04-08-2010, 11:10 AM
Central Arkansas
Lake Conway:<br />
Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is at normal level and is clearing. Bream are biting well near deep water on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in the mornings. The crappie are preparing to spawn. Bass are fair on H and H spinnerbaits with white/yellow/black skirts. Catfishing is good on trotlines baited with large minnows.<br />
Dan at Gold Creek Landing (501-607-0590) said crappie are biting well and are beginning to spawn. Bass are biting fairly well on spinnerbaits and flukes. Bream are improving. Catfishing is fair in yo-yos baited with shiners.<br />
Little Red River:<br />
Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is running at the equivalent of one generator. Trout are biting very well on wax worms, Power Bait, nightcrawlers and 1/32-oz. marabou jigs.<br />
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides had no report.<br />
Greers Ferry:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 461.79 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 461 MSL).<br />
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level is holding pretty steady and the surface temperature is warming from 54 to 60 degrees. The walleye are still upriver. The spawn is very late in the river and the lake spawn looks to be late as well, possibly running into June. Try dragging nightcrawlers on jigheads or crawler harnesses near main lake flats. The crappie have pulled up on the flats are spawning in shoreline brush. Jigs tipped with minnows fished in the rivers will work well. No report on catfish. A lot of white bass are still in the river and will stay there until the walleye have left. Roadrunners, grubs and Sassy Shads all work well on the white bass. Some hybrid bass are mixed in with the whites. The bass fishing is about to explode at any time; try Carolina rigs in front of the bushes or pitch centipedes and small craws in the bushes and be on the look out for bedding fish.<br />
Shiloh Marina (501-825-6237) had no new report.<br />
Harris Brake Lake:<br />
Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said the water is muddy and low. Bass are fair on top-water lures. All other species are slow.<br />
Greer's Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said crappie are slow after the last front. Some bass are biting fairly well on minnows.<br />
Lake Overcup:<br />
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is clear and the surface temperature is 65 degrees. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on black/chartreuse and blue/white/chartreuse jigs in 2 to 10 feet of water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and top-water lures. Catfishing is fair on trotlines baited with cut bait.<br />
Brewer Lake:<br />
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is clear and the surface temperature is 60 degrees. Bream are fair on redworms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on black/chartreuse and red/chartreuse jigs fished around brush in 5 feet of water. Bass are biting well on buzzbaits and jigs fished around brush. Catfishing is fair on trotlines and yo-yos baited with cut bait or nightcrawlers.<br />
Lake Maumelle:<br />
Jolly Roger's Marina said the water is 6 inches above the spillway and the surface temperature is 56 degrees on the main lake. Bass are biting well on jigs, spoons and jerk baits in 20 feet of water near the edge of the main channel. White bass are excellent in the creek area on the west end of the lake. Small crappie jigs and Rooster Tails with a split shot about a foot in front of the lure are working well. Crappie are biting well on 1/32-ounce jigs and minnows in 25 feet of water. Some crappie have been caught in shallow water as well. Bream are fair on worms in 30 feet of water, but a few have been caught shallow. Catfishing is good on cut shad hung from trotlines in the new trotline zone.<br />
Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished around the grass in 12 to 14 feet of water. Bass are biting well on crankbaits fished in the main lake. White bass are biting well on white Puddle Jumper jigs and live minnows.<br />
JB's Guide Service had no report.<br />
Lake Valencia:<br />
Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said a few trout are still being caught on nightcrawlers. Catfishing is excellent on chicken hearts.<br />
Sunset Lake:<br />
Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is warm and at normal level. Bream are excellent on crickets. Crappie are biting well on Tennessee shad- and lemon meringue-colored grubs. Bass are excellent on watermelon/red trick worms fished close to the bank.<br />
Saline River Access in Benton:<br />
Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie are biting well on 2-inch lemon meringue-colored crappie grubs. Bass are excellent on pumpkinseed finesse worms and rebel crawdad crankbaits. Catfishing is slow.<br />
Arkansas River at Morrilton:<br />
Charley's Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said white bass and stripers are making runs up major tributaries, such as Cypress Creek, the Petit Jean River, Point Remove Creek and Flagg Lake Cutoff. Sassy shads are working fairly well on the whites. Kentucky bass are biting well around rocky areas in the afternoon on crayfish-colored jigs. Crappie are in the back of Cypress Creek, Point Remove Creek and the Petit Jean River. Minnows are producing fairly well.<br />
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool):<br />
Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are excellent in the Little Maumelle River on crickets and redworms. Crappie are excellent on white/chartreuse mini jigs in the Little Maumelle River. Bass are biting well on top-water lures, spinnerbaits and jigs in backwater areas. Catfishing is excellent in Palarm Creek on trotlines baited with chicken hearts.<br />
Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool):<br />
Vince Miller from Fish N' Stuff (501-834-5733) had no report.<br />
Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said crappie are biting well on pink minnows in the backwater and excellently below Murray Lock and Dam on red/white jigs. Bass are biting well on crayfish-colored Bandit crankbaits. Catfishing is good in the backwater on cut shad, skipjack and stinkbait. White bass are biting well on Puddle Jumper jigs.<br />
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is high and muddy. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are fair on green pumpkin-colored lizards. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers.<br />
Clear Lake:<br />
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is muddy. Bream are fair on redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair on jigs. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and jigs. Catfishing is fair on minnows and skipjack.<br />
Peckerwood Lake:<br />
Herman's Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is high and dingy. Bream are fair on crappie nibbles. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs around the brush. The females are moving shallow. Bass are fair. Catfishing is good on minnows and worms.<br />
Lake Pickthorne:<br />
Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are fair to good on worms and crickets fished near the middle of the lake. Crappie are biting well on minnows and chartreuse mini jigs. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits and 6-inch lizards. Catfishing is fair on chicken hearts and nightcrawlers near the back levee and borrow ditch.
