Fishing Tip: Spinnerbaits are a popular with bass anglers, but weeds can be a problem when fishing heavy cover. Cut the last ¾-inch off the pointed end of a ball-point pen cap, then poke a small hole through the tip. Using needlenose pliers, open the end of the spinner arm and remove the swivel and spinner blade. Slide the piece of the pen cap onto the spinner arm so that it will cover the swivel when you reattach the blade. This will keep the spinnerbait’s blade from fouling with weeds.
Arkansas River Levels are available at:
http://www.swl-wc.usace.army.mil/WCDS/Reports/Daily/Pao_rvrs.txt
White River Levels are available at:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lmrfc/forecast/tributaries/status_white.shtml
Family and Community Fishing Ponds: Catfish stockings are in full swing around the state and most ponds have healthy populations of bream to keep young anglers interested.
Central Arkansas
Lake Conway:
Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water level is normal. Bream are biting excellently on crickets and redworms fished around the bank. Bluegill should spawn soon. Bass are biting well on frogs and worms fished around lily pads. Catfishing is good on goldfish and bream. Crappie are slow.
Little Red River:
Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is low with the generators running around noon every day. Fishing has been good using Power Bait, nightcrawlers and wax worms. Over the weekend, the mid-morning hours provided the best fishing.
Greers Ferry:
As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 464.60 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 461 MSL).
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water is falling due to heavy generation. The generators have been running daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The water temperature remains mostly in the upper 70s. Black bass are biting on many different baits depending on the location of the fish. If fishing in shallow water, use buzz baits, frogs, swimbaits and watermelon candy brush hogs. For deeper fish, try using Texas-rigged worms, jigs, Carolina rigs, football head jigs and deep-running crankbaits. Hybrids and white bass are biting well on top-water lures early in the morning and in the evening. Flukes, Zara Spooks, spoons and grubs are recommended for deeper water. Bream are biting well on crickets and crawlers in shallow water. Crappie are biting well on jigs tipped with minnows fished in brush piles. Walleye are also biting well on jigs tipped with minnows fished in 8 to 26 feet of water.
Cody Smith of Fish Greers Ferry and Trout Troller Guide Service (501-691-5701) said catfishing is good on nightcrawlers fished in 5 to 15 feet of water. Blues, channels and flatheads are all feeding and actively spawning. Walleye are biting well in the drops just outside the brush and along roll-offs adjacent to flats. Hybrids are biting well on spoons fished in 25 to 40 feet of water during the early morning or late evening. Smallmouth and Kentucky bass are biting well on drop shot rigs, shaky heads or flukes fished in deeper water.
Shiloh Marina (501-825-6237) said crappie are biting well at night under a light. There was no report on bass, catfish or bream.
Harris Brake Lake:
Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said the lake is clear and at its normal water level. Crappie are biting well on jigs. Catfishing is good with stink bait. Bream are fair on jigs. There was no report on bass.
Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) had no report.
Lake Overcup:
(Updated 5-19-2010) Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said bass are biting around the banks on black plastic worms. Crappie can be found in 12 to 15 feet of water using triple ripple tube jigs fished 4 to 5 feet deep. Bream are biting well on crickets and redworms fished around the docks and just off the bank. Catfish are a little slow, but some have been caught with trotlines and jugs using bream and cut bait.
Brewer Lake:
(Updated 5-19-2010) Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said bass fishing has been fair on jigs and plastic worms. Crappie are biting on small minnows and white/chartreuse jigs fished in brush piles. Catfish are fair on trotlines using cut skip jack and bream for bait.
Lake Maumelle:
Jolly Roger’s Marina said the water is 0.1 inch above the spillway, and the water temperature is 80 degrees. Black bass are biting well on floating worms, jerk baits and Carolina rigs fished in 4 to 10 feet of water around the edges of the grass and off the points in the afternoon. White bass are biting well on small crappie jigs, Rooster Tails and minnows fished in the North Shore area of the lake. Crappie are good on 1/32-ounce jigs, minnows, and shad-colored grubs fished in 15 to 20 feet of water. Bream fishing is excellent! They are biting mainly on crickets and some on worms fished in 15 to 20 feet of water. Fishing off the breakwater has produced nice catches. Catfishing is excellent on trotlines using cut shad and prepared bait. Saugeye are biting excellently in the early morning or late afternoon on small crappie jigs, Rogues and minnows by trolling around the points.
