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 June 15, 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: Coontail, hydrilla and other deep-water grasses are a curse to some anglers, a benefit to others and a certainty in Arkansas' clear-water lakes. Just remember that the grass beds you see from the top are totally different underneath the surface. The thick mats up high block out sunlight below and create shade for fish of all types. Fish the edges and pockets in these grass beds, and you're sure to find some fish that are willing to hit.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS:

Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream fishing is fair in 3 to 4 feet of water on worms, crickets, wax worms and Tinsel Teasers. Crappie are hanging around cypress in deeper water near the channels. Many are being caught on small minnows and chartreuse jigs. Bass have been fair on dark-colored plastic worms and buzzbaits fished around the edges of the pads. Horny Toads fished in the middle of the pads are also bringing some vicious strikes. Catfish are fair on trotlines baited with minnows and bream.

Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said the river clarity is good and the water is low, providing some good wading opportunities. Trout are good on wax worms with marshmallows, Power Eggs or nightcrawlers. Spin-fishers are catching a few on Roostertails, Little Cleos and Trout Magnets.

Greers Ferry: Local fishing guide Tommy Cauley said the water level at Greers Ferry is 460.05 and falling because of summer evaporation and generation. The hybrid fishing has been pretty fair in a few spots around Sugarloaf and Shiloh and Bud Creek on jigging spoons, in-line spinners and grubs. All three species of black bass are pretty slow during the day but can be caught on Carolina-rigged lizards and Texas-rigged worms in grasshopper colors anywhere from 18 to 25 feet. The crappie can still be caught over the tops of brush piles in 20 to 30 feet of water on jigs and minnows. Bream are still good 6- to 15-feet deep on crickets and nightcrawlers. The walleye are still biting well on flats and points out to 27-feet deep with back trolled night crawlers and leeches. Shiloh Marina said bream fishing is good from 10 to 15 feet on worms fished near the bottom. Crappie fishing is good 15- to 20-feet deep on minnows and ¼-ounce white jigs drifted in Salt Creek. Catfishing is fair on trotlines baited with cut shad. White bass and hybrids are schooling in 15 to 20 feet of water around Piney Point. Try vertically jigging a CC Spoon.

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the lake is clear and at normal level. Bass are fair with a few being pulled from the weed beds on soft-plastic worms. Catfish are good on large minnows and rice slicks. Bream are good on red worms and crickets fished 3- to 4-feet deep.

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the water is hazy and at normal pool. Bream fishing is good on crickets early in the morning on rocky points and brush piles. Crappie have gone deep, with a few being taken on minnows slow-trolled on the bottom. Bass fishing is fair on white top-water lures and buzzbaits during low-light hours. Catfishing has been slow.

Toad Suck Lock and Dam: Bates Field and Stream said the crappie fishing is fair in the backwaters. Try using a live minnow on a slip-cork rig in 3 to 8 feet of water. Catfish are biting well on had heads in the deeper holes along the dam. The big story last week was the stripers, with a lot of action below the dam coming on white-and-chartreuse hair jigs.

Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the water clarity is normal. Catfishing has been excellent on just about anything fished on the bottom just out of the current. Bream are holding in 2 to 3 feet of water just off the edge of the banks and are being caught on red worms. A few crappie are being caught from brushy cover on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair on spinner baits and other reaction-type lures.

Big Maumelle Creek: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said catfish have been good on rice slicks, shad and skipjacks. All other species have been slow.

Lake Cargile: Beeson's Grocery said fishing has been slow for all species.

Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger's Marina said black bass are in the weeds to 10-feet deep early in the morning and late in the day and are hitting on top-water lures and Rat-L-Traps. Largemouths are deeper during the day but not into their summer pattern yet. Some have been caught on Carolina rigs and drop-shot rigs. Kentucky bass fishing is good. Kentuckies are being caught 8- to 14-feet deep on 3-inch pumpkin grubs and crankbaits. Drop-shotting 12-feet deep is also bringing in a few Kentucky bass. White bass are schooling from the marina east to Three-fingers Cove and around the Chimney. Spooks, clear Near Nothings, Roostertails and CC Spoons are all working on the whites. Catfish are hitting 13- to 28-feet deep on large minnows and prepared baits. Crappie fishermen are doing well in 18 to 22 feet of water on 1/32-ounce jigs and crappie minnows. Reports on bream are good and picking up. They are hitting on crickets and worms.

Arkansas River: Charley's Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said the headwater from Lock 9 is 284.7 with a tailwater of 270.9 and a flow of 6,100 cubic feet per second. Fish are moving to the sides of the eddies and swirls to where the shad are schooling. Catfishing has been good drifting in whole shad 15- to 20-feet deep. The fishing is also good below Lock 10 to the Highway 7 Bridge and below Lock 9 to the Highway 9 Bridge. White bass fishing has been good early and late in the day around the balls of shad in the current. Stripers are holding on the tips of the jetties and hitting large casting spoons. Bream are excellent around the grass in slack-water areas behind the jetties. Crappie are good in 8 to 12 feet of water on live minnows.

Arkansas River (Little Rock area): Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said many good channel cats were caught last week on trotlines.

Pickthorne Lake: Outdoor Super Store said the lake is muddy and there has been little success lately. Bream and crappie are both poor. Some bass have been caught on Rat-L-Traps and shallow-running crankbaits. A few channel catfish have been caught on chicken livers in late evening towards the middle of the lake.

Lake Valencia: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said catfish have been biting well on chicken livers and nightcrawlers.

Sunset Lake: Bream have been biting well on crickets fished in 8 feet of water. All other species have been slow.

Saline River Access in Benton: The water clarity is low due to the recent rains. Smallmouth bass are good in 4 feet of water on jerkbaits. Bluegill are biting well on small Roostertails fished 4-feet deep.

Murray Lock and Dam: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said catfish have been good on rice slicks, shad and skipjacks. All other species have been slow.

NORTH ARKANSAS:

White River: Gaston's White River Resort said the river clarity is perfect and the water level is running low, but two generators are running. Trout fishing is excellent on No. 7 Rapala Countdowns in gold and small gold spoons. Pink salmon eggs are working as well. Fly-fishers are catching many fish on scud and sow bug patterns. Wilderness Trail said trout fishing picked up last week. The Berkley Power Egg bite has been good in yellow, white and orange, or Berkley Nuggets in Orange. Buoyant Spoons, Super Dupers and Little Cleos are working well when the generators are running. The fly fishermen did well on olive Woolly Buggers, tungsten beadhead midges, sow bugs and San Juan worms. Brown trout are being caught on Suspending Rogues, Countdowns and nightcrawlers.

North Fork River: McLellan's Fly Shop said generation has been more sporadic lately, but there have usually been some good wading opportunities during the morning. With all the recent high water, the trout are in very good shape and full of fight. On recent guide trips, we have been catching several fat brook trout just below the 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. During high water, streamer fishing has been excellent from a boat. Big new streamers like the Swimming Jimmy and Articulated Zoo Cougar have produced several strikes. Best flies have been: McLellan's Hunchback Scud Tan, Olive and Gray (sizes 14 to 16), Flashback Scud Tan, Olive and Gray (sizes 12 to 16), McLellan's Woven Sow Bug (sizes 14 to 16), Graphic Caddis Tan and Olive (sizes 14 to 18), Flashback Pheasant Tail Nymph (sizes 16 to 20), Beadhead Hare's Ear Nymph (sizes 14 to 18), Mercury Brassie (sizes 18 to 20), Rojo Midge (size 22), Mercury Blood Midge (sizes 20 to 22), Red Jujubee Midge (sizes 20 to 22), Johnny Flash (sizes 20 to 24), Mercury Black Beauty (sizes 20 to 22), Gray Mercury Midge (sizes 20 to 22), Black Wooly Sculpin (size 4), Articulated Zoo Cougar (size 4), Swimming Jimmy (size 4).

