Weekly Fishing Report
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Randy Zellers (501)223-6406, e-mail:
rdzellers@agfc.state.ar.us |
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| This is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s
fishing report for Nov. 21. 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.
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| Fishing Tip: Here’s a tip from bass fishing pro
Woo Dave’s video Classic Patterns on how to get the most out of your
soft plastics:Be sure to carry a cigarette lighter and a pocket knife
with a wood or plastic handle. If you find yourself running low on
soft-plastic worms, you can mend tears in your used worms by heating
up the tip of the knife and rubbing it over the soft-plastic. The
worms will be slightly discolored, but should hold up for the rest of
the fishing day. Check out more tips from the
Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Library. |
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| Arkansas River Levels: According to the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, as of Wednesday the Arkansas River stages are:
Trimble Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 13): Headwater
– 391.56 feet, Tailwater – 371.58 feet, Flow – 0 cubic feet per second
Ozark Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 12): Headwater –
371.62 feet, Tailwater – 337.39 feet
Dardanelle Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 10):
Headwater – 337.64 feet, Tailwater – 285.75 feet
Ormond Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 9): Headwater –
285.61 feet, Tailwater – 265.15 feet, Flow – 8,157 cubic feet per
second
Toad Suck Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 8): Headwater
– 265.35 feet, Tailwater – 249.85 feet
Murray Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 7): Headwater –
249.27 feet, Tailwater – 231.31 feet, Flow – 7,480 cubic feet per
second
Terry Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 6): Headwater –
231.27 feet, Tailwater – 212.94 feet, Flow – 8,028 cubic feet per
second
Sanders Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 4): Headwater –
196.06 feet, Tailwater – 182.81 feet
Hardin Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 3): Headwater –
182.32 feet, Tailwater – 163.59 feet
Mills Dam (Dam 2): Headwater – 162.90 feet,
Tailwater – 116.82 feet, Flow – 80 cubic feet per second
White River Levels: According to the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, as of Wednesday the White River stages are:
3.3 feet at Calico Rock (flood stage – 19 feet)
5.3 feet at Batesville (flood stage – 15 feet)
0.6 feet at Newport (flood stage – 26 feet)
11 feet at Augusta (flood stage – 26 feet)
0.7 feet at Georgetown (flood stage – 21 feet)
9 feet at Clarendon (flood stage – 26 feet)
Statewide Family and Community Fishing Report:
Catfishing has slowed down but a few can still be caught on chicken
liver or stinkbait. Bream are fair on worms or tinsel jigs. Trout
fishing continues to be good in northern Arkansas on Power Bait and
wax worms. For more information on trout stockings, call toll-free
1-866-540-FISH (3474). |
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CENTRAL ARKANSAS
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Lake Conway:
Bates Field and Stream
(501-470-1846) said water conditions are clear and normal. Bream
fishing is fair on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well in 1-3
feet of water on small minnows and white or chartreuse jigs around
lily pads and grass lines. Bass fishing has been excellent on
spinnerbaits and buzzbaits around lily pads.
Little Red River:Lindsey's
Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is clear and low with
sporadic generation. Trout fishing has been pretty good on wax worms,
corn and Power Eggs. Fly-fishing is picking up.
Jed Hollan at the
Little Red Fly Shop said the Greers Ferry powerhouse is
periodically releasing small amounts of water. There have been five
releases in the last seven days during late afternoons. The quantities
of water have varied from two full generators to half of one generator
with duration of one to two hours. Releases will increase if a cold
front comes through. While caddis flies and mayflies continue hatching
every day, nothing can compare to our midge hatches. Midges are so
thick at times that a paper mask over your nose and mouth would be
appropriate. This same midge hatch has happened every November for the
last three years. At times, trout will be seen rising to the midges as
far as you can see up and down the river. The midges are actually
smaller than a size 32 hook, but larger size 22 dry midges will
suffice. Dry flies that are catching fish include cream midge (size
22), BWO (sizes 18-20), Adams (size 18) and tan elk hair caddis (sizes
16-18). Sub-surface flies that are catching fish include tan, peacock
or purple haze sow bug (size 14-16), red copper john (size 16), red,
black or copper zebra midge (sizes 16-22), hare's ear nymph (size 16),
pheasant tail (size 16) and or olive or black woolly bugger (sizes
10-12).
