October 14 , 2009 Edition

Family and Community Fishing Program Update:  The final stocking of catchable-sized catfish for the year will take place in all Family and Community Fishing Program ponds this week. The first stocking of rainbow trout in these ponds will take place during the second week in December.

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 is muddy and high. Bream are biting well on redworms and wax worms. Crappie fishing is good on minnows, but not many big crappie are being caught. Bass are fair. Catfishing is good on trotlines baited with minnows and green sunfish.

Dan at Gold Creek Landing (501-607-0590) said crappie are biting fairly well. Bass are fair. Bream are fair on worms fished near the bottom. Catfishing is good.

Little Red River: 

Lindsey's Resort  (501-302-3139) said the generators are running at a normal level and fishing is very good on wax worms, Power Bait and flies.  

Jed Hollan at the Little Red Fly Shop said the Greers Ferry powerhouse is releasing more often to bring the lake back to normal pool. The average temperature of the water coursing through the turbines is 54.8 degrees. The average dissolved oxygen level is 6.6 parts per million. Aquatic insect hatches continue with blue-winged olive mayflies and midges being the most prolific. A smattering of caddis and pale morning dun mayflies can be seen here and there. Trout feed underwater 90 percent of the time, making nymphs, larvae, pupae and emergers their largest food sources. The mere presence of these macro-invertebrates is a strong indicator of good water quality. The most productive dry flies include the Adams (sizes 18-20), PMD (sizes 16-18), BWO (sizes 18-20), midge (sizes 22-32; cream or black) and elk hair caddis (sizes 16-20; tan). Effective sub-surface flies include the lowly sow bug (sizes 14-16; tan, UV tan, smoky olive and peacock), chronic (size 14), zebra midge (sizes 16-22; red or black), red butt soft hackle (sizes 14-18), San Juan worm (size 14; red, fluorescent cerise, hot pink or worm brown) and woolly bugger (sizes 8-12; olive, brown and black). A few female brown trout are being caught dropping their eggs and male brown trout ejecting milt. The spawn is just around the corner.

Greers Ferry:  

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 464.74 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 461 MSL).

Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service  said the water level is rising with all the rain. The surface temperature is in the high 60s to low 70s. Hybrids and white bass are scattered and chasing shad. The cloudy, rainy, windless days have kept the action very slow. They should get back to schooling if the sun breaks free and we get a little breeze. Find the schools on your fish finder and drop a spoon or in-line spinner to them. The smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass bite is off as well. Spinnerbaits, Rat-L-Traps and crankbaits fished shallow are taking the occasional bass. Some deeper fish are still being caught on football head jigs and Carolina-rigged Senkos. No report on crappie or catfish. Bream are biting crickets and crawlers in shallow water around cover. Walleye are fair on spoons and in-line spinners fished in 35 to 45 feet of water near the bottom. The rain has driven the shad deeper and scattered them.

Shiloh Marina (501-825-6237) said not many anglers are on the water because of the weather. No report.

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. 12.

Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said hunting and rain have kept all the anglers off the water.

Lake Bailey (Petit Jean State Park): 

Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said hunting and rain have kept all the anglers off the water.     

Lake Overcup:  

Overcup Landing  (501-354-9007) said the water is clearing up. Crappie are good on brush. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits and buzzbaits around grassy banks. Catfishing is fair on worms and cut bream.

Brewer Lake:  

Overcup Landing  (501-354-9007) said the water is murky and high. Bream are slow. Crappie are fair on black jigs fished in 8 to 10 feet of water. Bass are fair on buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on cut shad.

Lake Maumelle: 

Jolly Roger’s Marina  said the water is 0.6 feet above the spillway and has flooded all the water willow. Largemouth bass are biting well in 15 feet of water on tubes, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Kentucky bass are biting well on tubes and jigs fished 15 to 20 feet deep. White bass are fair and are schooling around the east end of the lake on CC spoons and Rogues. Crappie are being caught about 15 to 20 feet deep on minnows and 1/32-oz. jigs. Bream are biting well around rocky structure 10- to 20-feet deep, but the bite is dying for the year. Some saugeye are being caught 10 to 15 feet deep on trolled jigs and Rogues. Catfishing is good on minnows, worms and prepared bait in 8 to 15 feet of water.

