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 Aug. 10, 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.

Lure of the Week: To familiarize new anglers with the huge variety of lures available, we will be using the fishing tip section to describe a new lure every week.

Zara Spook - Although it may look simple, the Zara Spook has been catching bass for a long time. The proper way to fish the bait is called, "walking the dog." This zigzag pattern is produced by twitching the lure while reeling, keeping a little slack in the line on every twitch. This will make the lure dart right, then left and back again. With a little practice, most anglers can work the Zara Spook almost in place while fish go crazy underneath the surface. Although black bass are a primary target of the Spook, striper fishermen have also embraced its big brother, the Super Spook, to provoke bone-crushing strikes from line-sided bass.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS:

Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the lake is clear and a little low. Bream fishing is good on worms, wax worms, crickets and TiniMite Bream Jigs fished next to the bank. Crappie fishing is good on minnows fished on the shady side of the cypress trees. Bass are good in the early mornings and late evenings on white or chartreuse buzzbaits and Zoom Horny Toads fished around the lily pads. Dark-colored plastic worms are also catching a few fish near the pads. Catfishing is fair on trotlines, yo-yos and jugs baited with cut shad.

Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said the river is running clear and low. One to two generators are running in the late afternoons, making for some excellent wading opportunities in the mornings. Wax worms and Power Bait are working well during the low water, as are sow bug and scud patterns. When the generation begins, small crankbaits like Countdown Rapalas are working well on the brown trout.

Greers Ferry: Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level at Greers Ferry is 455.62, about 6 feet below normal, and will continue to fall with the increased demand for electricity and lack of rain. The hybrid and white bass fishing is very good at night in ditches and under the bridges with lights and live bait. The same areas are producing during the day with live bait. Hybrids are also being caught between Bailey Hollow and The Jungle and between Point 14 and Simpkins Cove and the old bridge in Choctaw Creek out to the swimming areas on Point 6 and Salt creek. They are chasing small fry and can be caught on inline spinners, jigging spoons, white grubs and Rinky Dinks. The crappie fishing is still the same with the fish holding in 20 to 25 feet of water and going for minnows and small grubs over brush piles. The bream are biting well on crickets and nightcrawlers at the same depth as crappie around the docks. The walleye are still biting well on leaches and nightcrawlers slowly trolled in 33 feet of water. The catfish are excellent on noodles and jugs baited with bream, dog food or soap. The bass fishing is good early mornings and late evenings with top-water lures and buzzbaits. Once the sun is up, try the drops and ledges with Right Bite Cinkos, Carolina-rigged lizards and Texas-rigged worms in grasshopper and gold/red flake. Shiloh Marina said bass fishing is fair. Catfish are biting well at night on hot dogs and stinkbait. Hybrids are schooling late in the day.

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the lake is clear and low. Bream are good on worms and crickets fished in brush piles and stumps around 4-feet deep. Bass fishing is good in the mornings and afternoons on spinnerbaits and soft-plastics fished against the stumps. Catfishing is excellent at night on minnows and worms in 6 feet of water.

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well on red worms and crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting. Catfishing is fair.

Cadron Creek: Wooster Grocery said the lake is low. Bream are biting well in the shallows underneath any shade trees, mainly in the afternoons right before sundown. Crappie are fair in the morning on minnows fished in one foot of water. Bass are feeding in the shallows early in the morning and are hitting buzzbaits and top-waters until the sun is up. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers.

Beaverfork Lake: Wooster Grocery said the lake is at normal level and the fishing is pretty good. Bream are being caught on crickets in the early morning and late afternoon underneath overhangs and other shaded areas. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers and chicken livers in the deep holes. Crappie are biting fair on minnows and crickets during low-light hours. Bass are fair on top-water lures early in the morning and live bait fished deep during the day.

Toad Suck Lock and Dam: Bates Field and Stream said crappie fishing is fair behind the jetties on minnows. Bass fishing is good early in the mornings on large stick baits and black Bandit crankbaits behind the jetties. Catfishing is fair on shad, trotline minnows and nightcrawlers.

Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the river is running high. Bream fishing is fair in 2 to 3 feet of water on worms. Crappie fishing is good around 8 to 15 feet of water on minnows. Catfishing is fair on blood bait, stinkbait, chicken livers and nightcrawlers.

Lake Cargile: Beeson's Grocery said the lake is clear and low. Bream fishing is good on red wigglers and crickets. Crappie fishing is good on live minnows under a slip-cork rig. Bass fishing is fair at best.

Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger's Marina said largemouth bass are fair, with the hot weather driving fish to deeper water. Early and late in the day, the fish are in the weedline out to 15 feet of water. They are hitting top-water lures and spinnerbaits. Once the sun comes up, drop back to 20 feet of water and fish Carolina rigs, tubes and drop-shotted lures. Kentucky bass are biting well in 20 to 25 feet of water on 3-inch pumpkin grubs, worms and tubes. White bass have been schooling from the marina east to Three-fingers cove. Top-water lures, Rooster Tails, and spoons are all working well. Catfishing is good in 25 feet of water on large minnows and prepared baits. Reports on bream are good. Bream are hitting crickets and worms around 20-feet deep.

Arkansas River: Charley's Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said the flow at Lock 9 is 3,000 cubic feet per second with a headwater of 284.61 and a tailwater of 264.5. Stripers are excellent at the powerhouse behind Lock 9 late in the evening and early in the morning. Use large top-water chuggers and casting spoons. The stripers are also showing up on the jetty tips and being caught on live shad and jigging spoons. Catfishing is strong on shad drifted in the main channel from 25- to 40-feet deep. White bass are holding on the sand bars just off the main channel. Sonic Flashes and Heddon Sonars in Chartreuse and white are your best bets. Black bass are staying back in the shaded areas underneath overhangs. A few are being caught on white Horny Toads and jigs. Bream are still excellent in the grass and on the edge of the drops. Some are bedding up on the sand bars. Crappie are slow, but are holding about 5- to 10-feet deep.

Arkansas River (Little Rock area): Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said bass fishing is good on buzzbaits early and late in the day and on crankbaits and Carolina-rigged French fry lures once the sun is overhead. The best action has been along the jetty points. Catfishing is good on trotlines baited with shad, skipjack and rice slicks.

Tom's Lake: Shirley's Bait said the hot weather has kept the fishermen off the lake.

Bradford Lake: Shirley's Bait said the dog days of summer are here, and everyone's avoiding the lake during the daytime.

White River: Shirley's Bait said the river clarity is fair. Catfishermen are the only ones out and are having fair success on goldfish and jumbo bass minnows.

Pickthorne Lake: Outdoor Super Store said the hot weather has kept the anglers off the lake, so no report this week. Hatchet Jacks said bream fishing is good on crickets and red worms fished around the stumps. Bass have been good on crankbaits and Carolina rigs on the fish attractors. Catfishing is good along the levee on chicken livers.

Big Maumelle Creek: Hatchet Jacks said bream are fair in the shallows. White bass are fair around the old spillway on large minnows. Catfishing is picking up on trotlines baited with live minnows.

Murray Lock and Dam: Hatchet Jacks said white bass are good just outside of the current. Catfish are fair on live bait.

Lake Valencia: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said catfishing is excellent on nightcrawlers.

Sunset Lake: Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports said the lake is clear and low. Bream fishing is good from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on crickets. Bass fishing is good on red shad soft-plastic worms from 8- to 10-feet deep.

Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports said the river is clear and low. Bream are biting crickets well on the steep banks. Bass fishing is fair from 4 to 6 feet deep on plastic worms and Rebel Crawdad crankbaits. Catfish are fair on blood bait and dough bait.

NORTH ARKANSAS:

White River: Gaston's White River Resort said the river is low and running clear. Six to eight generators are running every afternoon. The trout fishing is good on wax worms, nightcrawlers, Little Cleos, and gold-and-red Buoyant Spoons. Fly-fishing is good on sow bug patterns and black ants. McLellan's Fly Shop said some days last week saw a few hours of low water in the morning, with generators not coming online until 11 a.m. In the faster riffles and runs, drift a scud, sow bug, mayfly nymph or caddis pupa under a strike indicator. The catch-and-release area immediately below the dam has been fishing especially well lately. Caddis action is still hot on the White, so be sure to have plenty of caddis pupa, as well as dries, in your fly box. Wilderness Trail said fishing for trout on the White River continues to be good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow and pink and Belgian red worms. Buoyant Spoons, Rooster Tails and Super Dupers are the bait of choice during generation. The fly fishermen did well on olive Woolly Buggers, tungsten beadhead midges, soft hackles and scuds. The brown trout are going for Suspending Rogues and nightcrawlers.

North Fork River: McLellan's Fly Shop said on most days, generation has been coming online around 2 p.m., providing plenty of wading opportunities. During low water, concentrate your nymph fishing on the faster runs and riffles. Many trout are being hooked on terrestrials.

