1/25/2006

Weekly Fishing Report

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

Keith Stephens (501) 223-6342, e-mail: kastephens@agfc.state.ar.us

        This is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s fishing report for Jan. 25, 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: Crappie can really pile up in the winter. Look for crappies to suspend along the deepest parts of the lake or on deep outside bends in main creek and river channels. Look for large schools of fish in these areas with your sonar equipment and fish a jig right over the school. Crappie rarely descend to take a lure in winter, so keep the jig hovering right at their level or slightly above to get the most strikes.

 
Statewide Urban Fishing Report:  We’re now midway through the urban trout-stocking season.  Almost 30,000 trout have been stocked statewide for the urban program, and the fishing just keeps getting better. It’s not too late to get outside with family and friends and enjoy some winter trout fishing.

Anglers are reporting good catches of trout on chartreuse PowerBait. Marshmallows and corn have also been producing some nice fish. Some ponds have become off-color with the recent rains, so fishing with spinners is a great way to find aggressive fish.  

Fishing in Rock Creek last weekend was tremendous, with many anglers limiting out quickly. Trout magnets suspended under bobbers and Rooster Tails have worked very well. With the recent rain and high water, fishing has been more difficult but certainly not impossible. Look for trout in areas with slower water or current breaks behind rocks, trees, and banks and keep your bait near the bottom.

        For the latest urban trout stocking information, call toll-free 1-866-540-FISH (3474). 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 at normal pool and clarity. Bream are biting fairly well on red worms and crickets fished around stumps and brush right against the bank. Crappie are biting well in 5 feet of water on minnows and pink-and-white jigs in Gold Creek and Palarm Creek. Catfishing is fair on stinkbait and chicken livers.

 
Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said the river is low, making for good wading conditions. Fly-fishing has been a great way to catch a few rainbows and browns with the low water. As always, a scud, San Juan worm or egg pattern will pick up plenty of trout. Small micro-jigs under a strike indicator are also excellent for taking the larger browns and rainbows.

 
Greers Ferry: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 451.41 feet MSL.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the recent rains brought the lake up about a foot and a half, but it’s still really low. The surface temperature throughout the lake ranges from 45 to 50 degrees. Hybrid and white bass fishing is still good throughout the water column – all the way to 53 feet deep. Look for sharper ledges where the fish have run the shad up to the bank. Follow the birds or find the baitfish and you should find the hybrids. Inline spinners and jigging spoons have been the best producers lately, as well as a white-and-gray hair jig with a stub-tail grub hopped off the bottom. Crappie are biting well around the pole timber and brush piles in about 18 feet of water. Bass fishing has been good with the rain. The run-off was warmer than the lake temperature, so many baitfish moved into the inlets and the bass followed. A Rat-L-Trap or spinnerbait really produced well in these areas where run-off entered the lake. Some fish were found deep, about 40 feet deep and were willing to bite a Carolina rig. Walleye fishing has slowed, with a few males and females being caught up the rivers. The spawn is just as dependent on length of day as it is water temperature, so don’t jump the gun. The walleye should start spawning in a couple of weeks.

 
Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the lake is low and clear. Crappie are biting well in the coves around 4 feet deep. Minnows and tube jigs were working the best. Bass are biting well on soft plastics fished all the way from the bank to 10 feet of water. Catfish were fair on worms in deeper water.

 
Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the water has risen a little, but we still have a long way to go. Bream are biting well on worms fished around the brush piles in the lake. Crappie are biting well on chartreuse jigs and minnows fished in the same brush.

 
Toad Suck Lock and Dam: Bates Field and Stream said the water is low right now and very little current is in the river. Some sauger are being caught on minnows and white bucktail jigs.

 
Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the river is muddy and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on red worms fished in about 3 feet of water along the edges of the banks. Crappie are fair in 3 to 12 feet of water on jigs and minnows. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and minnows fished along the first break to deeper water.

 
Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger’s Marina said 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 284.44 and a tailwater of 264.10 and the water is clear. Catfish are moving in and out of the deep holes early in the morning. Target drops from 10 to 20 feet deep with whole shad. Stripers and white bass are holding below the dam and are biting well on large live baits. Black bass are biting fair on grubs fished along the stumps in Point Remove Creek and Flagg Lake. Crappie are biting fair in the Petit Jean River and Point Remove Creek in 10 to 15 feet of water. Some sauger have been caught just below the dam and on rock jetties on the outside bends of the river on speck rigs tipped with minnows.

