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 Dec. 13, 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 continues to cool, the bite slows. Live bait and artificials must be presented slowly and remain in one spot for a long time to get the bites. Fish may still be covering up a piece of structure, but are inactive and need to be force-fed to get the bite.

Arkansas River Levels: According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as of Tuesday the Arkansas River stages are:
5.48 feet at Dardanelle (flood stage – 32 feet)
9.83 feet at Morrilton (flood stage – 30 feet)
7.62 feet at Little Rock (flood stage – 23 feet)
31.44 feet at Pine Bluff (flood stage – 42 feet)
26.33 feet at Pendleton (flood stage – 31 feet)
White River Levels: According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as of Monday the White River stages are:
17.34 feet at Georgetown (flood stage – 21 feet)
28.45 feet at Augusta (flood stage – 26 feet)
14.86 feet at Newport (flood stage – 26 feet)
8.47 feet at Batesville (flood stage – 15 feet)
5.20 feet at Calico Rock (flood stage – 19 feet)
Statewide Family and Community Fishing Report: Trout season is in full gear statewide and all program trout destinations will have been stocked at least once by this Saturday. Trout are averaging about 11-14 inches, providing some great angling action. Several 2- to 3-pound trout were also stocked in Rock Creek late last week. Fish are biting well on green, chartreuse, or pink PowerBait, Trout Magnets, and wax worms. Fish in the ponds are also biting small Roostertails and curly tailed grubs. Fly anglers are having luck in Rock Creek on black woolly buggers and olive nymph patterns. For more information on trout stockings, call toll-free 1-866-540-FISH (3474).

CENTRAL ARKANSAS:

Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the water is still very low and murky, but has risen slightly from the recent rains. Crappie are biting well on silver minnows and orange/chartreuse jigs. Bass are biting well on chartreuse spinnerbaits and other artificials.

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said crappie are biting well around Gold Creek and Adam’s Landing on size 5 and 6 minnows.
Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said the water is clear and the generators are running in the mornings. Trout fishing is good on wax worms and chartreuse Power Eggs. Fly-fishing is good on egg patterns, red zebra midges and red butt nymphs. Spin fishers are doing well on Rooster tails and small spoons.

Mark Owner at The Little Red Fly Shop in Heber Springs said the brown trout spawn is underway and it is a doozey! Several 30-inch browns were caught and released at Cow Shoals. Ritchey and Winkley shoals have also been equally productive. Mossy and Rainbow shoals are also producing good numbers. Egg colors of cerise (red), bubble gum and salmon egg (#14) seemed to perform the best. Effective dropper flies, in areas of the river where it is permitted, include Gold Ribbed Hare's Ears (#14-#16), Pheasant Tails (#16), Princes (#16) and even San Juan Worms (#18). Using an egg pattern as an indicator with a dropper fly about 12"-18" below is working very well. Several spawning rainbows were caught. The dry flies of choice would be a Midge (#18-#22), BWO (#18-#22) and Parachute Adams (#14-#18). The river is incredibly clear from increased water releases during the last 10 days of November. Colder weather requires more electricity. More releases have also made finding a place to wade or safely boat the river problematic. The power house has been blowing both barrels every morning from 6 a.m. until 11 a.m. Evening releases have been occurring at dusk. Best wade fishing is at JFK Park after the morning water releases recede. Midges, Blue Wings and Caddis continue to hatch sporadically every day. Any fly with red, gold or tan has been productive. Copper Johns (#16) and Olive Woolly Buggers (#12) are also working quite well. As with last months warning, if you come to the Little Red to fish the spawn, please watch where you put your feet. Do not wade through fishable water and never disturb the trouts’ redds.

Greers Ferry: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 460.74 feet MSL.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water temperature ranges from 48 to 52 degrees. The Devil’s Fork Area is closed to boat traffic upstream from Hill Creek from Dec. 11 to Dec. 15 to put a water line on the lake floor. Bass fishing has been better than normal for the largemouth and Kentuckies. Smallmouth have been slower, but they can be caught off the drops on jigs and spinnerbaits as well as jighead worms. Crappie are biting well in 15-20 feet in the river and creek bends in pole timber suspended over 40 feet of water. Catfishing has slowed, but a few have been caught in around 35 feet of water. Walleye are biting off and on in 27-43 feet of water, shallower on cloudy days and deeper when it is sunny. Wally Divers and other cranks are working as well as jigging spoons. The hybrid and white bass are on points and the outside bends of main creeks and larger ditches where shad are gathered. Hair jigs, grubs and large swim baits are working well, as are jigging spoons and in-line spinners. With the warmer weather, fishing will pick up until it drops again. If the shad start to die from a sharp drop in temperature, be ready for some great hybrid fishing.

