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 June 22, 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: Instead of carrying bagged ice cubes or blocks of ice in your cooler, bring along frozen gallon jugs of water. They will keep your cooler just as cold but won't flood it with water at the ice thaws. They will also provide cold drinking water as they thaw.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS:

Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the lake clarity is poor, and the level is low. Bream are bedded up and biting well from 18- to 24-inches deep on red worms and crickets. Crappie fishing is good 8- to 12-feet deep using minnows around stumps and cypress trees in the middle of the lake. Bass are biting well on soft-plastic worms and Zoom Horny Toads near the lily pads. Catfish are biting well on chicken liver, shad and minnows.

Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said the river is clear and low. Trout fishing is good using wax worms with marshmallows, Power Bait, nightcrawlers, Buoyant Spoons and Trout Magnets.

Greers Ferry: Shiloh Marina said bream are biting well from 5- to 10-feet deep on worms fished near Goat Island. Whites and hybrids are biting early in the morning and at daybreak. Try using a 1/8-ounce white jig and minnow combination or try trolling with a spoon.

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the lake is clear and low. Bream fishing is excellent from 2- to 3-feet deep using crickets on the bream beds. Crappie are biting at night and early in the morning. Try fishing from 6- to 8-feet deep using small minnows. Bass fishing is poor. Catfishing is good about 6-feet deep using large minnows and small bream.

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well in shallow water on crickets. Crappie fishing is good using minnows or green-and-white jigs about 6-feet deep. Catfish are biting well on trotlines baited with minnows.

Beaverfork Lake: Wooster Grocery said the lake is stained and at normal pool. Bream are biting well less than a foot deep. Try using crickets near brush piles or stumps. Crappie fishing is good on minnows in deeper water. Bass are biting well on lures and minnows near brush or stumps. Catfishing is fair.

Toad Suck Lock and Dam: Bates Field and Stream said the water is stained and low. Stripers are biting on white bucktail jigs.

Little Maumelle River: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said bream, crappie and bass are all poor. Catfishing is fair to good using chicken liver, nightcrawlers and shad. River Valley Bait said the river is muddy and low. Bream are biting well from 2- to 3-feet deep on wax worms, red worms and nightcrawlers along the edge of the bank. Crappie fishing is fair from 14- to 18-feet deep using minnows and assorted jigs. Bass fishing is fair about 2-feet deep using assorted spinner baits. Catfish are biting well on the bottom.

Bill Maumelle River: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said crappie are biting fair to good on live minnows near the cypress trees. Catfishing is good using nightcrawlers, shad and chicken livers.

Lake Cargile: Beeson's Grocery said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Overall, fishing is good using any bait of choice.

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, with some being caught on Carolina rigs and drop-shot rigs. 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. 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.

Arkansas River: Charley's Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said 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 bass are biting well on crankbaits, Zoom Flukes and Zoom Horny Toads in grass beds and on the jetty points. Catfishing is good using trotlines baited with shad, skipjacks or rice slicks.

Fourche La Fave River: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said catfish are biting well on nightcrawlers, skipjack and shad.

Pickthorne Lake: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said catfishing is good using chicken liver, nightcrawlers and shad. Outdoor Super Store said the lake is muddy and low. Bass are schooling in the afternoon and biting well on crankbaits. Bass are also biting on dark-colored plastic worms in the brush. Catfishing is good using chicken liver in the middle of the lake about 5-feet deep. Try fishing for catfish in the evening.

Murray Lock and Dam: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said catfish are biting well when the water is running. Try bait fishing or snagging.

Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports said the water is stained and low. Bream are biting well about 4-feet deep on black Roostertails or black Beetle Spins. Bass are biting well about 3-feet deep on green pumpkin Gitzits. Crappie fishing is fair about 5-feet deep using black Roostertails or black Beetle Spins.

Sunset Lake in Benton: Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well from 10- to 12-feet deep on crickets. Catfishing is good using baitfish hearts.

NORTH ARKANSAS:

White River: Gaston's White River Resort said the river is clear and at normal pool. There were two generators running on Saturday. Trout fishing is excellent using Little Cleos in gold, Buoyant Spoons in gold-and-red and Power Eggs in yellow or white. In low water, try using nightcrawlers, worms, gray sow bugs or olive Wooly Buggers.

