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 Oct. 11, 2006. If there is a body of water you would like to see included in this report, please call or e-mail us with information on possible sources for that lake or river.

           

Fishing Tip: Here’s a bit of crappie advice from Darryl Morris from Family Fishing Trips Guide Service:

When crappie fishing and the bite is light and finicky, downsize your bait and present it slower.  When using jigs or minnows, use the smallest you can get even as small as one inch just might be the trick.  When casting over brush piles, allow your jig to fall deep and then retrieve as slow as you can, letting your bait fall again as you pull your jig over submerged limbs. When presenting your bait vertically, hold in one spot at a dead stop before moving your bait around the brush pile. Watch for the bite in the middle of the dead time or at the moment when your bait moves again.

 

 

CENTRAL ARKANSAS:

             

Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the water is still low and murky. Bream are biting fairly well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on jigs tipped with pink minnows. Bass fishing has been great on top-water lures and buzzbaits fished in the early mornings. Catfishing is good on stinkbait.

  

Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said the water is low and the generators are only running for an hour in the afternoon. Trout fishing is good on wax worms with marshmallows, PowerBait and red/gold or black/orange spoons.

 

Greers Ferry: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 454.56 feet MSL.

Shiloh Marina said the water is low and clear. Fishing is slow for all species.

Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the surface temperature ranges from 69 to 74 degrees. The hybrids are biting very well some days. Some of the biggest schools of shad are coming out of deep water and the hybrids are right behind them. Bass are fair, but the cold front should push them shallow after the shad. Try crank baits and spinnerbaits, Carolina-rigs and jighead worms once the front has moved through. Crappie anglers are doing pretty well in about 15 feet of water on jigs and minnows. The fish are suspended over 40 feet of water in the pole timber. Bream fishing is reportedly really good right now around docks and suspended over brush piles in 15 feet of water. Walleye can be taken trolling shad and gold-colored crankbaits about 12 feet deep over 35 feet of water. Catfishing is great with cut bait and bream on trotlines in 12-15 feet of water.

 

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the water is clear and at normal pool. Crappie fishing is excellent in crappie cove. Bass fishing is excellent on live bait.

 

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the water is low and clarity is fair. Bream are biting well on red worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and black jigs fished around the deep end of the pier. Bass are fair and coming close to the banks in morning and afternoon. Catfish are good on trotlines baited with live minnows.

 

Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the water is at normal levels and clarity. Bream are biting well in 3 to 8 feet of water on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished in brush piles around 3 to 8 feet deep. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits fished around 2 feet deep. Catfishing is fair on live and prepared baits fished on the bottom.

 

Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger’s Marina said the water level is 6.5 feet down (last year the lowest level was 6.7). The lake has finished its turn over and fishing has improved. Largemouth bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and crankbaits fished around points and over the channels in 6 feet of water. Kentucky bass are excellent; they are mixed in with the blacks and out to slightly deeper water, but are very aggressive. White bass are slow. They were schooling across from old Jolly Rogers on the east end of the lake last week. Bream are slow and deep. Catfishing is good on flats off the main channel. The nursery pond is being released Thursday and should result in some really good fishing at old Jolly Roger’s cove.

 

Arkansas River: Charley’s Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said there is no flow from Lock 9 with a headwater of 284.37 and a tailwater of 264.97. Kentucky bass are excellent on rock jetties in 2 to 6 feet of water on flukes and shad-colored Rat-L-Traps. Largemouths are biting well on sandbars and banks where you have wood. Flukes are working the best in 2 to 8 feet of water. Catfishing is good on top of the jetties. Float a live shad 4 to 8 feet deep over the top of the jetty and hang on. White bass and stripers are biting well early and late on Shad Raps and Rat-L-Traps around jetty tips. Bream are excellent around riprap with grass growing through it. No report on crappie.

           

Sunset Lake: Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports said the water is clear and low. Bream are fair on crickets. Bass are biting well on soft-plastic worms fished in 12 to 15 feet of water. Catfishing is poor.

