Arkansas Game and Fish Commission´s fishing report for Weekly Fishing Report @import url(/!includes/css/ie.css); Arkansas Game & Fish Commission Jump to content Jump to navigation View Site Map AGFC.com Home Page Site Search Keywords About AGFC Contact Us The Commission Enewsletter Fishing » Fishing » Fishing Reports » Weekly Fishing Report Weekly Fishing Report-draft Weekly Fishing Report
Fishing Tip:
With summer heat beating down during the day, many anglers choose to fish at night. Here’s a tip from PRADCO’s Lawrence Taylor to keep you fishing instead of fumbling around in the dark:
Simplicity is important when fishing after dark. Unless you already know what the bass are biting, bring three rods – one rigged with a large top-water lure like a Spook, one rigged with a dark, Colorado-bladed spinnerbait and one with a bottom-bouncing jig or Texas-rigged worm or craw. With these three rods, you can fish every water level without tripping over a bunch of tackle and rods.
Arkansas River Levels
are available at:
http://www.swl-wc.usace.army.mil/WCDS/Reports/Daily/Pao_rvrs.txt
White River Levels
are available at:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lmrfc/forecast/tributaries/status_white.shtml
Statewide Family and Community Fishing Report:
Catfish are in Community fishing ponds statewide. Nightcrawlers fished just off the bottom on a slip cork or on bottom with a bell sinker are working well. Many of the ponds are full of bream as well. Crickets fished under a bobber will catch plenty of bream. For more stocking information, call the Hotline at 1-866-540-FISH (3474) toll-free.
Northwest Arkansas
Weekly Fishing Report
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Weekly Fishing Report-draft
Weekly Fishing Report
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Randy Zellers(501)223-6406, e-mail:
rdzellers@agfc.state.ar.us
June
24, 2009 Edition
This is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s fishing report for
June
24, 2009. If there is a body of water you would like included in this report, please call or e-mail us with information on possible sources for that lake or river.
Fishing Tip:
With summer heat beating down during the day, many anglers choose to fish at night. Here’s a tip from PRADCO’s Lawrence Taylor to keep you fishing instead of fumbling around in the dark:
Simplicity is important when fishing after dark. Unless you already know what the bass are biting, bring three rods – one rigged with a large top-water lure like a Spook, one rigged with a dark, Colorado-bladed spinnerbait and one with a bottom-bouncing jig or Texas-rigged worm or craw. With these three rods, you can fish every water level without tripping over a bunch of tackle and rods.
Arkansas River Levels
are available at:
http://www.swl-wc.usace.army.mil/WCDS/Reports/Daily/Pao_rvrs.txt
White River Levels
are available at:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lmrfc/forecast/tributaries/status_white.shtml
Statewide Family and Community Fishing Report:
Catfish are in Community fishing ponds statewide. Nightcrawlers fished just off the bottom on a slip cork or on bottom with a bell sinker are working well. Many of the ponds are full of bream as well. Crickets fished under a bobber will catch plenty of bream. For more stocking information, call the Hotline at 1-866-540-FISH (3474) toll-free.
Central Arkansas
Northeast Arkansas
Southwest Arkansas
North Arkansas
Southeast Arkansas
West-Central Arkansas
Northwest Arkansas
South Central Arkansas
East Arkansas
Central Arkansas
Lake Conway:
Bates Field and Stream
(501-470-1846)said the water is stained and back to normal. Bream are being caught on redworms and wax worms along the banks. Crappie are biting well on minnows in about 2 feet of water. Bass are biting well on dark spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. No report on catfish.
Dan at Gold Creek Landing
had no report.
Little Red River:
Lindsey’s Resort
(501-302-3139)said the fishing is excellent. The water level varies from low in the morning hours to normal around noon when they turn on the generators. Trout are biting well on Power Bait, marshmallows and wax worms when the water is low, and spoons, Rapalas and marabou jigs when the water is high.
Jed Hollan at the
Little Red Fly Shop said water releases at Greers Ferry have been friendlier to the angler since the last of May. Morning water releases at 8 a.m. during the week and 11 a.m. over the weekends have brought many anglers back to our world-class trophy trout stream. On weekends, since the first of June, wade-fishing has been possible at JFK Park from 5:30 a.m. until the horn blows at 11 a.m. Wading at Cow Shoal has been possible from dawn until about 12:30 p.m., until around 2 p.m. at Winkley Shoal (Swingin’ Bridge) and until about 3:30 p.m. at Libby Shoal. Bugs that trout like to eat continue to hatch most every day along our beautiful coldwater fishery. They include midges, BWO, caddis, March brown, sulphurs and hexes. The best dries to try include sulphur (sizes 18-20), midge (sizes 22-32; cream), parachute Adams (size 18), March brown (size 14), blue winged olive (sizes 18-20) and elk hair caddis (sizes 16-20; tan or black). Sub-surface offerings should include sowbug (sizes 14-16; tan, smoky olive, UV tan or UV light gray), zebra midge (sizes 16-22; red, copper or black), San Juan worm (size 14; red, worm brown or fluorescent cerise), copper john (sizes 14-16; green, copper or red), red or green butt soft hackle (sizes 14-18) or woolly bugger (sizes 8-12; olive, brown or black).
Greers Ferry:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
466.91 feet MSL.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service
said the water level is falling by 4-6 inches per day. Hybrid bass are going crazy, even in the heat. There’s even been schooling activity on the surface. No report on crappie. Bream are biting well from 6 inches to 8 feet as well as in 40 feet of water on crawlers and crickets. Catfish are biting well with the flatheads spawning now all over the lake. Walleye have slowed, but the bite should pick up as they get set up deeper. Bass fishing is good with the smallmouth hanging around the thermocline. Kentucky bass are holding around main lake ledges and points. Largemouths are still shallow and can be caught on frogs fished around shade-producing cover.
Shiloh Marina (501-825-6237) said the water is clear and a little high. Not many people are fishing because of the heat.
Harris Brake Lake:
Coffee Creek Landing
(501-889-2745) said the water is back to normal and clear. The bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Bass are biting fairly well on plastic worms. Catfish are biting well on minnows and large grubs. Crappie are slow.
Lake Overcup:
Lakeview Landing
(501-354-1470)said the water is murky. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are slow. Bass are fair. Catfishing is good on goldfish and crayfish.
Overcup Landing
(501-354-9007) said the water is normal and murky. Bream were biting well on wax worms and crickets. Crappie are biting fairly well on small minnows and brown jigs in deep water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits, topwaters and buzzbaits. Catfish are biting well on trotlines baited with live bait.
Brewer Lake:
Overcup Landing
(501-354-9007)said the water is clear and at normal levels. The bream are biting well on redworms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on small minnows near brush tops. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. The catfish are doing fairly well on nightcrawlers and cut shad.
Lake Maumelle:
Jolly Roger’s Marina
had no report.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said the water is back to normal and clear. The bream are biting well on crickets and redworms. There is no report on crappie. Bass are biting well on buzzbaits in the evening and Texas-rigged plastic worms during the day. Catfish are biting well on live bream and cut bait.
