Fishing Tip: Memorial Day marks the beginning of the heavy boating season. Please be courteous and patient at the ramps and prepare your boat for launching in the parking lot so everyone can use the ramp to load and unload their boats as quickly and smoothly as possible.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS:

Little Rock City Parks: Community Fishing Program Coordinator Clifton Jackson said stockings are continuing throughout the Little Rock area, and many fish will be stocked next week in preparation for Free Fishing Weekend and local fishing derbies.

Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the lake is clear, and the bream are on the beds just in time for Memorial Day weekend. Anglers are having good success off the bank using wax worms, crickets, red wigglers and black-and-brown Tiny Mite jigs. Many crappie are being caught on chartreuse jigs tipped with minnows. Bass are biting well on buzzbaits early in the morning and Zoom soft-plastics fished around the stumps. If you're looking for some real excitement, try fishing a Zoom Horny Toad in the lily pads at sunrise. Catfish are being taken on trotlines baited with minnows and live bream.

Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said the river is clear, but running low. The trout fishing is good using wax worms with marshmallows, corn and Trout Magnets suspended under a float.

Greers Ferry: Shiloh Marina said the lake is extremely clear and the level is normal, making fishing very difficult. A few walleye are being pulled from 25 feet of water on crawler harnesses. The rest of the fishing has been slow. Local fisherman Tommy Cauley said the rearing pond at Mill Creek is being drained, and the catfish, bass and hybrids are being caught on nearly every cast in that area. Hybrids have started to pick up with fish being taken around Sugarloaf, at Mill Creek, Devil's Fork and around Cherokee Park on minnows and spoons. They are trying to school, so hot action is just around the corner. The walleye are on the flats and eating well. Minnows and worms are taking quite a few, and many crappie fishermen are reporting walleye in their brush piles around 20- to 25-feet deep. The bream seem to have spawned with the full moon and can be found around shallow docks. Flathead catfish are on their beds and should stay that way until mid-June, then the action will really heat up. Bass are hanging in channel bends and ledges with brush piles at about 25-feet deep. Carolina-rigged worms are producing quite a few.

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said bream fishing is good in 4 feet of water on worms and crickets. Bass are biting well at night in the weed beds on dark-colored plastic worms. Dark buzzbaits are also a great night-fishing lure. Catfish are biting well at night on large minnows and cheese bait.

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the lake clarity is poor, but the lake level is normal. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets fished shallow near brush. Crappie fishing is good using minnows in deep water. Bass are biting well on top-water lures and minnows. Catfishing is fair using blood bait, chicken liver and minnows.

Cadron Creek: Wooster Grocery said the bream fishing is picking up off the bank. Anglers are catching the bream off shallow brush piles using crickets suspended under a cork.

Beaverfork Lake: Wooster Grocery said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well from 8- to 10-feet deep on crickets in the brush and near stumps. Crappie fishing and bass fishing are both fair using minnows.

Toad Suck Lock and Dam: Bates Field and Stream said white bass and stripers are being caught beneath the dam on jigging spoons. Catfishermen are also reporting good catches on live shad.

Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the river clarity is fair. Redear sunfish are being caught shallow, right on the edge of the bank, on red wigglers and crickets. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and assorted jigs. Catfish are eager to bite practically any bait fished on the bottom.

Lake Cargile: Beeson's Grocery said crappie, bass and catfish are all excellent.

Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger's Marina said fishing is picking up on all species at the lake. Black bass are staying in the weeds out to 10 feet. Most of the bass are coming from the west end of the lake on dark-colored crankbaits, spinner baits and floating worms. Some Kentuckies are being caught 8- to 14-feet deep on 3-inch pumpkin grubs, crankbaits and CC Spoons. Drop shotting is producing very well in about 12 feet of water. White bass are schooling from the marina east to Three-Fingers Cove. Spooks, Roostertails, CC Spoons and Rouges are all working well. Crappie are staying in about 5 to 10 feet of water and are hitting small, 1/32-ounce jigs and crappie minnows Bream reports are coming in and the action is as hot as the weather. Most of the bream are being found in 5 to 15 feet of water.

