Fishing Tip: The float-and-fly method is a great way to target cold-weather bass, especially smallmouths. Simply attach a clip-on float to your line at the level the fish are holding and suspend a marabou or bucktail jig right in front of them. Lob-cast the lure to a bluff wall and work it back in a series of slow twitches. When a fish hits, the bobber will go under. This method is also deadly on crappie.
Statewide Urban Fishing Report: The following urban destinations are now stocked with trout: Lake Atalanta in Rogers, Murphy Lake in Springdale, West Memphis Park Pond, Pleasant View Park Pond in Russellville, Little Rock city park ponds (MacArthur Park, War Memorial Park Youth and Senior’s, Kiwanis Park, Otter Creek Park, Boyle Park and Rock Creek), Regional Park Youth and Senior’s pond in Pine Bluff, Cabot Community Pond, Sherwood Community Pond, Lake Valencia, Ft. Roots Pond in North Little Rock, and Little Rock Air Force Base Pond. Call toll-free 1-866-540-FISH (3474) for the latest urban trout stocking information. With the warm-up, trout are actively taking bait in most of the urban ponds.
Rock Creek is very low and clear, and the trout are spooky. Good numbers of trout are still roaming the creek, but carefully stalking the trout and using some finesse has become a necessity. Try rigging a marshmallow or some PowerBait with a piece of live bait to entice spooky fish into biting or try downsizing your lure. Trout also feed most actively at dawn and dusk, so try fishing the first and last hours of the day for more success.
CENTRAL ARKANSAS:
Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the lake is low and the water is stained. Bream are biting fairly well on crickets and red worms fished around stumps and brush piles right next to the banks. Crappie fishing is good around Gold Creek on minnows and jigs in white-and-chartreuse, salt-n-pepper, and pink-and-white. Catfishing has been fair on stink bait and chicken livers.
Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said the fishing was a little slow with the warmer weather, but it has picked up now that the temperature has stabilized. The brown trout spawn is coming to an end, but many trout can be caught on salmon eggs and egg-patterned flies drifted over the shoals areas right now.
Greers Ferry: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 451.07 feet MSL.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water is falling. The hybrid and white bass fishing is good if you can stay on the shad. Follow the birds around and stay up with them, and you can catch some good action around 50 feet deep on spoons, in-line spinners, swim baits and jigs tipped with minnows. Black bass can be caught on channel swings, chunk rock banks and secondary points. Crankbaits and spinnerbaits are working well during overcast days. On sunny days, they will be around 25-45 feet deep and can be caught with grubs and spider jigs on football heads crawled on the bottom and Carolina-rigged finesse baits and craw worms. Crappie are still biting well, but are a little deeper now. Most are holding around 25-35 feet deep and can be caught on small spoons, jigs and minnows. You can also pick up a few good bream at the same depth. Walleye are not biting well but should get better with stable water temperatures and warmer days.
Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the lake is low and clear. Crappie are biting well in 2 to 3 feet of water on jigs. Fishing has been the best in the largest cove of the lake. Bass have been biting fair on spinnerbaits and silver CC Spoons. Catfishing is fair on worms fished on a slip-sinker rig on bottom.
Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the lake is low but the water is clear on calm days. Bream fishing is good on small jigs tipped with a red worm or piece of nightcrawler. Crappie fishing is good on minnows, white tube jigs with green stinger tails fished around stumps and the pier. All other species have been slow.
Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the river is at normal level. Bream fishing is good around 3 feet deep along the edges of the river. Small poppers and red worms are working the best. Catfishing has been good lately.
Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger’s Marina said fishing for black bass and Kentucky bass has been good lately. They are both holding in channel swings and at the edges of drops from 15 to 20 feet deep. Drop shot rigs, spoons, pumpkin-colored grubs and tubes are all working well on the bass. White bass are close to the channels around the same depths as the black bass and are biting decent on spoons and trolled Shad Raps around 12 to 15 feet deep. Crappie fishing has been excellent in 15 to 20 feet of water on small, 1/32-ounce jigs and pink crappie minnows. Catfishing has been fair, with a few cats being pulled from 20 feet of water on large minnows, Canadian nightcrawlers and chicken livers. Bream fishing has been slow.
Arkansas River: Charley’s Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said the flow at Lock 9 is 3,000 cubic feet per second with a headwater of 284.71 and a tailwater of 264.21. The current has helped concentrate the fish and has improved the bite. White bass and stripers are on the backside of the jetties and the jetty tips and are biting well on Shad Raps and Sassy Shads in pearl and shad colors. Black bass are holding in the backwaters and are feeding on shad late in the day. Try a Rapala Shad Rap or slow-rolled black spinnerbait near the first drop towards the river. Catfishing has been good around deeper holes in the river on whole shad. Many drum are being caught on the jetties using crawfish-colored jigs and tubes.