JB’s Guide Service had no report.
Lake Valencia:
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said catfish are biting excellently on chicken hearts and nightcrawlers. There was no report on bream, crappie or bass.
Lake Willastein:
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bass are biting well on spinnerbaits. Bream are biting excellently on crickets, wax worms and redworms. Catfishing is excellent using minnows and chicken hearts.
Sunset Lake:
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is at its normal level. Bream are good on crickets. Crappie are biting well on Kalin’s grubs. Catfish are biting well on chicken liver and hot dogs. Bass are slow.
Saline River Access in Benton:
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the river is clear and at normal level. Bream are biting excellently on crickets. Bass are biting well on top-water lures and on 4-inch green pumpkin lizards. Catfishing has been excellent using livers. Crappie are slow.
Arkansas River at Morrilton:
(Updated 5-26-2010) Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said the water flow has kept some boaters off the river. Black bass are biting well on black/red flake tubes around the jetties. Kentucky bass are biting well on spinnerbaits fished on the backside of the jetties. Catfish are starting to spawn and are biting on whole shad. White bass are fair at the mouth of Point Remove Creek and the Petit Jean River.
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool):
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said on Big Maumelle Creek bream are biting excellently on wax worms and crickets. Crappie are fair with a minnow on a slip-cork rig. Bass are fair on top-water stick baits and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is excellent with trotlines, limb lines, yo-yos and jugs using cut bait, bream, and brood minnows for bait. For the Little Maumelle River, use the same baits as Big Maumelle Creek. At Palarm Creek, crappie are fair on minnows on a slip-cork rig. Bass are biting well on black/chartreuse jig and pigs. Catfish are biting excellently on cut shad and bream using trotlines and limb lines. Bream are biting well on crickets and wax worms.
Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool):
Vince Miller from Fish N’ Stuff (501-834-5733) had no report. He said some fish have been caught but the water is still very high.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said at Murry Lock and Dam, crappie are good on white/chartreuse mini jigs and a minnow on a slip-cork rig. Catfish are biting excellently on skipjacks and bream. Bass are biting on chartreuse twin tails and puddle jumpers. There was no report on bream. At Burns Park, crappie are biting well on minnows fished in the backwater. Bass are fair on crankbaits and smoke/red flake tubes fished around jetty points. Catfishing is excellent with cut bait and skipjack. There was no report for Fourche Creek.
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is high and muddy. There is a small craft warning on the river as of Tuesday. Bream fishing is excellent on redworms. Catfishing is good with skipjack and minnows. Bass and crappie are both poor.
Clear Lake:
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said bream fishing is excellent with redworms. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good with chicken liver and nightcrawlers. Crappie are poor but a few have been caught using minnows.
Peckerwood Lake:
Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said crappie are being caught trolling. Catfishing has been excellent; some fishermen are even using crickets to catch them. Bass are good, and bream are slow.
Lake Pickthorne:
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream fishing is excellent with crickets, redworms and wax worms. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are fair to good in the early morning or evening with Gillmore Jumpers and Tiny Torpedoes. Catfishing is excellent with nightcrawlers and chicken hearts. Crappie are slow.
North Arkansas
White River:
Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the river has been very mossy with the generators running. They run from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., and about four generators run in the afternoon. There has been good wade fishing on the river, and nice rainbows and browns have been caught. Shrimp and minnows are the best live baits. Spinnerbaits, Power Bait, stick baits and pink worms are the best choices for artificial baits.
Cotter Trout Dock said fishing is very slow. The best time to try to get a bit is early morning or just after dark. Fishing during the first hour of generation may produce a bite. Fishing for stripers by the dam is recommended.
