August 19, 2009 Edition

Fishing Tip: If you own a boat, be sure to check the water level in conventional cranking and trolling motor batteries. During hot months, batteries are slower to take a charge, which can cause the water in the battery acid to evaporate. Use distilled water to fill the battery and replace the water that evaporated.

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

Central Arkansas

Lake Conway:

Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water clarity is good and the level is just a little low. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are slow. Bass are slow. Catfishing is good on trotlines baited with goldfish or green sunfish. Catfishing from the bank with nightcrawlers and frozen shad is good as well.    

Dan at Gold Creek Landing (501-607-0590) said bream have been hitting well on crickets and wax worms fished 1 to 2 ½ feet deep. Bass are doing fairly well early and late in the day. Crappie have been slow, but some nice fish have been picked up around cypress trees near creek channels. Catfishing is good.   

Little Red River: 

Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is low and stained. Trout are biting well. Bait fishing with yellow or white Powerbait, wax worms and marshmallows has worked well in the mornings. When the current is flowing, Smithwick Rattling Rogues have worked.   

Jed Hollan at the Little Red Fly Shop said water releases at Greers Ferry continue to be small, daily and after lunch. This protocol makes wade fishing possible at most locations on the Little Red River. Small but frequent aquatic insect hatches are occurring every day along our trophy trout stream. The bulk of the bugs coming off are midges followed by blue-winged olive mayflies. To catch a trout on a dry fly, try an Adams (size 18), BWO (sizes 18-20), midge (sizes 22-32; cream) or crackleback (size 14). Sub-surface flies that are working include the sow bug (sizes 14-16; tan, smoky olive or peacock), zebra midge (sizes 16-22; red, black or copper), red butt soft hackle (sizes 14-18), San Juan worm (size 14; red, fl. cerise or worm brown) and woolly bugger (sizes 8-12; olive, brown or black).   

Greers Ferry:  

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 460.68 feet MSL.

Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level is falling with generation for power in the afternoons. Bass fishing continues to be good both deep and shallow. Brush and drops from 15-40 feet deep are producing and some fish are hanging around 6-15 feet of water and biting top-water baits, swim baits, spinnerbaits, jigs and jig head worms. The deeper fish are biting Texas-rigged worms, jigs, Carolina rigs and football head jigs. Crappie fishing is good in the pole timber and over brush piles on minnows and jigs in 15-20 feet of water and at nights under lights. Bream fishing is excellent on crickets and crawlers shallow and as deep as 27 feet of water. Catfishing is good on jugs, trotlines and rods-and-reels. Walleye are still slow, but some are biting crankbaits and crawlers drug on the bottom on in 23-27 feet of water on jig heads and crawler rigs. White bass and hybrid bass are schooling all over the lake and can be caught with top-water baits, swim baits and swimming a bucktail jig. Some of the schools of whites and hybrids are small but have the better fish under them and they can be caught letting the bucktail and swim baits fall deeper in the water and swimming it back to the boat.   

Shiloh Marina (501-825-6237) said the water is clear. Bream are biting well. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Black bass are biting well. Hybrid bass and white bass are schooling at the surface around the lake. Catfishing is good.  

Harris Brake Lake:  

Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said no one is fishing because the lake is being drawn down and will remain so until Dec. 12th.  

Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said fishing is slow for all species because of the low water level.  

Lake Bailey (Petit Jean State Park): 

Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said bream are biting fairly well on worms and crickets. Some bass are being caught on Brush Hogs.     

Lake Overcup:  

Lakeview Landing (501-354-1470) said the water is low and a little murky. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are slow to fair. Bass are biting well. Catfish are biting well.    

Overcup Landing  (501-354-9007) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are biting well on redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows and dark red/blue/white Roadrunner jigs fished in 10-12 feet of water. Bass are fair. Catfishing is fair.

Brewer Lake:  

Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the surface temperature of the water is hot. Bream are biting well on redworms and crickets in the mornings. Crappie are fair on small minnows and white/chartreuse jigs fished over brush in 15 to 20 feet of water. Bass are fair. Catfishing is fair.   

Lake Maumelle: 

Jolly Roger’s Marina  had no report.

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said fishing was only fair early in the morning. During the day was slow for all species.     

Lake Valencia: 

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said the water is clear. Catfishing is excellent on chicken hearts and nightcrawlers. No report on any other species.   

