04-20-2007, 02:04 AM
[size 1]Arkansas River Levels: According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as of Wednesday the Arkansas River stages are:
11.69 feet at Dardanelle (flood stage - 32 feet)<br />
14.36 feet at Morrilton (flood stage - 30 feet)<br />
7.48 feet at Little Rock (flood stage - 23 feet)<br />
31.53 feet at Pine Bluff (flood stage - 42 feet)<br />
26.21 feet at Pendleton (flood stage - 31 feet)
White River Levels : According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as of Wednesday the White River stages are:
8.52 feet at Georgetown (flood stage - 21 feet)<br />
20.63 feet at Augusta (flood stage - 26 feet)<br />
10.78 feet at Newport (flood stage - 26 feet)<br />
9.49 feet at Batesville (flood stage - 15 feet)<br />
6.51feet at Calico Rock (flood stage - 19 feet)
Statewide Family and Community Fishing Report: Fish are biting well during warm afternoons. Bream are good on crickets and catfish are fair on chicken liver or minnows. Catfish stockings this week will enhance the fishing opportunity in most ponds dramatically. For more information on catfish stockings, call toll-free 1-866-540-FISH (3474).
CENTRAL ARKANSAS<br />
Lake Conway : Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is at normal levels and clarity. Bream are beginning to bite well on worms and crickets. Crappie have slowed. Bass are biting fairly well on top-water lures. Catfishing is fair on live bream.<br />
Little Red River : Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) said the rain has cranked up the generators, so water is flowing fairly well with two generators turning. Small spinners are working extremely well in the current. Wax worms and PowerBait are also working well on a slip-sinker rig.
Greers Ferry : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 461.47 feet MSL.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said hybrid fishing is good if you get over the shad and stay over them. The fish are back in deep water and wanting to feed. Fish swim baits and spoons in 40-60 feet of water. The river white bass are back with the hybrids and feeding. The main lake white bass are using the smaller creeks to spawn and can be caught with small grubs, Roadrunners and in-line spinners. The crappie should get back to normal by the end of the week and be shallow with the warm up and rising water. Catfish are biting pretty well as they are eating the carp eggs and are hungry after the late winter. A few walleye are starting to be caught again on postspawn flats in about 40 feet of water. The cold front really hurt the black bass bite. The bass went a little deeper, but can be caught on Rite Bite lizards or Cinkos fished on 1/8-ounce jigheads, also use Texas-rigged centipedes and wacky-rigged floating worms.
Harris Brake Lake : Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said the water is stained and fishing is slow due to the bad weather.
Lake Beaverfork : The City of Conway Parks and Recreation Department said the water is clear and at normal levels. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs fished in deeper water. Bass are biting well on soft-plastic lizards. No report on bream or catfish.
Lake Overcup : Lakeview Landing (501-354-1470) said the weather kept most anglers off the water last week, but things are picking up. Bream are biting well on crickets and black rockhopper flies. The crappie are still staging and haven't moved up to spawn yet.
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is 4 inches high and murky. The fishing has been slow from the cold snap. Bream are biting fair on redworms and wax worms. Crappie are slow on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting fairly well on spinnerbaits and flukes. Catfishing is fair on large minnows and stinkbait.
Lake Brewer : Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is at normal level. Redworms are working fairly well on bream. Crappie are fair on pink minnows. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on stinkbait and soft-plastic worms.
Little Maumelle River : River Valley Bait (501-868-3279) said the only fishing that is going well is catfishing using limblines and yo-yos baited with live shad or prepared bait.
Lake Maumelle : Jolly Roger's Marina said the lake temperature is 58 degrees at the dock and the water level is about 5 inches above the spillway. Largemouth bass are excellent on spinnerbaits and crankbaits fished shallow. Most of the bass are in spawn and prespawn. Kentucky bass are moving to the shallows and are being caught with the bass. White bass are biting well on the west end of the lake. Rogues and Roostertails are working well on the fish moving back out of the creek channels. Crappie are biting well on 1/32-ounce jigs in 5 to 10 feet of water. Bream are biting well, but are still 15 to 20 feet deep. Saugeye are biting fair on Roadrunners and spinnerbaits in 5 to 15 feet of water. Catfishing is fair on worms and prepared baits in 5 to 20 feet of water.
Sunset Lake: Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is stained and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on crickets in 6 to 8 feet of water. Crappie are biting well on chartreuse and bubblegum grubs. Bass are biting well on green pumpkin lizards and floating worms fished in 4 to 6 feet of water.
Saline River Access in Benton : Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water clarity is slightly muddy. Bream and crappie are biting well in the shallows on black/yellow Roostertails. Bass are biting well on small chartreuse/white spinnerbaits and 4-inch watermelonseed lizards. Catfishing is good on live bait in about 6 feet of water.
