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 Jan. 11, 2006. 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: If you find yourself out of minnows to tip jigs with during your fishing trip, here's a quick substitute. Cut out the triangle of flesh underneath a fish's jaw and tip your jig with it. This meat is tough enough to last many bites and wiggles enticingly to attract other fish and keep you fishing long after your minnow supply runs out.

Statewide Urban Fishing Report: Nearly all Family and Community Fishing Program ponds and Rock Creek were re-stocked with trout last week. Fishing is good and catch rates are high. Chartreuse and pink PowerBait are working very well. Marshmallows are also catching some fish. Rock Creek remains very low and clear, making trout spooky during the middle of the day. Freshly stocked fish have partly alleviated that problem, but the fish will become spooky again later this week if the water remains clear. Small spinners, Trout Magnets and PowerBait are catching most of the fish. Fly anglers are having some luck with black woolly buggers and small nymph patterns. Look for trout in some out-of-the-way pools and riffles to get away from the crowd. For the latest urban trout stocking information, call toll-free 1-866-540-FISH (3474) or check www.agfc.com. The following urban destinations are now stocked with trout: Lake Atalanta in Rogers, Murphy Lake in Springdale, West Memphis Park Pond, Pleasant View Park Pond in Russellville, Little Rock city park ponds (MacArthur Park, War Memorial Park Youth and Senior's, 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.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS:

Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the lake is low and the water is stained. Bream are biting fairly well on crickets and red worms fished around stumps and brush piles right next to the banks. Crappie fishing is good around Gold Creek on minnows and jigs in white-and-chartreuse, salt-n-pepper, and pink-and-white. Catfishing has been fair on stink bait and chicken livers.

Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said there has been little to no generation lately, and the river is fishing pretty well. Anglers are doing well on trout with a wax worm and marshmallow combination, chartreuse Power Eggs and nightcrawlers. Fly-fishing for spawning fish in the shoals is also producing some nice hookups. Fly anglers are doing best with egg patterns, sow bugs and brassies.

Greers Ferry: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 451.01 feet MSL. Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service <http://www.greersferry.com/members/fishfinder> said the water level came up to just a little over 10 feet low after the rain, but we still need more rain in a big way. The surface water temperature is around 48 to 50 degrees on warm days. The white bass and hybrids are still biting well in the mouths of creeks and following the shad around. Now's the time to watch for the birds and race to the fish. The feeding frenzy will stop suddenly, but they will be back at the same place the next morning. Spoons and swim baits are working the best, in about 50 feet of water. Black bass are biting spinnerbaits right against the bank when the sun is high. If it is cloudy and cold, go deeper with crankbaits and bigger spinnerbaits on chunk rock banks. Drop-shotted grubs and Carolina-rigged Baby Brush Hogs are working well in about 45 to 50 feet on main creek and river intersections. On some warm and windy days, you can do well on steep, windswept banks with Rat-L-Traps or Rattling Spots. You really have to slow down now that winter is here, but now is one of the best times to catch a big black bass. The crappie had been going pretty well, but no reports have come in this week. Keep trying the standing timber and brush piles in about 18 feet of water. The walleye disappeared with the last cold front, but look for the males to start heading upriver on the next warm up.

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the lake is low and clear. Crappie fishing is good with small minnows and pearl jigs with orange heads in the coves. Bass fishing has been poor, but a few bass are being caught around 10 feet deep on Rat-L-Traps and Cotton Cordell Rattling Spots. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers.

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the lake is very low and clear right now. Bream fishing is fair to good on wax worms, red worms and crickets. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs, but the bite is off-and-on. Catfishing has been slow.

Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the river is running clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting fair on red worms in 2 to 5 feet of water. Crappie fishing is fair in 13 to 18 feet of water on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is good on live and prepared baits fished right on the bottom in the main current.

Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger's Marina said the launch ramps at the marina were improved last week to accommodate the low water levels. Getting in and out of the lake is much easier now. Largemouth and Kentucky bass have been fair in 15 to 20 feet of water. The largemouths are biting well on drop-shotted soft plastics and spoons, while the Kentuckies are going for the usual pumpkin-colored grubs and tube lures. White bass are slow right now, but you can find a few in the main channels of the creeks and river in 15 to 20 feet of water. Crappie fishing is excellent in 15 to 20 feet of water on small 1/32-ounce jigs and pink crappie minnows. Catfishing is slow, but a few have been caught on Canadian nightcrawlers and chicken livers fished around 20 feet deep in the main channel.