North Arkansas<br />
White River:<br />
Sportsman's White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is very clear and generation has fluctuated from heavy to three generators of flow. Trout are biting well on Small Countdown Rapalas and Rogues. White jigs, zebra midges and black/white and brown/white caddis are taking some good rainbow trout for fly-fishermen.<br />
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said generation on the Bull Shoals tailwater was steady all week. Long leaders and sink tip lines helped to get the flies down to feeding trout. Nymph tactics from a boat with San Juan worms, scuds, sow bugs, Pheasant tails and zebra midges (sizes 12-18) have been delivering good fish. Also try streamer fishing using woolly buggers, slump busters, zoo cougars and various sculpin patterns (sizes 6-10). Concentrate on various bank structure such as boulders, root wads and laydowns. When water lowers, watch for the spring hatches. Gray and tan caddis in both a dry fly and wet fly form will grab the fish keyed in on the hatch.<br />
Guide Davy Wotton said fishing has been tough with wind, rain and drastic changes in generation. There is also an algae bloom making fishing difficult. The algae isn't as prevalent in the Bull Shoals Dam Catch-and-Release zone, but becomes a problem as you move downstream. Fishing is slow for this time of year, with most guides attributing it to the algae. Lake levels are a little over pool, so high water flow likely will continue for a while. Fly-fishermen can't do much with the high flows and algae, but the best bet is to try brightly colored flies the trout will be able to see. Streamer fishing slower seams and clearer water will produce. Bull shoals dam is a little slower than the average 40 fish or more day. Some days white tail midges and sowbugs nail them; others call for dynamite worms and San Juan worms.<br />
White River (From Buffalo City to Red's Landing):<br />
Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said the rain caused the Buffalo River to rise. The river is muddy and fishing is poor because of it. Any small eddy you can find away from the current and muddy water will hold a few fish. Power Bait tipped with a piece of shrimp and fished on the bottom has been working fairly well. When the water clears you can go back to a ¼-oz. White River Zig Jig or a black/gold no. 7 Rapala in black/gold.<br />
Buffalo River:<br />
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said the water level is 8.25 feet at the St Joe Gauge. This still a tad high for great fishing, but it's getting very close. With the warmer days and nights, the smallmouth will be waking from their winter inactivity soon.<br />
Crooked Creek:<br />
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides had no new report.<br />
Bull Shoals Lake:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 662.10 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 654 MSL).<br />
Bob Pauletti at Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock had no new report.<br />
Lake Norfork:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 556.27 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April - 552 MSL, April-Sept. - 554 MSL).<br />
101 Grocery and Bait said the surface temperature ranges from 57-62 degrees. Fishing has been good for all species. Monster bluegill have been hitting minnows, red worms and crickets. Crappie are hitting minnows and jigs, and are moving to shallow water. Bass fishing has been good on jigs, crankbaits, flukes and top-water lures. Stripers, white bass, walleye and catfish have all been good and will only get better.<br />
Norfork Tailwater:<br />
Shannon Murphy with Charlie's Rainbow Trout Resort said the fishing is much better than last week. Boaters and guides are catching plenty of good trout (12-15 inch average), and some huge (19-22 inch) cutthroats in the shoals below Dry Run Creek, but you have to be in a boat. The Rainbows are trying to spawn and are stacked up near Dry Run Creek. There are plenty of scuds in the river now, and we are getting a caddis hatch every evening. Fly-fishing has been very good and steady. Scuds and sow bug patterns work best in the mornings and evenings, during the day its best to use San Juan worms. Try a two-worm combo in hot pink. Bait fishermen have been doing extremely well with trout worms and half a night crawler. Green/white Power Bait has worked well early and late in the day. Lure fishing has been spotty; the best results are in the evening with small spinners, Rapalas and Rebel Crawdad crankbaits. The dam was generating one unit, but shut down the water at 11:30 on Tuesday morning. During high water, it is highly recommended to rent a boat.<br />
Zachary Hoyt of Just Fishing Guides said high rainfall kept low water from returning to the Norfork tailwater. High-water tactics are the order of the day. Drift-fishing nymphs for numbers of fish or streamer fishing for fewer but larger trout are the two most popular techniques. For high water nymph rigs, use split shot and larger indicators and keep adjusting your indicator to maintain the proper depth. Use San Juan worms, scuds, copper Johns and egg patterns. Grass beds, channels, drop offs and rocks or logs are areas to try. Try dead drifting shad patterns with a twitching action near the dam or pound the banks with sculpin patterns further downriver, looking for rock and log cover to target casts. Fly patterns for streamer fishing should include circus peanuts, zoo cougars, Arkansas beadheads, Davy's shad, white zonkers and woolly buggers.
Northwest Arkansas<br />
Beaver Lake:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 1,124.22 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 1,120 MSL).<br />
Bailey's Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) said stripers are in the creek arms and the rivers. There is a mud line at the mouth of War Eagle where it meets the white river. The edge of the mud line provides cover to actively feeding stripers. The white bass run has started and will peak near April 10. Try using spoons, spinners or grubs in white or chartreuse. The morning bite has been the best, but if it is overcast the bite could last all day. Most striper are keyed on the flats where they can hunt shad. Balloons with bait fished 5-6 feet deep without any weight, free lining or flat lining shad are the live bait techniques to use. Troll slowly and expect to cover water, you will have to make a "milk run" of several spots to get your fish. An umbrella rig will also produce; remember to use chartreuse in the stained water. Try trolling Redfins, Rapalas and other shallow plugs about 150 feet behind the boat. Look in the mouth of the War Eagle up to the Sidewalk hole. Water temperature is in the mid- to high 50s. White bass and hybrids are stacked up in this area. Free-line and use balloons 8-10ft deep for striper and cast spoons or Rooster Tails for whites and hybrids. Some nice fish are being caught at the Sidewalk and 50-cent holes. The lake level needs to be at about 1127 for access past the last shoal on the War Eagle in order to get a boat up to the two dollar/cemetery hole where white bass are stacking up. White bass are also concentrated on the White River from Neil's Bluff up to Slick Rock. The Highway 412 bridge in the Blue Springs Area is producing some good fish in late morning. The white bass are holding in the shade of the bridge when the sun is out. The flat around the Cedar Bluff area is holding some fish as well. Fish are shallow in Hickory Creek Cove, and some are being caught on large shad (4-6 inches long) fished on a free line. Most of the fish have moved upriver, but should return to lower lake areas soon. Indian Creek is holding some stripers, as is Fish Trap Hollow around Lost Bridge. For daily Beaver Lake levels and flow data go Bailey's Web site and click on the Daily Beaver Lake Level and Flow info link.<br />
JT's Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass fishing has been good on 3/8-oz. spinnerbaits fished around brush and laydowns. Shad- and crayfish-colored crankbaits are also working well. Crappie fishing has been outstanding upstream in either river arm. Fish blowdown trees or buck brush with a black/chartreuse or orange/chartreuse Shineee Hineee jig under a cork set 2 to 3 feet deep. White bass are biting well as far up either river as you can go. Silver or chartreuse Shineee Hineee jigs have been a great choice. Catfishing has been good from the bank at Hickory Creek, Monte-NE and the Highway 12 bridge with liver or worms.<br />
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is muddy, cool and 3 feet high. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished in open water. White bass are biting well on Rooster Tails fished around War Eagle. Catfishing is slow.<br />
Beaver Tailwaters:<br />
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said there has been more wadable water on Beaver tailwater than the rest of the White River system over the last week. Lots of midges are coming off in the late morning and late afternoon. Gray, black, and olive zebra midges fished below an indicator are producing very healthy fish. Depth below the indicator is governed by the area you are fishing and structure. Many sculpins are in the water this spring, so a simple woolly bugger stripped or dead-drifted is ideal for larger fish.<br />
Kings River:<br />
Just Fishing Guides said the Kings is running about a foot over ideal fishing level. It is still great for floating. Warmer evenings and sunny days are getting the smallmouth moving.<br />
Lake Fayetteville:<br />
Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said the water is clear and at normal level. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is fair on chicken hearts. Black bass and white bass are both biting fairly well.<br />
Lake Sequoyah:<br />
Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is clear and slightly higher than normal. Bream are fair on crickets and redworms in 6 feet of water. Crappie are slow, but a few have been caught on minnows and jigs fished around brush in 0-5 feet of water. Bass are fair on small crankbaits and soft-plastic worms fished in 5 feet of water. Catfishing is slow.
