Fishing Highlight of the Week: The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission approved the final piece of an agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure a steady flow of water below Bull Shoals Dam on the White River to improve our already famous trout tailwaters. Click here to read the story: http://www.agfc.com/Pages/newsDetails.aspx?show=362
Arkansas and White river levels are available at: http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=lzk
For real-time information on stream flow in Arkansas from the U.S. Geological Survey, visit: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/rt
For water quality statistics (including temperature) in many Arkansas streams and lakes, visit: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/current/?type=quality
Family and Community Fishing Ponds: Trout have been stocked across the state and will be easy to catch throughout the holiday season. Worms, small crappie jigs and spinners all work well, as does Berkley Power Bait. Click http://www.agfc.com/fishing/Pages/FishingProgramsFCF.aspx for a list of program ponds.
Central Arkansas
Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir
Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is stained and at normal level. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on Lil’ Hustler jigs around Pierce Creek and the Twin Bridges. Bass are biting well on Rat-L-Traps and Alabama rigs. Catfishing is excellent on yo-yos baited with minnows.
Dan at Gold Creek Landing (501-607-0590) had no new report.
Little Red River
Lindsey’s Resort (501-302-3139) ) said the water is low and clear. Trout fishing is excellent on a White River rig (Carolina rig) baited with wax worms and marshmallows or Power Bait. Fly-fishing has been outstanding as well.
Greers Ferry
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 460.77 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 461 MSL).
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water is rising. The hybrids and whites were good before the rain with some even being caught way up the rivers. Try using the Arkansas claw (Alabama rig), spoons, swim baits and in-line spinners as well as hair jigs with grubs, find the bait and the fish will be close by. Bass have been good on Wiggle Warts, spinnerbaits and the Arkansas claw, some have been caught shallow on jigs and plastics. No report on bream. Crappie are biting pretty well on jigs tipped with minnows. No report on catfish. The walleye are staging around and under docks, bridge pilings, mouths of creeks and even upriver close to deep water. Crankbaits, hair jigs, spoons, Rogues and jigs tipped with minnows are working.
Cody S. Smith of www.fishgreersferry.com had no new report.
Harris Brake Lake
Harris Brake Lakeside Resort (501-889-2745) said the water is stained and high. Bream and crappie are slow. Bass are biting well on crawdad- and minnow-colored crankbaits. Catfishing is slow.
Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said crappie are biting on the east and south sides of the lake before sunup and at sundown. Minnows and Bobby Garland Baby Shad are working for the crappie. Catfishing is good on minnows and worms in shallow water near boat runs. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits. Bream are slow.
Lake Overcup
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) had no new report.
Whiskers Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said crappie are slow but moving around. Minnows and Bobby Garland Baby Shads in black/sliver/white with an orange jig head are picking up a couple of fish at sunup and sundown.
Brewer Lake
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) had no report.
Lake Maumelle
Jolly Roger’s Marina had no new report.
Lake Valencia
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report.
Sunset Lake
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is clear and at normal level. All species are slow.
Saline River Access in Benton
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are slow. Crappie are slow. Bass are excellent on orange crankbaits and ¼-oz. black/blue jigs. Catfishing is slow. Walleye are biting well on pumpkinseed grubs.
Arkansas River at Morrilton
Charley’s Hidden Harbor at Opello said the warm weather has brought the shad up shallow on the windblown side of the river. Catfishing is good on whole shad in 4 to 8 feet of water. Spotted bass are feeding on the shad as well and can be caught on crankbaits and spinnerbaits around warm, shallow water.
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report.
Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool)
Vince Miller from Fish ’N Stuff said the water is stained and at normal level. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting fairly well on red/chartreuse and blue/white tubes around rocky areas. Bass and catfish are slow.
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water below Terry Lock and Dam is stained and low. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie are excellent on minnows in the backwaters. Bass are fair on black/blue jigs. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers.