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 285.59 and a tailwater of 263.64. Flathead cats are starting to show up on the rock bluffs in 20 to 40 feet of water. Live bream and shad ware working well on the flatheads. Blue cats are on the edges of the deeper holes and are biting well on stink bait or clam meat. Stripers are on the jetty tips and on the downstream side of the jetties. Large wobble spoons and bucktails are doing well on the striped bass. Kentuckies seem to be holding on the rocky bluffs around 10 to 15 feet deep. A firetiger crankbait is working well on the spotted bass. Sauger have moved up to the dam and are in the eddy swirls. A chartreuse Johnson Beetle Spin has been working excellently, with some sauger up to 3 pounds being caught. Crappie in Point Remove Creek and the Petit Jean River are biting fair around the wood on small jigs and minnows.

Pickthorne Lake: Outdoor Super Store said a few bass and crappie are being caught, but the fishing has been pretty slow.

Sunset Lake: Turbyfill's said the water is low and clear. Bass fishing has been fair on red crankbaits fished around 8 feet deep. No reports have come in for any other species.

Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill's said the water is low. Bass fishing is good in 4 to 6 feet of water on brown-and-orange jigs and Bomber crankbaits fished around the brush and rocks close to the channel.

Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center said the water level is low and there has been no flow lately. All species have scattered and fishing is slow.

Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center said the lake is low and the water is clear. Crappie fishing is fair on small number 4 or 6 minnows around stumps in 4 feet of water. 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. 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.

North Fork River: McLellan's Fly Shop said generation on the Norfork has slacked off considerably the last few days, 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. Norfork Trout Dock <http://www.norfork.com/troutdock/> said the water is clear and the generators are running a little in the mornings. Rainbow and brown trout are biting well. Most anglers are drifting in the mornings and anchoring in the afternoons. Bait anglers are doing the best on red worms and pink or yellow Power Bait. White jigs and shad are bringing in some nice browns when fished across the current. Bull Shoals Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 644.96 feet MSL. Sugar Loaf Harbor said the lake is low and the water clarity is fair. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs in 15 to 30 feet of water. The bass are holding just off the banks and are biting spinnerbaits well. Bass fishermen casting spinnerbaits up shallow also caught many walleye.

Lake Norfork: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 539.19 feet MSL. Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is very low and the water is clear. Crappie have been very shallow lately and are relating to brush piles and other woody structure. The best lures have been minnows and jigs tight lined right in the thickest cover you can find. Bass fishing is good with many bass suspending off the bluff walls. Now's the perfect time to try the float-and-fly on these suspended bass.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Beaver Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 1,105.5 feet MSL. Southtown Sporting Goods said the lake is low and clear. A few people are buying crickets to fish for bream but aren't having much luck. Crappie fishing as been good next to brush piles on the river arms using minnows and jigs. Bass fishing is good on vertically jigged spoons around the main lake and crankbaits upriver. Stripers are busting large shad and shiners all over the lake, but the surface activity has been limited.

Beaver Tailwaters: McLellan's Fly Shop said there has been very little generation during the last few days, providing plenty of wading opportunities. Of course, scuds and sow bugs as well as midge pupa patterns have been very productive; however, egg patterns are still hooking several fish as many trout continue their spawning 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 areas.

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS

Lake Chicot: Lake Chicot State Park said the bream fishing is good on red worms fished near the docks. No anglers are reporting success on any other species.

Lake Monticello: Outdoor Super Store said the lake is clear and at normal levels. Some really good crappie have been caught on minnows and jigs fished extremely deep. All other species are slow.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

