January 6, 2010 Edition
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This is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s fishing report for January 6, 2010. If there is a body of water you would like included in this report, please call or e-mail us with information on possible sources for that lake or river.
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Fishing Tip:
When boating in winter, always bring a dry change of clothes in a waterproof bag. When packing the bag in the boat, don’t purge all the air out of the bag to save space. Instead, keep as much air as possible inside and keep the bag in the floor of the boat. If the boat sinks, the extra air and open location can help the bag float to the surface.
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
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Central Arkansas
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Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said fishing is very slow due to the weather.
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 river is at normal levels. Trout fishing is good on drifted nightcrawlers and spinners. Power Bait is also working well.
Unfortunately, Jed Hollan at the Little Red Fly Shop said they will be closing their doors and will not be able to give a fishing report in the future. Hollan has been an excellent source of information to anglers on the Little Red, and he will be missed.
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 470.25 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 461 MSL).
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service
said the water level at Greers Ferry is falling, and the temperature ranges from 42 up the creeks to 46 in the main lake. The hybrid and white bass can still be caught with spoons in 35-55 feet of water around shad when you find them, just work the spoon very slowly. The fish will be right on the bottom and will just load up on it, instead of hitting the lure with a thump. No report on crappie. No report on catfish. No report on bream. Walleye can still be caught with chartreuse spoons fished slowly on gravel flats close to deep water anywhere from 26 feet to 35 feet. Bass fishing has picked up on jerk baits and crankbaits. Wiggle Warts and Bombers are working best for the crankbaits. Also try football head jigs and Carolina-rigged lizards for the bottom-hugging fish.
Shiloh Marina (501-825-6237) had no report.
Coffee Creek Landing
(501-889-2745) said no one is fishing.
Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said fishing has been good for those who dare the weather. The water is low, but some anglers have found places to get a boat in the water. Crappie have been biting well on jigs; especially pearl Crappie Stingers. Many anglers report catching limits each day.
Lake Bailey (Petit Jean State Park):
Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) had no report.
Overcup Landing
(501-354-9007) had no report.
Overcup Landing
(501-354-9007) said the lake is iced-over.
Lake Maumelle:
Jolly Roger’s Marina
had no report.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said there are very few fishermen out on the lake due to the cold weather.
Lake Valencia:
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said trout have been stocked for the winter and are biting well on Power Bait and nightcrawlers.
Sunset Lake:
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) says the water is clear and the lake is at normal levels. Bream and catfish are slow. Crappie are fair on Tennessee shad. Bass are fair on watermelon jigs.
Saline River Access in Benton:
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) says the river is at normal levels. Bream and catfish are slow. Crappie are fair on Tennessee shad. Bass are fair on chartreuse crank baits.
Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said the weather has kept most people off of the river. Catfish are in deep holes. Try a combo of shad and nightcrawlers. Sauger are hitting chartreuse jib tipped with a minnow. Stripers and white bass are below the dam and biting on live shad in about 3 to 5 feet of water. Bass are near the rocks in the late afternoon. Try a pig and jig combination.
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool):
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said that in the Little Maumelle River and Maumelle River, crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. The best colors for jigs have been blue/white in clear water and chartreuse in muddy water. Catfishing is good on chicken hearts and cut bait. Bass and bream are slow.
Vince Miller from Fish N’ Stuff (501-834-5733) said no one is fishing the river lately. No report. Fish ‘N Stuff will be closed Dec. 21-Jan. 4. Happy Holidays.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said crappie are biting fairly well below Murray Lock and dam on twisted tails and twin tails. Blue catfish are hitting shad. Crappie are good on jigs in the Little Maumelle River.
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is cold, muddy and swift. Fishing is slow for all species.
Clear Lake:
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is clear and very cold. Bream are slow on redworms. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are fair on crankbaits. Catfishing is slow.
Peckerwood Lake:
Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the lake is closed for fishing until Jan. 31, 2010.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report.