Northeast Arkansas<br />
Crown Lake:<br />
Boxhound Marina ( 870-670-4496) said the water is clear and the surface temperature ranges from 57 to 60 degrees. Bream are biting well on redworms fished around stumps. Crappie are biting well on jigs fished around docks in 6 to 12 feet of water. Bass are biting well on swim baits and jigs fished in coves of the lake. Catfishing is slow.<br />
Lake Frierson:<br />
Lake Frierson State Park said bream are fair on crickets. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers. No report on any other species.<br />
Spring River:<br />
Mark Crawford at Spring River Fly Shop said flows have been running at about 450cfs with water temperature near 56 degrees. The water is tinted a little more than usual. Hot flies last week were grandma's brownie, prince nymphs, Y2ks, and my new mayfly nymph. It is so important to get your flies down deep. When fish are biting hot it is not as important, but on those days when the fish turn off it is how to get after the big fish. There are abundant hatches with many types of insects coming off the water.
Southeast Arkansas<br />
Lake Chicot:<br />
Lake Chicot State Park said many people have talked about crappie biting well on minnows in Connerly Bayou and Toe-head Chute. Catfishing is good on trotlines baited with minnows. Fishing for gar and buffalo is excellent.<br />
Lake Monticello:<br />
Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of MonticelloBigBass.com said the fishing pressure seems to have let up a little over the last few days, but the heavy winds seem to push more people into smaller places. The surface temperature is in the low 70s and there are still some bass in the shallows. For what ever reason, it doesn't seem like the bass are loaded up in normal spawning areas. There are anglers catching bedding bass in the protected coves that have them. More of the fish being caught are shallow or mid-range cruisers. Floating and lightly weighted soft plastics in natural colors seem to be working for these fish. Some good bass are being caught on large, Texas- and Carolina-rigged plastics. Shiner fishing continues to take quality bass and should continue for the coming days.
Southwest Arkansas<br />
Millwood Lake:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 259.67 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 259.2 MSL).<br />
Millwood Lake Guide Service said the surface temperature continues to climb into the low 70s. The discharge at the dam is 9,765 cfs. The water is stained and visibility is 10-14 inches. Largemouth Bass continue to get more aggressive with the improved day time highs, and the bite is dramatically better this week. The aggressive activity will continue to improve over the next week with the spawn in full gear. Crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps, jigs, and lizards have been the go-to baits for bass. The best bite is during mid to late day. A very slow-moving, ¾-oz. red Rat-L-Trap, jig, or threadfin shad or crawfish patterned crankbait will randomly pull some keeper bass out of deeper spots in the creek channels near bedding flats. Trick worms in Merthiolate or sherbet, lizards and jigs in close proximity to, or on the beds, will occasionally stick one of these heavier female prespawn fish. War Eagle spinnerbaits in chartreuse/white or spot remover colors are taking a few keepers. Jigs in black/blue/purple, green pumpkin or Texas craw colors are still taking a few keepers on cypress trees in deeper sections of the creek channels. White bass were running over the past few days above Arkansas Highway 71 bridge, and continue to congregate near points and creek mouths intersecting Little River. Rocket Shads, Rat-L-Traps, Little Cleos and Little Georges and Rooster Tails are working well. Crappie continue to improve and move up in the oxbows around cypress trees. Some 2 to 3.5-pound slabs continue to congregate in the oxbows around cypress trees and are being caught on black/chartreuse jigs, shiners and Blakemore Roadrunners. Channel cats continue to bite well in the increased current of Little River. Blues and channel cats are biting best on cut shad, Catfish Charlie and chicken livers along Little River between Jack's Isle and Mud Lake.<br />
White Oak Lake:<br />
Local angler John Tilley said the water level is rising and fishing has greatly improved. Bass are excellent in 3 to 4 feet of water on top-water chuggers and soft-plastics. Crappie have been slow.<br />
Lake Columbia:<br />
Steve's Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water is murky. Bream are biting well on redworms and crickets in 18 inches to 4 feet of water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and weightless flukes fished around 10 feet deep. Catfishing is fair on stink bait.<br />
Lake Erling:<br />
Steve's Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bass are biting fairly well on small jigs, worms and spinnerbaits fished around 4 feet deep.<br />
Lake Greeson:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 546.85 MSL (Flood pool - 548 MSL).<br />
Lakeside Grocery and Bait (870-398-5304) said the water is murky and high. The surface temperature is 62 degrees. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in 8 feet of water around brush. Bass are biting well on floating worms, crankbaits and soft-plastics in 1 to 8 feet of water. Catfishing is fair on trotlines, juglines and limblines baited with large minnows. White bass and stripers are schooling in the main lake and are biting very well on top-water lures and spinners. Walleye are fair on crankbaits fished around rocky points.<br />
Cossatot River:<br />
Cossatot River State Park had no report.<br />
DeGray Lake:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 407.15 feet MSL (Flood pool - 408 MSL).<br />
Local angler George Graves said the surface water temperature is in the mid-60s and the lake is clear. Crappie fishing is good with plenty of good reports throughout the lake. The best areas are between Caddo Drive and Shouse Ford. The fish are spawning, so look for any shallow cover in the major coves in the morning and evening. During the day look for shelters/attractors at or near the mouths of these coves in about 14 to 18 feet of water. The best lure has been a 1/16-ounce jighead with a 2-inch Tennessee Shad grub. When fishing shallow attractors, be sure to back off from the cover and cast the lure to the thickest part. Let the grub drop, and in most cases the fish will hit it on the way down. If you let it drop too far it will get into the brush and "hang up." If the grub is too strenuous for you, try live minnows with a slip float set to just above the brush. Standing timber 8 to 20 feet deep in coves and points adjacent to coves is also a good option. Bass fishing is fair. Bass are starting to spawn, so look for them in the coves and points next to coves. Try a spinner bait or shallow-running crankbait in the morning or evening. During the day, use a Carolina-rigged green pumpkin lizard, Texas-rigged red shad worm or jig with a trailer. Bream fishing is good. The fish are moving off the deep brush and now the shore bound angler will start to add fish to the stringer. Most any cove with a little cover will hold bream. The big point at Caddo Bend is a good area to try. Use either worms or crickets. Try fishing right on the bottom without the float, sometimes the biggest bream are caught this way.