Millwood Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 259.00 feet MSL. Millwood Lake Guide Service <http://www.millwoodguideservice.com/> said the surface water temperature ranges from 45 to 55 degrees. The water temperature is still much warmer further up Little River than on the main lake. Some of the oxbows, such as Mud Lake, McGuire Lake and Horseshoe were as warm as the upper 50s this week. The bass in these areas are much more aggressive than in the colder main lake. Largemouth bass are biting well on spinnerbaits, 7-inch Berkley Power Worms in tequila sunrise, or blue fleck, and Southern Pro Fattbutt tubes in smoke/black-and-red flake or purple smoke, along the pad stems in Little River. Pay particular attention to points. Largemouths are relating to the deeper drops in Little River, yet close to flats and creek channel mouths, where they are grouped up. On warm, sunny days, the bass run up shallow to grab a quick meal and retreat to the depths. During the heat of the day on sunny days many keepers are being caught in 2-3 feet of water in the lily pad stems and grass on Rat-L-Traps. Good areas are Pugh Slough, Hurricane Creek, White Cliffs, and Jack's Isle. Crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps in orange/brown craw or white shad patterns are still taking fair to good size black bass and Kentuckies between 2-3 pounds. The 7-9 foot depths of creek mouths around Snake Creek, Mud Lake and Hurricane Creeks in the last week seem to be holding the crankbait fish. Points on the main lake were yielding some nice 2-3 pound black bass along Little River using ¾-oz. Rat-L-Traps. The jig bite continues improving. Texas Craw or pumpkin/ watermelon rind jigs with Zoom black or green pumpkin chunk trailers continue working on big largemouths around stumps and timber. Crappie fishing is excellent, with many limits of huge slabs, coming in daily. Crappie are still around 15-19 feet deep along Little River. The best bite is on jigs in contact with planted brush piles and tops. Use caution running Little River as many crappie fishermen and boats are anchored along the channel during the heat of the day.

Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine said the water clarity is stained. Crappie fishing is good in the middle of the lake on white/chartreuse/tinsel jigs. Once you find one crappie, plenty more will be around. Bass are biting well on black spinnerbaits along the banks. Catfishing has been good on shiners and stink bait.

Lake Erling: Steve's Marine said the lake is low and the water is stained. Bream are biting fair on crickets in about 3 feet of water. Crappie are in the upper end of the lake in the creek channel and are biting well on white/chartreuse/tinsel jigs. Bass are biting well on black spinnerbaits during low-light hours. Catfishing has been good lately on stink bait and live shiners.

White Oak Lake: Charlie's One Stop said the lake is low and clear. Bream fishing has been good with some customers coming in with stringers they caught on red wigglers. Crappie fishing has been fair on minnows and jigs. A few bass have been picked up with the minnows as well. Catfishing has been good on trotlines baited with stink bait or chicken livers.

Lake Greeson: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 535.17 feet MSL. Lakeside Grocery, Motel/Bait Shop said the lake is extremely low. Bass fishing has been fair in 15 to 20 feet of water. Find a rocky point with some brush piles on it and slow-roll a spinnerbait through it or jig a tube above it for the best success. All other species have been slow. Use caution when navigating the lake, many humps are just under the surface that have not been marked with buoys.

DeGray Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 395.36 feet MSL. DeGray One Stop said the lake is still about 13 feet below normal and the water temperature is about 50 degrees. Bream have moved deep and very few fishermen are targeting them. Crappie fishing has been good on minnows and jigs around deep brush piles. Black bass are holding off the deep points and creek channels and are biting decent on jigs and soft plastics worked slowly. Hybrids and white bass have moved up the lake to Point Cedar and Yancey Creek. Most hybrid anglers are doing well trolling crankbaits and Rooster Tails around the mouths of the creeks and river. Iron Mountain Lodge Marina said hybrids have made their run up the lake. The latest reports on hybrids have come from the Lennox Marcus and Point Cedar areas. In many places, they are starting to school with the white bass. They are biting on spoons, Shad Raps, and gray hair jigs. Some have reported vertical fishing for hybrids with spoons in 25-40 feet near bends of creek and river channels. Bream are biting fairly well on worms and PowerBait off points and shallow humps in 20-25 feet of water. Crappie are good on minnows and tube jigs in 20-27 feet of water around brush piles and marina docks. The most successful jig colors have been red-and-white and black-and-green. Catfish are fair in 15-25 ft of water off main lake points and rock piles on live bait and different types of stink bait. More Catfish are suspended rather than on the bottom. Largemouth and spotted bass are good on DeGray. Although, winter bass fishing can be difficult, patience can produce great dividends. Many of the bass, especially Kentucky bass, gather up into schools. If you find one, normally there will be more. Most bass are deep and some are still being caught on the outside edge of the grass around 18-27 feet deep. Others are positioning themselves in the bends and turns of channels. Black-and-blue jigs and leadhead finesse worms have been successful when fishing the grass edges. Deep diving crank baits have also been good.

