November 4 , 2009 Edition

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 clear and high. Bream are fair on micro jigs. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair on Reaction Innovations Trixy Sharks and Skinny Dippers. Catfishing is slow.

Dan at Gold Creek Landing (501-607-0590) had no report.

Little Red River: 

Lindsey's Resort  (501-302-3139) said the water is clear and the current is running high. Drift fishing from a boat is the best bet. Countdown Rapalas, Smithwick Rogues, Power Worms and Glow Worms are working well on rainbow trout.

Jed Hollan at the Little Red Fly Shop said in spite of all the high water, drift-fishing guide trips are producing good results. Fishing from a boat can be both productive and relaxing. Having a guide along to maintain safety and do all the work is a stellar idea. San Juan worms and jigs have attracted the most trout. Your offering should be presented on the streambed by using enough split shot or sink putty to get it down all the way. Larger than average strike indicators will be required to float this heavy set-up. Indicators in the grape to ping-pong ball size are recommended. Aquatic insect hatches are continuing with midges and blue wings being the thickest. There are a few caddis and PMD mayflies coming off, as usual, during the most pleasant time of the day. I expect to see March brown mayflies joining the bug armada in the near future. The best dry flies to use include the Adams (size 18), pale morning dun mayfly (sizes 16-18), BWO (size 18-20), midge (sizes 22-32; cream or black) or elk hair caddis (sizes 16-20; tan). Fishing below the surface? Try a sow bug (sizes 14-16; tan, UV tan, smoky olive or peacock), zebra midge (sizes 16-22; red, black or copper), red butt soft hackle (sizes 14-18), San Juan worm (sizes 14; red, fl. cerise, hot pink or worm brown), egg pattern (sizes14; roe, salmon, watermelon or bubble gum) or 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 476.44 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 461 MSL).

Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water is rising and the surface temperature is in the mid- to low 60s. The bite is beginning to improve with the sunny weather. White bass and hybrids are schooling back up under the reformed bait balls. If the sun is shining and the wind is blowing, the bite is excellent on spoons and inline spinners. Bass fishing is good in the bushes on top-water lures, spinnerbaits, jigs and creature baits. Floating Rogues and Redfins are also catching some good bass. Crappie are scattered in the brush and biting well on minnows and jigs. Bream are in the brush and are biting on nightcrawlers around the open parts of the bushes. Walleye should start to show up under the schooled up white bass and hybrids.

Shiloh Marina (501-825-6237) said not many anglers are on the water. 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 high and murky. Bream are biting fairly well on redworms. Crappie are fair on chartreuse/white and white Crappie Stinger jigs. All other species are slow.

Brewer Lake:  

Overcup Landing  (501-354-9007) said the water is high. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. Crappie are fair on small minnows and white/chartreuse jigs fished around brush. Catfishing is fair on cut shad and nightcrawlers. Bass are slow.

Lake Maumelle: 

Jolly Roger’s Marina  said the water is 1.6 feet above the spillway. Largemouth bass are holding around 15 feet deep and are biting fairly well on crankbaits, spinnerbaits and tubes. Some good catches are also coming from the bank around muddy water. Kentucky bass are staying out in 15 feet of water and are biting fairly well on jigs and soft-plastics. White bass are schooling around the east end of the lake on CC spoons and clear Near Nuttings. Crappie are biting well about 15 to 20 feet deep on minnows and 1/32-oz. jigs. The cooler weather will bring on a good crappie bite on pink minnows soon. Bream are slow. Saugeye are fair on Rogues and jigs trolled around 10 to 15 feet deep. Catfishing is good on minnows, worms and prepared bait fished 8 to 15 feet deep.

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

Lake Valencia: 

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said catfishing is good on chicken hearts and nightcrawlers.

Sunset Lake: 

Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is high and stained. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting well on 2-inch lemon meringue colored jigs fished in brush about 15-inches deep. Bas are biting well on green pumpkin lizards fished 10 to 12 feet deep. Catfishing is slow.

Saline River Access in Benton: 

Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is muddy and high. The current is too fast for fishing. No report.  

Arkansas River at Morrilton:

Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said the flow is still extremely high. Catfishing is good on whole shad fished from the banks below dams 9 and 10. The backwater in Coppers Gap and Flaggs Lake are also producing catfish. Stripers are good on live shad and bream fished 4 to 6 feet deep under a balloon below dams 9 and 10. Kentucky bass and white bass are biting fairly well on firetiger crankbaits in backwater areas.

Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool):

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

Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool):  

Vince Miller from Fish N’ Stuff (501-834-5733) said the current is still too high and dangerous for any fishing.

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

McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said that the river around Terry Lock and Dam is too muddy and high for fishing. The current is extremely dangerous right now.   