West-Central Arkansas<br />
Lake Nimrod:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 344.31 feet MSL.<br />
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will slowly lower the water level in Lake Nimrod in Yell County, beginning May 15. The water level will be lowered 5 feet by July 1, and the lower level will be maintained until Oct. 1. The drawdown is part of the Corps and AGFC's water management plan, and is an attempt to meet fisheries management goals without the need for the costly 10-foot draw downs previously conducted on the lake.<br />
Greer's Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said crappie are biting well on minnows fished 10-feet deep.<br />
Lake Dardanelle:<br />
Regina Olson at Spadra Marina said catfish are biting very well. Shad have been very hard to find, but frozen shad still do the trick. Crappie limits have not been as easy to come by, but the size of the crappie caught has definitely improved. Crappie are biting best on crappie minnows and white/chartreuse jigs. Bass fishing is picking up. Crankbaits and buzzbaits are catching some fish, but the frog bite is beginning to heat up.<br />
Blue Mountain Lake:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 388.16 feet MSL.<br />
Teresa at CD's Quick Stop (479-947-2178) said the water is muddy and high. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Bass are slow. Catfishing is fair on worms and chicken livers.<br />
Lake Ouachita:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 577.08 MSL (Flood pool - 578 MSL).<br />
Trader Bill's Outdoor Sports said the water temperature is in the upper 50s to the low 60s. The water is in the buckbrush but falling. The water color is stained to clear. Bass are being caught around points on crankbaits fished in 5 to 10 feet of water. A jerk bait has been the best for the last week and should stay hot for a while. Don't rule out a floating worm. Crappie are moving shallow. Many have been found in 3 to 6 feet of water in the brush.<br />
Larry Hurley from Poorman's Guide Service said bass fishing continues to be excellent with some good numbers and quality coming off trick worms and Carolina-rigged lizards.<br />
Mountain Harbor Resort said the water temperature is 54-58 degrees and the water is clear. Largemouth bass are excellent on jerk baits fished over points or humps in 10 to 20 feet of water. Lipless crankbaits are working well fished near secondary points. Carolina-rigged lizards and floating worms are very good on secondary points and pockets. Walleye are biting well on jerk baits or fluorescent jigs tipped with minnows. Stripers are excellent on C-10 Redfins. Bream are fair on worms or crickets in water 20 to 25 feet deep. Crappie are still good and being caught near brush in 6 to 15 feet of water. Minnows or crappie grubs are still working best. Tennessee shad and white are the best colors for artificial baits. Catfish are biting well on cut bait and live bait hung from jug lines and trotlines.<br />
Lake Hamilton:<br />
Trader Bill's Outdoor Sports said the water temperature is in the upper 50s and the water is clear. Bass should be moving into pockets, looking for spawning places and making beds. Try crank baits on points and jerk baits in the sides of pockets. Also a Carolina rig might get you a big one in the gut of a creek. Floating worm season is less than a week away.<br />
Daryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips said crappie are spawning. Water temperature is in the 60s. Crappie are being caught on staging tops and behind the docks in shallower water.<br />
Lake Catherine:<br />
Shane Goodner, owner of Catch'em All Guide Service, (501-624-8757) reports that water temperature below Carpenter Dam has risen to 50 degrees with clear conditions. Rainbow trout fishing has improved. Bank fishermen have done well with wax worms fished under a bobber or just off the bottom with marshmallows. Redworms and nightcrawlers used in the same manner have taken trout over 17 inches this week. Live minnows cast around visible structure will draw strikes from hungry trout that are searching for shad. Boaters trolling the main channel below the bridge are still catching rainbows on small crankbaits that imitate shad or crayfish. Small, 1/16- or 1/8-ounce jigs fished in the current recorded limits of fish early this week. Fly fishermen that are familiar with the tailrace can wade to areas that hold feeding trout. San Juan worms in red or hot pink cast under a strike indicator will catch trout, as well as egg patterns in orange or white. Small streamers in white or gray will attract larger trout that are searching for bigger prey. Crappie are slow to spawn this year, but are present with a few fish being caught each day around rock piles and sand bars. Minnows and small jigs are the best bet to catch these fish. Late evening times have been the best periods for anglers to look for spawning crappie as the turbines are usually running. White bass are in full spawning mode with good numbers of catchable fish in the tailrace. Minnow rigs, small jigs, and spinner baits are three very good ways to take these fish with late evening being the most productive time to fish. Few stripers have been taken below the dam, but big fish will be present soon with all the spawning fish around the area.<br />
Lake Hinkle:<br />
Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said the water is clear and at normal level. Crappie are biting well on jigs and minnows fished from the bank. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and topwaters fished in 2 feet of water. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers.<br />
Lake Atkins:<br />
Ken Vinson at Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said bass fishing is fair; not many came in this week. Crappie and bream fishing are fair.
South Central Arkansas<br />
Moro Bay:<br />
Moro Bay State Park at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay had no report.<br />
Ouachita River Oxbows:<br />
Some Ouachita River Oxbows are on fire with the warmer weather. Large bass are in the pre-spawn stage and are feeding well. Many good bass were caught on ¼-oz. black/blue jigs around standing trees in 3-6 feet of water and on crankbaits.<br />
Tri-County Lake:<br />
Fishing slowed considerably after the cold front, but should pick up again with the warmer weather.
East Arkansas<br />
Arkansas River at Pine Bluff:<br />
The Tackle Box (870-534-1498) said bream are biting well. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and crankbaits fished around the harbor. Catfishing is good on skipjack.<br />
White River:<br />
Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is high and fishing is slow.<br />
Maddox Bay:<br />
Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said fishing is slow for all species.<br />
Island 40 Chute:<br />
Daily's Boat Dock (870-739-3478) said the water is very high, and fishing is slow for all species except catfish. Catfishing is fair on live and prepared baits.<br />
Horseshoe Lake:<br />
Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water is at normal levels and is clear. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in shallow areas. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits fished around cypress stumps. Catfishing and bream fishing are both poor.
