2/8/06

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. 8, 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: Be sure to carry your fishing license with you whenever you’re fishing. If you’re out on the lake and a wildlife officer checks for your license, it isn’t going to do you much good if it’s back in the truck or on your nightstand at home.

Statewide Urban Fishing Report: Despite cooler temperatures, trout fishing has been excellent in the ponds across the state. PowerBait alone or tipped with corn has produced many trout. A few anglers are having success catching larger trout with small silver Kastmaster spoons and 1/8-ounce chartreuse Rooster Tails with gold blades. Fishing in Rock Creek continues to be consistently good. Trout near the pavilion area have been heavily pressured and are somewhat spooky when the water is low and clear. From the pavilion area upstream to the first footbridge at the entrance to the park, the trout are far more willing to bite a variety of baits. Pink or purple PowerBait tipped with a wax worm caught a lot of trout last weekend. Fly anglers continue to catch trout on egg patterns, black woolly buggers, and small olive or purple beadhead nymphs drifted under a strike indicator. 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 low and the water is muddy. Bream are biting fairly well in 1 foot to 18 inches of water on crickets fished around any sort of structure. Crappie are biting well in 18 inches to 3 feet of water on pink minnows, and jigs with chartreuse in them. Fish the grass edges around stumps and brush for the best action on the crappie.

Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said the water is clear and at normal levels. There has been little to no generation the last couple of weeks. Trout fishing has been good on fluorescent yellow Power Eggs and wax worms with marshmallows. Brown, white and orange marabou jigs drifted under a bobber, Little Cleo spoons and Rooster Tails are all catching decent amounts of fish.

Greers Ferry: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 452.18 feet MSL. Shiloh Marina said crappie fishing has been good on minnows up near the river arms. Hybrids have also started their move up to the rivers. Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service <http://greersferry.com/members/fishfinder> said the surface water temperature is 47-50 degrees. The water has risen 2 feet in the last couple of weeks, but is beginning to fall slightly. The bass are getting more active at first light, but the rest of the day is a challenge. Jerkbaits, Rat-L-Traps and crankbaits are all working well. Working a Carolina-rigged lizard or a small grub on a jighead or Texas rig in deeper water is also producing some bass. The colder weather has slowed the walleye some, but they will be back in the shallows and spawning soon. Some good crappie are beginning to show up again, but they’re not stacked up in large numbers. Hybrids and whites have slowed, but should pick back up with some sunny weather. The whites are still in around 50 feet of water unless they have the shad pushed up against the bank. You can still look for birds and chase the fish around the lake, but now is a great time to learn to use your depth finder to locate schools of baitfish and work a jigging spoon underneath them.

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the lake is low and clear. Crappie fishing has been good in 4 feet of water on minnows and jigs fished around the brush piles in the coves. Bass are up shallow and are hitting well on black soft-plastic worms fished around the stumps.

Fourche La Fave Creek: Coffee Creek Landing said the crappie are biting excellently in the creek where they are draining the duck areas.

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the water is low, but rising. Crappie are biting well on jigs tipped with white tubes and Crappie Stingers fished around the pier. A few good bass have been caught, but the anglers are being pretty tight-lipped about what they’re best luck has been on. Trotliners are bringing in some good crappie and catfish.

Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the water is muddy and at normal levels. Bream fishing has been fair on red wigglers and panfish worms. Crappie are fair and can be caught anywhere from 3 to 20 feet of water. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits fished along the shallows.

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 had started to move into their spring patterns and were hitting spinnerbaits and shallow-running crankbaits until the cool down. Now they 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. 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 are starting to stage for their early spring run. Many reports of good catches have come from the Chimney area. 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.

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.

Arkansas River (Little Rock area): Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said fishing has been slow, but white bass, stripers and crappie are all moving into the area below the hydro plant. White twister-tailed grubs and minnows on slip-cork rigs are working well for all species.

Pickthorne Lake: Outdoor Super Store said the water is low and still pretty cool. Crappie fishing has been good around 4 feet deep along the edges of the levees and around any brush in 4 to 8 feet of water. Minnows have been the best bet for the crappie. Bass fishing is picking up, but it is still pretty slow. Brown-and-orange jigs with a pork chunk are bringing in a few bass around the drop offs. Be sure to work the jig very slowly for the best action.

Sunset Lake: Turbyfill’s said crappie are biting fairly well on 1/16th-ounce chartreuse Road Runners fished around any cover. Bass are biting well on gray hair jigs fished in 15 to 20 feet of water.

Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill’s said the river is at normal levels and the clarity is good. Crappie are biting fairly well on 1/16th-ounce chartreuse Road Runner jigs fished around any cover near drops to 15 feet of water. Smallmouth bass have been biting well on crawdad crankbaits, pumpkinseed grubs and brown or black jig and pigs. A few walleye are being caught in deeper holes of the river on jigheads tipped with shiners and dragged along the bottom.

Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center said the weather has kept many anglers off the water and the fish in a negative feeding mood. Catfishing has been good on shad drifted along the bottom. Stripers are biting decent on white twister-tailed grubs fished along the rocks in 15 feet of water. Other than that, fishing has been extremely slow.

Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center said the lake is muddy and rising. The fishing has been very poor for all species because of the wind, rain and cold fronts.

Peckerwood Lake: Herman’s Landing said the lake is 4 inches below normal pool and the clarity is a little dingy. The landing is open for the fishing season, and a few anglers are already taking advantage of the opportunity. The best success on crappie has been on yo-yos baited with minnows.

NORTH ARKANSAS:

White River: Gaston's White River Resort <http://www.gastons.com/> said anglers were given a great surprise last week with a couple inches of rain and a couple days of generation. As many as four units were running at times, which really helped get the big brown trout active. On higher water, fishing with Rogues and Husky Jerks is the way to go if you want to catch the trout of your life. You can do very well with white or yellow PowerBait and live wax worms or nightcrawlers as well. Fly-anglers had the best luck with red San Juan worms, sow bugs, woolly buggers in all colors, tan scuds, beadhead red fox squirrel nymphs and the Y2K bug. This is the season anglers wait for all year long. Don’t miss February and March "Big Brown Season" on the White River. McLellan’s Fly Shop <http://www.mcflyshop.com/> said there has been very little generation below Bull Shoals Dam lately, providing plenty of wading 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. Remember, the catch-and-release area below Bull Shoals Dam is now open, providing some great fishing for large trout that have been unmolested for the last three months. Wilderness Trail said fishing for trout has been good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow and Sunrise or Rainbow Nuggets. Buoyant Spoons, Little Cleos, Super Dupers and Rooster Tails are the bait of choice during generation. Fly-fishermen have done well with very little generation on olive woolly buggers, unreal eggs in peach and white, scuds and sow bugs. Brown trout are being caught on Rogues, Jointed Rapalas and sculpin patterns.

North Fork River: McLellan’s Fly Shop <http://www.mcflyshop.com/> said generation has been a little sporadic lately, but when they turn on the generators, they haven’t stayed on for very long. 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 two to four generators are running in the mornings and then shutting off for the rest of the day. Rainbow trout are biting well on PowerBait, corn and small sow bug-pattern flies. Brown trout are scattered out feeding now that their spawn is about complete. Rapala Countdown crankbaits are taking quite a few nice browns.

Bull Shoals Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 645.28 feet MSL. Wilderness Trail said the surface temperature is running between 48 and 49 degrees and a few degrees cooler from Lead Hill to the Taneycomo Dam. There probably won’t be a shad kill this year. The water clarity is around 16 feet. It has been unseasonably warm and most of the fish have been confused on whether to move to winter structure or stay in fall patterns. Most of the bass, walleye and crappie have been cruising from the shallows to deeper water daily. The crappie bite has been spotty, but a few can be caught along the bluff walls with standing pole trees and in 30 to 35 feet of water out in front of planted crappie cribs. Crappie minnows fished on 4-pound-test line under a small slip bobber has been the best technique. Largemouth bass can be caught around docks on jigs and Brush Hogs. You also can find largemouth along the bluff walls relating to the wood. Jigs, spoons and grubs will trigger bites in 30 to 45 feet of water near bluffs. Fan-casting crankbaits and jerkbaits in the backs of creeks around blow downs, stumps and boulders is also producing. Smallmouth are hard to find right now. They are not feeding on the bottom for crawdads like they normally do. They are suspending feeding on shad – you can find a smallie or two on the bottom but the most smallies are suspending. Fish transition banks and secondary points with swimming jigs, grubs and swim baits. Kentucky bass are deep under balls of shad and a little time needs to be spent graphing to find them. Drop shot rigs and spoons are your best technique for the Kentuckies under the shad. The best walleye bite is above Lead Hill where they are being caught on jerkbaits along pea rock banks. Depending on what Mother Nature deals us next month, we could have an early March spawn. Sugar Loaf Harbor said the lake is low and holding steady. Crappie are biting well between 30 and 35 feet deep on brush piles. Minnows suspended under a slip-cork or tight lined in the brush piles are bringing in the most crappie.