Clear Lake: 

McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is high and muddy. Bream are slow on redworms. Crappie are biting well on jigs tipped with minnows. Bass are biting well around brush on jig-and-pig combos. Catfishing is fair on chicken liver in the deepest water of the lake.

Peckerwood Lake: 

Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) had no fishing report.

Lake Pickthorne:

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

North Arkansas

White River: 

Mountain River Fly Shop had no report.

John Berry from Berry Brothers Guide Service said generation has been light but steady around the clock with slightly higher flows in the afternoon. There has been precious little wadable water. Fishing in the catch-and-release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been excellent. With the low level flows we had this week; it was difficult to navigate around the new habitat. The hot flies have been brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink and red) and egg patterns (orange and peach). White marabou jigs accounted for some good fish. This section will be closed Nov. 12-Jan 31 for the brown trout spawn. The section from the bottom of this closed area downstream to the wing wall at the state park is will be seasonal catch-and-release during the same time period. The stretch from Wildcat Shoals to Cotter has fished well. The moderate flows have been perfect for drift fishing. The hot flies have been San Juan worms and Y2Ks. There has also been a bit of grasshopper action, especially on windy days. Rim Shoals has been red hot for another week. The go-to flies have been Y2Ks and cerise San Juan worms. In the afternoon we have been getting some good baetis (small mayfly) hatches. 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 two generators are running and the current is high. Trout fishing is fair on trout worms and Power Bait. All the trout being caught are rainbows. Very few large brown trout are being caught.

Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said the water has been very stained but plenty of fish taken on Power Bait below the catch-and-release area. Just bounce it on the bottom and make sure you have enough weight to get it all the way down. Any bright color will work in the stained water.  

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

Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said the Buffalo is still 4 feet above normal but beginning to clear. As you get down to Norfork and Reds Landing, the water is clear enough to fish either Power Bait or Rapalas. The fish being caught are a little larger than usual and there has been plenty of action.

Crooked Creek: 

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

Bull Shoals Lake:

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 676.80 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 569.93 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April – 552 MSL, April-Sept. – 554 MSL).

101 Grocery and Bait said fishing has been good for the most part. The surface temperature is in the low 60s. There is some stained water near the newly flooded brush that has been good for largemouth bass. Kentucky and smallmouth bass are being caught more often in the deeper water. Crappie fishing has been fair using minnows and small rubber baits with a very light jig and a slow presentation. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers and live minnows. Walleye fishing has been slow. Striper fishing has been slow. White bass fishing has been fair on top-water baits.

Norfork Tailwater: 

Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said the tailwater is very muddy because of Otter Creek flooding during the last rain. There won’t be much good fishing until the stained water is flushed out.

John Berry from Berry Brothers Guide Service said there have been significant periods of no generation every day with moderate generation in the afternoon. This has created some great wading conditions daily. The Norfork River has received quite a bit of pressure due to round the clock generation on the White. The lower flows fished well with midge patterns. The hot flies were black zebra midges with silver wire and silver beads, black Norfork midges and Dan’s turkey tail emergers. On higher flows hot pink San Juan worms and orange egg patterns have been the most effective flies. There are some spawning rainbows in the catch-and-release section. Please watch your step and avoid walking through the redds (spawning beds). They will appear as light colored depressions in the gravel. Dry Run Creek has fished well. Some big browns have begun moving into the creek to spawn. The hot fly, as always, has been the sow bug. Other hot flies have been worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns (orange).

Ken Richards at Just Fishing Guides said some low water is available in the morning through early afternoon. Indicator nymphing and swinging soft hackles are providing the most consistent action. Scuds, sow bugs, small pheasant tails and zebra midges are working well. Many fish are surfacing for midges in the mornings and evenings. There are many sculpin in the water, so don't discount woolly buggers or woolly worms.

Northwest Arkansas

Beaver Lake:  

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,128.91 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 1,120 MSL).

JT’s Crappie Guide Service  (479-640-3980) said bass fishing has been very good. Medium-running, shad- or crawdad-colored crankbaits and spinnerbaits have worked very well along sloping chunk rock banks with flooded brush. Crappie fishing has been fair on black/white or red/chartreuse tubes tipped with minnows. The best location for crappie has been near brush on the bottom near creek ledges in 25 to 40 feet of water. White bass are suspended about 10 to 30 feet deep near main-lake and secondary points. Catfishing remains good after dark from the bank at Highway 12 bridge, Hickory Creek and Monte-NE. The best baits have been stink bait and liver.

Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is muddy and high. All species are slow because of all the flooding.