Arkansas River at Morrilton : Charley's Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said the flow from Lock 9 is 42,000 cubic feet per second with a headwater of 286.8 and a tailwater of 268.0. The weather slowed fishing, but the action is picking back up. Catfish are beginning to move shallower and can be caught on whole shad below locks 9 and 10 as well as the downstream side of jetties in 10 to 20 feet of water. Stripers are biting fair on live shad and crankbaits in 6 to 12 feet of water. White bass are holding around creek mouths and jetties where clear water and muddy water meet. Kentucky bass are shallow on the rocks and can be caught on firetiger-colored Fat Raps. Largemouth bass are in the shallows, holding near woody cover. Chartreuse spinnerbaits are working well on the largemouths. Bream are lining up along the grassy banks and are biting well on crickets.
Murray Lock and Dam : Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said catfishing is good below the generators on cut bait and nightcrawlers.
Terry Lock and Dam : McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the current is flowing very well. Bass are biting well on black jigs fished around woody cover in the backwater areas. White bass and stripers are biting well on ½-ounce Rooster Tails. Catfishing is very good on chicken livers just out of the current.
Clear Lake : McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is high. Bream are biting well on brush piles in 4 feet of water. Crappie are slow, but a few have been caught on pink minnows in 3 to 4 feet of water. Bass are biting well on chartreuse spinnerbaits fished along the banks.
Peckerwood Lake : Herman's Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is dingy and at normal level. Bream fishing is poor. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows. Bass are fair to good on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Catfishing is good on blood bait and chicken livers.
Redbarn Landing (870-255-4315) said the water is clear and the lake is full. Bream are back deep. Crappie are biting well on jigs fished vertically over cover. Catfishing is good on minnows and rosy reds.
NORTH ARKANSAS
White River : Local angler Jason Oury said anglers fishing the West Fork is starting to see some smallmouth action on McLellan's Crazy Dad streamer flies and small homemade poppers in natural wood and yellow. Bream seem to want anything and everything that lands in their space, but not many large ones are showing up.<br />
Bull Shoals Lake : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 654.37 feet MSL.
Wilderness Trail (870-445-2703) said lake temperature is 51.9 in the main lake and 52.5 in the back of some northern creeks. Lake clarity is about 20 to 21 feet visibility, which we have not had for many years. Crappie are holding tight to the structure. With the water clarity you have to back away from the brush and fish slip bobbers and live crappie minnows over the brush pile. The bite is slow, so work a number of crappie cribs on any given day. White bass remain in the backs of the creeks but they are in 30 to 35 feet of water, suspended at 12 to 20 feet. Work deeper baits such as ¼-ounce Roadrunners, ½-ounce spoons, and bass-sized Swimming Minnows on a ¼-ounce head. Largemouth bass can still be caught in the backs of some northern creeks and pockets on spinnerbaits and Flukes but the size is small (males) and the numbers are few. Back off points and fish a Mojo or Carolina rig with lizards or brush hogs for the better size largemouth. Smallmouth bass have pulled away from their spawning banks and have returned to the secondary and main lake points. As the lake warms back up they will migrate back to their spawning areas. Kentucky bass are on the banks one minute and gone the next. Best bet is to find the shad and fish a drop shot or spoon under them. A slow moving Roadrunner will also surprise you, fished under tough conditions. Walleye are done spawning. The lake temperature did not affect the depth they are zoned in on. Fish points and channel swings with Shad Raps, Glass Shad, Lucky Craft Pointers and Munchies grubs on a Max Gap head from the bank out to 25 feet of water. Night anglers will have good action on points with X-Raps, Suspending Rogues and other jerk baits for the next few weeks.
Lake Norfork : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 552.36 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Bait and Tackle (870-492-5141) said the water is up about a foot from the rains. Crappie fishing is slow, but should pick up with the weather. Black bass are biting well on crankbaits, soft-plastic worms and jig fished in less than 10 feet of water. White bass are fair on small spinners. Stripers are poor. Walleye are poor.
Norfork Tailwater : Gene's Trout Dock (870-499-5381) said the water is clear and generators are running sporadically. Trout fishing is good on frozen shad, worms and crawdads.
Mountain River Fly Shop said the cold snap is gone and the caddis are back in full force. Fishing on the Norfork River was great Sunday April the 14 th . We started out fishing Zebra Midges in the morning and went to Anna ''K" soft hackles and e/c caddis dries in the afternoon.