Sunset Lake: 

Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is clear. Bream are biting well on crickets in deep water. Crappie are fair on Tennessee Shad colored grubs in brush 16 feet deep. Bass are fair on red shad colored worms in 13-14 feet of water. Catfishing is fair on chicken liver in 12 feet of water.  

Saline River Access in Benton: 

Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are biting well in swift water on black Roostertails. Crappie are slow. Bass are fair on top-water lures in the early morning. Catfishing is fair on live bait.     

Arkansas River at Morrilton:

Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said fishing is an early morning/late evening affair with the hot weather. Black bass are biting fairly well on live crayfish fished around grass and riprap. Kentucky bass are holding around points where you find any schooling shad. A few Kentuckies can be caught on white chatterbaits in these areas. Bream are biting well around the grass on crickets. White bass are at the jetty tips wherever the shad congregate. Catfishing is excellent on whole shad drifted in 20 to 40 feet of water near the main channel. The water has been pretty clear in the area, with about 2-foot visibility in some places, making bowfishing for gar possible.  

Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool):

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said the only area that has any good fishing is right below Murray Lock and Dam when the water is running. All species are biting well there during generation, but catfish are doing very well on large minnows, skipjack and baby bream.  

Arkansas River at Little Rock:  

Vince Miller from Fish N’ Stuff (501-834-5733) said the water is stained to clear and running low. Catfishing is fair on cut bait. Bass are slow around any brush.

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are slow. Crappie are slow. Bass are fair when the water is running in the Maumelle River and Little Maumelle River on minnows, spinnerbaits and Gilmore Jumper top-water baits. Catfishing is fair in the Maumelle and Little Maumelle on trotlines baited with cut bait and baby bream.

McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said fishing has been slow for all species around Terry Lock and Dam.     

Clear Lake: 

McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is clear and at a normal level. Bream are fair around stumps in 4 to 5 feet of water on crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows fished around brush in 8-9 feet of water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and top-water lures fished around logs in 3 feet of water.   

Peckerwood Lake: 

Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bram are fair on worms and crickets, but they’re scattered. Crappie are fair in deep water on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair around brush piles. Catfishing is good on liver and other prepared baits.   

Lake Pickthorne:

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report.  

North Arkansas

White River: 

John Berry from Berry Brothers Guide Service said the pattern on the White was for round-the-clock generation. Flows have been much heavier in the afternoon during peak power demand. This created some excellent conditions for drift fishing and limited wade fishing. However, habitat improvements to the Catch-and-release section below Bull Shoals dam was scheduled to begin August 17 and last for roughly 45 days. This will shut down the flow and create reliable wading conditions downstream. Midge patterns are the ticket on lower flows. The hot fly has been the black zebra midge with silver wire and silver bead. Later in the day, when we get heavier flows, the most effective technique has been to fish brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot pink and red) and egg patterns (orange) below strike indicators. Use long 4X tippets and large split shot (AAA) to get the flies down to the bottom. The habitat work is to begin on Monday and I do not know how that will affect fishing in this area. Rim Shoals has been red hot. The hot fly has been the zebra midge with silver wire and silver bead in size 16. The lower flows have also been near perfect for fishing grasshoppers. The trout are certainly looking up and keying in on these large morsels. Try Dave’s hoppers in size 10 or Rainey’s hoppers in size 8. As the flows increase, the action has moved to the lower section, White Shoals. The hot flies have been San Juan worms in cerise and hot pink.

Sportsman’s White River Resort  (870-453-2424) said the water is low and clear. Two generators were running in the morning and 6 were running in the afternoon. Trout fishing is good on Power Bait and pink worms. Fishing is slow in the afternoons, but great in the mornings.     

White River (From Buffalo City to Norfork):

Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said the river has been fishing better as the Buffalo River is back to normal levels. Power Baits have been working well along with Rapalas in black/gold/white. If you favor the bank with the Rapala you will pick up an occasional smallmouth all the way to the Norfork tailwater, especially if you fish the right side of the river as you head down stream.      

White River (From Norfork to Calico Rock):

Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said fishing has been good as long as you fish primarily in the mornings. After noon the fishing slows and they are not as active. White River Zig Jigs have been doing very good as well as the standby Rapala. When the generation from the Norfork hits the White River at about 1 or 2 p.m., the bite gets worse.    