Arkansas River: Charley's Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said flow from Lock 9 is 20,000 cubic feet per second with headwater at 284.5 feet and tailwater at 265.9 feet. High water temperatures and low flows have put black bass on secondary drops in the main river channels. The best baits for chasing the largemouths has been weighted, Texas-rigged Horny Toads in watermelon. Kentucky bass have been chasing small fry behind the jetties and are easy targets for Storm Big-Eyed Shad crankbaits in gray-and-white. Whole shad are working early in the morning on the catfish, and trotlining with cut buffalo seems to be bringing in a few fish. Bream are tight against the bank in 1 to 3 feet of water with some being taken on crickets. White bass are schooling late in the evening in mid-river. Try chasing them with Rat-L-Traps and Tiny Torpedoes. Stripers are being caught on the jetty tips using Zara Spooks and along the dam in the evening with jigging spoons. Crappie are in 5 to 8 feet of water and are being pulled from brush piles with minnows on a slip-bobber rig.

Murray Lock and Dam: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said white bass fishing is good at the hydro plant using Mann's Split Tails and Twistertails. Live minnows are also taking a few white bass in the current. Catfish are good in the main part of the river on trotlines baited with skipjack, shad and rice slicks. All other species are slow.

Bradford Lake: Shirley's Bait said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Redear are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting on crappie minnows and crickets.

Pickthorne Lake: Outdoor Super Store said Pickthorne is muddy, but bream are picking up. Red worms are working well in the back of the lake in the stumps. Bass fishing is good on dark-colored soft-plastics fished along the levee. Channel catfish are biting well on chicken livers and nightcrawlers.

NORTH ARKANSAS:

White River: Gaston's White River Resort said the rive clarity is fair, and the trout are excellent on corn, African red worms and the typical flies. Green Woolly Buggers and gray Sow Bugs were the hot patterns last week. McLellan's Fly Shop said generation has increased considerably over the past week, limiting wade-fishing opportunities. However, after all of the recent high water, the trout are used to eating a lot, and they are definitely not being bashful at the dinner table. In the faster riffles and runs, drift a scud, sow bug, mayfly nymph or caddis pupa under a strike indicator. Caddis action is still hot on the White River, so be sure to have plenty of caddis pupa, as well as dries, in your fly box. Pupa patterns like the Z-Wing Caddis and the new Graphic Caddis are some favorites. Best flies have been: Zebra and Black/Olive Rubber-leg Copper John (14-18), McLellan's Woven V-Rib Sowbug (14-16), McLellan's Hunchback Scud Tan, Olive and Gray (14-16) Graphic Caddis Tan and Olive (14-18), Z-Wing Caddis (14-16), Caddis Larva (14-16), Elk Hair Caddis (and variations) (14-18), E-Z Caddis (14-18), Red Fox Squirrel Nymph (12-16), Rag Sculpin (6), Articulated Zoo Cougar (4), Swimming Jimmy (4) White Zonker (6), Arkansas Conehead (6), San Juan Worms (10), Micro Eggs (14). Wilderness Trail said Fishing for trout on the White River has been good this past week. Generation has been low, so Berkley Power Eggs have produced quite a few fish. Mepp's spinners, Thomas Colorado's, and Blue Fox spinners are the bait of choice when the current picks up. The fly fishermen did well on olive woolly buggers, tungsten beadhead midges, San Juan worms and soft hackles. The Brown trout are being caught on Flatfish, suspending Rogues and nightcrawlers.

North Fork River: McLellan's Fly Shop said Generation has increased this week, with one to two units running during most of the daylight hours. However, after all of this high water the trout are in very good shape-fat and full of fight. On recent guide trips, we have been catching several fat brook trout just below Norfork Dam. During low water, concentrate your nymph fishing on the faster runs and riffles; tie on a size 16 scud or sow bug and hold on as one football-shaped trout after another rips line off your reel! During high-water conditions, streamer fishing has also been excellent from a boat (especially on overcast days). Best flies have been: McLellan's Hunchback Scud Tan, Olive and Gray (14-16), Flashback Scud Tan, Olive and Gray (12-16), McLellan's Woven Sow Bug (14-16), Graphic Caddis Tan and Olive (14-18), Flashback Pheasant Tail Nymph (16-20), Beadhead Hare's Ear Nymph (14-18), Mercury Brassie (18-20), Rojo Midge (22), Mercury Blood Midge (20-22), Red Jujubee Midge (20-22), Johnny Flash (20-24), Mercury Black Beauty (20-22), Gray Mercury Midge (20-22), Black Wooly Sculpin (4), Articulated Zoo Cougar (4), Swimming Jimmy (4).

