Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Randy Zellers 501-223-6506, e-mail: rdzellers@agfc.state.ar.us

July 28, 2010 Edition

Central Arkansas
Lake Conway

Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is low and stained. Bream should be bedding with the full moon. Crappie are biting on minnows and chartreuse jigs fished around cypress trees about 3 feet deep. Bass are biting on spinnerbaits, plastic frogs and buzzbaits. Catfishing is slow.

Little Red River

Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is very clear and there has been generation in the late afternoon. Trout fishing was fair over the weekend. Wax worms, Power Bait and nightcrawlers all produced catches. When the water is running fast, Countdowns, Shad Raps and Rouges are working well.

Greers Ferry

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 459.38 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 461 MSL).

(Updated 7/21/2010) Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said bass are schooling all over the lake but are scattered also. Hybrids and white bass are being caught anywhere from 15 to 45 feet deep. Although you can get a bite, the bigger fish are staying very deep and feeding.

Cody S. Smith of www.fishgreersferry.com said the lake is two feet below normal pool. The water temperature has cooled due to the rain. Fishing has slowed over the past week. Largemouths are biting on jigs and big plastics fished on river ledges and points. Walleye are being caught in 29 to 33 feet of water on spoons fished on the bottom. White bass and hybrids are moving around more than the past few weeks. For more information about Greers Ferry Lake, go to www.fishgreersferry.com.

Shiloh Marina (501-825-6237) had no report.

Harris Brake Lake

Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) had no report.

(Updated 7/14/2010) Greer's Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said bream and catfish are biting well on crickets and worms.

Lake Overcup

Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is low and clear. Bream are biting well on redworms and crickets fished around the docks and other cover about 18 inches deep. Crappie are fair on tube jigs and no. 6 minnows fished deep. Catfishing is good with shad and live bream. Bass are slow.

Brewer Lake

Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said bream are biting well on crickets and redworms fished around the bank. Crappie are biting on a White Crappie Stingers fished in brush tops. Catfishing is good on trotlines and noodles baited with live bream and cut bait.

Lake Maumelle

Jolly Roger's Marina said the water level is 3.8 feet below the spillway, and the water temperature is 89 degrees. Black bass are biting well on worms, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits fished in 6 to 15 feet of water off points. Whites are breaking water and biting on small crappie jigs, Rooster Tails and minnows. Big Island and Buoy Island have been the best areas to fish for whites. Crappie are biting well on 1/32-ounce jigs, minnows and shad-colored grubs fished in 15 to 20 feet of water. Bream are biting excellently on crickets and redworms fished in 15 to 20 feet of water. Fishing around the breakwater at the marina has been producing nice catches. Catfishing is excellent on trotlines baited with cut shad, chicken livers and bream. Trolling small crappie jigs, crankbaits and minnows around the points has brought in saugeye. The best time to fish for saugeye is in the morning.

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

Lake Valencia

Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said catfishing is excellent with chicken hearts and Danny King's or Doc's stink bait.

Lake Willastein

Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are fair to good on crickets and redworms. Catfishing is excellent with chicken hearts and stink bait. Crappie and bass are both slow.

Sunset Lake

Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is at normal level. Fishing has been very slow the past few days.

Saline River Access in Benton

Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the river is clear and very low. Bream are biting well on 1/16-ounce black Rooster Tails. Crappie are fair on lemon meringue 2-inch grubs fished in 5 to 6 feet of water. Bass are biting well on top-water lures, buzzbaits and poppers fished in the deeper holes. Catfishing is fair on Magic Bait and live bait.

Petit Jean State Park

Greer's Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Catfishing is good with livers.

Arkansas River at Morrilton

(Updated 7/21/2010) Charley's Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said the water flow is dropping. The heat has kept most fishermen off the water except for the early morning and late hours. Catfishing has been very good using shad in 25 to 35 feet of water. Bream are biting excellently on crickets fished around wood. Cypress Creek, Flagg Lake out of the Petit Jean River and Point Remove Creek have provided nice bream and bass. Bass are biting on chatter baits and buzzing toads in pearl. Crayfish fished where the jetties meet sand has also produced some bass. Crappie are slow but some are being caught fishing minnows around wood in 10 to 15 feet of water. White bass are schooling in the late afternoon. Crankbaits in pearl or white have been catching whites. Fishing near sand banks where there are schooling shad has produced nice whites.

Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)

Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said on Little Maumelle River, bream are biting well on crickets and wax worms fished in the pad fields. Bass are fair, early and late, on spinnerbaits and soft stick baits. Catfishing is good with chicken hearts and cut bait. There was no report for Big Maumelle Creek or Palarm Creek.

Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool)

Vince Miller from Fish 'N Stuff said bream are biting in the backwater on crickets. Largemouth bass are biting well on red shad worms and Bandit crankbaits fished around brush and rock jetties. Catfishing is good with worms and cut shad. Crappie are slow.

Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bass are biting well on the jetties on crankbaits and black/red gitzits. Catfishing is great with cut shad and rice slicks.

McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is clear. Bream are biting well on crickets and jigs fished around grass. Catfishing is good with skip jack and shad. Crappie and bass are slow.

Clear Lake

McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is at normal level and clear. Bream are biting well on crickets and jigs. Bass and catfish are biting fairly well. Crappie are slow.

Peckerwood Lake

Herman's Landing (870-241-3731) the water is still clear and falling. Bass are biting well, and there have been a lot of shad schooling. Catfishing is good with chicken liver and shrimp. Soaking shrimp in chicken liver has also produced catches. Crappie have started biting again.

Lake Pickthorne

Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are biting well on crickets and redworms fished around stumps. Catfishing is good on the dredge channel with nightcrawlers, chicken livers and stink bait.

North Arkansas
White River

Sportsman's White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is clear. Generation has been on an off schedule, but there is usually low water in the morning and high water in the afternoons. During times of low water, slow drifting has been the best fishing method. Little Cleos, Rooster Tails, trout worms and Power Bait have all produced fish. In higher water, Rouges, Rapalas and stick bait are all working well. Woolly buggers, in brown or black patterns, Copper Johns, Zebra midges, and grasshopper flies are the best methods for fly fishermen.

Cotter Trout Dock had no report.

Guide Davy Wotton said fishing is still great. There have been lower water levels on the White and Norfork, and the generation schedule has provided wade and boating options. Dry fly fishing or dry fly dropper rigs have been working very well with the right combination. Ants have also been great, along with yellow and orange hoppers. Streamer fishing has been working well for browns. Early morning or early evening to dark are the best times to fish. If you are fishing in lower water levels use combinations of midges, sowbugs, scuds, worms and soft hackles. The top flies this week have been: hoppers, ants, Prism, White tail and blood midge, Sulphur, green butt, Partirdge, Hare's Ear, and San Juan worms. Zebra style midges, sizes 18 to 22, with small gold, silver or copper bead heads are also working well. The Bull Shoals Dam area continues to produce better than average catches. Bait fishermen are doing well with both natural and artificial baits. Spin fishermen are doing well with many different lures, gold being favored during high sun periods and silver or copper in the early and late hours.

White River (From Buffalo City to Red's Landing)

Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said fishing has been a little slow but steady. Two to three generators have been running steady making the White River Zig Jig a good choice. In deeper holes and runs, use a Countdown Rapala in black/gold/white. Dragging bright colored Power Baits along the bottom with a regular river rig will also produce catches.

Buffalo River

Ken Richards at Just Fishing Guides had no report.

(Updated 7/21/2010) John Berry from Berry Brothers Guides said the water is high and stained. Smallmouths are active and biting on clouser minnows or crawfish patterns. Be sure to check the water levels before heading out. Since there is not a dam, the levels can rise very quickly after any rain event.

Crooked Creek

(Updated 7/21/2010) John Berry from Berry Brothers Guides said the water is high and stained. Smallmouths are active and biting on clouser minnows or crawfish patterns. Be sure to check the water levels before heading out. Since there is not a dam the levels can rise very quickly after any rain event.

Ken Richards at Just Fishing Guides had no report.

Bull Shoals Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 655.84 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 654 MSL).

