Weekly Fishing Report

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Randy Zellers 501-978-7310, e-mail: rdzellers@agfc.state.ar.us

This is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s fishing report for October 27, 2011. If there is a body of water you would like included in this report, please call or e-mail with information on possible sources for that lake or river.

October 27, 2011 Edition

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Fishing Highlight of the Week: Looking for a catfish bait that won’t stink up the boat? Bring a can of SPAM. It’s easy to cut and will hold a hook well. On many days SPAM will out produce nightcrawlers or stinkbait. Channel catfish, in particular are attracted to it. Best of all, if things get too slow, you can always make a sandwich.

Arkansas 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

Family and Community Fishing Ponds: Catfish stockings are back in full swing across the state. Visit http://www.agfc.com/fishing/Pages/Fi...ogramsFCF.aspx for a list of program ponds.

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


Central Arkansas
Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir

Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is stained and low. Bream are fair on redworms and crickets. Crappie are excellent on pink minnows and pearl-colored Crappie Stingers in Gold Creek and Caney Creek. Crappie are biting well on yo-yos baited with minnows at night. Bass are fair on white/silver spinnerbaits fished around lily pads. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers, cut bait and trotline minnows.

Dan at Gold Creek Landing (501-607-0590) said fishing is fair for all species.

Little Red River

Lindsey’s Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is clear and at normal level. Trout are excellent on wax worms and marshmallows or Power Bait in low water. In high water, trout are excellent on jigs and Rapala floating minnows.

Greers Ferry

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 457.00 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 461 MSL).

Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level is falling and the surface temperature is 65 to 70 degrees. The hybrid and white bass fishing is good if you can find the baitfish. Try topwater baits, spoons, in-line spinners, grubs and hair jigs. The bass fishing is fair on topwater baits, jigs and soft plastic baits fished anywhere from 6 inches to 50 feet of water. Crappie have slowed, they are suspended in 15-25 feet of water in the pole timber. Bream fishing is still going strong from 6 inches out to 27 feet of water. No report on catfish or walleye.

Cody S. Smith of www.fishgreersferry.com said water temperatures are finally starting to cool and the bite on most all species is picking up. Schooling and surfacing is really starting to pick up and last longer. The new moon and another cold shot are really going to spur a good bite in the coming weeks. Minnow imitations fished all through the water column are getting bites. The spoon bite has really picked up over the last week along with daily catch rates.

Harris Brake Lake

Harris Brake Lakeside Resort (501-889-2745) said the water is low and murky. No report on bream. Crappie are biting well on pearl white jigs in deep water. Some small bass are being caught on spinnerbaits. No report on catfish.

Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said crappie are biting well on minnows and Bobby Garland Baby Shad. Catfishing is good on minnows and blood bait. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits, Rooster Tails and Rapalas. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms.

Lake Overcup

Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) had no report.

Brewer Lake

Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) had no report.

Lake Maumelle

Jolly Roger’s Marina had no report.

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

Lake Valencia

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

Sunset Lake

Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is high and clear. Bream are slow. Crappie are fair on Kalin’s grubs fished in 4 to 6 feet of water. Bass are biting well on Rebel Crawdad crankbaits. Catfishing is slow.

Saline River Access in Benton

Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is low and clear. Bream are slow. Crappie are slow. Bass are fair on crankbaits. Catfishing is slow.

Arkansas River at Morrilton

Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said largemouth bass are biting very well on wood structure in 3 to 10 feet of water on blue herring-colored double-willow spinnerbaits. White bass are moving to points of jetties and drop offs of sandbars where shad are concentrated. Purple-backed crankbaits are working very well. Catfishing is good in 8 to 15 feet of water on shad-and-worm combinations. Drum are biting very well on crankbaits fished around jetties. No report on stripers or bream.

Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)

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

Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool)

Vince Miller from Fish ’N Stuff said the water is low and clear. Bream are slow. Crappie are fair on red/chartreuse jigs. Bass are fair on crankbaits. Catfish are slow.

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

McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are fair on black/blue jigs. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers and cut skipjack.

Clear Lake

McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie are good on minnows. Bass are fair on white spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers.