Clear Lake
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is stained and at normal level. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie are excellent on minnows and chartreuse/black tube jigs. Bass are fair on black/blue jigs. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers.
Peckerwood Lake
Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the landing is closed until February.
Lake Pickthorne
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report.
North Arkansas
White River
Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is clear and low in the mornings. Trout fishing is excellent on shrimp. Fly fishing is excellent on woolly buggers and nymphs. Brown trout are biting well on jigs, Rapalas and Rogues
Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said generation has been high the last week and the fishing has been hot. Drift fishing using Power Bait in yellow and pink/white fished in the deeper channels has worked better this week than lures.
Guide Davy Wotton said unseasonably warm weather has been most welcome, and fish have been active most of the day. Generations have been a little erratic with days of very high water to lower generations and shut down, therefore you will have to pay attention for the best zones to fish, be it wade or boat fishing. Brown trout fishing continues to be exceptional with many days of double-digit numbers and fish well over 20 inches. Both rivers are well stocked with rainbows as well. The best options will be drift-fishing combinations of sow bugs, white tail black and red midges, prism worms and hares ear during low water. During high water, switch to combinations of eggs, San Juan worms, larger sizes of sow bugs, scuds and white tail midges. Streamer fishing may be good one day and gone another. The Bull Shoals Dam area opens Feb 1. If there are low water levels then, midges, sowbugs and soft hackles will be the order of the day, if we see generations then most of the above will work..
Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge(870-499-5185) said water levels have been fluctuating quite a bit, but the water clarity has been excellent. Fish are biting very well. Brown trout appear to be moving back to their pre-spawn haunts. When the water is high, use a black/gold/white Countdown Rapala. When the water is fairly low, use a ginger, ginger/orange or olive Zig Jig. You should have no problem catching fish and the weather has been great to get outdoors.
Buffalo River
Just Fishing Guides said the water is at a good level but cold due to lower air temperatures. Water temperatures are in the mid to upper 40's, right at the point where fishing (catching) gets tough for smallmouth. Make sure you are fishing the deep holes and shallower waters on warm sunny days. With the cold temperatures concentrate on places you know there are springs or seeps. Fish slow and deep with soft plastics or crawdad pattern flies.
Crooked Creek
Just Fishing Guides said the water is at a good level but cold due to lower air temperatures. Water temperatures are in the mid to upper 40's, right at the point where fishing (catching) gets tough for smallmouth. Make sure you are fishing the deep holes and shallower waters on warm sunny days. With the cold temperatures concentrate on places you know there are springs or seeps. Fish slow and deep with soft plastics or crawdad pattern flies.
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 653.43 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 654 MSL).
Mike Worley’s Guide Service said water temperature is still holding at 47-50 degrees. Bass and walleye are biting in shallow water on chunk rock main lake points. Best baits are grubs or swimbaits fished on Alabama rigs or suspending stick baits. There is a deep water bite for bass suspended under schools of shad in 80 to 100 feet of water with most of the fish in the 40- to 60-foot range with grubs, drop shot rigs or jigging spoons. Crappie are still holding over brush piles and submerged timber at 15 to 30 feet deep.
Bull Shoals Tailwater
Just Fishing Guides said generation has been around the clock varying between 5,000-20,000 cfs. Nymphing and streamers are two of the more productive presentations. Seasonal flies include scuds, sow bugs, blue wing olives, micro-caddis, midges, worms, eggs and sculpin patterns. Now is the time to get out your big streamers and the 8-weight rods to pick up some big browns.
Lake Norfork
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 551.25 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April - 552 MSL, April-Sept. - 554 MSL).
Blackburn Resort said the lake level has dropped to just below 552 with intermediate generation. The creeks are stained a little from recent rains, and you can see about 7 feet down on the main lake. Crappie and bass fishing are the best with some walleye showing up with the big bass. Surface temperature has dropped to just below 50 degrees. Grubs, spoons and swim baits are working well for bass and crappie, and minnows on a slip float are working excellently for crappie as well. Fishing has been very good in general, with some very big fish being caught. Most fish are about halfway up the creeks near brush. Stripers are holding deeper and are moving in and out of the creeks.