Bull Shoals Tailwater: McLellan's Fly Shop said generation has slacked off some this week, providing some low water wading opportunities. After all the recent high water, the trout are used to eating a lot. In the faster riffles and runs, drift a scud, sow bug, mayfly nymph or caddis pupa under a strike indicator and hold on. 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. The best flies have been: zebra-and-black or olive Rubber-leg Copper John (sizes 14 to 18), McLellan's Woven V-Rib Sow bug (sizes 14 to 16), McLellan's Hunchback Scud in tan, olive and gray (sizes 14 to 16) Graphic Caddis in tan and olive (sizes 14 to 18), Z-Wing Caddis (sizes 14 to 16), Caddis Larva (sizes 14 to 16), Elk Hair Caddis (sizes 14 to 18), E-Z Caddis (sizes 14 to 18), Red Fox Squirrel Nymph (sizes 12 to 16), Rag Sculpin (size 6), Articulated Zoo Cougar (size 4), Swimming Jimmy (size 4) White Zonker (size 6), Arkansas Conehead (size 6), San Juan Worms (size 10) and Micro Eggs (size 14).

North Fork River: McLellan's Fly Shop said generation has been more sporadic lately on the Norfork, but there have been some good wading opportunities during the morning hours. With all the recent high water, the trout are fat and full of fight. Several fat brook trout have been seen just below Norfork Dam. During low water, concentrate your nymph fishing on the faster runs and riffles and tie on a size 16 Skip Nymph or Flashback Pheasant Tail. During high-water conditions, streamer fishing has also been excellent from a boat (especially on overcast days). The best flies have been: McLellan's Hunchback Scud in tan, olive and gray (sizes 14 to 16), Flashback Scud in tan, olive and gray (sizes 12 to 16), McLellan's Woven Sow Bug (sizes 14 to 16), Graphic Caddis in tan and olive (sizes 14 to 18), Skip Nymph (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) and Swimming Jimmy (size 4).

Bull Shoals Lake: Wilderness Trail said the water temperature is 81.8 degrees and the lake clarity is around 15 feet. The lake level this week is 653.08 feet. The thermocline is stable at 36 feet. Crappie fishing has slowed some during the daylight hours this week, but the early evening and night crappie bite has picked up. Crappie cribs and watersheds are holding schools of crappie. The best baits are live crappie minnows on colored jigheads and Bobby Garland Swimming Minnows in pearl, smoke and Blue Thunder. Largemouth bass have been active early in the morning in the backs of the creeks and in the cuts and pockets. Try using buzzbaits or Zara Spooks. Football jigs and Carolina rigs are starting to pick up during the daylight hours on drop offs around chunk rock and secondary points. Smallmouths are moving off the pea rock banks and points, and possibly positioning themselves in rocky areas for shad and crawfish. There will be a full moon and a crawfish hatch this week. Jerkbaits, grubs and jigworms are working on the roaming smallmouths. Tube baits started to pick up around chunk rock banks over the weekend and some early morning top-water action has been seen. Kentucky bass remain with the shad, about 20 feet down, halfway back in the creeks, on cliff ends and in the middle of main lake pockets. A few Kentuckies have been taken on spoons fished under the shad in 30 feet of water. Mojo rigs are also starting to produce nice Kentuckies with centipedes or finesse worms. Walleye are still inside of 28 feet feeding on sunfish and shad. Ledge banks and chunk rock points are good places to look for feeding walleye in the mornings. Fish crawler harnesses or leeches behind bottom bouncers in the 20- to 26-foot range and pull them from 0.6 miles per hour to 0.9 miles per hour. Long liners are catching a few on Glass Shads and Reef Runners between 27- to 30-feet deep around points. Nighttime walleye are active and striking X-Raps and Suspending Rogues on points from 9 p.m. to midnight. Main lake points are producing the nicer walleye. The bite is very slow until 9 p.m., then the bass are moving up on the banks and feeding on crawfish. Jig 'n' pig combos, Texas-rigged worms, Brush Hogs and tube baits are all working well. White River: Wilderness Trail said fishing for trout on the White River has been good this past week. The Berkley Power Egg bite has been good in yellow, white and pink. Fish are also biting well on Belgium red worms. With generation, Buoyant Spoons, Roostertails and Blue Fox spinners are the baits of choice. The fly fishermen did well on olive Woolly Buggers, tungsten beadhead midges, sow bugs and scuds. Brown trout are being caught on Suspending Rogues, Countdowns and nightcrawlers. Sugar Loaf Harbor said the lake is clear and low. Crappie are biting well from 20- to 25-feet deep on minnows and jigs near brush. Bass fishing is excellent from 13- to 20-feet deep using top-water lures and jigs near brush.

