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 Feb. 1, 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: As water temperatures begin to rise, fish will start to move up shallow to feed. The best place to find them is on vegetation and rock outcroppings on the north side of a lake or stream. The north side of a lake will receive more sunlight, and the water will usually be a few degrees warmer than the rest of the lake. The warmer water attracts plankton, which attracts baitfish. Game fish such as bass, crappie and walleye will all follow the baitfish up to these warmer areas.

 
Statewide Urban Fishing Report:
Trout fishing has been hot in Cabot Community Pond and Sherwood Community Pond this week. Chartreuse or pink Power Eggs and corn have caught a lot of fish. Some anglers are using wax worms to tip their bait rigs and entice finicky fish in other ponds.  Anglers are having the most success during the first and last hours of the day and during overcast conditions.  

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, and Little Rock Air Force Base Pond. 

        For the latest urban trout stocking information, call toll-free 1-866-540-FISH (3474).
 
CENTRAL ARKANSAS:
        
Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the lake is at normal levels and the water is dingy. Bream are biting fairly well on wax worms, crickets and small Tinsel Teaser jigs fished around the stumps. The bream are stuck to the bottom, in the root wads of the stumps. Crappie fishing has been good to excellent on gold and silver minnows fished in 3 to 5 feet of water just outside of the creek channels. Catfishing is fair on trotlines and yo-yos baited with minnows.

 
Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said the river is low and running clear. The best bite lately has come on wax worms and yellow PowerBait. White marabou jigs, Little Cleo spoons and Rooster Tails are all working well on the trout.

 
Greers Ferry: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 451.95 feet MSL.
Shiloh Marina said the walleye may begin moving up the river arms in the next few weeks.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said 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.

 
Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the water is low and murky. Crappie fishing is good in 4 feet of water on small minnows and jigs. The best locations are around brush piles and stumps in the coves. Bass are biting fairly well in 4 to 6 feet of water on soft-plastics fished around the rocks.

 
Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the lake is low and the water is clear. Bream are biting well on panfish worms and crickets fished just off the bank. Crappie are biting well on pink minnows and white jigs fished around 6 feet deep near the deepest parts of the lake. A few catfish are being taken on trotlines baited with minnows.

 
Toad Suck Lock and Dam: Bates Field and Stream said the bream are biting fairly well close to the bottom on wax worms and crickets fished in the backwaters. Crappie fishing is fair in 3 to 6 feet of water on blue-and-white mini jigs and minnows fished near brush and stumps just out of the river channel. Bass are fair on Rat-L-Traps and pearl-colored Bandit crankbaits fished around the rock jetties.

 
Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the river is muddy. Bream are biting fairly well in 2 to 4 feet of water on panfish worms fished underneath a panfish popper. Crappie are biting fairly well on minnows and small jigs fished around brush piles in 8 to 15 feet of water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits fished in 3 feet of water. Catfishing is good on live and prepared baits fished in the river channel on a slip-sinker rig.

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said crappie are biting well on pink-and-white or chartreuse-and-white jigs fished around the brush piles just out of the main channel.

 
Lake Cargile: Beeson’s Grocery said the lake has risen a bit with the recent rains. Bream fishing is picking up in the shallows already. Bass fishing is fair on the first drop to deep water from the banks. All other species are slow.

 
Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger’s Marina said the lake is 5.8 feet low, but is on the rise. The ramps at the marina have been improved, and launching is even easier than last spring. Black bass are biting fair around the channels dropping from 15 to 20 feet deep. Drop-shot rigs and spoons are the best bet for these fish. With the warm weather, some fish have already moved up to the 4 to 6 foot range to feed. Target these fish with spinnerbaits and other baitfish imitations. Kentucky bass are still out in 15 to 20 feet of water and are biting well on 3-inch pumpkin grubs, worms and tubes. White bass are close to the channels in 15 feet of water and following the schools of shad. As always, a CC Spoon is one of the best bets for the whites. The crappie fishing has really picked up, and they are biting excellently in 15 to 20 feet of water on small, 1/32-ounce jigs and pink crappie minnows. Catfish have been slow, but a few have been taken from the side of the main channel in around 20 feet of water on chicken livers and Canadian nightcrawlers.