Table Rock Lake : Phillip Stone of Stone's Guide Service said with the recent cold snap, the fishing has slowed down a bit. The bass are still close to their spawning banks, just backed off of them in about 8-12 feet of water. I have been catching them using jigs in these areas. Pay attention to any laydowns or brush piles and work the jig through them slowly. The bite should start to pick back up when the weather starts warming up again. The crappie have pulled back out to the standing pole timber near the channel swings. The best way to catch them right now is drift fishing minnows near the channels. I have also been catching some by vertically fishing swimming minnows over the submerged pole timber near the channel. As soon as the water starts to warm back up, the crappie should move back to shallow water and continue spawning.
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS<br />
Beaver Lake : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 1,120.58 feet MSL.<br />
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is clear and high. Crappie are fair on minnows, tube jigs and Shinneee Hinneee jigs. Bass are biting well in the shallows on flukes. White bass fishing is slow, but a few have been caught on spoons.
Beaver Tailwater : McLellan's Fly Shop said there has been very little generation this week, producing some excellent wade-fishing opportunities. San Juan worms, egg patterns and shad patterns like the Arkansas Beadhead are working well. During low water, midge patterns are always important on Beaver Tailwater. Zebra midges have been fooling lots of trout this week.
Lake Fayetteville : Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said the cold weather has kept most anglers home and the fishing has been slow.
Lake Sequoyah : Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the clarity is excellent. Bream have not moved up yet, but some warmer weather might help. Crappie are biting well on minnows and Road Runners fished over mud flats in 2 to 5 feet of water. Bass are biting well on soft-plastic worms and buzzbaits fished over mossy points. Catfish are biting fairly well on worms, chicken livers and cut bream over open water.
NORTHEAST ARKANSAS<br />
Crown Lake : Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is murky and at normal level. Crappie are biting well on live minnows. Bass are biting very well on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, soft-plastics and even a few top-water lures. No report on bream or catfish.<br />
Lake Frierson : Lake Frierson State Park said fishing has been slow for all species.
Eleven-Point River : Woody's Canoe Rental and Campground (870-892-9732) said the river is muddy and fishing is slow.
Spring River : Many Islands Camp (870-856-3451) said trout fishing has been very good on live bait and prepared baits like Berkley PowerBait and YUM Trout Krilla.
SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS<br />
Lake Chicot: Koenig Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on wax worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair on top-water lures. Catfishing is fair on minnows and worms.
Grand Lake : Koenig Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are fair on small panfish worms. Crappie are biting well on minnows trolled slowly in 8 feet of water. No report on bass or catfish.
Lake Wilson : Koenig Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said the water is clear and at normal level. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. No report on any other species.
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS<br />
Millwood Lake : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at _259.61 feet MSL.<br />
Millwood Lake Guide Service said main lake water surface temperature ranges from 66 to 72 degrees, depending on location and time of day. Upriver water and oxbow's surface temps remain slightly warmer at 72-74 degrees. Upriver oxbows have very good water clarity, ranging from 3-6 feet in places. Discharge at the spillway of 1,175 cubic feet per second with three gates open 1 ft each. Bass and crappie spawning activity is winding down. If current weather patterns hold over the next couple weeks, the bream should begin bed making and spawning activities soon. Twitch Assassins, Senkos, lizards, War Eagle spinnerbaits and jigs are taking some nice bass. Buzz baits are beginning to turn on with some regularity. Good quality bass remain around cypress trees and cypress knees, most especially near deep drops, and some of the post spawn bass have pulled out into the 9-11 feet depth range on stumps. These fish are good on jigs with pork trailers and 3" So Pro Fattbutt tubes in camo or purple smoke color. White bass are biting very well near White Cliffs and the entrance to McGuire Lake this week. Activity for whites is good on small Rat-L-Traps, tail spinners like Roadrunners, Rocket Shads and Rooster Tails in white or red or chrome/blue. Crappie are biting well with the lake level and clarity improvements. The Crappie are moving shallow in spawning mode. The best bite was in transition areas, between the brush piles along Little River in 12-13 feet.
Lake Columbia : Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. No report on any other species.
Lake Erling: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. No report on any other species.
White Oak Lake : Charlie's One Stop (870-685-2753) said the water is cloudy and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits, soft-plastics and some top-water lures. Catfishing is good on stinkbait and large minnows.
Lake Greeson : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 545.21 feet MSL.
Lakeside Grocery, Motel and Bait (870-398-5304) said the fishing has been slow all week.
Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips Guide Service said crappie have been a bit on the slow side due to the weather, but there are still some great size slabs being caught on brush piles in 15 feet of water on rosy red minnows.
DeGray Lake : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 407.99 feet MSL.
WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS<br />
Lake Dardanelle : Murphy's Sporting Goods (479-229-3200) said the main lake is muddy and the water level is low. The surface water temperature is 58 degrees. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair on flukes and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on bass minnows and shad.<br />
Blue Mountain Lake : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 386.80 feet MSL.