Bull Shoals Lake: Wilderness Trail said the warm weather pushed the lake temperature to 81 degrees. The lake level is at 652.94. Lake clarity slipped a little this week and is at 14 feet throughout most of the lake. Crappie are on the cribs and around the points in front of the cuts in the creeks. The best bait has been crappie minnows or small shiners and Bobby Garland's Swimming Minnows in Blue Thunder or smoke. Catfish are feeding well at night. Best locations have been halfway back in the creeks and main lake coves. Magic Bait, hog dogs and chicken livers are the best baits. Largemouth bass are feeding early in the morning and throughout the night, but the daytime bite is very spotty. Zara Spook Jrs, buzzbaits and Lucky Craft Sammys will create some nice action in the mornings. During the day fish Carolina rigs with Trick Worms or Brush Hogs around secondary points. Also work the shade around docks with tubes and jigs. Smallmouth have switched off the shad and are feeding primarily on crawdads. Transition banks and chunk rock points are where most of the smallies are foraging for food. Spider Jigs, tubes and a mojo rigs with finesse baits are your best bet. Try some Pop R's or Chug Bugs early in the morning for smallies that are roaming the shallows. Kentucky Bass are with the shad. Cliff walls, channel swing ends and cuts that have some brush in them are the best areas to look for schools of Kentuckies. Drop-shot rigs have picked up this week using Swimming Minnows, Tiny Brush Hogs and drop-shot worms fished under the balls of shad. Walleye remain shallow for this time of year - From the bank out to 25 feet of water around points and along banks that have ledges. A number of techniques are catching walleye at this time - here are a few. Jig and worm or leech, split shot with worm or leech, worm or leech harnesses with bottom bouncers, Glass Shad and trolling Reef Runners. Sugar Loaf Harbor said the lake is clear and low. Crappie are fair, but no one has reported a limit in two or three weeks. Bass are biting well in the morning on plastic worms and minnows fished over rocky points.

Lake Norfork: Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the clarity is about 15 feet and the lake is at normal pool. Bream are in 2 to 4 feet of water and are hitting red wigglers and crickets. Crappie are excellent on crappie minnows and jigs fished in brush piles from 20- to 25-feet deep. Largemouth and Kentucky bass are biting early and late on top-water lures and spinner baits. Switch to soft-plastic finesse worms and Carolina-rigged Baby Brush Hogs as the day goes on. Stripers are chasing shad in the early mornings and are being caught on large top-water chuggers. Striper fishermen are also bringing in a few trolling umbrella rigs baited with large Twistertails and hair jigs. White bass are schooling in the mornings and can be caught on Rocket Shad spinner baits and small Roostertails. Catfishing is good on chicken livers, shad, hot dogs and night crawlers fished on jugs and trotlines.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Beaver Lake: Southtown Sporting Goods said the lake is at normal level. Crappie fishing is good at night under lights. Don't be surprised if a few white bass join in with the crappie under the lights as well. Black bass are settling into their normal summer patterns and many are being caught early in the morning on top-water lures and spinner baits shallow and finesse worms and football jigs later in the day. Catfishing is improving, and many have been caught on trotlines baited with live minnows and shad. Hickory Creek Marina said the lake is at normal level and the clarity is ideal. Bream have been good on crickets and worms fished deep. The crappie spawn is near and many are being taken from brush piles in 12 to 15 feet of water. Catfishing is excellent on large minnows fished on the bottom near schools of shad. Bass fishermen are having some success on the flats fishing spinner baits and lemon-lime-colored crankbaits.

Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock said bream are bedding up and spawning in the shallows. Look for the beds and drop red-wigglers and crickets around the edges for some fast action. Crappie are holding in brush piles from 5- to 10-feet deep and are being caught on minnows fished under a cork and tube jigs. Bass fishing is good early and late in the day on soft-plastic worms and jig-and-pig combos down to 10-feet deep. Catfish are biting well near the dam on nightcrawlers and chicken livers.

Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the lake is muddy and at a normal level. Bream fishing is peaking, so get out and enjoy some fast action for bluegills on crickets. Crappie fishing is good on minnows fished under a slip-cork. Bass are holding in brush piles and are hitting soft-plastics. Catfish are fair on chicken livers and nightcrawlers.

Beaver Tailwaters: Beaver Dam Store said trout fishing reports have been best in the early morning hours. Bait anglers are catching trout on a Power Bait/wax worm combo, cheese-scented trout worms and nightcrawlers pumped with air. A few good reports on live minnows have come from Houseman Access. Parker Bend is fishing better. Micro jigs and Micro jig/wax worm combos drifted 2- to 4-feet deep are producing fish. Fly anglers are finding fishing a bit tough. A few good reports have come in on Griffith's Gnat (sizes 18 to 22), Renegades (size 16 to 18), Elk Hair Caddis (size 20) and Hare's Ear Nymphs (size 14). Walleye are fair on Shad Raps between Beaver and Holiday Island.

Kings River: Kings River Outfitters said the river is low. Smallmouth bass are hitting green pumpkin and watermelon soft plastics fished on the bottom around chunk rock. Rebel Crawdad crankbaits are also taking quite a few on gravel shoals next to deep water. Several anglers have reported catching more than 50 bass per day. Largemouth bass are doing well on soft plastics on the lower river. As with smallmouth, use green pumpkin or watermelon in clear water and darker colors in stained water. Rock bass are starting to make nests and can be taken on grubs and small crankbaits. Look for shallow gravel drops adjacent to deep banks. Catfish can be caught on night crawlers and liver fished around deep boulders.

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

White River: Local fisherman Jeff Moore said the river is low on the river. Trout fishing is pretty tough in this area. Anyone wanting to trout fish should be between Sylamore Creek and Calico Rock or even farther up the river. Smallmouth bass fishing continues to be fair. Small finesse worms and tubes continue to catch fish. Some fly fishermen are floating a 1/64-ounce marabou jig under a strike indicator and are doing well on the smallmouth. Largemouth bass fishing between Guion and Batesville is fair early and late in the day. Scum Frogs and Flukes have worked well around the grass. Small jigs and floating worms are catching some fish from the log piles. Rod-and-reel fishing for catfish is picking up. Chicken livers and prepared bait, such as Doc's are working pretty good on the blues and channel cat. Crappie and bream remain fair in and around the mouth of the creeks. Some walleye and sauger are being caught in the Oil Trough area trolling small crankbaits.

Lake Charles: Powhatan Landing said the lake is clear and at a normal level. Bream are biting well off the bank in 3 to 5 feet of water on red worms and crickets. Catfish are biting well on stink bait and nightcrawlers. Look for bass around isolated structure and pitch a soft-plastic worm in junebug, red shad or black with blue flake to them. Crappie are hiding around stumps and brush piles in 2 feet of water.

Black River: Powhatan Landing said the water is very muddy and the fishing has been slow.

Spring River: Many Islands Camp said the river is clear and a little low. Trout fishing has been good on orange Power Bait and nightcrawlers.

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS

Lake Chicot: Koenig's Bass Tracker Marine said the lake is clear. Crappie are fair on small tube jigs and shiners. Bass are also a little slow, but a few are being caught near docks and sea walls on top-water lures and Slug-Gos. Catfish are good on worms, chicken liver and dog food. The bream are biting well against dock pilings and sea walls on wax worms.

Lake Monticello: Outdoor Super Store said the lake is clear and anglers can see the bottom in 6 feet of water. Bream fishing is excellent on shallow flats next to the bank. Catfishing is fair, with a few cats being pulled up from deeper water on stink bait. Bass fishing is poor, but a couple of fish have been caught in 10 to 15 feet of water on soft-plastic worms.

