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 – 391.45 feet, Tailwater – 374.65 feet, Flow – 35,197 cubic feet per second

Ozark Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 12): Headwater – 372.12 feet, Tailwater – 340.83 feet

Dardanelle Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 10): Headwater – 337.67 feet, Tailwater – 289.95 feet

Ormond Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 9): Headwater – 286.64 feet, Tailwater – 267.88 feet, Flow – 46,227 cubic feet per second

Toad Suck Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 8): Headwater – 265.10 feet, Tailwater – 253.69 feet

Murray Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 7): Headwater – 249.25 feet, Tailwater – 231.63 feet, Flow – 29,040 cubic feet per second

Terry Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 6): Headwater – 231.30 feet, Tailwater – 214.23 feet, Flow – 32,486 cubic feet per second

Sanders Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 4): Headwater – 195.93 feet, Tailwater – 184.08 feet

Hardin Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 3): Headwater – 182.50 feet, Tailwater – 166.75 feet

Mills Dam (Dam 2): Headwater – 162.12 feet, Tailwater – 127.35 feet, Flow – 32,759 cubic feet per second

White River Levels: According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as of Wednesday the White River stages are:
3.6 feet at Calico Rock (flood stage – 19 feet)
6.5 feet at Batesville (flood stage – 15 feet)
1.6 feet at Newport (flood stage – 26 feet)
13 feet at Augusta (flood stage – 26 feet)
1.5 feet at Georgetown (flood stage – 21 feet)
11.5 feet at Clarendon (flood stage – 26 feet) 

CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is a little murky and at a normal level. Crappie are the best thing going on jigs and minnows.

Little Red River:Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is clear and low with generation in the mornings. Trout fishing is good with wax worm/marshmallow combinations, corn, nightcrawlers and Power Bait. Fly-anglers are doing well on sow bugs and egg patterns.

Jed Hollan at the Little Red Fly Shop said the Greers Ferry Powerhouse is responding to the colder weather by releasing water twice daily. Power generation has been running two hours, beginning at 6 a.m. and again at 5 p.m. Expect this temperature driven water release pattern to continue. Wade fishing is made problematic with all the water releases but is still possible. A water release at 6a.m. won't reach Winkley Shoal until about 10 a.m. and Libby Shoal at around 11:30 a.m. When wading in a tailwater (a river below a dam), always check for rising water by keeping an eye on a fixed object near the waters edge like a rock or a tree. The spawn is still in progress with continuing reports of giant brown trout being caught and released. It has gotten so commonplace that news of a 20-pound brown trout being landed is not as exciting as it was 6 weeks ago. Please remember, if you come to the Little Red to fish the spawn, there are a few simple rules that should be followed. First, do not walk in the redds. A redd is an area on the stream bed that has been cleared of debris by the female brown trout. This is her nest, so to speak, and should not be disturbed. Try to cooperate with the other anglers on the shoal by staying at least one long cast away from them. Midge hatches are occurring every day on most shoals and they are thick. Blue winged olive mayflies are also hatching but not as impressively. Size 22 to 24 cream midges and size 18 to 20 BWOs make a good choice when dry fly fishing. The sub-surface flies that always work this time of year include the lowly but abundant sow bug (sizes 14-16, tan, peacock, purple haze or light gray), zebra midge (sizes 16-22, red or black), San Juan worm (sizes 14-18, red or brown), pheasant tail (size 16) or woolly bugger (sizes 8-12, olive or black). A size 14 egg in salmon, cerise or chartreuse will be the most desirable pattern for the next week or so. After you have caught a few fish on a specific egg pattern, cut it off and replace it with a different egg. This tends to keep the strikes coming.

Greers Ferry: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 456.77 feet MSL.

Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the warm rain should get the walleye going pretty good before the cold hits again. The best bet for the walleye is on minnows and nightcrawlers and trolling big crankbaits along staging areas about 3 mph in 25 feet of water. Bass can still be caught shallow on spinnerbaits and crankbaits as well as Rat-L-Traps, and some deeper fish are being caught on Carolina rigs and football jigs on long points. Catfish are still biting well on jugs baited with live bait and fished about 17 feet deep. Crappie are in the trees and biting when the sun peeks out of the clouds. The best crappie bite has been on jigs and Roadrunners fished 15 feet deep. Hybrids and whites are still biting well. The shad have moved around some marinas and the whites and hybrids have followed them.

