Fishing Tip: As summer sun heats the water, most fish move to deeper water, but you don’t have to fish the main lake to score. Fish staying in creeks will often move into weeds and brush during early morning hours to feed, then move to a creek turn or ledge where they can escape to deeper water during midday. Fishing a square-billed, shallow-diving crankbait along brush and stumps where creeks turn can often generate a few fish for those anglers unable to get out to the main body of the lake.
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 – 389.33 feet, Tailwater – 386.72 feet, Flow – 122,205 cubic feet per second
Ozark Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 12): Headwater – 371.17 feet, Tailwater – 352.69 feet
Dardanelle Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 10): Headwater – 337.63 feet, Tailwater – 301.64 feet
Ormond Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 9): Headwater – 285.88 feet, Tailwater – 281.34 feet
Toad Suck Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 8): Headwater – 264.89 feet, Tailwater – 265.92 feet
Murray Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 7): Headwater – 247.58 feet, Tailwater – 238.22 feet, Flow – 139,400 cubic feet per second
Terry Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 6): Headwater – 230.32 feet, Tailwater – 224.99 feet, Flow – 149,798 cubic feet per second
Sanders Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 4): Headwater – 194.52 feet, Tailwater – 192.78 feet
Hardin Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 3): Headwater – 182.28 feet, Tailwater – 181.00 feet
Mills Dam (Dam 2): Headwater – 161.64 feet, Tailwater – 147.63 feet, Flow – 147,120 cubic feet per second
White River Levels: According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as of Tuesday the White River stages are:
8.5 feet at Calico Rock (flood stage – 19 feet)
10.3 feet at Batesville (flood stage – 15 feet)
14.1 feet at Newport (flood stage – 26 feet)
26.6 feet at Augusta (flood stage – 26 feet)
16.2 feet at Georgetown (flood stage – 21 feet)
23.9 feet at Clarendon (flood stage – 26 feet)
Statewide Family and Community Fishing Program Report: Channel catfish have been stocked in all program ponds and are biting well on worms, liver, hot dogs, bait shrimp and paste baits. Channel catfish are being caught with more success in early mornings and late evenings because of warmer weather. Bream are still biting well on crickets, wax worms and redworms in shallow water and near brushy cover. For more information on catfish stockings, call toll free (866) 540-FISH (3474).
CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said water conditions are normal with a surface temperature in the low 80s. Bream are biting well 11/2 to 2 feet deep around the banks on crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on buzzing toads around lily pads. Catfish are picking up on trotlines with minnows and bream.
Dan at Gold Creek Landing said bream are biting well. Bass are biting fairly well on frogs and buzzbaits early. Crappie fishing is slow. Catfish are biting well on live and prepared baits.
Little Red River:Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) said the river is in good condition with two generators still running. Anglers are having luck drift fishing on spinner rigs with a glow worm or Power Egg. Shad Raps, Countdowns and Rouges are working well also.
Jed Hollan at the Little Red Fly Shop said the Greers Ferry Power House is continuing around-the-clock water releases. The temperature of the water coming through the turbines is 51.8 degrees with 7.8 mg/l dissolved oxygen content. Because of the high water, we are seeing fewer aquatic insects than we normally see this time of year. Sparse numbers of blue winged olive mayflies, sulphur mayflies and midges are being observed in a few areas along the Little Red. Dry fly fishing is best achieved during periods of low water. If fishing dries is all you want to do, try a hopper pattern and cast it under low tree limbs near the bank. Several nice brown trout have been landed lately using this technique. Even though it is possible to catch trout in high water with a sow bug, zebra midge, copper john or woolly bugger, the fly that has been working the best is the San Juan worm. You will need about 15 feet of leader and tippet, enough weight to get the worm down to the streambed and a strike indicator large enough to float it all. The best colors have been cerise, orange, worm brown and red. The best hook sizes are #12 down to #18. Practice boating safety by having one person operate the boat full time while others in the boat fish.
Greers Ferry: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 471.44 feet MSL.
`Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level is falling and should be close to normal pool by August 1. Hybrids and white bass are biting well early and late in the day as well as during midday. They are being very picky about lure size. They are chasing small fry, so downsize your lures. Bream fishing is good around cover with some nice ones being taken on worms and crickets. Catfishing is good on live and prepared baits, with the occasional cat hitting artificials that bass anglers are throwing. Crappie are slow. Try pole timber close to channel swings around 15-20 feet deep over 60 feet of water with minnows and small jigs. Walleye are biting pretty well when it is cloudy. Bass are still scattered all over the water column. Try top-water lures early and late and Texas-rigged and Carolina-rigged worms and lizards and crankbaits during midday.