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said crappie are biting well in 8 to 20 feet of water on minnows tight-lined around the visible woody cover.

 
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 285.32 and a tailwater of 265.28. Earlier in the week, the gates were opened up to a flow of 40,000 cubic feet per second, and the fresh water has put some fish on the move. Catfish are holding in the muddy water of major creek inlets. Some very nice flatheads are being caught on nightcrawlers fished where the creeks meet the river. Kentucky bass are around the tips of the jetties and biting well on soft-plastics fished at the base of the rocks. White bass have moved away from the channel with the shad. Anglers are doing well on deeper sand pockets with Sassy Shads and jigging spoons bumped along the bottom. Crappie have moved into Flagg Lake and Point Remove Creek. Target brush in 6 to 10 feet of water with minnows on a slip-bobber rig. Sauger are still below Lock 9. The action has slowed a bit, but Beetle Spins are working well.

 
Lake Valencia: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said crappie were biting good last week on minnows. The lake was also stocked with trout, so be sure to bring the PowerBait.

       
Sunset Lake: Turbyfill’s said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bass fishing has been good on red Rat-L-Traps in 5 to 8 feet of water. Crappie fishing is fair in 4 to 6 feet of water on shad tube jigs.

 
        Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill’s said the river is running clear, with a little tint. Bream fishing is good on 1/8^th-ounce black Rooster Tails fished in 2 to 5 feet of water around any brush or obstruction to the current. Crappie fishing is fair around the brush in 8 feet of water on Tennessee Shad-colored grubs fished on a 1/8^th-ounce jighead. Bass fishing is good on crankbaits such as the Rebel Crawfish in 2 to 5 feet of water around any obstruction in the current. 

 
Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center said the water is clear and there is little flow in the river. Crappie are biting fairly well on twister-tailed grubs and tubes in black-and-chartreuse fished around rocks in 10 to 12 feet of water. Some stripers have been caught on larger bucktail jigs and curly-tailed grubs in 10 to 12 feet of water below the dam. Catfishing has been good on cut shad in the main channel when the gates are open and the current picks up.

 
Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center said the lake is low and muddy, but the water level is rising. Crappie are biting fairly well in 3 feet of water on minnows fished under a bobber. All other species are slow.

 
 
NORTH ARKANSAS:
 
White River: Gaston's White River Resort said generation was pretty low last week with one or two units running for a couple of hours in the morning, but they were off by 9 a.m. The water usually came on around 6 a.m., so the early morning fishermen could catch the rising water and fish it with white or yellow PowerBait with live wax worms. Nightcrawlers worked well for larger fish. Fly fishermen had the best luck with sow bugs, woolly buggers in all colors, tan scuds, beadhead red fox squirrel nymphs, and the Y2K bug.  Many large browns were caught and released last week.  This is the season that all fishermen wait for all year long. Don’t miss February and March if you’re looking for a wall-hanger brown on the White River.

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 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. The catch-and-release area below Bull Shoals Dam opens back up for fishing on February first, providing some great fishing for large trout that have been unmolested for the last three months.

 
         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 the water is at normal level and clear. Rainbow trout are biting well on PowerBait, Corn, Little Cleos and Original Rapala floating minnows. Brown trout are a little harder to coax into striking, but a few have been taken on the Rapala floating minnows.

 Bull Shoals Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 645.45 feet MSL.
Sugar Loaf Harbor said the lake is low. Crappie anglers are doing well on minnows fished around 7 to 15 feet deep around planted brush piles. Some anglers have found the crappie right off the bluffs in 35 feet of water and are catching them with heavy jigs. All other species are slow.

