While bass usually make their nests in 4 feet of water or less, ultra-clear lakes will have bass nesting as deep as 20 feet as long as the sunlight can penetrate the water. If you’re looking for bedding bass, don’t overlook the deeper water in clear lakes.  

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

Trimble Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 13): Headwater – 391.18 feet, Tailwater – 378.11 feet, Flow – 59,855 cubic feet per second

Ozark Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 12): Headwater – 371.77 feet, Tailwater – 344.55 feet

Dardanelle Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 10): Headwater – 337.78 feet, Tailwater – 292.49 feet

Ormond Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 9): Headwater – 285.55 feet, Tailwater – 273.76 feet, Flow – 60,729 cubic feet per second

Toad Suck Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 8): Headwater – 264.55 feet, Tailwater – 260.79 feet

Murray Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 7): NO READING AVAILABLE

Terry Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 6): Headwater – 230.65 feet, Tailwater – 220.04 feet, Flow – 0 cubic feet per second

Sanders Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 4): Headwater – 195.57 feet, Tailwater – 187.23 feet

Hardin Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 3): Headwater – 181.17 feet, Tailwater – 174.58 feet

Mills Dam (Dam 2): Headwater – 161.51 feet, Tailwater – 141.10 feet, Flow – 88,019 cubic feet per second

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

7.2 feet at Calico Rock (flood stage – 19 feet)
9.6 feet at Batesville (flood stage – 15 feet)
17.4 feet at Newport (flood stage – 26 feet)
29.1 feet at Augusta (flood stage – 26 feet)
17.5 feet at Georgetown (flood stage – 21 feet)
25.3 feet at Clarendon (flood stage – 26 feet) 

CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) said water conditions are normal with heavy generation daily. Trout fishing is very good on a wax worm/Power Egg combination and on Shad Raps.

Jed Hollan at the Little Red Fly Shop said water releases have resumed. The power house is releasing water most days to reduce our lake to a more acceptable level. If we have no heavy rain events in the coming days, water releases will probably occur at breakfast and supper time as per previous protocols. This permits wade fishing at Winkley Shoal at first light, Libby Shoal until fast water arrives and at JFK Park around noon. When releases are ended, our river level will recede more slowly than normal.  The Little Red empties into the White River at Augusta, which is over its banks, so releases will be lower as soon as Greers Ferry is down to top power pool. Our midge population continues to grow exponentially every week. Midge hatches are always more prevalent during winter, but this year is exceptional. A few caddis flies and black gnats are also "coming off" most days. The best dry flies are midges (size 22 or smaller in cream or black), Adams (size 18-20) or caddis (size 18-20 tan). Also try a sow bug (size 14-16 peacock, UV tan or light gray), zebra midge (size 16-22 red, copper or black), copper john (size 16 red, green or copper), San Juan worm (size 16-18 fluorescent pink or red), red butt soft hackle (size 14-16) or wooly bugger (size 10-12 olive or black).

Greers Ferry: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 462.63 feet MSL.

Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level has stabilized a little, and the water temperature is 40 to 47 degrees. Walleye are beginning to stage in better numbers for the spawn. A jig-and-minnow and jig-and-grub are working well worked slowly along the flats near spawning areas. The bite is very light, but should improve in the next week. White bass and hybrids are holding near the mud line, and should get cranking as the weather begins warming. Try small grubs, spoons and Rapalas as well as in-line spinners and Rooster Tails. Crappie should get started with the warm weather also. Bass fishing will continue to get better, try magnum Wiggle Warts on steep channel bends in the main lake and slow-rolled spinnerbaits and large Rat-L-Traps in the deeper cuts. A football head jig and jighead worn are also working well along bluffs. Catfishing is fair on crawlers.

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said the water is high and starting to clear up. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass and hybrids are biting well on plastic baits.

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing (501-354-1470) said the water is clear and high. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on stink bait.

Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said all fishing is slow.

Brewer Lake: Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said water conditions are murky and high. All fishing is slow.

Lake Maumelle: Jolly Rogers Marina said the water level is 1.3 feet above the spillway. White bass fishing is fair with some reports of catches coming from the west end of the lake. Shad are bunched up around the river channel, so the action is only days away. Black bass are fair and are beginning to move into shallow water. Light-colored spinnerbaits and jigs are working on the bass up shallow. Some fish are still deep and can be found near the first ledges next to spawning areas. Crappie are biting well in deep water on minnows. There is some movement to shallow water, but most of the fish being caught are still deep.

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said crappie fishing is fair in 12 to 16 feet of water on minnows.

Palarm Creek: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop reported that crappie are biting well on Cubby jigs and pink minnows. Catfishing is excellent on limb lines and yo-yos using cut bait and chicken hearts.

