Arkansas Wildlife Weekly Fishing Report

October 16, 2025

Jim Harris

Managing Editor Arkansas Wildlife Magazine

Emmett and Ty White enjoyed catching a big stringer of catfish recently while fishing at Womble Pond in western Arkansas. Womble Pond is within the Caddo/Womble Ranger District of the Ouachita National Forest, with headquarters in Mount Ida. Thanks to AGFC Game Warden TraeMichael Samuel for sending us the photo; Samuel is a recent graduate of the AGFC’s Cadet Academy, where he and 14 other potential game wardens underwent 18 grueling weeks of training in Mayflower before their graduation in September.

Reports are updated weekly, although some reports may be published for two weeks if updates are not received promptly or if reporters say conditions haven’t changed. Contact the reporter listed for the lake or stream you plan to fish for current news.

Arkansas River and White River levels are available at: http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=lzk

For real-time information on stream flow in Arkansas from the U.S. Geological Survey, visit: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/rt

For water-quality statistics (including temperature) in many Arkansas streams and lakes, visit: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/current/?type=quality

Download the Fish Brain app and follow AGFC at: https://join.fishbrain.com/agfc-page

Quick links to regions:

• Central Arkansas
• North Arkansas
• Northwest Arkansas
• Northeast Arkansas
• Southeast Arkansas
• Southwest Arkansas
• South-Central Arkansas
• West-Central Arkansas
• East Arkansas

Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir (under renovation) and Nursery Pond
(updated 10-16-2025) AGFC staff in Mayflower note that while Lake Conway is drawn down for renovation, the Lake Conway Nursery Pond is open for fishing in the immediate area, with bream and trout being reported among catches of late. The 70-acre pond has been stocked by the AGFC with mature bass, crappie, catfish and bream as well as rainbow trout for the cold weather months.

Little Red River
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time outflow report from Greers Ferry Dam, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website or by calling (501) 362-5150). Also check the Southwestern Power Administration website to see forecast generation schedule.

(updated 10-16-2025) Mike Winkler of Little Red River Fly Fishing Trips (501-507-3688) said, “We’ve been in a fairly consistent generation pattern for a while now with the Southwestern Power Administration running water daily at the dam. The projected releases have been pretty accurate lately, with one unit or less up to two units being generated most afternoons. Start times have been anywhere between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., and they’ve been running water anywhere from a couple of hours to about five.
“Before heading out, it’s always a good idea to check the USACE Little Rock app — compare the projected release schedule with what actually ran to plan your day accordingly.
“Wade fishing opportunities remain solid throughout the river, and drift-fishing from a boat has been productive as well. The fishing’s been especially good on days when they push a little more water.
“For flies, the usual suspects have been doing the trick under an indicator: Pheasant Tail Soft Hackles, Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ears, midges and San Juan Worms.
“Overall, conditions have been steady and fishing’s been good — a great time to get out and enjoy the Little Red!”

(updated 10-16-2025) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood said the main word from the Little Red lately is that a lot of anglers have been catching both rainbows and browns on a marabou jig “pretty exclusively,” they say. That can be either a ⅛-ounce or 1/16-ounce jigs. Three colors each appear to be working nicely: olive, black and brown.

The water is a little low for most of the day, until the afternoon when they have been consistently running roughly four to six hours consistently. So your best bet fishing will be to get out early in the mornings. But with one generator, you can fish all day.

Greers Ferry Lake
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time lake level and outflow report from Greers Ferry Dam, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website

(updated 10-16-2025) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood said that bass on the lower end of the lake are starting to hit pretty well on jerkbaits, as well as some mid-diving crankbaits for up in the creeks. You want to look at a jerkbait or crank that is primarily clear but with a blue or black hue to it. A good example would be the Megabass Vision 1-10 or the Ito Tennessee Shad.

Also, for fishing for bass on the main lake, a Carolina rig with some kind of watermelon color will be a great choice fished across main lake points.

Crappie fishing has been pretty good — on and off, but for the most part good. They’ve been catching on standing timber in around 15 feet of water. They are mostly catching on a small, 2-inch swimbait in natural shad color on a 1/16-ounce jighead.

(updated 10-16-2025) Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said the water level at Greers Ferry lake is at 458.00, or 4.04 feet below normal pool, with four to five hours of generation on certain days in the fall period for energy production. “The bite is really on!” Tommy says. “We are also in early fall and there is active schooling fish all over the lake and rivers. It’s spotty in places, better in others, according to the bait.”