CNC's End of the Line (479-947-2398) said the weather kept most anglers off the water last week. No report.
Ozark Pool : Lakeside Food Mart (479-667-5155) said the bream are starting to bite well on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Stripers are below the generators and biting well on shad. Catfishing is good on cut bait and live minnows. A few largemouth bass are beginning to bite on soft-plastics.
Lake Ouachita : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 578.13 feet MSL.
Mountain Harbor Marina said the water temperature ranges from 60 to 64 degrees and the clarity is stained. Largemouth bass are slow, but can be caught on trick worms, lizards and YUM Dingers. Most of the fish are being caught between 3 and 10 feet of water. Walleye are fair on crankbaits and jerkbaits near creek channel bends. Stripers are fair on live bass minnows and threadfin shad. Colder weather killed the top-water bite. Bream are fair on crickets fished 15 to 25 feet deep. Crappie are slow on moss flats from 3 to 8 feet deep. Catfishing is fair on live bait and stinkbait fished 10 to 20 feet deep
Lake Catherine : Diamondhead Marina (501-262-2272) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Crappie are biting well on jigs fished close to the shoreline. Walleye are biting well on dark jigs and spinners fished around the shoreline.
Shane Goodner, owner of Catch'em All Guide Service , reports that rainbow trout fishing is red hot with most of the good fishing taking place during periods of no power generation. Fly fishermen are catching limits of trout on streamers. White and olive woolly buggers are drawing strikes as are San Juan worms and egg patterns. Spin fishermen are recording good catches on white/black 1/8-ounce Rooster Tails along with small crankbaits that imitate injured shad. Trolling these crankbaits in the channels will catch good numbers of trout as well as white bass that are attempting to bed. Bank fishermen, despite early moss growth, are catching trout by casting redworms and wax worms floated under a bobber. PowerBait presentations will catch trout with great regularity even by inexperienced anglers as rainbow trout have an insatiable desire to feed on fish eggs. Walleye action is still productive as the remaining fish feed up after the spawn in preparation to migrate downstream. Nightcrawler rigs and trolling crankbaits can still produce good numbers of walleye. The freshwater drum spawning run has begun and tailrace waters are covered with big females in the 20- to 40-pound range. Drum feed heavily on shad and crawfish so any crankbait or jig fished on the bottom will entice strikes from these spawning fish. Stripers are always present at the dam and will be schooling as May approaches with warmer weather. The threadfin shad migration will begin towards the dam and the stripers and hybrids will follow them. Large top-water baits will cause heart stopping strikes from these monsters. Water temperature is holding in the low 50s.
Lake Hamilton : No report.
Lake Hinkle : Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said the water is clear, cold and at normal levels. Bream are fair on worms and crickets fished close to the bottom. Crappie are biting well deep on minnows and jigs. Bass are excellent on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Catfishing is fair on shiners and chicken livers.
Lake Atkins : Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said bream are biting very well on crickets and worms. Bass are biting well on soft-plastics and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on live and prepared baits.
Lake Nimrod : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 345.54 feet MSL.
Local angler Billy Blankenship said high winds and the turkey opener have kept anglers off the water. No report.
SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS<br />
Felsenthal : Hale's One Stop (870-943-2683) said the bad weather has kept most anglers off the water.
EAST ARKANSAS<br />
Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The Tackle Box (870-534-1498) said bream are biting well on redworms. Crappie are biting fair, but should pick up with the warmer weather. Bass are biting well on Texas- and Carolina-rigged lizards. Catfishing is good on live bait.<br />
River City Sporting Goods (870-534-8303) said the water is dingy and at normal level. Bream fishing is picking up on redworms and crickets. Crappie are biting well in the backwaters on brush piles in 2 to 4 feet of water. Bass are biting well on black/blue jigs and chartreuse/white spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on chicken livers and cut shad.
White River : Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is clear and a little low. Crappie are biting well on pink Road Runner jigs with white twister tails or turbo tails. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and jigs along the river. No report on bream, catfish or walleye.
Maddox Bay : Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is clear. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets in 11/2 feet of water. Crappie are biting well on jigs and minnows fished shallow. Catfishing is good on stinkbait, cut bait and minnows fished on trotlines.
Bear Creek Lake : Arkansas Outdoors (870-295-4240) said the water is clear and the fishing has been slow. A few crappie have been caught by trolling in deep water.