Sunset Lake: Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said water conditions are normal. Crappie are biting well on 2-inch grubs around brush piles. Bass fishing is good on 5-inch green pumpkin lizards and crayfish-colored crankbaits.

Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said water conditions are normal. Bass are biting well on pumpkinseed grubs. Walleye are fair on minnows.

Arkansas River at Morrilton: Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said the water is very high with temperatures in the mid 40s. Kentucky bass can be found in the backs of coves and are biting on black and chartreuse spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair in deeper water on nightcrawlers. A few sauger have been caught below the dam on minnows. Stripers are good. No report on crappie, bream or whites.

Arkansas River in Little Rock: Vince Miller from Fish ‘N Stuff said the water is low and fishing has picked up. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and jigs in the backwater.

Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait (501-868-3279) said the water is clear and low. Crappie are biting well on yo-yos baited with minnows. Jigs are working great for pole fishermen. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits. Catfish are biting well on live and prepared bait.

Murray Lock and Dam: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said crappie are fair on pink minnows and slip-cork rigs.

Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is very muddy and high. All species are slow.

NORTH ARKANSAS

Mountain River Fly Shop said there has been a lot of water lately, and some shad are finally starting to come through the dam. White streamers fished deep did pretty well Wednesday, but there was a lot of dirty water. This is a great time to bring out the river boat and have a shot at some very good fish. During lower water flows, San Juans and red head woolly buggers have been working well. But the big buzz is still on Davy Wotten super midges, particularly the white tail/red, and the black/silver. The same colors have been working in other midges with good reports on zebras and ruby midges.

Sportsman’s White River Resort said the water conditions are normal with heavy generation. Trout fishing is very good on jigs, Rapalas and heavy spinnerbaits. Fly fishing is slow.

Angler’s White River Resort reported the water is very high, but fishing is picking back up. Trout can be found in creeks that run into the river. They are being caught on worms and Power Bait.

McLellan’s Fly Shop said generation has been sporadic. However, fishing high water out of a boat has been very productive using large scuds, eggs and San Juan Worms. This 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 653.89 feet MSL.

Lake Norfork: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 551.86 feet MSL.

Cranfield Junction Bait and Tackle (870-492-5141) had no report.

101 Grocery and Bait said the surface water temperature varies from 40 to 38 degrees. The weather has been cold and rainy and fishing has been on and off. Walleye fishing has been fair on a jig-and-minnow or stick bait in 10-20 feet of water. Crappie fishing has been slow. Striper fishing has been fair on live bait. Find the baitfish, and you will find the stripers. Largemouth bass have been slow. Catfish has been slow. White bass have been fair on jigging spoons fished around 40 feet deep.

Norfork Tailwater: Gene’s Trout Dock (870-499-5381) said water conditions are normal with heavy generation. Trout are biting well on Rapalas and worms.

Mountain River Fly Shop said the cold weather and rising lake level prompted more generation on the river, which means wait for the periods of no water or jump in a boat. Boat fishing streamers or dead drifting can be very productive. Try a spaghetti-and-meatballs (an egg pattern in front of a San Juan worm) rig outside the trophy zones or perhaps a Pink Lady or larger midge pattern. Remember to allow plenty of length between your indicator and fly to get that fly down. Streamer patterns can be very effective. Big streamers were attracting attention from some very good fish, including a couple of 20-inch browns. Try some zoo cougars, zonkers, big woolly buggers or even some of the larger Hansen’s stay hungry streamers in white. Sinking lines, like a type 2 are recommended. In low water fish scuds and sow bugs and midges.

John Berry of Berry Brothers Guides said the Norfork tailwater fished a bit better last week. There have been few anglers here because of the inclement weather. Some really nice fish were caught on brown zebra midges with copper wire and a copper bead. The bigger fish were caught during falling water. The river in general does not fish as well when there has been no generation for over twenty four hours. Anglers have also done well with Dan’s turkey tail emerger when the fish were keying in on the midge emergers in the film. There were a few kids at Dry Run Creek last week and predictably they did well. While sow bugs are the dominant food source, try fishing a Y2K or big San Juan worm. They generate a lot of strikes and the larger hook helps to land some of these big fish. The majority of big fish are lost at the net. Take your time and do not rush the process.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass have been hit-and-miss lately. Best places to look have been along steep chunk rock banks in the mid-lake to upper portion of the lake and along main-lake points with timber on the lower portion of the lake. Most fish have been suspended just off the bottom in 15 to 25 feet of water. Best baits have been Rouges, drop-shot finesse worms and bass jigs. Crappie have been biting well on warm sunny days (which have been few and far between). Try fishing up either river arm around brush or along pole timber. Fish have been holding anywhere from a few feet later in the day to 20 feet deep early. Southern Pro tube jigs have worked well in red/chartreuse, black/chartreuse and chartreuse. White bass have been caught 20 feet deep in the mouth of War Eagle and Blue Springs on small jigging spoons. They may begin to move upstream if we get some warm days. Striped bass have been caught in Prairie Creek lately on live shad or brood minnows fished 10 to 30 feet down. ½-oz. to ¾-oz jigging spoons also work once a school is found. Catfish have been a bit slow but cut shad or liver should do the trick along bluff lines. Hickory Creek has been a good spot to fish.

Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) reported that water conditions are normal. Crappie are biting well around brush on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair on large spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Stripers are being caught on large minnows.

Beaver Tailwater:  McLellan’s Fly Shop said there has been very little generation below Beaver Dam, producing some excellent wade-fishing opportunities. During low water, midge patterns are always important on Beaver Tailwater, but especially during the winter months. Patterns like the Jujubee, the Poison Tung, and the Zebra Midge have been fooling many trout this week, especially on breezy days. Griffith’s Gnats and other midge dry fly patterns have been hooking plenty of trout as well. The best flies have been:  McLellan’s Hunchback Scud; Gray and Olive (size 14-16), McLellan’s Woven Sow Bug (size 14-16), Zebra Midge; Black/Copper and Olive (size 16-20), Mercury Brassie (size 18-20), Poison Tung; Gray/Blue and Black (size 20), Mercury Blood Midge (size 20-22), Zebra Jujubee Midge (size 20-22), Mercury Black Beauty (size 20-22), Gray Mercury Midge (size 20-22), Cream Midge Adult (size 22-24), Flashtail Mini Egg (size 16-18) and Unreal Egg (16).

Lake SWEPCO: JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass have been biting well late in the day on live minnows fished shallow under a cork near the bank. Bass jigs and Bass Assassins have worked well fished around timber.

Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said catfish are fair on chicken liver and stink bait.

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

Millwood Lake Guide Service said main lake and Little River surface temperature is 45 to 50 degrees, depending on location and time of day. Main lake clarity and visibility is at 3-5 inches with 2-5 inch visibility in Little River. Current is 12,009 cubic feet per second. Both ramps at Paraloma, both ramps at Cotton Shed, the Saratoga ramp closest to the dike, and both ramps at Beards Bluff are unusable because of the drawdown. Winter drawdown has revealed many submerged objects at or just within inches of pool surface in boat lanes and Little River.  Use extreme caution in navigation, many of the boat lanes during winter pool drawdown are now only 3-10 inches in overall depth in various places. The Corps has gotten another extension on the drawdown, and the water isn’t scheduled to rise until March 10. Largemouth bass are biting well along Little River and her oxbows with the best bite on Texas-rigged Hog Assassins, 10-inch worms and ¾-oz. Rat-L-Traps near the mouths of creeks intersecting the river channel. Southern Pro Flipping Tubes in black/red flake and chartreuse pepper lizards are working well on the backside of stumps breaking the current.  Wacky rigged Twitch Assassins and Charm Assassins, Senkos and Salty Rat Tails are taking some decent keeper bass.  Use a light wire hook in a 1/0 or 2/0 size, for a slow, tantalizing fall that will incite a solid strike.  Watch your line for a pick-up or a swimming bass to move off with it. Any points with stumps along Little River, between 10-15 feet deep seem to be the most consistent location for crankbait bites and the best jig bite.  The Bomber model A and Rebel Deep Wee R crankbaits in Bayou Bengal, Firetiger, or Secret Weapon colors, fished slowly from 8 to 12 feet deep, are still finding some keeper bass deflecting off stumps, along Little River. Schools of white bass are still holding in very deep washouts in the river (18-23 feet), and hitting vertically jigged spoons and live shiners between White Cliffs and the Highway 71 Bridge. Crappie are still fair at best with the constant influx of fresh muddy water. The catfish bite remains consistent and steady with the current in Little River. Good channel cats have been caught during the past couple weeks, using cottonseed meal cakes, cut bait or chicken livers, on trotlines and yo-yo's along the river and in oxbows hung from cypress trees in 8-12 feet water.

Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said water conditions are about normal. Crappie are biting well on shiners and jigs.

Lake Erling: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said the water is clear and high. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Catfish are biting well on worms.

White Oak Lake: White Oak Lake State Park said fishing has been consistent for the last few weeks. Bream and crappie are biting fairly well on live bait and some catfish are being taken on jugs baited with prepared bait. Bass fishing is slow.

Lake Greeson: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 546.33 feet MSL.