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North Arkansas
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White River:
John Berry from Berry Brothers Guide Service said there has been precious little wadable water, and the releases have increased. If you are fishing on the White River, carefully monitor the water level and avoid boating on it.
Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is very high, with 8 generators running around the clock. The water is very high, but some anglers are fishing and catching a few on crankbaits and jigs.
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said generation has been erratic at best. Periods of low water, followed by a release of larger amounts. Nymph tactics from a boat with San Juan worms, scuds, sow bugs, pheasant tails and zebra midges (sizes 12-18) have been delivering good fish. Also try streamer fishing using woolly buggers, slump busters, zoo cougars and various sculpin patterns (sizes 6-10). Concentrate on bank cover, such as boulders, root wads and laydowns.
White River (From Buffalo City to Red’s Landing):
Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said no one has been fishing because of the extremely cold weather.
Buffalo River:
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said water levels are very good in the middle section for fishing. Water temperatures are in the mid- to low 40s. Lures fished slowly on the bottom should pick up some smallmouth. Water flows are just a tad high for fly-fishing in the mid- and lower sections.
Crooked Creek:
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said water levels are a little high for fly-fishing, but spin fishing should be good. Water temps are in the low 40s. Soft plastics and jigs fished slowly on the bottom should pick up some good fish.
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 664.39 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 654 MSL).
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 558.05 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April – 552 MSL, April-Sept. – 554 MSL).
101 Grocery and Bait
said fishing live bait is the key to hooking into a striped bass this time of year. Shiners are the hot bait. The water temperature is in the upper 50-degree range and it is getting cooler every day. If striper fishing is your thing, it's time to get on the water. Crappie fishing has been fair and of course live bait is the bait of choice. White bass fishing is good. Walleye fishing is fair. Largemouth, smallmouth and Kentucky bass fishing is fair. Sunfish and catfish fishing are fair. The night bite for stripers and walleye should begin any time now using Rogues.
Norfork Tailwater:
Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said no one has been fishing because of the cold.
John Berry from Berry Brothers Guide Service said monitor the water levels on the Norfork and do not attempt boating on it until the Corps of Engineers closes the flood gates and limits flows to generation from the dam. The boat ramp at Quarry Park is flooded and closed to all traffic. The high water levels washed away all of the recently installed landscaping. Hopefully there will be no further damage to the recently resurfaced ramp parking lot.
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said the Corps of Engineers has been generating around the clock. Drift-fishing from a boat is very successful, using high-water nymph tactics with larger flies; San Juan worms, scuds, sow bugs, pheasant tails and zebra midges (sizes 12-16). Streamer fishing using sink tip lines with woolly buggers, slump busters, zoo cougars or various sculpin patterns in sizes 4-8 is also working. Use safe boating procedures while fishing the high water, and always go with one person devoted to controlling the boat and one person fishing.
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Northwest Arkansas
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As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,127.62 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 1,120 MSL).