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the water is low and murky. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass fishing is fair on a jig-and-pig fished tight to cover. Catfishing is poor to fair on minnows.

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the water is clear and at normal levels. Crappie are biting well around the boat docks in deeper water on pink minnows and white/pink Crappie Stingers. Catfishing is good around the pier on minnows fished on the bottom.

Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the water is at normal levels and clarity. Bream are fair on worms. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs fished 3-feet deep around brush and timber. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits and minnows. Catfish are biting well at the bottom of the lake on live or prepared baits.

Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger’s Marina said largemouth bass and Kentucky bass are in about 6 feet of water near the channels and are hitting almost anything – crankbaits, spinnerbaits and soft-plastics are all working well. Crappie are biting well in 15 to 20 feet of water on red/white jigs and pink minnows. Catfishing is good on large minnows and prepared baits fished on slip-sinker rigs in about 20 feet of water. White bass fishing is slow. The white bass are in the coves and are moving west.

Arkansas River: Charley’s Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said flow from Lock 9 is 3250 cubic feet per second with a headwater of 286.80 and a tailwater of 266.74. Catfishing has been excellent in the main river channel in holes 30 feet deep. Shad and nightcrawlers are working the best on the catfish. Largemouth bass are holding tight to woody cover like standing timber. They are biting fairly well on soft-plastic worms. White bass have been holding near the backwaters, chasing the shad. Rat-L-Traps in shad colors are working well. Stripers are biting well around the jetty tips near main creek mouths. Live shad are the best bet.

Arkansas River (Little Rock area): Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said stripers are biting well on the river on chartreuse split-tail trailers.

Sunset Lake: Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports said the water is clear and high. Crappie are biting well on red/chartreuse jigs fished around brush in 20 feet of water. Bass are biting well on green pumpkin finesse worms fished in brush 15 feet deep. All other species are slow.

Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill’s said the water is high and stained. Crappie are biting well on yellow Roadrunners in brush piles from 6 to 7 feet deep. Bass are biting well on green crankbaits and brown/orange jig-and-pig combos. Walleye are biting on live bait. Catfishing is poor.

Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center said the water is murky and high. Bream fishing is poor. Crappie are biting well on minnows fished tight to stumps and brush in 3 feet of water. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers.

Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center said the water is high and muddy with a lot of current. Catfishing is fair on shad. Stripers are biting well on 11/2-ounce bucktail jigs fished below the dam.

NORTH ARKANSAS:
White River: Wilderness Trail said trout fishing has been good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow, Sunrise, and pink along with artificial or live wax worms. During generation, Buoyant spoons, Blue Fox spinners, and Little Cleos are the baits of choice. The fly fishermen have done well with little generation on olive woolly buggers, zebra midges, and “unreal” eggs in peach or white. Brown trout further downriver outside of the catch-and-release areas are being caught on Countdowns, Rogues and nightcrawlers.

Bull Shoals Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 653.26 feet MSL.
Wilderness Trail said lake temperature took another dip and is now at 49.8 to 52 degrees, depending on location. Water clarity is about 12 feet, so you can still fish with 8-pound test line and do OK, but 4- and 6-pound line will still get more bites. Crappie have moved into their winter patterns, suspending over channels and in standing trees along bluffs. Two techniques work well under winter conditions – dragging a live minnow on a split shot rig through suspended schools of crappie or swimming a Bobby Garland Split Tail, grub or Swimming Minnow through the trees. It’s that time of year when bass anglers start to “fish the birds.” When the water temperature gets down to the upper 40s, bass push shad to the backs of the creeks and main-lake pockets and coves and block them in. They have to feed up before the shad go down into deep water. During this period, the gulls swarm and feed on the trapped shad, so if you find the birds, you find the bass. Largemouth bass are under the shad, but you can also catch largemouth on windblown banks with Wiggle Warts or slow-rolling a spinnerbait, although the bites are few and far between. Suspended Rogues and Lucky Craft 78DD’s will also trigger a few largemouth along deep-water banks. If you are “fishing the birds,” use spoons and drop-shot rigs with grubs or a 4-inch finesse worm. Smallmouth bass will hit a spoon under the shad but the drop-shot rig produces far better. The bite peaks from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kentucky bass will jump all over a spoon under the shad and a drop-shot finesse worm, but there are other Kentuckies you might want to zone in on. Big Kentuckies are in the flooded treetops and along the bluffs. Fish a ¾-oz. football jig in 50 to 55 feet of water and pay close attention for the hit. Some Kentuckies are reaching 31/2 pounds. Walleye are on the bottom around feeding flats and around points, at the entrance of pockets and coves or in the flooded forests. Spoons or vertically fished Max Gap Jigs with grubs are working very well. If this is not how you like to fish, then long-line troll shad-type baits; Rapalas, Glass Shad, Reef Runners, Rat-L-Traps on lead core in 44 to 50 feet of water.

