Weekly Fishing
Report
5/3/2006
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 May 3, 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: A long rope can save the life of someone who has fallen overboard and is struggling in the water. But it takes too long to untangle a rope that lies in a heap in the bottom of the boat. Here’s a system of rigging a long throw rope so it can be thrown immediately and accurately. Punch a 3/8-inch hole in the bottom of a plastic jug. Thread 50 feet of 3/8-inch rope through the bottom hole and out the top. Tie a loop at each end. Pull one knot snug against the outside bottom of the jug. Feed the rest of the rope into the mouth of the bottle. Toss the jug while holding the loop at its mouth. The rope will pull out smoothly as the jug sails through the air.
CENTRAL ARKANSAS:
Lake Conway:
Bates Field and Stream said the water is muddy
and high. Bream are biting well on wax worms, Trout Magnets, worms and
crickets. Crappie are a bit slow, but anglers can still find a few on
minnows and jigs. Bass are biting fairly well on white spinnerbaits and Zoom
Horny Toads. Catfishing is very good on Magic Bait and livers or trotlines
baited with large minnows.
Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said the river is running fairly dingy from the rains. There has been very little generation lately. Trout are biting well on corn, chartreuse PowerBait and wax worms paired with a marshmallow.
Greers Ferry:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation
at 458.57 feet MSL.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder
Guide Service said
the water is at 71 degrees and
the rising level has most of the fish headed to the banks. White bass
fishing has slowed. If you can find the shad, the whites will be close and
can be caught on jigging spoons and grubs. Hybrids have been feeding when
they generate and in the early mornings and late afternoons. Some big fish
are being caught on top waters baits and jigging spoons. Some of the black
bass are post-spawn and some are pre-spawn. The post-spawners are back
feeding again and even some are schooling and can be caught with top waters
and jigging spoons as well as Rite Bite Cinkos and lizards in 20-25 feet of
water on secondary points and main lake points, jighead worms and
Carolina-rigged Cinkos and lizards are catching the late spawners in 1 to 10
feet of water. Green pumpkin works well in low light and watermelon candy is
working when the sun is bright. Walleye are scattered and can be caught
dragging nightcrawlers on 1/16th and 1/8th ounce
jigheads on flats in 25-32 feet of water. Crappie are spawned out for the
most part, and are suspended in the pole timber and over brush piles in 15
feet of water over 50-60 feet. The bream action is good on crickets and
crawlers in 5- 10 feet of water.
Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the water is high and murky. Bream are biting excellently on worms and crickets, with anglers catching fish left and right. Crappie are biting decently on minnows. Not many fish have been caught, but they have been big. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and black soft-plastic worms. Catfish are biting well on worms and large minnows.
Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the lake is high from the rains and fairly clear. Bream are biting well on small worms and crickets. Crappie are biting very well, with many limits being caught on minnows, black/clear tube jigs and black/yellow rock hoppers. Bass are fair on chartreuse buzz baits fished along the shore. Catfishing is slow.
Peckerwood Lake: Herman’s Landing said the lake is clear and full. Bream re biting very well in the shallows on crickets and panfish worms. Crappie have moved into the grass, but anglers are still catching limits of fish. The best luck has been on green/chartreuse jigs fished in isolated grass beds. Catfish have picked up on chicken hearts and minnows.
Toad Suck Lock and Dam: Bates Field and Stream said the water is high and stained. Bream are biting well on wax worms and red worms in 6 to 8 inches of water around any woody structure. Crappie are biting well on chartreuse/salt-and-pepper jigs and small minnows fished around brush in 12 to 18 inches of water. Bass are biting well on pumpkin/fire and watermelon/red lizards. Catfishing is good on Magic Bait and chicken livers.
Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the muddy water and high current from the rains really put a hurt on the fishing. All species are poor.
Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger’s Marina said largemouth bass are in their spring patterns and biting well on spinnerbaits and Rattling’ Rogues in the backs of coves. North Shore and Reese Cove have been producing the best. Kentucky bass are biting well in about 10 to 15 feet of water on 3-inch pumpkin-colored grubs, worms and flipping tubes. The white bass are close to the banks and feeding on schools of shad. The spawning run is about finished, but anglers can still catch a few whites on Rogues, Shad Raps, Rooster Tails and Road Runners. The crappie are biting fairly well in 3 to 5 feet of water on Beetle Spins, Road Runners and small crappie minnows. Catfishing is good on large Canadian nightcrawlers and chicken livers fished in shallow water. Bream are in about 8 feet of water and biting well on crickets.