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are biting fairly well on crickets. Crappie are fair on medium-sized minnows. Bass are fair on soft-plastics. Catfishing is fair on large minnows and cut shad.    

Lake Valencia: 

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are biting fairly well on crickets. Crappie are fair on medium-sized minnows. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers and packaged bait.  

Sunset Lake: 

Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is murky. Crappie are biting well on lemon meringue-colored 21/2-inch grubs in 10 to 12 feet of water. Bass are fair on green pumpkin worms in 10 to 12 feet of water. All other species slow.  

Saline River Access in Benton: 

Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is high and muddy.  

Arkansas River at Morrilton:

Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said the river flow is too high for any good fishing.  

Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool):

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said crappie are biting well in the Little Maumelle on pink minnows. Bass are fair in the Little Maumelle on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on chicken liver in the Little Maumelle and Palarm Creek.  

Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool):  

Vince Miller from Fish N’ Stuff (501-834-5733) said the current is too high for any fishing and will be high for the next few weeks.

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said the water level is too high for anything but snagging below the dam. A few catfish have been caught on green sunfish in any backwater area.

McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said that around Terry Lock and Dam, the water is muddy and high. Crappie are fair on minnows in the backwater. Bass are fair in the backwater on soft-plastics. Catfishing is good on shad.   

Clear Lake: 

McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is high and muddy. Bream are fair on redworms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on jigs. Bass are fair on jigs. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers.

Peckerwood Lake: 

Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is high and clear. Bream are fair on crickets around brush. Crappie are fair on jigs fished near lily pads. Catfishing is good on hot dogs, shrimp, stink bait, chicken liver and packaged bait.

Lake Pickthorne:

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said crappie are good on minnows fished around standing cypress. No other reports.

North Arkansas

White River: 

Mountain River Fly Shop said it’s been hard to establish a pattern this week on the generation schedule, given the heavy rain last week. Midges remain very strong, pick your size according to the flow. Davy’s Whitetails are stocked back up courtesy of a care package from Teresa Van Winkle. We have also had very good reports on the Pearl Super Midge and standard black zebras. WD40s have been very good in the lower flows, as have Olive Zebras. Try the Tailwater Sow bug and McLellan’s Woven V-Rib for the lower flows plus the Wotton Sow bugs.

John Berry from Berry Brothers Guide Service said the rain raised all the levels in the White River system reservoirs. Wildcat Shoals was hit or miss. This is a broad shallow shoal that can provide limited wading on low levels of generation. Be very careful, as there is a lot of bedrock in this area, which can be treacherous to wade. It did not fish well on those days when it was severely stained. Rim Shoals was hit or miss due to the runoff from the heavy rains. The hot flies have been the black zebra midge with silver wire and silver bead in size 16, prince nymphs in size 16 and beadhead sow bugs size 14. Other flies, specifically hot pink fluorescent San Juan worms and olive woolly buggers accounted for some large fish. If you encounter high water, Rim Shoals Trout Dock maintains a water taxi and will ferry you to wadable water for a nominal fee.

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the clarity is good and two generators are running around the clock. Trout fishing is good on Rooster Tails in rainbow trout patterns. Little Cleo spoons are also working well. Fly-fishermen are catching man fish on pink micro-jigs and sow bug patterns.     

White River (From Buffalo City to Red’s Landing):

Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said the river is completely muddy due to the influx from the Buffalo River below Buffalo City. You can still catch a few fish dragging Power Baits on the bottom, but it’s slow. Go to Rim Shoals or Wildcat Shoals and the fishing is great with Rapalas or White River Zig Jigs. Several large browns have been caught during the last few days.

Crooked Creek: 

John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service said Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are high and off color.

Bull Shoals Lake:  

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 662.77 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 654 MSL).

Lake Norfork:

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 559.36 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April – 552 MSL, April-Sept. – 554 MSL).

