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 August 24, 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.

Rattlin' Rogue - When the bass are not on the feed, sometimes it takes a reaction bait to get the strikes you want. That's when jerkbaits like the Rattlin' Rogue really shine. Lethargic bass will not chase a crankbait very far, and soft-plastics dangled in front of their face may go ignored, but the fast flash of a Rogue, followed by a long pause, is often enough to draw a strike. To fish a jerkbait, just cast it out, reel it down to the strike zone, then alternate cranking and pausing with your rod tip pointed at the lure and a little slack in the line. The slack will make the lure dart erratically, just like an injured baitfish. The best times to fish the jerkbait are during the colder months of the year when the fish are sluggish and during the heat of the day in the summer when bass are looking for a big, easy meal.

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 generators are running in the afternoons, but there's plenty of low water in the mornings. Trout are biting well on wax worms, Power Bait and corn drifted in the current. Fishermen are also doing well on marabou jigs, Trout Magnets and small crankbaits like Shad Raps and Rogues.

Greers Ferry: Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level at Greers Ferry is 454.38. The hybrid and white bass continue to school all over the lake at times and can be caught in Cove Creek, the humps east of Shiloh, the rock piles in Salt Creek on the south end and on the north end at the old bridge out in front of the swimming area at Choctaw. Black bass have moved a little shallower with the cooler nights, but the most are still being caught around 25-to 40-feet deep with the Kentuckies deeper at 50 to 65 feet. The catfishing is still excellent all over the lake. The crappie have moved shallow also and can be caught as shallow as 8-feet deep over brush piles and suspended on bluffs and standing timber. Shiloh Marina said the lake is low. Walleye are biting nightcrawlers slowly drifted over the flats. Crappie are fair on minnows fished 30- to 32-feet deep. Kentucky bass are biting on crawfish and crawfish-imitations in 18 to 22 feet of water. Hybrids and white bass are still schooling across the lake.

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the water is murky and a little low. Bream fishing is good in 3 to 4 feet of water. Bass fishing is good in the daytime on the stumps using spinnerbaits and worms. Early in the morning, the weed beds are holding most of the fish.

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the lake is low and the water is stained. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets in the weed lines of the coves. Crappie are biting fair, but are deep and going for minnows only. Catfish are fair on trotlines fished through the night.

Cadron Creek: Wooster Grocery said the bream are biting well on worms and crickets fished underneath a cork. Bass fishing is poor, but a few have been caught on soft-plastic worms.

Beaverfork Lake: Wooster Grocery said bream fishing is good on worms and crickets. Bass fishing is slow.

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 hot weather is keeping the fishing slow and the anglers off the water.

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 biting well. The fish are holding in deeper water, out to 25-feet deep, but should be coming up to the shallows soon. During the day, try Carolina rigs and drop-shotted soft plastics. Kentucky bass are being caught 20- to 25-feet deep on 3-inch pumpkin grubs and tubes. White bass are schooling from the marina east to Three-fingers Cove. There are also some reports of schooling fish around Jim's Island. Catfish are biting well on large minnows and prepared baits in 25 feet of water. Crappie fishing is fair around 18-feet deep on small, 1/32-ounce jigs and crappie minnows. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms. The larger bream are holding around 20-feet deep.

Big Maumelle Creek: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said crappie, white bass and stripers are being caught on live minnows fished underneath popping corks below the hydro plant.

Murray Lock and Dam: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said stripers are biting early in the morning on chartreuse Mann's Twistertail grubs. Catfishing is fair to good on rice slicks and shad.

Arkansas River: Charley's Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said the flow from Lock 9 is 17,000 cubic feet per second with a headwater of 285.65 and a tailwater of 265.85. Catfishing is still excellent drifting live shad and bream in the main channel early and late in the day. White bass are coming on strong on the backside of the jetties. Fishermen are using 3-inch Sassy Shads in pearl and shad colors to catch their share of the whites. Stripers are mixed in with the white bass and also on the tips of the jetties. Try dropping a spoon to the stripers underneath the schools of whites. Kentucky bass are holding on the rocks and riprap around 6- to 10-feet deep. Try using crawfish-colored tubes or slow-rolling a spinnerbait with brown and orange on the skirt and blade. Largemouths are best early in the morning underneath the overhangs on Buzzing Toads or Jitterbugs in black. Bream are in the grass and are biting well on crickets and black Rooster Tails. Crappie are fair in Point Remove Creek and Flagg Lake on minnows fished over wood structure in 5 to 15 feet of water.