Harris Brake Lake:Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said the water is murky and low. A few catfish have been caught on worms.

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing (501-354-1470) said the water is clear and low. Bream fishing is fair on crickets. Crappie fishing is good on chartreuse/black jigs.

Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said water conditions are normal. Bream are biting well on redworms and crickets. Crappie fishing is good on white jigs. Bass fishing is fair on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on minnows and nightcrawlers.

Brewer Lake:Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said bream are biting well on redworms. Crappie are biting well on white jigs tipped with a minnow. Bass fishing is fair on white spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers and live minnows.

Arkansas River at Morrilton: Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said fishing has slowed down because of the weather. Catfish are still biting well in deep holes and below the dam on whole shad. Black bass are biting on jig-and-pigs and Gitzits in 6-10 feet of water. Sauger are fair below the dam on chartreuse jigs tipped with a minnow. Drum are good on crawfish around jetties.

Arkansas River in Little Rock: Vince Miller from Fish ‘N Stuff said the water is low with little flow. Bass fishing is fair on shad-colored crankbaits around rocky points.

Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait (501-868-3279) said the water is a little muddy and at a normal level. Bream fishing is fair around the banks on assorted worms. Crappie fishing is fair in 7 to 9 feet of water on minnows and assorted jigs. A few bass have been caught on spinnerbaits and top-water lures.

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said crappie fishing is fair on minnows. Bass are biting decently on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on cut bait.

Big Maumelle Creek: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said crappie fishing is good on minnows and catfishing is fair on cut bait.

Murray Lock and Dam: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said crappie fishing is fair on minnows. Catfish are biting well on cut shad. Stripers are biting on chartreuse curly-tailed grubs.

Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said fishing is slow for all species.

NORTH ARKANSAS

White River: Angler’s Resort said the water is in good condition and cooling. Trout fishing is excellent on Power Bait and spinnerbaits.

Bull Shoals Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 649.40 feet MSL.

Lake Norfork:As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 546.07 feet MSL.

Cranfield Junction Bait and Tackle (870-492-5141) said the water is clear and 5 feet low. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs. Bass fishing is fair on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and jigs. Stripers are biting well on stick baits. Catfishing is fair on liver.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Beaver Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,112.82 feet MSL.

Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is normal. Crappie fishing is fair in 8-11 feet around brush piles on minnows and jigs. Bass fishing is good in shallow water on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Stripers are biting well on live bait.

Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said no anglers have been on the water lately. No report.

Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said fishing is slow for all species.

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

CrownLake:Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is clear and low with a slow current. Crappie fishing is the best thing going on minnows and jigs.

Lake Frierson:Lake Frierson State Park said no anglers have been by lately. No report.

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS

Lake Chicot: Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said the water is low. Bream fishing is fair on wax worms and crickets. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows and jigs. A few catfish have been caught on worms and crickets.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

Millwood Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 256.21 feet MSL.

Millwood Lake Guide Service said main lake and Little River surface temperature is 53 to 59 degrees, depending on location and time of day. Main lake clarity and visibility is at 3-5 inches. Current is at 1,124 cubic feet per second. Paraloma, Cotton Shed, Saratoga and Beards Bluff boat ramps are closed or unusable because of the winter drawdown. The drawdown has also revealed many submerged objects at or just within inches of the surface in boat lanes and Little River. Use extreme caution in navigation, many of the boat lanes during winter pool drawdown are only 3-10 inches in overall depth in places. Largemouth bass are fair with some sporadic aggressive feeding during the heat of the day. The best bite has been on shad-patterned crankbaits, 10-inch Power worms, jig and pig combos and Rat-L-Traps. The drop in water temperature and cloudy days over the last week have the bass relating to deeper water. Rat-L-Traps and crankbaits fished slowly from 8 to 12 feet deep, are catching a few decent bass. Best colors of Rat-L-Traps over the past couple weeks, with the fish suspended and hugging stumps are the Bream colors, khaki shad, white shad or gold chromes.  The jig bite shifted back to the peanut butter and jelly and Texas craw colors. Texas-rigged 10-inch Power Worms in pumpkin/chart tail, blue fleck and junebug are taking some keeper-sized largemouths from 3-5 pounds each on laydowns and log jams or stumps and standing timber in at least 6-9 feet of water and any creek channel swings around 7-12 feet deep. With continued clarity improvements, water clearing and cooling water temperatures, the crappie bite continues to improve. The best bite has been on brush piles or standing timber in 17-22 feet of water on live shiners.  Increased in current in Little River during pool drawdown over the past couple weeks turned on the catfish. The fishing is excellent on cut shad, minnows, Catfish Charlie, homemade dough balls and chicken livers on trotlines and yo-yo's along the river and in oxbows hung from cypress trees in 6-8 feet water.

Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said water conditions are normal. Crappie fishing is good on shiners.

Lake Erling: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said water conditions are normal. Crappie fishing is good on shiners and catfish are biting well on nightcrawlers.

White Oak Lake:White Oak Lake State Park said fishing is fair to good. The weather has stabilized a bit, and bass and crappie are beginning to bite. Catfishing is fair to good on trotlines baited with nightcrawlers and small bream.

Lake Greeson: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 536.20 feet MSL.

Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips Guide Service said Lake Greeson's water temperature is in the low 50's. Crappie are being caught on jigs and minnows from 13 to 18 feet deep on brush piles in 20 to 30 feet of water. Stripers and white bass can be found in the main channel. When they are not surface feeding, schools can be found suspended 20 to 30 feet deep off deeper points and humps.

Little Missouri River: Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Fly Fishing said fishing has been slow. Low-water conditions and low current have made most of the fishing tough. Fish are extremely spooky and finicky about their meals. Casting to cruising fish with midge imitations has worked, but it is still a bit slow.

DeGray Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 393.74 feet MSL.

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Lake Dardanelle: Murphy’s Sporting Goods (479-229-3200) said fishing is slow, but a few bass have been caught on crankbaits.

Bill’s Bait and Tackle (479-754-6354) said the water is a little muddy and low. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in deep water around brush piles. Bass fishing is good in deeper water on spinnerbaits and jigs. Catfishing is fair on shad.

Blue Mountain Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 384.72 feet MSL.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart (479-667-5155) said the water is clear and a little low. Crappie fishing is fair below the dam on minnows and jigs. White bass fishing is fair. Some catfish have been caught on cut bait and minnows.

Lake Ouachita: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 568.10 feet MSL.

Mountain Harbor Resort said the water temperature ranges from 50 to 58 degrees during the day. Largemouth bass are fair on finesse worms, spoons and grass jigs on main lake points and secondary points. Walleye are slow, but a few have been caught on spoons and hair jigs fished over main lake humps. Stripers are biting well on live brood minnows and gizzard shad. Bream are slow on crickets and worms in 18 to 25 feet of water. Crappie are biting well and being caught over grass and brush piles. The best bite is in 8 to 15 feet of water around moss flats on minnows and Arkansas shad colored crappie grubs. Catfish are still slow with reports of these fish being caught with live bait and cut bait in water 20 to 25 feet deep on jugs and trotlines.

Lake Catherine: Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that the lake is being raised 3 feet and should be 5 feet below normal pool by Thursday. The tailrace will be returned to normal in early March. Rainbow trout fishing remains very good for this early in the year. Fly-anglers are taking advantage of the low water conditions and are catching limits of trout casting white or black streamers and woolly buggers. Egg patterns will draw strikes when the fish ignore everything else. Bank fishermen are catching fish on redworms and corn floated under a bobber. Now that the water is rising - fishermen are able to navigate the area in boats, but caution should be used by wade fishermen and boater's alike since the entire area is riddled with rocks and stumps. Trolling the channels below the bridge with small crankbaits has produced many trout and some walleye in the 5-pound range. Striper activity is on the rise as these predators target the trout schools. Most fishing is taking place below the bridge in the early morning and late evening. Stripers larger than 20 pounds have been spotted in the tailrace. Large top-water baits have accounted for some good fish, but balloon rigs with live shad are much more consistent.

Lake Hamilton: Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said bass fishing is good on crayfish-colored crankbaits and shad-colored suspending jerkbaits fished around main lake points. 

Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said fishermen have not been on the water lately. No report.

Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said the water is clear and at a normal level. Crappie fishing is good in minnows and jigs.

SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

EAST ARKANSAS

Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): River City Sporting Goods (870-534-8303) said water conditions are normal. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs. A few catfish have been caught on cut bait.

White River: Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is extremely low. No report.

Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said water conditions are about normal. A few bass have been caught, but it has been slow.