 

Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill’s said the river is very low and running clear. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are biting well on brightly colored top-water lures. Catfishing is fair.

 

Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center said crappie are biting well on medium-sized minnows and 2-inch tube jigs. Catfish are biting well on worms and frozen shrimp.

 

Palarm Creek: McSwain Sports Center said bream are fair. Crappie are biting well on yo-yos baited with minnows. Catfish are biting well on trotlines baited with live or prepared baits.

 

Peckerwood Lake: Herman’s Landing said the water is as clear as you can get for this time of year and low. Bream are biting well, but are scattered throughout the lake. Crappie are biting well on jigs. Bass are fair. Catfishing is fair on live minnows.

 

Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center said Stripers are biting well on shad, large minnows, grubs and hair jigs.

 

 

 

NORTH ARKANSAS:

 

White River: Gaston's White River Resort said the warm weather increased generation. One to three generators are running most days. Artificials have worked well, especially Mepps spinners, Buoyant Spoons, and Little Cleos in gold colors. Once the generation kicks up to 4 generators, Husky Jerks and Floating Rapalas are working well on the brown trout. Bait fishing has been good on yellow, chartreuse and white Power Eggs as well as live worms, glowworms and natural-colored crème artificials.

Wilderness Trail said trout fishing has been good. With light generation Berkley Power Eggs in yellow, pink and white have worked well. During generation, Buoyant Spoons, Mepps, Blue Fox and Little Cleos are the baits of choice.  The fly fishermen have done well with little generation on Olive Woolly Buggers, scuds or sow bugs   The Brown trout are being caught on Rapala Countdowns, jointed Rapalas and nightcrawlers.  

            Bull Shoals Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 648.18 feet MSL.

Wilderness Trail said the lake temperature ranges from 70 to 72 degrees throughout most of the lake. With readings taken by the Walleye Anglers Group, it appears that the thermocline is dissipating rapidly. The temperatures and oxygen levels are pretty much the same down to 55 feet. Crappie are moving in and out of the brush piles, but remain in 26 to 28 feet of water. Crappie minnows are working well fished on a colored jighead along with Bobby Garland Swimming minnow or a crappie tube.  Fish these baits in and around the brush piles. Largemouth bass will hit top-water lures such as buzzbaits, Zara Spook Jrs, Spit’N Images and Lucky Craft Sammys on chunk rock banks and points in the mornings. After the sun comes up try slow rolling a spinnerbait for a while. As the sun gets higher in the sky change to Carolina rigs or Mojo rigs with a finesse worm, trick worm or lizard fished in 26 to 28 feet of water. Smallmouth bass are also hitting the surface earlier in the morning on Pop R’s or Zara Spook Jrs. Once that bite is over, change to a football jig or tube for some nice action out of 28 to 30 feet of water, again along chunk rock banks and points. Some Kentucky bass are swimming with the white bass and doing some frenzy feeding while they push balls of shad to the top.  Use a drop-shot rig with a finesse worm, spoon, or Pop R and cast right into the ball of shad.  These balls of shad are showing up in most of the creek arms, so have a bait tied up and be ready for them. Walleye have not changed much this week and are still around chunk rock points in the creek arms. Even though the thermocline is all but gone, they are still in the 33 to 42 feet of water and most are close to the bottom. Trolling with lead core continues to be the technique that is catching the nicer walleye. Best baits this week were jointed Shad Raps, Reef Runners in the purple colors and 30+ deep Tail Dancers in blue back colors. The Binks spoon, in the double shad/white ¾- to 1-ounce are also producing some nice walleye.   

             Sugarloaf Harbor said the water is low and clarity is fair. Bream fishing is poor. Crappie are biting well on minnows around brush piles in 25 to 30 feet of water. Bass are biting well in 20 feet of water on live crayfish. Catfishing is good on jugs baited with hot dogs.

 

 Lake Norfork: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 544.47 feet MSL.

Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the water is clear and low. Surface temperature ranges in the low 70s. Crappie are fair on minnows around 25 feet deep. Bass are biting well on top-water lures near the lower end of the lake. Fish ledges dropping sharply from the bank to 50 feet deep with CC Spoons as well. Catfishing is fair on jugs baited with stink bait.

 

Norfork Tailwater: Gene’s Trout Dock said the water is at normal levels and the water clarity is fair. Brown trout have been biting well on red worms.

 

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

 

Beaver Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,110.62 feet MSL.

Southtown Sporting Goods said the water is clear and low. Crappie are fair on tube jigs and minnows fished around brush in 6 to 14 feet of water. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits and drop-shot rigs. White bass are schooling and biting well on CC spoons. Catfishing is fair on chicken livers.

 

Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock said the water is clear and at normal levels. Crappie fishing is fair on small jigs. All other fishing is slow.

 

Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the water is clear and at normal pool. Fishing reports are slow from lack of anglers. Bream are poor, but a few have been caught in 4 to 8 feet of water on red worms and crickets. Crappie are fair around mossy points in 4 to 8 feet of water on minnows. Bass are fair on rocky points and brush piles in 4 to 8 feet of water on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is slow, but a few have been taken on worms in 4 to 10 feet of water.

 

 

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

  

Eleven-Point River: Woody’s Canoe Rental and Campground said the river is clear and running at normal levels. Not many anglers are fishing.

 

            Crown Lake: Boxhound Marina said the water is clear and at normal levels. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished around brush piles. Bass fishing is excellent on crankbaits and top-water lures fished around brush near shallow water. Catfishing is excellent on chicken livers and large minnows. Bluegill are biting well on wax worms and crickets.

 

 

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS

  

Lake Chicot: Koenig Bass Tracker Marine said not many anglers are hitting the lake for fish.

 

Grand lake:  Fishing success has been low with few reports.

 

Mississippi River:  The river is down, and anglers still catching catfish close to the Greenville Bridge.

 

Cane Creek Lake: Cane Creek State Park said the lake is about 11/2 feet low and water clarity is normal. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on shad-imitating crankbaits and spinnerbaits.

 

 

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

 

Millwood Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.64 feet MSL.

 Millwood Lake Guide Service said the surface temperature is 70-74 degrees, depending on location and time of day. Upriver oxbows are warmer for the most part, than the main lake surface temps by as much as 5-7 degrees. Little River's clarity improved again this week, and as of Monday is about 18-22 inches. Main lake clarity is stained but improved to about 12-14 inches. Current in Little River increased from last week, with release at the dam of 161 cubic feet per second. Bass fishing is excellent with the cooler water. Best feeding periods still remain early and late in the day, but are generally good to very good throughout the day. Juvenile and yearling Black Bass continue randomly schooling, and are chasing bait along the edges and into lily pads, and in the oxbows all along Little River. A few of these schools contain a small population of young adult bass ranging from 2-4 pounds in addition to the juveniles. Rat-L-Traps, Bass Assassin Shads (or twitch worms) and a War Eagle Spinnerbait or Rocket Shad tail spinner is all you need to throw to catch fish. The best Rat-L-Trap bites are on the Clear- Hologram Shad, Diamond Shad or chrome/blue patterns in 1/4 to 1/2 oz sizes.  If you can work your Trap shallow and thread it through the vegetation and lily pads (hint, drop down from the 1/2 oz to the 1/4oz and it's much easier), there are some good bass shallow that will try to take it from you.  The best soft-plastic bite for us remains the 5-inch Bass Assassin Shads in salt-and-pepper/silver phantom color, or Charm Assassins-wacky rigged (small 2/0 Owner Rig-n Hook=slow fall) in silver ghost color, in thicker vegetation where you can't work a Rat-L-Trap or treble hook through the dense vegetation. These fish remain 3 to 9 feet deep in the vegetation, moving in and out, shallow, throughout the day. White Bass are continuing roaming Little River in fair numbers and large schools.  The Whites will bite with some frequency, chrome or white Rat-L-Traps, Rocket Shads, Little Cleos, and Rooster Tails, at various locations along Little River this week.  Once you connect with a single fish, know that there is a large school down there too.  Large schools have been located in Little River around the areas of Hurricane and between White Cliffs and Hwy 71 Bridge. Crappie fishermen continue venturing out, over the past few weeks due to improved weather.  The Crappie catches are decent size ranging from 12-16" in length (1 to 2.5lbs each), and have also remained slightly shallower the past few weeks, best on shiners last few days.  Best bite last week was Southern Pro Tiny Tubes in white or smoke colors and shiners, between 7-10 feet deep.  Many longnose gar are making another great opportunity for bow fishermen. Several in the 15-40 pound class are surfacing repetitively and very frequently all day along Little River in front of Mud Lake, Horseshoe Lake and around Hurricane Creek.