Crooked Creek: 

John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service said Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River have cleared some and are fishing well. The hot flies have been Clouser minnows, Barr’s meat whistles and large woolly buggers. If we get much rain, these streams muddy and rise quickly.  

Bull Shoals Lake:  

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 654.39 feet MSL.

Lake Norfork:

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 553.22 feet MSL.

101 Grocery and Bait  said the surface water temperature is in the low 90s. The thermocline is around 30 feet deep, and that’s where the fish are hanging out. Crappie fishing is good around brush in 30 feet of water on minnows. Bluegill fishing is good on worms and crickets. Walleye fishing has been good jigging a spoon in 25-30 feet of water. Bass fishing is good on Carolina-rigged and Texas-rigged lizards. White bass fishing is good. Catfishing is fair. Striper fishing is slow.  

Norfork Tailwater: 

Mountain River Fly Shop  said the Norfork tailwater has a good supply of wadable water every day. We have heard good reports from woolly buggers stripped across the current, as well as soft hackles.  

John Berry from Berry Brothers Guide Service said the Norfork Tailwater has fished a bit better this week. We have been getting a substantial period of wadable water daily. Generation for the rest of the day was near maximum levels. On low water, small midge patterns have been the ticket. Try black zebra midges, Norfork beadheads in black or olive and Dan’s turkey tail emerger. Soft hackles like the green butt and the partridge and orange have also been effective. Grasshoppers have been producing. The upper river at Quarry Park has fished particularly well. On high water, the most effective tactic is to fish brightly colored San Juan worms or egg patterns under an indicator. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot fly, as always, has been the sow bug. Other hot flies have been worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns (orange). The Dry Run Creek enhancement project was dedicated this week. This is a major project designed to enhance the fish holding capacity, increase the access for children and make the creek more accessible for the handicapped. At certain times, the fishing will be adversely affected during this construction.    

Northwest Arkansas

Beaver Lake:  

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,120.40 feet MSL.

JT’s Crappie Guide Service  (479-640-3980) said Bass fishing has been slow lately. The best action during the day has been along steep sloping banks using hula grubs or Texas-rigged lizards. Night fishing has been best using Carolina-rigged, dark-colored lizards along gravel banks. Crappie fishing has been good early around brush piles in 20 to 30 feet of water. Small tube jigs and minnows have been most effective. Prairie Creek or Monte-NE have been good areas to fish for crappie. Whites have been everywhere early and late and can be caught on casting spoons. Catfishing has been very good in Prairie Creek and the Highway 12 Bridge at night using liver or stink bait.   

Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is at normal level. Bream are fair near rocky areas. Crappie are biting fairly well on jigs. Bass are biting well around brush in the river arms. Catfishing is good on worms. White bass action is beginning to slow.   

Beaver Tailwaters: 

Ken Richards at Just Fishing Guides had no report.    

Kings River:

Ken Richards at Just Fishing Guides said smallmouth action is very good. Water is extremely low, but if you don't mind hiking or wet wading, there are a lot of fish holding in the deeper holes. This also means very few people on the water, so the fish are not as spooky. Watermelon-colored lizards, tubes or worms will work great. Rig the hook weedless and use a slip weight to get the lure to the bottom. Fish will be holding deep in the holes and along wooded or grassy banks. Bounce the lure along the bottom and be prepared for a few good hookups. For the fly fisherman, late August and early September is prefect for hoppers. A Dave’s hopper in the shadowy areas will produce some great panfish and also a few smallies. Black woolly buggers and crayfish patterns will get the lunkers hiding in the deep water. Sun and wind can take a lot out of your body, so be sure and stay hydrated.  

Lake Fayetteville: 

Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) had no report this week, but last week, fishing was slow for all species. Some bluegill were caught on crickets in shallow water next to deeper drops. Crappie were fair around stumps on minnows. Bass were slow on spinnerbaits fished slowly in 15 to 20 feet of water.  

Lake Sequoyah: 

Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said fishing is slow to fair overall and the heat is making fishing uncomfortable. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on worms.   

Northeast Arkansas

Crown Lake: 

Boxhound Marina  ( 870-670-4496) said the water is clear and the surface temperature is around 90 degrees. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. Catfishing is good on chicken liver at night. All other species are slow.  