 
Lake Norfork: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 538.98 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is up about a half a foot, but still very low. Water clarity is as much as 12 feet in some places. Crappie fishing is fair on swimming minnows, crappie minnows and jigs fished around stumps and brush piles. With the warm weather, the crappie may be anywhere from 2 to 20 feet deep. Stripers are biting fairly well on whole live shiners and spoons fished in major creek mouths. 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 1,105.47 feet MSL.
Southtown Sporting Goods said the lake is low and the water is clear. Crappie are biting well on minnows, tube jigs and marabou jigs around brush and stumps just outside of the river bends. White bass are biting well in the river arms. The best lures to use for the whites has been a red-and-chartreuse tube jig. Black bass are biting fairly well in 3 to 10 feet of water on crayfish-colored crankbaits. Stripers are fair on large live shad and minnows near the deeper water of the rivers.

 
Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the lake is at normal level and clarity. Bream are biting fairly well in 4 to 6 feet of water on red worms fished around the brush piles. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows and crappie jigs in 4 to 6 feet of water around stumps and woody structure. Bass fishing is fair on soft-plastics, spinnerbaits and jig-and-pig combos fished around rocky areas and brush piles. Catfish anglers are reporting some fair success on worms, chicken livers and cut bait in 8 to 10 feet of 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 not many anglers have been on the lake lately. A few catfish have been taken off the piers by bream anglers fishing with crickets.

 
 
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
 
Millwood Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.43 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water temperature has shot up, with surface temperatures ranging from 50 degrees in the main lake to 60 degrees in the upriver oxbows. There is no current in Little River. Largemouth bass are reacting to the temperature change well. Some nice bass are being caught on 5-inch Bass Assassin jerkbaits, Smithwick suspending Rogues, ½- to 1-ounce Rat-L-Traps and 10-inch Power Worms in black and tequila sunrise. The best bite has been dead-sticking Bass Assassins, just casting it to your target and letting it slowly fall to the bottom. Watch your line closely for any twitch or sideways movement. On warmer days, you can find the active bass up shallow, right on the edges of the river. Whatever lure you use, fish slowly – if you think you’re fishing slow enough, slow down some more. Kentucky bass are still along the river and biting well around the creek mouths in 6 to 9 feet of water. Smaller Rat-L-Traps and Rocket Shads are working the best on the Kentuckies. Crappie have begun to spread out horizontally, and are moving into the shallows. The best bite is in the morning around cypress trees in water 4 to 5 feet deep.

 
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.

 
Lake Greeson: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 536.99 feet MSL.
Lakeside Grocery, Motel/Bait Shop said the lake is clear and rising. Crappie fishing is fair in 10 feet of water on minnows and jigs fished around the brush piles. Bass are biting fairly well in deeper water on Carolina-rigged centipedes. The bass are also being taken up shallow on jig-and-pig combos flipped into heavy brush.

 
DeGray Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 396.97 feet MSL.
Point Cedar Bait Shop said crappie are biting fairly well on minnows fished along the outside edge of the weed line. A few bass are also being picked up along the weed edge.

 
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 lake is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting fairly well on wax worms and crickets. Crappie fishing has been good lately, with many fish being caught between 1 and 4 feet deep around any kind of structure. Largemouth bass are biting well on Rat-L-Traps, spinnerbaits and black-and-blue jig-and-pig combos fished around 2 to 5 feet deep. Stripers and white bass are biting fairly well on white bucktails, spoons and curly-tailed grubs near the nuclear power plant discharge. Catfishing is good below the dam and below the power plant outlet on cut or live bait.

 
Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the river is muddy and at normal levels. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows and jigs fished around brush, stumps and rocks in the backwaters of the river. The fish seem to be staying around 4 feet deep. Bass are biting fairly well on jig-and-pig combos fished tight to the bank around the riprap. Catfish are biting fairly well on whole shad drifted in the current.

 
Lake Ouachita: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 568.25 feet MSL.
Mountain Harbor Resort said the water temperature is ranging from 46 to 50 degrees during the day. Largemouth bass are biting fairly well on jerkbaits and crankbaits fished with frequent pauses. Moss flats and points seem to be holding the most fish. Vertically jigging a spoon in or near brush has been productive as well. Walleye are fair around brush piles and humps on jigging spoons and jigs tipped with minnows. Target the brush in 18 to 30 feet of water. Stripers are biting well on bucktails and spoons. They’re holding around main lake points and rock bluffs near the river channels. Crappie are still being caught over brush piles and moss on 2-inch grubs, minnows and feather jigs. Main lake points and flats from 10 to 25 feet deep are holding the most fish.