Horseshoe Lake : Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the new pumps have been installed in the lake, but are not on yet, so the water is low. Bream are shallow and biting well on wax worms. Crappie are biting well around the piers on minnows and jigs. Bass are holding close to piers and biting well on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on worms and cut bait in the middle of the channel. [/size]
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11.69 feet at Dardanelle (flood stage - 32 feet)<br />
14.36 feet at Morrilton (flood stage - 30 feet)<br />
7.48 feet at Little Rock (flood stage - 23 feet)<br />
31.53 feet at Pine Bluff (flood stage - 42 feet)<br />
26.21 feet at Pendleton (flood stage - 31 feet)
White River Levels : According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as of Wednesday the White River stages are:
8.52 feet at Georgetown (flood stage - 21 feet)<br />
20.63 feet at Augusta (flood stage - 26 feet)<br />
10.78 feet at Newport (flood stage - 26 feet)<br />
9.49 feet at Batesville (flood stage - 15 feet)<br />
6.51feet at Calico Rock (flood stage - 19 feet)
Statewide Family and Community Fishing Report: Fish are biting well during warm afternoons. Bream are good on crickets and catfish are fair on chicken liver or minnows. Catfish stockings this week will enhance the fishing opportunity in most ponds dramatically. For more information on catfish stockings, call toll-free 1-866-540-FISH (3474).
CENTRAL ARKANSAS<br />
Lake Conway : Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is at normal levels and clarity. Bream are beginning to bite well on worms and crickets. Crappie have slowed. Bass are biting fairly well on top-water lures. Catfishing is fair on live bream.<br />
Little Red River : Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) said the rain has cranked up the generators, so water is flowing fairly well with two generators turning. Small spinners are working extremely well in the current. Wax worms and PowerBait are also working well on a slip-sinker rig.
Greers Ferry : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 461.47 feet MSL.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said hybrid fishing is good if you get over the shad and stay over them. The fish are back in deep water and wanting to feed. Fish swim baits and spoons in 40-60 feet of water. The river white bass are back with the hybrids and feeding. The main lake white bass are using the smaller creeks to spawn and can be caught with small grubs, Roadrunners and in-line spinners. The crappie should get back to normal by the end of the week and be shallow with the warm up and rising water. Catfish are biting pretty well as they are eating the carp eggs and are hungry after the late winter. A few walleye are starting to be caught again on postspawn flats in about 40 feet of water. The cold front really hurt the black bass bite. The bass went a little deeper, but can be caught on Rite Bite lizards or Cinkos fished on 1/8-ounce jigheads, also use Texas-rigged centipedes and wacky-rigged floating worms.
Harris Brake Lake : Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said the water is stained and fishing is slow due to the bad weather.
Lake Beaverfork : The City of Conway Parks and Recreation Department said the water is clear and at normal levels. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs fished in deeper water. Bass are biting well on soft-plastic lizards. No report on bream or catfish.
Lake Overcup : Lakeview Landing (501-354-1470) said the weather kept most anglers off the water last week, but things are picking up. Bream are biting well on crickets and black rockhopper flies. The crappie are still staging and haven't moved up to spawn yet.
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is 4 inches high and murky. The fishing has been slow from the cold snap. Bream are biting fair on redworms and wax worms. Crappie are slow on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting fairly well on spinnerbaits and flukes. Catfishing is fair on large minnows and stinkbait.
Lake Brewer : Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is at normal level. Redworms are working fairly well on bream. Crappie are fair on pink minnows. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on stinkbait and soft-plastic worms.
Little Maumelle River : River Valley Bait (501-868-3279) said the only fishing that is going well is catfishing using limblines and yo-yos baited with live shad or prepared bait.
Lake Maumelle : Jolly Roger's Marina said the lake temperature is 58 degrees at the dock and the water level is about 5 inches above the spillway. Largemouth bass are excellent on spinnerbaits and crankbaits fished shallow. Most of the bass are in spawn and prespawn. Kentucky bass are moving to the shallows and are being caught with the bass. White bass are biting well on the west end of the lake. Rogues and Roostertails are working well on the fish moving back out of the creek channels. Crappie are biting well on 1/32-ounce jigs in 5 to 10 feet of water. Bream are biting well, but are still 15 to 20 feet deep. Saugeye are biting fair on Roadrunners and spinnerbaits in 5 to 15 feet of water. Catfishing is fair on worms and prepared baits in 5 to 20 feet of water.
Sunset Lake: Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is stained and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on crickets in 6 to 8 feet of water. Crappie are biting well on chartreuse and bubblegum grubs. Bass are biting well on green pumpkin lizards and floating worms fished in 4 to 6 feet of water.
Saline River Access in Benton : Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water clarity is slightly muddy. Bream and crappie are biting well in the shallows on black/yellow Roostertails. Bass are biting well on small chartreuse/white spinnerbaits and 4-inch watermelonseed lizards. Catfishing is good on live bait in about 6 feet of water.