Greers Ferry:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation at 456.68 feet MSL.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service
said hybrid and white bass fishing continue to be very good all over
the lake, many birds have shown up, making it a little easier to find
surface activity when the bite is slow. Spoons, buckshot in-line
spinners and some top-water action can still be had, but the fish are
moving deeper. Some fish have moved to 60 feet while others can be
caught in 38-50 feet. The bass fishing has gotten better with many
fish moving shallower. Spinnerbaits, flukes, Rat-L-Traps, top-waters
and jighead worms are all working fairly well near shallow cover.
Smallmouth and a few largemouths are biting around 20 feet deep on
football head jigs, drop-shot rigs and Carolina rigs. Catfishing has
been excellent on jugs set 17 feet deep. Walleye are being caught
around the hybrid activity with spoons fished on the bottom. Crappie
are biting fairly well in the pole timber on jigs and minnows.
Shiloh Marina said fishing has been
slow for all species.
Harris Brake Lake:Coffee
Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said the water is clear and low.
Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are biting well
on stink bait and minnows.
Lake Overcup:
Lakeview Landing
(501-354-1470) said fishing has been slow for all species.
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said water conditions are normal.
Bream fishing is fair on worms. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows and
jigs. A few bass are being caught on spinnerbaits. Catfish are biting
well on worms and chicken liver.
Brewer Lake:Overcup
Landing (501-354-9007) said bream are fair on worms. Bass fishing
is fair on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on chicken livers and
nightcrawlers. Crappie are fair on minnows.
Sunset Lake:
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said water conditions are
normal. Bream fishing is fair on crickets. Bass fishing is good on
top-water baits and watermelon-colored 5-inch lizards.
Saline River Access in
Benton: Turbyfill’s
Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is clear and low. Crappie
are biting well in about 6 feet of water on Tennessee shad-colored
jigs around brush piles. Bass fishing is good on white 8-oz.
spinnerbaits. Walleye fishing is fair on orange crawdad crankbaits.
Arkansas
River at Morrilton:
Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said largemouth are biting fairly
well on chartreuse and white spinnerbaits fished around wood cover in
6 to 10 feet of water. Catfishing is fair on the front side of the
jetties and in front of the dams on whole shad. Some white bass have
been caught around Coppers Gap, Flagg Lake Cutoff and across form the
Petit Jean River on white Shad Raps. White bass are also being caught
below the Dam Nine on Rooster Tails. Stripers are holding below dams
nine and 10 and are biting well on 2-oz. jigs with Mr. Twister grubs.
Crappie are behind the jetties and biting fairly well on minnows near
the banks. Use caution when navigating and fishing the river,
paddlefishing season is underway and many nets are in the water.
Arkansas
River in Little Rock:
Vince Miller from
Fish ‘N Stuff said the water
is normal with little current. Bass fishing is fair in the backwater
on crankbaits, jigs and pumpkin-colored 6-inch worms.
Little Maumelle River:
River Valley Bait (501-868-3279) said the water is clear and high.
Crappie fishing is fair in 8 feet of water on minnows and jigs.
Catfish are biting well on about any kind of bait.
Terry Lock and Dam:
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water conditions are
normal, but fishing is very slow.
Clear
Lake:
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is clear and a
little low. Bream fishing is fair on crickets. Crappie fishing is fair
in 4-5 feet of water on blue and white jigs. A few largemouth bass
have been caught on white spinnerbaits around grassy areas.
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NORTH ARKANSAS
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White River:
Gaston’s White River Resort said water generation has varied from
zero to three units since Oct. 27. Hank Wilson's top recommendation
for fly-anglers is the bulbous bivisible. The Y2K bug also is catching
trout very well, as is a 1/64-oz. pink jig and the zebra midge.
