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 Dec. 7, 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: Although many fishermen buy their marker buoys from fishing and marine stores, they are easy to make. Just cut a pool "noodle" into small, 10-inch pieces and tie a 50-foot length of nylon string and an 8-ounce waterfowl decoy weight to each piece. Besides being much cheaper than commercial fishing markers, homemade "noodle" markers won't attract as much attention from other anglers as they go by.

Statewide Urban Trout Fishing Report: Trout were stocked in Lake Atalanta in Rogers and Murphy Lake in Springdale last month. Fishing has been good, with most anglers catching fish on chartreuse or orange PowerBait, or by using small artificials such as 1/16-ounce jigs and Rooster Tails. The West Memphis Park Pond, located in the Tilden Rogers Sports Complex, was stocked last weekend with trout for the second annual trout kick-off. Trout are biting well on 1/16-ounce jigs with a white grub, but 1/8-ounce Rooster Tails in white or purple-and-white with a silver blade also caught fish. PowerBait should be a good bet this week, as the stocked trout get hungrier. Russellville's Pleasant View Park Pond will be stocked with trout Saturday, Dec. 10. Only children under 16 will be able to fish in this pond from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on Saturday during the trout derby, but the general public may fish in the pond after 12 p.m. on Saturday through the rest of the stocking season. Little Rock city park ponds (MacArthur Park, War Memorial Park Youth and Senior's Pond, Kiwanis Park, Otter Creek Park, Boyle Park, and Rock Creek), Regional Park Youth and Senior's pond in Pine Bluff, Cabot Community pond, Sherwood Community pond, Lake Valencia, Ft. Roots pond in North Little Rock, and Little Rock Air Force Base pond will be stocked with trout Saturday, Dec. 17. These ponds will be stocked regularly through March.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS:

Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the lake is clearing up (for Conway) and at normal pool. Bream are fair on nightcrawlers. Crappie fishing has been fair on minnows and jigs in the deepest parts of the creeks. Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said the crappie are biting well in Gold Creek.

Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said the river is running clear and at normal levels. Generation is still very low, with one unit running a couple of times a week. Trout fishing has been good on wax worms and marshmallows and chartreuse-and-pink Power Eggs. Spin fishermen are doing well on olive and brown marabou jigs. Fly-fishing has been good on egg patterns and red-and-copper brassies.

Greers Ferry: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 451.60 feet MSL. Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service <http://greersferry.com/fishfinder> said the surface water temperature is 52 to 55 degrees. Largemouths bass can be caught with crankbaits and spinner baits on steep chunk rock banks on sunny afternoons and out deeper on tubes and spider jigs on cloudy days. Kentuckies and smallmouth are still in about 20 feet of water on secondary points and bluff banks and can be caught with Carolina rigs with a 5-inch lizard. A 4-inch Rite Bite Cinko rigged on a jighead with the hook exposed is also catching quite a few suspended fish. The crappie are still biting pretty well in 15 to 20 feet of water on live bait. Plenty of shad are present around the pole timber in the creeks, and the crappie are feeding on them. The hybrids and whites have followed the shad up the creeks as well. When you find the bait, you can catch them on jigging spoons, in-line spinners and swim baits. The swim bait bite will continue to get better as the winter goes on and the shad grow larger. The walleye are biting fair, and it should get better with the new front.

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the lake is low and clear. Crappie fishing is good in 3 feet of water on pink minnows and jigs fished around the brush piles in the coves. Bass fishing is good on spinnerbaits around the rocks near the dam.

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the lake is clear and low. Bream are biting fair on small jigs and crickets fished around brush in the shallows. Crappie are beginning to come into the bank and around the pier. Anglers have done well on minnows and jigs in 4 feet of water.

Toad Suck Lock and Dam: Bates Field and Stream said striper fishing has been good on white bucktail jigs.

Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the river is at normal level and the water has normal clarity. Bream are biting well in 1 to 4 feet of water on crickets or red worms. Crappie fishing is good on minnows, tube jigs and marabou jigs in 3 to 8 feet of water. Bass fishing is fair on spinnerbaits and top-water lures fished over water 4 feet deep. Catfishing has been good lately.

Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger's Marina said black bass are biting well. Fish the channels and ledges topping out at 15 feet and dropping to 20 feet deep using drop-shotted soft plastics and jigging spoons. Kentucky bass are being caught in 15 to 20 feet of water in the same areas as the largemouths. They are biting the best on 3-inch pumpkin grubs, finesse worms and tubes. White bass are excellent. The whites are close to or in the channel at around 20 feet deep and are feeding on schools of shad. They have been breaking early to midday. Top-water baits and spoons have been deadly. Trolling with Shad Raps in 12 to 15 feet of water is also working well. Catfish are biting well in the channel about 20 feet deep. Canadian nightcrawlers, large minnows and prepared baits are all working well. The crappie are in about 15 to 20 feet of water and are being caught on small 1/32 jigs and pink crappie minnows, but action is very slow. Bream are slow, but a few are hitting on crickets and worms about 20 feet deep.