Bull Shoals Lake: Wilderness Trail said it seemed almost like summer last week with high humidity with temperatures in the 80s. In the back of a few creeks and pockets the water temperature is as high as 78 degrees, but it is 68 degrees about 10 feet deep, so it is a false representation true lake temperatures. Lake level this week is 653.62. Crappie have started their spawn and are in shallow water at the back of the coves in the creek arms. The pre-spawn crappie are in 6 to 8 feet of water along the banks and are striking small spinner baits, crankbaits, Bobby Garlands Swimming Minnows and live minnows. Catfish became active this week on jugs fished with 12 to 14 foot drop lines. Best baits were chicken liver and hot dogs. Largemouth bass are coming out of the post-spawn and are moving into ambush areas to feed. A number of techniques can be used to trigger some strikes. Fish spinner baits, buzzbaits, Chug Bugs and Zara Spooks inside the weedline in the morning. Spider jigs, tubes, Senkos, and trick worms will work around deeper structure throughout the day. Smallmouth bass are schooling and can be caught on the primary points and inside banks. Jerkbaits, slow-rolled spinner baits, and mojo rigs with centipedes or lizards work well during the day. Use spider jigs and tubes in watermelon or light brown in shallower water earlier in the day. Kentucky bass have moved off the banks and are following the food, which is shad. They are pushing schools of shad into the backs of coves and pockets. Pop R's and Chug Bugs work great in the top-water frenzy. Tubes, spider jigs and Carolina-rigged finesse worms or centipedes will trigger some Kentuckies under the shad or roaming the secondary points. Walleye are holding between 18 and 22 feet. Pulling Glass Shads, Shad Raps or crawler harnesses around points on the main lake and in the creeks is working well. Open-water trollers are having good success with Reef Runners and Deep Little Rippers. A few can still be caught at night on suspending rogues and X-raps close to the bank on main lake points. Sugar Loaf Harbor said crappie are biting well on Blue Thunder and teal Bobby Garland Swimming Minnows in 18 to 20 feet of water. Catfish are biting well on cut shad fished beneath jugs. Walleye are holding in 15 feet.

Lake Norfork: Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said white bass are busting shad at the surface and schools with hundreds of fish are being found throughout the lake. Late evening and early mornings are prime time for surface activity. When the frenzy is in full swing, cast out a Roostertail or small Rat-L-Trap. Once the feeding has stopped, follow the fish to the bottom with a Cotton Cordell Gayblade or Mann's Little George. Stripers are also being taken on the surface with large top-water lures and by trolling umbrella rigs baited with hair jigs. Crappie are being found in brush piles from 10- to 20-feet deep and are being caught on jig-and-minnow combinations. Bass fishermen are doing well casting spinner baits with a single Colorado blade to the edge of the weedline. They are also picking up some fish swimming jigs and casting plum-colored soft-plastics. Walleye fishermen are bringing in good stringers trolling crankbaits and slow-trolling crawler harnesses.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Beaver Lake: Beaver Dam Store said stripers are on the surface in the early morning and are being caught from the shoreline around the dam. Boaters are having some good luck around points 1 and 5 and Indian Creek. Large stick baits, Rat-L-Traps and XXXL-sized minnows are good bets. Catfish are hitting chicken livers, crawfish and nightcrawlers 10- to 15-feet deep at night. Lake Leatherwood and the Dino World pond are producing good numbers of slab crappie on minnows and jigs. Redear are bedded up and getting hotter by the minute on crickets and Beetle Spins. Southtown Sporting Goods said the bream are spawning in the shallows and are providing some fast action on crickets. Crappie are being taken from 5 to 8 feet of water on jig-and-minnow combinations. Bass action is picking up fishing shallow with spinner baits and top-water baits early in the morning and switching to a jig after sunup.

Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock said the lake is clear and the water level is normal. Some bream are being picked up in 5 to 8 feet of water on crickets. Crappie fishing is good in 10 feet of water, fishing minnows around brush piles on a slip-bobber rig. Largemouth bass have moved out to 10 feet of water and can be caught on soft-plastic ribbontail worms. Catfishing is good right off the dam using chicken livers on the bottom.

Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said crappie fishing is fair from 2- to 3-feet deep on crappie minnows and jigs. Bass are being caught in shallow-water weed beds using spinner baits and top-water chuggers. The redear are being caught off stumps, weed beds and brush piles in shallow water using crickets and red worms. Catfishing is fair on worms and chicken livers.