Lake Valencia:
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop
(501-758-4958) said the water is normal and clear. Bream are biting on crickets. Bass are biting well on baby brush hogs and plastic worms. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers and package bait.
Sunset Lake:
Turbyfill’s Outdoor
Sports (501-315-3061)said the water is normal and clear. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are slow. Bass are slow. Catfishing is good on Magic Bait.
Saline River Access in Benton:
Turbyfill’s Outdoor
Sports (501-315-3061)said the water is low and clear. The bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are slow. Bass are biting well on small crankbaits. Catfishing is good on Magic Bait.
Arkansas River at Morrilton:
Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo
said the flow is good, but the weather is too hot for most fishing. Bass are holding tightly to stumps and you just about have to hit them in the head with a jig to get them to bite during the day. Early and late in the day, a black Bandit crankbait fished around fallen wood will work well on the bass. Bream are in the grass and are biting very well on crickets. A few white bass are being caught around the mouth of Petit Jean River and Point Remove Creek on Rat-L-Traps early in the morning. Catfishing is good below dams 9 and 10 and on jetty points with shad fillets.
Arkansas River at Little Rock:
Vince Miller from
Fish N’ Stuff (501-834-5733) said the water is down and muddy. There is no report on crappie, but bass are biting fairly well on spinnerbaits or jigs. Bream are biting well on worms. Catfishing is good on cut bait and bream.
Hatchet Jack’s
Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are biting well on crickets in Fourche Creek, the Maumelle River, the Little Maumelle River and Palarm Creek. Bass are biting well on pearl crankbaits, chartreuse spinnerbaits and buzzbaits at the openings of all the backwater areas. Catfishing is good on large minnows, and cut shad.
McSwain Sports Center
(501-945-2471) said at Terry Lock and Dam, the water is normal and clear. Bream are biting well on redworms and crickets. Bass are biting well on black/blue jigs. Flathead catfish are biting well on goldfish, and channel cats are biting well on skipjack and shad.
Clear Lake:
McSwain Sports Center
(501-945-2471) said the water is normal and clear. Bream are biting well on redworms. Crappie are fair on minnows fished in 8 feet of water. Bass are fair on buzzbaits, frogs and other top-water lures. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers.
Peckerwood Lake:
Herman’s Landing
(870-241-3731) said the water is a little low and clearing. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are slow. Catfishing is good on crickets. No report on bass.
Pickthorne Lake:
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop
(501-758-4958) said bream are biting well on crickets and redworms. Crappie are slow. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers and large minnows. Bass are biting plastic worms.
North Arkansas
White River:
John Berry from
Berry Brothers Guide Service
said the pattern on the White was for around-the-clock generation of moderate flows with a few significant periods of no generation. This created some excellent conditions for drift fishing and some limited but excellent wading. The catch-and-release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been fishing extremely well. Anglers reported success on midge larva patterns. The most effective were zebra midges in black or red with silver wire and silver beads (sizes 14-16). Other hot patterns have been pheasant tails and egg patterns. During the recent periods of no generation, anglers have done very well on partridge and orange soft hackles and green butts. There have been some decent midge hatches. The best fly for the midge hatches have been Dan’s turkey tail emerger. Wildcat Shoals has fished extremely well. There have been some prolific sulphur hatches in the late afternoon. Though there has been some limited dry fly fishing, the most productive technique has been to swing soft hackles when the trout are keying in on the emerging sulphurs. The most productive flies for this situation have been partridge and orange and pheasant tail soft hackles. Rim Shoals has fished well. The sulphur hatch is still coming off on most days, but is diminished. The trout have not keyed in on the adults, but have been very active on the emergers. The best fly for this situation has been the partridge and orange soft hackle. The most productive way to fish the hatch however has been to fish copper John nymphs before during and after the hatches.
Mountain River Fly Shop
said moderate flows on the White were broken up Wednesday with low water. Those lucky enough to be on the water caught them. Relatively low flows in the mornings have opened up some wading throughout the system. Black and silver zebras, Clint’s black tungsten midge, and Davy Wotton’s super midges and white tails have been doing very well. In bright conditions, add the rainbow warrior and blue poison tung. In overcast conditions, add black and copper, or copper brown midges. Sowbugs have been very good. Davy’s Sows in size 16 and 18, Clint’s Sowbug, Tailwater Sowbugs and McLellan’s Woven V-Rib Sowbug all have been popular. Dry flies have been hot on low water. The fish are surface-oriented in these flows and while there are plenty of sulphurs coming off, patterns seem less important than getting the fly in front of a feeding fish. Elk hair caddis, hi-vis ants and parachute Adams have been doing as well.
Sportsman’s White River Resort
(870-453-2424) said fishing has been great with 2 to 4 generators running around the clock. Fly-fishermen are using woolly buggers, San Juan worms and copper johns. The boat fishermen are boing very well with silver and gold Lil’ Cleos. Thomas Spoons in red/gold and rainbow colors are working as well.
White River (From Buffalo Shoals to Norfork):
Jim Brentlinger at
Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge
(870-499-5185) said Rim Shoals has been fishing extremely well. Hot pink San Juan worms fished on a fly rod or on light spinning tackle under indicators have worked well. One-eighth ounce Zig Jigs on spinning tackle has been working as well. Shipps Ferry all the way to Reds has been producing fish on Zig Jigs and Power Baits. The area from Cartney to Matney is producing quite a few smallmouth on tubes and spinnerbaits throwing to the bank.
Crooked Creek:
John Berry of
Berry Brothers Guide Service
said Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are starting to clear. With lower flows the bass fishing should start picking up. Try Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns and concentrate on structure like rock shelves and fallen trees.
Bull Shoals Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
669.78 feet MSL.
Bob Pauletti (870-656-3350) with
Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock
said bass fishing has been good. Spoons, cast up to the bank and worked back to the 25-foot range has been the best technique. The top-water bite is also good early and late in the day. A jig-and-pig, hula jig or a grub on a ¼-oz. jighead will work well on smallmouth. Night fishing has really picked up, with crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jigs the most effective.
Lake Norfork:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
562.76 feet MSL.
101 Grocery and Bait
said the water temperature is in the mid- to upper 80s. Bluegill fishing is good using crickets, worms and small minnows. Crappie fishing has been fair fishing around 20-30 deep. Minnows have been the bait of choice for the crappie. Catfishing has been fair. Walleye fishing has been fair 20-25 feet deep on night crawlers. Bass fishing has been fair. White bass fishing has been fair. Striper fishing has been slow. Stripers are still being caught in the upper part of the lake north of Bidwell Point.
Norfork Tailwater:
John Berry from
Berry Brothers Guide Service
said generation has been very limited, which has created some excellent wading. The overall quality of fishing on the Norfork Tailwater remains poor. If you want to avoid the crowds, fish very early. The most productive flies have been small black zebra midges, Norfork beadheads and red micro San Juan worms. On higher water fish brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns. Dry Run Creek is fishing well. School is out and there is more pressure on the creek as families begin to take vacations. The hot fly is the sowbug. Always use heavy tippet (at least 4X) and carry the biggest net you can lay your hands on.