Lake Norfork: Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is clear and normal. Bream are biting well about 15-feet deep using red worms and crickets. Crappie fishing is fair about 20-feet deep using live minnows and jigs near brush piles. Bass fishing is fair to good using plastic worms, jigs and single spins at night. Stripers are biting fair trolling with live shad. Walleye are biting fair on crawler harnesses or trolling about 20-feet deep. Catfishing is good using jugs or trotlines.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Beaver Lake: Southtown Sporting Goods said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well from 4- to 10-feet deep on crickets. Crappie and white bass are biting well from 12- to 15-feet deep on minnows and shad. Night fishing for crappie or white bass is also good trolling Hot 'n' Tots. Bass fishing is fair to good from 2- to 30-feet deep using top-water lures early and small soft-plastic worms in the day. Bass fishing at night is also good using a black single-bladed spinner bait or large plastic worms in red-shad. Catfishing is good using trotlines, jugs or limb lines baited with goldfish.

Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock said the lake is murky but at normal pool. Bream are biting well from 10- to 12-feet deep on worms and crickets on the flats. Bass are biting well on spinner baits, crankbaits and top-water lures near rocky points. Catfishing is fair using worms and chicken liver.

Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well from 5- to 6-feet deep on worms and crickets fished near brush, stumps and weed beds. Crappie fishing is poor from 6- to 8-feet deep. Bass fishing is good from 5- to 6-feet deep using spinner baits, top-water lures and buzzbaits. Catfishing is poor.

Beaver Tailwaters: Beaver Dam Store said fishing was tough last week, but more than a few fishermen went home with plenty of trout. Seems the trout are huddled up for the most part, rather than scattered about. Chartreuse Power Bait, wax worms and salmon eggs worked well. Fishing is more productive in early morning or late afternoon. Super Dupers and Little Cleos are working well. Some good fly patterns are Copper Johns in red or chartreuse (sizes 16 to 18), partridge and yellow soft hackles (sizes 14 to 16), Red Ass (sizes 16 to 18), Renegades (sizes 16 to 18), Griffith's Gnat (sizes 18 to 20), Scuds in orange or tan (sizes 14 to 16) and Caddis Pupa in cream (size 16). White bass fishing is very good at night under a light near Point 5 and other white bass areas. Temperatures are hitting the low 80s, and black bass are biting from 20- to 25-feet deep, but they may be shallower at night. McLellan's Fly Shop said generation has been coming on in the afternoon, providing plenty of wading during the morning hours. All of the recent 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. Soft-hackle action is starting to heat up as well. The best flies have been: McLellan's Hunchback Scud in gray and olive (sizes 14 to 16), McLellan's Woven Sow Bug (sizes 14 to 16), 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), March Brown Spider (size 14) and Red Ass (size 16).

Buffalo River: Ozark Outfitters said the river is clear and low. Bream fishing is excellent from 4- to 6-feet deep using worms near rocky points. Bass fishing is excellent from 6- to 8-feet deep using black-and-white spinner baits and top-water lures near rocky points. Catfishing is good at night using worms and chicken liver.

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. 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 White River at Guion continues to run low making boating difficult. Trout and bass fishing is fair in the Guion area. Rainbows can be caught either by anchor fishing or drift fishing. Anchor fishing with corn worms or Power Eggs are all effective baits. Drift fishing with spinners tipped with corn, worms, or Power Eggs is working as well. Little Cleo spoons and small Rouges are producing rainbows and an occasional brown trout. The only aggressive bite going are the smallmouth. Most of them are below minimum length but they do provide consistent action. Tube baits and small crank baits with some chartreuse in them is the best bet. Largemouth bass from Guion to Batesville seem to be relating to the grass. The best fishing is early and late. Scum frogs, topwaters, sinko, and floating worms will produce a few fish. Below Lock #1 a variety of fish are being caught. Minnow fishing is producing a mixed bag. You are apt to catch a stringer consisting of drum, sauger, walleye, white bass, bass, and catfish. It is a real smorgasbord. Catfishing is fair using prepared bait and chicken livers too.

Lake Charles: Powhatan Landing said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well about 2-feet deep on crickets. Crappie are biting well about 2-feet deep using minnows and jigs near brush. Bass fishing is fair using top-water lures and buzzbaits. Some bass in the 5- to 6-pound range are being taken. Catfishing is fair on rod-and-reel baited with stink bait or chicken liver.