Beaver Tailwaters: Beaver Dam Store said Trout fishing below Beaver Dam is very good. Black-and-red or ginger micro jigs tipped with a wax worm are taking some excellent trout. Live minnows are excellent for brown trout and the white bass in the river; Spider Creek to Parker Flats and Houseman Access are the white bass and hybrid hot spots. Stripers are in the catch-and-release zone. Non-trout may be harvested from the catch-and-release zone. Fly fishermen are reporting good catches on partridge-and-yellow soft hackles (size 16); Red Ass (sizes 16 and 18) and olive or black beadhead Woolly Buggers (sizes 10 and 12). McLellan's Fly Shop said generation has increased considerably. However, all of this high water has produced some fat and healthy trout that are eager to bite. Scuds and sow bugs as well as midge pupa patterns have been the most productive, with soft-hackle action starting to heat up as well. Outside of the catch-and-release area, try swinging a team of soft hackles slowly across the current. Best flies have been: McLellan's Hunchback Scud Gray and Olive (14-16), McLellan's Woven Sow Bug (14-16), Mercury Brassie (18-20), Rojo Midge (22), Mercury Blood Midge (20-22), Red Jujubee Midge (20-22), Johnny Flash (20-24), Mercury Black Beauty (20-22), Gray Mercury Midge (20-22), March Brown Spider (14), Red Ass (16).

Kings River: Beaver Dam Store said Kings River smallmouth fishing continues to be good, although the river could stand a little more water. Live creek minnows, swimming minnow lures, Roostertails in white, brown or yellow, grubs in green pumpkin or pumpkin pepper, and PJ's Finesse Jigs in white-and-chartreuse are excellent smallmouth fare. Be sure to take along some small spinners or 1/16-ounce Roostertails for panfish, too. Kings River Outfitters said the water temperature is 60 degrees, perfect for floating. Kentucky bass, largemouth and smallmouth are all excellent on tube baits in green pumpkin with 1/8-ounce jighead, crawdad crankbaits and black Horny Toads. Up to 70-fish-per-day catches are being reported.

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

White River: Local fisherman Jeff Moore said trout fishing in the Guion area is good. The low water is making anchor fishing the preferred method. Corn, Power Eggs and worms are all working well. Small spoons and Countdown Rapalas are producing fish for the artificial bait fishermen. Bass fishing is fair for largemouth and smallmouth. With the falling water, many of the fish have pulled out of the creeks and returned to the river and the grass beds. Flukes in green pumpkin and similar colors have been taking largemouth from the grass. Smallmouth are on the large rocks and beneath the dams. Tube baits, Hula Grubs and small crankbaits in firetiger or crawdad are catching these fish. There are not many smallmouth over a pound or a pound and a half but several can be taken. Fishing below Lock No. 1 is picking up and a variety of fish are being caught using the same method. A jig-and-minnow combination and a 3-inch Kalin grub on a ¼-ounce jighead are catching a mixed bag of fish. Sauger, walleye, white bass and black bass are all being caught on these baits in the eddies and at the foot of the shoals.

Lake Charles: Powhatan Landing said bream fishing is good using red wigglers and crickets just off the bank. Crappie and bass are both fair and holding around 4-feet deep. Catfishermen are having some luck off the bank and also with trotlines baited with cut shad.

Spring River: Many Islands Camp said the river level is normal and many bass and trout are being caught in the current. Corn and salmon eggs are catching the trout, while the bass are hitting grubs and small spinners.

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS

Lake Chicot: Koenig's Bass Tracker Marine the lake clarity is fair, and the lake level is normal. Crappie fishing is fair using yo-yos. Catfish are biting well on trotlines.

Grand Lake: Koenig's Bass Tracker Marine said crappie are biting well from 4- to 5-feet deep on jigs and yo-yos near brush piles. Catfishing is fair using worms on the bottom. Grand Lake will be drawn down slowly the first week in June to prepare it for a new weir in the drainage canal.

Mississippi River: Koenig's Bass Tracker Marine said the river is muddy and at 39 feet.

Old Town Lake: Old Town Fish Camp said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well on crickets near the bank. Crappie fishing is good about 4-feet deep using minnows and jigs near cypress trees. Some nice bass are being caught on Texas-rigged black Gitzits or jig-and-pig combos. Catfishing is good using trotlines or yo-yos using minnows and crawfish.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