101 Grocery and Bait said the surface water temperature is in the low 70s. Bass fishing has been good in the mornings using top-water baits, especially buzzbaits and spooks. Crappie fishing has been fair around brush piles in 20-30 feet of water using minnows. Sunfish are doing well on worms and crickets. Catfishing has been fair on trotlines. White bass fishing has been good with some top-water action and some a little deeper using a variety of baits from Beetle Spins and in-line spinners to Rat-L-Traps. Walleye fishing has been fair using worms on a crawler harness bounced on the bottom in 18-25 feet. Striper fishing has been fair using live bait. With the rain and cool temperatures, a lot of the fish are moving into and around coves that have creeks and streams flowing into them.

Norfork Tailwater: 

Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said the backed-up water from the White River into the Norfork has everything very muddy. Fishing is dead slow.

John Berry from Berry Brothers Guide Service had no report due to the muddy water. 

Northwest Arkansas

Beaver Lake:  

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,125.89 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 1,120 MSL).

JT’s Crappie Guide Service  (479-640-3980) said bass fishing has been good. Try top-water lures early around newly flooded brush. Later in the day, try crawdad-colored crankbaits along chunk rock banks. Crappie fishing has been very good. Try a minnow fished just above brush piles in 20 to 35 feet of water. White bass have been breaking the surface sporadically lake wide. Try a small casting spoon for the schooling fish. Catfish have been biting well in the evenings in the Beaver Shores area and the Hwy. 12 Bridge.

Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is high and muddy. Bream are fair in shallow water. Crappie are biting well on minnows fished around brush. Bass are fair in shallow water on top-water lures, crankbaits and jigs.

Beaver Tailwaters: 

Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides had no report. 

Kings River:

Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides had no report because of the rainfall.  

Lake Fayetteville: 

Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) had no report.

Lake Sequoyah: 

Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water high. Crappie are fair on minnows, jigs and Roadrunners fished in 4 to 8 feet of water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits, soft-plastic worms and buzzbaits in 2 to 6 feet of water. Catfishing is good in 8 to 20 feet of water at the river channel on chicken livers. 

Northeast Arkansas

Crown Lake: 

Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is clear and high. Bream are biting well on redworms and crickets. Crappie are slow. Bass are biting well on black/blue jigs. Catfishing is good on crickets.

Lake Frierson: 

Lake Frierson State Park  said the water is high and muddy. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets fished near brush piles. All other species are slow.    

Spring River: 

Mark Crawford at Spring River Fly Shop said consistent rains have brought river levels up and made water clarity poor, but the great thing about the Spring River is that it usually clears up quickly.  

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 surface temperature is cooling a little every day. With that, there are bass in the shallows around the pads. Yum Dingers and slowly fished Flukes are working in the skinny water. Jighead worms are catching fish here and there on the lake. There are still bites to be had in the deeper water around 8 to 12 feet on worms and crankbaits. The lake level has been fluctuating with the recent rains, but the water is still as clear as usual. The schooling is still not happening like it should be for this time of year. Top-water fishing should improve during the next week or two as the water continues to cool.

Southwest Arkansas

Millwood Lake:  

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 261.49 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 259.2 MSL).

Millwood Lake Guide Service said as of Tuesday the surface temperature of the lake is 70 to 75 degrees. Although the 4-foot drawdown is still in effect, the rain has filled the lake back to normal conservation pool. The Corps of Engineers has opened gates in the dam to draw the lake back down as soon as possible. The drawdown and radically fluctuating water have made the lake extremely dangerous to navigate because of added debris and water levels exposing stumps. Boat ramps at various locations are closed due to lake level during drawdown, but Yarborough and Jack's Isle will stay open. Other ramps around Millwood which have been shallow, are usable this week with the increase in lake pool from recent rains. Wilton Landing on Hwy 71 and White Cliffs are open and gravel has been added by the USACE, to the end of the ramp to assist loading and unloading boats and trailers. The dam discharge increased to 16,970 CFS is with 13 gates open at 3.5 feet each and 2 sluice gates open at 6 feet each. Main lake visibility worsened with all thunderstorms, and water clarity is 2-4 inches in high volume current in Little River. The oxbows’ clarity also worsened due to recent thunderstorms, and is 12-15", at best. Bass continue to chase shad schools as temps have dropped and the bass continue to be in a much more aggressive mood. The best bite over the past few weeks has shifted to mid-day. However, schooling largemouth bass are still being found all along Little River at random most any time of day. The most aggressive bass bite over the past two weeks continues to be on smoke or holographic grubs rigged on white jig heads for schooling fish, along with topwater baits like Cordell Crazy Shads, Clear Baby Torpedoes, YUM Buzz Frogs, and Bass Assassin Shad jerk baits. For sub-surface schools, try Rat-L-Traps, Cordell Big O or Excalibur Fat Free Shad crankbaits. The best Rat-L-Trap colors are Millwood Magic, Sexy West or Transparent. Many schools of bass have been found near most any creek junction with Little River, in the lily pads and any remaining vegetation. During the schooling action, the top-water bite is fantastic, and a good time to take a youngster fishing. Magnum tubes and 3- to 4-inch gitzits are working in flooded grass over the past week with the rise of the lake's level back to and above normal pool, resulting in bass moving into these previously dry grass fields. Best colors we have observed working for tubes and gitzits are smoke/black/red flake w/chartreuse tails, or black with red flake. Schooling white bass disappeared with the increase in muddy water and current. The crappie bite has almost completely shut down with all the current, muddy water and rapid pool fluctuations along Little River. Channel catfish are loving the increase in current along Little River and biting extremely well on bulky earthworms, cut shad, chicken livers, or Catfish Charlie.