Black River: Powhatan Landing said the lake is stained and low. Smallmouth bass and Kentucky bass are biting well. Catfishing is good using trotlines baited with stink bait and rice slicks. Also, try rod and reel fishing with live bait.

Spring River: Many Islands Camp said the river is clear and a little low. Trout fishing is good using marshmallows, Power Bait and nightcrawlers.

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS

Lake Chicot: Koenig's Bass Tracker Marine the lake is clear. Bream fishing is fair using small tube jigs and shiners. Crappie fishing is fair using wax worms near the dock or the sea walls. Bass fishing is fair using top-water lures or Slug-Gos near the dock or the sea walls. Catfishing is good using worms, chicken liver and dog food.

Grand Lake: Koenig's Bass Tracker Marine said crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs.

Old Town Lake: Old Town Fish Camp said the lake is clear and low. Bream are biting well about 16-inches deep on wax worms and crickets near the cypress trees. Crappie fishing is fair about 3-feet deep using minnows and jigs near the cypress trees. Bass are biting fair on top-water lures and buzzbaits fished near the bank. Catfishing is good using trotlines baited with minnows set about 12-feet deep.

Lake Monticello: Outdoor Store said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well about 4-feet deep on worms and crickets near brush.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

Millwood Lake: Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water temperature ranges from 82 to 90 degrees. The lake level is approximately 2 inches above normal. Largemouth bass remain good on chrome-and-black baby torpedoes, bleeding red-and-white buzzbaits, red-and-orange sparkle and chrome-and-black Rat-L-Traps and white Zoom Horny Toads. Try fishing around lily pads and along the edges of vegetation. Swimming white jigs with milky white grub trailers, and "bleeding" Gitzit tubes in green pumpkin-and-red or black-and-blue is working in the river cut outs and creek mouths dumping into Little River where stumps are in 9 to 12 feet of water. Try flipping 3/8-ounce jigs in Texas craw color with a green pumpkin or a pumpkinseed trailer near the base of cypress trees. Also, try using Carolina-rigged Zoom Lizards in watermelon red, or green pumpkin and Bass Assassin Shads in gizzard shad color along Little River. To fish the shallow grass areas on the main lake, use a stout rod with heavy line and a ¾- to 1-ounce jig to penetrate the grass and vegetation. Kentuckies and white bass remain fair to good using ¼-ounce Rat-L-Traps in white, rocket shads in white-and-chartreuse, Little Georges and Rooster Tail spinners in chrome-and-red. Crappie fishermen report fair catches over brush piles between 12- and 15-feet deep. A few crappie have been taken on jigs and shiners in shallow water around cypress trees, but the fish in those locations are smaller. Bream are fair on crickets and red worms off the bank at the state park and Jack's Isle. Blue catfish are fair to good; some weighing up to 6 pounds. Try fishing at night with yo-yos set from 7- to 12-feet deep and baited with shiners or cut shad underneath cypress trees in sloughs adjacent to Little River, Horseshoe Lake and in Mud Lake oxbow areas.

Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine said the lake is stained and at normal pool. Bream fishing is good 2- to 6-feet deep using worms and crickets. Crappie are beginning to bite late in the evening on shiners fished 8- to 10-feet deep. Bass are biting well on junebug-colored worms and Rat-L-Traps. Catfish are biting well on chicken liver and nightcrawlers fished about 12-feet deep.

Lake Erling: Steve's Marine said the lake is stained and about a foot below normal pool. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets fished about 4-feet deep. Crappie fishing is poor. Bass are biting well from 3- to 6-feet deep on spinner baits near docks. Catfish are biting well from 3- to 5-feet deep using chicken liver and nightcrawlers.

White Oak Lake: Charlie's One Stop said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well about 5-feet deep using crickets near brush piles or stumps. Crappie fishing is fair in the cooler water. Catfish are biting at night on trotlines baited with chicken liver or stink bait.

Lake Greeson: Lakeside Grocery, Motel and Bait Shop said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting from 8- to 12-feet deep on minnows and jigs near brush. Bass fishing is fair early in the morning using plastic worms or buzzbaits. Catfishing is fair.

DeGray Lake: Point Cedar Bait Shop said bream are on the beds and are biting well on crickets. DeGray One Stop said the lake is clear, at normal pool and in the upper 80s. Bream fishing is good from 8- to 18-feet deep using crickets. Crappie fishing is fair from 18- to 24-feet deep using jigs in the creek channels or near grassy points. Largemouths and Kentuckies are holding on the outside edge of the weeds and are biting from 18- to 28-feet deep on Carolina rigs and deep-running crankbaits. Whites and hybrids are schooling in the mornings and in the evenings between Yancey Creek and Bill Hill Creek just south of Brush Creek.