Arkansas River at Morrilton : Charley's Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said the flow from Lock 9 is 42,000 cubic feet per second with a headwater of 286.8 and a tailwater of 268.0. The weather slowed fishing, but the action is picking back up. Catfish are beginning to move shallower and can be caught on whole shad below locks 9 and 10 as well as the downstream side of jetties in 10 to 20 feet of water. Stripers are biting fair on live shad and crankbaits in 6 to 12 feet of water. White bass are holding around creek mouths and jetties where clear water and muddy water meet. Kentucky bass are shallow on the rocks and can be caught on firetiger-colored Fat Raps. Largemouth bass are in the shallows, holding near woody cover. Chartreuse spinnerbaits are working well on the largemouths. Bream are lining up along the grassy banks and are biting well on crickets.
Murray Lock and Dam : Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said catfishing is good below the generators on cut bait and nightcrawlers.
Terry Lock and Dam : McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the current is flowing very well. Bass are biting well on black jigs fished around woody cover in the backwater areas. White bass and stripers are biting well on ½-ounce Rooster Tails. Catfishing is very good on chicken livers just out of the current.
Clear Lake : McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is high. Bream are biting well on brush piles in 4 feet of water. Crappie are slow, but a few have been caught on pink minnows in 3 to 4 feet of water. Bass are biting well on chartreuse spinnerbaits fished along the banks.
Peckerwood Lake : Herman's Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is dingy and at normal level. Bream fishing is poor. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows. Bass are fair to good on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Catfishing is good on blood bait and chicken livers.
Redbarn Landing (870-255-4315) said the water is clear and the lake is full. Bream are back deep. Crappie are biting well on jigs fished vertically over cover. Catfishing is good on minnows and rosy reds.
NORTH ARKANSAS
White River : Local angler Jason Oury said anglers fishing the West Fork is starting to see some smallmouth action on McLellan's Crazy Dad streamer flies and small homemade poppers in natural wood and yellow. Bream seem to want anything and everything that lands in their space, but not many large ones are showing up.<br />
Bull Shoals Lake : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 654.37 feet MSL.
Wilderness Trail (870-445-2703) said lake temperature is 51.9 in the main lake and 52.5 in the back of some northern creeks. Lake clarity is about 20 to 21 feet visibility, which we have not had for many years. Crappie are holding tight to the structure. With the water clarity you have to back away from the brush and fish slip bobbers and live crappie minnows over the brush pile. The bite is slow, so work a number of crappie cribs on any given day. White bass remain in the backs of the creeks but they are in 30 to 35 feet of water, suspended at 12 to 20 feet. Work deeper baits such as ¼-ounce Roadrunners, ½-ounce spoons, and bass-sized Swimming Minnows on a ¼-ounce head. Largemouth bass can still be caught in the backs of some northern creeks and pockets on spinnerbaits and Flukes but the size is small (males) and the numbers are few. Back off points and fish a Mojo or Carolina rig with lizards or brush hogs for the better size largemouth. Smallmouth bass have pulled away from their spawning banks and have returned to the secondary and main lake points. As the lake warms back up they will migrate back to their spawning areas. Kentucky bass are on the banks one minute and gone the next. Best bet is to find the shad and fish a drop shot or spoon under them. A slow moving Roadrunner will also surprise you, fished under tough conditions. Walleye are done spawning. The lake temperature did not affect the depth they are zoned in on. Fish points and channel swings with Shad Raps, Glass Shad, Lucky Craft Pointers and Munchies grubs on a Max Gap head from the bank out to 25 feet of water. Night anglers will have good action on points with X-Raps, Suspending Rogues and other jerk baits for the next few weeks.
Lake Norfork : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 552.36 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Bait and Tackle (870-492-5141) said the water is up about a foot from the rains. Crappie fishing is slow, but should pick up with the weather. Black bass are biting well on crankbaits, soft-plastic worms and jig fished in less than 10 feet of water. White bass are fair on small spinners. Stripers are poor. Walleye are poor.
Norfork Tailwater : Gene's Trout Dock (870-499-5381) said the water is clear and generators are running sporadically. Trout fishing is good on frozen shad, worms and crawdads.
Mountain River Fly Shop said the cold snap is gone and the caddis are back in full force. Fishing on the Norfork River was great Sunday April the 14 th . We started out fishing Zebra Midges in the morning and went to Anna ''K" soft hackles and e/c caddis dries in the afternoon.