Peckerwood Lake

Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is clear and low, with a few stumps showing. Bream are fair. Crappie are biting well on brown/chartreuse jigs. Catfishing is good on stinkbait and chicken liver.

Lake Pickthorne

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

North Arkansas
White River

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is low and clear with one to two generators running. Trout are biting well on Power Baits, trout worms, brown/black Rooster Tails, Gold Lil’ Cleo spoons and Rogues and Rapalas.

Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said the water is clear with one to three generators running each day. Power Bait in yellow, sunrise and white have worked well on the edges of gravel bars along drop offs.

Guide Davy Wotton said lower water generation are allowing for good wade fishing access. You should experience fish feeding activity through most of the day. Water conditions are good with clean water, possibly some loose moss, during the early stages of generation. All options for fishing will work; dead drift nymph, dry, streamers, wet and soft hackles. Water depth and speed may determine the best option. First choice would be nymph fishing followed by dry/nymph rig combinations. Hoppers and large dry fly patterns are still working some days, but not all, mainly due to the cloudless days. If streamer fishing look for the banks with good shade and tree cover, particularly over shallow slow water zones, this is the most likely place to find trophy browns.

Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge(870-499-5185) said fishing is still a little slow but consistent. You won’t have any trouble catching your limit but the 75 to 100 fish days have slowed. Rapalas and jigs are the mainstay. If you are a fly-angler try a pink San Juan worm with a sow bug dropper.

Buffalo River

Just Fishing Guides said the river levels are: Ponca – 1.37 feet and 2.9 cfs; Pruitt – 3.46 feet and 9.4 cfs; Tyler Bend – 3.50 feet and 44 cfs, and Buffalo Point – 2.24 feet and 71 cfs. The entire river is very low and wading or dragging a canoe is the only way to fish except in the Buffalo Point area and below. Water temperatures range from 53 to 69 degrees. Smaller fish have been the rule. The river flows are very low and care should be taken to not spook fish. Spin fishermen are doing good, bottom-bouncing tubes, lizards and brush hawgs in watermelon/red and green pumpkin. For fly-fishermen, try crazy ’dads, rabbit tail sliders, woolly buggers and Clouser minnows on both floating and sink-tip lines.

Crooked Creek

Just Fishing Guides said the gauge at Kelly’s Slab is reading 9.36 ft. and 4.3 cfs. The creek is low for floating but possible in some areas. Wade fishing is excellent. Spin fishing with soft plastics and 1/16-oz. jigs will consistently catch good numbers of fish. Bottom bouncing soft plastics such as 4-inch lizards, 3-inch tubes and 3- and 4-inch brush hawgs in watermelon, watermelon/red and green pumpkin are working best. For fly-fishers use Clousers, zonkers, crazy dads, sculpins, poppers, sliders and hopper patterns.

Bull Shoals Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 651.72 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 654 MSL).

Mike Worley’s Guide Service said the lake is 2.3 feet below power pool and the water temperature is in the upper 60s. Walleye are biting well on spoons and on bottom bouncers or split-shot rigs baited with nightcrawlers. Bass are biting on jigs and spinnerbaits in shallow water and on spoons and jigs in water as deep as 35 feet. Crappie are biting on minnows, jigs and spoons anywhere from 10 to 40 feet of water. White bass, yellow perch and some large bluegills have been caught on spoons as well.

Bull Shoals Tailwater

Just Fishing Guides said water releases are continuous at 2,000 cfs with releases ramping up to 10,000 cfs during the day. Micro caddis are heavy on the water most days, so nymphing with size 18-20 tan caddis larva/pupae patterns is working well. Standard patterns including scud, sow bug, pheasant tail style nymphs, egg and worm patterns should be in your fly box as well. With brown trout approaching their spawn and on the move, streamers should be part of your arsenal as well.

Lake Norfork

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 550.56 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April - 552 MSL, April-Sept. - 554 MSL).