 
Pickthorne Lake: Outdoor Super Store said a few folks are catching some crappie on minnows fished on the deep side of the levee. Carolina-rigged soft plastics are taking a few bass on the deeper ledges as well.

       
Sunset Lake: Turbyfill’s said the lake is at normal levels and the water clarity is decent. Crappie fishing is fair in 4 to 6 feet of water on shad tube jigs. Bass fishing is fair on Norman crankbaits in 6 to 8 feet of water. All other species have been slow.

 
        Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill’s said the rain really put a stain in the water last weekend. The fishing has slowed with the reduced water clarity.

 
Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center said the water is muddy and low. Bream are biting fair on deeper ledges. Crappie are excellent on any color jig around deep holes with little current. Stripers are biting well on 1-ounce jigging spoons fished just out of the current.

 
Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center said the lake is muddy and low. Fishing for all species has been slow lately.
 
 
NORTH ARKANSAS:
 
White River: Gaston's White River Resort said there was some generation last week, but one unit is hardly enough to even notice additional flow. Still, the extra water was a nice refresher for the trout. Low-water baits and flies, such as white plastic worms, or PowerBait artificial wax worms and yellow PowerBait or corn, are working well.  Red worms are working well, also. The best artificials seem to be Little Cleos, Buoyant Spoons and Rooster Tails on 4-6-pound-test green low-visibility line. 

McLellan’s Fly Shop said there has been very little generation below Bull Shoals Dam lately, providing plenty of wade fishing on the upper river from late morning throughout the rest of the day. Wading the upper river has been very productive with tan and olive McLellan’s Hunchback Scuds and Woven Sow Bugs. Fishing high water from a boat has also been very productive using large scuds, eggs, and San Juan worms. Winter is a great time to fish a streamer; 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.

 
         North Fork River: McLellan’s Fly Shop said Generation on the Norfork has been a little sporadic lately, but when they turn on the generators, they haven’t stayed on for very long.  Wade-fishing has been very good lately, and fishing high water from a boat has been productive as well. Try 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 for the best action.

Norfork Trout Dock said generation has been pretty light lately. Rainbows have been taking wax worms, corn, salmon eggs and white and gray Chrome Dome flies. Brown trout have been biting well on white and gray jigs, sculpin patterns and Rapala Countdowns and Shad Rap crankbaits. The White River is running low and clear below the tailwaters.

Bull Shoals Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 644.98 feet MSL.
Sugar Loaf Harbor said the water is low and cloudy. Crappie are suspended in 15 to 20 feet of water around standing timber resting 25 to 35 feet deep. Minnows fished on a slip-cork rig are the best bet for these papermouths.

 
Lake Norfork: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 538.40 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is still about 14 feet low. Visibility in the main lake is estimated at 10 to 12 feet. Bream are biting fairly well on panfish worms right under any docks. Crappie are biting tube jigs, minnows and swim baits fairly well once you find the heavier concentrations of fish. Bass fishing is good with spinnerbaits crankbaits and jigs fished on the first drop to deep water. A few stripers are biting, but they are scattered. All other species are slow.

 
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
 
Beaver Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,105.39 feet MSL.
Southtown Sporting Goods said the lake is very clear and low. Crappie have made a move shallow and are biting well on minnows and jigs fished close to the brush. Bass fishing has been good on crankbaits, spoons and jerkbaits. Stripers are biting well on large shiners.

 
Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the lake is in great shape and the water level is normal. Not many anglers are visiting the lake with the wind and cold weather, but the fishing is pretty decent for this time of year. Crappie are biting well in 4 to 10 feet of water near trees and brush piles on jigs and minnows. Bass are biting fairly well on spinnerbaits and soft plastics fished around brush and mossy points in 8 to 10 feet of water. Catfishing has been fair on worms and chicken livers in deep, open water.