Table Rock Lake : Phillip Stone of Stone's Guide Service said with the recent cold snap, the fishing has slowed down a bit. The bass are still close to their spawning banks, just backed off of them in about 8-12 feet of water. I have been catching them using jigs in these areas. Pay attention to any laydowns or brush piles and work the jig through them slowly. The bite should start to pick back up when the weather starts warming up again. The crappie have pulled back out to the standing pole timber near the channel swings. The best way to catch them right now is drift fishing minnows near the channels. I have also been catching some by vertically fishing swimming minnows over the submerged pole timber near the channel. As soon as the water starts to warm back up, the crappie should move back to shallow water and continue spawning.
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS<br />
Beaver Lake : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 1,120.58 feet MSL.<br />
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is clear and high. Crappie are fair on minnows, tube jigs and Shinneee Hinneee jigs. Bass are biting well in the shallows on flukes. White bass fishing is slow, but a few have been caught on spoons.
Beaver Tailwater : McLellan's Fly Shop said there has been very little generation this week, producing some excellent wade-fishing opportunities. San Juan worms, egg patterns and shad patterns like the Arkansas Beadhead are working well. During low water, midge patterns are always important on Beaver Tailwater. Zebra midges have been fooling lots of trout this week.
Lake Fayetteville : Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said the cold weather has kept most anglers home and the fishing has been slow.
Lake Sequoyah : Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the clarity is excellent. Bream have not moved up yet, but some warmer weather might help. Crappie are biting well on minnows and Road Runners fished over mud flats in 2 to 5 feet of water. Bass are biting well on soft-plastic worms and buzzbaits fished over mossy points. Catfish are biting fairly well on worms, chicken livers and cut bream over open water.
NORTHEAST ARKANSAS<br />
Crown Lake : Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is murky and at normal level. Crappie are biting well on live minnows. Bass are biting very well on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, soft-plastics and even a few top-water lures. No report on bream or catfish.<br />
Lake Frierson : Lake Frierson State Park said fishing has been slow for all species.
Eleven-Point River : Woody's Canoe Rental and Campground (870-892-9732) said the river is muddy and fishing is slow.
Spring River : Many Islands Camp (870-856-3451) said trout fishing has been very good on live bait and prepared baits like Berkley PowerBait and YUM Trout Krilla.
SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS<br />
Lake Chicot: Koenig Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on wax worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair on top-water lures. Catfishing is fair on minnows and worms.
Grand Lake : Koenig Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are fair on small panfish worms. Crappie are biting well on minnows trolled slowly in 8 feet of water. No report on bass or catfish.
Lake Wilson : Koenig Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said the water is clear and at normal level. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. No report on any other species.
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS<br />
Millwood Lake : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at _259.61 feet MSL.<br />
Millwood Lake Guide Service said main lake water surface temperature ranges from 66 to 72 degrees, depending on location and time of day. Upriver water and oxbow's surface temps remain slightly warmer at 72-74 degrees. Upriver oxbows have very good water clarity, ranging from 3-6 feet in places. Discharge at the spillway of 1,175 cubic feet per second with three gates open 1 ft each. Bass and crappie spawning activity is winding down. If current weather patterns hold over the next couple weeks, the bream should begin bed making and spawning activities soon. Twitch Assassins, Senkos, lizards, War Eagle spinnerbaits and jigs are taking some nice bass. Buzz baits are beginning to turn on with some regularity. Good quality bass remain around cypress trees and cypress knees, most especially near deep drops, and some of the post spawn bass have pulled out into the 9-11 feet depth range on stumps. These fish are good on jigs with pork trailers and 3" So Pro Fattbutt tubes in camo or purple smoke color. White bass are biting very well near White Cliffs and the entrance to McGuire Lake this week. Activity for whites is good on small Rat-L-Traps, tail spinners like Roadrunners, Rocket Shads and Rooster Tails in white or red or chrome/blue. Crappie are biting well with the lake level and clarity improvements. The Crappie are moving shallow in spawning mode. The best bite was in transition areas, between the brush piles along Little River in 12-13 feet.
Lake Columbia : Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. No report on any other species.
Lake Erling: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. No report on any other species.
White Oak Lake : Charlie's One Stop (870-685-2753) said the water is cloudy and at normal levels. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits, soft-plastics and some top-water lures. Catfishing is good on stinkbait and large minnows.
Lake Greeson : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 545.21 feet MSL.
Lakeside Grocery, Motel and Bait (870-398-5304) said the fishing has been slow all week.
Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips Guide Service said crappie have been a bit on the slow side due to the weather, but there are still some great size slabs being caught on brush piles in 15 feet of water on rosy red minnows.
DeGray Lake : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 407.99 feet MSL.
WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS<br />
Lake Dardanelle : Murphy's Sporting Goods (479-229-3200) said the main lake is muddy and the water level is low. The surface water temperature is 58 degrees. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair on flukes and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on bass minnows and shad.<br />
Blue Mountain Lake : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 386.80 feet MSL.