White Oak Lake:

No report.

Lake Greeson:  

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was not available. (Flood pool – 548 MSL).

Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips Guide Service said the rain has cooled the water temperature and caused the lake to rise. Water color in the creek arms is stained. Crappie and bass are being caught 15-feet deep on brush piles and bamboo condos in 25-feet of water with live bait and jigs. Fish the cleaner water and you'll find the fish. 

Cossatot River: 

Cossatot River State Park had no report.

DeGray Lake:  

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 409.26 feet MSL (Flood pool – 408 MSL).

Local angler George Graves said the water is to the top of the ramp at Caddo Drive. If the rain keeps up, many ramps will be closed. The surface water temperature is in the upper 60s. The water is clear in the lower end and muddy in the upper river arm. Very few anglers are out with the rain, but several good catches of bass have been reported in the creeks and ditches around mid-lake. Coves and secondary points in 6 to 10 feet of water are producing well. The best pattern has been a green pumpkin or red shad Texas-rigged worm or jig. Try a shallow crankbait or spinner bait in the morning as well. Hybrid fishing is holding up well with good catches reported by those few fishing for them. The fish are still suspended 50 feet deep in the timber. Fish the edges of old creek or main river channels that have lots or standing timber. Look in 90 to 110 feet of water. Fish a jigging spoon or swim bait above the fish, (about 40 feet). Remember, the fish will only come up on the lure and never down to it. Only jig the lure to get the fish’s attention, the fish will hit when it is standing still. Best areas are between Iron Mountain and the mouth of Brushy Creek. Bream fishing is good around the State Park and the fish are positioned on the outside edge of the submerged brush in coves. Use a float and crickets or worms. No reports on crappies, however the late fall and early winter are an excellent time for these fish. Look for shelters in coves which are 20- to 25-feet deep. Use a 2-inch grub and fish just above the brush. The best areas are between Caddo Drive and Goat Island.

West-Central Arkansas

Lake Fort Smith:  

No report.   

Lake Nimrod:

Lake Nimrod Bait and More II (479-272-4025) had no report.  

Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) had no report.    

Lake Dardanelle:

Regina Olson at Spadra Marina had no report.  

Blue Mountain Lake:

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 396.10 feet MSL.

Teresa at CD’s Quick Stop (479-947-2178) said not many anglers are visiting the water now. No report.

Ozark Pool:

Lakeside Food Mart (479-667-5155) said the current is high and the water is muddy. Crappie are slow, but a few have been caught on a jig-and-minnow combination. All other species are slow.   

Lake Ouachita:  

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 580.66 MSL (Flood pool – 578 MSL).

Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said the rain and cold weather have scattered the bass and stripers in Lake Ouachita. Fishing is slow, but if you cover a lot of water with crankbaits and spinnerbaits, you can catch a few fish.

