Weekly Fishing Report

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

Keith Stephens (501) 223-6342, e-mail: kastephens@agfc.state.ar.us

            This is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s fishing report for Feb. 23, 2005. If there is a body of water you would like to see included in this report, please call or e-mail us with information on possible sources for that lake or river.

           

            Fishing Tip: Always tune a new crankbait to make it run correctly. New lures out of the package often do not run right. Cast the lure out so you are directly facing it, and begin reeling it in at a normal speed. Then, with the lure facing you, bend the eyelet in the direction opposite the way the lure is running.

 

CENTRAL ARKANSAS:

            Little Rock City Parks: AGFC Community Fishing Program Coordinator Clifton Jackson said stable water levels and great weather have made seasonal trout fishing awesome in Little Rock. The low, clear-running water in Rock Creek at Boyle Park has pooled up, and trout are congregated in many of the pools. New loads of trout are scheduled to be delivered this week. Marshmallows, Power Bait and trout magnets fished under floats continue to catch the trout.

 

Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the lake is clear and low. Bream are biting fair in shallow water on worms, wax worms and crickets over brush piles. Crappie are biting well on the flats; try using pink minnows or red-and-chartreuse jigs. Bass are biting well in shallow water on white spinner baits. Catfishing is fair in the timber using yoyos baited with minnows. 

 

Little Red River: Lindsey's Rainbow Resort said the river clarity is good, and with two generators running, the river is still high. With the high water, fishermen are doing well with Shad Raps, Countdown Rapalas and marabou jigs. Some fishermen are doing well drift-fishing with chartreuse Power Eggs and night crawlers.

 

Greers Ferry: Shiloh Marina says the lake looks nice and smooth. Whites and hybrids are biting on jigging spoons at the 14A area.

 

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well 2- to 3-feet deep off the bank on red worms, crickets, wax worms and mealworms. Crappie are also biting well off the bank on pink minnows and wax worms. Catfish are biting well on trotlines baited with chicken liver, minnows or shad near stumps.

 

            Beaverfork Lake: Wooster Grocery said crappie are biting well on minnows near the bank and near stumps. 

 

 

Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the river is clear and at normal pool. Redear are biting well from 2- to 4-feet deep on wax worms or nightcrawlers. Crappie fishing is good from 2- to 3-feet deep on minnows near cover or the edge of the bank. Bass fishing is fair on top-water lures. Catfish are biting well on bottom. Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said crappie are biting on minnows and jigs (chartreuse-and-red or yellow-and-chartreuse); try fishing 4-feet deep near the lily pads.

 

Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger’s Marina said bass fishing is good. Bass are moving into their spring patterns and are located 3- to 8-feet deep among the weeds. The north side is always best in the spring as it is shallow and better exposed to the sun. Largemouths are hitting best on dark-colored crankbaits and spinner baits. Kentuckies are fair but still in their winter patterns. They are biting on 3-inch Pumpkin Grubs and CC Spoons from 25- to 30-feet deep on the channel edges. White bass are excellent. Whites are moving to the west end of the lake for the spring run and are being caught on both sides of the bridge. They are bunched up in the channels from the old Jolly Rogers cove to the west. Roostertails, CC Spoons, Sassy Shads and Rogues are all working. Catfishing is fair in the deeper water, 20 to 28 feet. Catfish are biting on large minnows and prepared baits. Crappie are biting well in about 35 feet of water and are being caught on small 1/32-ounce jigs and pink minnows. Bream fishing is slow, but they are hitting on crickets and worms 40-feet deep.

 

Arkansas River: Charley’s Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said a search is being conducted for the plane that crashed at the Little Rock airport. So, the flow from Lock No. 9 is zero with headwater at 284.36 feet and tailwater at 264.34 feet. Once the search has ended, the flow should go back up. White bass are starting to stage at the mouths of Petit Jean and Point Remove Creek. Whites are also staging at the creeks that run into Flag Lake, Point Remove and Cooper’s Gap. Try to catch them with Sassy Shads. Stripers are mixed in with the whites. Catfishing is strong on the jetty tips using a shrimp-and-shad combination. Kentucky bass are on the jetty tips from mid-day to late evening; try using Hawg Traps in firetiger. Crappie are biting on minnows around wood structures from 6- to 10-feet deep up Point Remove Creek and Petit Jean River.

 

Arkansas River (Little Rock area): Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said the river is clear to murky. The river level is normal. Crappie are biting well on yo-yos set 4-feet deep. Catfish are also biting well on yoyos. At the hydro plant, white bass are biting on white or chartreuse Twistertails, shad and night crawlers.