Pickthorne Lake: Outdoor Super Store said the lake is low and muddy. A few bass and crappie have been caught lately, but fishing has been slow.
Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill’s said the water is low. Bass fishing is good in 4 to 6 feet of water on brown-and-orange jigs and Bomber crankbaits fished around the brush and rocks close to the channel.
Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center said the river is running low. All species are slow.
Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center said the lake is low. Crappie fishing is fair in 3 to 4 feet of water on blue-and-white jigs. All other species are slow.
NORTH ARKANSAS:
White River: Gaston's White River Resort said last week showed no generation at all during the days. There were a couple of times when a little water was let out of the lake in the late evening, and then shut off quickly afterwards. Temperatures were very nice, so there was not much demand for electricity in regard to heating homes and businesses. The lake level is still 12 feet below power pool and until we get enough rain to bring the lake level up, we probably won't see high water for very long. The best way to fish for trout on low water for spin fishermen is to use white plastic worms, or the PowerBait artificial wax worms and some yellow PowerBait or corn. Red worms work well also. Artificial lures that seem to work best are Little Cleos, Buoyant Spoons, and Rooster Tails on 4-6-pound test line. Fly fishermen are bragging about the Y2K bug being the hot fly this past week, as well as your favorite color of woolly bugger. Tan scuds and rusty nymphs seem to work well also.
McLellan’s Fly Shop said Generation has slacked off some this week, with one or two generators usually coming online in the early morning but only running for a couple hours, then shutting off for the rest of the day, providing plenty of wading on the upper river from late morning on through the rest of the day. Wade fishing the upper river has been very productive with tan and olive McLellan’s Hunchback Scuds and Woven Sow Bugs. Fishing high water out of a boat has also been very productive using large scuds, eggs, and San Juan Worms. Winter is a great time to fish a streamer (even in low water); try to trigger a strike from the aggressive brown trout by swinging a streamer like the Zoo Cougar or Platte River Spider through a pool. Egg patterns are still hooking several fish as many trout continue their spawning activities. Some of our favorite egg patterns are the Flashtail Mini Egg, the Unreal Egg, and the Micro Egg. For the health of the fishery, remember to leave actively spawning fish alone.
North Fork River: McLellan’s Fly Shop said Generation on the Norfork has slacked off considerably over the last few days, sometimes not even coming online during the daylight hours. Wade fishing has been very good lately, and fishing high water from a boat has been productive as well. Scuds, sow bugs, midges, San Juan Worms, and big streamers like the Articulated Zoo Cougar have been producing plenty of hook-ups. Egg patterns are still hooking several fish as many trout continue their spawning activities. Some of our favorite egg patterns are the Flashtail Mini Egg, the Unreal Egg, and the Micro Egg.
Norfork Trout Dock said the river is running low with little generation last week. Most people were anchored in boats fishing PowerBait, corn or worms. Brown trout were biting well on shiners and shad as well as sculpin imitations. Some nice size trout have been caught lately on small Rapala Countdown Minnows and white marabou jigs drifted with the current.
Bull Shoals Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 644.97 feet MSL.
Sugar Loaf Harbor said the lake is low with good water clarity. Crappie fishing is good in 15 to 20 feet of water on minnows and jigs fished near any timber or brush piles. Bass fishing is good on live crawfish and drop-shotted soft-plastic worms. Walleye fishing has been slow lately.
Lake Norfork: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 539.61 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is very low and the water is clear. Crappie have been very shallow lately and are relating to brush piles and other woody structure. The best lures have been minnows and jigs tight lined right in the thickest cover you can find. Bass fishing is good with many bass suspending off the bluff walls. Now’s the perfect time to try the float-and-fly on these suspended bass.
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
Beaver Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,105.61 feet MSL.
Southtown Sporting Goods said the lake is low. Crappie fishing is good on live bait from 8 to 12 feet deep around planted brush piles. Bass fishing is fair on spinnerbaits crankbaits and jigs fished near any cover in medium to shallow water. Stripers have been fair on live shad.
