Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the crappie are beginning to move in toward the 89 and Gold Creek Areas. The lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie fishing is fair in 31/2 to 6 feet of water on minnows and white-and-chartreuse jigs. Bass are good in early mornings and late evenings on white or chartreuse spinnerbaits fished around lily pads. Dark plastic worms are catching a few fish near pads. Catfishing is fair on trotlines, yo-yos and jugs baited with cut shad.
Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said the river is running low and clear. Trout have been biting well on wax worms and marshmallows and on PowerBait drifted in the current.
Greers Ferry: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 452.54 feet MSL.
Shiloh Marina said the lake is clear and about 81/2 feet below normal pool. Catfishing has been good on jugs and trotlines baited with blood bait, stink bait, worms or chicken livers. Kentucky and smallmouth bass are gathering around primary lake points in 10 to 20 feet of water. White bass and hybrids are schooling on both sides of Edgemont Bridge.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level at Greers Ferry is at 452.62 and falling. The water temperature is 74 degrees at mid-day. The fishing will be great here until the water temp gets below 60 degrees. The hybrid and white bass fishing is great. On a trip last Saturday, 49 whites and hybrids were caught in 21/2 hours on silver jigging spoons when the sun was out and white when it got cloudy. Horsehead jigs with stub tail grubs are working when the fish are not very active, along with Rinky Dinks, when they are really active. Cotton Cordells Gay Blade and Berkleys Blade Dancer and can be caught all over the lake right now. The crappie and bream can be caught with minnows and crickets as well as worms and jigs up shallow out to 20 feet. The walleye have gotten more active and are heading toward their staging areas. They can be caught with Wally Divers and deep diving Rebel Minnows as well as leeches and minnows trolled 18 to 33 feet deep. A trolled Rite Bite 4-inch Cinko will also work well. The bass fishing is exploding right now. The fish can be caught on top with plugs and buzzbaits as well as spinnerbaits in and around the standing timber and on Carolina rigs, jigs and grubs on primary and secondary points. Dropshot rigs worked around brush or laydowns are working well. This time of year, the fish will really relate to wood. Right Bite Cinkos and Right Bite Frogs are working wonders out in open water. The Rite Bite Hoo Daddy and Beaver Craw are also working wonders with the crawdads being on the move.
Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said crappie are biting fair around brush, stumps and rocks near the 3-foot mark. Minnows have been the best baits to use.
Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the lake is low and clear. Bream are biting fair on worms fished just off the bank. Crappie anglers are doing well on jigs and minnows fished deep in the early morning. Bass are biting well, but no reports have come in on what lures are working the best. This time of year, a spinnerbait is always a good choice. Catfish are biting well on nightcrawlers fished from the bank and trotlines baited with live minnows.
Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the river is low and muddy. Bream are worms fished 2 to 3 feet deep in brush piles. Catfish are biting well on any live or prepared bait fished right on the bottom. All other species have been slow.
Lake Cargile: Beeson’s Grocery said the fishing has been slow and not many anglers have been visiting the lake.
Lake Maumelle: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said white bass are gathering near the bridge at the west end of the lake and are being caught on CC spoons and clear Near Nothings. Kentucky bass are being found on the main lake points and are biting any shad or crawfish imitator well.
Arkansas River: Charley’s Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said the headwater from Lock 9 is 286.24 and the tailwater is 269.58 with a flow of 900 cubic feet per second. The extremely slow flow has spread fish out with no major staging areas. Black bass have moved underneath the overhangs. Try fishing buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and Horny Toads in pumpkin colors underneath woody cover. Kentucky bass are biting well on pumpkin Horny Toads around the jetties. The trick for jetty fishing is to stop the bait and let it fall every so often during the retrieve. Stripers have moved to the jetties around 15 to 30 feet deep and are biting well on CC Spoons and Shad Raps. Catfish have moved to the upstream side of the jetties and are biting on whole shad in 6 to 20 feet of water. Bream are biting fair on small black Rooster Tails in 5 to 8 feet of water. Crappie are biting fair on minnows near the grass line in 5 to 8 feet of water.