 

White River: Shirley’s Bait said the river is clear and high. Crappie and bass are biting well about 4-feet deep on yoyos baited with crappie minnows or bass minnows.

 

Murray Lock and Dam (below): Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said catfish are biting on night crawlers and shad. Crappie are biting on red-and-white or pink-and-white mini-jigs.

 

Pickthorne Lake: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well on crickets fished 4-feet deep over brush piles. Crappie are biting well on minnows about 4-feet deep over brush piles or near stumps. 

 

 

NORTH ARKANSAS:

 

White River: Gaston's White River Resort said the river is clear and high. There have been eight generators running. Brown trout are biting on 1/8-ounce jigs, Rapala Husky Jerks, Smithwick Rogues, pink salmon eggs and yellow-and-white Power Eggs.

 

Bull Shoals Tailwaters: McLellan’s Fly Shop said eight units have been running most of the day. Fly-fishing from a boat using large strike indicators and heavy split shot has produced many quality trout, especially in the first mile below Bull Shoals Dam. Shad from Bull Shoals Lake have been getting sucked through the dam for almost a month now, and the trout are definitely looking for them. Shad patterns like White Zonkers and Arkansas Coneheads have been hooking several quality trout. The best flies have been: White Zonker (size 6), Arkansas Conehead (size 6), San Juan Worm (size 10), Micro Egg (size 14), Zebra and Black/Olive Rubber-leg Copper John (sizes 14 to 18), McLellan’s Woven V-Rib Sowbug (sizes 14 and 16), McLellan’s Hunchback Scud Tan, Olive and Gray (sizes 14 and 16), Red Fox Squirrel Nymph (sizes 12 to 16), Rag Sculpin (size 6), Golden Egg (size 16), Platte River Spider (size 4), Articulated Zoo Cougar (size 4) and Swimming Jimmy (size 4).

 

             North Fork River: McLellan’s Fly Shop said generation has increased over the past week with two units running during daylight hours. While wading is severely limited by this much generation, fly-fishing from a boat has been excellent over the last week. Shad patterns, San Juan Worms and egg patterns have been producing a ton of fish while drift fishing with large strike indicators and heavy split shot. Big new streamers like the Swimming Jimmy and Articulated Zoo Cougar also have produced several strikes lately and plenty of excitement. The best flies have been:  Micro Egg (size 14), Arkansas Conehead (size 6), White Zonker (size 6), Platte River Spider (size 4), San Juan Worm (size 10), Black Wooly Sculpin (size 4), Articulated Zoo Cougar (size 4) and Swimming Jimmy (size 4).

Bull Shoals Lake: Wilderness Trail said temperatures have been in the upper 50s and lower 60s for most of the week. The lake level is 654.65 feet and stable. Lake temperatures are hanging in the upper 40s throughout most of the lake except for the back of the creeks where water temperatures are cooler by a degree or two. The crappie are suspending 12- to 20-feet deep near brush piles and crappie cribs. They are really spooky and you need to stay out away from the structure and pitch crappie tubes and grubs in pearl or chartreuse. Largemouth bass have continued their migration into the northern creeks and pockets this week. The few largemouths taken have been in the back of the creeks. Crankbaits and spinner baits were the triggering baits around the banks, and Spider Jigs or tubes worked best on the drop-offs. Smallmouth bass are on main lake points and secondary points in the creek arms. Some nice smallmouths were caught on grubs and Zoom Fish Doctors. Crawdads are still hibernating, so it will be a week or two before the jig bite picks up. Kentucky bass are traveling with the shad, just like they have all winter. Vertically jigged spoons are still working well on Kentuckies that are deep under shad. Wiggle Warts, Bandits and Bill Norman's Middle N Crankbaits are triggering Kentuckies that are with the shad in shallower water. Walleye are the big movers of the week. Walleye are now off points and flats from the main lake to halfway into the creek arms, and they are in 34 to 42 feet of water. Trolling this week was the key for success. Reef Runners, Rapala Glass Shad and Wally Minnows were the best baits. The walleye are still not close to spawning, but they are coming up to feed. 

 Lake Norfork: Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is murky and at normal pool. Crappie are biting well from 5- to 20-feet deep on minnows off the bank. Bass are biting well on crankbaits, jigs and jerkbaits. Walleye are biting upriver on jerkbaits.