Beaver Tailwaters: 

Ken Richards at Just Fishing Guides said the flow is still high with few wading opportunities due to the level of Table Rock Lake. There is some wading available by the dam and the first campground. Nymphing with strike indicators is providing the most consistent action. Zebra midges, small red San Juan worms, beadhead simple sow bugs, pheasant tails and olive or grey scuds are good bets.

Kings River:

Ken Richards at Just Fishing Guides said the river level is a little high for fly-fishing and the water is starting to cool. Spin fishing with soft plastics on the bottom is the best bet now. Remember to slow your presentation as the water cools.

Lake Fayetteville: 

Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said the water is high and clear. Fishing is slow for all species and not many anglers are on the water.

Lake Sequoyah: 

Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is high and clear. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. Crappie are slow, but a few have been caught on minnows and jigs in 5 feet of water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and soft-plastic worms fished in 2 to 5 feet of water around weed beds near rocky points. Most of the bass being caught are small. Catfishing is slow on liver and live bream or goldfish. Not many anglers are on the water because of hunting seasons.

Northeast Arkansas

Crown Lake: 

Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is high and dingy. Bream are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs fished around docks and cover in 15 feet of water. Bass are fair. Catfishing is slow.

Lake Frierson: 

Lake Frierson State Park  said the water is high and muddy. No anglers have been around the park to give a report.  

Spring River: 

Mark Crawford at Spring River Fly Shop said the water is back to normal level but is still cloudy. The forecast for this week has no rain, so this weekend should be great for fishing. Monday, Mark had excellent action on a fly pattern called Grandma's Brownie. He used slow, evenly spaced strips of the line during his retrieve. Stop by Spring River Fly Shop to learn about the pattern and the technique.  

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 still high from all the rain. The fish are still biting, but the schooling is still hard to come by. There have some nice bass caught on deep-diving crankbaits in the last few days. Basshunters and Fat Free Shads are catching fish in the 8- to 12-foot depth range. Shad and citrus shad colors are working best on the cranks. Texas-rigged worms and shaky head worms are catching bass from 1 to 15 feet deep. Natural-colored worms are working best. Stanley Ribbits are seeing some action in the pads.

Southwest Arkansas

Millwood Lake:  

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 260.61 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 259.2 MSL).

Millwood Lake Guide Service said exercise extreme caution boating Little River; many river markers are pushed out of place or missing because of current and major pool fluctuations. USACE will run the 4-foot drawdown from July 2009-February 2010. Many stumps are exposed or shallow enough in the boat lanes to cause major damage to boats and injure boaters. Many boat ramps are closed because of the proposed lake level during drawdown. Yarborough and Jack's Isle are still 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, White Cliffs, River Run East and River Run West are all closed due to high water. Boat ramp repair and improvements at the Millwood State Park are recently completed. Main lake and Little River water surface temps are 60-67 degrees, depending on location and time of day. As of Monday, the discharge at the dam is 25,080 CFS is with 13 gates open at 4.5 feet each and two sluice gates open at 6 feet each. Main-lake visibility is very poor (about 2- to 4-inches of visibility). Largemouth bass are scattered and lethargic with the increase in muddy, cold water. The best bite has shifted to midday. Some schooling activity has re-appeared at random in the back of Yarborough Lake and other areas where you can find slightly clearer water. The best baits this week have been Rat-L-Traps in Millwood Magic, Firetiger or Red Shad; Texas-rigged 10-inch worms in Red Shad, Black or Blue Fleck; slow-rolled spinnerbaits in white/chartreuse, Spot Remover, firetiger and Hot Mouse; and jigs in black/blue, green pumpkin/chartreuse and Texas Craw. Fish are holding close to stumps and any remaining vegetation along Little River at the junction of creek mouths. White bass are scattered and slow. Crappie are dead slow with the recent rise in current and muddy water. Channel catfish are biting extremely well on cut shad, earthworms, chicken livers and Catfish Charlie in 10 to 15 feet of water near current.

White Oak Lake:

Frequent rain has kept anglers off the lake. The water is high and muddy.

Lake Greeson:  

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 549.84 MSL (Flood pool – 548 MSL).

Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips Guide Service had no report for Lake Greeson. Most of his guiding has moved to Lake Hamilton.

Cossatot River: 

Cossatot River State Park said the water is too high and swift for fishing.

DeGray Lake:

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 410.76 feet MSL (Flood pool – 408 MSL).