Lake Norfork: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 539.56 feet MSL. Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is about 14 feet low with water clarity still ranging from 12 to 15 feet. Crappie fishing is fair around planted brush piles on minnows and crappie jigs, be sure to hit the massive brush piles placed throughout the lake by the AGFC, marked with signs and buoys. Bass fishing has been good, but the bass could be found anywhere from 8 to 50 feet deep. Largemouths are biting well on crankbaits and jerkbaits, while Kentuckies have been chasing paddle-tailed grubs in deeper water. Fishing for catfish, walleye and bream were all slow last week. Stripers and hybrids were biting fairly well on spoons near the upper end of the lake.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Beaver Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,105.49 feet MSL. Southtown Sporting Goods said the lake is low and clear. Crappie fishing has been pretty good lately around shallow cover on minnows and jigs. The whites and stripers are staging and moving up the river arms already, and anglers are doing fairly well on them using shad and large shiners. Bass fishing is good on spoons and jigs fished in the deeper water around the mouths of the creek arms. The water is warmer in the creek arms and the fishing is better in the shallower water of the arms. Crankbaits, jigs and deep-running jerkbaits are working well in the shallower water.

Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the lake is at normal levels, and the water is a little dingy. Crappie fishing is fair in 4 to 8 feet of water on crappie jigs and minnows fished around the brush. Bass are biting fairly well in 4 to 8 feet of water and are holding tight to any kind of structure in these depths. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers, chicken livers and cut shad drifted in the open water around 10 feet deep.

Beaver Tailwater: McLellan’s Fly Shop <http://www.mcflyshop.com/> said there has been very little generation the last few days, providing plenty of wade-fishing opportunities. Of course, scuds and sow bugs as well as midge pupa patterns have been very productive. Cream midge adult patterns have hooked several trout over the past week as well.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

Millwood Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.47 feet MSL. Millwood Lake Guide Service <http://www.millwoodguideservice.com/> said the water temperature ranges from 49 to 56 degrees, with the warmest water in the upriver oxbows. Current in Little River has increased, but is still slow. Largemouth bass are biting well on Bass Assassin jerkbaits, Cordell Ripplin’ Redfins, Rat-L-Traps, and Power Worms in blue fleck. The jig bite is improving, as is the spinnerbait bite. The bass are running up shallow to feed but are staying close to creek channels and the river. During the heat of the day some largemouths are being caught as shallow as 1-3 feet deep in the lily pad stems and grass. In some of the backs of the oxbows, several nice keepers are hitting lizards in cherry seed, and chartreuse pumpkin colors, around vegetation and stumps. Kentucky bass remain good along the river on small, white or chrome 1/4oz Rat-L-Traps and tail spinners. Fish the creek mouths in 9-12 feet of water, where they dump into Little River. Crappie are good, and are spreading out horizontally. The papermouths are holding 4-5 feet deep near cypress trees. The best bite is in the morning.

Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine said bream fishing has been good lately on worms and crickets fished right on the bottom near the banks. Crappie are biting well in the shallows on yo-yos baited with minnows. Bass are biting fairly well on spinnerbaits, soft-plastic worms and jig-and-pig combos. Trotliners are doing well on catfish.

Lake Erling: Steve's Marine said anglers are beginning to catch some good crappie and catfish on yo-yos baited with minnows. Crappie are also being caught on jigs fished against brush and posts in the shallows. Bass are biting fairly well on soft-plastics and jigs. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets fished on the bottom.

White Oak Lake: Charlie’s One Stop said the lake is still low but rising. Crappie fishing in the lower lake has been good on minnows and jigs in 4 to 8 feet of water. Bream are also biting well in the lower lake on panfish worms. Catfishing has been good on cold worms and chicken livers.

Lake Greeson: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 537.40 feet MSL. Lakeside Grocery, Motel/Bait Shop said the lake is still low, but has risen 5 feet in the last few weeks. Bass fishing has been good in 2 to 5 feet of water on jigs, crankbaits and soft-plastic creature baits. The white bass have been biting well on crankbaits and spoons in 5 to 20 feet of water near the upper end of the lake. All other species have been slow.

DeGray Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 397.33 feet MSL. Point Cedar Bait Shop said the lake is still extremely low. Crappie fishing has been good in 2 to 8 feet of water on minnows fished around the brush piles.