 
Beaver Tailwaters: McLellan’s Fly Shop said there has been very little generation over the last few days, providing plenty of wading opportunities. Scuds, sow bugs and midge pupa patterns have been very productive. Egg patterns are still hooking several fish as well.  Some of the best egg patterns have been the Flashtail Mini Egg, the Unreal Egg, and the Micro Egg.

 
        
SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
 
 
Lake Chicot: Lake Chicot State Park said bream and crappie are biting fairly well on worms and minnows fished around local gravel pits.

 
Lake Monticello: Outdoor Super Store said the wind and rain kept many anglers off the lake last weekend.
 
 
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
 
Millwood Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.23 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water temperature ranges from 45 to 50 degrees during the day with the warmest water still being in the upriver oxbows. There is very little current in the river. Largemouth bass are biting well on ½-ounce Rat-L-Traps, Bomber crankbaits and Southern Pro Fattbutt tubes in black/red flake and pumpkinseed. The best crankbait color has been firetiger with the decreased water clarity. Largemouths are relating to the deeper drops in Little River near flats and creek channel mouths. Over the last couple weeks, these fish are feeding shallow during the heat of the day, then retreating to the river channel.  Points on the main lake were producing some nice black bass along Little River with ¾-ounce Rat-L-Traps. Kentucky bass are still good along the river on small white Rocket Shads and chrome ¼-ounce Rat-L-Traps. Creek mouths in 6-9 feet of water where they dump into Little River have been the best locations lately.  Be sure to check the mouths of Snake Creek and Hurricane Creek for some spots. Crappie are biting very well, but have tapered off with the recent muddy water and heavy stain from high winds. Crappie have moved to about 15 feet deep, along Little River with the recent decrease in surface temperature. The best bite over the last few days has been on shiners in contact with planted brush piles and tops. The best times to catch some slabs are still mid-day and afternoon. 

 
Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine said the lake is low. Crappie fishing is good on jigs fished in the channel near the bridge. Bass fishing is fair in 4 to 10 feet of water on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on worms and stinkbait fished on a trotline.

 
Lake Erling: Steve's Marine said the lake is low and clear. Crappie are fair on orange/black/chartreuse jigs from Blackwell Landing to Cannon’s Landing around the creek channels. Bass are fair in 4 to 10 feet of water on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on stinkbait and live shiners.

 
        White Oak Lake: Charlie’s One Stop said the lake is 15 feet low and the water clarity is good. Crappie are biting well in 2 to 6 feet of water on minnows and jigs. Quite a few bream are being picked up on panfish worms in shallower water. Catfishing is good in the deepest parts of the lake on chicken livers and worms.

 
Lake Greeson: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 535.66 feet MSL.
Lakeside Grocery, Motel/Bait Shop said the lake is low and clear. Fishing has been slow, which is typical for this time of year. Bass fishing has been good in 5 to 10 feet of water on jigs fished in heavy brush.

 
DeGray Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 395.94 feet MSL.
Point Cedar Bait Shop said the lake is still very low. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Catfishing has been good on live bass minnows. There are reports of a 20-pound hybrid being caught last weekend.

Iron Mountain Lodge said hybrids are biting well. Although the fast schooling action of the fall has dwindled, there are still many being caught. Reports have come from Brushy Creek and Point Cedar areas. They are hitting spoons, shad-raps and larger rooster tails. Some have reported good success vertically jigging spoons in 25-40 feet of water near bends in creek and river channels. Bream are fair on worms and PowerBait on points and shallow humps in 20-25 feet of water. Crappie are biting well on minnows and tube jigs in 21-28 feet of water around brush piles and marina docks. The most successful jig colors for crappie are red-and-white and black-and-green. Catfish are fair in 15-25 feet of water on main lake points and rock piles. The best bets are live shad and stinkbait. During the warm spell the last couple of weeks, many catfish have been caught on trotlines. Largemouth and Kentucky bass are biting well. Many of the bass, especially Kentuckies, school up this time of year. If you find one, normally there will be more. Some are still being caught on the outside edge of the grass from 18-27 feet of water. Others are positioning themselves in the bends and turns of channels. Black-and-blue jigs, lead head worms, Rat-L-Traps and deep-diving crankbaits have been successful in the grass.