101 Grocery and Bait said bluegill are biting well on worms fished 20 feet deep along bluffs. Crappie are fair. Stripers are fair on live bait. Bass fishing is good.
STR Outfitters said the warm weather has continued to keep the shad shallow (50 feet or less). The stripers have never gone into their full winter pattern. There are reports of major topwater periods mid-day around the 6A area. Look for the bait and you will see stripers. They are feeding on very small shad, so keep your baits on the small side.
Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said the black bass and crappie bite has been outstanding. A white 3-inch Berkley paddle tail grub (similar to a swimming minnow), on a ¼-oz, chartreuse jig head cast toward the shore line and slowly cranked back to the boat has worked fairly well. Striper fishing has been another story. It appears they have moved out to the main lake in deep water chasing shad.
Guide Steve Olomon said the water temperature is in the upper 40s. Look for fish along the bluffs and on the end of the bluffs. Throw a suspending jerk bait, jig or grub on a ¼-oz. jig head. If you mark fish 30-50 feet deep, drop a jigging spoon. Keep an eye on your graph for balls of bait and fish will be close by. Check the coves, too. If there is some wind blowing, throw a crankbait or a spinnerbait along the banks with the wind on them.
Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) had no new report
Norfork Tailwater
Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said low generation and low fishing pressure have the fish scattered and holding in the deep holes above the catch-and-release to the shoals below the dam.
Just Fishing Guides said generation has been twice per day with flows from 3,000-8,000 cfs and low water late at night to very early morning each day. Tan scuds have been hot lately. Small streamers without bead or cone heads are producing. Sow bugs, midges, worm and egg patterns should be in your arsenal as well.
Northwest Arkansas
Beaver Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,119.58 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 1,120 MSL).
Bailey’s Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) had no report.
JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass can be caught using crawdad-colored Wiggle Warts along sloping chunk rock banks. Fish have also been holding along pole timber close to bluff lines and can be picked off using a green pumpkin jig and craw. Crappie have been biting well on sunny, warm days. Fish have been suspending above brush piles close to a channel in 18 to 35 feet of water. Fish will come close to the surface on warmer days and can be caught as shallow as 5 feet below the surface. Best baits have been black/chartreuse or pink/white swim baits on a 1/32 oz. jig head vertically jigged above the brush or under a cork 5 to 7 feet deep. Blue Springs, Monte-NE, Friendship Creek and Hickory Creek have all been good places to fish. White bass have been schooling on main lake flats and points. Slow trolling a bandit crankbait in these areas has been most productive. Catfishing is best late in the day from the bank using liver or worms. Hickory Creek, 12 and 412 bridge have all been good places to fish.
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs in 8 to 12 feet of water. Bass are biting well on crankbaits and Alabama-rigged swimbaits. Stripers are biting well on balloon rigs and live shad. Catfishing is slow.
Beaver Tailwater
Just Fishing Guides said there has been low water for wade fishing. Generation has been at least once per day with flows to 8,000 cfs, mostly in the morning. Some days they are running twice per day. The water has been off color but the fishing has been consistently good. A variety of flies is working, including Humpback Scud, BH Simple Sow, BH Flashback Pheasant Tail, all in sizes 12-16. Zebra Midge (grey, black, olive an red) and small streamers (size 8-12) including Woolly Bugger, Sparrow, .56er and Zonker. Egg patterns are also working.
Lake Elmdale
Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said fishing on Lake Elmdale has been slow, largely due to strong winds. Green hula grubs, fished slowly in deep water have been productive at times. Jigging spoons fished vertically over schools of fish in the graph will work as well. A black/blue jig fished around 16 to 20 feet deep on the east side of the old roadbed are taking a few fish.