Some crappie are found up on the bank, while others are still floating around in deeper water. Jigs and minnows are working best at all depths, and crankbaits work for trolling 10-16 feet for the mid-depth fish up to 35 feet for the deeper fish. Brushpiles have really been in play as well as standing timber.
Walleye are scattered everywhere: some deep, some shallow and all in-between. And, of course, lake walleye are staying put on points, humps, etc. in 10-35 feet. Try dragging a jig tipped with minnow or crawler and/or drop-shot. A Big Minnow-style plug is working trolled.
Catfish are still eating really well all over the lake and rivers. Lots of blues came in early in the summer. Lines and jugs are working best with a variety of baits as well as rod and reels.
Bream are coming off another spawn. Try crawlers, crickets, small cranks and inline spinners.
As for white bass and hybrid bass, a lot them are in 25-43 feet some are out to 60 feet now. Use Road Runners and grubs for shallow fish; spoons and inline spinners for deeper fish now. Black bass are scattered as well. Some are up on the bank, others in 10-15 feet and some around 40 and then some are out to 60 feet on points, humps, ridges, bends and different contour changes. You also have schooling action going on in different parts all over the lake and rivers.
“Be safe and wear your life jacket.”

Harris Brake Lake
(updated 10-16-2025) Bing Watkins at Harris Brake Lake Resort (501-889-2745) said nighttime and early morning, people start catching crappie on the bank. The crappie bite overall is underway but it’s mostly good early mornings and then late in the evening. One angler, fishing behind the bait shop late Wednesday night in the cool evening, caught seven or eight crappie, including one that was pretty good size, she said.

Another crappie angler residing on the lake was out and caught several using a blue and white Crappie Stinger.

Anglers have started catching largemouth bass. The fish are in shallow water and they were fishing from a boat. They did not reveal their bait, however.

Catfish are biting on chicken liver, and most catches this week have come off rod and reel. Some bream are biting, but they are small. “People are catching them for bait,” Bring said. “Also, a lot of shad are showing up on the lake.”

Water level is “kinda low,” she reports but looks nice overall, and the clarity appears muddy to green-tinged.

Follow more from Harris Brake Lake Resort on its Facebook page.

Lake Overcup
(updated 10-16-2025) John “Catfish” Banks at Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) off Arkansas Highway 9 (501-354-9007) had no new report from the lake. In his most recent report, however, he said the water level is about normal and clarity is good. Bass were still chasing shad and being caught on plastic worms and spinnerbaits. Bream were being caught with crickets and redworms.

Catfish were doing well on nightcrawlers and bass minnows. Crappie were being caught in 10-12 feet of water about 6 feet down.

Lake Maumelle
(updated 10-16-2025) WestRock Landing in Roland (501-658-5598) says the surface water temperature is ranging 74-77 degrees and the lake level is 6.15 feet below normal Maumelle pool. The back boat launch ramp is open and accessible.
Black bass remain fair. Largemouths are up shallow in the morning hitting topwater lures, then they head deeper to 15-20 feet. Try Carolina rigs, jigs, drop-shots and crankbaits. Spotted bass (aka Kentucky bass) are fair like their largemouth relatives, and they’re hanging out in 12-18 feet on brushpiles mixed in with the largemouths. Try buzzbaits, Zara Spook-style baits, drop-shot, Carolina rigs, jigs and crankbaits. Their best bite is early in the morning and late in the evening. They can also be found on the east portion of the lake near rock points.

Crappie are fair. They were last reported scattered around brush anywhere from 18-25 feet. Try minnows and jigs. Bream also are fair and being found on brushpiles in 5-15 feet depth. Crickets and worms are your best bet.

White bass and catfish produced no reports again this week. Throw a Twister Tail or crank and see if a white bass bites, while catfish should be hungry enough for a live bream, worms or liver.

Arkansas River at Morrilton
For the real-time water flow at the Ormond Lock and Dam and Morrilton stage level, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

Little Maumelle River
(update 10-16-2025) Ray Hudson at River Valley Marina (501-517-1250) said the water is clear and normal. The bass are doing really well, and anglers are starting to catch crappie in about 7-8 feet depth on both jigs and minnows. The cooling water has gotten the fish bite really going, especially the crappie, he said.
Crappie on the Little Maumelle now like a red and chartreuse jig, he said. A purple soft-plastic worm or a bream-colored crankbait will work on the bass.

A lady angler has been catching a lot of catfish around the dock this week, he added. Hog dogs and liver are the baits of choice.

Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)
For the real-time water flow at the Toad Suck Lock and Dam, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

Arkansas River (Little Rock Area Pools)
For the real-time water flow at the Murray Lock and Dam and David D. Terry Lock and Dam, as well as the Little Rock pool stage level, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

(updated 10-16-2025) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) said there have been no big temperature swings or anything like that, and fishing has been pretty much the same for a few weeks now. There was barely over 8,000 cfs flow in the river Thursday afternoon. The bass fishing has been fair. Topwater has been good, especially buzzbaits and Whopper Ploppers around grass.

On the main channel, they say that square-bill crankbaits around jetties, in any sort of shad color, will get some response.

Small finesse jigs are also working. Go with any sort of natural color, like green pumpkin, and fish them around the mouth of creeks or the backwaters.