Sportsman’s White River Resort said
the water is clear and low with very little generation. Trout fishing
is pretty good on Power Bait, shiners, and Little Cleos. Fly-anglers
have had good luck on black/white zebra midges, egg patterns and black
woolly buggers.
Angler’s White River Resort said the
water conditions are normal. Trout fishing has been excellent on Power
Bait and spinnerbaits. The average is about 40 fish per day and
anglers are catching bigger trout as the water cools down.
McClellan’s Fly Shop said generation has been very sporadic for
the last couple of days. Wade-fishing areas like Rim, Roundhouse and
Wildcat shoals has been very productive with egg patterns, tan and
olive McLellan’s hunchback scuds and woven sow bugs. Fishing high
water out of a boat has also been very productive using large scuds,
eggs, and San Juan worms. Fall is a great time to fish various egg
patterns as the brown trout leave the deeper water for the shallow
gravel flats and riffles during their annual spawning run. Fall is
also a great time to fish large streamers for aggressive brown trout.
Fishing from a boat using sinking lines, cast to fishy looking
structure as you drift downstream and use an erratic retrieve to swim
your fly across the current. You won’t get as many hook-ups this way,
but streamer fishing usually produces the biggest fish of the day.
Bull Shoals Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation at 648.38 feet MSL.
Lake Norfork:As
of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation at 546.61 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Bait and Tackle
(870-492-5141) said the water is clear and 5 feet low. Bass fishing is
decent in shallow water on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and top-water
baits. Some stripers have been caught on stick baits.
Norfork Tailwater:
Gene’s Trout Dock (870-499-5381) said the water is clear and the level
varies from day to day. Trout fishing has been good mostly on corn and
wax worms. Fly-anglers are doing well on black woolly buggers.
McClellan’s Fly
Shop said generation has been very sporadic lately as the Corps of
Engineers pulses the water to try and alleviate low dissolved oxygen
levels. If you fish Norfork, be sure to land fish as quickly as
possible and take extra time reviving them before release. Fall is the
best time of year to fish egg patterns as the brown trout leave the
deeper water for the shallow gravel flats during their annual spawning
run. However, for the health of the fishery, be sure to avoid
actively spawning fish and their spawning redds (clean oval
depressions in the gravel). |
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NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
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| Beaver
Lake
:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,114.19 feet MSL.
Southtown Sporting Goods
(479-443-7148) said the water conditions are normal. Bream fishing is
fair on crickets. Crappie fishing is good in 10-12 feet of water
around brush piles on minnows. A few bass have been caught on plastic
worms, jigs and top-water baits. Stripers are being caught in the late
afternoons on ¾-oz. Rat-L-Traps.
Beaver Tailwater:
McClellan’s Fly Shop said
there has been very little generation during the last few days,
providing plenty of wade-fishing opportunities. Of course, scuds and
sow bugs as well as midge pupa patterns have been very productive.
Cream midge adult patterns have hooked several trout over the past
week.
Lake
Fayetteville:
Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock
(479-444-3476) said water conditions are normal. Crappie are biting
well on minnows. Catfishing is fair on chicken liver.
Lake
Sequoyah:
Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475)
said water conditions are normal. Bream fishing is fair in 4-6 feet of
water on worms around stumps. Crappie fishing is fair in 4-8 feet of
water on minnows, jigs, and tubes. Bass fishing is good in 4-8 feet
around brush on spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and top-water lures.
Catfishing is decent in 5-10 feet of water on worms, liver, perch, and
goldfish.
Sugarloaf
Lake:
Midland Minimart
(479-639-9467) said the water conditions are normal. Crappie is the
best thing going on minnows. |
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NORTHEAST ARKANSAS
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Crown Lake:Boxhound
Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is clear and 2 feet low.
Crappie fishing is good in 12 feet of water on minnows. A few bass
have been caught in deep water on jig-and-pig combos. A few catfish
have been caught on liver.