Shiloh Marina said the water is murky and high. Walleye are fair in deep water on minnows.
Harris Brake Lake:Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said the water is murky and 6 inches high. Bream are fair on crickets and worms. A few crappie have been caught in deep water on minnows. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on cut bait and chicken liver.
Lake Beaverfork: The City of Conway Parks and Recreation Department said the water is murky and high. Crappie fishing is very good on minnows and jigs.
Lake Overcup:Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said water conditions are normal with a surface temperature in high 80s. Bream are fair around banks and docks on crickets and wax worms. Crappie are fair in 12 to 15 feet deep on minnows and jigs. Bass are good around the docks on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on bream and stink bait.
Lakeview Landing (501-354-1470) said water conditions are normal. Bream fishing has been very good on crickets and wax worms. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are biting well on blue and black jigs. Catfishing is excellent on shad and Magic Bait.
Brewer Lake:Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) had no report.
Sunset Lake: Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said water conditions are normal. Catfish are the best thing going on Magic Bait.
Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is clear and low. Bream are excellent on crickets. Bass are biting well on small white/chartreuse spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on jugs with liver.
Arkansas River in Little Rock: Vince Miller from Fish ‘N Stuff said the water is still high and rough, but the current should begin to drop soon. Bass have been pretty good in backwaters around structure on bloodline-colored soft-plastic worms.
Little Maumelle River: Josh Jeffers at Pinnacle Mountain State Park (501-868-5806) said the water level is receding and the surface temperature ranges from 75 to 79 degrees. The water visibility and clarity is low. Bream are biting fair on crickets and worms. Crappie are biting slow on shiners and black/chartreuse 1/8-ounce crappie jigs. Bass are slow, but are being caught on shad-colored flukes, shaky head finesse worms, small top-water baits (early in the mornings and late in the afternoons) and Texas-rigged creature baits in the heat of the day. Catfish are biting fair on nightcrawlers and stink bait.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said bream are biting well in the upper end pad beds on crickets and wax worms. Bass are biting well early and late on red soft-plastic worms and double willowleaf white/chartreuse spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on limb lines and trotlines using cut bait and chicken hearts.
Big Maumelle River: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said bream are fair on crickets. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits and top-water stick baits. Catfish are excellent on limb lines and trotlines using minnows, shad and cut bait.
Lake Maumelle:Jolly Roger’s Marina said black bass are fair early (from sun up to 7:30 a.m.) just outside of the weeds in about 10 feet of water with crankbaits, Carolina rigs and spinnerbaits. Once the sun is up, go deep off points with jig-and-pigs, CC Spoons and drop-shot rigs. Kentucky bass are biting a little better, with reports of schooling Kentuckies over deeper water. White bass are good. They are schooling in the late evening and are hitting on CC Spoons, Near Nuthings and Spooks. Bream are excellent 15 feet deep on crickets. If using worms you will pick up some nice Catfish mixed in with the bream. The College Bass National Championship is being held Wednesday and Thursday of this week with 56 teams from around the country fishing Lake Maumelle.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said the water is clear and high. Bream are fair in 12 to 14 feet of water on a split shot and cricket.
Lake Valencia: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said catfish are the best thing going on nightcrawlers and chicken hearts.
Murray Lock and Dam: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said catfish are excellent on cut shad and green sunfish.
Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is still very rough and dangerous.
Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is clear and high. Bream are fair 4 feet deep on crickets. Black bass are hitting early and late on spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Catfish are fair on the bottom on nightcrawlers.
Peckerwood Lake: Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is clear and continues to fall. Crappie are the best thing going on minnows and jigs.
NORTH ARKANSAS
White River: John Berry of Berry Brothers Guides said the water flows on the White have been consistently high. Overall, the fishing has been excellent on the White River. It has at times been spectacular, particularly at the Catch-and-release section at Bull Shoals Dam and the adjacent state park. The hot flies have been San Juan worms (in tan, orange and red), and brightly colored marabou jigs. Jigs have the added advantage of riding hook point up which makes them virtually weedless. Another hot spot was Rim Shoals. Here again the most action was encountered using brightly colored San Juan worms and eggs. Those fishing just outside the catch-and-release sections had good results by using black zebra midges and copper johns as droppers. The best fishing has occurred in the Red Bud area. The hot fly there has been brightly colored marabou jigs.