For crappie, nothing has changed much lately. Black and chartreuse crappie tubes or Crappie Magnets are the way to go, fishing them on rock piles or wood either in or close to the main channel.

Peckerwood Lake
(updated 10-2-2025) Donna Mulherin at Herman’s Landing (501-626-6899) said the water is low and stumps are showing. Nevertheless, anglers are “tearing up the crappie,” she said. They’re using jigs mainly, and brown or black and chartreuse tend to be the colors that work best. She said she knows anglers on the opposite end of the lake are likely catching bass but she doesn’t hear much from them. “And you can always catch catfish,” she adds. Ninety percent of the anglers off Herman’s Landing are fishing for crappie.

The lake clarity now “is good for Peckerwood. It’s never a clear lake,” she said.

Plan for Oct. 31 as the last day for fishing on Peckerwood until the end of waterfowl hunting season. Peckerwood serves as a rest area for migrating waterfowl during the late fall and early winter. Take advantage of that great crappie bite now.

White River

Cotter Area
(updated 10-16-2025) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said Bull Shoals Lake is a foot and a half below power pool, offering steady releases over the last five days averaging 3,000 to 4,000 cfs with spikes up to three units (12,000 cfs) in the evening. Trout catching remains good to very good with mostly sunshine forecast for the next week — perfect fall days predicted. Cool mornings and warmer afternoons will pull anglers to the river where nature will flaunt some gorgeous autumn colors throughout the Cotter area.

Rainbows have been feisty and hefty, paying most attention to flashy baits; silver/black Rapala CD5s and 7s are a good bet. Thomas Buoyant Hammered Spoons (especially blue/silver) continue to cause a stir. Can’t beat the white PowerBait topping a pink worm if you’re drifting over the shoals. Jigs continue to entice a rainbow or two; find the right color combination for the day and you’ll be busy netting a bunch. The mossy green/peach D2 is winning this week.

The brown bite has been a little challenging with the onset of the annual spawn, but we’re still seeing some action with sculpin and shrimp.

“Come visit Cotter; catch some rainbows and enjoy the beauty of our Natural State.”

Calico Rock Area
(updated 10-16-2025) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said, “The weather has been beautiful, with cool mornings with fog on the river and warm days. We are seeing some amazing days of fishing also with plenty of rainbows being caught. The last few days, we’ve seen water rising to around 6.5 feet and cresting in late morning before dropping the rest of the day and reaching as low as 4.5 feet overnight.

“Fishing has been great in the morning if you can catch the rise and stay just ahead of it going downriver. In the afternoon, moving upriver has produced better fishing. We are seeing a lot of trout being caught, with some guide trips catching over 60-70 fish during a full-day guide trip. In the mornings, drift-fishing with silver inline spinners with Uncommon Bait Neo Pink UV eggs and shrimp has worked best. In the afternoon, quarter-ounce Thompson Colorado Spoons in nickel/gold have worked very well, as has Rapala Countdowns CD7 in rainbow trout colors or silver.
“We received one stocking of 1,000 rainbows from the Jim Hinkle Spring River Hatchery. The Norfork National Fish Hatchery lost a lot of trout due to poor water conditions, and I’m not sure how it will affect future stockings. I’m sure it will take Norfork Hatchery some time to recover.”

Bull Shoals Lake
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time outflow report from Bull Shoals Dam, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

(updated 10-16-2025) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake (815-592-4302), delcolvinfishing.com, said Wednesday that the lake level is still around 657 feet msl; the surface water temperature is about 74 degrees, a 3-degree drop from a week ago. Bass fishing has still been up and down — one day good, and the next day they are stubborn as the lake is turning over and will put some of those fish in a funk. The shad are moving into the creeks. It’s best to get up early to look for surface activity. If there are shad balls high toward the surface, you might find some breaking. Topwater is still hit or miss. I’m going to get up early for lowlight and cover water. Whopper Plopper and buzzbait on the bank, a toad and a Spook-style bait if it’s sunny. Fish the conditions, follow the bait and wind.

“Bass are really getting grouped up. If you’re lucky you might get more than one up there. Powerfishing conditions — wind/clouds: a spinnerbait, square bill or Chatterbait if there’s wind/stained water toward backs of creeks with shad. The shad are heading that way.

“If the sun comes out, try a shaky head in trees and brushpiles. There are always fish to be caught on a jig, like a Jewel half-ounce PeeWee. Try green pumpkin orange variants. On the bluff ends, bluff swings, long runout points along the channel, try pulling off ledges. Start at 15 feet early, then out to 30-35 feet.

“The shad are spread out from the backs of the creeks to the main lake and mouths of creeks. Look for larger groups of shad close to structure. Feeding windows seem to be short-lived. So keep moving. Try a drop-shot for bluebird, post-frontal suspended fish out on the points and bluffs. A smaller 2.8 Tater Shad or shake a minnow if they are up active, and a half-ounce Skinny Minner Spoon will come in hand. Fall junk fishing has started; make the best of it and ‘Fish the Conditions.’”