Blackburn Resort said surface temperature has dropped to 67 degrees. The creeks are stained and the main lake is clearing. Fish have moved off the main lake points to halfway back in the creeks in about 30 feet of water and are hitting on spoons, crankbaits and spinners. White bass, crappie and spotted bass are the best. On cloudy days you can catch fish all day. Pay attention to prevailing winds and fish in those creeks. If you can find brush there will be fish there, otherwise look for broken schools of shad.

Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass fishing on Norfork Lake has been outstanding. The fishing should only improve as the water temperature drops into the 60s. Bluegill fishing has also been fantastic. Crickets have been working the best, but cut night crawlers threaded on the hook will work as well. Stripers are showing up all over the lake, but the bite is still slow.

Guide Steve Olomon said the water temperature is in the mid to upper 60s and the lake level is 550.7. Throw a Zara Spook Jr. (clear or white) on points. Bass are coming up in the backs of some creeks. If you have some wind, throw a spinnerbait or crankbait along the bank. Throw a jig up to the bank and drag it slowly. Look for fish at 30-40 feet and drop a jigging spoon. The night bite should start soon.

Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said the crappie are moving into the creeks after large schools of shad in the mornings. Trolling with Bandit crankbaits down to 8 to 12 feet has worked this week before the front came in.

Norfork Tailwater

Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said wade fishing is picking up in the mornings at all public access areas. Generation has been light, starting about 11 a.m. during weekdays.

Just Fishing Guides said generation has been beginning mid-day for about 6-7 hours at 3,500 cfs with pulsing spikes to about 1,000 cfs to help the low DO problem. Low DO levels can hamper fishing with lethargic fish. Windy days can help and concentrating on riffle/run areas can improve your catch ratio. Always land and release fish quickly so they can live to fight another day. Scuds, sow bugs, zebra midges, pheasant tails, hare’s ears, hare ’n copper, egg and worm patterns and small streamers are all standard fare for this time of year.

Northwest Arkansas
Beaver Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,117.57 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 1,120 MSL).

Bailey’s Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) said striper fishing is on big time the fish are on the feed! You will have to check several spots throughout the day as the stripers make their way toward their fall haunts. Many fish have been taken on live 4-8-inch shad fished on lightly weighted balloon lines trolled 50-100 feet behind the boat and on Rapalas set with downriggers at 15-35 feet deep. The stripers will be active most of the day with peaks around sunrise, sunset and during generation. Fish location is greatly influenced by lake level and current flow, current in the lake from generation will generally position fish on upstream or downstream edges of structure. Most of the stripers are moving up lake. Check the following areas in the lower part of the lake with free lined shad: Around Point 3 in front of Starky Marina; Point 4 has been excellent; gravel bars near Point 5; Point 6 is hot with striper and bait (try night fishing with Rat-L-Traps for some real trophies); Big Clifty Arm is good; Rocky Branch (in the back of Rambo creek arm, the small island in front of the water intake, in the mouth of the marina and in Larue cove are all holding stripers and bait); Copper mine is holding some good stripers. In the upper section of the lake: Prairie creek is hot with stripers and bait in large schools and a lot of surface feeding; the area in front of Ventris Resort Boat Dock is holding some stripers as well. Walleye are picking up around the island flats at Beaver Shores and Horseshoe Bend. Points 1, 3, 5 and 6 have all been producing walleye. Most walleye are about 10-20 feet deep. fish are being taken off the points. Flat line troll with Hot-n-Tot’s, Rapala Tail Dancers, Shad Raps, Reef Runners, or Ripstiks in natural blue or black back combos or chartreuse/orange and clown colors. Jigging spoons around brush and rock piles are also producing.

JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass have been biting well in the mid-lake area on crawdad-colored medium-diving crankbaits along chunk rock banks early and late. During the day, try a Carolina-rigged watermelon/red or green pumpkin finesse worm over points in main coves or in the middle of small pockets with timber in 15 to 25 feet of water. Crappie have been biting very well on both minnows and jigs. Fish have been holding tight to brush piles along channels ledges in 15 to 35 feet of water. Lots of small fish are being caught, but some huge keepers are coming in with the small ones. Best jig colors have been yellow/white, pink/white or black/green. Horseshoe Bend upstream to Blue Springs has been most productive. White bass have been schooling occasionally throughout the day in the middle of large coves and main lake flats. A school can be spotted as you are motoring down the lake. Once a school has been located, cast a ¼- to ½-oz. Kastmaster spoon into the schooling fish. Catfish have been biting well late in the day into the night from the bank using liver or worms. Monte-NE, 12 Bridge and Hickory Creek have all been good.

Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are fair on redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair on tube jigs and minnows in 8 to 20 feet of water. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits and square-billed crankbaits in shallow water, and on drop-shot rigs and Carolina rigs in deep water. White bass are schooling and are being caught on small spoons and Rooster Tails.

Beaver Tailwater

Just Fishing Guides said generation has been starting around 1 p.m. with flows to 8,000 cfs. Most of the time, water releases are in the afternoon, but with colder mornings, be prepared for morning releases. The water is off color due to Beaver Lake turning over. Wade fishing is good for numbers using BH Peasant Tails, BH Simple Sow and scuds, sizes 14-16. Small streamers including wooly buggers, 56ers and sparrows sizes 8-10 are working also. Cover a lot of water and fan cast areas to find aggressive fish.

War Eagle Creek

Loy Lewis from War Eagle Canoe (479-530-3262) had no report.

Lake Elmdale

Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said the fall turn-over has ended and bass are beginning to bite a little better. Jigs with frog trailers are working well. A brown/orange/green jig with a brown trailer has been excellent. Shallow feeding areas, with quick access to deep water are key areas. Cole slaw-colored spinnerbaits with a silver willow leaf blade, along with a white Colorado blade will produce bites. The crappie seem to be scattered, but brush and drop-offs around 10 feet deep are producing some fish on minnows and red/chartreuse or black/hot pink crappie tubes with a Crappie Nibble. Bluegill are biting redworms and crickets in 4 feet of water. Catfishing is slow, but a few have been caught on live bream and chicken liver.

Kings River

Just Fishing Guides said the river gauge near Grandview is reading 2.65 ft. and 70 cfs. Water temperatures are hitting the upper 60s in the afternoon. Best fishing times are later as the water heats up. Fishing is good for fly-anglers using Clousers, sparkle grubs, rubber-legged woolly buggers and various poppers and sliders like sneaky petes and rabbit tail sliders in black, yellow and white. Spin fishermen are catching fish on tubes, lizards and baby brush hawgs as well as Rebel Teeny Wee Craw crankbaits. Don’t forget to try a buzzbait or spinnerbait.

Lake Fayetteville

Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are biting well on crickets under a bobber. Crappie are biting well on minnows slowly trolled around creek channels. Bass are fair on topwater lures and medium-diving crankbaits. Catfishing is good on chicken liver, Magic Bait and homemade dough bait.

Lake Sequoyah

Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished around brush and stump rows in 3 to 8 feet of water. Bass are biting well on chartreuse/white spinnerbaits and chartreuse crankbaits. Catfishing is good on shad, goldfish, worms and chicken livers.

Northeast Arkansas
Lake Charles

Lake Charles State Park had no report.

Lake Poinsett

Lake Poinsett State Park had no report.

Crown Lake

Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is clear and 2 feet low. Bream are biting well on redworms. Crappie are fair on minnows.

Lake Frierson

Lake Frierson State Park said the water is low and murky. Bass are fair on buzzbaits. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers and chicken livers.

Spring River

Mark Crawford with Spring River Flies and Guides said the water is clear and running at 280 cfs at the spring. Early mornings have been excellent; with the fishing slowing down at around 1 p.m. Leaves are beginning to fall heavily on the river. New varieties of caddis and mayfly emergers are working very well with Y2ks being very hot on some days. One day a snail pattern was the go-to fly and the next it was a black woolly. The hot Trout Magnet color for the week is a white body and green legs. Brown trout and cutthroats are hitting well just after dawn.

Southeast Arkansas
Lake Chicot

Lake Chicot State Park had no report.

Cane Creek Lake

Cane Creek State Park said the crappie are starting to bite consistently, although many of them are small fish. They are being taken on small minnows.