Kings River
Just Fishing Guides said the water is at a good level but cold due to lower air temperatures. Water temperatures are in the mid to upper 40's, right at the point where fishing (catching) gets tough for smallmouth. Make sure you are fishing the deep holes and shallower waters on warm sunny days. With the cold temperatures concentrate on places you know there are springs or seeps. Fish slow and deep with soft plastics or crawdad pattern flies.
Lake Fayetteville
Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) has reopened. The water is clear and at normal level. No report on the fishing.
Lake Sequoyah
Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) had no report.
Northeast Arkansas
Lake Charles
Lake Charles State Park had no report.
Lake Poinsett
Lake Poinsett State Park had no report.
Crown Lake
Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is clear and at normal level. Fishing is slow for all species.
Lake Frierson
Lake Frierson State Park said the water is murky and at normal level.
Spring River
Mark Crawford with Spring River Flies and Guides said water levels are at 330 cfs and water clarity is clear. Trout have been biting very well. No need to get out early in the morning, the bite really turns on around 8:30am. The sun begins to warm the water about that time. Big Y2ks have still been the hot fly with emerging San Juans and guppies working well also. Trout Magnets in red and two tone orange/yellow are hot. I have even heard of some dry fly fishing taking place lately. Hatches can come up at anytime. Always have some elk hair caddis, and parachute Adams in your fly box.
Southeast Arkansas
Lake Chicot
Local angler Jessie James (870-355-7800) said crappie are being caught all around the lake on live minnows fished in brush. Bream are fair on crickets fished around docks and cypress trees. Catfishing is fair on cut bait. Bass are still on the ledges, waiting to spawn. The best bet is to slow roll a bionic custom baits spinnerbait (white skirt, white blade and white split-tail trailer) down the ledges. Alabama rigs from reactionstrikebaits.com rigged with swimbaits are working as well. The water is 52 to 56 degrees and the bass should be moving up to spawn in the next week or so.
Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of MonticelloBigBass.com had no report.
Lake Chicot State Park had no report.
Cane Creek Lake
Cane Creek State Park had no report.
Lake Monticello
Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of MonticelloBigBass.com said the bass are pretty slow with very few anglers fishing for them. White bass and crappie are biting in the deep water on minnows. Action has been pretty spotty.
Southwest Arkansas
Millwood Lake
Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said the lake level continues dropping slowly back to normal conservation pool and is expected to continue through the week. Surface temperatures rose slightly to 50-55 degrees. Lake level as of Monday 23 Jan, was 259.86 msl with a discharge rate of 1,560 cfs. Clarity and visibility is improving; currently ranging 8-12 inches in the river, depending on location. The best bass bite over the past week has been on soft plastics pitched to stumps, grass, lily pads, and wood laydowns behind points and cuts of the river. The bass are beginning to pull back out to major creek tributaries and junctions with Little River as well. Gene Larew Hog Craws in black or black/blue, and pumpkinseed or green pumpkin colors are working well. Yum Woolly Bugs and Zoom Brush Hogs in watermelon/red, black/blue and killer craw, were also catching some 14- to 17-inch bass on cypress trees and knees in 4-6 foot depths. Rat-L-Traps in Toledo Gold, White Zombie, or Red Shad are taking a few fish on a slow retrieve, deflected off stumps. Around 5 to 6 feet deep around drop offs to 12 feet. White bass have gone deep in the river channel, and all but disappeared with the recent influx of muddy water and increased current. Snake Creek tributary off Little River, still has a few Kentucky Bass bunched up out of the muddy current. No report on crappie. Catfish are excellent on trotlines, yo-yos and tight lines along current and break lines in the outer bends of Little River. Cut shad and chicken livers were producing the best for blues and channel cats.
Lake Columbia
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) had no report.
Lake Erling
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) had no report.
Lake Greeson
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 546.01 MSL (Flood pool - 548 MSL).