Lake Ouachita State Park Marina said fishing has steadily picked up. The water is tainted in the bays with surface temperature running 48 to 50 degrees. The lake has begun to rise with the recent rains. To find quantities of stripers and black bass, locate the shad congregating near creek mouths. Stripers have been caught in the mornings and afternoons and anglers have been catching them on top waters, spoons and trolled crankbaits. C-10 Redfins have been successful on breaking fish, when you find them. Bass fishing has been fair on finesse worms and spinner baits. A surprising number of largemouth bass are being pulled out of the shallows near structure. Anglers have reported the crappie fishing on the east end of the lake as slow.

 
Lake Catherine: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said the lake is at winter pool and the water clarity is stained. Crappie are biting well in 10 feet of water on jigs tipped with minnows. Bass have been biting well on crankbaits and ½-ounce jigs fished in 8 feet of water. Walleye are biting well 6 feet deep on Rattling Rogues fished along any vegetation in the water.

 
Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs right now. Bass are biting well in 8 feet of water on crankbaits and jig-and-pig combos. The best action is coming from the areas where the stained water from the creeks is meeting the clear lake water.

 
        Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said the lake is clear and at normal level. Crappie are biting well in 10 to 12 feet of water on minnows fished around brush and stumps. Bass fishing has been good 10 feet deep on crankbaits fished slowly around cover. Catfishing is fair.

 
        Lake Nimrod: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 342.73 feet MSL.
 
        Arkansas River: Mossy Point said the crappie are schooling up tightly thanks to the dry season and lower water levels. They have begun their move to shallower water already, and a few may even be found along the northern banks of the river on outside bends. Chartreuse-and-black jigs are working well in the off-color water and white-and-pink jigs seem to be the best bet when the water is clear. Bass fishing is fair in 1 to 15 feet of water on smoke-colored tubes. Catfish are biting well on whole and cut shad.

       
 
SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
 
        Felsenthal: Hale’s One Stop said the water is rising, pushing the crappie in shallow. Crappie are biting well right against the banks on shiners and red wigglers fished on a tight line with no bobber. Catfishing is improving, with some good catches coming from trotlines baited with crayfish.

 
 
EAST ARKANSAS: 
 
Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The Tackle Box said the river is low and clear. Bream are biting well around brush and stumps in 11/2 feet of water on worms and crickets. Crappie are holding in about 10 to 18 feet of water and are biting well on pink minnows and black-and-chartreuse jigs. Bass fishing is good on white spinnerbaits fished around rocks and brush in 4 feet of water. Catfishing is good on cut shad drifted just off the sand bars.

River City Sporting Goods said Bass fishing is fair in 2 to 6 feet of water on Shad Raps and jigs fished slowly around rocky points. Catfish are biting well on cut shad and nightcrawlers fished 30 to 35 feet deep.  

 
Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said the water is muddy and low. Crappie fishing is fair in 2 to 3 feet of water on jigs tipped with minnows fished around any cover.

 
        Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie anglers are doing well slowly trolling minnows in 20 feet of water. All other species are slow.

        Six River Sport Center said the crappie bite is good lately with many 12- to 14-inch crappie coming in to the ramp. The best success has been from trolling minnows in 18 feet of water. Catfishing has been fair on trotlines baited with cut shad.

 
Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the water is clear and at normal level. Anglers are catching some big bream in 3 to 4 feet of water around brush piles and piers. Wax worms seem to be the best bet for the bream. Crappie fishing is good on black and chartreuse jigs fished around the ends of the piers in 8 feet of water. Some large crappie have also been pulled from 8 feet of water on minnows trolled in open water. Catfishing has been good off the ends of the piers with whole shad.

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