Arkansas River: Charley's Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said the flow from Lock 9 is 3,000 cubic feet per second with a headwater of 285.35 and a tailwater of 264.32. Catfish are in the deeper holes in the main part of the river and are biting well on whole shad. Stripers are biting well on the deeper drops and jetty tips. Live shad are working well in water 25 to 35 feet deep. Sauger fishing is good on speck rigs in chartreuse and red. Float fishing with live minnows along the jetty tips is also picking up a few saugers. Kentucky bass are biting well on spinnerbaits with double willow-leaf blades in silver and gold. Concentrate on the rocks that are being warmed by the sun. White bass are biting well on Heddon Sonars fished around the schools of shad close to the main channel.

Arkansas River (Little Rock area): Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said crappie are biting well on jigs fished in 21/2 to 3 feet of water along the rocks. Catfishing is good on large minnows, worms and chicken livers fished just outside of the main channel. The stripers are biting well on chartreuse jigs and minnows fished along the current breaks.

Lake Valencia: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said the lake is always a good bet from the many stockings it receives.

Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center said no water has been running lately. A few stripers have been biting on large bass minnows, but everything else has been slow.

Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center said the lake is at normal level and clear. Crappie fishing is good in 4 to 5 feet of water on minnows. All other species have been slow.

NORTH ARKANSAS:

White River: McLellan's Fly Shop said Generation has slacked off some this week, with one or two generators usually coming online in the early morning but only running for a couple hours, then shutting off for the rest of the day, providing plenty of wade fishing on the upper river from late morning on through the rest of the day. Wade fishing the upper river has been very productive with tan and olive McLellan's Hunchback Scuds and Woven Sow Bugs. Fishing high water out of a boat has also been very productive using large scuds, eggs, and San Juan Worms. Early winter is a great time to fish a streamer (even in low water); try to trigger a strike from the aggressive brown trout by swinging a streamer like the Zoo Cougar or Platte River Spider through a pool. Experiment with different retrieves until you start getting hits. Egg patterns are starting to hook several fish as more and more trout start their pre-spawn activities. Some of our favorite egg patterns are the Flashtail Mini Egg, the Unreal Egg, and the Micro Egg. For the health of the fishery, remember to leave actively spawning fish alone. Wilderness Trail said fishing for trout on the White River has been good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow and white. With generation the Buoyant Spoons, Colorado Spoons in gold, and Little Cleo's in gold are the lures of choice. Fly fishermen did well on olive woolly buggers, olive scuds and unreal eggs in peach and white. The brown trout are being caught on Smithwick Rattlin' Rogues, nightcrawlers and Rapala Countdowns.

North Fork River: McLellan's Fly Shop said Generation on the Norfork has been very sporadic lately, but it has slacked off some with the cooler temperatures, sometimes not even coming online during the daylight hours. The wade fishing has been very good lately, and fishing high water from a boat has been productive as well. Scuds, sow bugs, midges, and eggs in low water, and eggs, San Juan Worms, and big streamers like the Articulated Zoo Cougar in high water have been producing plenty of hook-ups. Egg patterns are starting to hook several fish as more and more trout start their pre-spawn activities. Some of our favorite egg patterns are the Flashtail Mini Egg, the Unreal Egg, and the Micro Egg. For the health of the fishery, remember to leave actively spawning fish alone, and avoid wading through their spawning redds (clean, oval depressions in the gravel). Norfork Trout Dock <http://www.norfork.com/troutdock/> said the river is crystal clear with moderate generation (four units running each day). Rainbow trout are good on wax worms, corn and salmon eggs. Brown trout are fair and are being taken on sculpin patterns, shad and shiners drift fished in the current.