Millwood Lake: Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water temperature is between 72 and 84 degrees. The lake level is 1.2 inches above normal and falling. The water in the main lake is stained with river visibility at 15 to 20 inches. Largemouth Bass are good on chartreuse buzzbaits, baby bass Zara Spooks, Spittin' Images and War Eagle spinnerbaits in spot remover or firecracker colors, Rat-L-Traps in red, spring bream and gold craw colors also are working well. Berkley power worms in blue fleck or motor oil colors are taking solid fish upriver. Bass continue feasting on shad near the surface, early and late in the day, on shallow flats next to deep water. Kentucky Bass are stacked up in the mouths of Snake Creek, Pugh Slough and Jack's Isle creeks, and are hitting ¼-ounce Rat-L-Traps in white, and Carolina-rigged Fork Fries in watermelon red. Crappie are back in deeper water. Fishermen report fair catches in brush piles 9- to 15-feet deep. A few smaller fish have been caught in shallower water around cypress trees. Bream are spawning in the same shallow water areas around cypress as the crappie were several weeks ago. Spotted gar and very large carp remain in the shallows in back of Horseshoe Lake, McGuire, Mud Lake, Little River flats next to Hurricane Creek. Several huge gar and carp, have been noted extremely shallow, and are spawning. This is an excellent time for bowfishermen to take some nice-size gar and carp. Blue catfish are fair to good on trotlines in Little River using cut shad at about 14 to 17 feet. Yo-yos are taking good catfish up to 7 lbs., underneath cypress trees adjacent to Little River, Horseshoe Lake and in Mud Lake oxbow areas. For those fishing the river and below the spillway, the lake level has dropped 2 inches from last week. The lake elevation is 259.3 and the release at the dam is 171 CFS with only one gate open 0.4 feet. Water clarity in the river is about 20 inches. Clarity on the main lake is better at about 5 to 10 inches. The northeastern section of the lake around OK Landing, Shaw Branch and Mine Creek remains stained, but the creeks and sloughs of Little River are beginning to clear. Use extreme caution navigating Little River in low light. Watch for debris and wear your life jacket.

Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine said catfish are being caught on chicken livers and nightcrawlers in 5 to 6 feet of water. Bass fishermen are catching quite a few keepers in 8 to 10 feet on black/chartreuse firetail soft-plastic worms. Bream are in the extreme shallows and are being caught on crickets and worms.

Lake Erling: Steve's Marine said the water level is down, but redears are biting aggressively in 1 to 3 feet of water. The best lures to round up a few are worms, crickets and small crawfish positioned just above the bottom. Crappie fishing is fair with a few being caught on jigs in about 10 feet of water. Bass are in the shallows and hitting dark-colored buzzbaits. Catfish are biting well on worms and chicken livers.

Lake Greeson: Lakeside Grocery, Motel and Bait Shop said the lake is stained and the lake level is at 541 feet. Bass fishing is fair, with a few bass fishermen finding some success on Carolina rigged soft-plastics and crankbaits in 10 feet of water. The bluegill are being caught around brush piles in 3 to 5 feet. Catfishermen are doing well jug-fishing with chicken liver, stink bait and shrimp.

DeGray Lake: DeGray One Stop said the lake is clear and at normal pool. The lake temperature is 78 degrees. Bream are on the beds and are biting well from 6- to 10-feet deep on crickets and red wigglers. Crappie fishing is good from 16- to 24-feet deep on minnows, live bait and artificials near brush or on the creek channel edges. Largemouths and Kentuckies are holding along the outside edges of the weeds and are biting well on soft-plastics during the daytime. Look for creek channels and rocky points in 8 to 18 feet of water. Whites and hybrids are schooling and being taken on top-water lures up until 11 a.m. Catfishing is good from 12- to 28-feet deep using live bait, rice slicks and bass minnows.

Little Missouri River: Local fly-fishing guide Jeff Guerin said that the Flat is a good area to use a Griffith's. As the wind comes up, so do the fish so look for a little breeze to improve the fishing. A chartreuse and white Clouser works nicely for bass that are hanging around in the river.

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said the lake is at normal pool and the clarity is good. Bream are in 2 feet of water and are biting excellent on red worms and crickets. Crappie fishing is fair from 4- to 6-feet deep on live minnows. Bass fishing is good on crankbaits and swimming jigs in 6 to 8 feet of water. The winning pattern from the Bassmasters Elite 50 tournament last weekend was fishing with jigs and jigworms on the first break to 6 feet, just out of the weedline. Catfish are good on stink baits, cut shad, whole shad and live bream.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said bream fishing is picking up in shallow water on crickets. The catfish are hitting shad and large minnows fished on the bottom. Many bass are being brought in using crankbaits and spinner baits on the first drop from shallow water.