Arkansas River: Charley’s Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said the flow from Lock 9 is 41,000 cubic feet per second with a headwater of 286.23 and a tailwater of 268.90. Bass fishing has been excellent where water is flowing through the jetties on spinnerbaits. Stripers are biting extremely well on Hawg Traps fished near the creek mouths and around the jetties, with many 2 to 5 pound fish being caught. Catfishing is great on jugs baited with live bream. Bream are bedded up on the downstream side of the jetties and biting well.
Arkansas River (Little Rock area): McSwain Sports Center said the water is muddy and running high. Catfishing is excellent below the dam on cut shad. All other species are slow.
Sunset Lake: Turbyfill’s said the water is stained and high. Bream are biting well in 2 to 5 feet of water on worms and crickets fished near the brush piles and stumps in the water. Crappie are fair on 2-inch crappie jigs around brush in 5 feet of water. Bass are fair on top-water lures fished near the banks and Texas-rigged lizards fished out to about 7 feet deep. Catfish are fair on stinkbait.
Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill’s said the water is running high and murky from the weekend’s rains. Bream are biting well on Rooster Tails and crickets in 1 to 5 feet of water. Bass are biting fairly well on floating worms fished 1 to 5 feet deep around brush and river turns. Catfishing is fair on stinkbait and live minnows.
Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center said the water is muddy and running high. Catfishing is excellent on cut shad fished just below the dam. All other species are slow.
Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center said the water is muddy. Bream are biting fairly well on crickets fished in 3 to 4 feet of water. The bream seem to be moving into the grass to spawn. Crappie are fair on black Dynamax jigs fished in 1 to 2 feet of water. Bass are biting well on black spinnerbaits fished in 3 feet of water around stumps and cypress trees. Catfishing is poor.
NORTH ARKANSAS:
White River:
Gaston's White River Resort
said there was no generation at all last week or during the weekend;
however, we did receive a small amount of water on Monday and Tuesday. Our
best flies right now are the No. 14 Red Ass, No. #14 Brown Bivisible dry fly
and the Light Fluttering Caddis dry fly. Spin fishermen are mostly using
white or yellow PowerBait and wax worms or artificial lures, such as a white
Rooster Tail, silver or gold Little Cleo, rainbow Buoyant Spoons and several
of the new Mepps lures. The fishing has remained excellent this week and
there have been several brown trout in the three to five pound range caught
and released.
North Fork River: Gene’s Trout Dock said the water is clear and at normal levels. Rainbow and brown trout fishing has been very good, but not many good-sized fish have been brought to the bank. Frozen shad and crayfish are working well, as are the usual spoons, spinners and sow bug-patterned flies.
Bull Shoals Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation
at 650.30 feet MSL.
Wilderness Trail
said the big change for the week is the water clarity. The hard rain mixed
the pollen in the lake and now the visibility is at 7 feet, which is quite a
change from 16 feet. The lake temperature dropped a few degrees, which will
hold up spawning. The main lake is at 64 degrees and the creeks are at 65 to
66 degrees (surface temperature). White Bass are still in the back of the
creeks and pockets. Crappie are in spawn and post spawn phase. They are in 1
to 4 feet of water along the banks and in the back of the pockets. Best
baits are Swimming Minnows and Crappie tubes. Largemouth bass have spawned
out up above Tucker Hollow and the upper end of the Theodosia arm, but
throughout the rest of the lake they are still in pre-spawn with a few
starting to bed up. A number of baits and techniques are working, including
trick worms fished wacky style, Flukes, spider jigs, tubes and mojo rigs
with Senkos, centipedes, Brush Hogs or YUM Wooly Hawgtails. Smallmouth bass
are all mixed up –
some are spawned out, some are on beds and some are still in pre-spawn. Key
on banks that have sharp ledges to find the nicer smallies. The best baits
have been tubes, spider jigs and mojo-rigged Senkos, Brush Hogs, finesse
worms and centipedes. Another technique that is triggering some nice
smallies is the “Flirt” worm by Reaction Innovations, fished on a Shakey
head jig bounced along the bottom. Kentucky bass are biting well. Chunk rock
points, watersheds and the inside of the channel swings are the areas to
check for spawn or post spawn Kentuckies. Best baits are tubes, spider jigs,
Senkos and mojo-rigged Zoom Fish Doctors. Walleye are finally coming around.