Lake Conway:<br />
Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is at normal level and is clearing. Bream are biting well near deep water on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in the mornings. The crappie are preparing to spawn. Bass are fair on H and H spinnerbaits with white/yellow/black skirts. Catfishing is good on trotlines baited with large minnows.<br />
Dan at Gold Creek Landing (501-607-0590) said crappie are biting well and are beginning to spawn. Bass are biting fairly well on spinnerbaits and flukes. Bream are improving. Catfishing is fair in yo-yos baited with shiners.<br />
Little Red River:<br />
Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is running at the equivalent of one generator. Trout are biting very well on wax worms, Power Bait, nightcrawlers and 1/32-oz. marabou jigs.<br />
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides had no report.<br />
Greers Ferry:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 461.79 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 461 MSL).<br />
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level is holding pretty steady and the surface temperature is warming from 54 to 60 degrees. The walleye are still upriver. The spawn is very late in the river and the lake spawn looks to be late as well, possibly running into June. Try dragging nightcrawlers on jigheads or crawler harnesses near main lake flats. The crappie have pulled up on the flats are spawning in shoreline brush. Jigs tipped with minnows fished in the rivers will work well. No report on catfish. A lot of white bass are still in the river and will stay there until the walleye have left. Roadrunners, grubs and Sassy Shads all work well on the white bass. Some hybrid bass are mixed in with the whites. The bass fishing is about to explode at any time; try Carolina rigs in front of the bushes or pitch centipedes and small craws in the bushes and be on the look out for bedding fish.<br />
Shiloh Marina (501-825-6237) had no new report.<br />
Harris Brake Lake:<br />
Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said the water is muddy and low. Bass are fair on top-water lures. All other species are slow.<br />
Greer's Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said crappie are slow after the last front. Some bass are biting fairly well on minnows.<br />
Lake Overcup:<br />
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is clear and the surface temperature is 65 degrees. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on black/chartreuse and blue/white/chartreuse jigs in 2 to 10 feet of water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and top-water lures. Catfishing is fair on trotlines baited with cut bait.<br />
Brewer Lake:<br />
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is clear and the surface temperature is 60 degrees. Bream are fair on redworms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on black/chartreuse and red/chartreuse jigs fished around brush in 5 feet of water. Bass are biting well on buzzbaits and jigs fished around brush. Catfishing is fair on trotlines and yo-yos baited with cut bait or nightcrawlers.<br />
Lake Maumelle:<br />
Jolly Roger's Marina said the water is 6 inches above the spillway and the surface temperature is 56 degrees on the main lake. Bass are biting well on jigs, spoons and jerk baits in 20 feet of water near the edge of the main channel. White bass are excellent in the creek area on the west end of the lake. Small crappie jigs and Rooster Tails with a split shot about a foot in front of the lure are working well. Crappie are biting well on 1/32-ounce jigs and minnows in 25 feet of water. Some crappie have been caught in shallow water as well. Bream are fair on worms in 30 feet of water, but a few have been caught shallow. Catfishing is good on cut shad hung from trotlines in the new trotline zone.<br />
Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished around the grass in 12 to 14 feet of water. Bass are biting well on crankbaits fished in the main lake. White bass are biting well on white Puddle Jumper jigs and live minnows.<br />
JB's Guide Service had no report.<br />
Lake Valencia:<br />
Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said a few trout are still being caught on nightcrawlers. Catfishing is excellent on chicken hearts.<br />
Sunset Lake:<br />
Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is warm and at normal level. Bream are excellent on crickets. Crappie are biting well on Tennessee shad- and lemon meringue-colored grubs. Bass are excellent on watermelon/red trick worms fished close to the bank.<br />
Saline River Access in Benton:<br />
Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie are biting well on 2-inch lemon meringue-colored crappie grubs. Bass are excellent on pumpkinseed finesse worms and rebel crawdad crankbaits. Catfishing is slow.<br />
Arkansas River at Morrilton:<br />
Charley's Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said white bass and stripers are making runs up major tributaries, such as Cypress Creek, the Petit Jean River, Point Remove Creek and Flagg Lake Cutoff. Sassy shads are working fairly well on the whites. Kentucky bass are biting well around rocky areas in the afternoon on crayfish-colored jigs. Crappie are in the back of Cypress Creek, Point Remove Creek and the Petit Jean River. Minnows are producing fairly well.<br />
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool):<br />
Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are excellent in the Little Maumelle River on crickets and redworms. Crappie are excellent on white/chartreuse mini jigs in the Little Maumelle River. Bass are biting well on top-water lures, spinnerbaits and jigs in backwater areas. Catfishing is excellent in Palarm Creek on trotlines baited with chicken hearts.<br />
Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool):<br />
Vince Miller from Fish N' Stuff (501-834-5733) had no report.<br />
Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said crappie are biting well on pink minnows in the backwater and excellently below Murray Lock and Dam on red/white jigs. Bass are biting well on crayfish-colored Bandit crankbaits. Catfishing is good in the backwater on cut shad, skipjack and stinkbait. White bass are biting well on Puddle Jumper jigs.<br />
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is high and muddy. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are fair on green pumpkin-colored lizards. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers.<br />
Clear Lake:<br />
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is muddy. Bream are fair on redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair on jigs. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and jigs. Catfishing is fair on minnows and skipjack.<br />
Peckerwood Lake:<br />
Herman's Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is high and dingy. Bream are fair on crappie nibbles. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs around the brush. The females are moving shallow. Bass are fair. Catfishing is good on minnows and worms.<br />
Lake Pickthorne:<br />
Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are fair to good on worms and crickets fished near the middle of the lake. Crappie are biting well on minnows and chartreuse mini jigs. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits and 6-inch lizards. Catfishing is fair on chicken hearts and nightcrawlers near the back levee and borrow ditch.