Grand Lake: Koenig's Bass Tracker Marine said the only reports lately have been on crappie, but the fish are biting well on minnows and jigs slow-trolled in 8 feet of water.

Mississippi River: Koenig's Bass Tracker Marine said the river is falling, so the fishing should start picking up in the chutes and oxbows. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers fished around rock piles.

Old Town Lake: Old Town Fish Camp said bream are still on the beds near the banks in 16 inches of water. Crickets and wax worms are bringing in many sunfish. Crappie fishing is good in water 2-feet deep on minnows and tube jigs. Bass fishing is good around the cypress trees on top-water lures. Catfish are good on cut bait, stink bait and minnows.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

Millwood Lake: Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water temperature ranges from 75 degrees to 85 degrees during the heat of the day and the water has the typical Millwood stain. Largemouth bass remain good on buzzbaits with white- or bubblegum-colored skirts. White Jigs with pearl or white grub trailers are taking good keepers on river ledge wash outs and outside river bends next to stumps 8- to 10-feet deep. Black bass are also good on Carolina-rigged Zoom lizards in pumpkinseed/chartreuse tail, or watermelon/red flake, and Bass Assassin Shads, along Little River. Early and late in the day, bass are still feeding and chasing shad near top water. Zara Spook Jrs, Zara Puppies, and Spit'n Image Jrs, in shad patterns, along with white Rat-L-Traps are catching these bass. During the heat of the day, 1-ounce Rat-L-Traps in gold, white or various shad patterns fished along deep drops and cuts of Little River are taking larger bass. Kentucky bass and white bass remain fair to good, hitting white, ¼-ounce Rat-L-Traps, white-and-chartreuse Rocket Shads, Little Georges and Roostertails. Crappie have transitioned back to deeper water. Crappie fishermen report fair to good catches over brush piles between 9- and 12-feet deep. There have been a few catches in shallow water around cypress trees the last few weeks on jigs and shiners, but these fish are smaller. Bream remain in spawn mode, and are fair on crickets and red worms.

Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine said the lake is clear and at normal level. Crappie fishing and catfishing are both poor. Bass fishing is good with many bass schooling in shallow water. Lipless crankbaits and shallow-running Bandits are catching a few bass. Bream fishing is good on crickets in 5 feet of water.

Lake Erling: Steve's Marine said the lake is clear and bream fishing is the only thing going. But if you can find the beds in 5 feet of water, you'll load the boat using crickets.

White Oak Lake: Charlie's One Stop said the water is clear and the bream fishing is excellent. Many fish are being pulled from 2 to 3 feet of water on crickets. Crappie are biting well early in the morning on jigs and minnows. Bass fishing is fair early on soft-plastics, but shuts off once the sun is high. Catfishing is good at night on cut bait, worms and chicken livers.

Lake Greeson: Lakeside Grocery, Motel and Bait Shop said the lake is clear with a slight haze. Bream fishing is good on crickets. Crappie are fair 8- to 12-feet deep on jigs and minnows fished around brush piles. Bass are fair early in the morning on buzzbaits and plastic worms. Catfish are fair.

DeGray Lake: DeGray One Stop said the lake is clear and the water temperature is in the mid-80s. Bream are scattering out but should be back on the beds by the end of the month for another spawning run. Get the crickets ready. Catfish are fair with many cats coming into shallow water to spawn. Hybrids and white bass are schooling in the morning and evening between Yancey Creek and Big Hill Creek south to Brushy Creek. Crappie are fair on jigs and live bait fished along grassy points and creek channels in 18 to 24 feet of water. Largemouth bass and Kentucky bass are holding on the outside edge of the weeds in 18 to 28 feet of water. Fishermen are working Carolina rigs and deep-running crankbaits along these deep-water areas to pull in a few.