Del regularly posts new YouTube videos. Visit his YouTube site (Bull Shoals Fishing Report) or delcolvinfishing.com for more information and tips on fishing Bull Shoals Lake.

(updated 10-16-2025) Southernwalleye Guide Service (501-365-1606) said the walleye have been in a negative to neutral feeding mood again this week due to the lake’s changing conditions. The walleye seem to be scattering out and following the bait instead of holding on spots for any amount of time. If the sun is high and the wind is light, fish away from the boat’s shadow. Try fishing in 15-40 feet of water by snap-jigging a jig and half of a crawler, or drop-shotting a live crawler. Also using a three-quarter-ounce to 1-ounce white or chrome jigging spoon, or a Rapala-type Ice Jig in the same colors.

When trolling, try a size 5 or 7 Flicker Shad or size 9 Flicker Minnow. Trolling is best in 25-40 feet of water or just above the depth level where you locate the shad. Trolling at 1.7 to 2.0 mph seems to be a good speed at this time to get a reaction bite. Jerkbait fishing in 10-15 feet of water on the main lake and secondary points should start picking up next week or so, depending on the water temperature.

(updated 10-16-2025) Crappie 101 Guide Service (870-577-2045) says not much has changed, as the crappie are still hanging on brush in creeks for the most part in that 15-25 feet range. The jig bite has been slower as of late, so minnows have been the go-to.

Norfork Lake
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time outflow report from Norfork Dam, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

(updated 10-2-2025) Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters (also Facebook.com/stroutfitters or 870-421-1541) guides out of Tracy Ferry Marina. Tom hasn’t had any new reports since the lake turned very hot and stripers were struggling with the conditions. You can visit his website linked above for more information.

Beaver Lake
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time outflow report from Beaver Lake Dam, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

(updated 10-16-2025) Jon Conklin with FishOn Guide Service (479-233-3474) said Beaver Lake level was 1,119.45 feet msl as of Wednesday. Water temperature is in the low 70s and coming down slowly. “We are in the beginning of the lake turnover. What that means to anglers is that fishing will get a bit more challenging until the process is completed. Once that is over, the fishing will continue to get better every day going into winter.

“Stripers are fair to good. The key is fish are moving south and you must rely on your graph-reading skills to locate fish. Crappie are moving away from suspended near the thermocline to locating on brush and structure. Look at different depths on brush to find fish. They can be very shallow or still down to 25 feet.
“Bass are starting to school up. There is topwater action in lots of areas on schoolie-size spotted bass. Catfish continue to be good.

“Fall is incoming with some good fishing to follow. Stay safe and good luck!”
Visit Jon’s Facebook page for the latest updates between weekly reports at FishOn Guide Service Goshen AR.

Beaver Tailwater
(updated 10-16-2025) Guide Austin Kennedy (479-244-0039) says fishing this week has been “pretty darn good” on the Beaver tailwater. Water levels have dropped, and the Army Corps of Engineers has slowed generation, creating ideal conditions for both wading and boat anglers. Trout are being caught consistently using Pautzke Fire Bait, Fire Eggs and drifting Fire Worms on light terminal tackle. The bite has been steady throughout the day, especially in slower seams and current breaks.
“Water temperature is holding in the mid-50s, which keeps the trout active and feeding aggressively. A few fall walleye are also showing up, with anglers finding success trolling crankbaits or working jerkbaits during low-light hours.
“Compared to this time last year, the pattern is very similar — stable fall conditions produced excellent trout action, with both trout and walleye responding well to cooler water and reduced flow. Fall continues to be one of the best times of year for targeting larger fish in the Beaver tailwater.
“The forecast: With consistent weather and moderate generation expected, anglers should see continued strong trout action through the coming week. Focus on seams, eddies and transition zones for the best results.

“For more frequent updates, check out my Facebook page (Busch Mountain Fishing Guide Service). Tight lines and good fishing!”

Lake Fayetteville
(updated 10-2-2025) Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) reports that anglers are catching catfish, at least “little ones,” around the pier. Black bass are biting well on topwater. Crappie are starting to pick up, with most anglers using jigs and some trying minnows, but it’s a hit-and-miss bite right now.

Bream are good on worms.

With the bass, most days this week have been consistently good, they say.

Last week, the lake was still “significantly hot,” and they don’t sense much change there this week, though no temperature was recorded. The lake is clearing this week but is “definitely murky still.”

Lake Charles
(updated 10-16-2025) Anglers enjoyed fair to good fishing for all major species here last week, according to Shelly Jeffrey at Lake Charles State Park (870-878-6595). She said the water level remained low. Surface water temperature was 70.1 degrees on Sunday morning, more than a 4-degree drop from a week ago. The clarity is the usual murky.