Guide Davy Wotton said fishing has been great over the past week, and generations have provided opportunities for wade and float fishing. The low water levels in the early morning have provided great surface fishing using midges, dries and small caddis. Once the sun rises, the trout will move into deeper water. Fishing with wets and soft hackles and indicator nymphing with white tail, prism and zebra style midges has produced great fishing in the riffles. Sowbugs in tan, neutral and gray, scuds in olive or tan have also been good baits. Try to avoid fishing in rising water because algae and other trash has built up due to generation. The Norfork, Bull Shoals, and Rim Shoals catch-and-release zones have been producing great fish. Spin and bait fishermen have been going great with a number of different natural and artificial baits. Stick baits, Rooster Tails, Cleos, Mepps, Buoyants and jigs are all producing fish. If you are after a trophy brown, dawn or the late evenings to dark are the best times to fish.
White River (From Buffalo City to Red’s Landing):
Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said the stained water and heavy moss has caused fishing to be slow. The moss has caused most of the problems with fishing, but if you have a favorite spot that usually produces fish stick with it. The moss should flush through over the next few days and hopefully fishing will pick back up.
Buffalo River:
(Updated 5-26-2010) Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said the river is at 6.88 feet. The surface temperature ranges between 65 and 72 degrees. Spin fishing has been successful with soft plastics and heavy weights.
Crooked Creek:
(Updated 5-26-2010) Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said the water level is still high around Yellville. The water temperature is between 65 and 72 degrees and is slightly off color. Large plastic lures have worked well in green and brown colored water. In the mid section, the water is too high for fly fishing, but anything above Pyatt has been producing good fish.
Bull Shoals Lake:
As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 667.24 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 654 MSL).
Bob Pauletti at Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock had no new report.
Lake Norfork:
As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 560.61 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April – 552 MSL, April-Sept. – 554 MSL).
101 Grocery and Bait (870-467-5223) said the surface temperature is in the mid 70s. The fishing has been good overall on Lake Norfork. Bluegill are biting well on crickets. Crappie are good on minnows fished along the bluffs and around brush piles. Bass are biting well on any plastic baits, spinnerbaits and buzz baits. White bass are fair using spoons and inline spinnerbaits. Stripers are biting well on live bait such as shiners and shad, crankbaits, Road Runners and spoons. The best time to fish for stripers is in the morning or late evening. Catfishing has been good using worms, shiners and stink bait.
Guide Steve Olomon (870-491-5142) said stripers and hybrids are still coming up in the early morning chasing shad. Look for the surface activity near points and along bluffs. Use a jigging spoon fished at 40 to 60 feet.
Guide Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters (877-246-4896) said the best time to fish is in the afternoon and evening. Stripers are in 35 to 45 feet of water, and Tom said they caught their limit in 30 minutes fishing in the 6A area. Although the stripers are very active later in the day, fishing in the morning has not been very successful.
Norfork Tailwater:
(Updated 5-26-2010) Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said generation has been off and on which has caused fishing to be slow. It is still possible to catch fish upstream with jigs and Power Bait tipped with a piece of shrimp.
(Updated 5-26-2010) Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said generators are running at least eight hours a day providing low water wade fishing. Nymphing with various patters has been the most productive method. Scuds, sow bugs, midge, caddis and mayfly patterns are all producing successful fishing. Observe how fish are feeding to determine which fly to fish.
Northwest Arkansas
Beaver Lake:
As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,125.92 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 1,120 MSL).
Bailey's Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) said the stripers are moving back to the lower section of the lake, and are actively feeding. Spooks, Redfins and Rapalas are getting bites at daybreak, dusk and at night. They have begun their summer pattern and most are found in 10 to 25 feet of water. The best bite has been early in the morning with most fish being caught by 8 a.m. For daily Beaver Lake levels and flow data go Bailey’s Web site and click on the Daily Beaver Lake Level and Flow info link.
JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass fishing is very good on top-water baits fished close to cover near the bank either early or late. During the day, Carolina-rigged lizards and Texas rigged plastic baits are producing on the main lake points, flats, and near docks. Crappie are biting well on small tubes and curly tail grubs in about 25 feet of water. Catfishing is good with cut bait, liver or worms fished from the bank at night. Bluegill have been biting well on crickets fished around rocks or flooded brush. Night fishing for crappie, whites and walleye has been great using dark-colored jigs or minnows fished under lights in 8 to 20 feet of water. There have been many fish caught at Hickory Creek and north to Prairie Creek.