Bull Shoals Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 646.19 feet MSL. Wilderness Trail said that with the cool temperatures not many people are fishing, but those that have gone out have caught fish. Lake temperatures range from 50 to 54 degrees, depending on what part of the lake you are fishing. The oxygen level and temperature are still about the same down to 80 feet. White Bass are showing up from time to time back in the pockets and cuts. They are spotty, but if you have a ½-ounce spoon in silver or white tied on and you happen upon them, you can catch some nice whites in the 1- to 3-pound range. Crappie are holding tight to brush piles in about 25 feet of water. The best baits are crappie minnows and Bink's Crappie Spoons. You will need to work in the brush pile very methodically for a reaction strike. Largemouth bass are either suspended in 15 to 25 feet of water or up on the banks, from the main lake points to the back of the cuts and pockets. Small crankbaits or spinnerbaits are your best bet in the windswept pockets. Smallmouth bass are still looking for crawdads and are in 25 to 35 feet on channel swings or points and anywhere large rocks are holding crawdads. The best baits are crankbaits and spider jigs or football-head jigs. Slow-rolling a spinnerbait will also get you a bite or two, especially if there are some shad in the area. Kentucky bass are also looking for crawdads but also are still with shad. The best bite is under the shad with spoons or a drop-shot rig. Check the cuts and pockets off the main lake for concentrations of Kentuckies or look for a flooded stand of trees. Walleye are still with the shad. If you can find the baitfish, you will find the walleye. Bottom bouncing with a leech or a crawler harness caught some walleye last week in the 2- to 4-pound range. The walleye have not started to stack up against the banks yet. They will be found in 20 to 50 feet of water. Trolling with a Deep Little Ripper in shad colors in 20 to 50 feet of water should produce a few strikes. Sugar Loaf Harbor said the lake is low. Crappie fishing is good in 20 feet of water on jigs and minnows in brush piles. Kentucky bass, smallmouths and largemouths are biting well on Zoom Horny Toads and 4-inch watermelonseed drop-shot worms.

Lake Norfork: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 540.62 feet MSL. Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is clear and low. Crappie fishing is fair, with the fish moving back to shallow brush piles. Minnows fished under a slip-bobber rig are working well. Bass are fair in the shallows on spinnerbaits and crankbaits during low-light hours. Once the sun is up, a football-head jig or jig-and-pig work well in 20 to 25 feet deep.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Beaver Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 1,106.51 feet MSL. Southtown Sporting Goods said the lake is low and clear. Crappie are biting well in 4 to 10 feet of water on minnows fished tight to the brush piles. Some anglers are reporting that you need to be so tight to the brush, you may get tangled up. Bass are fair to good around shallow, secondary points on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Stripers are biting well in the main lake on live shad. In the river arms, striper anglers are also doing well on spoons and Roadrunners.

Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the lake is clear and low. The rain didn't really help the lake level. Bream fishing is poor. Crappie are biting well about 4-feet deep on minnows and jigs. Some bass are being taken with spinnerbaits and jig-and-pigs about 4-feet deep. Catfish are biting well on goldfish and chicken liver.

Beaver Tailwaters: McLellan's Fly Shop said there has been very little generation over the past few weeks. If generators come online at all, it's usually between 3 and 5 p.m., providing plenty of wade-fishing opportunities. Of course, scuds and sow bugs as well as midge pupa patterns have been very productive; however, egg patterns are starting to hook several fish as more and more trout start their pre-spawn activities. Some of our favorite egg patterns are the Flashtail Mini Egg, the Unreal Egg, and the Micro Egg. For the health of the fishery, remember to leave actively spawning fish alone, and avoid wading through their spawning redds (clean, oval depressions in the gravel).

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

Lake Charles: Powhatan Landing said the crappie fishing has been good on a jig-and-minnow combination lately.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

Millwood Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 259.16 feet MSL. Millwood Lake Guide Service <http://www.millwoodguideservice.com/> said the water temperature ranges from 54 to 60 degrees and the discharge at the dam is 172 cubic feet per second. Largemouth Bass from 3 to 5 pounds have been biting well on War Eagle spinnerbaits in smoke-mouse or firecracker colors along the dying lily pad stems in Little River. Deep-diving crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps in white, chrome or shad patterns are taking some nice black bass and Kentuckies as well. Bass Assassin Shads are still taking some fair keepers in the dying lily pad stems and hydrilla and in pockets in the backs of the creeks. We have noticed the water temps are much warmer further up Little River than the main lake body. The Carolina-rig bite is picking up in the last few days, and the jig bite is beginning to improve. White bass are still randomly schooling in Little River above and below Ark. Hwy 71 bridge in Little River where the creek mouths dump into the river. Try Rat-L-Traps in chrome, Rocket Shads in white, Little Cleos and Rooster Tails where you see baitfish flicking the surface of the river. Kentucky bass are biting well on Rocket Shads, twitch worms, and small Rat-L-Traps around creek mouths and where they dump into Little River. Kentuckies are still stacked up in the mouths of Snake Creek and Hurricane Creek. Crappie are fair to good and have moved to slightly deeper drop-offs in Little River. They are suspended about 13 feet deep along Little River in brush piles and treetops. The best bite is on jigs in mid-morning. Catfish are fair on cut shad, chicken hearts, hot dogs and shiners 12 to 14 feet deep on trotlines and yo-yos.