Lakeside Grocery said crappie are biting well on rosy red minnows. All other species are fair.

Darryl Morris from Family Fishing Trips said the lake level is rising fast and the water is muddy. The influx of fresh water is relatively warm, which will put the crappie on the move. No, they won't spawn yet, but rest assured they want to.  Don't let a trip go by starting now that you don't check the shallows. The best bet is a jig-and-minnow in staging areas outside of spawning coves once the water clears.

Little Missouri River: Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Fly Fishing said fishing has been picking up with some great action coming on Long Creeks and A-and-W emergers stripped across the current.

DeGray Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 406.54 feet MSL.

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Lake Dardanelle: Murphy’s Sporting Goods (479-229-3200) said the water is muddy and a little high. Bass are fair on crankbaits.

Bill’s Bait and Tackle (479-754-6354) said the water is murky and high. A few bream have been caught on worms. Crappie are biting well in 10-15 feet of water on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair in 8-10 feet of water on crankbaits. Catfish are fair on punch bait and shad. Stripers are picking up on bucktail jigs.

Blue Mountain Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 387.20 feet MSL.

CNC’s End of the Line (479-947-2398) said the water is muddy and at normal level. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are biting well on worms and large minnows.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart (479-667-5155) said the water is at normal level and is stained. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are being caught on white or yellow curly tails. Catfish are fair on shad.

Lake Ouachita: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 577.01 feet MSL.

Lake Ouachita State Park reports that the water is cloudy and still high. Crappie fishing is good around drop-offs on Kalin’s Tennessee Shad jigs. Stripers are biting well on gray flukes, spoons, crankbaits and minnows. Bass fishing has been fair on finesse worms and spinnerbaits with some top-water action in the mornings. Anglers are catching walleyes at night off rocky points on crankbaits. Bream and catfish are slow.

Mountain Harbor Resort said the water is clear and at 42-48 degrees. Largemouth bass are still good and these fish can be caught with Deep Little N's and lipless crankbaits on main-lake points and secondary points. Walleye are slow and being caught on spoons over humps and main-lake points fished around brush. These fish are staging to move up the river and spawn. Stripers are good on live brood minnows and gizzard shad. Smoke or pearl-colored grubs are working as well. Crappie are still good and being caught over grass and brush.  Try large moss flats and brush in water 15 to 25 feet deep.  Minnows or crappie grubs are still working best.  Arkansas shad and white are the best colors for artificial baits.

Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said the water has risen 6 feet in the last few weeks and is at normal levels. Bass fishing has been hit-and-miss with groups of fish scattered around the outside edge of the grass and deep trees. A Norman DD22 crankbait fished over the outside edge allowed to barely tick the tips of the grass is producing some good fish, as is a jig fished along the outside weed line.

Lake Catherine: Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that the fantastic rainbow trout fishing continues below Carpenter Dam. Guided trips consistently catch 50 to more than 100 trout an outing with the chance of landing a lunker always present. The winter drawdown ends March 8, when both Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine will be raised 8 inches a day until March 15. Until then, extremely shallow water filled with rocks and timber are the norm in the tailrace, so caution is advised when navigating the area. Fly-fishermen are able to wade to some of the highly populated trout holes and are experiencing good success by casting streamers and white micro-jigs in areas of current. San Juan worms are also working well when the turbines are not running. Boaters trolling the channels are regularly landing trout in the 2- to 3-pound range using shallow-running crankbaits that imitate minnows or crawfish. Bank fishermen waste little time taking a limit of fish using live minnows and nightcrawlers floated under a bobber. Corn and wax worms are a safe bet also. The walleye run is now in full swing as the big females have moved up and stay in an angry mood. They spend a lot of time chasing trout. These spawning fish will attack intruders and can be caught by trolling or fishing live bait over spawning areas. A key point to remember in walleye fishing is that rainbow trout will be absent from areas of spawning walleye. Big stripers have been spotted below the bridge as they like to be around when the AGFC hatchery truck delivers a load of rainbow trout. A top-water presentation like a Super Spook or C-10 Redfin will be the ticket when targeting these predators.

Diamond Head Marina reported that the water conditions are normal for winter. Bass are fair along shorelines on artificial lures. Walleye are biting on minnows.

Lake Hamilton: Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said fishing has been good on crankbaits and jigs fished along points with planted brush piles.  

Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said water conditions are normal. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows. A few bass have been caught on crankbaits. 

SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

EAST ARKANSAS

White River: Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the river is in very bad condition. All fishing is slow.

Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is very high. Fishing is slow for all species.

Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors (870-295-4240) said the water conditions are normal and very cold. Crappie fishing is fair in 12-13 feet of water on trolled minnows.