The day bite is around points and along chunk rock banks with gold Shad
Raps, white Glass Shads and nightcrawlers on a split-shot rig. There is some
crawler harness action with bottom bouncers in 25 to 27 feet of water along
pea rock banks and points. This bite is just picking up and gold blades or
chartreuse/orange blades are working the best. The night bite is still OK
around points.
Sugar Loaf Harbor said the lake is a little low. Crappie are hit-and-miss on minnows and blue thunder 2-inch jigs around the brush piles. Bass are biting well on watermelon/red lizards and Hula grubs. Catfishing is good on minnows and chicken livers suspended under jugs.
Lake Norfork:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
reports the lake’s elevation at 546.07 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the water is
clear and has risen from last week. Bream are biting well in the shallows on
red worms and crickets. Crappie are finishing up their spawn and are biting
well on minnows and Zig Jigs near woody cover. Bass are biting very well on
War Eagle spinnerbaits, Zoom lizards and Eakins jigs fished around 5 to 15
feet of water. The black bass are also hitting Zara Spooks and Redfins early
in the morning in the shallows. Walleye are biting fairly well on jerkbaits,
Reef Runners and X-Raps fished in the creek turns. Crawler harnesses are
also working well. Stripers are schooling early in the mornings and biting
very well on large spinners, flukes, Redfins and Storm swim baits.
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
Beaver Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation
at 1,109.81 feet MSL.
Southtown Sporting Goods said the water is
flowing heavily and is stained. Bream are biting well in 4 to 10 feet of
water on red worms and crickets. Crappie have slowed, but are still shallow
and biting fair on tube jigs trolled around the edges of the channels. White
bass and hybrids have moved into the river arms and should begin schooling
soon.
Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock said the water is at normal levels and stained. Bream are beginning to bed up in about 4 to 8 feet of water and are biting well on crickets fished near any cover at these depths. Bass are biting well, but they’ve scattered and are in post-spawn mode. It’s time to get out the buzzbaits in the mornings and work the points with soft-plastics once the sun comes up. Crappie are biting well in 6 to 10 feet of water. The best baits are minnows and jigs.
Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the water has risen from the rains and is muddy. The lake should clear up by the weekend with a little stable weather. Bream are biting well on crickets and red wigglers. Crappie are biting well in 1 to 5 feet of water around mossy points and brush. Bass are biting fairly well on soft-plastics and gold-bladed spinnerbaits fished around brush in 1 to 6 feet of water. Catfish are fair on live and prepared bait.
Beaver Tailwater: McLellan’s Fly Shop 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; however, cream midge adult patterns have hooked several trout over the past week. Spring is a good time to swing soft hackles across the river. New soft hackle patterns like the Swing Nymph, Submarine Soft hackle, and Wired Red Ass have all been hooking plenty of trout this spring.
NORTHEAST ARKANSAS
Lake Charles:
Powhatan Landing said the water is low and stained. Bream are biting well on
red wigglers and crickets off the bank. Crappie are biting well on minnows
and jigs fished around woody cover in 15 to 18 inches of water. Bass are
biting well. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and stinkbait.
Black River: Powhatan Landing said the water is stained. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and small tubes. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers.
Spring River: Many Islands Camp said the water is stained and at normal levels. Trout are biting fairly well on corn and salmon eggs. Rock bass are biting well in the warmer sections of the river on live minnows.
SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
Lake Chicot:
Fowler’s said catfish are biting well on any live or prepared bait wherever
you can find concentrations of shad. Not many folks are fishing with the
weather and gas prices the way they are.
Grand Lake: Fowler’s said the crappie are biting on minnows in the woody cover. Not many people are fishing, possibly because of the weather and high gas prices.
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
Millwood Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
reports the lake’s elevation at 260.47 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service
said the water
temperature dropped slightly and ranges from 69 to 78 degrees and water
clarity is diminished. The river and oxbow's stain increased over the last
week from rising water. The main lake is still muddy from high wind. Several
River markers are missing or out of place on the main lake and Little River.