Lakeside Grocery and Bait (870-398-5304) said the water is murky and high. The surface temperature is 48 degrees. Bream are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs in brush around 20 feet deep. Bass are suspended over 30 feet of water, and are fair on Alabama-rigged centipedes and jigs fished a few feet under the surface. Catfishing is slow. Walleye are slow.
For more information on crappie fishing at Lake Greeson, visit Jerry Blake’s website, www.actionfishingtrips.com/tripreports.htm.
Lake Greeson Tailwater (Little Missouri River)
Visit www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com for a daily update on fishing conditions.
Cossatot River
Cossatot River State Park had no report.
DeGray Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 406.62 feet MSL (Flood pool - 408 MSL).
Local angler George Graves said the water temperature is in the high 40s and the lake is clear throughout. Bass fishing is only fair with a few fish coming from the deep side of points, ledges and main lake humps, in water 20 to 40 feet deep. The best lures have been Texas- and Carolina-rigged worms and lizards and heavy jigs with plastic trailers. Look for bass on the main lake and major creeks from Caddo Drive to Cox Creek. Also try a heavy jigging spoon on the creek channel ledges in Big Hill Creek. One ounce spoons in chartreuse and white are working well fished near the bottom in 25 to 30 feet of water. Crappie fishing is slow. Bream fishing is slow. Hybrid fishing is good with lots of nice catches reported from Shouse Ford and Point Cedar. The best spot has been the big flat just west of Goat Island, also a few reported coming from Woodall Cove. The fish are suspended about 15 feet down in 30 feet of water. Use the sonar to locate the schools and throw or troll a 3-inch curly tail grub in either chartreuse or white. Lots of white bass showing on the sonar, but very few are biting.
West-Central Arkansas
Lake Nimrod
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 342.89 feet MSL.
Whiskers Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said crappie are biting below the dam and in open water below Fourche River in the lake. Bream are slow.
Lake Bailey (Petit Jean Mountain)
Whiskers Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said bream are fair on crickets and worms. Catfish are fair on worms.
Fourche La Fave River
Whiskers Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said the river is stained and high. Crappie are biting on minnows and worms in run off areas. Catfish are biting on stink bait and livers in the river. Other species are slow.
Lake Hinkle
Bill’s Bait Shop (479-637-7419) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting well on minnows in deep water. Bass and catfish are slow.
Lake Dardanelle
Regina Olson at Spadra Marina said crappie are still biting very well. Colors of choice have been red/clear glitter, blue/clear glitter and silver. Minnow fishermen are still catching bigger crappie than jig fishermen. The rain seems to turn them off for a day or so, but when it is clear they pick back up again. They are staying in 4-7 feet of water, although I have heard minnow fishermen are fishing up to 14 feet deep. Catfish are stable. You can expect to catch a few, but may have to work hard to get your limit. They are biting best on shad (when you can find them), but many are using bass minnows or worms. Chartreuse worms have been reportedly doing very well still, which is a nice piece of information to keep in mind. So far, the glow worms have worked well in all-weather types. We have been seeing a lot more bass fishermen as of late, mostly trying to get a hold of the Alabama Rigs that have gained a lot of attention recently. Apparently they are producing some nice catches, because we keep getting customers coming by for more. Blue/Black and silvers have been the main lure color choices.
Blue Mountain Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 385.04 feet MSL.
Lake Ouachita
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 577.12 MSL (Flood pool - 578 MSL).
Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said bass fishing is good with a jig and pig in dark colors, fished around wood near small points in creeks. Stripers are biting well in creeks above the standing timber on spinnerbaits.
Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports said the lake temperature is in the 50s. The lake level is above full pool. The water color is stained to clear. There is some good moss growing on the northeast side of the lake about 8 to 10 feet below the surface and scattered along the banks of Blakley's, Rabbit, and Cedar Fourche. Try a jig and a crank-bait over the moss. Also an Alabama rig can catch good fish off points and ledges. Crappie are in 10 to 15 feet of water over brush or moss.