Mike Worley's Guide Service and Al Denninger said walleye and bass are biting on crankbaits trolled deep, jigging spoons fished around brush piles and nightcrawler rigs during the day. Most are being caught 30 to 50 feet deep. Bass are also biting well at night on jigs and plastic worms.

Bull Shoals Tailwater

Ken Richards at Just Fishing Guides had no report.

Lake Norfork

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 554.09 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April - 552 MSL, April-Sept. - 554 MSL).

101 Grocery and Bait had no report.

Guide Steve Olomon said the lake level is at 554.2 feet and the water temperature is in the upper 80s. Whites and black bass have been breaking early and late, so be sure to have a top-water rod on deck. Fishing spoons anywhere from 30 to 60 feet deep has also boated fish. Stripers and hybrids will be at least 40 feet deep. Bass, whites and walleye are anywhere from 30 to 40 feet deep.

Guide Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters said stripers are in their summer pattern and feeding on crawdads and shad. Most have moved toward the dam, and are being found in 40 to 80 feet of water. They will bite on both live bait and spoons. The bite is good in the morning and evening, and the best spots are the flats and deep water creeks near the dam.

Norfork Tailwater

Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said after the generators have been running a couple of hours, fish the bank line with black/gold/white Countdown Rapalas or suspending Rattling Rogues. Blue/silver/orange or black/gold/orange are the best colors for Rogues. Make sure you have barbless hooks in the catch-and-release zone.

(Updated 7/21/2010) John Berry from Berry Brothers Guides said there has been a lot of rain over the past few days and higher temperatures. There have been significant periods of no generation on the White, with heavy to light generation in the afternoon. There have also been significant periods of no generation on the Norfork. This has provided perfect wading conditions on the Norfork. The water was heavily stained after the rain but has cleared up now from generation. San Juan worms have been the bait of choice. In stained water use bright colored worms, such as hot fluorescent pink and cerise. Red or worm brown San Juan worms work well once the water has cleared up. There has been a number of good fish produced at the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam. Rim Shoals has also been another hot spot. Midges were the hot flies. Zebra midges in black with sliver bead and silver wire, brown with copper wire and copper bead, red with sliver wire and silver bead and disco midges are the most productive patterns. Olive woolly buggers and sowbugs are also working well. It is time to start grasshopper fishing with the low water and warm temperatures. Fish these towards heavy structures and the bank. Cast the fly down and twitch every so often to imitate a struggling insect and you should get some vicious strikes. At Dry Run Creek, the fishing has been extremely good. Sowbugs and worm brown San Juan worms have been the most productive flies. Be sure to carry the biggest net you have and use a 4X tippet. Remember to clean your boots and waders before using them in any other water because the White and Norfork Rivers are infected with didymo, an invasive algae.

Northwest Arkansas
Beaver Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 1,120.31 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 1,120 MSL).

Bailey's Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) said the water temperature is in the high 80s and has caused stripers to move back to the lower section but they are still feeding actively. They are in their big summer schools and most are being caught 30 to 60 feet deep. Night fishing is great right now. Use lights near Rocky Branch and Point 5 and fish shad, minnows or spoons to catch whites, hybrids, stripers, walleye, catfish and crappie. Bombers and Redfins fished on downriggers are also producing stripers at night. Troll baits about 1.5 to 2.5 miles per hour. The morning bite has been over by 8 a.m. and the night bite usually starts around 9 p.m. Stripers are being caught in Rocky Branch, Point 5, Point 6, Indian Creek and Lost Bridge. Live gizzard shad is always successful with stripers on Beaver Lake. For daily Beaver Lake levels and flow data go to Bailey's website and click on the Daily Beaver Lake Level and Flow info link.

JT's Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass have been biting best at night on dark, soft plastic worms or Texas-rigged lizards fished along gravel banks in the mid-lake area. During the day, small worms or Texas- or Carolina-rigged lizards are producing catches along steep rock banks or bluffs in the shade and along main lake points and humps. Crappie are biting excellent, early in the day, on small tube jigs or Shineee Hineees tipped with a minnow. Another method that has produced catches is floating a minnow under a slip cork along the timber about 10 to 20 feet deep. The best places to fish are along shaded bluff lines between the bluff and standing timber. Whites are scattered but some can be found schooling on flats in the evening. Any bait that resembles a shad should get hits when cast into the schooling fish. The best bait sizes are between 1.5 to 3 inches. Catfishing is great at night from the bank with liver, worms or stink bait. Bream are biting well on crickets fished 5 to 15 feet deep under the shade of docks or along bluff walls.

Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are biting well on crickets. Trolling crankbaits has boated crappie over the past few days. Bass are biting on jigs, plastics and deep diving crankbaits during the day. At night, plastics, spinnerbaits and top-water lures are producing catches. Catfishing is fair with cut shad and prepared bait.

Beaver Tailwater

Ken Richards at Just Fishing Guides said there have been water releases in the morning and afternoon. Flies in gray and olive are working best. Zebra midges, scuds, and small pheasant tail patterns are the best. For cruising fish, small woolly buggers in olive and black are working well. Spin fishing has been good with small minnow crankbait patterns. Brown trout and holographic brown trout are the best colors. When the sun is bright, colors with "less flash" are working the best.

Kings River

Ken Richards at Just Fishing Guides said the river level is at 2.99 feet. The water is clear to stained, and the fishing is really good. KC's Slider, Clousers and Crazy Dads bounced along the bottom are producing a good number of fish. Fish large baitfish patterns around heavy rock cover in the slower moving pools to catch smallmouth. The Murdich Minnow and Lefty's Deceiver will work well. Top-water lures such as Sneaky Petes, Wiggle Minnow and Dahlberg Divers are working well early and late in the day. Spin fishermen are doing well with soft plastics fished on 1/8 or 1/16 jigheads or Texas rigged. Watermelon, watermelon/red, green pumpkin and junebug are the best colors. Buzzbaits, Wee Craws, Tiny Torpedoes and jig and pig are also producing catches. The best times to fish are early morning to mid-afternoon and early evening until dark.

Lake Fayetteville

Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said the water conditions are normal. The water temperature is in the 90s. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. Largemouths are biting on plastics, top-water lures and shallow-diving crankbaits. Catfishing is good with chicken liver, nightcrawlers and live bait.

Lake Sequoyah

Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is at normal level and clear. The water temperature is in the 90s. Overall fishing is slow due to the heat. A few small bass have been caught, and some catfish using chicken liver or goldfish.

Northeast Arkansas
Lake Poinsett

Lake Poinsett State Park had no report.

Crown Lake

Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is at normal level and clear. Bream are biting well on crickets. Bass fishing is fair. Popping lures have been working well in the morning and deep divers in the evening. Catfishing is good at night with chicken liver and nightcrawlers. Crappie are slow.

Lake Frierson

Lake Frierson State Park said fishing has been slow due to the heat.

Spring River

Mark Crawford at Spring River Fly Shop said the water is clear and running at 375 CFS. The low water has provided great high stick nymphing conditions. The river is full of caddis and mayfly nymphs, and a light rain followed by sunshine will make large hatches come off the water. Rainbow trout fishing has been great with the hot weather conditions. Y2Ks and mayfly imitations have been working the best. Just make sure to get the fly down to the bottom. Check out Mark's Blog for daily updates on river conditions and what they might be biting.

(Updated 7/21/2010) John Berry from Berry Brothers Guides said the water is high and heavily stained. There have been many canoes out on the river. If you want to avoid them, fish during the week. Olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise San Juan worms and pheasant tail nymphs have been the hot flies. Be carful wading because the rocks can get very slick.

Southeast Arkansas
Lake Chicot

Lake Chicot State Park had no report.

Cane Creek Lake

(Updated 7/21/2010) Cane Creek State Park said bream are biting well on crickets and worms fished around the edges of the lily pads in 12 to 24 inches of water. Bass are hitting top-water lures and soft plastics. Frogs and worms have worked very well.

Lake Monticello

Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of MonticelloBigBass.com said the water temperature is between 88 and 90 degrees. The fishing action has been slow, but worth the wait. There have been several 10 pound bass caught over the past few weeks. Bass are still biting on dark worms fished on the contour drops, and trolling crankbaits has also boated fish. There has not been much schooling action, but top-water lures will bring in fish if a school is spotted. Some fishermen have also been successful with large live bait.