Lake Frierson: 

Lake Frierson State Park  said the water is muddy and low. Bream are biting well on redworms fished near brush. Crappie are biting well on jigs fished in deeper brush piles. Bass are biting well on soft-plastic worms. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers and chicken livers.     

Spring River: 

Mark Crawford at Spring River Fly Shop said the water has cleared up nicely and it’s a great time to get out and catch some smallmouth bass. The water is warm and many smallmouth have been caught downriver. The trout have been hitting egg patterns and cotton candy flies very well. The school year starts this week and that will clear the canoe traffic. It’s a great time to be on the Spring River fly fishing.   

Southeast Arkansas

Lake Chicot:

Lakeshore Motel and Marina  (870-265-9901) had no report.  

Lake Monticello: 

Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of MonticelloBigBass.com said the lake is producing some toads in the 8- to 9-pound range with one brute of over 12 pounds reported within the last week. The lake is absolutely full of 3 and 4 pounders. There is a good worm and jig bite in the 14- to 18-foot depth range. Best worm colors are watermelon/red and dark colors. Good jig colors include green pumpkin and black/blue. Carolina rigs are catching bass on points. Deep crankbaits are accounting for a few bass. The schooling action can be good if you happen to be in the right place at the right time. Prop baits and walking baits are catching some of these fish. Right now it is really important to keep your bait wet and pay attention. The bites are not coming fast, but the quality is more than worth the wait.   

Southwest Arkansas

Millwood Lake:  

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 255.61 feet MSL.

Millwood Lake Guide Service  said as of Monday, surface water temperatures are in the upper 80s to lower 90s. Exercise extreme caution during running Little River during low light conditions as many river buoy markers are missing or pushed out of place. The Corps of Engineers began the 4-foot drawdown July 13, and stumps are exposed along the river. The drawdown will remain in effect until February 2010. Boat ramps at various locations are closed due to lake level during drawdown. Yarborough is still open, although extremely shallow. The discharge at the dam is 6,458 CFS with 13 gates open at 1.5 feet each and 2 sluice gates open at 6 feet each. Main lake visibility is 5-6 inches away from any current in Little River. The campground at lower Beards Bluff is closed. Schooling bass are being caught in Little River over the last several weeks. Surface temps stabilized over the past week and the bass continue to be in a much more aggressive mood chasing shad. The best bite is from daylight until about 10 or 11 a.m., then slower until 6-8pm when the bite improves again. Best bass bite over the past week continues to be on Cordell Crazy Shads, Big O crank baits, YUM Buzz Frogs, Bass Assassin Shad jerk baits and Rat-L-Traps in Transparent, Millwood Magic, and Spring Bream colors. Fish near most any creek mouth junction with Little River, in the lily pads and any remaining vegetation. Bass Assassin Shads, Johnson spoons, Heddon baby Moss Bosses in white, and Yum Buzz Frogs are working around these vegetated areas where the fish are schooling in the lily pads. Medium-running crankbaits like the Cordell Big O or Fat Free Shads, in white shad, or citrus shad colors or shad patterns, are taking some keeper size bass in the 3-6 pound class. Once the sun gets up high and bearing down, the best bass bite option is to flip or pitch stumps and cypress trees near deep water with an 8-inch magnum lizard in Camouflage, Redbug, or Green Pumpkin colors. Schooling White Bass disappeared over the past week. Crappie are still slow because of muddy water inflow and current. Blakemore Roadrunners, Southern Pro Crappie Tubes, and live shiners were the best lures and baits over past couple weeks in oxbows close to cypress trees in 17-25 of water in close proximity, or in deep creek channels with cypress knees or stumps or in planted brush piles along Little River prior to all the rain. Channel Catfish continue biting well on cut shad, chicken livers or Catfish Charlie on yo-yos hung from cypress trees in the oxbows over 8-12 feet of water, and on trotlines in Little River current.

White Oak Lake:

Local angler John Tilley said the rain came, but the water level dropped quickly and clarity is back to normal. Surface water temperature is 87 deg. Bream are still biting well on crickets with larger males still guarding a few beds. Some crappie are being caught in deeper water using jigs and minnows. Bass fishing is slow with the best bite at night. No report on catfish. 

Lake Greeson: 

Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips Guide Service said the surface water temperature is rising and the lake level was last reported at 547.50 msl. Crappie and catfish are being caught on live bait fished 10 to 16 feet deep in 15 to 25 feet of water.     