 
Little Missouri River:  Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Flyfishing said the small amount of generation on the river has been allowing the trout to spread out through the river. The weather has been mild and the March Browns aren't far from showing themselves. Recent net samplings are showing a dramatic number of nearly full-grown March Brown nymphs in the shoals. If we can get water temperatures back up into the 50s, we'll start seeing some hatches.

 
 
WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
 
Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said the water is low and about normal clarity. Crappie fishing is good on red-and-chartreuse jigs and minnows in 4 to 6 feet of water. Bass are fair on Rat-L-Traps and suspending baits. Catfishing is decent on minnows or skipjack below the dam.

 
Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the water is clear and low. Crappie and bass are still holding below the dam and biting well. Catfishing has been good below the dam on cut shad and nightcrawlers drifted along current seams.

 
Lake Ouachita: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 567.93 feet MSL.
Mountain Harbor Resort said the water is clear and the surface temperature ranges from 46 to 50 degrees during the day. Largemouth bass are biting fairly well, considering the weather. Quite a few bass have been caught on jerkbaits and crankbaits along the moss line on windblown points and humps. Vertically jigging spoons around brush piles from 10 to 28 feet deep is also pulling up a few bass. Walleye are fair with most of the fish being caught in brush piles sitting in 30 feet of water and topping out at 18 feet deep. Jigging spoons and jigs tipped with minnows are bringing in the most fish. Stripers are biting well on live bait, hair jigs and spoons. They are holding around main lake points and rock bluffs near or in the river channel. Crappie are biting fairly well around brush piles and moss flats on feather jigs, minnows and 2-inch grubs. Main lake points and large moss flats around 10 to 25 feet deep are producing the most crappie.

Moss Point said crappie fishing is good in about 15 feet of water on jigs fished along the moss line and in brush piles. Catfishing is good in 15 feet of water on cut shad.

 
Lake Catherine: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said the water is at winter pool. Crappie fishing is decent on minnows suspended about 8 feet deep near brush piles on the first drop to the main channel. Bass fishing has been good in the eastern end of the lake in around 10 to 12 feet of water on jigs and spinnerbaits. All other species are slow.

 
Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said the water is stained and at winter pool. Crappie fishing is good around 8 feet deep on minnows fished in planted brush piles. Bass are biting well in 10 to 12 feet of water on jig and pig combos in any visible brush or stumps. All other species are slow.

 
        Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said the lake is in good shape and boats are able to get in and out of the water easily. Crappie are starting to bite well on minnows and jigs with minnows being the better of the two. A few bass are also being caught on minnows under a slip-cork rig. All other species are slow.

 
        Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the lake is low. Bream are biting fair on red worms and crickets under a cork in 3 feet of water. The crappie action is excellent in around 4 feet of water on jigs fished around brush piles and trees. Bass fishing is poor, but a few bass have been caught on Rat-L-Traps and spinnerbaits in the backs of the coves. Catfishing is good on whole live shad and nightcrawlers fished on the bottom.

 
        Lake Nimrod: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 341.77 feet MSL.
 
        Arkansas River: Moss Point said crappie fishing is good on jigs and minnows fished around wing dams and other rocky points in about 15 feet of water. Catfishing is good on chicken livers and cut shad.

        
 
SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
 
        Felsenthal: Hale’s One Stop said the unusually warm weather has the crappies in the shallower water and biting minnows fairly well.

 
 
EAST ARKANSAS: 
 
Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The Tackle Box said the river is fairly clear for this time of year. Fishing has been very slow with few anglers on the water.

River City Sporting Goods said there is still no current. Crappie fishing varies from fair to good depending on the daily conditions. They are biting minnows and a jig-and-minnow combination the best. Bass are biting fairly well on crankbaits, soft plastics and jigs. Catfish are in the deepest holes of the river and biting well on cut bait.

 
Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said the lake is low and clear. Crappie are biting well in 3 to 10 feet of water on minnows and jigs fished right against the stumps in the lake. All other species are slow.

 
Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the lake is low and the clarity is good. Bream are biting well on wax worms and crickets around the piers in 4 feet of water. Crappie are biting well in 8 to 10 feet of water on minnows and black-and-chartreuse jigs around the piers. Jug fishing for catfish is excellent, using sour meat as bait.

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