Southwest Arkansas
Millwood Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 255.84 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 259.2 MSL).

Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said the lake is 39.1 inches below normal pool and falling. Little River is now running at 2,605 CFS. The four-foot drawdown continues to reduce the lake level. Largemouth bass have been biting best from daybreak to 10 a.m. With the four foot drawdown, bass have pulled to the river and creek dumps and points intersecting with Little River, where they have quick access to deeper water. They are in normal summer pattern and are biting well around vegetation on buzzbaits, Cordell Crazy Shads, Spit'N Images, Yum BuzzFrogs, Twitch Assassins and Bass Assassin Shads. Salt and pepper silver phantom and gold pepper shiner colors are working the best along Little River. Surface lures, such as Pop-Rs and Baby Torpedoes, are also getting hits. Crankbaits, tubes and worms are also working well. Slow rolling Rat-L-Traps in Millwood Magic, firetiger or Cajun craw are also working with the crankbait bite. The best water clarity has been found upriver. If you fish the flats make sure you are close to deep drops, the river or creek channels because the drawdown will affect your normal fishing spots. White bass are breaking top-water in large schools in Horseshoe and McGuire oxbows. They are chasing schools of threadfin shad in the early morning. Crappie are fair on live shiners, jigs, smoke grubs and vertically jigged tiny Beetle Spins. White/red dot or Catalpa colors are the best. The bite is best over planted brush in 14 to 17 feet of water, and is usually over by 10 a.m. Catfishing is best with chicken livers, Charlie and red nightcrawlers. Trotlines, yo-yos and anchoring and tightlining are all producing fish.

White Oak Lake

Local angler John Tilley is out of town so there is no new report for White Oak Lake.

Lake Columbia

Steve's Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water conditions are normal. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Bass fishing is good with various lures. There was no report on crappie or catfish.

Lake Erling

Steve's Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water is a little low. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Bass are biting well on various lures. Catfishing is good also. There was no report on crappie.

Lake Greeson

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 545.23 MSL (Flood pool - 548 MSL).

Lakeside Grocery and Bait (870-398-5304) said the water is dingy and rising. The surface temperature is about 87 degrees. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are fair on Tennessee shad and white/chartreuse jigs fished in 15 to 20 feet of water. Bass are biting on crankbaits, plastic worms and jigs. Catfishing is fair with worms and stink bait. Jugs and trotlines are also producing fish.

Cossatot River

(Updated 7/14/2010) Cossatot River State Park said the water level is at 1.94 feet, and the water temperature is about 90 degrees. The hot water has caused fishing to slow, but if the heat continues it could help the fishing. Fish have been most active during the late evening and during stormy weather. Stick with plastic lures and work them slowly. Smallmouths will also bite on live minnows or crawdads. One fisherman reported catching a few small bream on worms at the sandbar. Don't forget your sunscreen if you are fishing during the day.

DeGray Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 402.57 feet MSL (Flood pool - 408 MSL).

Local angler George Graves said the lake is clear throughout and the surface temperature is in the upper 80s. Bass fishing is fair with several good catches being reported. They are biting best in the morning, and many are breaking water on the main lake points at mid lake. Top-water lures, swimbaits, plastic worms and jigs are all producing catches. Night fishing has been good for bass also, using an 8- to 10-inch dark-colored worm. Fish off the points and humps about 10 to 20 feet deep. Crappie fishing has been slow, with a few being caught around large attractors between Caddo Drive and Shouse Ford and at the campground by Brushy Creek. The best way to catch crappie is to fish a 1/16-ounce jighead with a 2-inch Tennessee shad or Arkansas shad grub over thick brush. They will bite best in the early morning, before sunup. Hybrid and white bass fishing is good. The best fishing has been around Arlie Moore, Alpine Ridge and Island 34. For breaking fish throw a 1/2-ounce spoon. If there are no breaking fish, fish on points and ledges about 15 to 20 feet deep. Bream are biting on slip floats, crickets and worms fished in 15 to 20 feet of water. Fish around any cover on secondary points. Catfishing is fair at night with noodles and trotlines baited with small bream or big minnows. Ozan, Point 10 and Brushy Creek have been the best areas.