Lake Frierson:Lake
Frierson State Park said fishing has been slow for all species.
Eleven-Point River:
Woody’s Canoe Rental and Campground (870-892-9732) said fishing has
been slow for all species. |
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SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
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Lake
Chicot
:
Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said
the water is clear and low. A few bream have been caught on wax worms.
Crappie fishing is fair on minnows and jigs around the docks.
Catfishing is fair on minnows.
Grand
Lake
:
Koenig
Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said the water is pretty clear and
low. Crappie fishing is fair trolling minnows and jigs. |
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SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
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Millwood Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation at 259.45 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service said main lake and Little River
surface temperature is 60 to 63 degrees, depending on location and
time of day. Main lake clarity and visibility is at 8-12
inches. Current increased to 215cubic feet per second. The largemouth
bite has cooled a bit during the last week. In the mornings a few nice
bass are being caught in 5 to 8 feet of water on Rat-L-Traps. The most
bites have come from creek channel ledges with stumps around McGuire
and Mud Lake oxbows. Crankbaits in shad patterns are beginning to draw
responses from largemouths. The Norman Little N and Deep Little N in
shad patterns, the Fat Free Shad, and/or the Cordell Big-O cranks have
began catching some decent fish in the last couple days along the
river, deflecting off stumps in sloughs of inside river bends, and in
creek channels on the deeper, outside swings. The fish are on a shad
bite, but some decent jig-and-pig action has come on Texas Craw
colored jigs with a black trailer. White bass almost disappeared this
week. A few nice whites were caught over the past few days in McGuire
Lake area on 3/4 oz Rat-L-Traps in Gold Shad, White Shad or Khaki
colors. The majority of the white bass have gone into deeper water or
moved further down Little River toward the main lake. Now that water
has cleared and cooled, the crappie bite has improved. We have found
them in deeper water of Little River in planted brush piles 18-23 feet
deep, but the bite is fair at best on hair jigs, tubes or
shiners. With the slight increase in current in Little River,
nice-sized channel cats from 2-6 pounds each were caught last week
on cut shad, minnows and chicken hearts hung from trotlines and yo-yos
along the river and in oxbows hung from cypress trees in 8-10 feet of
water.
Lake Columbia:
Steve's Marine
(870-234-2222) said water conditions are normal. Bream fishing is fair
on worms and crickets. Crappie fishing is picking up on minnows and
jigs.
Lake Erling:
Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said water conditions are normal.
Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is good on
worms, liver, and shiners.
Lake Greeson:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation at 535.70 feet MSL.
Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips Guide Service
said the water is a little murky and low. Crappie fishing is fair on
minnows and jigs. Bass fishing is fair on spinnerbaits and top-water
lures.
Little Missouri River:
Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Fly Fishing said all stocking
points on the Little Missouri River have had fresh loads of fish
lately, and the fishing is excellent. The only problem with fresh
loads of fish is that they tend to stay concentrated for a little
while. Once you locate a pod, you can catch plenty, but if you’re off
to the left or the right by only a few feet, you’ll haul water all
day. Keep moving and casting and you should find the fish. Smidges,
woolly buggers and beadhead egg patterns are working well. Be sure to
check out Jeff’s page for the latest info on the Little Mo.
DeGray Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation at 393.81 feet MSL.
Larry Hurley of Poorman’s Guide Service said hybrids are biting
well on Zara Puppies and Zara Spooks. Bass are decent on a jig and pig
fished on the outside edge of the grass. |
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WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
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Lake Dardanelle:
Murphy’s Sporting Goods
(479-229-3200) had no report for the week.
Bill’s Bait and Tackle (479-754-6354)
said the water is murky and low. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows
and jigs. Bass fishing is fair on crankbaits and plastic worms. Some
catfish have been caught on shad.
Blue Mountain Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation at 384.14 feet MSL.
CNC’s End of the Line (479-947-2398)
said the water conditions are normal. Bream are biting well on worms
and crickets. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs. A few bass
are being caught on assorted lures. Catfishing is good on liver, worms
and minnows.