Arkansas River (Little Rock area): Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said catfishing is good on rice slicks and cut bait drifted in the channel.

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

Bradford Lake: Shirley's Bait said the weather has kept the anglers away from the lake.

White River: Shirley's Bait said the river is low. Catfishing is about the only thing going right now on the White. Worms, jumbo bass minnows, nightcrawlers and Docs bait are working well on the cats.

Pickthorne Lake: Outdoor Super Store said the hot weather has kept fishermen off the lake for the last few weeks. Hatchet Jack's said bass are biting well on top-water stick baits and Flukes early and late in the day. Catfish are biting well in the channel and on the levee on chicken livers, nightcrawlers and catalpa worms.

Sunset Lake: Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports said the lake is low. Bream fishing is fair on crickets. Bass fishing is good in the early morning and late evening on top-water lures. Catfishing is fair at night on blood bait and stinkbait.

Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports said the river is low and clear. Bream fishing is fair along the bank to the first drop off. Bass fishing is good on small crankbaits and small plastic worms.

NORTH ARKANSAS:

White River: Gaston's White River Resort said the river is running clear and low with two to six generators running by 1 p.m. Trout fishing has been good on Rapala Countdowns in gold or silver. In the mornings, try drifting red worms, nightcrawlers or Power Eggs in yellow or white. Fly-fishermen are also doing well on olive Woolly Buggers and gray sow bugs. Wilderness Trail said Fishing for trout on the White River has been good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow, pink and orange, Berkley Nuggets in orange and Belgian red worms. Fly fishermen did well on olive Woolly Buggers, Zebra midges, soft hackles, and olive scuds and sow bugs.

North Fork River: McLellan's Fly Shop said 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. During high-water conditions, streamer fishing has been excellent from a boat (especially on overcast days). Many trout are being hooked on terrestrials - grasshoppers, ants and beetles - and it will only get better as summer continues.

Bull Shoals Lake: Wilderness Trail said daytime temperatures are still running in the upper 90's with upper 70's at night. The lake temperature went up this week and is now at 90 degrees. The lake level is 649.38, almost 5 feet below normal pool. The thermocline remains steady at 31 feet throughout the lake. White bass were active this week, pushing shad up onto pea rock banks an hour before sundown. Small white grubs on a 1/8-ounce jighead have been hot around Brown's Beach. Catfish are doing well at night on jugs and trotlines. The best baits are frozen shad, chicken liver and nightcrawlers. Crappie were slow last week and are suspended or sitting on the bottom in the thermocline. Crappie minnows fished on a slip bobber are your best bet. For the sunfish anglers now is a good time to fish docks or pole trees along the bluffs. Sunfish are deeper than the crappie by a few feet and the best baits are crickets, red worms and Berkley Maggots. Largemouth bass are biting on the surface in the first hours of the morning. Try buzzbaits, Zara Spooks or Chug Bugs. Carolina rigs with Zoom Trick Worms, Brush Hogs or lizards work the best during the heat of the day around deep brush piles. Smallmouths are staying down in the thermocline. Spider Jigs, tubes and Hula Grubs are the key baits for bottom feeders and drop-shot rigs with 4" finesse worms or Swimming Minnows are working well on the suspended fish. Live-bait anglers are catching a few on shiners and leeches drifting through concentrations of shad. Kentucky bass are deep under the shad, suspended in the 40-foot range. Drop-shotted soft plastics and spoons are the best techniques at this time. Look in the deep pockets at the end of the cliff walls and over the drop offs on the main lake flats for schools of shad with Kentuckies under them. Walleye remain active during the afternoon heat. Bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses and leech harnesses are working great pulled at about 0.6 to 0.8 mph in 30 to 31 feet of water. Long liners are trolling with Reef Runners, Rapala Glass Shads and Wally Divers on lead core to catch a few. Sugar Loaf Harbor said the water temperature is 86 degrees on the surface. Crappie are biting well on minnows fished in the timber 27- to 35-feet deep. A few walleye are being caught around 27-feet deep on the flats.