Arkansas River (Little Rock area): Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said fishing has been slow for most species this week. Trotlines baited with shad or goldfish are taking a few channel cats. Near the hydro plant, stripers and catfish are being caught in the current on chartreuse Twistertails and twin tail grubs.
Pickthorne Lake: Outdoor Super Store said the lake is off colored and low. Bream are slow. Crappie have been fair on the edges of the levee around 5 feet deep. Bass have been fair on shad-colored crankbaits. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and chicken livers fished on the levee edges.
Lake Valencia: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said catfishing has been good for channel cats on nightcrawlers lately.
Sunset Lake: Turbyfill’s said the lake is at normal levels. Bream are fair in 6 feet of water on crickets. Crappie fishing has been fair at the same depth on minnows.
Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill’s said the river is running clear and at normal level for this time of year. Bream are biting fair on crickets in 2 to 3 feet of water. Smallmouth bass are biting well in 2 to 3 feet of water on jerkbaits and soft-plastic stick baits. Catfish are fair on blood bait.
Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center said catfishing has been poor the last few days. Striped bass are biting well on various hair jigs and Twistertails around 15 feet deep.
Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center said bream fishing has been poor. Crappie are fair on minnows fished around 2 to 3 feet deep. Bass fishing is improving around 3 to 5 feet deep on crankbaits and soft-plastic worms.
NORTH ARKANSAS:
White River: Gaston's White River Resort said the water was low last weekend. Trout were biting well on wax worms and yellow and white PowerBait. Live worms and nightcrawlers are doing well for the trout, too. Fly fishermen are having the most success with gray sow bugs and olive green Woolly Buggers.
Wilderness Trail said fishing for trout on the White River has been good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow and white or Power Nuggets in orange and rainbow. With generation the Buoyant Spoons, Little Cleos and Blue Fox spinners are the baits of choice. Fly-fishermen did well on olive Woolly Buggers, olive scuds and sow bugs. The brown trout are being caught on Jointed Countdowns, nightcrawlers and Rogues.
Bull Shoals Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 647.18 feet MSL.
Wilderness Trail said largemouth bass have left the banks and so have the shad. Secondary points and deep structures off the banks are now holding the largemouth. As the lake stabilizes the largemouth will return to the banks and backs of the creeks following the return of the shad. Meanwhile fish jigs, tubes and Mojo-rigged finesse worms or centipedes on the points and deeper structures. Smallmouth bass have also slid back into deeper water, but they are still in transition bank areas. Back off a little, put your boat in 38 feet of water and fish tubes, Spider Jigs, Football jigs and small crankbaits through 26 to 31 feet of water. Kentuckies are now easy to find because they moved to the middle of the cuts and creeks with the shad. Spooning and drop shot techniques will work well until the shad start moving toward the banks and the backs of the creeks, cuts and pockets. Also look for Kentuckies to push shad to the top and frenzy feed out in the middle of nowhere. Small top-water baits will work the best at this time.
Walleye love the cooler water conditions and are staying close the thermocline between 28 and 31 feet. Long liners are triggering a few with Purple Trout Hot’N Tots, Glass Shad and Reef Runners. Bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses or leech harnesses are also coming back into play. Spoons will stay productive in the 30 to 31 foot range or under the thermocline.
Sugar Loaf Harbor said catfishing has been fair using trotlines baited with bream. Bass fishing has improved and most anglers are catching them on Bomber crankbaits. Crappie are holding in 37 feet of water and are biting well on minnows fished over the top of the brush piles.
Lake Norfork: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 542.35 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake was low. Not many reports are coming in from anglers.
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
Beaver Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,107.79 feet MSL.