Ozark Pool:
Lakeside Food Mart (479-667-5155) said the water is a little murky and
at a normal level. A few bream have been caught on crickets. Crappie
fishing is fair on minnows and jigs. Bass fishing is decent on
spinnerbaits and black or blue jigs. A few catfish have been caught on
shad below the dam.
Lake Ouachita:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation at 567.96 feet MSL.
Mountain Harbor Marina said the water temperature is in the low-
to mid-60s and the water is clear. Largemouth bass have slowed, but
are still good and these fish can be caught with finesse worms, spoons
and spooks on main lake points and secondary points. Spotted bass are
slowing but are still good on live crawfish fished near brush 15 to 20
feet deep. Walleye are fair and are being caught on spoons and
crankbaits over humps and main lake points. Stripers are excellent on
live brood minnows and gizzard shad. Top-water action is very good on
all parts of the lake early and late. Bream are fair on crickets and
worms in 18 to 25 feet of water. Crappie are excellent and being
caught over grass and brush. Try large moss flats and brush in water 6
to 12 feet deep. Catfish are fair with reports of these fish being
caught with live bait and cut bait in water 20 to 25 feet deep on jugs
and trotlines.
Larry Hurley from
Poorman’s Guide Service said bass are suspended in the channels
around 20 feet deep and are trying to school up. The fishing is
excellent with a spoon if you can find them on your electronics.
Crankbaits and spinnerbaits fished over the grass are working well,
and a jig fished on the deep edge of the grass is also producing some
good fish. Crappie are biting well on Tennessee shad colored jigs and
crankbaits over the grass. Stripers are beginning to get active with
the cold weather with spoons and surface lures working well.
Lake Catherine:Shane
Goodner, owner of
Catch’em All Guide Service, reports
that the tailrace area is extremely
shallow from the winter drawdown. Rainbow trout will be stocked in the
area this month, which will bring many species of fish back into the
tailrace water. The stocking program will intensify in January and
that will again make Carpenter Dam one of the best trout fishing
waters in Arkansas.
Lake Hamilton:
No report.
Lake Hinkle:
Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said fishing is slow for all species.
Lake Atkins:
Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said water conditions are about normal.
Bream fishing is fair on worms and crickets. Crappie fishing is fair
in deep water on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is fair on liver.
Lake
Nimrod:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation at 341.83 feet MSL. |
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SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
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| Moro Bay:
Moro
Bay State Park said the river is at its normal level (65 feet
above sea level). Most outdoorsmen are chasing deer and there has been
little talk of fishing. Crappie should be starting to bite about now
and even some bass with the extended warm streak we’ve had. If you
want to catch the crappie, try shiners in the bay or in the lake. The
fall weather is very pleasant and you can enjoy the river almost to
yourself this time of year.
Felsenthal (Benjamin Lake):
Russell Ice and
Tackle (870-797-2993) said water conditions are about normal. Crappie
is the best thing going on shiners. |
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EAST ARKANSAS
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Arkansas River (Pine
Bluff): River City
Sporting Goods (870-534-8303) said the water is murky and at a normal
level. Bream fishing is fair in deeper water on worms and crickets.
Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs. Bass fishing is good on
spinnerbaits and plastic worms. A few catfish have been caught on
chicken liver.
White River:
Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is clear and extremely
low and fishing is slow for all species.
Maddox Bay:Maddox
Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is murky and low. Crappie
fishing is fair on minnows. Bass fishing is good on spinnerbaits and
top-water baits.
Bear Creek Lake:
Arkansas Outdoors (870-295-4240) said fishing is slow for all species.
Horseshoe Lake:
Local angler Clyde
Gregory said water is clear and pretty low. Crappie fishing is good in
deep water trolling on minnows and black or chartreuse jigs. Bass are
biting well in shallow water on buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. Catfishing
are biting well in deep water on cut bait and nightcrawlers. |
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