Current in Little River is being maintained, and release at the dam is 1,556
cubic feet per second. It is post-spawn, and the bass and crappie have the
blues. Some male bass were still noted around bedding areas and flats last
week, but most have already finished spawning, and the females are
recovering in slightly deeper water. Fry of numerous species are being seen
in the bedding areas. Largemouths have moved over the last week to 10 days,
and the aggressive bite reduced except for a few males. We are still
catching a few decent bass shallow. These bass are slow to fair, good only
for a short feeding binge, then fair or slow again. Bass Assassins and Horny
Toads are taking a few keeper males. Lizards and baby brush hogs in cotton
candy/chart tail, watermelon/red, blue flash, or cherry seed in the clearer
water seem to work only for short periods of feeding. Bass Assassin shads
and trick worms are working here and there, around vegetation growth in
close proximity to deeper water during feeding periods not lasting more than
45 minutes to an hour then off again and on again. Senkos and trick worms
remain best dead sticking weightless, around grass mats in 6-8 foot water,
close to deep water. Longnose gar and carp remain very shallow, and are
presenting some great opportunities for bow fishermen. Blue Cats are still
biting fair on cut shad or prepared blood bait, on trotlines set 13-17 feet
deep in Little River
Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine said the water level is close to normal. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Spray some crawfish scent on your lures to get the fish started. Once the feeding frenzy begins, you can forgo the scent. Catfishing has been very good on nightcrawlers and trotlines baited with live bait.
Lake Erling: Steve's Marine said the redears and bluegills are biting well in 4 feet of water. Redears are biting worms fished right on the bottom, while the bluegills are biting crickets about 1 foot up. Catfishing has been extremely good on trotlines baited with live minnows and bream.
Ark-La Outdoors reports bream are biting crickets, worms, crawfish, and wax worms in the cattails. Crappie are still biting minnows in the shallow water. Catfish are being caught on trotlines baited with goldfish. Bass are biting well on firetiger Rogues, Bomber 15As and Zoom Super Flukes.
Lake Greeson:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation
at 545.38 feet MSL.
Lakeside Grocery, Motel/Bait Shop said the
crappie are biting fairly well in 2 to 6 feet of water on minnows fished
under a slip-cork. Catfishing has been pretty good on live minnows fished
along the mud line.
DeGray Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation
at 407.68 feet MSL.
DeGray One Stop said the lake is at normal
levels and the water temperature is in the mid-70s, which is a little warm
for this time of year. Bream are getting ready to bed up. Most of the small
males are fanning beds in 8 to 15 feet of water, while the females are 20
feet deep and about to move up. Catfishing has been good on trotlines and
noodles baited with live shad and minnows. The hybrids and white bass are
schooling from Hwy 7, through the chute to the north-central part of the
lake, especially off Point 28. The best schooling activity has been between
sunrise and 9 a.m. and from 4 p.m. until dark.
Little Missouri River: Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Flyfishing said the flow is strong and the water has been pretty muddy, even without generation. If you can get a March brown nymph imitation within their sight, the trout will hit it like a freight train, but it takes a few casts to each spot because the visibility is so low.
WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Lake Dardanelle:
Early Bird Outfitters said the water is dirty and at normal levels. Bream
are biting well on red wigglers and crickets. Crappie are fair in 2 to 4
feet of water on minnows fished under a cork. Bass are biting fairly well on
jigs and spinnerbaits fished in transition areas between spawning grounds
and deep water. Catfish are biting well on stinkbait, nightcrawlers and live
shad.
Blue Mountain Lake: CNC’s End of the Line said the lake is muddy because of the recent rains. Bream are biting well in the shallows on mealworms. Crappie are biting fair, but they have slowed. Most of the crappie being caught are coming from deeper water on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and soft-plastics on shallow channel swings and points. Catfish are very active and the fishing is good on nightcrawlers and chicken livers. Many good-sized cats have been caught this week.
Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the water has a little current to it. Bream are moving shallow, getting ready to bed up. Crappie are hanging around the mouths of the creeks, holding tight to timber. Bass are biting fairly well on soft-plastics and jigs near the first drop to deep water from the spawning areas. Catfish are biting fairly well on worms and live shad fished on the bottom. Stripers are biting well below the dam on white bucktails and large buzzbaits.
Lake Ouachita:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation
at 578.38 feet MSL.
Mountain Harbor Resort said Largemouth bass are
still excellent and biting floating worms, Yum Dingers and Carolina rigs.
Try moss flats, standing timber and points for best results. Flukes, Spooks
and Boy Howdies are still effective on wind-blown points and pockets.