North Arkansas<br />
White River:<br />
Sportsman's White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is very clear and generation has fluctuated from heavy to three generators of flow. Trout are biting well on Small Countdown Rapalas and Rogues. White jigs, zebra midges and black/white and brown/white caddis are taking some good rainbow trout for fly-fishermen.<br />
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said generation on the Bull Shoals tailwater was steady all week. Long leaders and sink tip lines helped to get the flies down to feeding trout. Nymph tactics from a boat with San Juan worms, scuds, sow bugs, Pheasant tails and zebra midges (sizes 12-18) have been delivering good fish. Also try streamer fishing using woolly buggers, slump busters, zoo cougars and various sculpin patterns (sizes 6-10). Concentrate on various bank structure such as boulders, root wads and laydowns. When water lowers, watch for the spring hatches. Gray and tan caddis in both a dry fly and wet fly form will grab the fish keyed in on the hatch.<br />
Guide Davy Wotton said fishing has been tough with wind, rain and drastic changes in generation. There is also an algae bloom making fishing difficult. The algae isn't as prevalent in the Bull Shoals Dam Catch-and-Release zone, but becomes a problem as you move downstream. Fishing is slow for this time of year, with most guides attributing it to the algae. Lake levels are a little over pool, so high water flow likely will continue for a while. Fly-fishermen can't do much with the high flows and algae, but the best bet is to try brightly colored flies the trout will be able to see. Streamer fishing slower seams and clearer water will produce. Bull shoals dam is a little slower than the average 40 fish or more day. Some days white tail midges and sowbugs nail them; others call for dynamite worms and San Juan worms.<br />
White River (From Buffalo City to Red's Landing):<br />
Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said the rain caused the Buffalo River to rise. The river is muddy and fishing is poor because of it. Any small eddy you can find away from the current and muddy water will hold a few fish. Power Bait tipped with a piece of shrimp and fished on the bottom has been working fairly well. When the water clears you can go back to a ¼-oz. White River Zig Jig or a black/gold no. 7 Rapala in black/gold.<br />
Buffalo River:<br />
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said the water level is 8.25 feet at the St Joe Gauge. This still a tad high for great fishing, but it's getting very close. With the warmer days and nights, the smallmouth will be waking from their winter inactivity soon.<br />
Crooked Creek:<br />
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides had no new report.<br />
Bull Shoals Lake:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 662.10 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 654 MSL).<br />
Bob Pauletti at Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock had no new report.<br />
Lake Norfork:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 556.27 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April - 552 MSL, April-Sept. - 554 MSL).<br />
101 Grocery and Bait said the surface temperature ranges from 57-62 degrees. Fishing has been good for all species. Monster bluegill have been hitting minnows, red worms and crickets. Crappie are hitting minnows and jigs, and are moving to shallow water. Bass fishing has been good on jigs, crankbaits, flukes and top-water lures. Stripers, white bass, walleye and catfish have all been good and will only get better.<br />
Norfork Tailwater:<br />
Shannon Murphy with Charlie's Rainbow Trout Resort said the fishing is much better than last week. Boaters and guides are catching plenty of good trout (12-15 inch average), and some huge (19-22 inch) cutthroats in the shoals below Dry Run Creek, but you have to be in a boat. The Rainbows are trying to spawn and are stacked up near Dry Run Creek. There are plenty of scuds in the river now, and we are getting a caddis hatch every evening. Fly-fishing has been very good and steady. Scuds and sow bug patterns work best in the mornings and evenings, during the day its best to use San Juan worms. Try a two-worm combo in hot pink. Bait fishermen have been doing extremely well with trout worms and half a night crawler. Green/white Power Bait has worked well early and late in the day. Lure fishing has been spotty; the best results are in the evening with small spinners, Rapalas and Rebel Crawdad crankbaits. The dam was generating one unit, but shut down the water at 11:30 on Tuesday morning. During high water, it is highly recommended to rent a boat.<br />
Zachary Hoyt of Just Fishing Guides said high rainfall kept low water from returning to the Norfork tailwater. High-water tactics are the order of the day. Drift-fishing nymphs for numbers of fish or streamer fishing for fewer but larger trout are the two most popular techniques. For high water nymph rigs, use split shot and larger indicators and keep adjusting your indicator to maintain the proper depth. Use San Juan worms, scuds, copper Johns and egg patterns. Grass beds, channels, drop offs and rocks or logs are areas to try. Try dead drifting shad patterns with a twitching action near the dam or pound the banks with sculpin patterns further downriver, looking for rock and log cover to target casts. Fly patterns for streamer fishing should include circus peanuts, zoo cougars, Arkansas beadheads, Davy's shad, white zonkers and woolly buggers.
Northwest Arkansas<br />
Beaver Lake:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 1,124.22 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 1,120 MSL).<br />
Bailey's Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) said stripers are in the creek arms and the rivers. There is a mud line at the mouth of War Eagle where it meets the white river. The edge of the mud line provides cover to actively feeding stripers. The white bass run has started and will peak near April 10. Try using spoons, spinners or grubs in white or chartreuse. The morning bite has been the best, but if it is overcast the bite could last all day. Most striper are keyed on the flats where they can hunt shad. Balloons with bait fished 5-6 feet deep without any weight, free lining or flat lining shad are the live bait techniques to use. Troll slowly and expect to cover water, you will have to make a "milk run" of several spots to get your fish. An umbrella rig will also produce; remember to use chartreuse in the stained water. Try trolling Redfins, Rapalas and other shallow plugs about 150 feet behind the boat. Look in the mouth of the War Eagle up to the Sidewalk hole. Water temperature is in the mid- to high 50s. White bass and hybrids are stacked up in this area. Free-line and use balloons 8-10ft deep for striper and cast spoons or Rooster Tails for whites and hybrids. Some nice fish are being caught at the Sidewalk and 50-cent holes. The lake level needs to be at about 1127 for access past the last shoal on the War Eagle in order to get a boat up to the two dollar/cemetery hole where white bass are stacking up. White bass are also concentrated on the White River from Neil's Bluff up to Slick Rock. The Highway 412 bridge in the Blue Springs Area is producing some good fish in late morning. The white bass are holding in the shade of the bridge when the sun is out. The flat around the Cedar Bluff area is holding some fish as well. Fish are shallow in Hickory Creek Cove, and some are being caught on large shad (4-6 inches long) fished on a free line. Most of the fish have moved upriver, but should return to lower lake areas soon. Indian Creek is holding some stripers, as is Fish Trap Hollow around Lost Bridge. For daily Beaver Lake levels and flow data go Bailey's Web site and click on the Daily Beaver Lake Level and Flow info link.<br />
JT's Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass fishing has been good on 3/8-oz. spinnerbaits fished around brush and laydowns. Shad- and crayfish-colored crankbaits are also working well. Crappie fishing has been outstanding upstream in either river arm. Fish blowdown trees or buck brush with a black/chartreuse or orange/chartreuse Shineee Hineee jig under a cork set 2 to 3 feet deep. White bass are biting well as far up either river as you can go. Silver or chartreuse Shineee Hineee jigs have been a great choice. Catfishing has been good from the bank at Hickory Creek, Monte-NE and the Highway 12 bridge with liver or worms.<br />
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is muddy, cool and 3 feet high. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished in open water. White bass are biting well on Rooster Tails fished around War Eagle. Catfishing is slow.<br />
Beaver Tailwaters:<br />
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said there has been more wadable water on Beaver tailwater than the rest of the White River system over the last week. Lots of midges are coming off in the late morning and late afternoon. Gray, black, and olive zebra midges fished below an indicator are producing very healthy fish. Depth below the indicator is governed by the area you are fishing and structure. Many sculpins are in the water this spring, so a simple woolly bugger stripped or dead-drifted is ideal for larger fish.<br />
Kings River:<br />
Just Fishing Guides said the Kings is running about a foot over ideal fishing level. It is still great for floating. Warmer evenings and sunny days are getting the smallmouth moving.<br />
Lake Fayetteville:<br />
Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said the water is clear and at normal level. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is fair on chicken hearts. Black bass and white bass are both biting fairly well.<br />
Lake Sequoyah:<br />
Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is clear and slightly higher than normal. Bream are fair on crickets and redworms in 6 feet of water. Crappie are slow, but a few have been caught on minnows and jigs fished around brush in 0-5 feet of water. Bass are fair on small crankbaits and soft-plastic worms fished in 5 feet of water. Catfishing is slow.
