2/21/2007

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. 14, 2007. If there is a body of water you would like included in this report, please call or e-mail us with information on possible sources for that lake or river.

           
Fishing Tip: In late winter, concentrate your efforts in clear or stained water. Cold, muddy water is one of the most difficult areas to fish because fish are lethargic and cannot see the lure presentation long enough to provoke a strike.

Arkansas River Levels: According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as of Wednesday the Arkansas River stages are:
14.85 feet at Dardanelle (flood stage – 32 feet)
18.85 feet at Morrilton (flood stage – 30 feet)
7.76 feet at Little Rock (flood stage – 23 feet)
31.55 feet at Pine Bluff (flood stage – 42 feet)
27.14 feet at Pendleton (flood stage – 31 feet)

           
White River Levels: According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as of Wednesday the White River stages are:

19.11 feet at Georgetown (flood stage – 21 feet)
27.63 feet at Augusta (flood stage – 26 feet)
14.82 feet at Newport (flood stage – 26 feet)
11.05 feet at Batesville (flood stage – 15 feet)
11.56 feet at Calico Rock (flood stage – 19 feet)

Statewide Family and Community Fishing Report:  Trout anglers are catching fish on chartreuse PowerBait. Trout are also being caught on shallow-running crankbaits and white Roostertails retrieved very slowly. Anglers have reported catching hybrid striped bass this week in Otter Creek and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park ponds using minnow-imitating lures. For more information on trout stockings, call toll-free 1-866-540-FISH (3474).

CENTRAL ARKANSAS:
             
            Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is muddy. Bream are fair on redworms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on black/chartreuse, chartreuse pepper and orange core Dynamax jigs in deep water. Catfishing is fair on trotlines baited with shrimp.

 
Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is clear and generators are running 24 hours a day. Trout fishing is good on spinners cast across the current and on wax worm/marshmallow combinations drifted in the current.

Mark Hollan at The Little Red Fly Shop in Heber Springs said the brown trout spawn is over but egg patterns are still working well. Other flies that are proving productive include the Red Ass (no. 16), tan beadhead sow bug (no. 14-16), zebra midge (red or olive no. 16), San Juan worm (no. 14-18) and olive or brown woolly buggers (no. 8-12). The Corps is operating both generators every day in an effort to lower the lake level prior to spring rains. Wade fishing is possible at Winkley and Libby shoals every morning from dawn to about 9 a.m. When the lower White River gets below flood stage, both generators may be turned on constantly for weeks.

Greers Ferry: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 465.15 feet MSL.
Shiloh Marina (501-825-6237) said the water is clear. All fishing has been slow lately.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the surface temperature at Greers Ferry is ranging from 41 to 46 degrees. The water level has been falling about 6 inches per day. Bass fishing has been very slow at best with 4 or 5 lbs. winning tournaments as of late. The best bite is in deep water around brush and or big rocks using a football head or Carolina rig anywhere from 40-70 feet of water with 2 or 3 bites a day being good. The whites and hybrids are pretty slow, but some action can be found around the baitfish in the clearer water with spoons and the buckshot big fish bait, look for the birds. Bream can be caught in the guts of the creeks about 40 feet deep. Crappie are bunched up suspended in 40-60 feet of water on pole timber. Walleye fishing is warming up, there have been two caught over 30 inches and some males have been showing up in the river. With the predicted warm rain, we will see a big movement of them upriver. Fishing should be good on grubs and jigs tipped with minnows as well as Wally Divers and long-billed Rebels.

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said the water is murky and at normal levels. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows and jigs. An occasional crappie is also being taken on nightcrawlers.

 
Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing (501-354-1470) said the water is murky and the fishing is slow.
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is murky and high. Bream are fair on redworms. Crappie are biting fairly well on pink minnows and pink/white and chartreuse pepper jigs fished around boat docks and piers. Bass and catfish are slow.

Lake Maumelle: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said the lake is muddy and high. Stripers and white bass are being caught making their move to the upstream end of the lake. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and red/chartreuse mini jigs. Bass are biting well on minnows.

Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait (501-868-3279) said the water is low and has a good stain to it. Bream fishing is poor. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are poor. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers, blood bait and stinkbait.

Sunset Lake: Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is low and clear. Crappie are biting well on minnows in 5 feet of water. Bass are biting well around the banks on crankbaits deflected off the bottom. Catfishing and bream fishing are poor.

Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water as fallen and is running fairly clear. Crappie are biting well in 5 to 6 feet of water on small jigs and spinners. Bass fishing is excellent on crayfish-colored crankbaits in 5 to 6 feet of water. All other species are slow.

Arkansas River at Morrilton: Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said few people are fishing lately. Catfishing is good in deep holes and around jetty tips on whole shad. Kentucky bass are biting fairly well on jigs and CC Spoons fished around secondary drops around 10 feet deep. Stripers are biting fairly well on wobble spoons fished around the mouths of creeks and below the dams. Some large drum are coming up to the back side of the jetties and are biting excellently on live shad.

Murray Lock and Dam: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said crappie are biting well on minnows and red/white mini-jigs. White bass are biting well on white twister tails below the generator.

           
Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is high. Catfishing is fair below the dam on shad. Occasionally a striper will hit on cut shad below the dam as well.

 
            Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is high and clear. Crappie fishing is fair around brush and stumps in 4 to 6 feet of water. Live minnows have been the only way to catch them lately. All other species are poor. 

NORTH ARKANSAS:
White River: Gaston's White River Resort said high water and shad are coming through the gates. Many excellent size browns are being caught on shad-imitating lures and flies. Most browns are being caught on no. 9 and 7 Countdown Rapalas, 1/8-ounce white jigs, silver Rattlin’ Rogues and Spoons. Water generation has been running around the clock, with 6 to 7 units running full time. Power Eggs in Yellow and White with Glo-worms are still catching plenty of rainbows. Gold Cleo spoons and Buoyant spoons will catch rainbows too. Fly-fishing on the high water is best with red San Juan worms, white woolly buggers, white shad flies and egg patterns in yellow, peach and red.

Wilderness Trail (870-445-2703) said fishing has been good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow and white along with white marabou jigs with or without a chrome dome head.  During generation, Buoyant spoons, white Rooster Tails and white Krocodiles are the baits of choice. Fly-anglers have done well with little generation on olive or white woolly buggers, San Juan worms in bright colors, white doll flies (jigs) and “unreal” eggs in peach or white. 

Bull Shoals Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 653.66 feet MSL.
Wilderness Trail (870-445-2703) said lake temperature is at 43 degrees. Shad are still coming through the dam and they are starting to struggle with the lake temperature down close to the 40-degree mark. Another few degrees and we could have a shad kill. Crappie remain slow, although some are showing up around docks that have brush hanging off the sides. Live minnows on a slip bobber is the best way to trigger these suspending crappie. Largemouth bass are holding tight to deep cover both in the creeks and on the main lake. Cold water conditions mean smaller lures and slow retrieves.  Work water from 25 feet to 55 feet deep with spider jigs, finesse worms, Baby Brush Hogs and spoons. Smallmouth bass are hard to find, but a few are around transition banks and will hit tubes and jigs. Kentucky bass have gone deep again taking up under the shad in 48 to 60 feet of water. Spoons and drop shot rigs are the key techniques to catching a few. Walleye are slowly moving into the creek entrances, but they are not in any hurry to leave deep water. Most of the walleye that we can mark are close to points in 48-55 feet of water or they are suspended over flooded forests. Spoons are your best bet in catching a few unless you wish to bang the banks with long-billed Rogues or deep X-raps.

 Lake Norfork: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 551.98 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Bait and Tackle (870-492-5141) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bass are biting excellently on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits and jigs fished near major points and creek turns. Stripers are biting well on flat-tailed grubs and jerkbaits.

 
Norfork Tailwater: Gene’s Trout Dock (870-499-5381) said the water is very clear and generators are running all day except for early mornings. Trout fishing is good on No. 7 size Husky Jerks.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
 
Beaver Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,120.97 feet MSL.
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is muddy and high. Crappie are poor, but a few are being taken on Shinneee Hinneee Jigs. All other species are slow.

Beaver Tailwater: McLellan’s Fly Shop said with Beaver Lake filling up, generation has increased on Beaver tailwater. Fishing high water out of a boat can be productive using San Juan worms, egg patterns, and shad patterns like the Arkansas Beadhead. During low water, midge patterns are always important on Beaver tailwater, but especially during the winter months. Patterns like the jujube midge, the poison tung and the zebra midge have been fooling lots of trout this week, and especially on breezy days, Griffith’s gnats and other midge dry fly patterns have been hooking plenty of trout as well.