Southtown Sporting Goods said the lake is clear and around 13 feet low. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows fished in brush piles from 8 to 12 feet deep. Crankbaits trolled near the edges of the brush are also producing a few crappie. Bass are fair during the early part of the day on top-water lures fished right against the bank near deeper water.
Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock said the fishing is really slow and not many anglers are heading to the water.
Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the lake is 3 feet below normal pool. Bream are biting fair in mossy areas and weed beds from 2 feet deep and shallower. Worms and crickets fished around brush and stumps in these areas are also working well. Crappie fishing is fair on jigs and minnows fished in stumps and treetops around 4 to 8 feet deep. Bass fishing is fair in 4 to 8 feet of water on soft-plastics, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits fished around logs, brush and lily pads. Catfish are fair on goldfish and sunfish anywhere you can find water 20 feet deep.
Beaver Tailwaters: Riverview Resort said the trout fishing has been good this week. Water remains low, making ideal conditions for wade fishing. We suggest using ginger and olive beadhead woolly buggers. Micro jigs have also been very productive. Bait fishermen have had the best success with white and fluorescent yellow power eggs tipped with a wax worm. It may also be good to have a few nightcrawlers on hand. Generation has been reduced to late afternoon most days.
Buffalo River: Ozark Outfitters said the river and Big Buffalo are both extremely low. No one is fishing because of the water level.
NORTHEAST ARKANSAS
White River: Local fisherman Jeff Moore said the White River at Batesville is 7.7 feet. Fishing on the river has picked up with the cooler days and reduced number of people on the river. Trout fishing in the Guion area is fair and trout can be caught with a variety of baits from corn to countdowns. The best method is to anchor fish using corn, Power Bait or worms. Artificial baits such as inline spinners and countdowns are working too. Smallmouth fishing on the river continues to be good. The average size is 8 to 10 inches, but if a person stays at it they can catch a limit of 12 inch or better fish. Most of the smallmouth seem to be in or near the main river rocks. Tube baits and small crankbaits are working the best. Largemouth bass are in and around the river grass. Frogs and buzzbaits pulled over and through the grass are working the best. Small jig-and-pig combos and flukes pitched to the lay downs are working well too. Catfish are biting well beneath the dams. Uncle Doc's prepared bait has produced some nice stringers of fish.
Bream are ganged up under just about every bush in or near the mouth of the creeks with crickets and worms working well.
Lake Charles: Powhatan Landing said the lake is low. Bass are biting fair on spinnerbaits, Gitzits and other baitfish-imitating lures. All other species are slow.
Black River: Powhatan Landing said bass are biting fair on spinnerbaits and Gitzits. All other species are slow.
Spring River: Many Islands camp said the river is crystal clear and a little low. Trout fishing has been good on all the traditional trout setups. Quite a few walleye are also being caught in the current breaks.
SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
Lake Chicot: Lake Chicot State Park said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie fishing has been good on wax worms fished near the brush piles and stumps in the lake. Catfishing is good on dog food and nightcrawlers around the cypress trees on the north end of the lake.
Lake Monticello: Outdoor Super Store said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well on crickets fished just off the bank. Crappie fishing is good in creek channels around 12 feet deep on minnows. Bass fishing is fair on top-water lures.
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
Millwood Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.32 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water temperature ranges from 73 to 80 degrees. Largemouth bass are biting well and are schooling randomly upriver. White or green Rat-L-Traps, Heddon Dying Flutters, clear Baby or Tiny Torpedoes, buzzbaits and Johnson spoons are all catching schoolers. Bass Assassin Shads and Turbo Shads in gizzard shad or alewife colors, and the Johnson spoons with a firecracker skirt, are taking good size bass in the pads and vegetation. Brush Hogs are taking keeper length bass along the river where stumps are present. Southern Pro Fatbutt Gitzits are taking fish along cypress tree wads and knees and stumps along the river. Crappie remain best early in the mornings, although the Crappie bite is shifting. The bite was best this week on chartreuse grubs or jigs, and shiners, 6-8 feet deep, in contact with planted brush piles and tops. The best bite has shifted to later in the morning. White bass and Kentuckies are still randomly schooling in Little River close to the black bass, and are hitting ¼- to ½-oz Rat-L-Traps in chrome, white, or chrome/chartreuse colors.