Bull Shoals Lake: Wilderness Trail said it has been a slow week with temperatures ranging from 90 during the day to mid-70s at night. The lake temperature is 87.6 degrees this week, cooling to 84 degrees at night. The lake level is 649.73, and the thermocline is at 29 feet. White bass have moved out over the channels and are holding under the schools of shad that have moved down into the thermocline. It's spooning time! Silver, white and silver/blue spoons are starting to trigger some nice whites in the mornings under the shad. It is not a hot bite but it can be rewarding. Crappie have moved away from the brush piles and have relocated off points and over channels. Live crappie minnows fished either on a slip bobber or a jighead down around 30-feet deep are working well. Largemouth bass remain slow during the day but the morning and night bite is decent. Largemouths are up on the banks at dawn and can be caught on buzzbaits, Pop R's, Zara Spooks and Chug Bugs up until the sun is shines on the water. The night bite starts around the points and ledges and moves to brush piles and channel swings throughout the night. Texas-rigged worms and bass jigs have been the best night baits. Fish mojo-rigged finesse worms or centipedes and a Carolina rig with lizards or Brush Hogs on drop offs with 30 to 40 feet of water during the day. Smallmouth bass are now down in the thermocline where the shad have moved to in the last week. Spooning will trigger a few smallies feeding on the shad, but your best technique at this time is fishing a drop-shot rig or swimming a grub or 4" worm. The best baits on the drop-shot have been 4-inch finesse worms, tiny brush hogs and beaver tail grubs. Kentucky bass are on the same pattern as the smallies, only deeper. The smallies are under the shad at about 30 to 34 feet and the Kentuckies are down in the 50-foot range. ¾-ounce Bink's spoons and Cotton Cordell spoons have been the best lures. The walleye are acting strange; they are feeding from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. They are inside and on top of the thermocline, which puts them in the 30-foot range. Leeches have been hot all week fished on a harness with bottom bouncers. Main lake pea rock banks and chunk rock banks are key holding areas. Long liners are catching a few out over the top of the standing forest throughout the lake. Leadcore trolling with Reef Runners, Wally Divers, Glass Shad and Bill Norman's DD14s has produced well.

Lake Norfork: Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is low and clear. Crappie fishing is good at night along the banks fishing jigs and minnows underneath lights. Bass are good early in the morning on spinnerbaits and top-water lures and are biting very well at night on dark-colored soft plastics. Catfish are excellent on trotlines baited with worms, blood bait, chicken livers and hot dogs. The morning walleye bite is fair, with most of the marble-eyes being taken on slab spoons. Trolling cranks in the evening is also bringing in a few fish. Stripers and hybrids are fair early in the morning on spoons and trolled umbrella rigs. Bream fishing is excellent along the banks on wax worms, red worms and crickets.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Beaver Lake: Southtown Sporting Goods said the lake is clear and low. Bream fishing is good early in the morning on crickets. Crappie fishing is good on jigs and minnows in 12 to 15 feet of water. Bass fishing is good on large plastic worms late in the day. Catfish are good on live bait. Hickory Creek Marina said the lake is fishing fairly slow for black bass and stripers. Bream fishing is hot on crickets fished 14- to 20-feet deep.

Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock said the water is stained and low. Fishing has been extremely slow for all species with the summer heat.

Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the lake clarity is normal and the lake is low. Bream are biting well on crickets and red wigglers. Crappie are good on minnows. Bass fishing is fair on soft-plastics. Catfish are poor, but a few are biting on chicken livers.

Beaver Tailwaters: Beaver Dam Store said hot days and low water levels in the Beaver tailwaters make fishing conditions best in the early morning and early evening. Nightcrawlers twitched along the bottom are producing some large trout around the dam area and Parker's Bottom. P.J.'s Finesse Jig, tipped with a wax worm and drifted 3-feet deep is working well around the Bertrand access ramp. Fly fishing reports are good on size 14 Gold Beadhead Hare's Ear Nymphs, size 16-18 red Copper Johns, size 16 Mercer's Gold Dust and emerging midges in various colors. McLellan's Fly Shop said generation has been coming on around noon most days, providing some wading opportunities in the mornings. Scuds, sow bugs and midge pupa patterns have been the most productive, with soft-hackle action starting to heat up as well. More trout are falling for terrestrials - grasshoppers, ants and beetles - and it will only get better as summer continues. Some favorite terrestrial patterns are the Club Sandwich, the Grand Hopper, the Charlie Boy Hopper, Chernobyl Ant and Rainy's Ant in black and cinnamon.