Little Missouri River: Generator Three is back online as of June 7 and the last couple of days have seen regular generation out of Generator Two as well. The stream is still pretty dry despite a few recent thunderstorms. A few fish are willing to strike again on small terrestrials like ants (size 18).

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said the lake is low. Bream are biting well on crickets. Bass are staying near shallow water and are being caught on Horny Toads in the weeds and pads early and on 10-inch soft-plastic worms later in the day. Crappie are fair in brush piles from 12- to 18-feet deep on minnows. Catfish are good on stink bait and large minnows in 4 to 5 feet of water. White bass are starting to school early and late in the day. Cross Creek said the lake is clear. Bream are biting well around brush piles and cypress trees in 3 to 5 feet of water. Crappie are biting jig-and-minnow combinations fished along deep-water structure. Bass have been good on soft plastics out to 20-feet deep. Catfish are good on stink bait fished in deep holes.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are good in the backwaters on red wigglers and crickets. The catfish are going after worms, cut shad and large minnows fished near the bottom, and many good reports are coming in. Crappie fishing is fair on a jig-and-minnow combination. Bass fishing is fair on top-water lures fished in the mornings and spinner baits and crankbaits when the sun comes up. Stripers are gathering below the dam and a few are being caught on hair jigs and live shad.

Lake Ouachita: Mountain Harbor resort said the lake temperature is 76 to 80 degrees and the clarity is improving. The lake level is 574.88 feet. Largemouth bass are still good early and late in the day. They are being caught on finesse worms, Texas-rigged U-tails and Zoom speed worms. The best colors are still watermelon seed, watermelon/red flake and green pumpkin. Top-water action is still good on Boy Howdies and Zara Spooks. Try main lake points and large bay pockets near creek channels in 8 to 20 feet of water. Walleye are good with reports of these fish being caught on main lake points. Jerkbaits, 3-inch grubs or silver Rat-L-Traps are still the most effective. Try water depths of 8 to 20 feet. Stripers are good on live bait, hair jigs or C-10 Redfins. Try areas around points 19, 24 and Bird Island. Bream are still excellent on crickets and worms. These fish are best in water 8- to 20-feet deep. Crappie are good and being caught over brush piles and moss flats using feather jigs, 2-inch grubs and minnows. Try main lake points and large moss flats 10- to 15-feet deep. The best colors are white, silver, lemon meringue and Tennessee shad. Catfish are excellent and still being caught on live bait or cut bait in water from 10- to 20-feet deep. Cross Creek said the lake is clear. Bream are good on red wigglers and crickets fished 3- to 7-feet deep on any structure. Crappie have moved to the outside edge of the moss and are being caught on minnows. Bass have been active and many anglers are reporting good catches on soft plastics and spinner baits. Catfishing is good on stink bait. Trader Bill's Sport Shop said bream are biting well on red wigglers and crickets fished 5-feet deep. Black bass are biting early on top-water lures and falling for Texas-rigged worms when the sun is high. Catfishing is good on bass minnows and dough baits. Stripers are biting in 20 feet of water on live bait early in the morning.

Lake Catherine: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the lake is clear and at normal level. Bream are fair in 5 feet of water on worms and crickets. Bass have been good early in the morning on top-water lures and during the day on Texas-rigged worms.

Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream fishing is good on crickets and red wigglers fished in 5 feet of water. Bass fishing has been good in brush piles out to 10-feet deep on Texas-rigged worms. Catfish are good on dough bait and bass minnows in the creeks after the rains.

Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said the lake is at a normal level and the clarity is good. Bass are trying to school and anglers are catching quite a few on crankbaits, soft-plastics and live minnows. Catfishing is good on trotlines baited with goldfish. Bream have been good on crickets fished 3- to 6-feet deep. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows fished near the brush piles in 5 to 6 feet of water.

Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the lake is low and clear. Bream fishing has been good about 2-feet deep on wax worms and crickets near the bank. Bass fishing is good in 3 to 6 feet of water on spinner baits, crankbaits and Zoom worms. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers and minnows. The Tackle Box said red-eared sunfish are good in the grass and cypress trees on red wigglers and crickets. Bass are fair on lipless crankbaits fished in 1 to 2 feet of water in the harbor. Catfish are fair on chicken liver and large nightcrawlers fished 12- to 14-feet deep

Lake Nimrod: Lake Nimrod Bait 'n' More II said the lake is at 345 feet. Bream fishing has been great on crickets and worms. Bass fishing is good on spinner baits and buzzbaits early in the morning. The catfish are biting on nightcrawlers, stink bait and chicken livers. Crappie are biting well on minnows, red-and-chartreuse jigs, pink-and-white jigs and shallow-running Bandit crankbaits.

Arkansas River: Cross Creek said the river is muddy. Bream fishing has been good in 3 to 5 feet of water on crickets fished near stumps and brush. Crappie are biting white-and-chartreuse and black-and-chartreuse jigs tipped with minnows in 3 to 8 feet of water. Bass have been good early and late on buzzbaits and other top-water lures fished from the bank out to 12-feet deep. Catfish are good on stink bait. The Tackle Box said bream and red-eared sunfish are good on crickets in 4 to 6 feet of water on the area lakes. Crappie fishing has been poor. The black bass bite has improved and is at its peak when there is current in the river. Red shad plastic worms and crankbaits are catching a few black bass.

SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Felsenthal: Crossroads said bream fishing is good on crickets, wax worms and red wigglers fished in the shallows. Top-water poppers are also catching a few bream for the warmwater fly fishers. Bass are fair on top-water lures fished among the cypress trees. Catfish are fair on cold worms.

Saline River: Sanders Pawn and Bait said the river is muddy and falling. Bream are fair in the brush piles on worms and crickets. Bass are fair close to the banks. Some are being caught on soft-plastic tubes and craws.

Cox Creek Lake: Sanders Pawn and Bait said the lake is stained and a little low. Bream are fair on worms and crickets fished near the brush piles. Bass are fair on artificial lures.

EAST ARKANSAS:

Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The river is clear and at normal level. Crappie are fair in 10 to 14 feet of water on minnows and black-and-chartreuse tube jigs fished near stumps and other brush. Bass fishing has been good on crankbaits, buzzbaits and Horny Toads in the mornings. Catfish have been good on shad fished in 25 to 40 feet of water.

Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said the water is clear and low. Crappie fishing is good slow-trolling minnows in 5 to 8 feet of water. Bream are excellent in 2 to 4 feet of water on crickets fished near brush piles. Bass are biting well around rocky points on spinner baits and soft-plastic worms.

Midway Lake: Ed's Boat Camp said bream fishing is fair on crickets fished in the brush piles out to 2-feet deep. Crappie fishing is poor, but a few are being picked up deep trolling minnows. Bass fishing is good shallow around the cypress trees.

Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors said the lake is clear and at normal pool. The bream are on the beds and hitting red wigglers, crickets and artificials as fast as you can get them in the water. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs fished in brush piles and treetops out to 10-feet deep. A few catfish have been caught on jugs baited with rice slicks. Bass are fair with a few being caught around the stumps on soft-plastic jerkbaits. Six Rivers Sport Center said bream are good about three feet from the bank on jigs, worms and crickets. Crappie fishing is good in 14 to 15 feet of water. Bass have been good in the mornings on buzzbaits and other top-water lures.

Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the lake is clear and running a bit high. Bream are in the cypress trees and are being caught on crickets in the shallows. Crappie are holding in lily pads and off piers and can be caught on small tube jigs. Bass are in the cypress trees, with a few being caught on spinner baits and soft-plastics. Some catfish are being caught on trotlines and yo-yos baited with cut shad and stink bait.

White River Refuge Lakes: Ed's Bait Shop said the lake is low. Bream fishing has been good on crickets. Crappie fishermen are catching a few fish on a jig-and-minnow combination. Catfish are good on live bait.

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