After reports of a 10-pound bass caught over previous weekend, bass anglers continued to have good success with the shallow fish. She wasn’t able to get any bait information, but during the previous week the anglers were using green wacky worms, topwater and a Booyah in red/black.

Crappie were fair on worms in deeper water. Bream are shallow and are biting crickets and worms with fair results. Catfish are also fair, but like the bass, no one revealed their bait of choice. They’ve been caught recently on lines, and you’ll want liver or live bream for those, or the usual catfish attractant.

The best days for “moon times” are upon us, Shelly noted, beginning Saturday evening. Best days should run through Oct. 24 if the fish feed following the moon’s influence. It appears fish are biting at Lake Charles now regardless.

Lake Poinsett
(updated 10-16-2025) Jonathan Wagner at Lake Poinsett State Park says Lake Poinsett’s fishing has been very steady lately. Recent good weather has allowed anglers to get in some good bank fishing as well as venturing out into a cove from a boat. As temps continue to cool, crappie are stirring and many people have been buying up minnows from the State Park bait shop to test their luck on catching a big one. Bream and catfish have continued to be pretty common catches as well. Bass have been quiet as of late. Many of the bream reports were from people bank fishing, and the crappie reports were from anglers out on the lake who were able to get out into a secluded cove.
The Lake Poinsett State Park visitor center is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. every day and sells minnows, nightcrawlers, redworms, crickets and a variety of artificial and frozen baits.

Spring River
(updated 10-9-2025) Mark Crawford with springriverfliesandguides.com (870-955-8300) said water level is showing 375 cfs at the gage in Mammoth Spring and the river clarity is clear. “The gauge must be off because the river is very low. It’s been dry here since July. The low, clear water has the fish a little spooky at times. On the sunny days, look for the deeper green pockets for the trout. It’s easy to spot them with the low, clear water. It is so beautiful on the river this time of year with the leaves changing.
“We’re catching plenty of trout on olive bead-head Woollies. Smallies love them, too! With the low, clear water, hopper droppers are working great! A big ol’ hopper with a dropper about 2 feet below. It has been hot with the low, clear water. A nymph, worm or Y2K below can all work well. The hot hopper for us has been a brown hopper. So much fun! Late evening has plenty of hatches for dry fly action.
“But I gotta say, if you want to catch smallies, fish heavy Woollies down deep. Work them slowly along the bottom of the river and along boulders on the river bottom. The Spring River is full of smallies and other bass. Just gotta fish for them.
“The canoe season is over and the fall season begins. As the weather turns colder, the holdovers in the river will start to move. Colder the better. Be safe out there, the river is very slick, felt soles really help with a wading staff.”

Visit Mark’s blog (springriverfliesandguides.com) for updates and conditions on the Spring River.

White River
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time gauge level and flow from the White River stages at Batesville, Newport and Augusta and all other sites within the White River basin in Arkansas, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

Arkansas River (Pine Bluff Pool)
For the real-time water flow at the Emmett Sanders Lock and Dam and Maynard Lock and Dam, as well as the Pine Bluff pool stage level, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

Lake Monticello
(updated 10-16-2025) AGFC staff report that people are out fishing and some are catching some big fish, while other days are tough. A couple of 7-pound black bass have been pulled out of the lake since spring.
Anglers are reminded that all fish caught must be released immediately. The Hunger Run Access was opened late last year to boat traffic. All fishing regulations, including catch-and-release-only fishing for all sport fish, remain in place even while the lake is lowered for the city’s repair work on the dam.

Lake Chicot
(updated 10-16-2025) Lake Chicot, part of Lake Chicot State Park, is home to bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass, redear sunfish and other bream, in addition to crappie. If you fish Lake Chicot, Connerly Bayou downstream of Connerly Dam, or Ditch Bayou from Lake Chicot downstream to Ditch Bayou Dam, be aware that crappie shorter than 10 inches must be immediately released and that the crappie daily limit is 20.

Millwood Lake
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time lake level and outflow report from Millwood Lake Dam, visit the Corps Little Rock office website.

(updated 10-16-2025) Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said Millwood Lake remains in summer drawdown pool condition, currently 17 inches below normal pool. The drawdown is scheduled to end Nov. 1 with the lake returning to normal pool 259.2 feet msl). Boaters are encouraged to wear a life jacket and exercise extreme caution during the drawdown, as submerged stumps and shallow areas will be more prominent, especially in boat lanes where depth may only be a few inches. Use your engine’s kill switch during conditions where stumps and underwater hazards are near reduced surface pool elevation. For more information, contact the Millwood Tri-Lakes Project Office at 870-898-3343.

Surface temperature over the past week continued fluctuating, ranging 70-80 degrees depending on location and the time of day. Clarity along Little River is normal stain and visibility; typical Millwood lighter stain is found in most locations of oxbows of Little River, with river clarity ranging 8-10 inches visibility depending on location. Clarity and visibility of oxbows continues improving as levels stabilize, and visibility in the oxbows ranges 20-30 inches in many locations away from river current and the higher flow rates.