SWEPCO Lake: Local guide Brad Wiegmann said the water is clear. The boat ramp continues to be an icy challenge some mornings. Check the ramp before you launch your boat. Most anglers are launching with four-wheel drive vehicles on the gravel beside the concrete ramp. Anglers continue to catch bass on shaky head jigs with finesse worms. Other successful techniques have been drop-shot rigs, Carolina rigs, Texas rigs and dragging jig-and-pig combos. The discharge area seems to be the hot spot lately.

Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is clear and at normal elevation. Crappie are fair on minnows and Road Runners fished in open water. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits in 4 to 10 feet of water. Catfishing is fair on worms, chicken livers and large bass minnows. Bream fishing is good.   

 
NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

            Eleven-Point River: Woody’s Canoe Rental and Campground (870-892-9732) said the water is high and muddy from the rain. Yellow suckers are coming up in the river to spawn. 

            Crown Lake: Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is cloudy from the rains and windy weather. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and small soft-plastic minnow imitations like Sassy Shads.

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
  
Lake Chicot: Koenig Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said the water is high and murky from the wind and rise. Crappie are fair on jigs.

Local anglers report that despite the cold weather, some good crappie are being caught slow trolling near docks and other cover. Catfishing is good on trotlines and yo-yos.

 
Grand lake:  Koenig Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said the water is murky, but crappie fishing has been good on jigs.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
 
Millwood Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.22 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service said the surface water temperature ranges from 40-43 degrees, depending on location and time of day. Lake level on Millwood has returned to normal. Little River's clarity as of Monday is normal stain and improved, with about 6 inches of visibility and current reduced at 1,152 cubic feet per second. Navigation is much improved with the reduced lake level and current flow. Bass and crappie are in their typical winter patterns. Feeding periods are are slow, but best, during the warmest periods of the day. Several days last week warmed up into the 60 to 70-degree range and improved the activity levels of the bass. Rat-L-Traps, crankbaits, lizards, and jigs are the best bet for a good bass bite. Rat-L-Traps and big wobbling crankbaits are taking some really good keeper bass. The more aggressive bite last week was on red or orange Rat-L-Traps or shad-colored cranks with a wide wobble like the Cordell Big-O. Several nice keepers in the 4-7 pound class were caught and released last week. Best colors last week for jigs were Texas Craw or black/blue combinations using pork trailers. Bass are fair to good on War Eagle spinnerbaits in holographic shad colors. Good quality bass are near cypress trees and cypress knees near deep drops. Another two to three weeks of high temperatures will put them in a much more aggressive feeding pattern. Keep a close eye on your surface temp gauge the next few weeks. White Bass were reported at creek mouths this week above the Arkansas Highway 71 bridge and were fair to good from 1 to 4 p.m. on Little Cleos, Rooster Tails, Roadrunners or Rocket Shad in white, red or chrome. Crappie improved over the past week with the improved level and clarity. The best crappie bite was in brush piles along Little River in 12-18 feet of water on jigs and mini-tubes in white, shad or chartreuse colors. Channel cats continue to bite well, along outer river bends of Little River on trot lines using blood or stink bait combinations with cut shad, or cottonseed meal cake.

 
Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Crappie fishing is good on pink shiners and crappie shiners under the Ark. Highway 344 Bridge.

Lake Erling: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Crappie fishing is good on gold and silver shiners and orange jigs fished around 8 feet deep.

White Oak Lake: Charlie’s One Stop (870-685-2753) said the water is at normal level and the clarity is good. Bream are biting well on redworms. Crappie are biting well on pink minnows and jigs. Bass are biting fairly well on soft-plastics and jigs fished tight to cover.

Lake Greeson: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 544.90 feet MSL.
Lakeside Grocery, Motel and Bait (870-398-5304) said the water is clear and high. The surface temperature is hovering around 45 degrees. Crappie fishing is poor. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits, jigs and crankbaits in 5 to 15 feet of water. Stripers are busting surface lures and spoons on the south end of the lake.

Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips Guide Service said the water is getting down to a comfortable level again. Crappie, black bass and white bass can be caught on minnows or jigs fished in 20 to 30 feet of water on brush piles fished around points extending into deep channels. The surface water temperature is 45 degrees.

 
DeGray Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 406.69 feet MSL.
DeGray One Stop (501-865-3511) said the water is muddy on the north end of the lake and clear on the south end near the state park. Fishing is fair for bream. Crappie fishing is fair on a jig-and-minnow combination. Bass fishing is fair near the lower end of the lake. Catfishing is fair.

