This is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s fishing report for June 28, 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.
Fishing Tip: One of the most exciting times to catch stripers is when they school together, chase shad to the surface, then boil through the middle of the shad in a feeding frenzy. From late spring to early fall, fishermen chase boils using binoculars and paying particular attention to diving birds that take advantage of the corralled or stunned baitfish. Top-water lures, like Zara Spooks or Jumpin' Minnows draw unbelievably powerful strikes in a striper boil. However, shad-like jigs and even metal spoons work well, and they are usually snap-jigged beneath the boil to imitate the rapid direction changes of a confused shad.
Statewide Urban Fishing Report: Most Little Rock ponds were stocked earlier this week with catfish. Anglers are reporting better success on catfish statewide with the cooler weather. Pieces of hot dogs soaked in ground-up chicken livers are the hot bait this week. Shrimp and stinkbait are also producing fish. Fish sampling surveys conducted on many of the central AR program ponds revealed high numbers of catchable catfish in all ponds. It’s a great time to get out and catch some fish.
CENTRAL ARKANSAS:
Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said bream and bass fishing are good. Crappie and catfishing are slow. The lake will be drawn down for repair work in July, so get out and fish now.
Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said generators have been running in the afternoons. Trout are biting on wax worms with marshmallows, PowerBait, corn and nightcrawlers. During generation, try artificial baits such as spinners and spoons.
Greers Ferry: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 461.38 feet MSL.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said walleye are fair in 28-32 feet of water on crawler harnesses rigged on bottom bouncers. White bass and hybrids are hit-and-miss, with the best fishing at night underneath lights. They have been schooling in the heat of the day, but they’re roaming, chasing baitfish and there’s no telling where they may surface. Crappie have slowed, but a few are suspended in brush piles and standing pole timber. Bream are biting well around docks and shallow cover early and late in the day on crickets. Catfishing is hot right now with all species biting well on just about anything you want to use for bait, with live bream being the best for flatheads. The bass are in their summer mode and have been biting pretty well in the cooler weather. The best bet is on the channel swings, points and drops with Texas-rigged or Carolina-rigged worms or lizards and the chatterbaits such as Shakey Hookers when they come up schooling.
Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the lake is fairly clear and at its normal level. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets around brush piles 4 to 5 feet deep. Crappie aren’t biting much. Bass are biting fairly well on black soft-plastic baits around structure in shallow water. Catfish are biting well on small minnows and bream.
Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting on minnows and salt-and-pepper jigs. Bass are biting fairly well on dark worms and white jigs. Catfish are biting well on trotlines, noodles and jugs baited with dog food, minnows and chicken livers.
Beaverfork Lake: TAGS said they’ve been selling a lot of crickets and minnows. Most fishermen are going after bass.
Toad Suck Lock and Dam: Bates Field and Stream said the bass and catfishing should be good.
Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the river is normal. Red-eared bream are biting on worms and crickets, but everything else is very slow.
Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger’s Marina said the lake level is 2.2 feet below the spillway. Bream are on spawning beds and are biting excellently on crickets 5 to 10 feet deep around coves. Crappie are biting well on Kalin’s Tennessee Shad or chartreuse jigs with small minnows 10 to 20 feet deep around brush or rocks. Black bass are biting well on crankbaits and spinnerbaits around points and coves. Also try drop shot finesse worms around points and ledges where the shallow and deep waters meet. Kentucky bass are biting well on 3-inch Pumpkin Grubs, worms and Flipping Tubes 15 to 25 feet deep around points and coves. White bass are biting well on CC spoons when schooling in the east end of the lake. Also try Near Nuthins and Rogues with orange bellies for surface fishing. Catfish are biting well on large minnows, large Canadian nightcrawlers and chicken livers in shallow water. Saugeye are biting well on gray crappie jigs 15 to 20 feet deep.