Schooling fish are being caught with white Rooster Tails and chrome
Rat-L-Traps. Walleye are excellent with reports of these fish being caught
on or near main lake points. White or chrome jerkbaits and Rat-L-Traps have
been the most effective 4-10 feet deep. Stripers are excellent on live bait,
buck-tailed jigs or top-water C-10 Redfins. Top-water action is still great.
These fish are still around main lake points and rock bluffs near or in the
river channels on all sections of the lake. Bream are biting well around
structure with small jigs, crickets or worms. They should start to spawn
with the next full moon. Crappie are still very good and being caught over
brush piles and moss flats using feather jigs, 2-inch grubs and minnows. Try
pockets and large moss flats 8-15 feet deep. The best colors are still
white, silver and Tennessee shad. Catfishing is very good on cut bait,
nightcrawlers and live bait. Try pockets and moss flats 10
– 15 feet deep.
Lake Catherine: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said the lake is fairly murky from the recent rain and increased flow of water. Bream are biting well and are bedding up in the shallows. Crappie are biting fairly well around boat docks. Bass fishing is good on lead head jigworms and Texas-rigged creature baits fished around docks. A few trout are still being caught, but the action has slowed to a crawl.
Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said the water temperature is in the low 70s and is stained. Bream are biting well on crickets and red wigglers. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting decently on lead head jigworms fished around boat docks. Catfishing is good in the back of the creeks on live minnows. Walleye are biting well on jigs and minnows fished at the base of the dam upriver.
Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said the bream are biting well on worms and crickets fished in the shallows. Crappie are biting well, with many good-sized crappie being taken and quite a few limits being brought in. Bass are biting very well in the shallows on spinnerbaits and live minnows. Catfishing is good on chicken livers and nightcrawlers.
Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the water is at normal levels and clarity. Bream are excellent on red wigglers and are bedding in the shallows. Now’s the time to catch a limit for a fish fry. Crappie are biting fairly well on minnows fished around brush piles and mossy points. Bass are good on black jigs and white flukes fished shallow. Catfish are biting excellently on the north side of the lake in the grass. Crickets have been the best bait for the cats lately.
Lake Nimrod:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation
at 351.79 feet MSL.
Lake Nimrod Bait ‘n’ More said the water is
high from the recent rain. Bream anglers are doing very well in the shallows
on crickets. Crappie have moved out to 12-17 feet of water and are biting
well on minnows under a slip-cork. Catfish are biting very well on live
goldfish and minnows and Danny King Stink Bait.
Arkansas River:
Moss Point said crappie are biting fairly well
in 15 feet of water on red/chartreuse tube jigs.
SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Felsenthal:
Hale’s One Stop said the water has been rising from the recent rains. Fish
have shut down with the rising muddy water. All species are poor.
EAST ARKANSAS:
Arkansas River (Pine Bluff):
River City Sporting Goods said the water is
high and muddy. Crappie have slowed down and are out on the pilings in 6 to
12 feet of water. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets in 2 to 4 feet
of water. Bass are biting well on crankbaits and soft plastics around brush
in 4 to 10 feet of water. The largemouth seem to be moving into post-spawn.
Catfishing is good on cut shad, bass minnows and small bream.
The Tackle Box said the water is high and clear. Bream fishing is excellent along the shoreline in 2 to 5 feet of water. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished around brush in 2 to 12 feet of water. Bass are biting well out to about 6 feet deep on spinnerbaits and top-water lures. Catfish are biting excellently on worms, skipjack and live minnows fished on the bottom.
Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said the water is low and clear. Bream are starting to bite on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well along the banks on minnows and a few are willing to take a jig. Catfishing is good on stinkbait and minnows fished near the bottom.
Bear Creek Lake: Six Rivers Sport Center said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting well in 3 feet of water on crickets. Fish close to the bank around brush and stumps. Crappie are biting well in 4 to 5 feet of water on black/chartreuse jigs fished tight to stumps and other woody cover. Catfishing is good on green sunfish. Bass fishing is poor.
Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the weather really put a damper on fishing, but the fish are still wiling to bite. Bream are biting very well and are getting ready to bed up in the shallows. Wax worms, red wigglers and crickets are all producing well on the bream. Crappie are biting very well on minnows and jigs in 3 feet of water. Some nice 2- to 21/2-pound slabs have been caught around the piers and cypress trees. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits in the shallows. Catfishing is very good on nightcrawlers and stinkbait
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