calm. Crappie are hit-and-miss on minnows and jigs fished around the edges of flats. Bream are starting to pick up with the warmer water.
Crystal Lake
(Updated 5-7-2014) Jake Knoedl at Knoedl’s Outdoor Tech in Hiwasse (479-344-6131) said the shallow end of the lake is very mossy. Crappie are hitting small minnows and white Bobby Garland jigs around brush. Bass are working fairly shallow and are hitting soft plastics around brush; some are being caught on football jigs with small salty craw trailers near bluff walls. Bream are beginning to bite well on crickets and worms.
Lake SWEPCO
(Updated 5-7-2014) Jake Knoedl at Knoedl’s Outdoor Tech in Hiwasse (479-344-6131) said catfish are being caught on nightcrawlers and stink bait. Bass are hitting Texas-rigged green pumpkin worms and brush hogs.
| Northeast Arkansas |
Lake Poinsett
(Updated 5-7-2014) Lake Poinsett State Park said fishing is good if you can catch it when the wind is down. The crappie are still hitting best on the minnows and the larger crappie are still in the deeper water around 6 feet deep. Crappie are being caught in the shallow water around the banks, but they are not near the size of those caught in the deeper water. Catfish are still biting on just about anything you drop in the water. Bass are driving the crappie fishermen crazy hitting on the minnows as they are trying to catch crappie, so if you are a bass fisherman, you might try the minnows if your spinnerbait is not working well. Bream fishing is still a little slow, but some are being caught on crickets. Everyone needs to get out and take a fishing break every once in a while. Always be safe and you boys in the big bass boats be mindful of those fishing in the smaller watercraft. Don’t forget the Kid’s Fishing Derby at Lake Poinsett State Park on Saturday, May 10.
Crown Lake
(Updated 5-7-2014) Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is dingy and at normal level. The surface water temperature is 64 degrees. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well in 10 feet of water and deeper. Bass are biting well on jigs, soft-plastic worms and shallow-diving crankbaits. Catfishing is good on worms and stink bait.
Lake Frierson
(Updated 5-7-2014) Lake Frierson State Park said water temperatures have stabilized in the 60s and fish are on the beds. Saturday’s bass tournament took over 13 lbs to win, with several bass over 3 lbs caught. Bass are reported in the bushes and in spawning areas around the lake. Bass are not stocked in Lake Frierson and rely on natural processes to maintain their population, so catch and release is important this time of year. Jigs, soft plastics and poppers have been the best for catching bass over the last week; the early bite is the best. Channel and blue catfish have been fair to good on nightcrawlers and dip baits fished under floats from 3-8 feet. Flathead have been poor to fair with a few fish being caught with bream or goldfish. Crappie have been reported as slow to fair in the northern portion of the lake. Crappie appear to have moved out from spawning areas to deeper water. Bream have been fair to good on crickets, pieces of nightcrawlers or redworms.
The renovation of Dam No. 3 on the Spring River is underway. Accesses at Lassiters, Cold Spring and Bayou are available for the Spring River, and anglers may have better success launching at these places during heavy traffic periods.
(Updated 5-7-2014) Mark Crawford with Spring River Flies and Guides said water levels are running at 400 cfs at the spring and water clarity has been clear. Construction on Dam 3 is coming along. Construction has not affected river conditions this week. The river is looking great and the catching has been hot on Y2Ks and woolly buggers. We are still having a lot of caddis and mayfly hatches during the morning hours; during this time Mark’s emergers and guppies can be very productive. Hot pink and red Trout Magnets and yellow and white Rooster Tails have been doing well for spin fishers.
| Southeast Arkansas |
Arkansas River (Pine Bluff Pool)
(Updated 4-30-2014) The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Team said water temperature is in the low 70s. Water clarity is right under one foot in Lake Langhofer and a little murkier on the main channel. The main channel is not flowing much. The post-spawn slump has taken hold. Largemouth are still being caught, but they are tougher to find and smaller. You can still catch fish on rocks and shallow woody cover; they have not yet moved out to brush piles but should do so in a few weeks. The crappie and white bass are biting extremely well in Lake Langhofer. Crankbaits and small swimbaits over sandbar points and humps in Lake Langhofer are producing lots of 1- to 2-pound white bass with the occasional large striped bass. If you’re looking to just have fun, give the largemouth a break and go after white bass and crappie for now.
Cane Creek Lake
(Updated 4-23-2014) Seth Boone at Cane Creek State Park in Star City said bass fishing has been very good on soft-plastic worms and real nightcrawlers. Crappie have been hit-or-miss with the weather. Catfishing is good.