Lake Monticello

Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of MonticelloBigBass.com had no report.

Southwest Arkansas
Millwood Lake

Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said the lake is still in the process of a 4-foot drawdown and is currently 40 inches low, so navigation in the boat lanes is just as treacherous as the rest of the lake. Surface temps dropped to 64 to 67 degrees. The discharge rate as of Monday was 1 sluice gate open at 0.5’ for a total discharge of 173 CFS. Clarity on main lake is 5 to 10 inches of visibility. River Run East is still temporarily closed for maintenance and construction by the USACE until further notice. River Run West and Beards Lake are still open for recreation. The best bass bite over the last several weeks has been shifting to late morning through mid-afternoon. Largemouth bass are following very large schools of shad and are relating to points and creek channels and intersections with the River. The best baits have been Bomber crankbaits, Cordell hammered spoons and Rat-L-Traps around the schooling fish in open water, and Bass Assassin Shads, Johnson chrome spoons, and Strikeworks jigs around isolated cover. War Eagle spinnerbaits in Spot Remover or chartreuse/white have been getting good reactions over the past couple weeks. The best colors of Rat-L-Traps have been High Definition Threadfin Shad, Golden Shiner or Millwood Magic. StrikeWorks Jigs in hot peanut butter n jelly, pumpkinseed/chartreuse and black/blue are taking bass off stumps and laydowns in creek channels. White bass and spotted bass are still schooling from mid-morning through mid-afternoon at various creeks and oxbows upriver. Hurricane Creek is still hot with schooling whites and spots. Start at both ends of where Hurricane Creek intersects and dumps into Little River, and work back, staying in proper creek channel from 9-14 feet deep. Focus especially around the larger creek channel’s outer bends. This similar activity was taking place in Horseshoe Lake, Mud Lake oxbows up Little River. Crappie are fair to good, with the improvement in reduced water temps over the past week. Crappie continue stacking vertically and with the cooler water temps are grouping tightly in planted brush piles along Little River between 12-18 feet deep. These crappie are biting good on tiny hair jigs in the clearest water you can locate from 10 a.m. until noon. Additionally, Southern Pro Crappie tubes, small Rocket Shads, and Blakemore Roadrunners were working in 15-16-foot deep brush piles and along old creek channels and ditches. Catfish are fair to good on trotlines, yo-yos and tight lines along Little River. Blues and channel cats were biting chicken livers, frozen catalpa worms, and Catfish Charlie, in 20-25 feet of Little River on the outer break lines in current or with the yo-yos tied underneath Cypress trees in back of Mud, Horseshoe, or McGuire Oxbow Lakes, with blood bait in 9-10-foot depths.

Lake Columbia

Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) had no report.

Lake Erling

Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) had no report.

Lake Greeson

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 538.25 MSL (Flood pool - 548 MSL).

Lakeside Grocery and Bait (870-398-5304) said the water is clear in deep areas and murky in the shallows. The water is low and the surface temperature is in the 60s. Bream are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows around brush in 10 to 15 feet of water. Bass are fair on topwater lures, crankbaits and soft-plastic lizards. Catfishing is slow.

For more information on crappie fishing at Lake Greeson, visit Jerry Blake’s website, www.actionfishingtrips.com/tripreports.htm.

Lake Greeson Tailwater (Little Missouri River)

Visit www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com for a daily update on fishing conditions.

Cossatot River

Cossatot River State Park said the water is starting to have a nice deep green color and the fish are active. Fall is a great time to catch a big smallmouth. The river is about as low as I have seen it right now, but it is also clean, clear and cool. The fish should be active and hungry in pools as their food sources are being depleted. This time of year use small, fast moving baits because the fish will move a great distance for food. Use a Rooster Tail, or Beetle Spin this time of year to give you a chance to catch the most fish. If you’re looking for bigger fish, try slightly larger baits such as bass jigs or tubes.

DeGray Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 395.89 feet MSL (Flood pool - 408 MSL).