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is high. Bream are biting well on crickets and redworms fished in 2 to 8 feet of water. Bass are biting on top water lures early in the morning and on plastic worms and Carolina rigs later in the day. Catfishing has been good on rod-and-reel with chicken liver and prepared bait. Trotlines with live bait have also been producing catfish.
Beaver Tailwater:
(Updated 5-26-2010) Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said there is very little flow and the tailwater level is high from Table Rock Lake being back up. The tailwater level is 918 feet. There is not much wading available due to the high water unless you are near the dam. Spin fishing has been best with rainbow and brown trout colored Rebel minnow patterns. For fly fishing, black/silver zebra midges and charcoal gray beadhead scuds have been the best lures.
Kings River:
(Updated 5-26-2010)Just Fishing Guides said the water level is at 5.16 feet, and is slightly off color. The water is a little high for fly fishing, but spin fishing has been good. Spin fishing with tubes and lizards fished on the bottom has been successful. Watermelon Red and Green pumpkin seed colored lures are the best.
Lake Fayetteville:
Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said the water is murky and at normal level. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets fished around rocky points. Crappie have been caught well by trolling minnows and jigs. A couple reported catching their limit two days in a row. Bass are biting well on any artificial lure and plastic worms. Fishermen Nathan White caught eight black bass over the weekend ranging from 2 to 3 ½ pounds. Catfishing has been good with stink bait, chicken liver and cut bait.
Lake Sequoyah:
Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is dingy and at normal level. Bream are biting well on worms. Bass are biting well on buzzbaits. Catfishing has been good with chicken liver. Crappie are slow.
Northeast Arkansas
Lake Poinsett:
Lake Poinsett State Park had no new report.
Crown Lake:
(Updated 5-26-2010) Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is at normal level and still a little dingy. Bass are biting well on top-water lures. Catfishing has been good with chicken livers. Bluegill are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are slow.
Lake Frierson:
Lake Frierson State Park said the water level is normal. Crappie are good on minnows. Bass are biting well. Catfish are good on cut bait and nightcrawlers. There have been a few saugeye caught. Bream are slow.
Spring River:
Mark Crawford at Spring River Fly Shop said the river is running at 460cfs and is a little cloudy. There have been good hatches of caddis flies and mayflies during the early morning and just before sunset. There are a higher number of trout stocked at this time of year, so the fishing is good. Fluorescent fly patterns such as Cotton Candy and Y2ks have been producing catches. Snails and black woollies are also doing well. Check out Mark's Blog for daily updates on river conditions and what they might be biting.
Southeast Arkansas
Lake Chicot:
Lake Chicot State Park (870-265-5480) said catfish are biting well on crickets and worms. Bream are also biting well on crickets. Bream and bass have been slow.
Cane Creek Lake:
(Updated 5-26-2010)Cane Creek State Park (870-628-4714) said bream are biting well on crickets and worms, and many have been caught off piers around the lake. Catfish are doing well with worms. Bass are biting well on frogs and soft-plastic lures.
Lake Monticello:
Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of MonticelloBigBass.com said there has been good fishing on Lake Monticello. Bass fishing is very good on worms and jigs fished in 8 to 16 feet drops. Schoolers are back; chug bugs and swim baits seem to be successful baits for these bass. Large fish have been caught on live black salties under balloons in 7 to 8 feet of water.
Southwest Arkansas
Millwood Lake:
As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.38 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 259.2 MSL).
Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said the lake level is 259.36 feet. There is a decreased current in Little River. The surface temperature ranges from 74 to 83 degrees, depending on the time of day. Largemouth bass have been biting well in the early and mid-morning hours, and they are in their normal early summer pattern. Various baits such as Twitch Assassins, salt and pepper and silver phantom Bass Assassin Shads, lizards, blue fleck 10-inch Power Worms, and buzzbaits are all catching fish. Frogs fished around lily pads are also producing good size bass. Crappie are biting well on live shiners, smoke grubs and Blakemore Roadrunners fished in brush in 8 to 13 feet of water. Bream are biting well on crickets, redworms and grubs fished around Millwood State Park and up Little River at Jack’s Isle. Blues and channel cats are biting great on cut shad, home-made dough bait and blood bait. These baits will work by anchoring and tight lining, on trotlines or yo-yos along Little River between Jack’s Isle and Mud Lake.