 

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

 

Beaver Lake: Southtown Sporting Goods said the lake clarity is fair, and the lake level is normal. Crappie fishing is good from 10- to 20-feet deep using minnows and jigs near brush piles. Bass fishing is fair using spinner baits and crankbaits near rocky points. Whites and stripers are moving up the lake. Hickory Creek Marina said the water level is beginning to stabilize, and the water color is improving. Given the current weather, jerkbaits could be the best baits for bass. Try spinner baits and crankbaits on the flats. The water temperature is 44 degrees, but on the flats it is 48 degrees. As fish acclimate to the current drop, look shallow. Lemon-lime is the most popular crankbait color. Some nice fish have been taken. Stripers are in the rivers; try to fish for them when the temperature is around 44 degrees. The current in the upper lake has triggered additional migrants. Observers from the dock continue to see quite a few surfacing fish. Some stripers are being taken by trolling with crankbaits. Look in every major channel bend south of the Hwy 12 Bridge near an adjacent flat. Scattered fish are usually the big ones. Early and late look on the flats; go deep in middle of the day. Also, watch for birds. Crappie fishing should be great by this weekend. Crappie are being caught along drop-offs in 12 to 15 feet of water.  There have been many reports of small fish (some allege catching one "keeper" to 10 "shorts"). Try looking for crappie in the shallow brush piles. White Bass have been moving up the rivers. Early and late, look for surface activity, and use anything white or yellow about 1½-inches long. Jigging spoons (1- to ¾-ounce) are producing whites in the channel. The incidental catch of catfish continues to be awesome. There have been some major catfish caught around schools of shad while fishing for other species, particularly white bass and stripers. Jigging spoons are the most popular lure. The bluff line at Hickory Creek is a popular location for large fish biting on large minnows. A slip bopper with minnow at 30-feet deep is the most popular terminal tackle. Some of the catfish being taken are over 20 pounds.

 

Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie fishing is good from 12- to 15-feet deep on minnows fished near brush piles. Bluegills are biting from 8- to 12-feet deep on small jigs near brush piles.

 

Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the lake is stained and at normal pool. Crappie are biting well from 4- to 8-feet deep on crappie minnows and tube jigs near brush piles.

 

Beaver Tailwaters: Beaver Dam Store said fishing has been excellent this week. Black seems to be the magic color for jigs; spinners in gold or silver are also good. Bubblegum-and-white and yellow-and-white Power Eggs are working as well. Night crawlers are the best bait for walleye, but chartreuse jigs are working, too. The best fly patterns are: Copper Johns (sizes 14 and 16), Black Bead Head Woolly Buggers (sizes 10 and 12), Charlotte's Red Neck Midge (size 16), and Midge Emergers (sizes 20 and 22). For the early and late bite, try white Bead Head Woolly Buggers (sizes 10 and 12). Threadfin Shad are coming through the generators. So, baitfish imitations are hot for bigger trout. Some Hybrid and Striper catches are being reported up in the Indian Creek arm of Beaver as well around Beaver Dam. White and white-and-chartreuse jigs are the ticket for hybrids and stripers. Black bass fishing reports are few and far between, but the few have been on Rogues and smoke grubs. McLellan’s Fly Shop said generation has increased significantly over the past week, making for some great high-water fly-fishing from a boat. Shad patterns have worked well this week, either fished on a sink-tip line, or dead drifted under a strike indicator. San Juan worms, egg patterns and larger scuds and sow bugs have also fooled several trout over the past week. The best flies have been:  White Zonkers (size 6), Arkansas Conehead (size 6), San Juan Worms (size 10), Micro Eggs (size 14), McLellan’s Hunchback Scud Gray (sizes 14 and 16),

McLellan’s Woven Sow Bug (size 14 to 16) and Golden Egg (size 14).

 

 

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

 

White River: Local fisherman Jeff Moore said the White River at Batesville is 10.07 feet. Trout fishing in the Guion area continues to be good on Countdowns. Drift-fishing using spinners tipped with worms and Power Eggs is catching limits of trout too. Bass fishing is fair with most of the largemouth coming from around the creek mouths. The best baits have been Hula Grubs, tube baits, and jig and frog combinations. Baits in brown, black and green are the best colors. Smallmouth are still on the boulders in the main river and mixed with the largemouth at the mouths of the creeks. A few crappie are being caught in the creeks. Jig-and-minnow combinations have worked well around brush piles. Yo-yos are producing in the same areas. Walleye fishing has been fair between Lock 1 and 2. Trolling small crankbaits has worked, as well as fishing the deep holes with minnows. A few walleye are being caught below Lock 1 on minnows.