Mike Bailey, owner of Bailey’s Beaver Lake Guide Service, (479-366-8664) said stripers are scattered and are hitting shad all over the lake, with the hottest action on shad/brooder minnows fished under balloons fished 10-20 feet deep and set 50-100 feet behind the boat (stagger your balloons so you don't tangle). On windy days, fish the coves that the wind is blowing into, on still days, fish deeper near the main channel. This is a pattern that will generally hold all winter. This week's cold front with temperatures dropping to near single digits is causing a shad kill. The stripers are feeding on bottom, eating the dead/dying bait. And with more cold temperatures in the forecast, the bottom-feeding pattern should hold for the next several days. Anchor on a point or piece of structure and present live or cut bait on the bottom using a slip-sinker rig fished between 15-25 feet deep, wherever you are marking bait and stripers near the bottom. After about a 1/2 hour if your not bit then change locations. The following areas will hold fish, however with all the rain and runoff, you will need to find the clearest water and stay ahead of the muddy water in the tributary arms. The Army Corps of Engineers is dropping the lake drastically, causing a lot of current in the lake. Fish will be positioned anywhere that breaks the current, but could be on the upstream end or downstream end. On the White River from the Highway 12 Bridge to the Highway 412 Bridge, concentrate efforts in backs of coves and shallow flats near the river/creek channel. In Hickory Creek, try the main river channel and the Hickory Creek arm. In Horseshoe Bend, the striper alley area is producing fish on the flats near the main river channel. The Joe Creek area is also producing. Monte Ne has been producing fish near the mouth and on the flats near the main river channel. In War Eagle, concentrate your efforts from the War Eagle/White River junction up War Eagle to the Sidewalk hole. Some fish are being taken near the power lines at the lower end near the White River. White bass and hybrids can also be taken in the area all the way up to the mill. Try fishing Rooster Tails or jigging spoons in silver or gold/chartreuse. With the dropping water levels you will need to look in the deepest holes and expect the fish to move down nearer to the White River intersection later in the week. At Lost Bridge, most fish are being caught on the bottom. In the area of Fish Trap Hollow and Pine Log. Prairie Creek is producing a lot of fish in the Copper Mine area near points 8 and 9 and near the Beavershores area, including Blackburn Creek. On the main lake, try fishing jigging spoons or live shad on the bottom 20-30 feet deep on points 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, and 12.
JT’s Crappie Guide Service
(479-640-3980) said bass fishing has been good, despite the cold weather. The shad have begun dying off and the best bait as of late has been a Smithwick Rogue or a soft-plastic jerk bait. The best colors have been chrome, blue, clown and white. Fish them around main-lake and secondary points 8 to 20 feet deep. A jig tipped with a minnow, fished around docks along steep banks has also been productive. Crappie fishing has been good up either river arm right on the drop off. Fish a tube jig or Shineee Hineee jig around brush piles or standing timber. Work the jig from the bottom up until you find the fish. White bass have been tough to catch. Try main-lake points from the 12 bridge upstream. A ¼-oz. jigging spoon fished in schools of bait should do the trick.
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is high, clear and cold. Ramps have been icy. Bream are slow. Crappie are slow, but a few have been caught on jigs and minnows. Bass are biting well on crankbaits and jigs. Stripers are fair on live bait fished around Point 12. Catfishing is slow.
Beaver Tailwaters:
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said the Corps of Engineers has been generating for a few hours in the morning and a few hours in the evening. The fishing is best between high-water events. Try nymphing with small scuds, sow bugs, pheasant tails and zebra midges (sizes 14-20) using 6x or 7x tippet with a 9- to 12-foot leader. Use as small an indicator as possible in natural colors like white, blue or black to spook fewer fish. During periods of high water, drift fishing from a boat is the best option. Try high-water nymph tactics with larger flies such as Chamois San Juan worms, scuds, sow bugs, zebra midges and pheasant tails (sizes 12-16). Concentrate your drifts along the slower current seams along channel banks and drop offs.
Kings River:
Ken Richards at Just Fishing Guides said water levels are very good for floating and fishing. Water temperatures are in the low 40s. Any fishing you do will have to be very slow as the temperatures drop. Soft plastics and jigs are the best bet this time of year. Fly-fishing will be tough unless you have a sinking line and heavy flies.
Lake Fayetteville:
Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) had no report. Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock will be closed Dec. 23-Jan. 15.
Lake Sequoyah:
Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on worms and small spinners and crankbaits around stumps and weeds in 1 to 5 feet of water. Crappie are biting well on jigs fished next to stumps in 1 to 5 feet of water. Bass are biting well on crankbaits. Catfishing is slow, but a few have been caught on goldfish, cut shad and bream. Overall, fishing is good for this time of year.
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Northeast Arkansas
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Crown Lake:
Boxhound Marina
( 870-670-4496) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting fairly well on redworms. Crappie are biting well on small jigs. Bass are fair on Eakin’s jigs tipped with a grub. Catfishing is slow.