White Oak Lake: Charlie’s One Stop said the lake has dropped 2 feet in the last week and the water is clear. Crappie are biting well on shiners and jigs. Bass are holding around 3 feet deep and are biting well on any lure you can work close enough to them. Catfish are fair on cold worms.
Lake Greeson: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 536.08 feet MSL.
Lakeside Grocery, Motel/Bait Shop said the lake is clear and low. Ream fishing is poor all over the lake. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows and brush piles in 10 to 15 feet of water. Bass are being caught early and late on top-water lures. Many fish are also being caught during the day on soft plastics in 2 to 10 feet of water. Catfishing is good on minnows fished in 8 feet of water or less. Walleye are fair on spoons and Gitzits fished from 15 to 20 feet deep.
DeGray Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 396.45 feet MSL.
Point Cedar Bait Shop said crappie are biting well on pink minnows and crappie minnows.
DeGray One Stop said the crappie fishing is improving on the ridges and points and around the creek channels on minnows.
WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said the lake is low. Crappie fishing is fair in 6 feet of water. The best action is coming from minnows fished alongside submerged brush piles. Catfishing is good on chicken livers and shad fished on slip-sinker rigs near the main channel. Bass fishing is fair.
Moss Point said bass are biting early in the morning on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and other shad-imitating lures.
Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the lake is stained and at normal pool. Bream are biting fair on crickets and nightcrawlers fished around 3 feet deep. Crappie are biting fair on minnows and jigs fished around stumps and brush piles in 15 to 18 feet of water. Bass are biting fair on crankbaits and soft-plastic worms. Catfishing is fair on cut bait and shrimp.
Lake Ouachita: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 568 feet MSL.
Moss Point said the bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and crankbaits early in the morning around the moss line.
Lake Ouachita State Park Marina said the lake is still 10 feet low and the water is gin clear. Bluegills are biting excellent on crickets from 15 to 25 feet deep. Crappie fishing has been poor. Bass anglers are doing well in the evenings slow-rolling spinnerbaits over secondary points. The bass are also breaking the surface in the mornings on long points and pockets holding shad. Zara Puppies are working well on the schoolers. Catfishing has been good on chicken livers fished 6 to 8 feet deep.
Mountain Harbor resort said largemouth bass are biting good early and late in the day. The best lures to use are top-water frogs and floating worms fished over the moss. Try main lake points around 12 to 20 feet deep. Kentucky bass are excellent on crawfish and crawdad imitations like the YUM Crawbug in 18 to 25 feet of water in brush piles. Walleye are biting very well around brush piles on main lake points topping out around 25 feet deep. Silver spoons and 3-inch grubs are working the best on the walleye. Bream are biting well around 15 to 22 feet deep on crickets or worms fished near the bottom.
Lake Catherine: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well around 5 feet deep on nightcrawlers and crickets fished near brush piles and stumps. White bass are breaking in the main channel. Black bass are biting well on top-water lures and buzzbaits fished over the creek channels in shallow water. Catfishing is good on live bait in the mouths of the creeks.
Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting well around stumps and brush piles in 5 feet of water. Bass are biting well in the early morning on small buzzbaits and Horny Toads fished over creek channels. Catfishing is good on live bait at the mouths of the creeks. White bass are breaking in the main channel on top-water lures.
Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said the lake is at normal level and the water is clear. Bass are still schooling on top and biting well on just about any top-water lure during the frenzy. Catfish are biting well on trotlines baited with sunfish and shiners. Crappie are fair around brush piles in 15 to 25 feet of water.
Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the lake is low. Crappie fishing is excellent, with many good catches coming from brush piles in 8 feet of water. Anglers are using jigs and live minnows to harvest plenty of slabs.
Lake Nimrod: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 342.1 feet MSL.
Lake Nimrod Bait ‘n’ More II said the lake is slightly below 342. Bass fishing is good early using plastic worms and spinnerbaits. Catfish are biting well on worms, turkey livers and trotlines baited with large minnows. Crappie are good over brush tops at about 11-13 feet using minnows and jigs.
Arkansas River: Moss Point said the early morning spinnerbait bite is improving. Few fishermen are headed to the water lately.
Tackle Box said the river is at normal level and the water clarity is fair. Bream are biting fair around brush piles in 6 to 8 feet of water. The traditional cricket and red worm are taking the most. Crappie are biting well on minnows fished in 4 to 5 feet of water. Bass are fair in the early morning. They are hitting top-water lures fished out off the end of major points.
SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Felsenthal: Crossroads said the water is a little dingy, but has a greenish tint. Bream are fair on worms. Crappie are biting black-and-chartreuse jigs on flat waters around the refuge. Bass are biting well on white flukes and other soft plastics around the lily pads in the flat waters. Catfish are biting well on worms and chicken livers in the upper and lower river.
Cox Creek Lake: Sanders Pawn and Bait said crappie fishing is fair at night on minnows and jigs around 3 feet deep. Some fish have been caught off the dock from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.
EAST ARKANSAS:
Old Town Lake: Old Town Fish Camp said the lake is clear and 1 foot below normal pool. Bluegill are biting well in 2 feet of water on crickets fished in the brush piles. Crappie are biting fair and are picking up. Anglers are doing the best on minnows, and black jigs fished right against the stumps. Bass are biting well on buzzbaits and other top-water lures fished around the brush. Catfish are good on just about every kind of live or prepared bait.
Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The Tackle Box said the river is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting well around laydowns and treetops in 3 feet of water. Crappie are fair and improving on minnows fished around structure 15-feet deep. Bass are biting well on top-water lures and spinnerbaits in 2 feet of water. Catfish are biting well on cut shad fished in the deep holes in the main river.
River City Sporting Goods said there has been little to no flow in the river all week. Bream are biting well in 3 to 6 feet of water on worms and crickets fished in the brush. Crappie are slow, but some fair catches are coming in from anglers fishing brush piles and other wood structure in 12 to 15 feet of water with black and chartreuse jigs. Bass are fair on top-water chuggers fished close to the bank. Catfishing is fair on worms and chicken livers in 30 feet of water.
Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said the lake is low and clear. Bream are biting well on crickets fished around brush and stumps in 2 to 2 1/2 feet of water. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs fished around woody structure in 2 to 5 feet of water. Bass fishing is fair on soft-plastics and crankbaits in 2 to 4 feet of water around rocky areas or brush. Catfish have been biting well on stinkbait this week.
Midway Lake: Ed’s Boat Camp said the lake is too low for fishing.
Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Hybrid bream and shellcrackers are biting well on red worms fished near the bottom. Crappie fishing is fair, trolling minnows in 8 feet of water near the middle of the lake. Bass and catfish angling have both been poor.
Six Rivers Sport Center said the lake is clear and about 8 inches below the spillway. Bream are biting well on crickets and red wigglers fished in brush piles around 3 to 4 feet deep. Crappie fishing is good trolling minnows in the main part of the lake. Catfishing has been good on nightcrawlers fished near the bank.
Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the lake is a little low, but the water has good clarity. Bream have been slow, with only a few being caught on crickets fished around the cypress trees. Crappie anglers are doing fair trolling minnows in 11 feet of water around the deep-water channels. Bass are biting well on white spinnerbaits fished near the edges of the lily pads and cypress trees. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers, cut bait and prepared baits