Mountain River Fly Shop
said the Norfork continues to offer plenty of wading and some great fishing. Norfork has been fishing well with zebra midges and sowbugs, and swung soft hackles. But don’t leave home without some dry flies. Parachute Adams is the obvious, but some parachute midges, Morgan’s midge, hi-vis ants and sprouts also are worth carrying.
Jim Brentlinger at
Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge
(870-499-5185) said fishing is slow, and the fish being caught are small.
Northwest Arkansas
Beaver Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
1,128.66 feet MSL.
JT’s Crappie Guide Service
(479-640-3980) said bass fishing is going to be best at night for quite some time. Try dark spinnerbaits or 6-inch lizards worked close to flooded cover along gravel banks. During the day, try a Texas rigged lizard or a hula grub on a football jig head and work them under shaded docks or bluff lines. Crappie fishing has been best early and late. Try trolling the main lake channel south of Hickory creek with small deep-diving crankbaits in white or firetiger, Also try fishing minnows along bluff lines 20 to 35 feet deep next to standing timber. White bass have been schooling the main lake flats early and late and can be caught on a variety of shad-imitating baits. Night fishing remains good along bluff lines and the Highway 12 Bridge under lights using minnows or shad.
Southtown Sporting Goods
(479-443-7148)said the water is 8 to 10 feet high and clear. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and small jigs in deep water. Bass are biting well on crankbaits. Catfishing is fair on trotlines baited with live bait.
Beaver Tailwaters:
Ken Richards at
Just Fishing Guides said the tailwater has been fishing very well. Generation has been very low, so wading and bank fishing are easily accomplished. Warmer days mean trout will be active from dawn till mid-morning then again later in the afternoon to evening. Afternoon fishing can be productive, but fish will be spooky and fairly deep. Copper Johns, hares ear nymphs and scuds are very productive. Watch for morning and evening midge hatches and switch to zebra or beadhead midges. Rooster Tails and pink jigs are working well in deep pools.
Kings River:
Ken Richards at
Just Fishing Guides said the water is perfect for fishing. Sunfish and smallmouth are on beds and are very aggressive. Fly-fish or spin fish with lures that get to the bottom. Green and brown colored lures are working well.
Lake Fayetteville:
Lake Fayetteville Boat
Dock (479-444-3476) said the water is clear and at normal level. The bluegill are biting well on crickets and worms. A few crappie have been caught trolling jigs and minnows. Catfishing is excellent on chicken liver and worms. Black bass are biting well on buzzbaits and crankbaits.
Lake Sequoyah:
Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475)said the water is about 2 feet high and dingy. Bream are biting fairly well on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well around tree tops. Bass are fair in shallow water on buzzbaits and soft-plastic worms early in the morning. Catfishing is good in 8 to 10 feet of water on chicken liver and shad.
Northeast Arkansas
Henry Gray Hurricane Lake WMA:
Judy Potts of Judy’s Bait
Shoppe at the North entrance to Henry Gray Hurricane
Lake WMA said fishing is good in the early morning hours. Nice size bream and slab crappie are still being caught on Honey Lake and Big Bell Lake. A few campers over on Mallard pond reported the water level there was only 3 feet deep and falling and it was hard to find fish. The road to Hurricane Lake was opened Monday morning. Bass were being caught on minnows and crankbaits. Along the Little Red River, stripers were running up in the sloughs coming out of the WMA. Bolie Pond has been doing very well on crappie and bream fishing this year. The White River stage is 24 feet as of June 24. For more information, call Judy’s Bait Shoppe, (501) 428-8726. Our last day of business at this location will be July 8.
Crown Lake:
Boxhound Marina
(870-670-4496) said the water is normal and clear. The bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Catfishing is good on chicken liver. No report on bass.
Lake Frierson:
Lake Frierson State Park
said the water is high and muddy. There is no report on bass or crappie. Catfish are biting well on chicken liver. Bream are biting fairly well on crickets.
Spring River:
Mark Crawford at
Spring River Fly Shop said flows have been around 420 cfs, which is about average. Water clarity has been good with occasional rains keeping it from being crystal clear. Fishing has been excellent with a variety of flies. Early morning hours are very productive with a variety of nymphs. During the heat of the day streamers produce well when you can get them deep.
Southeast Arkansas
Lake Chicot:
Lakeshore Motel and Marina
(870-265-9901) said the water is at normal stage and is continuing to fall about 1 to 2 inches a day. The bream are starting to bed up, and many have been caught in the last week. Some crappie are still being caught on jigs in deeper water, but it’s slowed. Catfishing is good on crickets around cypress trees in the day and minnows, shad and stinkbait at night. Bass fishing is fair.
Lake Monticello:
Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of
MonticelloBigBass.com
said Lake Monticello is settling into summertime patterns. Surface temps are in the 80s. Bass are schooling early if you are lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. Topwaters and Rat-L-Traps have been the ticket for schoolers. The soft plastic bite is getting better in the 7- to 12-foot depth range. Watermelon/red and tequila sunrise worms and brush hogs have been taking their shares. Bream fishing is consistent with good numbers of fish caught. Big bream have been very spotty, with one here and one there. Crickets and worms have been the most productive baits.
Southwest Arkansas
Millwood Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
259.46 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service
said Millwood Lake will be drawn down beginning July 13 to control unwanted vegetation and make scheduled repairs. The lake will be drawn to 255.2, 4 feet below normal pool, until February 2010. Boaters should exercise extreme caution because submerged stumps and shallow areas will begin to appear. Also, boaters should be cautious when launching because of damage or sediment buildup that may have occurred at the ends of the ramps. As of Monday, June 22, surface water temperature is in the lower 80s. Main lake clarity is around 6 to 10 inches. The discharge at the dam was 1,557 cubic feet per second. USACE campgrounds Paraloma Park and Beards Lake are closed for camping on Millwood due to recent lake rise and flooding conditions are being cleaned and repaired. Bass are in typical seasonal routines for summer. The best bite has been from daylight until 11 a.m. on weightless trick worms or wacky rigs in June bug, grasshopper, or kiwi colors, Bass Assassin Shad jerk baits and buzz baits, in the clearest water you can find. Fish around new lily pads, hydrilla or dollar pads. Rat-L-Traps in Millwood Magic, Bleeding White Shad, or Gold Tennessee Shad colors are working for a solid reaction bite in the better water clarity areas of the oxbows up Little River. Once the sun gets high, switch to a 10-inch worm in Black, Blue Fleck, Peanut Butter ‘n Jelly, or Plum, pitching or flipping stumps, cypress trees, and laydown tree trunks near deep water. White Bass continue holding deep in Little River drops and wash-outs in 18-25 feet of water. They’re slow to fair on jigging spoons. Crappie are fair on live shiners and chart/white tube jigs fished around cypress trees in 17 to 25 feet of water near Little River or deep creek channels. Channel catfish continue to bite well on cut shad and chicken livers on yo-yos hung from cypress trees in the oxbows over 8-12 foot depths, and on trotlines in Little River.