Lake Frierson:
Lake Frierson State Park
said fishing is very slow.
Spring River:
Mark Crawford at Spring River Fly Shop had no report.
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Southeast Arkansas
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Lakeshore Motel and Marina
(870-265-9901) had no report.
Lake Monticello:
Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of MonticelloBigBass.com said bass fishing on Lake Monticello has been tough with the latest cold fronts. There are a few bass being caught on spoons in 28 feet of water. There are a few crappie, yellow bass and white bass being caught in the deep hole out by the box. The number of boats in the hole is down considerably from past years. The most successful anglers are using live minnows.
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Southwest Arkansas
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As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 258.32 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 259.2 MSL).
Millwood Lake Guide Service
said, as of Monday, all ramps are usable due to the increase in water, but the drawdown is still in effect and the water will drop again throughout the week. Yarborough and Jack's Isle will be open during the drawdown. Use extreme caution due to shallow ramps and siltation/sedimentation and drop offs at the end of ramps. Main lake and Little River water surface temperatures range from 44 to 50 degrees, depending on location and time of day. Discharge at the dam is 15,473 cfs, with 13 gates open at 3 feet each, and 2 sluice gates open at 6 feet each. Main lake visibility and clarity is very low from the influx of water. The oxbows’ clarity recently worsened with all the increase of current and fresh incoming water and is approx 10-11 inches at best. Bass are scattered and slow with repeated cold fronts, increased current and muddy water. The best bite is mid-day around creek mouth junctions with Little River. The best bass bite has been on crankbaits, smoke or holographic grubs rigged on white jig heads, dead-sticked Bass Assassin Slow-rolling heavy spinnerbaits is working, but has tapered off considerably with the cold fronts. Large 1-ounce Rat-L-Traps, Cordell Big O or XCalibur Fat Free Shad crankbaits were still working on 14-18 inch bass. Carolina Rigs were improving along the washouts and creek channel dumps into Little River and taking some keeper sized bass before the increase of current in Little River. Flipping stumps, cypress trees, and laydown tree trunks near deep water are the best bets for jig fishing. The best jig colors are Texas Craw, black/blue and chestnut/chartreuse colors. White bass are as scattered and slow. Crappie shut down with the muddy current in Little River. Channel Cats are biting very well with the increased current along Little River. The best bait has been cut shad, Catfish Charlie and home-made dough balls in Little River between Jack's Isle and Mud Lake or on yo-yo's hung from cypress trees in the oxbows around 5-9 feet deep.
Local angler John Tilley said there isn’t much fishing going on at White Oak because of the weather. The lake is being dropped 7 feet to make repairs to Starnes Landing ramp and the parking lot. The water should be back to normal level some time in February. No other fishing information available at this time.
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870) 234-2222 said the water level is high. Crappie fishing is good, but anglers haven’t given any details on lure selection. No report on any other species.
Lake Erling:
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870) 234-2222 said the water level is still high, but is beginning to drop. Crappie fishing is good. Most crappie are being caught around 12 feet deep on jigs and shiners. No report on any other species.
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 546. MSL (Flood pool – 548 MSL).
Cossatot River:
Cossatot River State Park
said the water is too high and swift for fishing.
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 408.0 feet MSL (Flood pool – 408 MSL).
Local angler George Graves said the surface temperature is in the mid-40s. The water is clear in the lower end to muddy above Arlie Moore. The water level is dropping and boat ramps are open. There is very little fishing activity due to the cold and unstable water conditions. Several fair reports on crappie taken in the Alpine Ridge area have come in. Fish deep attractors (30 to 35 feet). In this cold dirty water about the only thing they will bite are minnows. If you use a jig, be sure to put a minnow on it. Rosy reds have been working best. Fish the thickest part of the brush, just above the cover. A few big bream are also in the fish shelters mixed in with the crappies. Fish like you would for crappies, except use a small, (no. 8) hook and worms or crickets. No report on bass. Some hybrids are starting to show in the Shouse Ford/Point Cedar area but will not bite until the water clears.