Mike had these fishing specifics:

* The cooler weather and lower nighttime temperatures have the largemouth bass in a feeding mode and following threadfin shad schools, with randomly schooling in the oxbows. The highest activity period has shifted to later in the morning and midday over the past couple weeks. Several simultaneous schools were random surface-breaking in McGuire Oxbow up Little River over the past few days with the improvement in water clarity and reduced stain.

Adolescent largemouth and Kentucky bass (aka spotted bass), together have been randomly surface-breaking on schools of threadfin shad at multiple locations near or in lily pads for short durations for several weeks in the best water clarity of the oxbows up Little River. When the shad schools move to vertical structure, the largemouths will follow the schools and suspend over 15-18 feet of depth. Where vertical structure drops from 5-foot flats into 18-foot drops, the ¾-ounce Rat-L-Traps in Splatterback, Millwood Magic and chrome Cordell 3/4- to 1-ounce Hammered Spoons, Bill Lewis’ MR-6 Crankbaits and Bomber Fat Free Shads in Millwood Magic, Louisiana Shad or Tennessee Shad have been connecting with the suspended bass over 14- to 18-foot depths in the oxbows.

The Bill Lewis SB-57 and their ATV Square Bill Crankbaits are good for deflecting off stumps in flats from 4-8 feet deep near vertical structure. The best colors are Millwood Magic, Sneaky Shad, Threadfin 2.0 and Guacamole.

When the random surface-breaking fish in the oxbows occurs, clear Baby Torpedoes, and a wide variety of topwater or shallow cranks and Rat-L-Traps will draw a response, as well as hammered Cordell Spoons. Shallow square-bill cranks like the Bill Lewis Echo 1.75 continue working shallow cover with Millwood Magic, Splatterback and Tennessee Shad colors drawing reactions. The MR-6 Crankbaits in Millwood Magic, Splatter Back or Louisiana Shad colors continue getting good responses over the past couple weeks as the sun rises and the largemouths transition to vertical structure. Best locations are just off deep flats in 4-7 feet of water, near 12- to 20-foot structure.
Points of creek dumps into Little River have been holding small schools of juvenile largemouths from 2-3 pounds. The points extending into Little River, with large stumps and pads nearby have been holding good schools of Bass for several weeks.

* Numerous fishermen continue telling us they saw fairly large schools of white bass chasing shad and breaking topwater near White Cliffs campground and in McGuire this week. Some are mixed in with largemouth and Kentucky bass. The anglers have been catching 10-20 randomly, with half-ounce Rat-L-Traps, Chuck’N Spins, Rooster Tails, Little Georges, Rocket Shads, UnderSpins with a 3-inch white grub, and Beetle Spins.
* Crappie are still slow but improving daily with the reduction in surface temperature. Crappie have been hit or miss, better on minnows than jigs, but that changes daily. Bulk of the crappie are holding in the 10- to 14-foot depth on brush.
* In the last couple weeks, catfish have been fair to good on chicken livers, hearts, gizzards and King’s Punch Bait set on trotlines along Little River from 12-18 feet depth.

For more details, visit the Millwood Lake Guide Service webpage.

Lake Greeson Tailwater
For the most updated Narrows Dam generation schedule from SWEPCO, click here.

Lake Greeson
For the most updated lake level at Lake Greeson, click here.

No reports.

DeGray Lake
For the most updated lake level at DeGray Lake, click here.

(updated 10-9-2025) Capt. Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips (501-844-5418) says he’s been out on lakes Ouachita, Hamilton and DeGray most recently. “The water is cooling and the crappie are starting to stack up on the brushpiles. During this transition period, expect the fish to be a bit scattered. Usually this time of year we find ample crappie 18-20 feet deep. But, this year we are catching them 8-12 feet deep. Early in the morning you can also find bass schooling. Later in the mornings they scatter, and trolling is the most productive. Have fun and be safe.”

(updated 10-2-2025) Randy Plyler with Plyler Outdoors Guide Service (870-210-0522) said some bass have been schooling early in the mornings and very late in the evening. During the day, bass can be caught on crankbait and Texas-rigged worms. Some white bass and hybrid bass can be caught vertical-jigging a spoon. Some crappie can be caught on small jigs in the brush.

De Queen Lake
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time lake level and outflow report from De Queen Lake, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

Dierks Lake
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time lake level and outflow report from Dierks Lake, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

White Oak Lake Area
(updated 10-9-2025) Angler John Gulley caught a monster of a largemouth bass on Upper White Oak Lake near Bluff City (Nevada County). He caught it using a white fluke. John reports that bass are biting flukes, Senkos and shallow-diving crankbait-type lures. He also says that panfishing is decent, while the crappie bite hasn’t started to heat up yet. Anglers seeking catfish will also find the bite good on Upper White Oak, he said.
For anglers headed to Lower White Oak, John says the bass there are biting more on Texas-rig-type baits and Rat-L-Trap and small swimbaits. Panfishing is a bit above average and the crappie bite hasn’t started there either. Catfishing is good, however.