Lake Chicot
(Updated 5-7-2014) Geoff Wright at Lake Chicot State Park said catfish are still biting profusely on a wide variety of baits — nightcrawlers, liver, dough baits, etc. There have been reports of good catches of largemouth, too. Crappie still seem to be slow.
| Southwest Arkansas |
Millwood Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.30 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 259.60 msl).
(Updated 5-7-2014) Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said the lake level is at normal conservation pool and steady. There is reduced current of Little River with the gates releasing around 2,000 CFS as of Monday. Surface temperature ranges from 68 to 76 degrees. Clarity improved to slightly stained this week in most areas on main lake. Visibility ranges 10-15 inches. Most of the bass we are seeing are post spawn. Large worms, jigs, Rat-L-Traps, frogs, and Bass Assassin Shads continue taking bass on flats with stumps, and in creek channels. Clearer water areas away from current in Little River are producing best reaction bites. Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs and Bass Assassin Shads were catching largemouths in the 4-5 pound class over the past couple weeks and plastic frogs are beginning to draw reactions in the new pad growth. Rat-L-Traps working over the past week that will get bit are Millwood Magic, clear Holographic, or Creole Craw around 4-8 feet deep. Salty Rat tails and Yum Dingers in watermelon red colors were catching some random bass over the past week. Large 10″ or 12″ Power worms in black grape, purple, or blue fleck colors, are all good choices over the past week or two. White bass and hybrids are postspawn also and are still scattered in schools along Little River’s oxbows and the river. Crappie continue improving in creek channels around cypress trees, on Blakemore Roadrunners, Beetle Spins, grubs and jigs. The best colors with the improved water clarity seem to be white or smoke. No report on catfish.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 546.66 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 407.51 feet msl (flood pool – 408 msl).
(Updated 5-7-2014) Local angler George Graves said the surface water temperature is near 70 degrees and the lake is clear throughout.With the exception of bass, fishing was pretty slow last week. Lots of bass reported coming from the upper end of the lake between Arlie Moore and Cox Creek. Most of the fish were either slot, (between 13 and 16 inches), or smaller. The best pattern is on secondary points in the major spawning coves. The fish are up shallow and close to the bank. Crankbaits, both lipped and lipless, have been the most productive, with spinner baits a close second. Try anything in a natural shad pattern. During the bright part of the day, try a Texas-rigged worm or jig with a craw trailer fished off the same points but deeper (up to about 15 feet). No reports on crappies, in fact most everyone has given up fishing for them. Hybrid fishing is only fair with the fish scattered between Point Cedar and Point 28. Right now trolling is about the only way to catch a few. Try no. 7 Shad Raps, 4-inch swim baits, heavy spoons and small umbrella rigs with 4-inch curly tail grubs. Run the lures about 10 feet down and stay above the fish which are at 15 to 20 feet down. Some catfish were reported coming on trotlines in Brushy Creek and Point 15. Set the trot lines across main lake points in about 20 feet of water and bait with Catfish Charlie, chicken livers, cut shad, nightcrawlers or hot dogs. Try live bream for the bigger flatheads and blues. A few bream were reported coming from coves with shallow brush, but most are small fish.
| 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 4-30-2014) Stacey Jackson at White Oak Lake State Park (870-685-2748) said on the lower lake, the catfish daily limit is 5 and the bream daily limit is 50; and all other fish are catch-and-release only. Catfish are biting on trotlines. On the upper lake (where there are no special regulations) bream are biting well on crickets and worms early in the morning and evening. Catfish are biting well on worms in the evenings. 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, and bream on crickets and worms. For lake information or a camping reservation please call White Oak Lake State Park at 870-685-2748 or visit http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/whiteoaklake/
| West-Central Arkansas |
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 346.12 feet msl (flood pool – 373 msl).
(Updated 4-23-2014) Good Ole Boys Trading Post (479-272-4710) said crappie fishing is excellent on minnows and jigs. Catfishing also is excellent; anglers are having the best luck with shad.
(Updated 5-7-2014) Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said bream are biting well on redworms, and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and Bobby Garland Slab Slay’rs and Baby Shads in 3 to 8 feet of water. Bass are biting well on worms and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers and chicken livers.
Lake Bailey (Petit Jean Mountain)
(Updated 5-7-2014) Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said bream fishing is good on worms, crickets, nightcrawlers and Rock Hopper jigs. Bass fishing is hit-and-miss on spinnerbaits and soft-plastic worms. Catfishing is good on redworms, minnows, stinkbait and chicken livers.