White Oak Lake:
Local angler John Tilley said the water level is low and the temperature has warmed up over the past week. Bass fishing has slowed due to the rise in the temperature, but some are still biting on plastic worms fished in deeper water. Crappie are biting on white jigs and minnows fished in deep water. Bream are slow, but there still is a chance of catching a few. Catfishing is good, some have been caught is shallow water with crickets while trotlines with live bait are still producing.
Lake Columbia:
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Crappie are good on small and medium-sized minnows fished in 10 feet of water. Catfishing is good with goldfish on trotlines.
Lake Erling:
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Crappie are good on small and medium-sized minnows fished in 10 feet of water. Catfishing is good with goldfish on trotlines.
Lake Greeson:
As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 545.54 MSL (Flood pool – 548 MSL).
Lakeside Grocery and Bait (870-398-5304) said the water is clear and high. The surface temperature is about 85 degrees. Bream are excellent on crickets fished in 2 to 6 feet of water. Crappie are fair on minnows fished in brush piles in 15 to 25 feet of water. Bass are fair on buzzbaits, deep-diving crankbaits, and top-water lures in the evening. Fishing these in brush piles and at the rocky points in 10 to 20 feet of water has produced good catches. Catfish are slow but live bait on trotlines, jugs and noodles has produced some fish. Catfishing should start up soon. Walleye are slow but minnows, cranks and worms are your best bait when fishing for them.
Cossatot River:
Cossatot River State Park said the water level is at 2.76 feet. The water has remained swift and murky due to all the rain in May. Catfishing has been good using live bait or cut bait. Rock bass are biting well on sunset-colored Beatle Spins with a slow retrieve, fished during the evening hours. The fish may be more active when the sun is overhead. Smallmouth bass will bite on soft plastics, live minnows or crawdads. Remember to be careful walking over rocks when wade fishing, and keep a lookout for snakes.
DeGray Lake:
As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 408.09 feet MSL (Flood pool – 408 MSL).
Local angler George Graves said the surface temperature is between the upper 70s and low 80s, and the lake remains clear. Crappie are fair and can be found in 20 to 25 feet of water around fish attractors. Try using a 1/16-ounce jighead with a Tennesse shad, 2 inch grub, or a small shad-colored tube. The best bite has been early in the morning, even before sunrise. Shelters in the Island 34 area, Alpine Ridge Cove, Bushy Creek and Big Hill Creek provide good crappie fishing. Bass are biting well on top-water plugs, flukes, Rattle Traps or shad-colored swim baits. Red shad worms or green pumpkin jigs are great baits when fishing points with cover. The best method for catching a bass is to fish for the schooling fish early in the morning anywhere from Caddo Drive to DeRoche Ridge. Hybrid and white bass fishing has been good, but you must hit the lake very early. Top-water lures such as a Zara Spook or flukes have been producing fish, if they do not take the top-water lures, try throwing a heavy spoon and allowing it to sink at least 30 feet. The best areas have been the south side of the State Park, any big coves, the Iron Mountain Marina, Point 10 and Ozan Point. Bream fishing remains good on crickets and worms, and they can be found in any cove. The smaller fish will be in shallow water and the bigger bream will be in 10 to 15 feet of water. Catfishing is fair at night on trotlines or noodles using large minnows or small bream. Point 10 and the islands across from the lodge are good spots to put out noodles.
West-Central Arkansas
Lake Nimrod:
As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 353.88 feet MSL.
Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) had no new report.