Local angler George Graves said the surface water temperature is in the upper 60s and the lake is clear throughout. Bass fishing is good on main lake and secondary points. Some coves are packed full of shad, and there’s been some good topwater action in the mornings on topwater lures, such as Zara Spooks, Sammies, Flukes or buzzbaits. Color is not too important on the top waters, just so your lure is over the breaking fish. Later in the day, throw a Texas- or Carolina-rigged worm or lizard to about 10 feet of water, working out to about 25 feet. Just make sure there is either brush or wood cover nearby. Best worm colors are green pumpkin, green pumpkin/red flake and cotton candy. Also try a jig with plastic trailer in crawfish or black/blue. Several good catches have been taken on spinnerbaits fished next to standing timber in the pockets. Look for bass between Edgewood and Shouse Ford and Brushy and Big Hill creeks. Crappie fishing remains slow with only a few catches reported. The fish are in the attractors, but are reluctant to bite. The best pattern is to just keep trying attractors at depths or 15 to 20 feet until some feeding fish are located. The best lures are still the 2 inch Tennessee shad grub or tube on a 1/16- or 1/32-ounce jig head. The best area for crappies with this low clear water is in Shouse Ford and Point Cedar areas. Hybrid fishing is fair with some fish still on the deep water summer pattern. The fish are really scattered and are no longer in the deep timber, but in open water at depths or 90 to 100 feet. They are still suspended at about 45 feet. Use the sonar to locate fish and drop a 1-ounce jigging spoon in chartreuse or white to just above the fish. Also try a 3 inch flat grub on a 1/4 ounce jig head. Smoke clear sparkle has been best. Look for hybrids next to the old river channel in the Iron Mountain area. No reports on surface feeding fish. Only a few reports on bream, but the brush piles in 15 to 18 feet of water are loaded with them. Just find some brush and tight line a cricket or redworm just above the brush. Catfish are good at night with quite a few nice catches coming on trotlines and noodles. Use Catfish Charlie, blood dough balls, hot dogs and soap and nightcrawlers for the channel cats. Bait with live bream or shiners for the flatheads and blues. The best areas for trotlines have been at the mouths of coves on the south side of the lake. Drop the noodles along the bluff walls around points 14 and 15.

West-Central Arkansas
Lake Nimrod

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 342.38 feet MSL.

Whiskers Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said crappie are excellent on minnows in the upper river. Bram are biting excellently on crickets, worms and Rock Hoppers in the upper river.

Lake Bailey (Petit Jean Mountain)

Whiskers Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said bream are excellent on crickets and worms. Catfish are biting fairly well on worms and chicken livers.

Fourche La Fave River

Whiskers Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said catfish are biting well on yo-yos and trotlines baited with minnows, liver and stinkbait.

Lake Hinkle

Bill’s Bait Shop (479-637-7419) said the water is clear and at normal level. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Catfishing is fair on worms and chicken livers.

Lake Dardanelle

Regina Olson at Spadra Marina said fishing has been a lot of fun. We have had many reports of many types of fish being caught in the area. Largemouth bass are biting best on Rat-L-Traps and plastic worms. White bass are still biting, but are starting to thin out to make room for the bigger crappie. We have started to see more and more crappie weighing in at more than a pound now, so they are getting to be nice eating size. Jig color preferences have been anything with sparkle or silver in it. Crappie minnow fishermen have had the best luck pulling the bigger ones in at the end of tree tops and fishing 4-6 feet deep. Catfish have been biting best on shad when you can find them. Stinkbait was doing very well before the cooler weather started setting in.

Blue Mountain Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 384.24 feet MSL.

Lake Ouachita

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 569.23 MSL (Flood pool - 578 MSL).

Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said bass are schooling in the creek arms. Stripers are in smaller groups, but you can find some up in the creeks near points.

Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports said the water temperature was in the lower 70s before the front. The water color is clear. Bass are being caught on points and pockets on a topwater lures. There is some moss growing on the north side of the lake. Try a crankbait on the deep sides or a floating worm on the shallow side. Also try a fluke on breaking fish at the mouths of creeks. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms in 5 feet of water.