Cossatot River: 

Davy Ashcraft at Cossatot River State Park had no report.     

DeGray Lake:  

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 404.35 feet MSL.

Local angler George Graves said the water is in the high 80s and clear. Hybrid fishing is fair with some nice fish being caught off the deep timber. The fish are off deep points, (80 to 100) feet and are suspended 30 to 40 feet down, right above the tree tops. The best lures are heavy jigging spoons, heavy swim baits and large live minnows. Use your sonar to find the fish; they will be in very small, scattered schools. The best areas are between DeRoche Ridge and the mouth of Brushy Creek. The best time is early in the morning. Bass fishing is fair with a few breaking fish early in the morning. Try to hit the breaking fish with a swim bait or a small surface lure. Also try a Texas-rigged worm or a heavy jig off main lake points in 15 to 20 feet of water. Best colors are green pumpkin and red shad. The hydrilla is still gone, so look for any rock or wood cover. Try both sides of the lake between the dam and Brushy Creek. Crappie are biting fairly well over brush/bamboo shelters between 20 to 25 feet deep. Fish directly over the shelter just above the brush, (about 15 feet down). Use a 2-inch grub in Tennessee shad or live minnows. Look for shelters in creeks and deep coves between Caddo Drive and Yancey Creek. Bream fishing is still good with catches coming from all over the lake. Just look for a shallow secondary point and fish in water between 10 and 15 feet deep. Don't spend too much time on a spot if you’re not catching fish, try another spot and you will eventually find the fish. Use either worms or crickets.  

West-Central Arkansas

Lake Nimrod:

Lake Nimrod Bait and More II (479-272-4025) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting well with some very, very large bream being caught. Crappie are biting well in deep, open water on minnows. Catfishing is good on worms and chicken liver.  

Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said crappie have been biting well. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Catfishing is excellent on live and prepared bait.    

Lake Dardanelle:

Regina Olson at Spadra Marina said the dog days of summer are here. The water level has come up. Fishermen report crappie 8-10 feet deep with patient anglers getting 8 to 10 keepers per trip if they’re lucky. Catfish have been slow, but a few have been caught near moving water. Bass are slow, but some have been caught on watermelon seed soft plastics fished very slowly and worked in the same current breaks over and over.      

Blue Mountain Lake:

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 385.78 feet MSL.

Teresa at CD’s Quick Stop (479-947-2178) said the water is at normal levels and the clarity is good. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Catfishing is good on worms at the spillway area. No report on any other species.

Ozark Pool:

Lakeside Food Mart (479-667-5155) said the water is clear and the surface temperature is 88 degrees. Bream are fair on worms and crickets fished around brush in 3 to 4 feet of water. Crappie are fair on minnows fished around brush in 12 to 14 feet of water. Bass are slow. Catfishing is fair on shad and nightcrawlers.     

Lake Ouachita:  

Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said striper fishing is excellent. Bass fishing is good with some nice fish being caught on the deep edge of the grass on Texas-rigged Senkos

Mountain Harbor Resort  said the lake level is 572.84 and the water is clear; the water temperature fluctuates between 88-92 degrees. Largemouth bass are very good on big Texas-rigged worms fished in brush piles in 18 to 25 feet of water. Watermelon/red, bloodline and red shad paddle worms and Old Monsters are the best baits. Largemouths, spots and whites are still breaking and can be caught on white Roostertails or top-water baits in the mornings. Walleye are good and being caught on bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses on main lake points or humps near deep water in depths of 16 to 24 feet. Jigging spoons are working well on suspended fish at the same depths. Stripers are fair on live shad or trotline minnows. Main lake points near creek channels or open water humps are the best areas. The east end of the lake, from Point 3 to the dam, seems to be the best area. Bream are still good on worms or crickets in 18 to 25 feet of water. Crappie are fair near brush or over moss 20 to 30 feet deep. Minnows or crappie grubs are still working best. Catfish are very good and being caught on cut bait and live bait on jug lines and trotlines. Rod-and-reel fishing with stink bait or crickets has been very good the last two weeks in 15 to 20 feet of water.

Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports  said the water is stained to clear, depending on the area you are in. Top water lures around points seem to work well. During the day, fish a Texas-rigged worm in brush around 10 to 12 feet deep. Key on brush instead of moss, as it is not growing well. The Bluegill are biting well. Try crickets in the backs of pockets. Stripers are biting live bait in the early morning.