Local angler George Graves said surface water temperature is in the low 60s. The water is clear in the lower (eastern) end of the lake and somewhat dingy from Brushy Creek to the river. Not many anglers are on the water, but some bass fishermen are reporting fair action in the newly flooded brush. Dark-colored jigs and Brush Hogs are working well in the heaviest cover you can find. Some success has been had fishing off the first drop from 15 to 20 feet around secondary points and the middle of ditches with jigs, Texas-rigged worms and Carolina-rigged worms. Crappie fishing is fair with the fish relating to brush or bamboo shelters. Look for fish shelters in 20 to 25 feet. Drop a Tennessee Shad-colored 2-inch grub just above the fish. If the water is stained, try a black/chartreuse grub. Attractors in the mid-lake area have been the best. Look in the Alpine Ridge, Island 34 areas. Hybrids are scattered all over the lake and refuse to bite. The fish will be moving up lake in the next few weeks and action should pick up, especially between Point 15 and Shouse Ford.

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 said the water is still high, but has cleared a bit since the heavy rains a couple of weeks ago. Crappie have been biting like crazy. They are biting best on minnows and glitter-colored tubes (reds, whites and blues) as well as alewife and silver glitter Bass Assassin Tiny Shads about 7- to 8-feet deep. Catfish have been doing almost as well. Chicken hearts and cut shad are the choice baits. Most are being caught on the bottom by rod-and-reel anglers. Bass have been somewhat harder to find, but it has picked up from the summer. White bass have been running, and have been caught by crappie anglers.

Blue Mountain Lake:

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 406.96 feet MSL.

Teresa at CD’s Quick Stop (479-947-2178) had no report. The lake is flooded.

Ozark Pool:

Lakeside Food Mart (479-667-5155) said the water is high and muddy. Crappie are fair around backwater areas on minnows. White bass are fair on a jig-and-minnow fished from the bank. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers and cut bait fished from the bank. All other species are slow.  

Lake Ouachita:

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 582.50 MSL (Flood pool – 578 MSL).

Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service the fish are biting fairly well. Bass are fair on spoons and jigs fished around rocky points and steep banks on the main lake around 35 feet deep. Stripers are slow and spotty.

Mountain Harbor Resort  said the water is 60 to 66 degrees and stained. Largemouth bass are fair and can still be caught on jigs fished in brush piles in 18 to 25 feet of water. Walleye are fair on jigging spoons fished on main lake points or humps near deep water in depths of 20 to 30 feet. Stripers are fair on live shad or trot line minnows. Main lake points near creek channels or open water humps are the best areas. Bream are slow on worms or crickets in 18 to 25 feet of water. Crappie are still very good and being caught near brush. Try brush in water 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 fair and being caught on cut bait and live bait on jug lines and trotlines.

Dave Lindhag from Striped Bass Adventures said the high water has scattered the stripers quite a bit. Some schools are being found, but finding fish that will hit is a bit tough. The ones that are being caught have had some good size to them. Live gizzard shad sinkered down to the schools has been the only thing working.

Lake Hamilton: 

Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports had no new report.

Dave Lindhag from Striped Bass Adventures said the added current has kept the water too muddy for most striper fishing. If you can get your shad below the muddy surface water, you can catch a few fish, but it’s been spotty.

Daryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips said the surface water temperature is in the mid-60s and the clarity is improving. Crappie are biting well on live bait fished 12-15 feet deep on 18-25 feet of water.  

Lake Catherine: 

Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports very heavy generation will continue to be the norm at Carpenter Dam until Lake Ouachita is out of flood pool. The winter drawdown for both Lakes Catherine and Hamilton will begin on Nov. 7 and should be finished by Nov. 15. The tailwater of Carpenter Dam can be very dangerous during the drawdown because of submerged islands, rock piles and sand bars mixed with fast current. Rainbow trout stocking should begin in mid-November and last until mid-April.

Lake Hinkle:  

Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said the water is high and stained. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting well on minnows fished around brush piles near the bank. Bass are biting excellently near the bank on soft-plastic worms and top-water lures. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers.

Lake Atkins:

Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said the water rose with all the rain, but is still fairly clear. Bass are still slow and small. Catfishing is good. Crappie are slow, but some are being caught on minnows and jigs. Bream fishing was very good, especially for large redear sunfish.

South Central Arkansas

Moro Bay: 

Moro Bay State Park at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay said the park is closed due to flooding over the roadway into visitor’s information center and campground.  

Tri-County Lake:

Flooding has kept most anglers off the water.  

Ouachita River Oxbows: 

Flooding has kept most anglers off the water.

East Arkansas

Arkansas River at Pine Bluff:

The Tackle Box (870-534-1498) said the water is high. It’s overflowing its banks and is in parking lots around the harbor.  

White River: 

Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is extremely high and flooding has kept most anglers from fishing.

Maddox Bay: 

Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is too high and muddy. No one is fishing.

Island 40 Chute: 

Daily’s Boat Dock (870-739-3478) said the river is too high for fishing and is still rising. No fishing.

Horseshoe Lake:

Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water is high. Crappie are biting well on black/chartreuse jigs. Catfishing is good near the middle of the lake on live and prepared baits.