White Oak Lake:
Local angler John Tilley
said the hot weather has really put a damper on fishing. Bass fishing has been slow with very few reports of good catches. Bream have also slowed with only small numbers being reported. A few still remain on the beds but smaller bream have moved into the beds now that the larger males have been caught. Fish a little deeper water near the beds for better size bream. Catfishing is also spotty with a few being caught on jugs and trotlines using live bait. Best times for any fishing has been early morning and late afternoon right at sundown.
Lake Greeson:
Darryl Morris of
Family Fishing Trips Guide Service
said the lake is stable and warm, with 89-degree surface temperature. Crappie are still good to excellent in the northern reaches of the lake on live bait. Almost all fish seen in the depth finders has been north of Chimney Rock.
DeGray Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
404.74 feet MSL.
Local angler George
Graves said the surface water temperature is in the high 80s and the water is clear. Hybrid fishing has been good. Good reports are coming from all along the south side of the state park, from DeRoche Ridge to Caddo Bend. Also in Spillway Bay and the dam. The best fishing is from first light to about 7:30 a.m. Look for breaking fish on points. The main school is about 20 to 30 feet deep. Large inline spinners and spoons are working well. Let the lure sink below the fish, then bring it back up through the school. Bass fishing is fair with a few reports coming from main lake points. Once again, fish early in the morning. By 8 a.m. the action is pretty much over. There are a lot of breaking fish around daylight. Try to hit the spot with a swimbait or Fluke. Crappies are fair in brush piles in 20 to 25 feet. The best area is in the Caddo Bend-Arlie Moore part of the lake. Use a 2-inch Tennessee Shad-colored grub or minnows. Bream fishing remains good throughout the lake. Try just about any shallow point with a little cover, in 5 to 10 feet of water.
West-Central Arkansas
Lake Winona:
Local angler Steve Warren
said bass are biting well on Devil’s Horses worked across the flats early in the morning. Later in the day, switch to a Texas-rigged bloodline worm or slow-roll a spinnerbait for a bigger bite. Crappie are slow, but the south end of the lake is producing a few.
Lake Dardanelle:
Regina Olson at
Spadra Marina
said fishing has slowed from last week. The best bet for action is to get a tube of crickets and fish for bream. The water level has been stable and near normal. Catfish are still doing well on cut shad and stinkbait. Crappie are biting for about 2 hours a day some time between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Largemouth bass are starting to become more active; they are chasing black/blue and white spinners. Bass fishermen are also beginning to do well on frogs early in the mornings.
Murphy’s Sporting Goods
(479-229-3200) said the water is muddy. Bream are biting well on crickets. Catfishing is good on stinkbait. No report for bass or crappie.
Blue Mountain Lake:
Teresa at CD’s Quick Stop (479-947-2178) said the water is high and muddy. Some catfish have been caught on chicken liver. The weather’s been too hot for most anglers to fish.
Ozark Pool:
Lakeside Food Mart
(479-667-5155) said the water is murky and at normal level. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well in 8 feet of water on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is excellent on bass minnows, cut shad and perch. Largemouth bass are biting near deep water on frogs and buzzbaits.
Lake Ouachita:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had no elevation available.
Larry Hurley from
Poorman’s Guide Service
said bass fishing slowed, but the bass can still be caught on redbug-colored Old Monster worms and spinnerbaits fished over the grass in the mornings. Stripers are excellent with many being caught on swimbaits and large plugs.
Mountain Harbor Resort
said the water level is 577.37 and clear. The surface temperature is 80-86 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair to good on shad-imitating baits and flukes fished on main and secondary points. Top-water action is still good early and late. Large Texas-rigged worms are effective in brush piles in 18 to 25 feet of water. Watermelon red, bloodline and red shad are the best colors. Walleye are still good and being caught on bottom bouncers and Lindy rigs on main-lake points near brush. Bream-colored crankbaits also are working. Stripers are very good on live shad or trotline minnows. Main-lake points near creek channels or open water humps are the best areas. Bream are still excellent on worms or crickets in 18 to 25 feet of water. Crappie are good and being caught near brush or over moss. Try brush in water 20 to 30 feet deep and moss flats 10 to 20 feet deep. Minnows or crappie grubs are still working best. Tennessee shad and white are the best colors for artificial baits. Catfish are very good and being caught on cut bait and live bait on jug lines and trotlines.
Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports
had no report.
Lake Hamilton:
Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports
had no report.
Lake Catherine:
Shane Goodner, owner of
Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that Entergy continues to generate full-time at Carpenter Dam. One turbine runs around the clock, creating a fairly strong current. Heavy fog covers the launch and day use area in the early morning with the water temperatures holding in the mid to upper 50s. Rainbow trout fishing remains slow, but a few fish have been caught in the morning and late evening. Trolling the main channels hasn’t produced because thousands of threadfin shad are now in the tailrace for the spawn. Bank fishermen using nightcrawlers and wax worms fished just off the bottom have accounted for the trout taken the last month. When periods of no generation are scheduled, some quality trout fishing will occur as the fish will resume a more consistent feeding pattern. As the summer heat increases, the water temperature at Carpenter will rise into the mid 60’s. By August, the vast majority of rainbows will leave the dam in search of cooler water and the trout season will be over until December when the restocking begins again. Stripers and hybrids are present and feeding on trout and shad in the oxygen rich water. Feeding times are unpredictable, but anglers need to be ready to cast when top-water activity occurs. Casting large top-water presentations imitating injured shad are the best bet when targeting these fish. While the walleye spawn has been over for several months, June temperatures always bring numbers of walleye back into the tailrace to feed on the abundant shad. Anglers using spoons and jigs have taken some quality fish around the bridge pilings. The migrating shad also draw large black bass into the area which can be seen feeding close to the banks in the late evening.
Lake Hinkle:
Bill’s Bait Shop
(479-637-4719)said the water is at normal level and clear. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in deep water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and minnows. Catfishing is good on chicken liver.
Lake Atkins:
Lucky Landing (479-641-7615)said the water is clear and low. No report.
South Central Arkansas
Moro Bay:
Moro Bay State Park
at the junction of the Ouachita River,
Raymond Lake and Moro Bay said the water level is
falling very slowly. Rod-and-reel fishing of all kinds
is difficult and water conditions are unsafe in the
river for boating. The state park is closed.
To stay updated on when conditions will return to normal you can check out the National Weather Service Web site at:
www.srh.noaa.gov/lzk/.
Tri-County Lake:
The water is beginning to drop. Some anglers have made it to the water and are doing well on bass. Fishing is slow at first, but picks up at around mid-morning. Shallow crankbaits, finesse worms and top-water frogs are working well around any growing moss.
Ouachita River Oxbows:
Things are starting to come around. The Ouachita is still high and at flood stage in places, but people are starting to catch crappie on minnows around submerged tops. Catfish are good in channels with running water on trotlines. Bass seem to be hit-or-miss. A few have been caught on light-colored crankbaits and soft plastics fished around brush tops.
East Arkansas
Arkansas River at Pine Bluff:
The Tackle Box
(870-534-1498) said the water is low and murky. Bream are excellent on wax worms, redworms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Bass are biting well on soft-plastic worms and topwaters. Catfishing is good on cut bait and skipjack.