Little Missouri River: Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Flyfishing <http://www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com/> said the warm weather really has the trout confused. If it stays like this we'll have dry fly fishing on a regular basis two months before we should. Fish were already taking March Brown Emergers the last week of December. More rain is needed to fill the lake and the watershed below and get things back on track.

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said the lake is low and the water is clear. Crappie fishing is good in 4 to 8 feet of water on red-and-white jigs and minnows fished over brush piles. Slow-rolling a spinnerbait or working a suspending jerkbait will coax a few bass from the water. All other species are slow.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the water is low and fishing has been slow. Crappie are biting fair in 4 to 6 feet of water on minnows. Catfish are fair on live shad in the shallows near any rock piles. All other species are slow.

Lake Ouachita: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 567.34 feet MSL. Lake Ouachita State Park Marina said fishing has steadily picked up. The water is clear with a surface temperature from 48 to 53 degrees. To find the stripers and black bass, locate the shad congregating near creek mouths. The stripers have been caught in the mornings and afternoons on topwaters such as the Spook Jr., spooning with CC Spoons and trolling large crankbaits. C-10 Redfins have been successful on breaking fish. Bass fishing has been fair on finesse worms and spinner baits around the outside weedline. Top-water action is good in the mornings in the same areas. The smaller crappie have begun to move into the shallows, but there haven't been any reports of good-size crappie being caught. Anglers have reported the bream fishing as slow. There have been no reports of catfish success. Mountain Harbor Resort said the water temperature is 44 to 50 degrees and the clarity is improving. Largemouth bass are biting well and can be caught on Rooster Tails, hair jigs and Flukes fished around windblown pockets. Spoons fished around planted brush piles have also picked up quite a few largemouths. Jigging spoons and jigs tipped with minnows are catching a few walleye around the humps and brush piles sitting in 30 feet of water and topping out at 18 feet deep. Stripers have been biting well around main lake points and rock bluffs near or in the river channels. The best lures have been bucktail jigs, C-10 Redfins and live shad. Crappie are biting well around brush piles and moss flats in 10 to 25 feet of water on feather jigs, 2-inch grubs and minnows. The best colors are white, silver and Tennessee shad.

Lake Catherine: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the lake is at winter pool, about 5 feet lower than normal. Bream fishing has been slow lately. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished around planted brush piles in around 10 feet of water. Bass fishing has been good in 10 to 12 feet of water on a jig-and-pig worked down the rocky points. Walleye are holding a little deeper on the same points, around 15 to 20 feet deep, and are biting well on spoons and live minnows.

Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill's Sport Shop said the lake is at winter pool right now. Walleye fishing is good on a jig-and-minnow combination or a vertically jigged spoon in 15 to 20 feet of water off the edge of any rocky points. Bass are biting well in 10 to 12 feet of water on bass jigs fished near rocks and docks. Crappie fishing is good on small jigs and minnows around planted brush in 10 feet of water.

Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said the lake is clear and in pretty good shape. Crappie fishing has been good. If you can find one fish, there's usually plenty schooled around it. Minnows have been the go-to bait for crappie anglers.

Lake Nimrod: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 341.48 feet MSL.

SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Felsenthal: Benson's Grocery and Bait said the lakes are low and clear. Many crappie fishermen are catching limits of crappies in the brush piles and tree tops around 10 to 14 feet deep. No other anglers are visiting the lake lately.

EAST ARKANSAS:

Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The Tackle Box said the bream bite has been good lately with red worms and crickets fished right on the bottom. Crappie fishing has been excellent on any structure from 12 to 20 feet deep. Catfishing is good on frozen shad, bass minnows and chicken livers fished just out of the main current. River City Sporting Goods said the river is very low with little to no current. Crappie fishing has been great lately on pink minnows fished deep. Bass have been slow, but Rapala Shad Raps are coaxing a few into biting. Catfishing with cut bait has been productive.

Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said the water is clear and low. A few crappie have been caught on minnows and jigs. No other reports have come in from the bay.

Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors said the lake has been very windy. Not many anglers are fishing lately.

Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the lake is low but the conditions are beautiful right now. Good-size bream are biting well on wax worms and crickets in 4 feet of water. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished just off the ends of the piers in 6 feet of water. Bass fishing has been fair to good, with most success coming from 3 to 4 feet of water with spinnerbaits in the late afternoon. Catfishing has been good in the deepest water off the piers, but there have been very few fishermen targeting cats.

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