Kings River: Kings River Outfitters said floating conditions have greatly improved with the recent rainfall. Many anglers can drag a canoe upstream, and then float back down. These "Lewis and Clark" trips have produced the most fish because you're not covering as great a distance and can spend more time fishing. Hula grubs in black/brown and watermelon/red flake are the best bottom lures. Any top-water lure worked in the shade will produce a few bass. Sunfish are biting crickets and small crankbaits. Catfish can be taken on chicken livers or night crawlers.

Buffalo River: Ozark Outfitters said the river is running low and has a stain to the water. Bream fishing is good on nightcrawlers fished 4- to 6-feet deep. Smallmouth bass are biting in the evenings on top-water lures and small buzzbaits like the Booyah Pond Magic Buzzbait. Catfish are biting well on chicken livers and nightcrawlers at night.

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

Lake Charles: Powhatan Landing said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream fishing is good on crickets. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows. Bass fishing is picking up. Catfish are biting on stinkbait, nightcrawlers and rice slicks.

Black River: Powhatan Landing said the river is low. Bass fishing is fair at best. Catfish are biting well on sunnies and rice slicks.

Spring River: Many Islands Camp said the river is clear. Trout fishing has been good on bright-colored Power Bait.

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS

Lake Chicot: Koenig's Bass Tracker Marine said the bream are biting tiny tube jigs fished near the stumps, but most of the activity is early or late in the day.

Grand Lake: Koenig's Bass Tracker Marine said crappie are fair on jigs tipped with small minnows.

Arkansas River: Sanders Pawn and Bait said catfishing is fair on rice slicks.

Lake Monticello: Outdoor Super Store said bream have been biting well around 7-feet deep early in the morning. The best action has been on crickets.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

Millwood Lake: Millwood Lake Guide Service said the lake is about 3 inches above normal pool with a discharge at the dam of 777 cubic feet per second. The water temperature is staying in the mid- to high-80s. Largemouth bass are best early and late on Bass Assassin Shads in salt and pepper, rainbow trout and baby bass colors, Johnson gold spoons with Spilt-Milk white grub trailers. Firecracker-colored War Eagle spinnerbaits are taking some nice largemouths in the pad edges, grass lines and vegetation, close to deep drops along Little River. The overall patterns are relatively unchanged over the last few weeks. A 12.9-pound largemouth was caught and released in Mud Lake next to the river last week. Crankbaits like Excalibur Fat Free Shads, Cordell Big O's, and Bandit 400's, in shad patterns, white, or river craw (brown back/orange belly) fished slowly, are still working along the vegetation and lily pad lines in 10 to 14 feet of water in Little River. Slow down your retrieves to entice a big bite. Berkley Power Worms in blue fleck, Lizards, Brush Hogs and Hawg Assassins, in blue flash, cotton candy, or blackberry are working next to stumps and the creek mouths dumping into Little River. Swimming white jigs with pearl Zoom plastic chunks or Spilt Milk grubs on leadhead jigs in 9 to 12 feet along the river is catching nice bass. Crappie fishermen on the lake this week were catching average-sized crappie on live shiners or smoke-colored grubs in contact with planted brush piles from 10- to 14-feet deep. The best bite is before 10 a.m., and very few Crappie fishermen out after then. Catfish are fair on prepared blood bait and Catfish Charlie on yo-yos under cypress trees between Jack's Isle and Pugh Slough; the best bite is at night. White bass are still trying to school up on Little River between the mouth of Cossatot River inflow and Patterson Shoals. They are hitting Chuck-n-Spins, ¼-ounce white or chrome/black Rat-L-Traps and white Rocket Shads, small Roostertails in chrome/red, or Cordell Crazy Shads in chrome/black back. Most schooling activity is after 3 p.m.

Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine said conditions haven't changed much from last week. Crappie are biting fair in 10 to 12 feet of water on shiners and silver crankbaits. Bas fishing is good in 6 to 8 feet of water on tequila sunrise and Junebug colored soft-plastics. Bream are good in 3 to 4 feet on crickets and red wigglers. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers fished in 5 to 6 feet of water.

Lake Erling: Steve's Marine said conditions haven't changed much from last week. The lake is low and fishing is extremely slow. Catfish are fair on chicken livers. Some bass are being caught on larger-size soft-plastics.

White Oak Lake: Charlie's One Stop said the lake is clear and at normal levels. Crappie fishing is excellent on minnows and jigs fished near the shallow brush piles. Bass fishing is good on soft-plastic worms fished in the brush.