White River:
Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) saidthe water is at normal level and clear. Bass are fair on trick worms. Bream are biting well on crickets. No report on catfish or crappie.
Maddox Bay:
Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Catfish are biting well on stinkbait.
Island 40 Chute:
Daily’s Boat Dock
(870-739-3478)said the water is high and clear. Catfishing is good on Doc’s stinkbait. No report on any other species.
Horseshoe Lake:
Local angler Clyde
Gregory said the water is normal and clear. Bream are biting well around lily pads on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well near piers and in deep water on black/chartreuse jigs and minnows. Bass are slow, but a few have been caught on white spinnerbaits and soft-plastic worms. Catfishing is excellent on cut bait.
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Weekly Fishing Report-draft
Weekly Fishing Report
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Randy Zellers(501)223-6406, e-mail:
rdzellers@agfc.state.ar.us
June
24, 2009 Edition
This is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s fishing report for
June
24, 2009. If there is a body of water you would like included in this report, please call or e-mail us with information on possible sources for that lake or river.
Fishing Tip:
With summer heat beating down during the day, many anglers choose to fish at night. Here’s a tip from PRADCO’s Lawrence Taylor to keep you fishing instead of fumbling around in the dark:
Simplicity is important when fishing after dark. Unless you already know what the bass are biting, bring three rods – one rigged with a large top-water lure like a Spook, one rigged with a dark, Colorado-bladed spinnerbait and one with a bottom-bouncing jig or Texas-rigged worm or craw. With these three rods, you can fish every water level without tripping over a bunch of tackle and rods.
Arkansas River Levels
are available at:
http://www.swl-wc.usace.army.mil/WCDS/Reports/Daily/Pao_rvrs.txt
White River Levels
are available at:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lmrfc/forecast/tributaries/status_white.shtml
Statewide Family and Community Fishing Report:
Catfish are in Community fishing ponds statewide. Nightcrawlers fished just off the bottom on a slip cork or on bottom with a bell sinker are working well. Many of the ponds are full of bream as well. Crickets fished under a bobber will catch plenty of bream. For more stocking information, call the Hotline at 1-866-540-FISH (3474) toll-free.
Central Arkansas
Northeast Arkansas
Southwest Arkansas
North Arkansas
Southeast Arkansas
West-Central Arkansas
Northwest Arkansas
South Central Arkansas
East Arkansas
Central Arkansas
Lake Conway:
Bates Field and Stream
(501-470-1846)said the water is stained and back to normal. Bream are being caught on redworms and wax worms along the banks. Crappie are biting well on minnows in about 2 feet of water. Bass are biting well on dark spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. No report on catfish.
Dan at Gold Creek Landing
had no report.
Little Red River:
Lindsey’s Resort
(501-302-3139)said the fishing is excellent. The water level varies from low in the morning hours to normal around noon when they turn on the generators. Trout are biting well on Power Bait, marshmallows and wax worms when the water is low, and spoons, Rapalas and marabou jigs when the water is high.
Jed Hollan at the
Little Red Fly Shop said water releases at Greers Ferry have been friendlier to the angler since the last of May. Morning water releases at 8 a.m. during the week and 11 a.m. over the weekends have brought many anglers back to our world-class trophy trout stream. On weekends, since the first of June, wade-fishing has been possible at JFK Park from 5:30 a.m. until the horn blows at 11 a.m. Wading at Cow Shoal has been possible from dawn until about 12:30 p.m., until around 2 p.m. at Winkley Shoal (Swingin’ Bridge) and until about 3:30 p.m. at Libby Shoal. Bugs that trout like to eat continue to hatch most every day along our beautiful coldwater fishery. They include midges, BWO, caddis, March brown, sulphurs and hexes. The best dries to try include sulphur (sizes 18-20), midge (sizes 22-32; cream), parachute Adams (size 18), March brown (size 14), blue winged olive (sizes 18-20) and elk hair caddis (sizes 16-20; tan or black). Sub-surface offerings should include sowbug (sizes 14-16; tan, smoky olive, UV tan or UV light gray), zebra midge (sizes 16-22; red, copper or black), San Juan worm (size 14; red, worm brown or fluorescent cerise), copper john (sizes 14-16; green, copper or red), red or green butt soft hackle (sizes 14-18) or woolly bugger (sizes 8-12; olive, brown or black).
Greers Ferry:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
466.91 feet MSL.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service
said the water level is falling by 4-6 inches per day. Hybrid bass are going crazy, even in the heat. There’s even been schooling activity on the surface. No report on crappie. Bream are biting well from 6 inches to 8 feet as well as in 40 feet of water on crawlers and crickets. Catfish are biting well with the flatheads spawning now all over the lake. Walleye have slowed, but the bite should pick up as they get set up deeper. Bass fishing is good with the smallmouth hanging around the thermocline. Kentucky bass are holding around main lake ledges and points. Largemouths are still shallow and can be caught on frogs fished around shade-producing cover.
Shiloh Marina (501-825-6237) said the water is clear and a little high. Not many people are fishing because of the heat.
Harris Brake Lake:
Coffee Creek Landing
(501-889-2745) said the water is back to normal and clear. The bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Bass are biting fairly well on plastic worms. Catfish are biting well on minnows and large grubs. Crappie are slow.
Lake Overcup:
Lakeview Landing
(501-354-1470)said the water is murky. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are slow. Bass are fair. Catfishing is good on goldfish and crayfish.
Overcup Landing
(501-354-9007) said the water is normal and murky. Bream were biting well on wax worms and crickets. Crappie are biting fairly well on small minnows and brown jigs in deep water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits, topwaters and buzzbaits. Catfish are biting well on trotlines baited with live bait.
Brewer Lake:
Overcup Landing
(501-354-9007)said the water is clear and at normal levels. The bream are biting well on redworms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on small minnows near brush tops. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. The catfish are doing fairly well on nightcrawlers and cut shad.
Lake Maumelle:
Jolly Roger’s Marina
had no report.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said the water is back to normal and clear. The bream are biting well on crickets and redworms. There is no report on crappie. Bass are biting well on buzzbaits in the evening and Texas-rigged plastic worms during the day. Catfish are biting well on live bream and cut bait.
Lake Valencia:
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop
(501-758-4958) said the water is normal and clear. Bream are biting on crickets. Bass are biting well on baby brush hogs and plastic worms. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers and package bait.
Sunset Lake:
Turbyfill’s Outdoor
Sports (501-315-3061)said the water is normal and clear. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are slow. Bass are slow. Catfishing is good on Magic Bait.
Saline River Access in Benton:
Turbyfill’s Outdoor
Sports (501-315-3061)said the water is low and clear. The bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are slow. Bass are biting well on small crankbaits. Catfishing is good on Magic Bait.