Sportsman’s Sportsman’s White River Resort said the water is clear with eight generators still running. Trout fishing has been excellent on 3-inch pink power worms, jigs, Countdown Rapalas and Rouges.
Bull Shoals Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 691.71 feet MSL.
Lake Norfork: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 575.30 feet MSL.
101 Grocery and Bait said fishing has been fair. The early morning has been the best time of day to be fishing. Top-water fishing is still good until about 8 a.m. After that, you will need to fish deep. Bluegill fishing is very good using worms and crickets fished around 20-30 feet deep. Striper fishing has been fair. A few are being caught on small live bait. Mid-lake and toward the dam have been the better areas to fish for stripers. They are hanging in 40 feet of water and deeper. Walleye fishing has slowed, but a few are being caught on live bait. Try fishing around the thermocline (18-25 feet deep). Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing are fair. The bass are still being caught around the trees and along the bluffs. Crappie fishing is slow. White bass fishing is fair. White in-line spinners are still the choice lure. Catfish are still hitting live bait on limb lines.
Norfork Tailwater: John Berry of Berry Brothers Guides said the Norfork has been spectacular on low water. Anglers reported great success with black zebra nymphs, olive scuds, and black Norfork bead heads all in size 18. Other good flies were olive woolly buggers, partridge and orange soft hackles, and worm brown San Juan worms. The top producer was the green butt soft hackle. There have been some sparse sulphur hatches in mid morning and this was the key to success. In the afternoon, on higher water, fishing slows a bit. Use conventional high-water techniques, and if you are not fishing a catch-and-release area consider using a dropper tied to the lead flies. Dry Run Creek has been a local hot spot. This is a great place for you to while away the summer with your children or grand children. It is also a great place to beat the heat.
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
Beaver Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,129.10 feet MSL.
JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass continue to hang off main lake points and humps just off the bottom. Finesse worms rigged on Carolina or drop shot rigs have been working well. Crappie action is good also. The best bite has been on cloudy or rainy mornings under docks, along drops on flats or along bluffs. Most fish have been suspended around 10 feet and are taking minnows. White bass are biting OK at night along bluff lines north and east of Rocky Branch under lights. Minnows have been the best bait. Stripers have been hard to catch as of late but they can also be found from Rocky Branch and north towards the dam. Umbrella rigs trolled behind the boat should do the trick. Catfish have been doing fine from the bank at night using cut bait or night crawlers. Bluegill have been in their normal haunts, under docks and around rocks. Crickets or worms fished under a float will do the trick.
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the lake itself is pretty clear, but you will find that the creeks are still pretty muddy. Bream have been fair on crickets and worms. Crappie are picking up in 10 to 12 feet of water on minnows and jigs around brush. Bass are fair on plastic worms. Catfish are biting well on jugs with goldfish.
Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said water conditions are normal. Bream are fair in 4 to 5 feet of water on worms and crickets. Crappie are good 10 to 12 feet of water on minnows. Bass are fair on plastic worms and buzz baits.
Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is muddy and high. All species are slow.
Sugarloaf Lake: Midland Minimart (479-639-9467) had no report.
NORTHEAST ARKANSAS
Lake Charles: Lake Charles State Park (870-878-6595) said the water level is normal. The water clarity is 20 inches. Fishing has been slow on bream. Catfish has been slow except trotlines and jugs. Crappie are slow, but a few are being caught on minnows and jigs. Bass are slow on worms and spinnerbaits.
Crown Lake : Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said water conditions are normal with a temperature at 85 degrees. Bream are excellent on crickets and worms. Crappie are fair early and late on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on top-water lures and crankbaits. Catfishing is excellent on liver, nightcrawlers and goldfish.
Lake Frierson: Lake Frierson State Park said water conditions are normal. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers.
SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
Lake Monticello: Greg Gulledge with Basshunters Custom Crankbaits said the bass continue to bite 10-inch worms fished 12 to 20 feet deep. A few bass are schooling in the afternoons. Standard schooling baits are working such as traps and Baby Kill Gill topwaters. There are a few fish hitting Spro frogs when the conditions are right. Nights are still producing some nice fish in the 8- to 9-pound range.