Mountain Harbor Resort said the water is 46-50 degrees and clear. Largemouth bass are biting very well on watermelon seed and black/blue jigs. Alabama-rigged swim baits in shad colors are catching some quality fish around 15 to 30 feet deep. Walleye are still fair and being caught on bottom-bouncer jigs, spoons and deep-diving crankbaits trolled 25 to 35 feet deep around brush. Stripers are still very good and being caught with live bait and large trolled hair jigs or crankbaits 18-25 feet deep. Crappie are still good and being caught near and over brush in water 12 to 20 feet deep on minnows or Tennessee shad colored crappie grubs. Catfish are slow and being caught on cut bait and live bait fished from jug lines and trotlines 20-30 feet deep.
Lake Hamilton
Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports said the lake temperature is in the 50s and cooling. The water color is stained to clear. The lake is 5 feet down from full pool for the winter drawdown. The Alabama rig has taken over most tournament weigh-ins. Put your boat over 60 feet of water and fish over 20 to 50 feet deep on deep points and ledge banks. A jig at the mouth of creeks is also working well. Crappie are in 8 to 12 feet of water and biting well on shad-colored jigs.
For a daily fishing report from Darryl Morris, visit Family Fishing Trips.
Lake Catherine
For weekly flow releases from Carpenter Dam, visit www.entergy.com/hydro.
Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, said water temperature in the tailrace is 48 degrees and falls to 44 degrees directly below the dam. Rainbow trout fishing has been good with quality limits being caught on a regular basis. Trout are scattered from the dam to the bridge and for several miles downstream. Fly fishermen are targeting shoal areas with black or green woolly buggers, egg patters and San Juan worms. Boaters are trolling small crankbaits that imitate shad or crawfish below the bridge and are catching rainbows over 16 inches. Power Bait has accounted for the largest numbers of trout caught whether it is fished just off the bottom or under a bobber. White bass fishing is slow. Walleye should be present the second week in February. Striper fishing is hit-and-miss. Alabama rigs have taken stripers in the 16-pound class with some big hybrids over 10 pounds. Due to heavy rainfall this week, heavy generation is the norm below the dam so caution must be observed.
Lake Atkins
Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) had no report.
South-Central Arkansas
White Oak Lake
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will commence a renovation project on Lower White Oak Lake in January 2012. The lake is currently being drained.
Moro Bay
Moro Bay State Park at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay had no report.
Ouachita River Oxbows
Jaret Rushing said the Ouachita River Oxbows are finally starting to get right. Bass are starting to move in and get ready for pre-spawn feeding. If you want a chance to catch a big one, now is the time. Black/blue jigs around deep lay-downs seems to be working best right now. It seems that the bass are still a little suspended, but with the warm weather trends, we are possibly going to see an early spawn and these fish will move up within the next few weeks. Slow reeling a crankbait is working pretty well, too. Folks are finally starting to catch a few crappie on tops that are submerged around 4-6 feet deep with light-colored jigs (white, chartreuse and even some lighter blues)..
Tri-County Lake
Jaret Rushing had no report but said it should be time for the crappie to be in the channels and anglers should try live minnows to locate concentrations of crappie.
East Arkansas
Bear Creek Lake
Mississippi River State Park said bass continue to be good on crankbaits and spinnerbaits on deep points. Bream are fair on worms. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and nightcrawlers.
Storm Creek Lake
Mississippi River State Park said bass are biting well on crankbaits. Bream are fair on wax worms. Crappie are biting on grubs. Catfishing is still slow.
White River
Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is clear and low. Bass are fair on jigs, soft-plastic grubs and crawdad-colored crankbaits. All other species are slow..
Maddox Bay
Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is high and stained. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting well on yo-yos baited with minnows and on minnows under a slip-cork. Bass are slow. Catfishing is slow.
Horseshoe Lake
Local angler Clyde Gregory had no report.