Fourche La Fave River
(Updated 5-7-2014) Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said the water is stained and low. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and Bobby Garland Baby Shad. Bass are hit-and-miss right now on spinnerbaits, topwater baits and worms. Catfishing is good on chicken liver, minnows and stink bait.
Lake Hinkle
Bill’s Bait Shop (479-637-7419) had no report this week.
Lake Dardanelle
(Updated 5-7-2014) Chuck Morrison at Classic Catch Guide Service (479-774-9117) said the surface water temperature is 60 degrees in the mornings, rising to 70 degrees by mid-afternoon. The river is murky, with 1 to 3 feet of visibility. Upper river bass have been very good on buzzbaits and frogs early and on jigs, lizards, brush hogs and worms at mid-day. Mid-river and lower-river bass have moved out to the points and up in the creeks; these bass also can be taken on topwater early and late with poppers and prop baits. Crankbaits have been doing very well around points and rock piles,as has a swimming jig in new vegetation. Crappie are post spawn and scattered. Stick to the pockets with stumps and fish jigs and minnows. Bream have been very good in the shallows around new vegetation and wood on worms and crickets. White bass and stripers are at the heads of the creeks, and will bite swimbaits, topwater walking baits, tailspinners and inline spinners. Catfish are firing up for the spawn, and can be caught on live bream for flatheads, cut skipjack, dead minnows and worms for blue catfish and channel catfish.
Blue Mountain Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 387.64 feet msl (flood pool – 419 msl).
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 577.45 feet msl (flood pool – 578 msl).
(Updated 4-23-2014) Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports in Hot Springs said the lake temp is in the 60s and the lake level is at full pool. Black bass are being caught on just about anything you want to throw. This is floating worm season, so that is always fun. Also try a jighead worm in the guts of pockets. A carolina rig is a great way to catch a good one and sight fishing is how most tournaments are being won. Crappie are in brush in 5 feet of water and less. White bass are still in most major creeks.
(Updated 5-7-2014) Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort said the surface water temperature is 66 to 70 degrees. Black bass are still very good on jighead worms and floating worms. Topwater action is picking up with Zara Spooks and Zoom Super Flukes. Walleye are still biting well on Shad Raps and lipless crankbaits fished on main lake points. Stripers are still excellent on top water C-10 Redfins, try main lake points in all three river basins. Bream are showing improvement and being caught around brush in the 10-foot range. Crappie are very good and being caught near brush with minnows or crappie jigs. These fish are being caught 8-14 feet deep. Catfish are excellent and being caught on trotlines fished near main lake and secondary points and using a rod-and-reel with cut bait.
Lake Hamilton
(Updated 4-23-2014) Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports in Hot Springs said the surface water temperature is in the 60’s and the lake level is at normal spring pool. The water is stained from the recent rain, but is clearing up slowly. Black bass are bedding all over the lake. Good fish are being caught on floating worms, jerkbaits and Carolina-rigged lizards and bush hogs. Most fish are being caught in 5 feet of water and less. Crappie also are shallow and are being caught around brush in 6 feet of water and less. White bass are finishing up their run in the major creeks.
For weekly flow releases from Carpenter Dam, visit www.entergy.com/hydro
(Updated 5-7-2014) Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service said water temperature below Carpenter Dam is 55 degrees with clear conditions in the tailrace. Fishable conditions have now been re-established as heavy flows and stained waters have passed through the system. Rainbow trout fishing is excellent with quality limits caught daily by bank and boat fishermen alike. Target areas protected from direct flow with live bait presentations such as redworms, nightcrawlers, wax and meal worms. Artificial lures that imitate injured shad or crawfish are also working well in times of current. Crappie are spawning near the dam and being caught on minnows tightlined over deep water. Small jigs and spinnerbaits in white or yellow are also effective around structure. White and yellow bass are spawning also and can be taken on the same lures. Walleye are in the tailrace chasing shad and recuperating from the spawn. Very large drum are spawning and taking shad and crawfish over sand bars and rocks close to the dam. Topwater action for stripers has been seen below the bridge but few fish have been caught. As May approaches, large schools of shad will migrate toward the dam to spawn and will be followed by large stripers. C-10 redfins and Super Spooks in shad or trout colors are highly effective lures to cast into feeding fish.
Lake Atkins
(Updated 4-23-2014) Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) had no report.
| East Arkansas |
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 4-23-2014) Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) had no report this week.
Maddox Bay
(Updated 4-30-2014) Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is high and muddy. Fishing has been very slow for all species.
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