Fishing Tip: When fishing top-water lures like poppers, prop baits and stick baits, tie them on with a loop knot instead of the regular clinch knot. A loop knot adds slack to the line, which gives more action to the lure and will let you work the lure with small twitches over the area you are wanting to fish.
CENTRAL ARKANSAS:
Little Rock City Parks: Community Fishing Program Coordinator Clifton Jackson said this week probably will conclude the bi-weekly stockings of rainbow trout in central Arkansas. The trout continue to provide some instant and constant angling action. They will probably be present at the stocked locations throughout April. Be prepared to try a number of different bait types as the trout become wary of certain lures.
Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream fishing is fair using worms about 10 to 15 feet from the bank in deep water. Crappie fishing is good using minnows and jigs right at dark. Bass fishing is good using white spinner baits and junebug-with-red-flake lizards.
Little Red River: Lindsey's Rainbow Resort said the water was low this weekend. Trout fishing is good using wax worms with marshmallows, chartreuse Power Baits, artificials and Trout Magnets.
Greers Ferry: Shiloh Marina said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie and walleye are being taken trolling. White bass are biting; try trolling with minnows. Local fishing guide Tommy Cauley said after a few days of sunny weather, the fishing really went wild. The river run walleye are up and spawning, and the whites are right behind them. The crappie have moved up shallow also. The water temperature has stabilized, but this all happened 24 hours before the rain. With the cloud cover, the water held the increased temperatures, and all the fish made a major move. You can still catch the walleye, but their spawn will end in a few days. The whites will finish spawning in a couple of weeks. The walleye are hitting on nightcrawlers, 1/16-ounce jigs and Wally Divers in clown and cirrus colors. To make a record catch, try fishing with bream at night. The whites are hitting white grubs or white-and-chartreuse Roadrunners fished slow on the bottom. The crappie are taking minnows and jigs with chartreuse coloring. The bass are eating well in shallow water and can be caught on Rat-L-Traps, spinner baits, shallow-running crankbaits, Senkos rigged wacky style and Carolina-rigged lizards or finesse worms.
Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the lake clarity is good, and the lake level is dropping. Crappie fishing is good from 2- to 4-feet deep using minnows and pearl- or white-colored jigs off the banks or in the brush piles. White bass fishing is fair on the bank using spinner baits.
Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the lake is clear and going down. Bream are biting well on red worms, wax worms, mealworms and crickets in shallow water off the bank. The bream fishing will improve as the water warms up. Crappie fishing is fair from 3- to 6-feet deep using pink minnows or shiners near stumps. Bass fishing is good using Cajun spinner baits or minnows. The bass appear to be coming in to the bank.
Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said bream fishing is picking up; try using worms or wax worms. Crappie fishing is excellent around the cover areas using minnows or assorted jigs. Bass are biting well on spinner baits and Rat-L-Traps. Catfishing is excellent using just about anything on bottom.
Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger's Marina said black bass fishing is good; they are in their spring patterns and are located among the weeds to 8 feet deep. The north side of the lake is best. Largemouths are hitting best on dark-colored crankbaits. Kentuckies are being caught on 3-inch Pumpkin Grubs and CC Spoons fished from 10- to 15-feet deep on the channel edges. White bass fishing is excellent. The whites are at the west end of the lake and are staging for the spring run. Whites are being caught on both sides of the bridge. The cold front that came through this week has moved them back into the lake, but they could be back on the west side by the weekend as the spring run should be here. Roostertails, CC Spoons, Sassy Shads and Rogues with orange belles are all working on the whites. Catfishing is fair. They are in 20 to 28 feet of water and are hitting on large minnows and prepared baits. Crappie fishing is fair. The crappie have been in about 35 feet of water but are starting to move shallower. Crappie are being caught on small 1/32-ounce jigs and pink minnows. Bream fishing is slow, but some are hitting on crickets and worms 30-feet deep. Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said the lake clarity is fair, and the lake level is normal. Crappie are biting well on jigs from 12- to 14-feet deep in the river channel. Bass fishing is excellent using white jigs and Roostertails.
Arkansas River: Charley's Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said the flow from Lock No. 9 is 33,000 cubic feet per second with headwater at 284.70 feet and tailwater at 276.00 feet. The fronts moving in and out with heavy rains and strong winds have kept most fishermen inside. Catfishing is good on the downside of Locks 9 and 10. White bass are bunching up around the creek mouths where there is strong flow. Try fishing the mud line using chartreuse Roostertails or firetiger Rat-L-Traps. Some nice largemouths have been taken with the whites. Crappie have moved to the downriver side of the jetties, and they are biting on minnows.