Lake Norfork: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 555.48 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the water is clear, with visibility at around 8 to 10 feet of water. The surface temperature is at 53 degrees. Crappie are fair on crappie jigs and Bobby Garland Swimming Minnows in 15 to 20 feet of water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and crankbaits fished from 10 to 35 feet of water. Jigs are producing well in deeper water. Stripers are fair on shiners in 40 to 50 feet of water. Walleye are slow.

Norfork Tailwater: Gene’s Trout Dock said the water is clear and the generators are running throughout the day. Trout fishing is good on shad, wax worms, PowerBait and corn.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
Beaver Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1118.47 feet MSL.
Southtown Sporting Goods said the water is clear and 2 feet low. Crappie are biting well on minnows fished in brush from 10 to 16 feet deep. Bass are fair on top-water lures in the mornings and drop-shotted finesse worms and jigging spoons in the afternoons. Catfish are fair on cut bait. Stripers and hybrids are biting well on live shad, spoons and 1-ounce Roadrunners.

Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the water is clear and about 6 inches high. Crappie are biting fairly well on minnows and tube jigs fished around stumps in 4 to 10 feet of water. Bass are fair on soft-plastic worms, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Catfishing is good in the main channel around 8 to 12 feet deep. Try chicken liver for the best bite.

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS
Crown Lake: Boxhound Marina said the water is clear and at normal levels. Crappie are biting excellently on minnows fished 20 to 30 feet deep. Bass are biting well on trolled crankbaits.

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
Lake Chicot: Koenig Bass Tracker Marine said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting excellently on wax worms and crickets. Bass are biting fairly well during windier weather. Catfish are excellent on nightcrawlers and minnows.

Cane Creek Lake: Cane Creek State Park said the water is still low, but up from last week. Fishing is slow, and few anglers are fishing.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
Millwood Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.36 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service said main lake and Little River water surface temperature ranges 49-56 degrees. Upriver water and oxbows remain warmer than the main lake by as much as 8 degrees. Recent rains will most likely change the level and clarity again, as well as release rate at the dam. Little River's clarity is 6-8 inches of visibility. Main lake clarity reduced to about 3-5 inches of visibility. Current in Little River is reduced, with release at the dam 5,099CFS as of 11 December. Largemouth bass are relating strictly to deep-water haunts, typical of winter patterns. The best bite of the day has been from 11a.m. to 3p.m. on jigs or 10- to 12-inch worms. Bass are fair to good on ¾-oz. Rat-L-Traps in white, red coach dog or red chrome colors. The bite has improved around cypress trees, stumps and flooded timber. Further upriver, where you can find clearer water, Pro-Traps and small Spin Traps (with tail spinners) were working by vertical jigging in schools of bass and crappie.

Feeding periods have tapered off during all but the warmest parts of the day, and for the most part, have become shorter. The best soft plastic bite has shifted again over the past week. With the recent rise in lake elevation and muddy current then return to almost normal level and better water clarity this week, bass have shown a preference for large bulky worms. We changed up a few tactics and have had some random success over the past week with a 10-12-inch beefy, bulky, worm in black, pumpkinseed/chartreuse tail, or blue fleck colors. Crappie which shut almost completely off with the recent muddy 1-foot rise, are improving again on shiners and jigs. They’re still scattered from 16-25 feet around planted brush piles. Channel cats remain good with the continual increase in current along the outer river bends of Little River. Trotlines were taking nice channel cats in the last few days using chicken liver, cut shad and homemade blood bait. Lines set in the current, deeper this week, between 14-17 feet, have continually been taking some nice channel cats ranging from 8-11 pounds.

Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine said bream are biting fairly well on red wigglers fished on the bottom. Crappie have been biting very well on a jig-and-minnow combination lately. All other species are slow.

Lake Erling: Steve's Marine said the water is at normal levels. Bream are biting fairly well on worms and crickets fished right on the bottom. Crappie are biting very well on a jig-and-minnow combination.