Lake Norfork: Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is clear and about 15 feet low. Bluegill are excellent on red worms, wax worms and crickets. Crappie are fair at night on crappie minnows and jigs suspended under a fishing light in 25 to 35 feet of water. Largemouth and Kentucky bass are biting well at night and in the early mornings on spinnerbaits and top-waters worked quickly over 25 feet of water. Stripers are biting well in the mornings on spoons and umbrella rigs trolled in 30 feet of water. The striper bite is lasting until 11 a.m. on most days. Catfishing is good on trotlines baited with nightcrawlers, chicken livers or shad sides.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Beaver Lake: Southtown Sporting Goods said the water is low and clear. Bream fishing is fair on crickets fished just off the bluff walls. White bass are coming to the top in the late evening and are biting 2-inch Twistertail grubs. Largemouths are fair at night on soft-plastic worms and large-bladed spinnerbaits like the Booyah Moon Talker fished through the brush in 15 to 25 feet of water. Catfishing is good at night on limblines baited with live bait. Beaver Dam store said Beaver Lake is around 1111 feet and continuing to fall. Fishing is tough at best, but some nighttime or predawn fishing might put a fish on the bite. Deep-running crankbaits in watermelon, plastic worms or nightcrawlers fished around the 20- to 25-foot mark might put a fish in the boat.

Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock said the water level is normal. Bream fishing is fair on crickets in 5 to 10 feet of water. All other species are slow.

Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the lake is clear and at a normal level. Bream are biting well around 4- to 10-feet deep on worms and crickets fished in the stumps and brush piles. Bass fishing is good on buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and soft-plastics fished around the moss, stumps and rocks in 4 to 10 feet of water. Catfishing is poor. A few crappie are being caught on minnows and crappie jigs trolled in 4 to 10 feet of water.

Beaver Tailwaters: Beaver Dam Store said trout fishing has been decent. Early morning or evening angling with salmon eggs, combo colors of Power Bait and wax worms has caught some trout. The best fishing is around the dam area and first campground. Brown spinners, black micro jigs, and Colorado spoons are good artificial offerings. Fly anglers are reporting catches on brown Beadhead Woolly Buggers (size 10); olive Submarine Soft Hackles (size 16); and olive Lightning Bugs (size 16). Lower river levels and spooky trout demand longer, finer leaders, good drifts and quiet wading.

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

Lake Hogue: AGFC Creel Surveys indicate the tilapia are growing well and being caught throughout the lake, but it is a matter of finding the fish. Fishermen report catching as many as 50 tilapia per boat one day and five fish the next. Almost all the tilapia caught have been in the ¾-pound range and up, and nearly all of them have been caught on red worms or nightcrawlers.

Lake Charles: Powhatan Landing said fishing has been fair for bream, crappie and catfish the past week. Bream are biting crickets in the shallows, while the crappie have moved deeper and are biting minnows.

Black River: Powhatan Landing said the river is running clear and low. Bass fishing is fair. Catfish are fair on Sonny's Stinkbait.

Spring River: Many Islands Camp said the river is low and the water is clear. Trout fishing is good on marshmallows and brightly colored Power Bait. Nightcrawlers are also taking a few trout.

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.

Lake Monticello: Outdoor Super Store said the lake is low and clear. Bream are biting fair in 7 feet of water on crickets. Bass fishing is fair in the early morning and lat evenings on top-water lures.