Lake Dardanelle:
(Updated 5-26-2010) Regina Olson at Spadra Marina said crappie fishing has picked up on Lake Dardanelle, with many fishermen catching their daily limit. They are biting mostly on minnows in 12 feet of water that are fished 4 to 6 feet deep. Jig fishermen have not been as successful over the past few days, although they are still catching a few. Catfishing is good with trotlines using Danny King’s blood bait. Gar have been stealing jug and line baits so a trotline is your best bet. Bream and white bass are biting well on crickets and a few on worms. There have not been many reports on largemouth bass, but chartreuse buzzbaits seem to be popular choice for bass fishermen.
Blue Mountain Lake:
As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 388.84 feet MSL.
Teresa at CD’s Quick Stop (479-947-2178) said the water is high. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Bass are fair to good depending on the day. Catfish are biting well on worms, chicken liver and cut shad on trotlines.
Lake Ouachita:
As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 500 MSL (Flood pool – 578 MSL).
Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said bass fishing was good before all the boaters arrived for the holiday weekend, and it should start to pick back up this week. Stripers have been good and keep improving. Spinnerbaits and swim baits will catch anything that lives in Lake Ouachita.
(Updated 5-26-2010) Mountain Harbor Resort said the water is between 74 and 78 degrees and clearing. The water level is 580.39 feet. Bream are biting excellent on worms and crickets in 8 to 15 feet of water. Crappie are biting well on minnows and crappie grub, and Tennessee shad or white colored artificial baits. If you are fishing for crappie, cast near the brush in 15 to 20 feet of water. Bass are biting well on Texas rigged worms, football jigs and creature baits. If you’re fishing top water for bass, Zara spooks and boy howdies are still your best bait. Stripers are still biting well on top water using C-10 redfins and large shad colored swim baits. Live bait has also been successful all over the lake. Catfishing is excellent using cut bait and live bait on jug lines or trotlines.
Lake Hamilton:
Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports had no report.
Lake Catherine:
Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, (501-624-8757) said there has been heavy generation over the past two weeks in efforts to bring down Lake Ouachita. This has caused fishing to be very slow on Lake Catherine. A few rainbows have been caught by bank fishermen who have found areas protected from the current. Nightcrawlers and redworms fished off the bottom with a marshmallow have been the best bait. Wax and meal worms have also been successful. Trolling crankbaits below the bridge has also produced some catches, and is much safer then anchoring. When the lakes are back to their normal levels, trout fishing should pick back up. White bass continue to spawn and are being caught on live minnows and white or silver spoons. Stripers are biting well on C-10 Redfins and Super Spooks in shad or rainbow trout colors. When the water warms, stripers will continue to the tailrace looking for meals.
Lake Hinkle:
Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said the water is in good condition. Bream are good on crickets and worms. Catfish have been caught by bream fishermen using crickets. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and plastic worms. Crappie are slow.
Lake Atkins:
Ken Vinson at Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said the water level is still dropping and the lake is clear. Bass fishing has slowed down over the week along with bream. Ken said bass fishing is much better at night. The Memorial Day Bream Tournament winner did catch a big bream. Catfishing is good on trotlines and noodles.
South Central Arkansas
Moro Bay:
Moro Bay State Park at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay had no report.
Ouachita River Oxbows:
No report.
Tri-County Lake:
No report.
East Arkansas
Arkansas River at Pine Bluff:
The Tackle Box (870-534-1498) said the water level is high, but the fishing has still been good. Bream are biting excellently on crickets and wax worms. Crappie are good on minnows fished in 14 feet of water. Bass are biting well on crankbaits and plastic worms. Catfishing is good on cut bait.
White River:
Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the fishing is still a little slow but it starting to pick up. Catfishing is fair on worms and Doc’s catfish bait. Bass are fair on bottom bouncers, tubes and Senkos. Crappie and walleye are slow.
Maddox Bay:
Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is high. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Catfishing has been good on trotlines and yo-yos. Crappie are biting well. There was no report on bass.
Island 40 Chute:
Daily’s Boat Dock (870-739-3478) said the water is clear, and the high water level is beginning to fall. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers, cut bait and hot dogs. Bass, bream and crappie are all slow.
Horseshoe Lake:
Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water is clear and at its normal level. Bream are biting well on crickets and wax worms. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs fished in shallow water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits fished around lily pads and cypress trees. Catfishing has been good with cut bait and nightcrawlers fished in deep water.