Northeast Arkansas<br />
Crown Lake:<br />
Boxhound Marina ( 870-670-4496) said the water is clear and the surface temperature ranges from 57 to 60 degrees. Bream are biting well on redworms fished around stumps. Crappie are biting well on jigs fished around docks in 6 to 12 feet of water. Bass are biting well on swim baits and jigs fished in coves of the lake. Catfishing is slow.<br />
Lake Frierson:<br />
Lake Frierson State Park said bream are fair on crickets. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers. No report on any other species.<br />
Spring River:<br />
Mark Crawford at Spring River Fly Shop said flows have been running at about 450cfs with water temperature near 56 degrees. The water is tinted a little more than usual. Hot flies last week were grandma's brownie, prince nymphs, Y2ks, and my new mayfly nymph. It is so important to get your flies down deep. When fish are biting hot it is not as important, but on those days when the fish turn off it is how to get after the big fish. There are abundant hatches with many types of insects coming off the water.
Southeast Arkansas<br />
Lake Chicot:<br />
Lake Chicot State Park said many people have talked about crappie biting well on minnows in Connerly Bayou and Toe-head Chute. Catfishing is good on trotlines baited with minnows. Fishing for gar and buffalo is excellent.<br />
Lake Monticello:<br />
Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of MonticelloBigBass.com said the fishing pressure seems to have let up a little over the last few days, but the heavy winds seem to push more people into smaller places. The surface temperature is in the low 70s and there are still some bass in the shallows. For what ever reason, it doesn't seem like the bass are loaded up in normal spawning areas. There are anglers catching bedding bass in the protected coves that have them. More of the fish being caught are shallow or mid-range cruisers. Floating and lightly weighted soft plastics in natural colors seem to be working for these fish. Some good bass are being caught on large, Texas- and Carolina-rigged plastics. Shiner fishing continues to take quality bass and should continue for the coming days.
Southwest Arkansas<br />
Millwood Lake:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 259.67 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 259.2 MSL).<br />
Millwood Lake Guide Service said the surface temperature continues to climb into the low 70s. The discharge at the dam is 9,765 cfs. The water is stained and visibility is 10-14 inches. Largemouth Bass continue to get more aggressive with the improved day time highs, and the bite is dramatically better this week. The aggressive activity will continue to improve over the next week with the spawn in full gear. Crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps, jigs, and lizards have been the go-to baits for bass. The best bite is during mid to late day. A very slow-moving, ¾-oz. red Rat-L-Trap, jig, or threadfin shad or crawfish patterned crankbait will randomly pull some keeper bass out of deeper spots in the creek channels near bedding flats. Trick worms in Merthiolate or sherbet, lizards and jigs in close proximity to, or on the beds, will occasionally stick one of these heavier female prespawn fish. War Eagle spinnerbaits in chartreuse/white or spot remover colors are taking a few keepers. Jigs in black/blue/purple, green pumpkin or Texas craw colors are still taking a few keepers on cypress trees in deeper sections of the creek channels. White bass were running over the past few days above Arkansas Highway 71 bridge, and continue to congregate near points and creek mouths intersecting Little River. Rocket Shads, Rat-L-Traps, Little Cleos and Little Georges and Rooster Tails are working well. Crappie continue to improve and move up in the oxbows around cypress trees. Some 2 to 3.5-pound slabs continue to congregate in the oxbows around cypress trees and are being caught on black/chartreuse jigs, shiners and Blakemore Roadrunners. Channel cats continue to bite well in the increased current of Little River. Blues and channel cats are biting best on cut shad, Catfish Charlie and chicken livers along Little River between Jack's Isle and Mud Lake.<br />
White Oak Lake:<br />
Local angler John Tilley said the water level is rising and fishing has greatly improved. Bass are excellent in 3 to 4 feet of water on top-water chuggers and soft-plastics. Crappie have been slow.<br />
Lake Columbia:<br />
Steve's Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water is murky. Bream are biting well on redworms and crickets in 18 inches to 4 feet of water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and weightless flukes fished around 10 feet deep. Catfishing is fair on stink bait.<br />
Lake Erling:<br />
Steve's Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bass are biting fairly well on small jigs, worms and spinnerbaits fished around 4 feet deep.<br />
Lake Greeson:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 546.85 MSL (Flood pool - 548 MSL).<br />
Lakeside Grocery and Bait (870-398-5304) said the water is murky and high. The surface temperature is 62 degrees. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in 8 feet of water around brush. Bass are biting well on floating worms, crankbaits and soft-plastics in 1 to 8 feet of water. Catfishing is fair on trotlines, juglines and limblines baited with large minnows. White bass and stripers are schooling in the main lake and are biting very well on top-water lures and spinners. Walleye are fair on crankbaits fished around rocky points.<br />
Cossatot River:<br />
Cossatot River State Park had no report.<br />
DeGray Lake:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 407.15 feet MSL (Flood pool - 408 MSL).<br />
Local angler George Graves said the surface water temperature is in the mid-60s and the lake is clear. Crappie fishing is good with plenty of good reports throughout the lake. The best areas are between Caddo Drive and Shouse Ford. The fish are spawning, so look for any shallow cover in the major coves in the morning and evening. During the day look for shelters/attractors at or near the mouths of these coves in about 14 to 18 feet of water. The best lure has been a 1/16-ounce jighead with a 2-inch Tennessee Shad grub. When fishing shallow attractors, be sure to back off from the cover and cast the lure to the thickest part. Let the grub drop, and in most cases the fish will hit it on the way down. If you let it drop too far it will get into the brush and "hang up." If the grub is too strenuous for you, try live minnows with a slip float set to just above the brush. Standing timber 8 to 20 feet deep in coves and points adjacent to coves is also a good option. Bass fishing is fair. Bass are starting to spawn, so look for them in the coves and points next to coves. Try a spinner bait or shallow-running crankbait in the morning or evening. During the day, use a Carolina-rigged green pumpkin lizard, Texas-rigged red shad worm or jig with a trailer. Bream fishing is good. The fish are moving off the deep brush and now the shore bound angler will start to add fish to the stringer. Most any cove with a little cover will hold bream. The big point at Caddo Bend is a good area to try. Use either worms or crickets. Try fishing right on the bottom without the float, sometimes the biggest bream are caught this way.