White Oak Lake: Charlie’s One Stop said the water is murky and low. Crappie are biting well on small minnows near the bridge.

Lake Greeson: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 539.42 feet MSL.
Lake Greeson: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 539.50 feet MSL.
Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips said the colder days and nights have dropped Lake Greeson’s water temperature to the lower 50s. Crappie are on the move and can be caught on brush piles both shallow and deep. Stripers and white bass are patrolling the secondary creeks.

DeGray Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 398.77 feet MSL.
DeGray One Stop said the water clarity is excellent. Bream are biting poorly, but a few have been caught in 20 to 30 feet of water. Crappie are scattered around 15 to 20 feet deep and biting decently on crappie minnows and small multicolored jigs. Catfish are slow and holding in 20 to 30 feet of water. Hybrids and white bass are schooling and moving upriver. The best bite has been on Roostertails and spoons. Black bass are in 8 feet of water during the mornings and move out to 20 feet by 10. Slow-rolled spinnerbaits and deep-diving crankbaits are working the best on the bass.

Little Missouri River: Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Flyfishing said fishing is excellent throughout the river, and the high water levels are helping distribute fish throughout its course. There is a new fence around the Low Water parking area with a rolling gate, but Low Water is still open to public fishing for the winter. However, if the area is not kept clean, the City of Murfreesboro may close access.

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Lake Dardanelle: Murphy’s Sporting Goods said the water is high and muddy. Few anglers are out because of weather and hunting seasons.

Blue Mountain Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 387.50 feet MSL.
CNC’s End of the Line said the water is clear and at normal levels. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Catfish are biting fairly well on minnows and worms.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the water is stained and at normal levels White bass are biting fairly well on crappie jigs fished under a float below the dam. Catfishing is good on shad and minnows fished on the bottom.

Lake Ouachita: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 574.85 feet MSL.
Poorman’s Tackle and Guide Service said the fishing was slow with the high barometric pressure. Bass were on the deep side of the grass, holding tight to cover. You can still catch some quality bass, but you have to fish slowly with a jig. Monday, the fish showed signs of really turning on. With the lake rising from recent rains this late fall and winter should prove to be the best in years. Some stripers are biting, but you really have to be at the right place at the right time. Monday they had shad pushed into the small pockets next to the creek channels. No report on bream crappie or walleye.

Lake Catherine: Diamondhead Marina said the water is clear and low. Bass are biting well on small soft-plastic worms fished around sharp drops near the main channel.

Lake Hamilton: Poorman’s Tackle and Guide Service said many anglers are having some excellent results lately, with as many as 30 bass a day being caught. The best bite is on drop-shot rigs in 20 to 25 feet of water on finesse worms. Larger fish are being caught on crayfish-colored crankbaits and jig-and-pigs. Only a few strippers have been brought in. Crappie are biting fairly well with mixed sizes stacking up together. Use minnows on slip-bobber rigs set about 10 feet deep and look for the brush piles.

Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said crappie fishing is slow, with a few being caught fairly deep on warmer days. A few bass have been caught on crankbaits and minnows, but overall the fishing is slow.

Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on red worms and crickets around docks. Crappie are biting excellently on chartreuse jigs in 8 feet of water. Bass are poor. Catfishing is excellent in the mornings on chicken livers and shad.

Lake Nimrod: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 343.27 feet MSL.
Local angler Billy Blankenship said the water is high and getting to the water is too much of a chore for most anglers right now.

SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Felsenthal: Hale’s One Stop said the water is clear, but becoming muddier with the rain. Crappie are biting well on shiners.

EAST ARKANSAS:
Island 40 Chute: Daily’s Boat Dock said the water is clear and at normal levels. Crappie are biting well on jigs.
White River: Triangle Sports said the river is fairly clear and at normal water levels. Crappie are in deep holes near the main channel and can be caught on minnows and jigs. Bass are deep, and are biting excellently on jigs and hula grubs fished on main channel drops. Walleye are biting well on small live sunfish.

Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The Tackle Box said bream fishing is poor, but a few have been caught on red worms. Crappie are biting well on shiners below the lock and dam. Catfishing is good on cut shad.

Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said the water is rising. Crappie are biting well on yo-yos baited with live minnows.
Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors said the water is stained and at normal levels. Crappie fishing is slow. No report on any other species due to low angler numbers.

Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the water is low and clear. Crappie are biting well on minnows trolled near the middle of the lake. Catfishing is excellent on cut bait. Hybrids are biting very well.