Bragg Lake
(updated 10-9-2025) Angler John Gulley says Bragg Lake near Chidester is a paradise for guys that love to throw a frog right now. Swimbaits and Senkos are producing as well for bass. Panfishing is decent and the crappie bite hasn’t heated up yet. Catfishing is great now.

Lake Catherine Tailwater (Below Carpenter Dam)
For weekly flow releases from Carpenter Dam, visit www.entergy.com/hydro 

(updated 10-16-2025) Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that water temperature is 64 degrees with clear conditions in the tailrace. Lake Ouachita is over 9 feet below flood pool level due to Entergy scheduling weekly generation below area dams to stabilize lake levels. Entergy is running 3,600 cfs below Carpenter Dam for four hours a day which is a safer flow for boaters and bank fishermen to experience. The weekly generation schedule is normally posted on Thursday evening at the Entergy/Hydro website (linked above).

Bank fishermen have had some success with trout using live baits such as redworms and waxworms fished just off the bottom with a marshmallow floater. PowerBaits is a good bet presented in the same manner. Boat fishermen have anchored in and around rock structure or sandbars and have had success casting Rooster Tails in brown or white in a ⅛-ounce weight. Spoon presentations like a Little Cleo or Super Duper will also work in a current situation when rainbows are keying in on injured baitfish. Fly fishermen can still access areas that hold trout even though the lake is now at normal summertime pool. Micro-jigs in black or white casted under a strike indicator strongly resemble river minnows that live in the tailrace. Woolly buggers in olive and black are a mainstay in the line of artificial lures that trout will feed on. Egg patterns in orange or white will draw strikes when other presentations are ignored. No matter what presentation is used for trout in the summertime and early fall on Lake Catherine – slower results should be expected in numbers but the size of the tout ranges from 15 to 18 inches long. Walleye are still in the area and good numbers remain the tailrace for the summer months. Trolling shallow running crankbaits that imitate crawfish and threadfin shad are a proven technique to cover water and tempt walleye into feeding. The crappie spawn has come and gone as high water and fast flows prevented anglers from some great angling opportunities in the tailrace. White bass are in and out of the tailrace feeding on threadfin shad and will remain in the tailrace as long as these baitfish are present. These fish can be caught on 1/16 and 1/8 jigs around rock structure and sand bars. Action will be best during times of generation. Trolling crankbaits that imitate shad will give boat fishermen a good chance to target white bass that are constantly chasing the shad schools in the tailrace. June brought blue and channel catfish into the tailrace to begin their spawning run and provided anglers some wonderful table fare. Above average temperatures remain the norm but cooler temperatures are on the way with the fall season beginning. Remember to always wear a lifejacket when on the water and obey all park and lake regulations when visiting Carpenter Dam. Trashcans are limited so please pick-up after yourselves and always co-operate with wildlife officials when approached. Hopefully, the spring of 2026 will not be as turbulent as past years. Flooding has destroyed the last 3 years of early spring fishing and boating on Lake Catherine near Carpenter Dam. Excellent angling and recreating opportunities exist as long as Mother Nature withholds her fury.

Lake Dardanelle
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ outflow and gauge level reports from Dardanelle, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

(updated 10-16-2025) AGFC biologists from the west-central region recently did some electrofishing samples on two pools of the Arkansas River (Lake Dardanelle and Pool 9). They looked at fish populations in the backwaters as well as in the main river channel.

While backwater areas look consistent with past years for fish numbers and species, main river habitats showed fewer fish than expected. This is likely due to the prolonged flooding and high flow rates we experienced this spring and summer. It can temporarily push fish out of sampling zones. Biologists expect these populations to bounce back in the coming years as river flows return to normal.

As for some species snapshots from the sampling:

Largemouth bass/spotted bass: Adult populations are still looking good. Although years with high flow rates generally lead to weak year classes, a fair number of young-of-the-year fish (especially largemouth) were observed.

Catfish: Blue catfish populations appeared to be down in riverine habitats. However, large populations of blues were observed on the lower end of Lake Dardanelle. Flathead catfish appeared to have a poor spawn, as young-of-the-year flatheads that are usually abundant were few and far between.

Crappie: Electrofishing is not the best gear to collect crappie, especially during late summer months. However, some nice crappie were observed around laydowns situated over deep water. On a side note, biologists have documented good year classes of crappie being produced in years with high flow rates in the past. They will be able to determine just how good reproduction was in 2025 during next year’s crappie netting sample.