West-Central Arkansas<br />
Lake Nimrod:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 344.31 feet MSL.<br />
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will slowly lower the water level in Lake Nimrod in Yell County, beginning May 15. The water level will be lowered 5 feet by July 1, and the lower level will be maintained until Oct. 1. The drawdown is part of the Corps and AGFC's water management plan, and is an attempt to meet fisheries management goals without the need for the costly 10-foot draw downs previously conducted on the lake.<br />
Greer's Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said crappie are biting well on minnows fished 10-feet deep.<br />
Lake Dardanelle:<br />
Regina Olson at Spadra Marina said catfish are biting very well. Shad have been very hard to find, but frozen shad still do the trick. Crappie limits have not been as easy to come by, but the size of the crappie caught has definitely improved. Crappie are biting best on crappie minnows and white/chartreuse jigs. Bass fishing is picking up. Crankbaits and buzzbaits are catching some fish, but the frog bite is beginning to heat up.<br />
Blue Mountain Lake:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 388.16 feet MSL.<br />
Teresa at CD's Quick Stop (479-947-2178) said the water is muddy and high. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Bass are slow. Catfishing is fair on worms and chicken livers.<br />
Lake Ouachita:<br />
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 577.08 MSL (Flood pool - 578 MSL).<br />
Trader Bill's Outdoor Sports said the water temperature is in the upper 50s to the low 60s. The water is in the buckbrush but falling. The water color is stained to clear. Bass are being caught around points on crankbaits fished in 5 to 10 feet of water. A jerk bait has been the best for the last week and should stay hot for a while. Don't rule out a floating worm. Crappie are moving shallow. Many have been found in 3 to 6 feet of water in the brush.<br />
Larry Hurley from Poorman's Guide Service said bass fishing continues to be excellent with some good numbers and quality coming off trick worms and Carolina-rigged lizards.<br />
Mountain Harbor Resort said the water temperature is 54-58 degrees and the water is clear. Largemouth bass are excellent on jerk baits fished over points or humps in 10 to 20 feet of water. Lipless crankbaits are working well fished near secondary points. Carolina-rigged lizards and floating worms are very good on secondary points and pockets. Walleye are biting well on jerk baits or fluorescent jigs tipped with minnows. Stripers are excellent on C-10 Redfins. Bream are fair on worms or crickets in water 20 to 25 feet deep. Crappie are still good and being caught near brush in 6 to 15 feet of water. Minnows or crappie grubs are still working best. Tennessee shad and white are the best colors for artificial baits. Catfish are biting well on cut bait and live bait hung from jug lines and trotlines.<br />
Lake Hamilton:<br />
Trader Bill's Outdoor Sports said the water temperature is in the upper 50s and the water is clear. Bass should be moving into pockets, looking for spawning places and making beds. Try crank baits on points and jerk baits in the sides of pockets. Also a Carolina rig might get you a big one in the gut of a creek. Floating worm season is less than a week away.<br />
Daryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips said crappie are spawning. Water temperature is in the 60s. Crappie are being caught on staging tops and behind the docks in shallower water.<br />
Lake Catherine:<br />
Shane Goodner, owner of Catch'em All Guide Service, (501-624-8757) reports that water temperature below Carpenter Dam has risen to 50 degrees with clear conditions. Rainbow trout fishing has improved. Bank fishermen have done well with wax worms fished under a bobber or just off the bottom with marshmallows. Redworms and nightcrawlers used in the same manner have taken trout over 17 inches this week. Live minnows cast around visible structure will draw strikes from hungry trout that are searching for shad. Boaters trolling the main channel below the bridge are still catching rainbows on small crankbaits that imitate shad or crayfish. Small, 1/16- or 1/8-ounce jigs fished in the current recorded limits of fish early this week. Fly fishermen that are familiar with the tailrace can wade to areas that hold feeding trout. San Juan worms in red or hot pink cast under a strike indicator will catch trout, as well as egg patterns in orange or white. Small streamers in white or gray will attract larger trout that are searching for bigger prey. Crappie are slow to spawn this year, but are present with a few fish being caught each day around rock piles and sand bars. Minnows and small jigs are the best bet to catch these fish. Late evening times have been the best periods for anglers to look for spawning crappie as the turbines are usually running. White bass are in full spawning mode with good numbers of catchable fish in the tailrace. Minnow rigs, small jigs, and spinner baits are three very good ways to take these fish with late evening being the most productive time to fish. Few stripers have been taken below the dam, but big fish will be present soon with all the spawning fish around the area.<br />
Lake Hinkle:<br />
Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said the water is clear and at normal level. Crappie are biting well on jigs and minnows fished from the bank. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and topwaters fished in 2 feet of water. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers.<br />
Lake Atkins:<br />
Ken Vinson at Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said bass fishing is fair; not many came in this week. Crappie and bream fishing are fair.
South Central Arkansas<br />
Moro Bay:<br />
Moro Bay State Park at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay had no report.<br />
Ouachita River Oxbows:<br />
Some Ouachita River Oxbows are on fire with the warmer weather. Large bass are in the pre-spawn stage and are feeding well. Many good bass were caught on ¼-oz. black/blue jigs around standing trees in 3-6 feet of water and on crankbaits.<br />
Tri-County Lake:<br />
Fishing slowed considerably after the cold front, but should pick up again with the warmer weather.
East Arkansas<br />
Arkansas River at Pine Bluff:<br />
The Tackle Box (870-534-1498) said bream are biting well. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and crankbaits fished around the harbor. Catfishing is good on skipjack.<br />
White River:<br />
Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is high and fishing is slow.<br />
Maddox Bay:<br />
Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said fishing is slow for all species.<br />
Island 40 Chute:<br />
Daily's Boat Dock (870-739-3478) said the water is very high, and fishing is slow for all species except catfish. Catfishing is fair on live and prepared baits.<br />
Horseshoe Lake:<br />
Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water is at normal levels and is clear. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in shallow areas. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits fished around cypress stumps. Catfishing and bream fishing are both poor.