Lake Ouachita: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said stripers are schooling until about 9 a.m. Cast a Cotton Cordell C-10 Redfin in rainbow trout colors when they begin breaking the surface and hang on to the rod. Black bass have moved to about 12-feet deep and are being caught on Texas-rigged worms and finesse worms rigged on a jighead. Bream are spawning in 5 feet of water and are excellent on crickets and red worms.

Lake Catherine: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said there hasn't been much activity on Catherine in the last week. The lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are bedded up in 5 feet of water in the pockets. Bass have finished their spawn and should be moving out to the rocky points in 7 to 10 feet of water. Try slow-rolling a spinnerbait or twitching a floating worm or Senko along the secondary points.

Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the lake is clear and at normal water level for this time of year. The bream are bedded up and the fishing is hot in coves with 5 feet of water with crickets and worms. White bass are breaking the surface around Hot Springs Creek and are being caught on top-water chuggers during the feeding frenzy. Try throwing a shad pattern Rat-L-Trap or Little George when the surface activity stops to catch a few more. Black bass are off the beds and staying around the first drop to 10 feet near their spawning areas. Try throwing buzzbaits and top-water baits early in the morning and ribbontail soft-plastic worms once the sun comes up.

Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said bass fishing is great fishing top-water lures in the early morning, then switching to minnow imitations along the bottom once the sun is up. Catfishermen are bringing in a few nice-size fish on chicken livers and minnows. Crappie are still in 3 to 5 feet of water and are hitting minnows throughout the day. Look for the bream by suspending a cricket with a cork in the weed beds.

Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the lake is stained and the lake level is low for this time of year, but don't let that stop you. The bream are bedded up and the fishing is excellent. Most fishermen are catching hefty stringers in 4 feet of water on wax worms and crickets. The bass fishing is good fan-casting the banks in 3 to 5 feet of water with spinner baits and shallow-running crankbaits. Catfish are being caught about 3-feet deep on any kind of live bait.

Lake Nimrod: Lake Nimrod Bait 'n' More II said crappie fishing is excellent from 5- to 18-feet deep using minnows and jigs in pink-and-white or red-and-chartreuse. Catfishing is great bait fishing with worms or using yo-yos baited with minnows or goldfish. Bream fishing is excellent using crickets and worms. Bass are biting well on minnows, buzzbaits and spinner baits.

Arkansas River: Tackle Box said the river clarity is fair, and the level is normal. Bream are spawning and biting on crickets and nightcrawlers. Crappie fishing is fair from 5- to 8-feet deep using minnows. Largemouth bass are biting early in the day on buzzbaits and Horny Toads in the weeds. Catfishing is good using cut shad below the dam.

SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Felsenthal: Crossroads said bream fishing is picking up and many are being caught on red wigglers and crickets.

Saline River: Sanders Pawn and Bait said the river is low, but good catches of bream are being reported on crickets and popping flies. Bass fishing is fair on soft-plastics. Some catfish have been caught on goldfish, rice slicks and trotline minnows.

Cox Creek Lake: Sanders Pawn and Bait said the lake is low for this time of year. Bream are holding in 2 to 6 feet of water and are being caught on crickets. Crappie are staying a little deeper and are being pulled from stumps with a jig-and-minnow combination. Bass are staying shallow with a few being caught close to the bank on top-water lures and buzzbaits.

EAST ARKANSAS:

Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said the bream fishing is excellent in 1 to 2 feet of water on crickets fished just under the surface. Crappie fishing is good with minnows on a cork around treetops and brush piles in 5 feet of water. Bass fishermen are doing well casting spinner baits parallel to dock pilings.

Midway Lake: Ed's Boat Camp said the bream are holding in brush piles out to 7-feet deep and are being caught on red wigglers and crickets. Crappie fishermen are doing well slow-trolling minnows in 7 feet of water. Some bass are being caught off the base of the cypress trees using plastic worms. Catfishing is fair on live minnows.

White River Refuge Lakes: Ed's Bait Shop said the lakes are low, but the fishing is good. Bream and crappie are holding off the banks of the lakes, while catfish are deeper.

Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the lake is clear and the bream are beginning to bed up. Many people are catching limits in 3 to 31/2 feet of water, fishing crickets around cypress stumps and lily pads. Crappie are biting well around the cypress trees and piers on black-and-chartreuse and red-and-chartreuse jigs. Bass are holding in 4 feet of water and being taken on spinner baits cast past cypress trees and worked back on a slow, steady retrieve. Catfishing is excellent with worms, blood bait, stink bait and cut shad.