Little Missouri River:  Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Flyfishing said the water has settled a bit and fishing is possible on the river again. A few of the brown trout stocked are showing up, but the rainbows are going crazy after all the high flows. March browns are hatching occasionally, so emergers are working well.

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
 
Lake Dardanelle: Murphy’s Sporting Goods (479-229-3200) said the water is muddy with a good flow. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and stick baits around points near the main channel. Catfishing is good on cut bait. Stripers are also biting well below the dam on cut shad.

Blue Mountain Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 384.26 feet MSL.
CNC’s End of the Line (479-947-2398) said the water is muddy and up from the rain. Crappie fishing is good.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart (479-667-5155) said the water is murky and at normal levels. Crappie fishing is poor, but a few have been taken on jig-and-minnow combinations. Bass fishing is slow. Catfishing is fair to slow on stinkbait in large live minnows.

Lake Ouachita: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 577.34 feet MSL.
Poorman’s Tackle and Guide Service said bass are hit and miss, but they will bite if you keep at it. Crankbaits are working well, deflected off wood cover in 6 to 10 feet of water. Rat-L-Traps fished over the mossy flats will pick up a few fish, but you have to cover a lot of water. Rattlin’ Rogue jerkbaits are working well over deeper grass. The hit is coming on long pauses. Brown and pumpkin jigs are working next to standing timber at the moss line. Stripers are biting well on spoons fished 30 feet deep in creek channel swings. A few walleye are also being picked up beneath schools of shad in 30 feet of water.

Mountain Harbor Resort said the water temperature ranges from 46 to 52 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair to good on crankbaits fished around the outside edge of the moss and green pumpkin or black/blue grass jigs. Gray bucktail jigs are working on suspended fish near creek channels.  Try brush piles in 20-30 feet of water. Walleye are still good and being caught on silver spoons on the edges of creek channels 20 to 35 feet deep. These fish are starting to move up the rivers and stage for pre-spawn. Stripers are fair on live gizzard shad or bass minnows around main lake points and rock bluffs near or in the river channels on all areas of the lake. Crappie are fair and still being caught over brush piles. Try deep pockets and standing timber 12-20 feet deep.  Minnows or crappie grubs are working best. Arkansas shad, Tennessee shad and white are the best colors for artificial baits.

Lake Catherine: Diamondhead Marina (501-262-2272) said fishing has been slow and not many anglers are out with the weather.

Lake Hamilton: Poorman’s Tackle and Guide Service said Hamilton is fishing very well right now. Some good quality fish and good numbers are being caught on crankbaits fished in 5 to 8 feet of water. Find the stumps and rocky cover and deflect a crankbait off of them during sunny days. Brown jigs are working well in brush piles in 8 to 12 feet of water. Suspending jerkbaits are working well worked over the brush.

Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said the water is clear and high. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows. Bass fishing is fair. All other species are slow.

Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Crappie fishing is good on chartreuse jigs fished 7 feet deep.

Lake Nimrod: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 342.49 feet MSL.
            Local angler Billy Blankenship said the water is murky from all the rain and level fluctuations. Crappie fishing is good on red/chartreuse jigs.

SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
 
            Felsenthal: Hale’s One Stop (870-943-2683) said fishing has been very slow. Not many anglers are out with the weather conditions. The water level is very high.

  
EAST ARKANSAS: 
  
Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The Tackle Box (870-534-1498) said the water is at normal levels and clarity. Bream are biting well on redworms. Crappie are biting well on rosy red minnows and jigs. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers and whole live shad.

River City Sporting Goods (870-534-8303) said the water has a good flow and the water temperature is at 38 degrees. There has been a shad kill and dead shad are all around the banks. Fishing is poor.

Island 40 Chute: Daily’s Boat Dock (870-739-3478) said the water is clear and low. Fishing is slow for all species.

White River: Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is clear and around 8 feet low. The surface temperature is 37 degrees. Crappie are fair on minnows fished in sloughs and the main river channel. A few walleye are being caught on minnows after dark.

Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is clear and high. The extremely cold weather has everyone off the lake.

            Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors (870-295-4240) said the water is high and clear. Crappie fishing is good on minnows fished 14 feet deep. All other fishing has been slow.

 
Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the lake is clear and the water level is fairly low. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfishing is good on minnows.