Lake Greeson: Lakeside Grocery, Motel/Bait Shop said the water is dropping. Bream fishing is poor, with a few fish being caught on crickets in 5 to 8 feet of water. Bass are schooling early and late in the day and are being caught on crankbaits and top-water lures during the feeding frenzy. Catfishing is fair on minnows and chicken livers. Brady Epperson Guide Service said Black bass are hitting plastic worms and crawfish in 10 to 20 feet of water. Crappie are in 15 to 25 feet hitting minnows and jigs. Stripers and whites are in small schools around sunrise. They are hitting spoons, swim baits and top-water lures. Catfish are hitting live bait and stink bait 10- to 25-feet deep. Bream are hitting crickets and worms in 6 to 15 feet of water.

DeGray Lake: Point Cedar Bait Shop said the lake is murky and low. Bream fishing has been good on worms and crickets. Bass are biting well early in the morning, with a few small schools showing up near the dam right before sunup. Catfishing is fair. DeGray Lake Resort Marina said hybrids are good in the deep water around the middle of the lake on live shad. DeGray One Stop said the lake is clear and still falling. Bream are holding on deep weed edges in 25 to 35 feet of water. Crappie fishing has been good at night on minnows suspended around channel bends and rocky points. Bass are fair on floating worms, spinnerbaits and top-water lures fished around the moss beds. Catfish are fair on live bait in 8 to 18 feet of water. Hybrids and white bass are schooling early and late and are being caught on Rooster Tails, spoons and Near Nothings.

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said the lake is clear and low. Catfish are hot on worms and cut shad drifted over drops to the main river channel. Bream are bedding up and are biting well on crickets. Crappie fishing is fair from 15 to 16 feet of water on minnows. Bass fishing is slow. Cross Creek said the lake is low. Bream are biting well from 3- to 5-feet deep on crickets. Bass fishing is fair on crankbaits and a jig-and-pig combo flipped to isolated structure. Catfishing is good on blood bait, stinkbait and live bait.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the river is clear and low. Bream are biting well in 6 to 8 feet of water on red worms and crickets. Trollers are picking up some crappie in 20 feet of water. Bass fishermen report the bite is fair on top-water lures early in the morning then dropping to deep ledges during the day. Catfish are fair on worms and chicken livers.

Lake Ouachita: Mountain Harbor Resort said the lake level is at 570.41 and the water temperature is ranging from 88 to 92 degrees during the day. Largemouth bass are still slow to fair early and late. These fish can still be caught with Texas-rigged Zoom Old Monsters, U-tails and Speed Worms. The best colors are still strawberry, watermelon/red flake and red bug. The top-water action is slowing but still fair with prop baits, stick baits and white Rooster Tails. Try main lake points and large bay pockets near creek channels for best results in 12 to 20 feet of water. Walleye are still slow with reports of these fish being caught on main lake points in brush piles. Silver spoons, 3-inch grubs or silver Rat-L-Traps are the most effective. Try water 10- to 25-feet deep. Stripers are still good on live bait or hair jigs. The eastern end of the lake has been producing the best quantities of fish. Areas around Brady Mountain, Spillway and Yorktown Bay are still the best early and late. Bream are very good on crickets or worms from 12 to 20 feet of water. Crappie are still fair 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 15- to 35-feet deep. The best colors are white, silver, lemon meringue and Tennessee shad. Catfish are still good and still being caught on live bait, hot dogs or cut bait in water depths from 10- to 20-feet deep. Cross Creek said bream fishing is good on crickets and red wigglers from 12- to 20-feet deep in the main coves. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows, feather jigs and 2-inch grubs fished 15- to 20-feet deep around the edges of the moss. Bass are fair in the mornings on top-water lures. Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the lake is clear and dropping. Bream fishing is good in 5- to 6-feet deep on worms and crickets. Bass fishing is good in the early mornings on top-water lures fished out from the bank to 15-feet deep. Later in the day and at night, a Texas-rigged worm is producing in the same areas. Catfish are biting well around 15-feet deep on the points from major feeder creeks. Walleye are biting well on spoons fished 25-feet deep in the main lake.

Lake Catherine: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the water is clear. Bream are biting well around 5-feet deep on crickets and worms. Crappie fishing has taken a turn for the worse. Bass fishing has been good on Texas-rigged worms fished on ledges and brush piles topping off at 10-feet deep. Catfishing is good on minnows fished in the major creeks around 10-feet deep. Lake Catherine State Park said the bream fishing is good on nightcrawlers, red worms and crickets. Bass are breaking in the early morning around the main channel.

Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the water is clear and at a normal level. Bream fishing is good on worms and crickets fished in 5 feet of water. Bass fishing is improving, with some fish being caught on Texas-rigged worms in 10 feet of water. Catfishing is good on minnows fished 10-feet deep in the major creeks.

Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream fishing is good out to 6-feet deep on crickets. Crappie fishing is good around 8- to 10-feet deep on live minnows under a slip-cork rig. Bass fishing is fair around structure in 10 feet of water. Catfishing is poor.

Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the lake is low with normal clarity. Bream are excellent on crickets and worms around 3-feet deep. Bass are excellent on soft plastics fished in brush from 6- to 7-feet deep. Catfishing is good on chicken livers and minnows.

Lake Nimrod: Lake Nimrod Bait 'n' More II said the lake is at 343.48 feet. Crappie are hitting well on minnows, Bandit crankbaits and pink-and-white jigs around 18- to 22-feet deep. Bream are hitting well on crickets and worms around structure near the first drop to deep water. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers, turkey livers and stinkbait. Bass fishing is improving on spinnerbaits and soft-plastic worms.

Arkansas River: Cross Creek said striper fishing is picking up even more around Locks 8 and 9 on the tailwater side of the dam. Spoons and live bait fished on the bottom are producing a quite a few fish. Largemouth bass are fair on the channel drops on Carolina-rigged worms and tube lures. Catfish are good at night, drifting live shad in the main channel. Tackle Box said the water is clear. Bream fishing is good on crickets fished around the overhangs. Crappie fishing is poor. Bass fishing is good on deep-running crankbaits fished from 10- to 15-feet deep. Catfish are good on trotlines baited with goldfish.

SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Felsenthal: Benson's Grocery and Bait said bream fishing is good on crickets. All other species are slow.

Saline River: Sanders Pawn and Bait said the water is dark and low. Bream, crappie and bass are poor. Catfish are fair using rice slicks and large minnows.

Cox Creek Lake: Sanders Pawn and Bait said the lake is low and the water is murky. Fishing has been poor for all species.

EAST ARKANSAS:

Old Town Lake: Old Town Fish Camp said the lake is low and the water is clear. Bream are biting on wax worms and crickets around the cypress trees. Bass are fair on buzzbaits and top-water lures fished next to the bank. Catfish are good on trotlines baited with minnows and set in 12 feet of water. Crappie are fair around cypress trees.

Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): River City Sporting Goods said the river is clear and the fishing is slow. Bass are fair from 5 to 7 feet of water on crankbaits and soft-plastic worms. Catfish are fair on cut bait fished around 40-feet deep in the main channel. The Tackle Box said bream fishing is still going strong in the shallows, around 6-inches deep, on red worms and crickets. Crappie fishing is poor, but a few have been caught around 14-feet deep on minnows. Catfish are good on cut shad and worms fished on the bottom.

Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said the water is low and clear. Bream fishing has really picked up and is as hot as it has been all year. The bream are in 1 to 2 feet of water and are going for crickets and red worms. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows and jigs fished 4- to 6-feet deep. Bass fishing is fair 1- to 6-feet deep on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is excellent on worms and stinkbait.

Midway Lake: Ed's Boat Camp said the lake is clear and low. Bream fishing is fair on crickets 1- to 2-feet deep. Bass fishing is good on spinnerbaits fished near the cypress trees in 1 to 2 feet of water. Catfish are good on any kind of live bait.

Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are fair on the bank on red wigglers and crickets. Crappie fishing is fair around 14-feet deep on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is fair on noodles and jugs baited with live shad. Six Rivers Sport Center said bream fishing is good from the bank and from boats in 5 feet of water on crickets and red wigglers. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs trolled in 13 to 15 feet of water. Bass fishing is fair in the evenings and late at night on buzzbaits. Catfishing is fair.

Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well in the shallows on crickets around the cypress trees. Crappie are biting well around 10-feet deep on minnows and black-and-chartreuse or black-and-white jigs fished near the piers. Bass are good early in the morning on soft-plastic worms fished in the shallows. Catfishing is excellent on stinkbait, and cut bait on yo-yos hung around cypress trees.

White River Refuge Lakes: Ed's Bait Shop said the water is low and fishing is poor for all species except catfish. The cats are good on stinkbait.

Click Here To Return To The Previous Page