Arkansas River (Little Rock area): Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said the river is clear and at normal pool. Crappie fishing is good from 3- to 4-feet deep using minnows or jigs in the backwaters or around stumps. Bass fishing is fair to good from 3- to 6-feet deep using spinner baits or white Zoom Flukes on the bank. Stripers are biting on Twister Tails and Split Tails. Whites are good on spoons and Twister Tails. Catfish are biting well on worms and shad.
Tom's Lake: Shirley's Bait said the lake is clear. Crappie fishing is fair from 9- to 10-feet deep using yo-yos or trolling with crappie minnows or jigs. Bass fishing is also fair from 9- to 10-feet deep using yo-yos or trolling with minnows, tube jigs or crappie minnows.
Pickthorne Lake: Outdoor Super Store said the lake is muddy, and fishing has slowed down some due to the cold front that came through. Crappie fishing is fair across the middle of the lake; try drifting with minnows about 1½-feet deep. With the muddy water conditions, bass are likely to hit a bright-colored, rattling crankbait or a Carolina rig about mid-lake or along the lake edges.
NORTH ARKANSAS:
White River (near Goshen): McLellan's Fly Shop said although Monday's cold rain slowed things down, the white bass are still in the early stages of their annual spawning run. There are still reports of large females being taken with the small males. It won't be long until fishermen start hooking 50 to 60 white bass a day. Be sure to have plenty of Clouser Minnows, Jiggies and Crazy Dads in your fly box because it is amazing how fast the white bass can chew up flies. The best flies have been: Crazy Dad in Olive, Pumpkin and Orange (size 8), Jiggy in Olive and Shad-color (size 6), Hot Head Jiggy in White, Tan, Chartreuse and Firetiger (size 6), Cap'n Tim in Olive (size 4) and CFB in chartreuse (size 6).
North Fork River: McLellan's Fly Shop said generation has been cut back significantly, providing plenty of wading opportunities. After two months of high water the trout are in very good shape. During low water, concentrate your nymph fishing on the faster runs and riffles; try tying on a size 16 scud or sow bug. During high-water conditions, streamer fishing has also been excellent from a boat (especially on overcast days). The best flies have been: McLellan's Hunchback Scud Tan, Olive and Gray (sizes 14 to 16), Flashback Scud Tan, Olive and Gray (sizes 12 to 16), McLellan's Woven Sow Bug (sizes 14 to16), Graphic Caddis Tan and Olive (sizes 14 to 18), Flashback Pheasant Tail Nymph (sizes 16 to 20), Beadhead Hare's Ear Nymph (sizes 14 to 18), Mercury Brassie (sizes 18 to 20), Rojo Midge (size 22), Mercury Blood Midge (sizes 20 to 22), Red Jujubee Midge (sizes 20 to 22), Johnny Flash (sizes 20 to 24), Mercury Black Beauty (sizes 20 to 22), Gray Mercury Midge (sizes 20 to 22), Black Wooly Sculpin (size 4), Articulated Zoo Cougar (size 4), and Swimming Jimmy (size 4).
Bull Shoals Lake: Wilderness Trail said the lake temperature is 48 to 49 degrees. The upper lake above Tucker Hollow and the upper part of the Theodosia arm is a few degrees warmer. The lake level has stabilized at 653.90 feet. White bass did not make any moves last week; they are still at the back of the northern creeks holding in 40 feet of water with the shad. When the shad move, the whites will, too. Crappie have been moving back into the pockets toward the brush piles throughout the week. Try fishing the deep outsides of the brush piles with crappie minnows and Bobby Garland Swimming Minnows in chartreuse or pearl colors. Largemouth bass are roaming in and out of the northern cuts and pockets. Work the northern points and secondary points with crankbaits or slow-rolled spinner baits. If you don't have any success with reaction baits, move to 35 feet and fish a Carolina- or Mojo-rigged 5-inch lizard or finesse worm. Smallmouth bass have made a move to pea rock "do nothing" banks during the sunny part of the day. Crankbaits, Wiggle Warts or Lucky Craft Pointers in American shad or chartreuse shad are working the best. The jig bite has also picked up some with green pumpkin being the dominant color. Kentucky bass are spending a little more time roaming the banks looking for crawdads. The shallow Kentuckies can be triggered with crankbaits or spinner baits. Northern chunk rock banks are holding the aggressive Kentuckies at this time. Walleye are in 32 to 42 feet of water around main lake points and secondary chunk rock points in the creeks, but they are not feeding well. A few are being caught on crawler harnesses and bottom bouncers or Glass Shad trolled on lead core line. The best bite is at night on the points with suspending Rogues. Lead Hill Boat Dock said the lake is clear to dingy, but the lake is at normal pool. Crappie are biting well from 5- to 10-feet deep, but these are mainly small fish. The larger crappie can be caught a little bit deeper. Try using Bobby Garland's Swimming Minnows or pearl-colored swimming minnows. Bass are coming in on the secondary points; also use swimming minnows for them. This year's fish crop seems to be healthier than in several years.