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

Arkansas River: Sanders Pawn and Bait said there have been no reports coming in of any good fishing.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

Millwood Lake: Millwood Lake Guide Service said the lake is 1.6 inches above normal pool with a discharge at the dam of 172 cubic feet per second. The water temperature ranges from 88 to 93 degrees. Largemouth bass are good to excellent and remain best early and late on Turbo Shads or Bass Assassin Shads in Bone Diamond, Salt and Pepper Silver Phantom, or Rainbow Trout colors this week. Twitch Assassins in lemon-lime and rainbow trout are working along the pad edges, as are Johnson gold or silver spoons with spilt-milk white grub trailers. The best fishing has been at night, early and late in the day. Bass are biting well on Pop R's in Chrome/black back, or Gold/black back with real feather tails and Cordell Crazy Shads in chrome/black. Soft-plastic rats and frogs like the Zoom Horny Toads and Scum Frogs are still taking a few good bass in back of pad fields, next to creek channel swings, and along edges of Little River. Smithwick Rouges in black back/orange belly and swimming jigs with pearl plastic chunks are catching some nice bass in 10 to 14 feet of water. Brush Hogs and lizards in blackberry, cherry seed, or blue flash colors are still taking some decent bass on stumps in the creek channels. Crappie remain best early in the mornings, on 1/8-ounce jigs with smoke- or cotton candy-colored grubs early. The best bite is 14- to 18-feet deep around planted brush piles. The catfish bite is best on Catfish Charlie, cottonseed cakes and cut shad under cypress trees between Jack's Isle and Mud Lake and on trotlines in Little River set at 12- to 15-feet deep.

Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine said bream are biting well on red wigglers in 3 to 4 feet of water. Crappie fishing is fair on gray and pink jigs from 10- to 12-feet deep. Largemouth bas are good in 6 to 8 feet of water. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers.

Lake Erling: Steve's Marine said the lake is low. Catfishing is fair on chicken livers. A few black bass have been caught at night on spinnerbaits with large, black blades.

White Oak Lake: Charlie's One Stop said the prolonged heat is keeping the fishermen off the lake. The lake is also starting to get low with the lack of rain in the area.

Lake Greeson: Lakeside Grocery, Motel/Bait Shop said the lake is seeing much less pressure because of the hot weather and high gas prices. Black bass are in 10 to 20 feet of water on brush piles. Iron Mountain Resort said Crappie are in 20 to 30 feet hitting minnows and jigs. Stripers and whites are surfacing mid-day and evenings and are hitting Spooks and spoons. Catfish are in 10 to 20 feet hitting minnows, crickets and stink bait. Bream are in 6 to 15 feet hitting crickets.

DeGray Lake: Point Cedar Bait Shop said the low water and heat are keeping most people inside. A few catfishermen are catching some fish trotlining at night. Iron Mountain Resort said hybrids and white bass are schooling early in the mornings and late in the afternoons around Arlie Moore and the mouths of Brushy and Yancey creeks. They are biting on spoons, Rooster Tails, and top-water lures. Largemouth and spotted bass are beginning to move deeper with the warming temperatures. Bass are being caught on Texas-rigged plastic worms in about 16 to 22 feet of water. Some are being caught on the surface, schooling early in the mornings and late in the afternoons. Bream are good on crickets and worms off points and shallow humps in 10 to 18 feet of water. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs in 12 to 18 feet of water on points and brush piles. Catfish are good in 15 to 18 feet of water on main lake points and rock piles.

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said the water is at normal level. Bream fishing is good in 3 feet of water on red worms and crickets. White bass and stripers are scattered on the river and are holding around 8-feet deep. Largemouth bass are fair on large, dark-colored worms fished around brush piles. Catfishing is good in the main lake on stinkbait, chicken liver and live bait. Some catfish are also being caught below the dam on live bait and cut shad. Cross Creek said bream are biting fair on crickets. Bass have been biting well on Reaction Innovations Sweet Beavers and other creature baits. Catfishing has been good on live bait and cut shad.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said fishing reports have been slow because of the heat.