Arkansas River at Morrilton:
Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo
said the flow is good, but the weather is too hot for most fishing. Bass are holding tightly to stumps and you just about have to hit them in the head with a jig to get them to bite during the day. Early and late in the day, a black Bandit crankbait fished around fallen wood will work well on the bass. Bream are in the grass and are biting very well on crickets. A few white bass are being caught around the mouth of Petit Jean River and Point Remove Creek on Rat-L-Traps early in the morning. Catfishing is good below dams 9 and 10 and on jetty points with shad fillets.
Arkansas River at Little Rock:
Vince Miller from
Fish N’ Stuff (501-834-5733) said the water is down and muddy. There is no report on crappie, but bass are biting fairly well on spinnerbaits or jigs. Bream are biting well on worms. Catfishing is good on cut bait and bream.
Hatchet Jack’s
Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are biting well on crickets in Fourche Creek, the Maumelle River, the Little Maumelle River and Palarm Creek. Bass are biting well on pearl crankbaits, chartreuse spinnerbaits and buzzbaits at the openings of all the backwater areas. Catfishing is good on large minnows, and cut shad.
McSwain Sports Center
(501-945-2471) said at Terry Lock and Dam, the water is normal and clear. Bream are biting well on redworms and crickets. Bass are biting well on black/blue jigs. Flathead catfish are biting well on goldfish, and channel cats are biting well on skipjack and shad.
Clear Lake:
McSwain Sports Center
(501-945-2471) said the water is normal and clear. Bream are biting well on redworms. Crappie are fair on minnows fished in 8 feet of water. Bass are fair on buzzbaits, frogs and other top-water lures. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers.
Peckerwood Lake:
Herman’s Landing
(870-241-3731) said the water is a little low and clearing. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are slow. Catfishing is good on crickets. No report on bass.
Pickthorne Lake:
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop
(501-758-4958) said bream are biting well on crickets and redworms. Crappie are slow. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers and large minnows. Bass are biting plastic worms.
North Arkansas
White River:
John Berry from
Berry Brothers Guide Service
said the pattern on the White was for around-the-clock generation of moderate flows with a few significant periods of no generation. This created some excellent conditions for drift fishing and some limited but excellent wading. The catch-and-release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been fishing extremely well. Anglers reported success on midge larva patterns. The most effective were zebra midges in black or red with silver wire and silver beads (sizes 14-16). Other hot patterns have been pheasant tails and egg patterns. During the recent periods of no generation, anglers have done very well on partridge and orange soft hackles and green butts. There have been some decent midge hatches. The best fly for the midge hatches have been Dan’s turkey tail emerger. Wildcat Shoals has fished extremely well. There have been some prolific sulphur hatches in the late afternoon. Though there has been some limited dry fly fishing, the most productive technique has been to swing soft hackles when the trout are keying in on the emerging sulphurs. The most productive flies for this situation have been partridge and orange and pheasant tail soft hackles. Rim Shoals has fished well. The sulphur hatch is still coming off on most days, but is diminished. The trout have not keyed in on the adults, but have been very active on the emergers. The best fly for this situation has been the partridge and orange soft hackle. The most productive way to fish the hatch however has been to fish copper John nymphs before during and after the hatches.
Mountain River Fly Shop
said moderate flows on the White were broken up Wednesday with low water. Those lucky enough to be on the water caught them. Relatively low flows in the mornings have opened up some wading throughout the system. Black and silver zebras, Clint’s black tungsten midge, and Davy Wotton’s super midges and white tails have been doing very well. In bright conditions, add the rainbow warrior and blue poison tung. In overcast conditions, add black and copper, or copper brown midges. Sowbugs have been very good. Davy’s Sows in size 16 and 18, Clint’s Sowbug, Tailwater Sowbugs and McLellan’s Woven V-Rib Sowbug all have been popular. Dry flies have been hot on low water. The fish are surface-oriented in these flows and while there are plenty of sulphurs coming off, patterns seem less important than getting the fly in front of a feeding fish. Elk hair caddis, hi-vis ants and parachute Adams have been doing as well.
Sportsman’s White River Resort
(870-453-2424) said fishing has been great with 2 to 4 generators running around the clock. Fly-fishermen are using woolly buggers, San Juan worms and copper johns. The boat fishermen are boing very well with silver and gold Lil’ Cleos. Thomas Spoons in red/gold and rainbow colors are working as well.
White River (From Buffalo Shoals to Norfork):
Jim Brentlinger at
Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge
(870-499-5185) said Rim Shoals has been fishing extremely well. Hot pink San Juan worms fished on a fly rod or on light spinning tackle under indicators have worked well. One-eighth ounce Zig Jigs on spinning tackle has been working as well. Shipps Ferry all the way to Reds has been producing fish on Zig Jigs and Power Baits. The area from Cartney to Matney is producing quite a few smallmouth on tubes and spinnerbaits throwing to the bank.
Crooked Creek:
John Berry of
Berry Brothers Guide Service
said Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are starting to clear. With lower flows the bass fishing should start picking up. Try Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns and concentrate on structure like rock shelves and fallen trees.
Bull Shoals Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
669.78 feet MSL.
Bob Pauletti (870-656-3350) with
Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock
said bass fishing has been good. Spoons, cast up to the bank and worked back to the 25-foot range has been the best technique. The top-water bite is also good early and late in the day. A jig-and-pig, hula jig or a grub on a ¼-oz. jighead will work well on smallmouth. Night fishing has really picked up, with crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jigs the most effective.
Lake Norfork:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
562.76 feet MSL.
101 Grocery and Bait
said the water temperature is in the mid- to upper 80s. Bluegill fishing is good using crickets, worms and small minnows. Crappie fishing has been fair fishing around 20-30 deep. Minnows have been the bait of choice for the crappie. Catfishing has been fair. Walleye fishing has been fair 20-25 feet deep on night crawlers. Bass fishing has been fair. White bass fishing has been fair. Striper fishing has been slow. Stripers are still being caught in the upper part of the lake north of Bidwell Point.
Norfork Tailwater:
John Berry from
Berry Brothers Guide Service
said generation has been very limited, which has created some excellent wading. The overall quality of fishing on the Norfork Tailwater remains poor. If you want to avoid the crowds, fish very early. The most productive flies have been small black zebra midges, Norfork beadheads and red micro San Juan worms. On higher water fish brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns. Dry Run Creek is fishing well. School is out and there is more pressure on the creek as families begin to take vacations. The hot fly is the sowbug. Always use heavy tippet (at least 4X) and carry the biggest net you can lay your hands on.
Mountain River Fly Shop
said the Norfork continues to offer plenty of wading and some great fishing. Norfork has been fishing well with zebra midges and sowbugs, and swung soft hackles. But don’t leave home without some dry flies. Parachute Adams is the obvious, but some parachute midges, Morgan’s midge, hi-vis ants and sprouts also are worth carrying.
Jim Brentlinger at
Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge
(870-499-5185) said fishing is slow, and the fish being caught are small.
Northwest Arkansas
Beaver Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
1,128.66 feet MSL.