West-Central Arkansas
Lake Nimrod

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 337.90 feet MSL.

Greer's Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said crappie, bream, catfish and bass are all biting on various baits. Minnows, crickets, worms and stink baits have all been producing catches.

Lake Hinkle

Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-7419) said the water is at normal level and clear. Bream are biting well on crickets. A fisherman reported catching 18 crappie on minnows. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits, plastic worms, plugs and top-water lures. Catfishing is good with worms, stink bait and chicken liver.

Lake Dardanelle

Regina Olson at Spadra Marina said catfishing is good with cut or whole shad being the best bait, chicken livers have also brought in some fish. White bass are running in Spadra Creek and will hit almost anything that hits the water. Largemouths are slow but some can still be caught. Bream are still doing well and crappie are very slow.

Blue Mountain Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 386.36 feet MSL.

Teresa at CD's Quick Stop (479-947-2178) said fishing has been slow due to the heat. Some catfish have been caught on worms.

Lake Ouachita

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 574.21 MSL (Flood pool - 578 MSL).

Larry Hurley from Poorman's Guide Service said bass are biting well, early, on top-water lures fished around grass and standing timber. In the evening, big plastic worms with a 1/4-ounce weight are working well when worked slowly on humps and points. Stripers are scattered throughout the lake, but if you find a school you should be able to get a bite.

Lake Hamilton

Trader Bill's Outdoor Sports had no report.

Lake Catherine

Shane Goodner, owner of Catch'em All Guide Service, said the water temperature below Carpenter Dam is 57 degrees, and the water is clear several miles downstream. The regular generation schedule has prevented moss that is usually found around the dam. Rainbow trout fishing is slow because most have been caught or eaten by predators, but there are a few still being caught. Nightcrawlers and wax worms are the best baits when fishing for rainbows. Fishing them off the bottom with a marshmallow is the most successful method. Live minnows tightlined around flats or visible structure have taken walleye, averaging about 2 pounds. Brightly colored worms are also working well while the generators are running. White and hybrid bass fishing has slowed but some can be caught by trolling or casting black and silver Rapalas. Gold jerkbaits have also boated some fish. Changing colors of your lures is a must when targeting fish that are heavily fished. There has been little striper activity reported, but if shad schools are present there will be stripers nearby. Jigs, grey or white, cast with 1/4-ounce head or soft plastics 5 to 7 inches long work well in schooling activity. Remember to use quality lines and equipment when fishing for big stripers in heavy currents.

Lake Atkins

(Updated 7/21/2010) Ken Vinson at Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said the hot weather has slowed down bass fishing but some small ones are still being caught. It should pick up in the next couple of weeks. Bream are biting excellent. Catfishing has been better in the early hours rather than late at night.

South-Central Arkansas
Moro Bay

Moro Bay State Park at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay said the Ouachita River is at 66.50 feet, which is just a little above the normal low. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms fished along the bank. Bass are slow.

Ouachita River Oxbows

Jaret Rushing said fishing continues to be slow. Bass are biting spinnerbaits in deep and muddy water. There have not been many fishermen on the water due to the heat.

Tri-County Lake

No report.

East Arkansas
Arkansas River at Pine Bluff

The Tackle Box (870-534-1498) said the water is a little high and muddy. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are slow but some have been caught on minnows in about 14 feet of water. Bass are biting well on plastics. Catfishing is good with cut bait.

White River

Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) had no report.

Maddox Bay

Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is high, steady and clear. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Crappie are fair, in the middle of the bay, on minnows. Bass are fair to good on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good with Doc's and Sunny's stink bait.

Island 40 Chute

Daily's Boat Dock (870-739-3478) said the water is beginning to rise. Bream and crappie fishing has been fair. Some catfish are being caught on Doc's stink bait.

Horseshoe Lake

Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water conditions are normal but the water temperature is very hot. Bream are biting well on crickets and wax worms fished around cypress trees. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs fished around the piers. Bass fishing is fair to good in the early morning hours. Fishing buzzbaits around lily pads has produced catches. Catfishing is good in the middle of the lake on cut bait.



http://www.agfc.com/fishing/fishing-reports.aspx