Lake Ouachita: Cross Creek said the bream are biting well in around 6 feet of water on crickets and worms. Crappie are fair on Bandit crankbaits in Tennessee shad colors. Bass have been biting well on Reaction Innovations Sweet Beavers and other creature-type baits. Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the water is clear and low. Moss has matted up in the guts of all the shallow pockets of the lake. Bream fishing is good on worms and crickets fished 10-feet deep. Black bass are biting well on Zara Spooks and other top-water lures in the early hours of the day. Stripers are biting live bait around 20-feet deep in the mornings. Walleye are holding in 25 to 35 feet of water and are hitting heavy jigging spoons worked just outside of the brush piles.

Lake Catherine: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the lake is clear and low with a lot of vegetation appearing in the shallows. Bream are biting well on red wigglers and crickets fished near the bottom in 25 feet of water. Bass are biting well in the early morning on top-water lures like Zara Spooks and Flukes in the early hours of the morning. Walleye are biting well around the brush piles near the current breaks. Lake Catherine State Park said fish are breaking on the state park end of the lake. Crappie fishing is good around the brush piles near the main river. Bream fishing is good on worms and crickets fished in 3 to 6 feet of water near the bank.

Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the lake is clear. Bream fishing is good in 6 to 7 feet of water on red worms and crickets. Bass have been biting in the mornings on top-water lures and soft-plastics. Stripers are biting well on live bait.

Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said the water is clear. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows and jigs in 10 to 15 feet of water. Bass fishing is excellent on soft-plastics, minnows and top-water lures fished near the brush. Catfishing is good on trotlines baited with live bait.

Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said bream fishing is excellent on crickets. Catfishing is good.

Lake Nimrod: Lake Nimrod Bait 'n' More II said bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Bass are biting well early and late in the day on plastic worms. Catfishing has been great on minnows and stinkbait. Yo-yos baited with goldfish and large minnows are catching some good cats as well.

Arkansas River: Cross Creek said Crappie are biting live minnows. White bass are in the shallows in the late evenings and a few are hitting Jitterbugs walked slowly across the surface. Catfishing is good in the main channel. Try drift-fishing live bream. Tackle Box said the river is at normal levels, but the fishing is a little slow. Crappie are fair in 10 to 12 feet of water on minnows. Bass have been biting deep-running crankbaits on the drops and brush piles. Catfishing is picking up on cut shad and Danny King Punch Bait below the dam.

SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Felsenthal: Benson's Grocery and Bait said bream and bass fishing are good. All other species are slow. The hot weather is still keeping anglers off the water.

Saline River: Sanders Pawn and Bait said fishing has been slow for all species.

Cox Creek Lake: Sanders Pawn and Bait said fishing has been slow for all species.

EAST ARKANSAS:

Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): River City Sporting Goods said there hasn't been much flow on the river lately, and the fish have shut off.

Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said the lake is clear and low. Bream fishing is excellent in 11/2 to 2 feet of water. Red worms and crickets are catching some fish, and popping bugs with a Bream Killer suspended underneath are also working well for warm-water fly-fishers. Crappie fishing is poor, but a few have been caught in 5 to 6 feet of water on minnows. Bass fishing is fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits in 11/2 to 6 feet of water. Catfishing is fair on worms and stinkbait in the deep holes and the gut of the river.

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 water temperature is 96 degrees on the surface. Bream are biting well on red worms, crickets and small soft plastics. Crappie fishing is good in 12 to 14 feet of water on jigs and minnows. A few catfish are being caught on cut bait. Six Rivers Sport Center said the lake is at normal pool and clarity. Bream are in the shallows and are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on crankbaits and jigs trolled 14-feet deep. Catfishermen are doing well jugging with live bait.

Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the heat has kept most anglers off the water except during the mornings and evenings. Bream fishing is good on crickets fished near the cypress trees. Crappie fishing is slow, but some slabs are being pulled from the piers around 10-feet deep on black-and-white and black-and-chartreuse jigs and minnows. Bass fishing is good around the lily pads and cypress trees on buzzbaits and Scum Frogs. Catfishing is really good on yo-yos baited with shrimp or nightcrawlers hung from the cypress trees.

White River Refuge Lakes: Ed's Bait Shop said there's no report this week as fishing activity has been slow.

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