White Oak Lake: Charlie's One Stop said the lake is low and the water clarity is fair. Crappie fishing is good around brush piles in 10 feet of water on crappie minnows. Bass fishing reports have been fair with most anglers going to a jig-and-pig.

Lake Greeson: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 535.18 feet MSL. Lakeside Grocery, Motel/Bait Shop said the lake is clear and still extremely low. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers fished underneath the docks in the marina that are in 15 feet of water. All other species are slow.

DeGray Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 396.65 feet MSL.

Little Missouri River: Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Flyfishing <http://www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com/> said the stocking has been in full swing along the public access points to the river. The cold weather makes neoprene a must for any trout angler wanting to wade right now. SWEPCO released their generation schedule and you can access it at their Web page <http://www.swepco.com/news/addResources/default.asp>. Typically there won't be any generation on weekends and only few hours during the weekdays, making for some excellent fishing. The low lake level may reduce the generation even more this winter.

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said the lake is low and clear. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs fished near the bridge pilings. The crappie seem to be holding near the base of the pilings, so fish deep. A few catfish have been pulled in on trotlines set towards the river turns. Mossy Point said crappie fishing is fair on live minnows from 4 to 6 feet of water. All other species have been slow.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the water was low and clear. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows and jigs fished right on the bottom along the deeper ledges. Striper fishing has been fair on minnows and jigs, with some stripers surfacing throughout the day.

Lake Ouachita: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 568.13 feet MSL. Mossy Point said the surface temperature ranges from 60 to 65 degrees. Crappie fishing has been good in 10 to 15 feet of water on live minnows and Twistertails. Bass are fair on finesse worms and spinnerbaits fished on the outside edge of the moss. Lake Ouachita State Park Marina said fishing has slowed with the passing fronts. The water is beginning to clear from recent storms. The water temp is between 57 and 59 degrees. Stripers have been caught in the mornings and afternoons and anglers have been catching them on top-water lures such as Heddon Spooks, spooning with CC spoons and trolling with Shad Raps. Bass fishing has been fair on traditional baits such as finesse worms and spinner baits. Top-water action for bass has been good in the mornings. The crappie have not moved in as expected, but a few have been caught on Kalin's grubs and crappie minnows. Anglers have reported the bream fishing as slow. There have been no reports of catfishing success. An occasional walleye has been caught spooning in 30 feet of water around submerged and standing timber. Trader Bill's Sport Shop said crappie fishing is good in 10-12 feet of water on the deep side of the moss line. Minnows and jigs are working the best. Stripers are breaking on top-water lures in the west end of the lake in the South Fork and the Ouachita River.

Lake Catherine: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the lake is at winter pool, about 5 feet below normal. Anglers are doing well on bass near the lower end of the lake, within sight of Remmel Dam. They are doing the best on crawfish-colored crankbaits.

Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the lake is at winter pool and will be there until February. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs near the exposed brush piles. Bass fishing is excellent in 7 to 10 feet of water on crawfish-colored crankbaits and jigs.

Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the lake is clear and low. Bream fishing is good on red worms fished about 5 feet deep along the banks. Crappie fishing is excellent on small tube jigs fished next to the boat ramp by the store in 4 feet of water. Bass fishing is fair on soft-plastic worms fished along the shoreline out to 6 feet of water. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers fished on slip-sinker rigs.

Lake Nimrod: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 341.49 feet MSL.

Arkansas River: Mossy Point said the river is murky. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs fished in 6 feet of water. Bass are biting decent along the banks in the main channel on a buzzbait in the evenings. Tackle Box said the river is low with fair clarity. Crappie fishing is fair in various depths from 12 to 22 feet of water. Minnows fished under a slip-bobber have been the most productive when fished near bridge pilings and brush piles. Bass fishing has been fair on spinnerbaits in 4 to 5 feet of water around dead weed beds. Catfishing is fair on cut shad below Ozark Dam.

EAST ARKANSAS:

Horseshoe Lake: Local angler Clyde Gregory said the lake is low right now. Bream are biting fair on red worms fished in 6 feet of water, just off the bottom. Crappie fishing is good in 6 feet of water on minnows and jigs in red-and-chartreuse and black-and-chartreuse around the piers. Bass are biting well in the cypress trees stretching out to deeper water on white spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers and cut bait suspended off of yo-yos.

Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The Tackle Box said the river is running low and clear. Crappie fishing is excellent in 3 to 10 feet of water on sandbars with rocks, stumps or brush around them. Minnows and small tube jigs are working the best. Bass from 6 to 18 inches are being caught on crankbaits and swim baits fished 20 to 30 feet off the banks. All other species have been slow.

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