Little Missouri River: Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Flyfishing <http://www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com/> said Lake Greeson continues to rise slowly but surely. Fish have been loaded into the river in huge numbers and they are slowly spreading up and down the river. Nothing like they normally would with generation to move them around, but this also means that the better quality fish are getting away from the easy access sites. They will be more established as we go into spring. The first couple of days in February saw a significant number of March Brown Mayflies hovering over the water in the late afternoon and a very strong midge hatch. Get those A&W Emerger patterns ready.

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said there hasn’t been much activity on the lake with last week’s weather. Crappie and bass had moved shallow with the warming water, but the recent cold fronts have more than likely pushed them back to deeper water.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the lake is clear. Some crappie have been biting below the dam when the water has been running. Black bass are biting well on white spinnerbaits and white jigs. Catfishing has been fair on chicken livers and minnows.

Lake Ouachita: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 568.94 feet MSL.

Mossy Point said the lake is muddy and low. Bream are biting fairly well in 8 to 10 feet of water on worms fished near brush piles. Crappie anglers seem to be doing fairly well on green and chartreuse jigs fished around brush and grass in 10 to 16 feet of water.

Lake Ouachita State Park Marina said fishing has steadily picked up for all species. The water is tainted in the bays with surface temperatures ranging from 48 to 50 degrees. The lake is still rising from the recent rain. To find stripers and black bass, locate the shad congregating near creek mouths. Stripers have been caught in the mornings and afternoons on top-water lures, 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 spinnerbaits. A surprising number of largemouth bass are being pulled out of the shallows near structure. Anglers have reported the crappie and bream fishing on the east end of the lake as slow. A few reports of crappie catches have come from the Blakely Creek area on the north side of the lake.

Lake Catherine: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said the trout fishing below Carpenter Dam has been excellent on Berkley PowerBait and small spoons fished in the current. Many trout have been caught. The crappie are holding in 6 to 8 feet of water and are biting minnows and jigs. Bass are holding next to deep water, but can be found actively feeding in 6 to 8 feet of water nearby. The walleye should begin their spawning run soon, but not much success has been reported so far.

Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said the lake is still at winter pool and the water temperature is holding in the low 50s. Crappie are biting well on minnows or jigs fished around brush in 6 to 8 feet of water. Bass are biting well on jigs fished in 10 to 12 feet of water around any rocky areas. Catfishing has been good on worms and chicken livers. White bass are staging in the mouths of most major creeks, but they are not running upriver yet. You should be able to find some cooperative fish spooning the outside edges of the creek channels where they dump into the lake.

Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said the lake is clear and in good shape. The water is at normal levels and a few people have started to get cabin fever enough to visit the lake. Crappie fishing has been good in 4 to 8 feet of water around brush piles on minnows. Bass anglers reported good catches in 10 to 12 feet of water on crankbaits and other minnow-imitating lures fished around the brush.

Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said catfishing is excellent on shad and worms fished on slip-sinker rigs on the bottom.

Lake Nimrod: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 342.79 feet MSL.

Arkansas River: Mossy Point said the river is low and muddy. Catfishing has been good lately on cut shad and stinkbait fished near deep holes in the river channel. Bass are biting fairly well around the jetties and grass. The bass are in surprisingly shallow water – 6 feet deep or shallower – and are hitting Horny Toads and Ribbits in the heat of the day. Crappie are biting well on red-and-chartreuse and black-and-chartreuse jigs fished around stumps in 6 to 18 feet of water.

EAST ARKANSAS:

Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The Tackle Box said the river is murky. Crappie are biting decent on minnows fished along the deeper drops. Catfishing was good on whole shad, but the cold fronts have shut things down. River City Sporting Goods said the river is stained and at normal levels. Bream are biting fairly well in 4 to 8 feet of water on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting fairly well in brush piles set 12 to 13 feet deep. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and black-and-blue jigs in 4 to 8 feet of water. Catfishing is good out in 40 feet of water along the river channel on cut shad.

Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors said crappie anglers are still doing well trolling minnows and small crankbaits over 18 feet of water. Catfishing has been good on trotlines baited with cut shad.

Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the rains have helped with the water level, but it is still awfully low. Bream fishing has been excellent on panfish worms and crickets fished around the piers. Crappie fishing has also been excellent, with many good catches coming from the piers on minnows and jigs. Catfish were cooperative, and some nice-sized cats were taken last week on worms and chicken livers. Bass fishing is poor.

Click Here To Return To The Previous Page