Mountain Harbor Resort  said the surface temperature ranges from 70 to 75 degrees. Largemouth bass have slowed, but are still biting well. They can be caught on jigs fished in brush piles in 18 to 25 feet of water. Largemouths and spots are still breaking and can be caught on white Rooster Tails or top-water lures. Walleye are fair and still being caught on jigging spoons on main-lake points or humps in 16 to 24 feet of water. Stripers are slow on live shad and trotline minnows. Main-lake points near creek channels or open water humps are the best areas. Bream are good with worms or crickets in 18 to 25 feet of water. Crappie are very good and being caught near brush 20 to 30 feet deep. Minnows or crappie grubs are still working best. Tennessee shad and white are the best colors for artificial baits. Catfish are still good and being caught on cut bait and live bait on jug lines and trotlines. Rod-and-reel fishing with hot dogs or dough bait is good in 15 to 20 feet of water.

Dave Lindhag from Striped Bass Adventures had no report.

Lake Hamilton: 

Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports  said the surface water temperature is in the 70s and the water color is stained to muddy because of the rain. A top-water lure, spinnerbait or a buzzbait is working in the creeks where the fresh water is coming in. Also people are finding schooling fish in the mouth of most major creeks. After dark, a Texas-rigged worm is best in the brush. Also try a black spider in brush. Bluegill are easy to catch in the backs of most pockets.    

Lake Catherine: 

Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that Entergy has been generating around the clock at Carpenter Dam with all of the rainfall that has occurred in the last two weeks. This pattern will continue with more rain forecast for the first part of this week. Water temperatures in the tailrace remain in the high 50s as fall weather moves into central Arkansas. Rainbow trout fishing is extremely slow but will improve greatly next month when the trout stocking program begins in mid November. Hybrid bass fishing has come on strong recently as these fish feed heavily on shad around the dam. Large schools of hybrids and small stripers are in and out of the main river channel and are being caught on black/silver Rapalas and white or grey 1/8-oz. jigs. Feeding times are unpredictable, but occur primarily during periods of generation. Walleye continue to be present in the tailrace and have been caught on Shad Raps, jigs, and small crawfish crankbaits around sandbars and visible structure. Some white bass are also being caught, but the numbers are down as compared to earlier in the summer. Anglers using trolling motors instead of main engines are much more successful in approaching the schools of feeding fish in the shallow water.

Lake Hinkle:  

Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and top-water lures. Catfishing is good on worms and chicken livers.

Lake Atkins:

Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said bass fishing is good, but the bass are still small. Some 4- to 6-pound fish have been caught on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Catfishing is good on trotlines and noodles baited with shad. Crappie are picking up; most are small, but some larger ones are slowly coming in on small minnows. Last year’s crappie spawn was poor, so please try and release crappie shorter than 9 inches to help next year’s spawn. Bream are moving closer to the banks. Redears are slow and small.

South Central Arkansas

Moro Bay: 

Moro Bay State Park at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay said the river is very high and rising (currently 82 feet above sea level which is 17 feet above normal). The National Weather Service predicts that it will peak at 87.6 feet by late Friday. It’s a good time to fish for buffalo in the flooded backwaters. They can be caught in commercial nets or on trotlines baited with cottonseed meal. Small bass and bream are hard to find with this much water. They can often be found on the downcurrent side of a flooded roadway, where they wait to catch baitfish and insects swept downstream by the current. A good way to find them is by watching the birds -- crows, egrets and herons. Getting to the fish on foot will soon be difficult as it will require crossing water in most places. Inexperienced boaters should steer clear because launching a boat is difficult with the ramp underwater; currents are swift, and floating debris can damage boats.  

Tri-County Lake:

No report.  

Ouachita River Oxbows: 

The rain and high water have fishing at a standstill.

East Arkansas

Arkansas River at Pine Bluff:  

The Tackle Box (870-534-1498) said the water is muddy and high. The only place to fish is in the harbor. Bream are biting worms and crickets. Crappie are good on minnows. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on skipjacks.    

White River: 

Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is muddy and high. No one is fishing.   

Maddox Bay: 

Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is high and clear. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and crankbaits in oxbows and other backwaters.

Island 40 Chute: 

Daily’s Boat Dock (870-739-3478) said no one is on the water lately because of the weather. Fishing is slow for all species.

Horseshoe Lake:

Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water is at normal level and clarity is good. Bream are slow, but a few have been caught in shallow water on redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair around piers that extend way out in the lake. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers and cut bait.