 

Lake Charles: Powhatan Landing said the lake is stained and high. Crappie are biting well from 3- to 4-feet deep on minnows; try fishing near brush piles or stumps. Bass are biting fair on yoyos baited with minnows. However, only small bass are being taken.

 

 

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS

 

Lake Chicot: Koenig’s Bass Tracker Marine the lake clarity is normal. The lake level is down 2 feet from normal. Bream fishing is fair from 7- to 8-feet deep using wax worms under the bridges. Crappie are biting well about 2-feet deep on jigs in the ditch and on Connelly Bayou. Bass fishing is fair using spinner baits around the boat dock and off the bank.

 

Grand Lake: Koenig’s Bass Tracker Marine said the lake is muddy and at normal pool. Crappie are biting fair trolling with minnows and jigs.

 

Mississippi River: Koenig’s Bass Tracker Marine said the river is still high.

 

 

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

 

Millwood Lake: Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water temperature ranges from 45 to 53 degrees. The lake level is approximately 5 inches above normal pool and falling. The stain and river current have both receded somewhat this week. The release rate with 13 gates open at 1 foot is 5,081 cubic feet per second. The lake elevation is 259.62 feet and falling. Largemouth bass remain very good on red or orange Rat-L-Traps, Bill Norman crankbaits and Bagley crankbaits. Several different red or orange patterns of Rat-L-Traps are currently working very well. Craws in red with a gold back or orange-and-brown are also good choices, and on sunny days, try red chrome or electric red. Black-and-blue or Texas Craw color jigs with black Uncle Josh 11A pork trailers 9- to 14-feet deep on stumps along Little River are still working. Black bass remain fair to good on Carolina rigs with Zoom Lizards in green pumpkin or pumpkinseed with chartreuse tail. Ten-inch Power Worms in red shad, june bug or blue fleck are also taking keepers along the river. Brush Hogs and white-and-chartreuse spinner baits worked slowly from 9 to 14 feet deep are catching decent size bass on stumps along the edges of the river, and they are working on points 8- to 10-feet deep in the same areas where the red Rat-L-Traps are working. The larger bass remain slightly deeper in the creeks and closer to the deeper haunts of the river drops at the creek mouths or points dumping into Little River. Be advised the last couple weeks with daytime highs in the upper 70-degree range the bass are becoming much more aggressive and are moving up to shallow areas while chasing baitfish. The crappie bite continues to improve since water began clearing over the last few weeks. Nice slab catches have been taken on live shiners and jigs. For crappie, try fishing 12- to 15-feet deep along Little River and in Horseshoe Lake above Jack's Isle on Little River. Blue catfish remain good in the current of Little River on trotlines baited with shiners, prepared dough baits and cut shad. Lines set approximately 12- to 17-feet deep just off the bottom seem to be working the best. Water clarity in the river has improved to about 7-inches in places. Clarity is somewhat worse on the main lake; it is around 4- to 5-inches toward the dam.

 

Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine said the lake level is normal. Bream are biting fair on crickets. Crappie are biting well on brown jigs or yoyos at the 344 Bridge. Some nice crappie are being seen. Bass are biting well on silver or red shad Bass Assassins. Catfish are biting really well on live bait.

 

Lake Erling: Steve's Marine said the lake level is a little above normal. Bream fishing is fair using crickets. Crappie are biting well at the Hwy 41 Bridge. Try pole fishing with brown jigs or try yoyos. Some large crappie have been taken. Bass fishing is doing well with silver or red shad Bass Assassins. Catfishing is really good on live bait, such as night crawlers or large shiners.

 

            White Oak Lake: Charlie’s One Stop said crappie are biting well on minnows.

 

Lake Greeson: Lakeside Grocery, Motel and Bait Shop said the lake is clear and dropping. Crappie are biting well from 10- to 15-feet deep. Bass are biting well.

 

DeGray Lake: Degray One Stop said the lake clarity is good, the lake is at normal pool, and the lake temperature is around 57 degrees. Bream are biting deep on worms and small jigs. Crappie are biting well from 18- to 28-feet deep on minnows and jigs over brush piles. Bass are biting well in the morning from 18- to 28-feet on crankbaits or jigs in black-and-blue or brown-and-yellow. In the afternoon, bass are biting on Rogues fished from 6- to 8-feet deep. Kentuckies are biting on Rat-L-Traps. Whites and hybrids are biting on Roostertails, Sassy Shads and spoons at the north end of the lake. Catfish are biting well on live bait fished deep and slow. Point Cedar Bait Shop said crappie, bass and hybrids are biting well on artificials and live bait.