Arkansas River: Charley’s Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said flow from Lock 9 is zero. Headwater is 284.35 and tailwater is 264.72. Without any flow, it is best to fish in the main river. Stripers are biting well 10 to 15 feet deep about 3 miles from Petit Jean River around the narrow part of the river. Early in the morning, try live bream in the main channel 15 to 25 feet deep. At night, try spoons in front of downstream generators. Bream are biting very well on crickets 2 to 6 feet deep around the backside of jetties and around sand bars. Whites are biting very well on spoons and pearl or shad colored Rat-L-Traps when schooling in Flagg Lake, Coppers Gap and below the Petit Jean River. Kentucky bass are biting in the early morning on black-and-white flake tube jigs 8 to 15 feet deep around jetty tops. Catfish are biting late at night in the main channel 20 to 30 feet deep. Crappie are biting fairly well on live minnows around structures 15 to 25 feet deep.
Arkansas River (Little Rock area): Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said bass are biting fairly well around jetty points on medium-running crankbaits, white buzzbaits and 4-inch Carolina rigs. Catfish are biting very well on trotlines baited with live bream or cut shad near channels with current.
Outdoor Super Store said there is no flow. Bream are biting well on red worms and crickets. Crappie aren’t biting much. Bass are biting some on plastic worms around structures. Catfish are biting well on cut shad and live shad.
Pickthorne Lake: Outdoor Super Store said bream are biting well on red worms and crickets. Crappie are biting some around brush piles. Bass are biting fairly well on spinnerbaits and plastic worms. Catfish are biting well on stinkbait and chicken livers.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said bream are biting well on crickets and red worms around the center of the lake near stumps. Crappie aren’t biting much. Bass are biting fairly well early and late in the day on buzzbaits and flukes. Catfish are biting well on chicken hearts.
Lake Valencia: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said catfish are biting very well on worms, chicken livers and hearts.
Sunset Lake: Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports said the water looks good and is at its normal level. Bream are biting well on crickets 4 to 6 feet deep. Crappie aren’t biting much. Bass are biting fairly well on worms around brush 4 to 6 feet deep. Catfish are biting fairly well on live bait 4 to 6 feet deep.
Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill’s said the water is clear and at its normal level. Bream are biting well on crickets. Bass are biting well on 4-inch worms 2 to 4 feet deep. Crappie and catfish aren’t biting much.
Peckerwood Lake: Herman’s Landing said the lake is lower than normal. Bream are biting in deep water. Crappie and bass are biting fairly well. Catfish are biting well on chicken hearts and livers.
Murray Lock and Dam: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said bream and crappie aren’t biting much. Catfish are biting well on live bream and shad fillets. Stripers and whites are biting early in the morning on white twin tails and white Bang Tails.
Little Maumelle Creek: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said bream are biting well on crickets and red worms around lily pads. Crappie aren’t biting much. Catfish are biting well on chicken livers and hearts, nightcrawlers and white Zoom Flukes.
Palarm Creek: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said catfish are biting very well on nightcrawlers and chicken hearts.
Big Maumelle Creek: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said bream are biting well on crickets and worms around cypress trees. Crappie and bass aren’t biting much. Stripers and whites are biting on Johnson Bang Tails around the Old Spillway.
NORTH ARKANSAS:
White River: Gaston's White River Resort said generators have been running daily. Trout fishing is excellent. Fly fishermen have been successful using Partridge and Orange soft hackles, Red Butt soft hackles, black parachute ants, bulbous bivisible, olive wooly buggers and sow bugs. Spin fishermen have been successful using Buoyant Spoons and Little Cleos on a slow retrieve, or yellow PowerBait and wax worms or red worms on a no. 6 hook with a no. 9 bell sinker.
McLellan’s Fly Shop said fish the upper river in the morning and the lower river in the evening. Wade fishing on the upper river has been productive with tan and olive McLellan’s hunchback scuds and woven sow bugs. Closer to the dam, try midges. When fishing from a boat, try large scuds, eggs and buckskin wigglers. On the lower river, dead-drift pheasant tails or skip nymphs through the riffles. Be ready to switch to sulphur emerger or adult patterns.