Mountain Harbor Resort said the water temperature is 64 to 70 degrees, and the water is clear. Largemouth bass are still biting well on small Spooks or flukes in shad colors. Large spotted bass are still being caught on live crawfish near structure in 20 feet of water. Walleye are fair on bottom bouncer jigs, spoons and trolled deep-diving crank baits 25 to 35 feet deep around brush. Stripers are very good and being caught with live bait and trolled hair jigs or crankbaits 18 to 25 feet deep. Bream are slow on crickets and worms 18 to 25 feet deep. Crappie are still excellent near and over brush in water 12 to 20 feet deep on minnows or crappie grubs in Tennessee shad and rainbow trout colors. Catfish are fair on cut bait and live bait on jug lines and trotlines set 20-30 feet deep.

Lake Hamilton

Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports said the water temperature is in the low 70s and cooling. The water color is clear. The lake is full and the summer boat traffic is over. Bass are being caught in water 10 feet deep and shallower. Try a frog or buzzbait in the morning and a crankbait during the day. After a rain, don’t forget a spinnerbait in a creek. With the cooler weather, people are starting to fish more in the day. Bream are in 5 feet or less in the guts of pockets. Try crickets or worms.

For a daily fishing report from Darryl Morris, visit Family Fishing Trips.

Lake Catherine

For weekly flow releases from Carpenter Dam, visit www.entergy.com/hydro.

Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, said that due to extreme drought conditions on the Ouachita River in south Arkansas, Entergy will begin lowering lakes Hamilton and Catherine about half an inch to one inch per day beginning Oct. 24. This early lowering is in advance of the annual winter drawdown which will begin Nov. 5 and be completed by Nov. 13. Carpenter Dam will generate for a couple of hours each day when necessary to help alleviate the low water conditions downstream. Lake Catherine will be lowered 12 inches during this period. Presently, water temperature directly below the dam continues to hold at 65 degrees and rises to 69 degrees around the bridge. Slightly stained water is the norm, but conditions will clear when a regular generation schedule is implemented. Rainbow trout stocking begins in mid-November. Some white bass action is occurring with fish being taken on live minnows over deep water and jerk baits while the turbines are running. Because of the early drawdown, more bass will be drawn into the tailrace as threadfin shad move toward the dam. Walleye fishing at night has produced females in the 5 pound range on minnows fished vertically in 15 feet of water. Trolling the main channel with brightly colored crankbaits has also taken good limits of walleye in the 2-pound class. A few crappie were caught this week on jigs cast around rock structure and sand bars during periods of current. Striper fishing is very slow with little activity observed in the area, but will improve greatly in November when the trout stocking program begins. Soft plastic lures in the 5- to 7-inch range are a perfect lure to cast into feeding stripers.

Lake Atkins

Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said crappie are finally starting to move into the coves. People are catching them on minnows, rosy red minnows and jigs. Bass have picked back up after a few slow weeks. Catfish are doing well out in deep water on minnows and cut bait. Bream are also out deep water on small jigs and worms. White bass are being caught in coves where shad are schooling. Water level is about 2 feet below normal, and clear. Water temperature is in the mid- to high 60s.

South-Central Arkansas
White Oak Lake

The drop in water level at Lower White Oak is almost completely stopped, however it is a temporary fix, and plans are being made to repair the damaged gate. Currently, the only boat ramp that is usable on Lower White Oak is the dam access ramp.

Moro Bay

Moro Bay State Park at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay had no report.

Ouachita River Oxbows

Jaret Rushing had no report.

Tri-County Lake

Jaret Rushing had no report.

East Arkansas
Bear Creek Lake

Mississippi River State Park said fishing should pick up after the rain. Bream are biting on redworms. Catfish are good on live sunfish. Crappie are fair on minnows.

Storm Creek Lake

Mississippi River State Park said bream are biting on redworms. Catfish are good on green sunfish. Crappie are fair on minnows.

White River

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

Maddox Bay

Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is low and clear. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on chartreuse/black spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on worms and stinkbait.

Horseshoe Lake

Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are biting well on worms around lily pads. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs around the piers. Bass are biting well on crankbaits and spoons fished around the lily pads. Catfishing is good on yo-yos hung from cypress trees and baited with cut bait.


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