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West-Central Arkansas
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Lake Nimrod Bait and More II (479-272-4025) had no report.
Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) had no report.
Regina Olson at Spadra Marina had no report.
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 384.48 feet MSL.
Teresa at CD’s Quick Stop (479-947-2178) had no report.
Lakeside Food Mart (479-667-5155) said fishing is very slow.
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 577.9 MSL (Flood pool – 578 MSL).
Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service had no new report because of weather and the holiday season.
Mountain Harbor Resort
said the water is 38 to 42 degrees and clearing. Largemouth bass are good on jigs fished in brush piles on points or humps in 18 to 25 feet of water. Deep-running crankbaits are working well fished near drop-offs and ledges. Walleye are still slow and being caught on jigging spoons or fluorescent jigs tipped with minnows on main-lake points or humps near deep water in depths of 20 to 30 feet. Stripers are fair on live shad or trotline minnows. Main-lake points near creek channels or open water humps are the best areas. No report on bream. Crappie are fair 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 Arkansas shad are the best colors for artificial baits. Catfish are fair and being caught on cut bait and live bait on jug lines and trotlines.
Lake Hamilton:
Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports
had no new report.
Daryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips said the water temperature is in the mid-40s. Crappie fishing is excellent on points and humps near deep water. Bass fishing is fair.
Lake Catherine:
Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, (501-624-8757) said water temperature has fallen to 49 degrees below Carpenter Dam. Clarity is fair to dingy with all the generation that is taking place. Rainbow trout fishing has picked up as trout downstream have made their way up into areas where fishermen have access to them. Bank fishermen are having trouble managing the swift flows, but are finding areas of less current where trout are holding. Nightcrawlers and redworms fished just off the bottom with marshmallows have taken limits of trout. Wax worms will also work well using the same technique. Rooster Tails in white or brown have been the best artificial lure as rainbows are keying on injured threadfin shad. Fly-fishermen are able to wade into prime areas with the low water conditions and have caught quality trout casting San Juan worms in red or pink under a strike indicator. Micro jigs in white or black have also provided some good action. Egg patterns are working well and are a go-to presentation when fishing gets tough. White and hybrid bass continue chasing shad. Top-water action usually occurs in the late evening with little or no activity in the morning. Jerk baits and small jigs are a deadly presentation to use on these fish and will almost guarantee results when used in areas where schooling fish are present. Some stripers have been caught below the bridge in the main channel. Trolling large Rapalas and casting ¼-ounce jigs hooked several stripers in the 10- to 12-pound range. Big striped bass will move into the shallow water around the dam as the trout stocking program becomes more regular. Boaters are advised to use extreme caution when navigating the waters below Carpenter Dam as many hazards are exposed with the 5-foot drawdown this year.
Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) had no report.
Ken Vinson at Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) had no new report this week.
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South Central Arkansas
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Moro Bay:
Moro Bay State Park
at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay said the water level is 85.50 feet above sea level. It is slowly dropping. No one is fishing due to high water and freezing temperatures.
Flooding has kept most anglers off the water.
Ouachita River Oxbows:
Flooding has kept most anglers off the water.
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East Arkansas
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The Tackle Box (870-534-1498) said the water is murky and at normal levels. Most of the anglers are fishing south of Pine Bluff in Pool 2. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets around any rocky areas. Crappie are biting well on pink/white, chartreuse, or black/white jigs. Bass are fair around rocks on slow-moving lures. Catfishing is slow.
White River:
Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the fishing is very slow right now and not many fishermen are braving the cold weather.
Maddox Bay:
Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is high and muddy. No fishing is taking place because the water is too high.
Island 40 Chute:
Daily’s Boat Dock (870-739-3478) said the water is high and rising. Fishing is nearly impossible with the high water and current.
Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water is clear and cold. Bream are fair on redworms. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows fished on the bottom. The crappie that have been caught have been large. Bass are slow. Catfish are slow.
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