Bull Shoals Tailwaters: McLellan's Fly Shop said generation has been cut nearly in half over the past week; look for wadeable water especially on the weekend. After all of the high water, the trout are used to eating a lot. In the faster riffles and runs, drift a scud, sow bug, mayfly nymph or caddis pupa under a strike indicator. March is the start of the major caddis season on the White River. So, be sure to have plenty of caddis pupa, and dries in your fly box. Pupa patterns like the Z-Wing Caddis and the new Graphic Caddis are some of the favorites. As for dry fly patterns, it is hard to beat the classic Elk Hair Caddis, but new versions like Rainy's Foam-Body Elk Hair Caddis and the flashy Pearl-and-Elk are productive new twists on the original. During high water, fly-fishing from a boat using large strike indicators and heavy split shot has produced plenty of hook-ups and brought many quality trout to the net, especially in the first mile below Bull Shoals Dam. The best flies have been: Zebra and Black/Olive Rubber-leg Copper John (sizes 14 to 18), McLellan's Woven V-Rib Sowbug (sizes 14 to 16), McLellan's Hunchback Scud Tan, Olive and Gray (sizes 14 to 16) Graphic Caddis Tan and Olive (sizes 14 to 18), Z-Wing Caddis (sizes 14 to 16), Caddis Larva (sizes 14 to 16), Elk Hair Caddis (sizes 14 to 18), E-Z Caddis (sizes 14 to 18), Red Fox Squirrel Nymph (sizes 12 to 16), Rag Sculpin (size 6), Articulated Zoo Cougar (size 4), Swimming Jimmy (size 4), White Zonker (size 6), Arkansas Conehead (size 6), San Juan Worms (size 10) and Micro Eggs (size 14).
Lake Norfork: Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the water is clear on the main lake, but it has a green tint in the creek arms. Crappie are biting well from 5- to 8-feet deep on crappie minnows, crappie jigs and small cut baits near brush piles. Bass fishing is fair to good. On windy days, try using crankbaits or swimming jigs, and on cloudy days, try using Rogues. Striper fishing is slow, but some are being taken on artificial striper tails. Walleye are biting up the river at night.
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
Beaver Lake: Southtown Sporting Goods said the lake is clear and the water temperature is around 50 degrees. The water level is normal. Crappie are staging in the cover areas and are biting well from 5- to 20-feet deep on minnows and tube jigs. Also, try fishing for crappie in the creek channels. White bass are staging in the river arms and are biting fair on crawfish. Black bass and largemouth bass are biting on crankbaits in brown or chartreuse. Stripers and hybrids are biting in the river arms and at Point 12 on the lake. Striper anglers are catching heavy fish around 15- to 20-feet deep.
Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream fishing is fair from 8- to 12-feet deep using red worms over brush piles. Crappie fishing is fair about 12-feet deep, trolling with minnows and jigs over brush piles or rocky points.
Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie are biting well from 4- to 8-feet deep on crappie minnows and crappie jigs over brush piles. Bass fishing is fair from 4- to 8-feet deep using spinner baits, deep-running crankbaits and plugs. White bass fishing is fair from 6- to 8-feet deep using minnows.