Beaver Tailwaters: McLellan’s Fly Shop said there has been very little generation over the past few days, providing plenty of wading opportunities. Of course, scuds and sow bugs as well as midge pupa patterns have been very productive. Egg patterns are still hooking several fish as many trout continue their spawning activities. Some of our favorite egg patterns are the Flashtail Mini Egg, the Unreal Egg, and the Micro Egg. For the health of the fishery, remember to leave actively spawning fish alone, and avoid wading through their spawning redds (clean, oval depressions in the gravel).
SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
Lake Chicot: Lake Chicot State Park said the bream fishing is good on red worms fished near the docks. No anglers are reporting success on any other species.
Lake Monticello: Outdoor Super Store said the lake is clear and at normal levels. Some really good crappie have been caught on minnows and jigs fished extremely deep. All other species are slow.
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
Millwood Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.09 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water temperature ranges between 45 and 51 degrees and the discharge at the dam is 158 cubic feet per second with almost no current in Little River. Patterns for Largemouth bass are relatively the same as the last few weeks. The bass are relating to deeper drops in Little River close to huge flats and creek channel mouths. Largemouths remain fair to good on War Eagle spinnerbaits in copper-peach and Aurora colors fished along the pad stems in Little River adjacent to creek channel swings and creek mouths. Go with a 1/4oz or 3/8oz size spinnerbait with pinch-on weights on the arm or hook shank to get them deeper. During the heat of the day on sunny days, some good, 16-inch and smaller black bass are being caught in 2-3 feet of water in the lily pad stems and grass on the Rat-L-Traps. Good areas are Pugh Slough, Hurricane Creek, White Cliffs, and Jack's Isle. Work all these areas points where they intersect Little River. Crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps in various craw or shad patterns are still taking fair- to good-size black bass and Kentuckies between 2-3 pounds. The largemouth jig bite continues improving. A white jig with pearl chunk trailer is catching keeper bass around grass or lily pad stems. Kentuckies are still good along the river on white Rocket Shads. Carolina-rigged, green pumpkin mini-lizards are working, and small Rat-L-Traps in chrome/blue or chrome/chartreuse colors. Try around creek mouths in 8-12 feet of water where they dump into Little River. Kentuckies are still stacked up in the mouths of Snake Creek, Hurricane Creek and Mud Lake. Recent cold fronts have slowed the bite. The crappie bite is excellent, with many limits of huge slabs coming in daily. The crappie are in about 10-15 feet of water along Little River. The best bite is on jigs, in contact with planted brush piles and tops. The best areas to try for crappie are along Little River in front of Mud Lake oxbow, between White Cliffs and McGuire Lake oxbow, and between Jack's Isle and Mud Lake along Little River. Use caution in navigation along Little River as many Crappie fishermen and boats are anchored along Little River during the heat of the day.
Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine said the lake is about 3 feet low. Bream are biting fair in 2 to 5 feet of water on worms and crickets. Crappie fishing is fair in 10 to 14 feet of water on gray jigs with a chartreuse tail and shiners. Bass fishing is fair on soft-plastics fished in 3 to 5 feet of water. Red shad seems to be the color of choice. Catfishing is poor, but a few trotliners are catching some cats on blood bait.
Lake Erling: Steve's Marine said the water level is down and the clarity is good. Bream fishing is fair in 2 to 5 feet of water on red worms. Crappie fishing is fair on jigs and shiners fished around 10 feet deep. Bass are fair on red-shad colored soft-plastic worms fished around cover in 3 to 5 feet of water. Catfishing is poor.
White Oak Lake: Charlie’s One Stop said the lake is low and clear. Crappie are biting well on jigs tipped with minnows. Catfish are biting well on chicken gizzards and minnows. All other species have been slow.
Lake Greeson: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 535.17 feet MSL.
Lakeside Grocery, Motel/Bait Shop said the lake is low and clear. Crappie fishing is good around 10 feet deep. The best action is coming from jigging crappie tubes in the middle of planted brush piles. Bass fishing has been good lately in 20 to 30 feet of water on CC spoons and tailspinner lures like Little Georges. Stripers and white bass aren’t surfacing yet, but they should begin surface activity soon.
DeGray Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 395.59 feet MSL.
Point Cedar Bait Shop said the lake is still very low. Many people heading to the lake are after walleye. Smoke-colored 2-inch grubs are working well, as are live minnows fished along the weed line.
Little Missouri River: Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Flyfishing said the warm weather really has the trout confused. If it stays like this we’ll have dry fly fishing on a regular basis two months before we should. Fish were already taking March Brown Emergers the last week of December. Dec 29th saw a couple of hours of generation that helped distribute trout from their stocking pools. More rain is needed to fill the lake and the watershed below and get things back on track.
WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said the lake is clear and low. With the clarity and water level, many structures are being found in the water that need to be marked with a GPS for future fishing. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs fished near the brush piles and around the bridge pilings and overpasses. Bass fishing is good on jig-and-pig combos fished deep. Some good stripers have been caught near Nuclear One, but other than that striped bass activity is pretty slow. Catfishing has been good below the dam on live bait.
Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said there is no current in the river and the water is clear. Bream are fair on red worms fished on the deeper drop offs. Crappie fishing is good in 4 to 5 feet of water on minnows and jigs fished below the dam and around the rocks. White bass and stripers are fair, but the lack of current is keeping them from turning on like they should this time of year. Catfish are good on minnows and shad.
Lake Ouachita: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 567.68 feet MSL.
Lake Ouachita State Park Marina said fishing has picked up the last few days. The water is clear with surface temperature ranging from 50 to 55 degrees. The stripers and black bass are relating to the shad, which are schooling near creek mouths. Stripers have been caught in the mornings and afternoons on topwaters such as the Spook Jr., spoons vertically jigged underneath schools of baitfish or crankbaits trolled around the mouths of creek channels. C-10 Redfins have been successful on breaking fish. Bass fishing has been fair on the traditional baits such as finesse worms, and spinner baits - top-water action is good in the morning. The crappie fishing has been slow, but a few have been caught on Kalin’s grubs and crappie minnows. Anglers have reported the bream fishing as slow. There have been no reports of catfish success. An occasional walleye has been caught while spooning in 30 feet water around submerged timber.
Lake Catherine: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said the lake is at winter pool. Brea are fair on nightcrawlers fished around docks in 4 feet of water. Crappie fishing is fair in 10 to 12 feet of water around brush piles with Kalin grubs. Bass fishing is fair in 4 to 6 feet of water on medium-diving crankbaits in firetiger colors. Catfishing is poor, but a few have been caught on nightcrawlers.
Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said the lake is clear and the water is low. Crappie fishing is fair in 10 to 12 feet of water on Kalin grubs in Tennessee Shad color. Bream are biting fair on worms fished close to docks in 4 feet of water. Bass fishing is fair. The best time to be on the water is between noon and 2 p.m. Try fishing around rocky points in 4 to 6 feet of water with firetiger crankbaits like Storm Wiggle Warts or Bagley Balsa B’s.
Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said the lake is low, but a few boats are getting in and out of the water. Crappie fishing was good to excellent in 10 to 12 feet of water on minnows fished under a slip-cork. Bass fishing was good on minnows drifted around any visible structure.
Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the lake is low and the water is clear. Bream are biting well on red worms fished in the shallows. Crappie fishing is excellent around any brush piles in 3 feet of water on jigs. Catfishing is good on cut shad fished on the bottom about 40 yards out from the shoreline.
Lake Nimrod: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 341.43 feet MSL.
Arkansas River: Tackle Box said the river is pretty clear and running low. Crappie fishing is good on the river system and in the backwaters on minnows and red-and-chartreuse crappie tubes fished near brush piles. Bass fishing is good around the brush piles close to the main river channel on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair to good below the dam on cut shad. Walleye have been biting well below the dam on white 2-inch grubs.
SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Felsenthal: Hale’s One Stop said the water is low and clear. Crappie are biting well on glowworms and live shiners. All other species have been slow.
EAST ARKANSAS:
Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The Tackle Box said the river is running low right now. Bream fishing is good on red worms fished up shallow in the pools. Crappie fishing is excellent on the river as well as on area lakes. The crappies are schooled up and could be anywhere from 2 feet to 30 feet deep, but once you find them, you can catch plenty. They are biting jigs tipped with minnows the best. Bass fishing is fair using soft plastics and crankbaits. Catfishing is good on worms and whole shad.
Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said crappie fishing is fair on minnows and jigs fished in treetops and planted brush piles in 1 to 21/2 feet of water. All other species are slow.
Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the lake is low. Bream fishing is good in 3 to 4 feet of water, even with the cold weather. Worms fished around the piers are taking some good sunfish. Crappie anglers are doing well around the shallow piers and lily pads on red-and-chartreuse jigs and trolling in the middle around 15 feet deep with small crankbaits. Bass fishing is poor, but a few diehards are catching some fish around the cypress trees in 3 feet of water.
This is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s fishing report for Jan. 4, 2006. If there is a body of water you would like to see included in this report, please call or e-mail us with information on possible sources for that lake or river.
Keith Stephens (501) 223-6342, e-mail: kastephens@agfc.state.ar.us