 

White Oak Lake: Charlie’s One Stop said crappie fishing is fair on jigs and minnows around visible brush. Bass are biting well on jigs and other artificials fished right in the brush piles.

 

Lake Greeson: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 536.00 feet MSL.

Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips said as of October 9, the Fall Feeding Frenzy is definitely upon us at Lake Greeson. The crappie are on the move up the various creek arms of the lake and stacking up on brush piles in 20 feet of water. Minnows or jigs will work from 12 to 16 foot deep.  Bass are still hitting live crawfish on rocky points off the main channel.

Lakeside Grocery, Motel and Bait said the water is clear and low. Crappie fishing is poor. Bass are biting well in 3 to 6 feet of water on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and topwaters. Stripers are biting well on top-water lures and spoons jigged off the bottom. Walleye are biting well on crankbaits trolled 10 feet deep over 20 feet of water.

 

DeGray Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 396.61 feet MSL.

DeGray One Stop said the water is clear and low. Surface temperature is around 70 degrees in the morning. Bream are biting well on crickets fished 20-30 feet deep. Crappie are schooling up and biting excellently on minnows and jigs fished in brush piles around 5 to 10 feet deep. Bass are shallow in the early morning and late afternoon. Spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and top-water lures are working well on the largemouth. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers.

 

Little Missouri River:  Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Flyfishing said conditions have been dead calm and warm with no major hatches, making the fly-fishing difficult. A light Cahill parachute is about all that’s getting the attention of the fish when the surface is this slick. 

 

 

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

 

Lake Dardanelle: Spadra Marina said the water level is still a little lower than normal, but up by about 10 inches. Catfishing has been a lot of fun. Cut shad is the choice bait.  Most fishermen have caught their limit within a couple hours of fishing. Crappie are starting to bite on jigs as well as minnows, 5-6 feet deep, near downed treetops. Bass have been slower than usual. Plenty of bream are near the banks.

Murphy’s Sporting Goods said the water is clear and at 73 degrees. Crappie are biting well around the bridges in 12 to 15 feet of water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and Horny Toads in shallow water. Stripers are biting well below the dam. Catfishing is excellent on stinkbait.

Blue Mountain Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 384.36 feet MSL.

CNC’s End of the Line said the water is at normal levels. Crappie anglers are doing excellently on live minnows and small jigs.

 

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the water is fair and at normal levels. Bass fishing is fair on jigs. Catfishing is fair on live minnows and nightcrawlers. All other species are slow.

 

Lake Ouachita: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 568.89 feet MSL.

Mountain Harbor Resort said the water is around 72 degrees and clear. Largemouth bass are biting grass jigs and frog-style baits along mossy flats and points. Kentucky bass are biting well on live crawfish in brush piles 20 to 28 feet deep. Walleye are biting fairly well on silver jigging spoons fished around brush piles on main lake points around 25 to 35 feet deep. Stripers are fair on live gizzard shad and large trotline minnows around main lake points and rock bluffs near or in the river channel on the eastern end of the lake. Bream are fair on worms fished 20 to 28 feet deep. Crappie are biting very well over brush piles in 18 to 35 feet of water. Catfish are fair on cut bait, nightcrawlers and punch bait. Try pockets and moss flats in 15 to 25 feet of water.