Shad: Shad numbers were down, especially in riverine habitats. However, both shad species (gizzards and threadfin) were still present in fair numbers. Shad populations often bounce back quickly, especially in years with low to normal flow rates.

Lake Dardanelle is known for its strong largemouth bass population, along with good quantities of bream and is stocked with crappie. White bass are native to the river and are found in the lake. Catfish are abundant. Smaller topwater lures like a Zara Puppy Spook or a smaller buzzbait would be ideal for black bass. Try minnows for crappie with temps beginning to fall. Redworms and crickets will pull in bream. Surface water temperature as of midweek last week was about 75 degrees, which should have the black bass and panfish getting active.

Angler John Judkins reported that he and his son, Gaige, had a big day on Lake Dardanelle on Sept. 2 catching several bass, some in the 2-pounds-plus range and quite a few smaller ones. The bass in the lake are really healthy now with the grass being back and abundant baitfish, he said. They caught most of their fish flipping soft plastics, but also a few on white swim jigs.

Lake Hamilton
(updated 10-9-2025) Capt. Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips (501-844-5418) says he’s been out on lakes Ouachita, Hamilton and DeGray most recently. “The water is cooling and the crappie are starting to stack up on the brushpiles. During this transition period, expect the fish to be a bit scattered. Usually this time of year we find ample crappie 18-20 feet deep. But, this year we are catching them 8-12 feet deep. Early in the morning you can also find bass schooling. Later in the mornings they scatter, and trolling is the most productive. Have fun and be safe.”

(updated 10-9-2026) Philip Kastner of Trader Bill’s Outdoors in Little Rock and Hot Springs noted earlier this week on “The Wild Side” on KABZ, 103.7 The Buzz, that days are shorter, less than 12 hours a day of sunlight now, and “the next 3-4 days are supposed to be 10 degrees cooler (than Tuesday was). It’s a topwater bite, obviously. Is there a lure more fun to fish than a topwater lure? No there’s not. Whether you’re throwing a buzzbait or throwing a pure topwater lure or whatever, you’re going to do that for the first couple of hours you’re out there.”

Lake Nimrod
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time lake level and outflow reports from Nimrod Lake, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

(updated 10-2-2025) Sheila at Carter Cove Bait-N-More (479-272-4025) reports that fishing has been great the past month. “The lake is the same as always. Been a lot cooler, so everybody has been catching.

She said the bream “started biting like crazy” earlier this month. Crappie were also biting well. Try crickets and redworms for bream. Lots of jigs were being thrown for crappie, but some anglers were buying minnows. And, she noted, a big crappie or two were picked up on redworms.

She heard nothing on bass or catfish.

Sheila has an array of live bait for purchase and other fishing needs, plus food. The water temperature is good, and the lake level is normal.

Carter Cove has a Facebook page, and the email address is cartercovebaitnmore@gmail.com.

Lake Ouachita
For the current lake level at Blakely Dam, click here.

(updated 10-16-2025) Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa (870-867-2191/800-832-2276 out-of-state) reports that black bass are still fair. Spots are still chasing shad and will hit a fluke or riser bait. No reports on walleye, stripers or catfish. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. They are relating to brush in 20-30 feet of water. For crappie, try a small minnow-colored jig over brush in the 20- to 30-foot range.

Water temperature is ranging 74-80 degrees. Water clarity is clear. Lake level is still falling, and is 570.24 feet msl as of midweek. Call the Mountain Harbor fishing guides (Mike Wurm, 501-622-7717, or Chris Darby, 870-867-7822) for more information.

(updated 10-9-2025) Capt. Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips (501-844-5418) says he’s been out on lakes Ouachita, Hamilton and DeGray most recently. “The water is cooling and the crappie are starting to stack up on the brushpiles. During this transition period, expect the fish to be a bit scattered. Usually this time of year we find ample crappie 18-20 feet deep. But, this year we are catching them 8-12 feet deep. Early in the morning you can also find bass schooling. Later in the mornings they scatter, and trolling is the most productive. Have fun and be safe.”

Blue Mountain Lake
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time lake level and outflow reports from Blue Mountain Lake, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

NOTE: Blue Mountain Lake is undergoing a two-phase drawdown proposed by the Army Corps of Engineers to improve aquatic and waterfowl habitat by exposing mudflats for seeding and for critical maintenance on the lake’s intake structure. Phase one began Sept. 2, lowering the lake to its normal winter pool elevation of 384 feet. The second phase will begin May 1, 2026, with the lake further lowered to 374 feet through Nov. 1, 2026. During the drawdown, water activities will be limited, boat ramps may be affected, and areas around the lake will be seeded.

Japanese millet will be seeded on the mudflats during phase one to improve habitat for waterfowl and other aquatic species. Call 479-947-2372 for more information.

White River/Clarendon Area
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time gauge level and flow from Clarendon, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

No reports.

Note: msl is mean sea level; cfs is cubic feet per second.