 

 

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

 

Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said the lake clarity is normal, but the lake is low. Crappie are biting excellent near brush piles from 1- to 12-feet deep on minnows and jigs in red-and-yellow or black-and-chartreuse. Crappie are staging near the bridge pilings. Stripers are biting well on Spooks, shad and Flukes near the bottom. Largemouth bass are biting on jerkbaits and Husky Jerks in red or yellow patterns. Catfish are biting well on cut bait, whole shad and nightcrawlers; try fishing 3-feet off the bottom. Cross Creek said the lake is murky but at normal pool. Crappie are biting well from 8- to 10-feet deep on minnows and artificial bait fished over brush piles and near the dock. Bass fishing is good from 5- to 10-feet deep using jig-and-pig combos over rocky points.

 

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the river is clear, and the river level is at a record low. However, the pool is now filling back up. Crappie are biting fair about 4-feet deep on minnows and jigs over brush piles or near rocky points.

 

Lake Ouachita: Cross Creek said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie are biting well about 10-feet deep using minnows and jigs near the docks, over brush piles, around stumps or near rocky points. Stripers are biting from 15- to 18-feet deep. Black bass are biting from 8- to 10-feet deep on crankbaits and Husky Jerks over rocky points.

 

Lake Catherine: Dozhier’s Bait Shop and Rainbow Landing said trout are hitting meal worm/Power Bait combinations and small silver spoons. The hottest fly patterns are bead head Woolly Buggers and small Zug Bugs. Walleye are making their spawning run and are being taken on large jerk baits in the channel below the dam. Most of the fish being taken are males with the peak of the spawn still a week or two away.

 

Lake Hamilton: Dozhier’s Bait Shop and Rainbow Landing said bass are going for crawfish-like crankbaits and jigs worked around rocky outcrops and steep banks. Walleye are moving upstream for the spawning run. Deep-running jerk baits are taking a few males. Catfish are hitting whole dead shad and live crawfish with some good jug fishing 8- to 10-feet deep. Crappie are holding off deep structure in 8- to 12 feet of water and are hitting small shiners.

 

            Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie are biting fair from 10- to 15-feet deep on minnows fished near brush piles or stumps. Bass are biting well at least 5-feet deep on plastic worms and minnows near brush piles. Catfish are biting fair on stink bait and chicken liver near the bank.

 

            Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well along the bank; try using wax worms or crickets. Crappie are biting well about 3½-feet deep on minnows and jigs near the edge of brush piles. Bass are biting well near rocky points on Carolina-rigged Baby Brush Hogs.

 

            Lake Nimrod: Lake Nimrod Bait ‘n’ More II said the lake is low. Crappie fishing has been great using minnows and jigs from 7- to 12-feet deep. Bass fishing and catfishing are both good. Also, some good saugeye are being taken below the dam.

 

            Horseshoe Lake: Shirley’s Bait said crappie are biting on yoyos baited with crappie minnows set at 4-feet deep.

 

Arkansas River: Cross Creek said the river is murky and 3-feet above normal pool. Catfishing is good using cut bait and whole bait on the bottom. Crappie are biting on tube jigs. Smallmouth bass are biting on 4-inch tube jigs.

 

SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

 

            Felsenthal: Benson’s Grocery and Bait said the lake is high. Crappie fishing is good using minnows and crappie jigs from a boat.

 

            Saline River: Sanders Pawn and Bait said the river is dark and about 6 inches below normal pool. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs over brush piles. Bass are biting well off the edge of the bank.

 

            Cox Creek Lake: Sanders Pawn & Bait said crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished over brush piles. Bass are biting well near the bank.

 

EAST ARKANSAS:

 

            Midway Lake: Ed’s Boat Camp said the lake is muddy and high. Crappie fishing is fair using minnows. Bass fishing is fair using spinner baits.

 

            Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie fishing is fair about 8-feet deep; try trolling with minnows.

 

Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the lake clarity is good, and the level is high. The lake temperature is about 50 degrees. Bream are biting shallow on wax worms and crickets around the piers and in the bayous. Crappie are biting really well on trolled minnows about 15-feet deep. Crappie from 1- to 2-pounds have been taken.