JT’s Crappie Guide Service
(479-640-3980) said bass fishing is going to be best at night for quite some time. Try dark spinnerbaits or 6-inch lizards worked close to flooded cover along gravel banks. During the day, try a Texas rigged lizard or a hula grub on a football jig head and work them under shaded docks or bluff lines. Crappie fishing has been best early and late. Try trolling the main lake channel south of Hickory creek with small deep-diving crankbaits in white or firetiger, Also try fishing minnows along bluff lines 20 to 35 feet deep next to standing timber. White bass have been schooling the main lake flats early and late and can be caught on a variety of shad-imitating baits. Night fishing remains good along bluff lines and the Highway 12 Bridge under lights using minnows or shad.
Southtown Sporting Goods
(479-443-7148)said the water is 8 to 10 feet high and clear. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and small jigs in deep water. Bass are biting well on crankbaits. Catfishing is fair on trotlines baited with live bait.
Beaver Tailwaters:
Ken Richards at
Just Fishing Guides said the tailwater has been fishing very well. Generation has been very low, so wading and bank fishing are easily accomplished. Warmer days mean trout will be active from dawn till mid-morning then again later in the afternoon to evening. Afternoon fishing can be productive, but fish will be spooky and fairly deep. Copper Johns, hares ear nymphs and scuds are very productive. Watch for morning and evening midge hatches and switch to zebra or beadhead midges. Rooster Tails and pink jigs are working well in deep pools.
Kings River:
Ken Richards at
Just Fishing Guides said the water is perfect for fishing. Sunfish and smallmouth are on beds and are very aggressive. Fly-fish or spin fish with lures that get to the bottom. Green and brown colored lures are working well.
Lake Fayetteville:
Lake Fayetteville Boat
Dock (479-444-3476) said the water is clear and at normal level. The bluegill are biting well on crickets and worms. A few crappie have been caught trolling jigs and minnows. Catfishing is excellent on chicken liver and worms. Black bass are biting well on buzzbaits and crankbaits.
Lake Sequoyah:
Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475)said the water is about 2 feet high and dingy. Bream are biting fairly well on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well around tree tops. Bass are fair in shallow water on buzzbaits and soft-plastic worms early in the morning. Catfishing is good in 8 to 10 feet of water on chicken liver and shad.
Northeast Arkansas
Henry Gray Hurricane Lake WMA:
Judy Potts of Judy’s Bait
Shoppe at the North entrance to Henry Gray Hurricane
Lake WMA said fishing is good in the early morning hours. Nice size bream and slab crappie are still being caught on Honey Lake and Big Bell Lake. A few campers over on Mallard pond reported the water level there was only 3 feet deep and falling and it was hard to find fish. The road to Hurricane Lake was opened Monday morning. Bass were being caught on minnows and crankbaits. Along the Little Red River, stripers were running up in the sloughs coming out of the WMA. Bolie Pond has been doing very well on crappie and bream fishing this year. The White River stage is 24 feet as of June 24. For more information, call Judy’s Bait Shoppe, (501) 428-8726. Our last day of business at this location will be July 8.
Crown Lake:
Boxhound Marina
(870-670-4496) said the water is normal and clear. The bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Catfishing is good on chicken liver. No report on bass.
Lake Frierson:
Lake Frierson State Park
said the water is high and muddy. There is no report on bass or crappie. Catfish are biting well on chicken liver. Bream are biting fairly well on crickets.
Spring River:
Mark Crawford at
Spring River Fly Shop said flows have been around 420 cfs, which is about average. Water clarity has been good with occasional rains keeping it from being crystal clear. Fishing has been excellent with a variety of flies. Early morning hours are very productive with a variety of nymphs. During the heat of the day streamers produce well when you can get them deep.
Southeast Arkansas
Lake Chicot:
Lakeshore Motel and Marina
(870-265-9901) said the water is at normal stage and is continuing to fall about 1 to 2 inches a day. The bream are starting to bed up, and many have been caught in the last week. Some crappie are still being caught on jigs in deeper water, but it’s slowed. Catfishing is good on crickets around cypress trees in the day and minnows, shad and stinkbait at night. Bass fishing is fair.
Lake Monticello:
Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of
MonticelloBigBass.com
said Lake Monticello is settling into summertime patterns. Surface temps are in the 80s. Bass are schooling early if you are lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. Topwaters and Rat-L-Traps have been the ticket for schoolers. The soft plastic bite is getting better in the 7- to 12-foot depth range. Watermelon/red and tequila sunrise worms and brush hogs have been taking their shares. Bream fishing is consistent with good numbers of fish caught. Big bream have been very spotty, with one here and one there. Crickets and worms have been the most productive baits.
Southwest Arkansas
Millwood Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
259.46 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service
said Millwood Lake will be drawn down beginning July 13 to control unwanted vegetation and make scheduled repairs. The lake will be drawn to 255.2, 4 feet below normal pool, until February 2010. Boaters should exercise extreme caution because submerged stumps and shallow areas will begin to appear. Also, boaters should be cautious when launching because of damage or sediment buildup that may have occurred at the ends of the ramps. As of Monday, June 22, surface water temperature is in the lower 80s. Main lake clarity is around 6 to 10 inches. The discharge at the dam was 1,557 cubic feet per second. USACE campgrounds Paraloma Park and Beards Lake are closed for camping on Millwood due to recent lake rise and flooding conditions are being cleaned and repaired. Bass are in typical seasonal routines for summer. The best bite has been from daylight until 11 a.m. on weightless trick worms or wacky rigs in June bug, grasshopper, or kiwi colors, Bass Assassin Shad jerk baits and buzz baits, in the clearest water you can find. Fish around new lily pads, hydrilla or dollar pads. Rat-L-Traps in Millwood Magic, Bleeding White Shad, or Gold Tennessee Shad colors are working for a solid reaction bite in the better water clarity areas of the oxbows up Little River. Once the sun gets high, switch to a 10-inch worm in Black, Blue Fleck, Peanut Butter ‘n Jelly, or Plum, pitching or flipping stumps, cypress trees, and laydown tree trunks near deep water. White Bass continue holding deep in Little River drops and wash-outs in 18-25 feet of water. They’re slow to fair on jigging spoons. Crappie are fair on live shiners and chart/white tube jigs fished around cypress trees in 17 to 25 feet of water near Little River or deep creek channels. Channel catfish continue to bite well on cut shad and chicken livers on yo-yos hung from cypress trees in the oxbows over 8-12 foot depths, and on trotlines in Little River.
White Oak Lake:
Local angler John Tilley
said the hot weather has really put a damper on fishing. Bass fishing has been slow with very few reports of good catches. Bream have also slowed with only small numbers being reported. A few still remain on the beds but smaller bream have moved into the beds now that the larger males have been caught. Fish a little deeper water near the beds for better size bream. Catfishing is also spotty with a few being caught on jugs and trotlines using live bait. Best times for any fishing has been early morning and late afternoon right at sundown.
Lake Greeson:
Darryl Morris of
Family Fishing Trips Guide Service
said the lake is stable and warm, with 89-degree surface temperature. Crappie are still good to excellent in the northern reaches of the lake on live bait. Almost all fish seen in the depth finders has been north of Chimney Rock.
DeGray Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
404.74 feet MSL.