Beaver Tailwaters: Beaver Dam Store said the white bass fishing will likely pick up soon. The walleye bite is good upriver using minnows and jigs tipped with nightcrawlers. Some are being taken with corn. Trout fishing is good; try using P.J.'s jigs (olive, brown or black), Micro jigs (ginger, black or olive) and Super Dupers. Bertrand Access and Parker Flats are better to avoid the annual unloading of 4- to 6-inch fingerling browns and brookies. McLellan's Fly Shop said generation has been reduced considerably over the past week providing plenty of wading, especially on the weekend. With all of the high water over the past two months, the trout are fat, healthy and eager to bite. Scuds and sow bugs as well as midge pupa patterns have been the most productive. The soft-hackle action starting to heat up as well. Outside of the catch-and-release area, try swinging a team of soft hackles slowly across the current. The best flies have been: McLellan's Hunchback Scud Gray and Olive (sizes 14 to 16), McLellan's Woven Sow Bug (sizes 14 to 16), Mercury Brassie (sizes 18 to 20), Rojo Midge (size 22), Mercury Blood Midge (sizes 20 to 22), Red Jujubee Midge (sizes 20 to 22), Johnny Flash (sizes 20 to 24), Mercury Black Beauty (sizes 20 to 22), Gray Mercury Midge (sizes 20 to 22), March Brown Spider (size 14) and Red Ass (size 16).
Kings River: Kings River Outfitters said the river is very clear and floatable. Smallmouth bass and Goggleeye are biting in deep water on Hula Grubs, Gitzits and plastic lizards.
NORTHEAST ARKANSAS
White River: Local Fisherman Jeff Moore said the White River at Batesville is at 10 feet and rising. The recent rains have stained the river, and most of the creeks are muddy. It will take a few days for the river to return to good fishing condition. Prior to rain, fishing was good for bass and trout. Largemouth bass were moving into the creeks and being caught on jigs, tube baits and Rouges. Smallmouth fishing was just beginning to get into full swing with tube baits being the best choice. Quality rainbows were being caught in the Guion area on Countdowns and drifting spinners tipped with corn and Power Eggs.
Lake Charles: Powhatan Landing said the lake is stained and at normal pool. Crappie fishing is good using minnows. The crappie are moving into the bank. Bass fishing is fair on plastic worms. However, only small bass are being taken.
Spring River: Local fisherman Gary Salard said there was some good fishing this weekend. Fishermen are catching their limit of trout using brown-and-tan Woolly Buggers. One trout was 18 inches. Fishermen are still catching some nice smallmouth. The fish are moving towards the bedding areas. They are being caught on crawfish-colored crankbaits. Crappie are still doing well for the few anglers that fish for them This is definitely a untapped resource on the upper Spring River, and some real slabs are being caught using white jigs and minnows under overhangs.
SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
Lake Chicot: Koenig's Bass Tracker Marine said the lake is muddy and low. Bream are biting fair from 4- to 5-feet deep on wax worms over brush piles. Crappie are biting fair from 8- to 10-feet deep on jigs.
Grand Lake: Koenig's Bass Tracker Marine said crappie are biting well from 4- to 5-feet deep on jigs and yo-yos near brush piles. Catfishing is fair using worms on the bottom.
Mississippi River: Koenig's Bass Tracker Marine said the river is muddy and at 39 feet.
Old Town Lake: Old Town Lake Fish Camp said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie fishing is excellent about 14-inches deep near brush piles. Try using blue-and-white or red-and-chartreuse jigs or trolling with minnows. Catfishing is good using yo-yos baited with minnows near cypress trees.
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
Millwood Lake: Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water temperature ranges from 58 to 64 degrees. The lake level is 2 inches above normal and falling. Visibility is at 8 inches. Largemouth bass are excellent on various red or orange Rat-L-Traps. Many 7- to 9-pound largemouths, and some in the 10- to 12-pound range have been caught and released on Millwood. Fish the Rat-L-Traps slowly and deliberately on points in Little River, creek channels, flats and around stumps in 2- to 6-feet around drop-offs. The jig bite has subsided in the last few weeks, as the bass are beginning to roam around and move in and out of shallow areas close to deep water. The bass are beginning to spread out horizontally, rather than vertically, as the surface temperatures continue climbing. In addition, black bass remain fair to good on Carolina-rigged-Zoom lizards in green pumpkin or pumpkinseed with chartreuse tail. Brush Hogs, lizards in black-and-blue, scumpernong, cotton candy and red bug colors or white-and-chartreuse spinner baits, worked slowly from 9- to 10-feet deep, are catching decent size bass on stumps along the edges of the river. Heavy 5/8- to ¾-ounce spinner baits in white-and-chartreuse or firetiger are still working on the river edges and on scattered stumps in 8 to 10 feet of water. Once the water warms up later in the day, the bite becomes much more agressive and pronounced. Crappie continue to transition to shallow spawning areas. Nice slab catches have been taken on live shiners and jigs fished from 3- to 6-feet deep along Little River and its oxbows. White Bass continue their annual spawning run up Little River and have been caught in the last few days around the mouth of the Cossatot River, on points extending into Little River, in bar pits and further up toward Patterson Shoal areas. Try small lures in chrome-and-blue or silver-and-white. Blue catfish remain good in Little River on trotlines baited with chicken liver or dog food. Lines set from 16- to 20-feet deep seem to work the best in the river bends. Water clarity in the river ranges from 8 to 10 inches. Currently, clarity is around 7 inches toward the dam. The upriver oxbows such as McGuire, Horseshoe, Mud Lake and Cemetery Slough still have much better water visibility (up to 5 feet). A serious boating accident occurred this past weekend on Millwood Lake, in Little River. There were four large bass tournaments on Millwood and over 400 boats on the water. Two high-speed bass boats collided in a sharp turn of Little River. Several men were seriously injured in this collision. All boaters involved were wearing life jackets. So, remember use extreme caution while navigating Little River in low-light conditions and slow down.
Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie are biting well in shallow water on shiners or jigs that are silver with some orange coloring. Bass fishing is good using assorted soft plastics. Catfish are biting well on trotlines with big shiners or goldfish.
Lake Erling: Steve's Marine said the lake conditions are normal. Crappie are biting well 8-feet deep on jigs, and some are being taken on yo-yos baited with silver shiners. Bass are biting on soft plastics and white, willow-leaf spinner baits.
White Oak Lake: Charlie's One Stop said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream fishing is fair from 6- to 8-feet deep using worms and crickets over brush piles. Crappie fishing is fair from 6- to 7-feet using minnows or jigs near stumps. Catfishing is fair using trotlines baited with chicken liver or stink bait.
Lake Greeson: Lakeside Grocery, Motel/Bait Shop said the lake is clear but low. The lake temperature ranges from 55 to 58 degrees. Crappie are biting well from 5- to 10-feet deep on minnows and jigs over brush piles. Bass fishing is fair on plastic lizards and small crankbaits. White bass and hybrid bass fishing is excellent using top-water lures, spoons and crankbaits; these fish are schooling all over the lake in the mornings and evenings. Catfishing is good using jugs or trotlines baited with worms, stink bait or chicken liver. A few walleye have been taken in the river on crankbaits.
DeGray Lake: DeGray Lake Resort Marina said the lake is clear and down about 6 or 7 feet. Crappie fishing is fair about 20-feet deep using minnows, jigs or crankbaits. The crappie appear to be moving into the shallow bays. Black bass fishing is fair about 30-feet deep using crankbaits over brush. Whites are biting about 30-feet deep on crankbaits and spinner baits over brush piles. DeGray One Stop said the lake clarity is good, and the lake level is normal. Bream are biting deep on worms and small jigs. Crappie fishing is good from 8- to 14-feet deep using minnows and jigs. The crappie appear to be moving into shallow water. Largemouth and Kentucky bass are biting well from 6- to 14-feet deep on spinner baits and crankbaits near rocky points or ridges. Whites and hybrids are in the final stage of their spring run; try to catch them in the creeks or in the river. Catfish are biting on live bait fished deep.
Little Missouri River: Local fly-fishing guide Jeff Guerin said to take advantage of the breeze and work and A & W around the Triangle. There have been quite a few fish cruising the Flat in all the usual places and it's just a matter of getting in position for the right deliveries. The action has been pretty steady for quite a while. As always, when that chop is on the Flat, the fish get real active. It's always been the case no matter what time of year, but it does become more apparent in the summer and fall.
WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said the lake level is normal. Bream are biting well from 5- to 6-feet deep, along the bottom on crickets and red worms. Crappie are biting well from 1- to 3-feet deep over the weed beds on minnows or jigs in purple-and-white, red-and-white, or black-and-chartreuse. Bass are biting well on spinner baits, jerkbaits, and chartreuse-and-white crankbaits. Catfishing is excellent on shad in the lake and along the current. Cross Creek said crappie are biting well from 6- to 8-feet deep on minnows or jigs. Bass fishing is fair from 3- to 4-feet deep using spinner baits or plastic worms on the main lakes or in the backs of the creeks. White bass are moving up in the creek arms and spawning.
Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the river level is still fluctuating. A few fish have been taken. Bream are biting on nightcrawlers and crickets. Crappie are biting on minnows and jigs. White bass are biting on white spinner baits or dark-blue jigs. Catfish have been taken on minnows and cut bait.
Lake Ouachita: Trader Bill's Outdoor Sports said the lake is still falling and the water temperature is between 65 and 67 degrees. All the major creeks are muddy, but the main lake is clear. From Crystal Springs down, the water is clear, and from Big Fur up, the water is muddy. Bass are still being caught on Rat-L-Traps on mossy points and on jigs in moss beds from 10 to 12 feet. Stripers are staging, but not quite ready to school. White bass fishing is excellent using Shad Raps. Cross Creek said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie fishing is good from 6- to 8-feet deep. Bass are biting fair. Try fishing from 3- to 4-feet deep with spinner baits or plastic worms on the main lake or in the back creeks. Whites are spawning up in the creeks.
Lake Catherine: Trader Bill's Outdoor Sports said the lake is at normal pool and muddy. The water temperature is in the mid-50s. Crappie fishing is excellent using minnows and jigs around brush piles from 5- to 6-feet deep. Bass are still on rocky points from 4- to 6-feet deep and are biting on jigs and crankbaits.
Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill's Outdoor Sports said the lake is at normal pool. With the rain this week, all major creeks are muddy. The main body of the lake is clear. The water temperature is around 56 degrees and warming. Crappie are biting excellent on minnows and jigs around brush piles from 5- to 6-feet deep. Bass are being taken on rocky points from 4- to 6-feet deep. Try using jigs and crankbaits.
Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said crappie fishing is excellent mostly on minnows, but some are being taken on jigs. Bass fishing is excellent using bass minnows. Catfishing is fair using worms or chicken liver.
Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the lake is clear and a little low. Bream fishing is excellent along the bank using wax worms. Crappie are biting well late in the afternoon about 8-feet deep on minnows. Bass fishing is good. Bass are starting to spawn and can be caught shallow using small black-and-blue jigs. Catfish are biting fair on trotlines baited with small bream.
Lake Nimrod: Lake Nimrod Bait 'n' More II said the lake level is good after the rain. Crappie fishing has been excellent from 7- to 17-feet deep using minnows, pink minnows and jigs in red-and-chartreuse, pink-and-white or black-and-chartreuse. Bass fishing is good using minnows and worms. Bream are biting well on crickets. Catfishing is good using worms, spinner baits or minnows.
Arkansas River: Tackle Box said crappie fishing is fair as long as the weather is consistent. Try fishing 18-inches deep with minnows or jigs. The crappie seem to be moving up. Bass are starting to move up to spawn. Try using spinner baits, black-and-blue jigs or crankbaits. Sand bass are biting on white-and-yellow grubs. Cross Creek said the river is muddy and at normal pool. Crappie are biting well from 6- to 8-feet deep. Bass are biting fair from 3- to 4-feet deep on spinner baits or plastic worms fished in the back of the creek arms. White bass are moving up in the creek arms and spawning.
SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Felsenthal: Benson's Grocery and Bait said bream and crappie are biting well on red wigglers.
EAST ARKANSAS:
White River Refuge Lakes: Ed's Bait Shop said the lakes are clear. Crappie fishing is fair using yo-yos baited with minnows. Bass fishing is good using minnows.
Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said the lake is fairly clear, and it is currently at 18 feet. A few bream are biting on crickets. Crappie are biting well 1½-feet deep on poles baited with minnows. Some nice crappie have been taken. Some bass are biting on Gitzits. A few catfish are being taken toward the dam.
Midway Lake: Ed's Boat Camp said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream fishing is excellent on red worms. Crappie fishing is excellent on minnows or black-and-chartreuse jigs. Catfishing is good on yo-yos. Some good crappie and bream have been taken.
Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie are biting well 23-feet deep; try trolling. Bass fishing is fair from 8- to 10-feet deep using plastic worms near rocky points.
Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the fishing conditions are excellent. Last weekend produced a lot of good fish. The lake temperature is now in the 50s. Bream are biting well from 3- to 4-feet deep on red worms or wax worms. Crappie are biting well; try trolling with minnows in deep water or fishing around piers using minnows or black-and-chartreuse jigs. Bass fishing is excellent using spinner baits. Catfishing is good using cut shad. A 21-pound catfish was taken last week.