Dave Lindhag from Striped Bass Adventures said striper fishing has been good lately. The fish are running deep over open water suspended in the 40- to 70-foot range. Live shad are producing very well. The intake at the dam is a good place to start. Trolling umbrella rigs and plugs near Yorktown Bay and the State Park is working as well. The only trouble has been keeping the fish out of the trees once you hook up.   

Lake Hamilton: 

Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports  the lake temperature is in the low 80s and the water color is stained from the rain. A top-water lure or buzzbait should work great with all the new water coming into the lake. Some people are finding schooling fish in the mouths of most major creeks. After dark, a Texas-rigged worm is best in the brush. Also try a black spider in brush as well. Blue gill are easy to catch in the backs of most pockets.    

Lake Catherine: 

Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, said lake conditions have returned to normal and a regular generation schedule has been in place for the last week. Water temperatures remain in the low 60s with good clarity from the bridge to the dam. Rainbow trout fishing is very slow with the majority of fish away from the dam toward deeper water. The absence of quality trout fishing will drag on until late November when the stocking program begins again. Until then, anglers will need to stick with proven techniques that will target the remaining trout in the area. Nightcrawlers and redworms fished just off the bottom are the best bet for late summer fishing along with wax worms and meal worms. Powerbaits also work well as the egg shapes appeal to a rainbow's inborn instinct to feed on fish eggs. Action is slow to non-existent in still water and during periods of generation. August heat brings striper and hybrid schools close to the dam in search of the oxygenated waters of the tailrace. Top-water action is unpredictable and short-lived, so anglers must be ready to cast into the action. C-10 Redfins and Super Spooks in shad or trout colors consistently draw vicious strikes, as do soft plastic baits from 5 to 7 inches long. Schools of white bass move in and out of the area as they follow the threadfin shad schools. White or grey jigs typically do very well along with Rapalas in black and silver.     

Lake Hinkle:  

Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on crickets fished around rocky areas. Crappie are biting fairly well on minnows and jigs fished around brush in12 to 15 feet of water. Bass are excellent on minnows, spinnerbaits and crankbaits fished close to brush. Catfishing is good on goldfish, liver, worms and blood bait.   

Lake Atkins:

Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said the water temperature is 87 degrees and the water is clear. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are extremely slow. Bass are fair, but the fish being caught are skinny. Catfishing is excellent on minnows and crickets.  

Lake Fort Smith:  

Local anglers reported decent catches of crappie last week in the 18-20 foot depth range. Some nice slabs have come from the lake lately on the Shepard Springs side of the lake.   

South Central Arkansas

Moro Bay: 

Moro Bay State Park  at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay said recent rains have brought the river level up. Fishing has slowed considerably. However, bass fishing in areas where baitfish congregate can be very rewarding. A few such areas exist in Raymond Lake and Moro Bay. Catfishing can be good when the water is high. If you’re tight-lining, a large weight is necessary to keep bait on the bottom. If you’re fishing with a trotline, constant monitoring and adjusting to the water level are necessary. Crappie and bream are hard to catch in high water, but occasionally good numbers can be caught from the bank using crickets.   

Tri-County Lake:

Not many anglers are on the lake. No report.  

Ouachita River Oxbows: 

Some anglers are catching a few bass around trees on dark-colored soft plastics. Bream are fair on crickets in about 5 feet of water. Water levels are beginning to subside.

East Arkansas

Arkansas River at Pine Bluff:  

The Tackle Box (870-534-1498) said the water is a little murky. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets fished around brush. Crappie are fair in deep water on jigs fished near brush. Bass are biting well on soft-plastic worms fished around riprap. Catfishing is good on cut bait.     

White River: 

Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said fishing is slow and not many anglers are going to the river now.      

Maddox Bay: 

Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is high and the current is fast. Bream are slow with mostly small fish being caught. Some good red-eared sunfish are being caught on the bottom in 2 feet of water. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs fished 3 to 8 feet deep. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on stink bait near swift water.  

Island 40 Chute: 

Daily’s Boat Dock (870-739-3478) said the water is low. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs fished around stumps in 3 feet of water. All other species are slow.  

Horseshoe Lake:

Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water is at normal level. Bream are fair on worms and crickets fished around shallow brush piles. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs fished near deep water. Bass are slow. Catfishing is good on cut bait.