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 muddy. Bream are biting well from 2- to 4-feet deep on crickets. Crappie fishing is fair from 8- to 10-feet deep using minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well from 4- to 8-feet deep on crankbaits, dark-colored plastic worms and Carolina rigs. Catfishing is good using stink bait, live bait and cut bait.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the river is muddy and high. Bream and crappie fishing are both poor. Bass fishing is poor to fair using white or chartreuse spinner baits in shallow water. Catfishing is fair using worms or shad.

Lake Ouachita: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the lake is clear and low. Bream are biting excellent from 5- to 15-feet deep on red worms, crickets and nightcrawlers. The bream are going back to their beds. Crappie fishing is poor. Bass fishing is good from 15- to 20-feet deep using top-water lures early around points. Also, try to catch bass over or on the outside of the moss. Catfishing is good at night using trotlines baited with live bait. Walleye are biting well from 15- to 20-feet deep on a jigworm.

Lake Catherine: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the lake is murky and at normal pool. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets fished shallow near brush or moss flats. Crappie fishing is poor. Bass are biting well on black spinner baits. Catfish are biting well on jugs.

Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the lake is murky and at normal pool. Fishing is good until 9 a.m. Due to the lake conditions, it is best to stay off the lake from 9 a.m. until dark. Bream are biting well shallow on worms and crickets near brush or moss flats. Crappie fishing is poor. Bass fishing is good using black spinner baits. Catfishing is good using jugs.

Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well from 4- to 5-feet deep on crickets. Crappie fishing is fair about 5-feet deep using minnows or jigs near brush piles. Bass are biting well on spinner baits, crankbaits and minnows. Catfish are biting well on trotlines baited with goldfish or shiners.

Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well about 3-feet deep on crickets near cypress trees. Crappie fishing is poor. Bass fishing is excellent about 3-feet deep using spinner baits, crankbaits, plastic worms and jigs near grassy areas. Catfishing is good about 4-feet deep using minnows.

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 and flowing. Bream are biting fair from 3- to 4-feet deep on crickets in the backwaters. Crappie fishing is fair from 5- to 6-feet deep using minnows near brush piles. Largemouth bass are biting well on white spinner baits on the outside of the grass.

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 low. Fishing is poor.

Cox Creek Lake: Sanders Pawn and Bait said the lake is stained and low. Fishing is poor.

EAST ARKANSAS:

Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said the lake is clear and low. Bream are biting excellent from 1- to 2-feet deep on crickets and popping bugs. Crappie fishing is fair from 4- to 6-feet deep using minnows and jigs near brush piles. Bass fishing is good using spinner baits and crankbaits from 1- to 4-feet deep. Catfishing is excellent using stink bait along the bottom.

Midway Lake: Ed's Boat Camp said the lake is clear and low. Bream are biting well from 1- to 2-feet deep on crickets near cypress trees. Crappie are biting well about 7-feet deep on slow-trolled minnows. Bass fishing is excellent about 2-feet deep using top-water lures near the cypress trees. Catfish are biting well on nightcrawlers or minnows.

Bear Creek Lake: Six Rivers Sport Center said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well on wax worms and crickets near brush. Crappie fishing is good from 14- to 16-feet deep using jigs near rocky points.

Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well about 3-feet deep on crickets around the cypress trees. Crappie fishing is good using black-and-chartreuse jigs about 10-feet deep around the piers and the lily pads. Bass are biting fair about 3-feet deep on white-and-chartreuse spinner baits near the cypress trees. Catfishing is good using stink bait and cut bait.

White River Refuge Lakes: Ed's Bait Shop said the lakes are clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets in shallow water. Crappie fishing is good from 3- to 5-feet deep using minnows near brush piles and stumps in the middle of the lake. Bass fishing is fair using minnows near brush. Catfish are biting fair on worms and stink bait in the river itself.

Arkansas River at Pine Bluff: River City Sporting Goods said the lake is stained and high. Bream are biting well from 2- to 4-feet deep using crickets. Crappie fishing is good from 8- to 12-feet deep using minnows and black-and-chartreuse jigs near brush piles. Bass fishing is good using top-water lures, buzzbaits, Horny Toads, Pop R's and Baby Torpedoes near rocky points around the bank. Catfish are biting well on shad about 30-feet deep.

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