Local angler George
Graves said the surface water temperature is in the high 80s and the water is clear. Hybrid fishing has been good. Good reports are coming from all along the south side of the state park, from DeRoche Ridge to Caddo Bend. Also in Spillway Bay and the dam. The best fishing is from first light to about 7:30 a.m. Look for breaking fish on points. The main school is about 20 to 30 feet deep. Large inline spinners and spoons are working well. Let the lure sink below the fish, then bring it back up through the school. Bass fishing is fair with a few reports coming from main lake points. Once again, fish early in the morning. By 8 a.m. the action is pretty much over. There are a lot of breaking fish around daylight. Try to hit the spot with a swimbait or Fluke. Crappies are fair in brush piles in 20 to 25 feet. The best area is in the Caddo Bend-Arlie Moore part of the lake. Use a 2-inch Tennessee Shad-colored grub or minnows. Bream fishing remains good throughout the lake. Try just about any shallow point with a little cover, in 5 to 10 feet of water.
West-Central Arkansas
Lake Winona:
Local angler Steve Warren
said bass are biting well on Devil’s Horses worked across the flats early in the morning. Later in the day, switch to a Texas-rigged bloodline worm or slow-roll a spinnerbait for a bigger bite. Crappie are slow, but the south end of the lake is producing a few.
Lake Dardanelle:
Regina Olson at
Spadra Marina
said fishing has slowed from last week. The best bet for action is to get a tube of crickets and fish for bream. The water level has been stable and near normal. Catfish are still doing well on cut shad and stinkbait. Crappie are biting for about 2 hours a day some time between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Largemouth bass are starting to become more active; they are chasing black/blue and white spinners. Bass fishermen are also beginning to do well on frogs early in the mornings.
Murphy’s Sporting Goods
(479-229-3200) said the water is muddy. Bream are biting well on crickets. Catfishing is good on stinkbait. No report for bass or crappie.
Blue Mountain Lake:
Teresa at CD’s Quick Stop (479-947-2178) said the water is high and muddy. Some catfish have been caught on chicken liver. The weather’s been too hot for most anglers to fish.
Ozark Pool:
Lakeside Food Mart
(479-667-5155) said the water is murky and at normal level. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well in 8 feet of water on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is excellent on bass minnows, cut shad and perch. Largemouth bass are biting near deep water on frogs and buzzbaits.
Lake Ouachita:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had no elevation available.
Larry Hurley from
Poorman’s Guide Service
said bass fishing slowed, but the bass can still be caught on redbug-colored Old Monster worms and spinnerbaits fished over the grass in the mornings. Stripers are excellent with many being caught on swimbaits and large plugs.
Mountain Harbor Resort
said the water level is 577.37 and clear. The surface temperature is 80-86 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair to good on shad-imitating baits and flukes fished on main and secondary points. Top-water action is still good early and late. Large Texas-rigged worms are effective in brush piles in 18 to 25 feet of water. Watermelon red, bloodline and red shad are the best colors. Walleye are still good and being caught on bottom bouncers and Lindy rigs on main-lake points near brush. Bream-colored crankbaits also are working. Stripers are very good on live shad or trotline minnows. Main-lake points near creek channels or open water humps are the best areas. Bream are still excellent on worms or crickets in 18 to 25 feet of water. Crappie are good and being caught near brush or over moss. Try brush in water 20 to 30 feet deep and moss flats 10 to 20 feet deep. Minnows or crappie grubs are still working best. Tennessee shad and white are the best colors for artificial baits. Catfish are very good and being caught on cut bait and live bait on jug lines and trotlines.
Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports
had no report.
Lake Hamilton:
Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports
had no report.
Lake Catherine:
Shane Goodner, owner of
Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that Entergy continues to generate full-time at Carpenter Dam. One turbine runs around the clock, creating a fairly strong current. Heavy fog covers the launch and day use area in the early morning with the water temperatures holding in the mid to upper 50s. Rainbow trout fishing remains slow, but a few fish have been caught in the morning and late evening. Trolling the main channels hasn’t produced because thousands of threadfin shad are now in the tailrace for the spawn. Bank fishermen using nightcrawlers and wax worms fished just off the bottom have accounted for the trout taken the last month. When periods of no generation are scheduled, some quality trout fishing will occur as the fish will resume a more consistent feeding pattern. As the summer heat increases, the water temperature at Carpenter will rise into the mid 60’s. By August, the vast majority of rainbows will leave the dam in search of cooler water and the trout season will be over until December when the restocking begins again. Stripers and hybrids are present and feeding on trout and shad in the oxygen rich water. Feeding times are unpredictable, but anglers need to be ready to cast when top-water activity occurs. Casting large top-water presentations imitating injured shad are the best bet when targeting these fish. While the walleye spawn has been over for several months, June temperatures always bring numbers of walleye back into the tailrace to feed on the abundant shad. Anglers using spoons and jigs have taken some quality fish around the bridge pilings. The migrating shad also draw large black bass into the area which can be seen feeding close to the banks in the late evening.
Lake Hinkle:
Bill’s Bait Shop
(479-637-4719)said the water is at normal level and clear. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in deep water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and minnows. Catfishing is good on chicken liver.
Lake Atkins:
Lucky Landing (479-641-7615)said the water is clear and low. No report.
South Central Arkansas
Moro Bay:
Moro Bay State Park
at the junction of the Ouachita River,
Raymond Lake and Moro Bay said the water level is
falling very slowly. Rod-and-reel fishing of all kinds
is difficult and water conditions are unsafe in the
river for boating. The state park is closed.
To stay updated on when conditions will return to normal you can check out the National Weather Service Web site at:
www.srh.noaa.gov/lzk/.
Tri-County Lake:
The water is beginning to drop. Some anglers have made it to the water and are doing well on bass. Fishing is slow at first, but picks up at around mid-morning. Shallow crankbaits, finesse worms and top-water frogs are working well around any growing moss.
Ouachita River Oxbows:
Things are starting to come around. The Ouachita is still high and at flood stage in places, but people are starting to catch crappie on minnows around submerged tops. Catfish are good in channels with running water on trotlines. Bass seem to be hit-or-miss. A few have been caught on light-colored crankbaits and soft plastics fished around brush tops.
East Arkansas
Arkansas River at Pine Bluff:
The Tackle Box
(870-534-1498) said the water is low and murky. Bream are excellent on wax worms, redworms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Bass are biting well on soft-plastic worms and topwaters. Catfishing is good on cut bait and skipjack.
White River:
Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) saidthe water is at normal level and clear. Bass are fair on trick worms. Bream are biting well on crickets. No report on catfish or crappie.
Maddox Bay:
Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Catfish are biting well on stinkbait.
Island 40 Chute:
Daily’s Boat Dock
(870-739-3478)said the water is high and clear. Catfishing is good on Doc’s stinkbait. No report on any other species.
Horseshoe Lake:
Local angler Clyde
Gregory said the water is normal and clear. Bream are biting well around lily pads on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well near piers and in deep water on black/chartreuse jigs and minnows. Bass are slow, but a few have been caught on white spinnerbaits and soft-plastic worms. Catfishing is excellent on cut bait.
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