Lake Chicot: Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said all species are slow.
Grand Lake: Koenig Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said all species are slow.
SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Moro Bay: Moro Bay State Park said the river is only a fraction above summer normal, (65.8 ft above sea level) and it’s not moving up or down very quickly. Fishing has slowed down a bit, but bream are still being caught in the bay from the beginning of the cypress trees to the mouth of the creek. Crickets and worms fished at a depth of about 5 foot are working best. Several good catfish have also been caught in the main river channel on bream and shad. A few bass have been caught in the bay while trolling with white spinnerbaits and red-shad plastic worms. Very few reports of crappie have come in. A crappie fisherman would most likely do best in the bay fishing fairly deep and moving around to find scattered fish.
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
Millwood Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.54 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water clarity is 6 to 8 inches in the main lake away from current. The surface temperature is 78 to 88 degrees. Current in Little River is 1,754 cubic feet per second. Largemouth bass are biting well early and late in the day. They are following typical summer patterns. The mayfly hatch is still going on and bream are feeding underneath willow trees and cypress trees. Good bass are under the trees feeding on the bream in 2 to 12 feet of water. The most consistent reaction bite is on top-water toads, Bass Assassin Shads and white jigs swum through the weeds at daylight. Once the sun is high, switch to a 10- or 12-inch Texas-rigged worm in plum, red shad or blue fleck. White bass are either full bore or shut down, depending on the day. The best bite has been between White Cliffs and Cemetery Slough on Little Cleos, Little Georges, Rooster Tails and Rocket Shads in 12 to 16 feet. Crappie have improved slightly from last week. Live shiners, smoke grubs and Mizmo tubes have produced along the edges of the river. Blue and channel catfish continue to hit well on trotlines, and remain best in current in Little River on cut shad or Charlie, cottonseed mill cake and chicken hearts and livers. Yo-yo's hung from cypress trees in 8-10 feet of water, near any current are picking up some decent cats. Bream continue to bite well again along the banks on crickets and redworms around docks and cypress trees. With the mayfly hatch in full swing, numbers of bream can be caught under a single cypress or willow tree on ultra light or spin cast tackle on smoke-colored tubes, jigs and also on white/chartreuse colored popping bugs.
Cossatot River: Davy Ashcraft at Cossatot River State Park (870-385-2201) said USGA states that the water level is 2.12 feet with the surface temperatures ranging from 68 to 72 degrees. The water is beginning to clear up, which will cause problems for some anglers using baits with spinners on them. Bream are biting great on worms and crickets in 3 feet of water. The smallmouth bass are biting very well on green pumpkinseed finesse worms and crawdad crankbaits around structure in pools at 4 to 5 feet of water. Small, dark-colored grubs are doing well, too. Black bass are fair with some being taken on dark-colored finesse worms and grubs fished very slowly around deep structure. Minnow-rigged setups are producing some limits of bass. Catfish are good with some being taken on chunks of hot dogs, live perch baited on trotlines are doing good as well.
Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said water conditions are normal. Redear are biting very well. Crappie are fair on shiners. Catfishing is good on noodles baited with nightcrawlers, corn and dog food.
Lake Erling: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said bass are fair on a white spinnerbaits with copper blades. The ramp on the Red River at Garland is now open.
White Oak Lake: White Oak Lake State Park said the water level is steady and water is clearing up. Bream and crappie are slow on crickets. Bass are slow on spinnerbaits. Catfish are biting well on trotlines with minnows.
Lake Greeson: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 546.26 feet MSL.
Darryl Morris at Family Fishing Trips said water temperature is in the upper 80s. Crappie are being caught on hardwood and bamboo brush piles 12-16 feet deep in 16-30 feet of water using rosy reds and shiners or common fatheads. Bream are good at the same depths using crickets. The catfish are showing up on the brush piles, too. Most mornings show some surface-feeding bass.
Lakeside Grocery reported that the water is murky and starting to drop, with a temperature at 90 degrees. Bream fishing has been good on crickets. Crappie are being caught deep on minnows. Bass are fair, schooling early. Try a topwater lure. Catfishing is good on jugs using bream.
DeGray Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 406.84 feet MSL.
DeGray One Stop (501-865-3511) said all fishing is slow.
WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Lake Dardanelle: Eric Pratt at Lake Dardanelle State Park said the lake is beginning to clear up and water temperatures are remaining steady at about 82 degrees. The river flow is still high, ranging from 130,000 to 140,000 cubic feet per second. Anglers are reporting that catfish are biting excellent on cut fish, nightcrawlers, chicken liver and prepared baits. Bass have retreated to deeper, cooler waters and can be caught on deep-diving crankbaits, rigged plastics, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Top-water baits are effective in the early morning and late evening when bass visit the grass beds to forage. Bluegill and yellow bass are biting on crickets and worms. Crappie fishing is slow but some are hitting minnows and small jigs.
Murphy’s Sporting Goods (479-229-3200) said the water is murky and high. Bream are biting well on crickets. Bass are fairly well on crankbaits and plastic worms. Catfishing is good on stink bait and nightcrawlers.
Blue Mountain Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 387.03 feet MSL.
Booneville Bait (479-675-9038) had no report.
Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart (479-667-5155) said the water is muddy and high. A few bass have been caught on chartreuse crankbaits.
Lake Ouachita: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 576.73 feet MSL.
Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said bass fishing is fair. Start by fishing slow with Berkley 10-inch Power Worms in green pumpkin, watermelon/red and red bug. Use as small a weight you can get by with to keep the lure falling slowly. Stripers are hit-and-miss on spoons and Berkley swim baits. A few crappie have been caught over the grass on spinnerbaits in shad colors.
Mountain Harbor Resort said the water is clear and ranges from 82 to 86 degrees. Largemouth bass are still fair and can still be caught with Texas-rigged worms, jighead worms and black spinnerbaits. Drop-shot rigs are still working well for Kentucky bass off drop offs in the river channels and over brush. Walleye are still biting well on spoons fished on main lake points. Bottom bouncers with spinners and nightcrawlers are producing some quality fish as well. Stripers are still fair on live bait with shad or trotline minnows. Bream are very good with crickets or worms in 18 to 25 feet of water. Crappie are fair and being caught over grass and brush in 20 to 30 feet of water.
Lake Catherine: Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that the rainbow trout bite is almost non-existent. While some fish are being caught, no consistent pattern can be established because of the diminished numbers. July and August mark the beginning of top-water action below the dam. Threadfin shad are everywhere in the tailrace and the hybrid and stripers are feeding on them with great regularity. Most of the action is taking place in the late evening while the turbines are turning. Anglers using ¼-ounce white jigs are catching the largest fish, but live bait rigs always hook the most. Large brood and gizzard shad fished under a balloon provide the best results as the fish are actively searching for threadfin shad. An important point to keep in mind is that when the shad are in the tailrace, you will have very good numbers of hybrids and stripers after them. When the shad are not present, the fish will be downstream searching for them. Your success will bank on the fact that the baitfish are in the area where you are fishing. Some large black bass migrate to the dam in search of an easy meal, too. Four and five pound fish have been caught on white and gray jigs by anglers targeting hybrids.
Diamond Head Marina said the water conditions are normal with water temperature at 81 degrees. Bream are biting well in shallow water around cover on worms and crickets. Crappie are fair in coves on minnows and jigs. Catfish are biting well on liver and cut bait. Walleye are fair on shad-colored baits.
Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said water conditions are normal. Bream are biting well on crickets. A few crappie have been caught in deep water on minnows. Bass fishing is good on spinnerbaits, plastic worms and plugs. Catfishing has been good on bream and chicken liver.
Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said the water is clearing up and at normal level. Bream are biting well in deep water on crickets and worms. Catfishing is excellent on crickets and large minnows.
EAST ARKANSAS
Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): River City Sporting Goods (870-534-8303) said the water is muddy and high. Bream are biting well on redworms, wax worms and crickets. Crappie are fair in 14 feet of water on shiners. Bass are biting well on red shad worms. Catfish are picking up on cut bait.
White River: Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is murky and high. Bass are biting well on tubes and crankbaits.
Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is clear and high. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. Catfishing is good on trotlines.
Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors (870-295-4240) said water conditions are normal. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. A few crappie have been caught on minnows.
Horseshoe Lake: Local angler Clyde Gregory said water conditions are normal. Bream are biting well around lily pads on crickets and worms. Crappie are fair in deep water on minnows and black jigs. Bass have been good on plastic frogs. Catfishing is good on yoyos with nightcrawlers.