Wilderness Trail said brown trout are biting on Shad Raps, suspending Rogues, Flatfish and nightcrawlers. Fly fishing is good with olive wooly buggers, zebra midges and sow bugs. During generation, try buoyant spoons, Little Cleos, countdown or floating Rapalas. During little or no generation, try red worms and yellow, white or pink Berkley Power Eggs.
Bull Shoals Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 652.98 feet MSL.
Sugarloaf harbor said the lake is very clear and lower than normal. Crappie are biting on minnows 20 to 25 feet deep. Catfish are biting on jugs baited with live shad. Walleye are biting on nightcrawlers with bottom bouncers 25 feet deep.
Wilderness Trail said the water is a foot low. Generation has been high and two thermoclines have developed. The first thermocline is at 28 to 32 feet and fish are below this zone. The second thermocline is at 40 to 46 feet and the fish are suspended at 28 to 32 feet. After 9 p.m., try black neon worms, jig-and-pig combos, Hula grubs or Gene Larew grubs in strawberry/gold around points and brush piles. Crappie are biting on tubes and Bobby Garland Swimming Minnows around brush piles and bluff walls. Largemouth bass are biting on buzzbaits, Zara Spooks and Sammy’s in creeks and pockets. Use Carolina rigs or football jigs in the thermocline over drop offs. Smallmouth bass are biting on tubes and Spider Jigs around banks and points. In deep water try Carolina rigs, with Yum Wooly Hawgs, finesse worms, Brush Hogs or football jigs. Kentucky bass aren’t hungry, but some are biting on drop-shot rigs and spoons around bluff wall ends, in the middle of cuts and off main lake points. Walleye are biting on nightcrawlers and leeches on harnesses with bottom bouncers 28 to 32 feet deep in the thermocline. Leadcore trolling with Glass Shad, Hot N Tots, Wiggle Warts, and Deep Little Rippers and long lining with Bandits, Walleye Divers, Deep Diving Rogues and Mann’s 20+ crankbaits are working well in the thermocline.
Lake Norfork: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 552.52 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the water is stable at its normal level. Bream are biting on crickets. Crappie are biting fairly well on minnows around brush piles 22 to 25 feet deep. Bass are biting fairly well early and late in the day on top-water baits. At night, try worms and jigs. Trolling and spooning are catching stripers and walleye.
Norfork Tailwater: McLellan’s Fly Shop said generation has been sporadic with plenty of low water for morning wading. On the upper river, trout are biting on scuds, sow bugs, and midges. On the lower river, try Sulphur nymphs.
Gene’s Trout dock said the water level has been fluctuating. Both fly and bait fishing is good, especially in the afternoon.
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
Beaver Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,113.42 feet MSL.
Southtown Sporting Goods said crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs 10 to 15 feet deep. Bass are biting well at night on spinnerbaits and worms. Stripers are biting on flukes on jigheads on the north end of the lake. Whites are schooling in the early morning and late in the day and are biting on top-water baits.
Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock said they were closed last week, but they’ll be looking for you.
Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the lake is close to normal, but will be dropping this month. Bream are biting fairly well on worms and crickets around brush piles. Crappie are biting fairly well on minnows, tubes and jigs around brush piles 4 to 10 feet deep. Bass are biting fairly well on spinnerbaits, plastic worms and buzzbaits around mossy points, brush and rocky points 4 to 10 feet deep. Catfish aren’t biting much.
Beaver Tailwaters: McLellan’s Fly Shop said generators have been running for an hour or so in the afternoon, leaving most of the day and evening for wading. Trout are biting on scuds, sow bugs, midge pupa patterns and small cream midge adult patterns. Also try swinging soft tackles such as the Swing Nymph, Submarine Soft Hackle and Wired Red Ass.
NORTHEAST ARKANSAS
Crown Lake: Boxhound Marina said the lake looks good. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and colored jigheads fished deep. Bass are biting well on deep-diving crankbaits. Catfish are biting well on dip baits, liver and blood baits.
Spring River: Many Islands Camp said the river looks good. Trout are biting well on PowerBait. Goggle eye are biting well on minnows.
Eleven-point River: Woody’s Canoe Rental and Campground said the river is 6 to 8 inches high and falling slowly. The water is clear. All species are poor.
SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
Cane Creek Lake: Cane Creek State Park said the lake looks good. Bream, bass and catfish are good. Crappie are poor.
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
Millwood Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.52 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water temperature ranges from 78 to 92 degrees. Water clarity is improved this week. The lake is 4 inches above normal pool. Several river markers are missing on the main lake and Little River. Current in Little River is reduced from last week at 390 cubic feet per second. Fish are biting best early and late in the day. Bass are biting well on War Eagle spinnerbaits in gold shiner, cole slaw and firetiger colors fished in areas of stained water clarity. Anglers have also had some success on Salty Rat Tails, Senkos and Z-Nails in watermelon/red, black/blue fleck and green pumpkin, wacky-rigged Bass Assassin Shads and Charm Assassins in salt-and-pepper phantom/chartreuse, silver ghost and crystal shad and buzzbaits in bubblegum/white. Zoom Horny Toads and Heddon Zara Mice are working well mid-day fished in the backs of pad fields where hydrilla or grass meet the pads. Carolina-rigged baits are working well along steep wash-outs in Little River and between Pugh Slough and Jack’s Isle. Bass are also biting well on lizards in green pumpkin and pumpkinseed/chartreuse. Southern Pro Fatbutt tubes in pumpkin/chartreuse and black neon are catching fish on cypress trees. Crappie are biting well on shiners and jigs in the Little River at 15 to 19 feet deep in planted treetops.
White Oak Lake: Charlie’s One Stop said crappie are biting well on minnows and crickets. All other species are fair.
Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine said the lake is stained and low. Bream are biting fairly well on crickets fished along the bottom in deep water. Crappie are biting fairly well on jigs in red, silver and chartreuse fished 15 to 18 feet deep early and late in the day. Bass are biting well on crankbaits fished 4 to 8 feet deep. Catfish are biting well on setlines fished 15 feet deep.
Lake Erling: Steve's Marine said the lake is stained and at normal pool. Bream are biting fairly well on crickets fished 3 to 4 feet deep. Crappie are poor. Bass are biting well on 8-inch Junebug worms fished 5 to 8 feet deep. Catfish are biting excellently on any stink bait and live bait.
Lake Greeson: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 546.58 feet MSL.
Lakeside Grocery, Motel/Bait Shop said the lake is clear in deep water and murky in the shallows. The water temperature is 89 degrees. Bream are biting excellently on worms and crickets. Crappie are poor. Bass are biting excellently on plastic worms and top-water baits fished 3 to 8 feet deep. Striped bass are biting well on top-water baits and CC Spoons fished early and late in the day. Walleye are biting well on plastic worms, CC Spoons and crankbaits. Catfish are biting well on worms, bream and minnows.
DeGray Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 405.45 feet MSL.
DeGray One Stop said the lake is clear and slightly high. Water temperatures are in the 80s. Bream are coming off beds and moving deeper. They’re biting well on red worms and crickets fished 15 to 25 feet deep. Crappie are biting fairly well on minnows fished off bluffs. They’re biting best at night on live bait. Black and Kentucky bass are in shallow waters in the morning and biting on top-water baits and jerkbaits. They move deeper in the afternoons and bite best on Texas-rigged worms and Carolina-rigged worms. Hybrid and white bass are biting well on Rooster Tails, CC Spoons, Boy Howdies and top-water baits. Catfish are biting fairly well on trotlines and noodles baited with live bait and minnows fished 15 to 25 feet deep. Set noodles at 8 feet deep.
WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said the lake looks good. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting fairly well on lightweight jigs baited with Sassy Shads and Lil’ Fishies fished around bridge pilings. Bass fishing was heavy over the weekend because of the Ford Big Bass Bonanza. Hybrid and white bass are schooling early and late and biting well on jigs fished along the bottom and Sassy Shads. Catfish are biting well on stinkbait.
Blue Mountain Lake: CNC’s End of the Line said the lake looks good. Bream are biting well on worms, minnows and crickets. Crappie are fair. Bass are good fished in the lake and parts of the river. Catfish are biting well on worms, minnows and chicken liver.
Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the water is fairly clear and at normal pool. Bream are biting fairly well on crickets. Crappie are poor. Bass were fished heavily over the weekend because of the Ford Big Bass Bonanza. Bass are biting fairly well on crankbaits and soft plastics. Catfish are biting fairly well on worms and shads.
Lake Ouachita: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 575.66 feet MSL.
Lake Ouachita State Park Marina said striped bass are biting well on live bait and jigging spoons fished early mornings. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits, plastic worms and Zara Puppies. Bream are biting excellently on crickets and small jigs. Catfish are biting excellently on small bream and trotlines baited with minnows. Walleye are biting well on jigs, Shad Raps and Rat-L-Traps.
Mountain Harbor Resort said the lake is clear. Water temperatures are 78 to 84 degrees. Bream are biting excellently on crickets and worms fished around structure. Crappie are poor. Try minnows fished 18 to 35 feet deep over brush piles and moss flats. Largemouth bass are biting fairly well on Texas-rigged worms, 101/2 –inch Ole’ Monsters and grass jigs fished around moss flats, standing timber and points. Try black spinnerbaits after dark on the main lake and secondary points. Walleye are biting fairly well on silver jigging spoons fished 15 to 30 feet deep near brush piles on main lake points. Striped bass are biting well on live bait, gizzard shad and big trotline minnows fished around main lake points and rock bluffs near or in the river channels. White bass are biting well on silver spoons fished 15 to 25 feet deep in the same areas as stripers. Catfish are biting well on cut bait, nightcrawlers and live bait fished 10 to 20 feet deep around pockets and moss flats.
Lake Hamilton: Poorman’s Tackle and Guide Service said the lake is clear and low. Bream are coming off beds and biting well on crickets. Crappie are poor. Bass are biting well around docks on Magic Bait in yellow and top-water baits in the morning, crankbaits in chartreuse and green during mid-day and jig-and-pig combos and chartreuse crankbaits in the evenings. White bass and catfish are biting well on crankbaits.
Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said the lake clear and levels are high. Bream are biting fairly well on crickets. Crappie are good 12 to 15 feet deep around trees. Bass are schooling and excellent. Catfish are good. Larger catfish are biting on trotlines and smaller cats can be caught from the banks.
Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the lake is slightly stained and at normal pool. Bream are biting well on crickets and red worms. Crappie are poor. Bass are biting excellently on plastic worms. Catfish are biting excellently on trotlines baited with minnows.
Lake Nimrod: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 344.65 feet MSL.
Lake Nimrod Bait ‘n’ More II said bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished 17 feet deep in river channels. Bass are fair. Catfish are biting well on goldfish and Danny King stink bait.
SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Felsenthal: Hale’s One Stop said bream and catfish are good. Crappie and bass are poor.
EAST ARKANSAS
Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The Tackle Box said the river is fairly clear and low. Bream are biting excellently on wax worms, worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting excellently on spinnerbaits and worms fished along the bottom. Catfish are biting excellently on crickets, worms, liver and skipjack.
River City Sporting Goods said the river looks good. Bream are biting well on crickets fished 3 feet deep. Crappie are poor. Bass were heavily fished over the weekend during the Ford Big Bass Bonanza. Striped bass are biting well on ½- to 2-ounce bucktail jigs fished around the lock and dam. Bass are biting well on top-water baits and plastic worms fished around brush tops. Catfish are biting well on nightcrawlers and cut shad fished 30 feet deep.
Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said the water is clear and slightly high. Bream are fair. Crappie are biting well on minnows fished 5 feet deep around structure. Bass are biting fairly well on crankbaits fished around boat docks. Catfish are biting well on trotlines and rod ‘n’ reel fishing with livers and live bream.
Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors said the water is green and at normal pool. All species are poor.
Six Rivers Sport Center said the lake is murky and at normal levels. All species are poor.
Horseshoe Lake: Bond’s said the lake is clear and low. Bream are good around Camp Carefree pier. Crappie and catfish are good. Bass are poor.