Poorman’s Tackle and Guide Service said bass are very good with a great morning bite. Covering a lot of water with spinnerbaits is working best. Stripers are hit and miss, just look for the shad. Some walleye are being caught on Lindy rigs baited with green finesse worms.

Local angler Jim Campbell said the largemouth bass bite is good alternating between a Texas-rigged weightless Zoom Old Monster 101/2" worm in plum-apple a Norman Middle N fished parallel to and over the tops of green hydrilla in 3-8 feet of water. Water temperature averaged 75 degrees, clarity clear, overcast sky, light wind from the southeast. Abundant green vegetation was located in creek coves on the north side. There has been no activity around shaded browned-out vegetation along the south side and dark coves. 

 

Lake Catherine: Diamondhead Marina said the water is slightly murky and at normal levels. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers fished on flats in 10 feet of water or less. Walleye are biting fairly well on spinnerbaits.

 

Lake Hamilton: Poorman’s Tackle and Guide Service said bass are fair with a lot of small 12- to 14-inch fish being caught on a variety of baits. Shallow crankbaits in lavender shad, drop shots and Carolina rigs are working well. Stripers are fair and night fishing is best below the dam on swim baits. Crappie are being caught on Tennessee shad grubs. Catfish are slow. Bream are fair.

 

Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said the water clarity is good. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are fair and improving in deep water. The best bite has been on minnows, but jigs are still producing a few. Bass are biting well on top-water lures and crankbaits. Catfishing is good on trotlines baited with shiners, goldfish and shrimp.

 

Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the water is 2 feet low and clear. Crappie fishing is good from 11 a.m. until evening on minnows. Catfishing is good on prepared baits such as Catfish Dynamite and Danny King Punch Bait.

 

Lake Nimrod: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 342.31 feet MSL.

            Local angler Billy Blankenship said the water is low and clear. Crappie are excellent on minnows fished deep around creek mouths. Bass are on the move to the channels and biting well on shad-imitating lures. Catfishing is good on live and prepared baits.

 

SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

 

            Felsenthal: Hale’s One Stop said crappie fishing is good on shiners fished deep. All other species are slow.

  

EAST ARKANSAS:

  

White River: Triangle Sports said bream are biting well on red worms fished in the shallows. Crappie are fair in 15 feet of water near creek mouths. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and crankbaits fished along grassy areas of the banks. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers fished around Lock and Dam 1. A few walleye are being caught on medium diving crankbaits fished in the current around channel bends.

 

Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The Tackle Box said the water is low and clear. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are excellent on minnows and black jigs fished around the bar pits. Bass are biting well on top-water lures and buzzbaits. Catfish are good on worms and chicken livers.

River City Sporting Goods said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie are poor. Bass are biting well on crankbaits and soft-plastic worms fished around the pilings. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers and shad. Stripers are biting well on white spinnerbaits slow rolled below the dam.

I-40 Chute: Daily’s Boat Dock said the water is clear and at normal levels. Crappie are biting well on black/chartreuse jigs fished in 2 to 31/2 feet of water. All other species are slow.

Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said the water is muddy. Very few anglers are visiting the water.

            Bear Creek Lake: Six Rivers Sport Center said the water is low and murky. No anglers have been visiting the lake.

            Arkansas Outdoors said bream fishing is poor. Crappie are fair on minnows fished in 6 feet of water. Bass are poor, but a few have been caught on soft-plastic worms. Catfishing is fair on red worms and nightcrawlers. 

Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the water is clear and too low for many anglers to get their boats in. Bream are biting fairly well on crickets in 3 feet of water. Crappie are excellent in the creek channels on minnows. Bass are shallow and biting well on white spinnerbaits. Catfish are fair on cut bait and nightcrawlers.