CNC's End of the Line (479-947-2398) said the weather kept most anglers off the water last week. No report.
Ozark Pool : Lakeside Food Mart (479-667-5155) said the bream are starting to bite well on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Stripers are below the generators and biting well on shad. Catfishing is good on cut bait and live minnows. A few largemouth bass are beginning to bite on soft-plastics.
Lake Ouachita : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 578.13 feet MSL.
Mountain Harbor Marina said the water temperature ranges from 60 to 64 degrees and the clarity is stained. Largemouth bass are slow, but can be caught on trick worms, lizards and YUM Dingers. Most of the fish are being caught between 3 and 10 feet of water. Walleye are fair on crankbaits and jerkbaits near creek channel bends. Stripers are fair on live bass minnows and threadfin shad. Colder weather killed the top-water bite. Bream are fair on crickets fished 15 to 25 feet deep. Crappie are slow on moss flats from 3 to 8 feet deep. Catfishing is fair on live bait and stinkbait fished 10 to 20 feet deep
Lake Catherine : Diamondhead Marina (501-262-2272) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Crappie are biting well on jigs fished close to the shoreline. Walleye are biting well on dark jigs and spinners fished around the shoreline.
Shane Goodner, owner of Catch'em All Guide Service , reports that rainbow trout fishing is red hot with most of the good fishing taking place during periods of no power generation. Fly fishermen are catching limits of trout on streamers. White and olive woolly buggers are drawing strikes as are San Juan worms and egg patterns. Spin fishermen are recording good catches on white/black 1/8-ounce Rooster Tails along with small crankbaits that imitate injured shad. Trolling these crankbaits in the channels will catch good numbers of trout as well as white bass that are attempting to bed. Bank fishermen, despite early moss growth, are catching trout by casting redworms and wax worms floated under a bobber. PowerBait presentations will catch trout with great regularity even by inexperienced anglers as rainbow trout have an insatiable desire to feed on fish eggs. Walleye action is still productive as the remaining fish feed up after the spawn in preparation to migrate downstream. Nightcrawler rigs and trolling crankbaits can still produce good numbers of walleye. The freshwater drum spawning run has begun and tailrace waters are covered with big females in the 20- to 40-pound range. Drum feed heavily on shad and crawfish so any crankbait or jig fished on the bottom will entice strikes from these spawning fish. Stripers are always present at the dam and will be schooling as May approaches with warmer weather. The threadfin shad migration will begin towards the dam and the stripers and hybrids will follow them. Large top-water baits will cause heart stopping strikes from these monsters. Water temperature is holding in the low 50s.
Lake Hamilton : No report.
Lake Hinkle : Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said the water is clear, cold and at normal levels. Bream are fair on worms and crickets fished close to the bottom. Crappie are biting well deep on minnows and jigs. Bass are excellent on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Catfishing is fair on shiners and chicken livers.
Lake Atkins : Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said bream are biting very well on crickets and worms. Bass are biting well on soft-plastics and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on live and prepared baits.
Lake Nimrod : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 345.54 feet MSL.
Local angler Billy Blankenship said high winds and the turkey opener have kept anglers off the water. No report.
SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS<br />
Felsenthal : Hale's One Stop (870-943-2683) said the bad weather has kept most anglers off the water.
EAST ARKANSAS<br />
Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The Tackle Box (870-534-1498) said bream are biting well on redworms. Crappie are biting fair, but should pick up with the warmer weather. Bass are biting well on Texas- and Carolina-rigged lizards. Catfishing is good on live bait.<br />
River City Sporting Goods (870-534-8303) said the water is dingy and at normal level. Bream fishing is picking up on redworms and crickets. Crappie are biting well in the backwaters on brush piles in 2 to 4 feet of water. Bass are biting well on black/blue jigs and chartreuse/white spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on chicken livers and cut shad.
White River : Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is clear and a little low. Crappie are biting well on pink Road Runner jigs with white twister tails or turbo tails. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and jigs along the river. No report on bream, catfish or walleye.
Maddox Bay : Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is clear. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets in 11/2 feet of water. Crappie are biting well on jigs and minnows fished shallow. Catfishing is good on stinkbait, cut bait and minnows fished on trotlines.
Bear Creek Lake : Arkansas Outdoors (870-295-4240) said the water is clear and the fishing has been slow. A few crappie have been caught by trolling in deep water.
Horseshoe Lake : Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the new pumps have been installed in the lake, but are not on yet, so the water is low. Bream are shallow and biting well on wax worms. Crappie are biting well around the piers on minnows and jigs. Bass are holding close to piers and biting well on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on worms and cut bait in the middle of the channel. [/size]
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