Arkansas Wildlife Weekly Fishing Report

November 27, 2024

Jim Harris

Managing Editor Arkansas Wildlife Magazine

Julian Smith from East End recently caught this big rainbow trout on the Little Red River in north-central Arkansas. The fish measured 25.25 inches from nose to fork, Smith said, and it qualified for the AGFC’s Master Angler Award. Smith says the trout hit a black Woolly Bugger as the water was receding from generation a couple of weeks ago. He added that the majority of the fish that day were hitting rainbow trout pattern and gold Rapalas.

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

NOTE: During December to the middle of February, Fishing Reports will run every two weeks.

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

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

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

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

Quick links to regions:

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

NOTE: For anglers using the privately owned Beaverfork Lake in Faulkner County, especially with Lake Conway being drawn down for renovation, according to the Conway Parks and Recreation Dept. they are implementing their every-five-year winter drawdown of Beaverfork. This routine maintenance is done to allow landowners to do maintenance to their piers, boathouses and shorelines. Although the ramps will eventually be unusable, a primitive ramp at the end of Volleyball Point provides a way to launch smaller boats. They will refill the lake beginning Jan. 1. 

Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir
For the most up-to-date lake level, visit the U.S. Geological Survey’s Lake Conway water level site.

(updated 11-28-2024) Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) has no new reports from Lake Conway, which has been drawn down to just a few small pools of water around much of the lake. 

Lakes Overcup and Atkins are where anglers are headed for crappie fishing these days, they report. Minnows and jigs are what they are using. Everything in the immediate area has slowed down in terms of fishing, they add.

Anglers were reported catching about every species of fish by going to the AGFC-stocked Lake Conway Nursery Pond, which is a near 70-acre pond stocked by the AGFC.

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

(updated 11-28-2024) Mike Winkler of Little Red River Fly Fishing Trips (501-507-3688) said conditions haven’t really changed for more than a month. The brown trout have not gotten on the shoals due to the Southwestern Power Administration not running any water releases.
Mike notes that fall had officially settled into the Ozarks, and with the cooler temps the leaves along the Little Red River are putting on a beautiful show, making it a perfect time to get out for some fly-fishing.
With reduced water releases from Southwestern Power Administration, that had created some ideal wading conditions along the river, and when the water wasn’t running the bite was strong around moss beds and in plunge pools below the shoals. Hot flies include small buggy Pheasant Tail Soft Hackles, Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ears, egg patterns and various midges.

(updated 11-21-2024) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood said Thursday that anglers are catching trout on a little Rapala Countdown. Sizes 5 and 7 are working nicely when the water is falling, then the Corps of Engineers is generating and the water is at its high point. When they are not running water, a Rooster Tail and a Marabou Jig, in either olive of black, have been doing well.

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

(updated 11-28-2024) Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said the water level Wednesday was at 454.97 feet msl, which is almost 8 feet below normal pool of 462.04, a nearly a 1-foot drop from last week. Most fish species are getting settled more on structure. Crappie continue to be found super shallow out to 30 feet. Use jigs, minnows or crankbaits; fishing straight up and down in pole timber or brushpile is working great. Walleye are eating in the main lake; for the few that are left up rivers and scattered throughout the lake, drag crawler or crankbait at 45-65 feet. Some walleye are following under big schools of white bass and hybrids, so use a spoon for those. A lot just roaming around; a spoon is best for that vertical fishing in 10-50 feet.
Hybrid bass and white bass are set up in the main lake, while some are schooling on top. For the ones that are set, use spoons, inline spinners, grubs and swimbaits in 25-60 feet of water. They are wanting to get settled in at about 43 feet, which is the magic water depth they are comfortable with in here a lot of months out of the year — it has the right temperature and oxygen.
Catfish are biting all over the lake with the usual stuff working in the lake and rivers. Try staying around schools of shad.
Some bream are shallow but most are still around 8-30 feet. Crickets and crawlers are working fine, as well as inline spinners. As for black bass, the loners are shallow, but most are out or roaming shallow and schooling. Use Carolina rigs, topwater, wake baits, drop-shots, crankbaits and spinnerbaits for the best action super shallow out to 60 feet. Be safe and wear your life jacket. Happy Bird Day, enjoy your family and friends!

(updated 11-21-2024) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood said Thursday that anglers are fishing well for numbers of fish on Greers Ferry Lake now. Topwater is working for black bass, but most of the bite is not in the morning now but at midday. 

Also, for bass, one of the better presentations working now has been a jig, a crankbait and also a spinnerbait. And don’t forget trying the Carolina rig. Another good approach is a jighead minnow, like a fluke on a jighead. Anglers with LiveScope are using that “a bunch,” they report.

As for a good depth to fish, they are biting in 5-10 feet all the way down to 20 feet.

Crappie fishing also has been “pretty good.” Try in about 15 feet of water in standing timber with live minnows and small hairjigs. Also, a Bobby Garland Baby Shad with a sixteenth- or eighth-ounce jighead is a good approach for the crappie.

Harris Brake Lake
(updated 11-28-2024) Harris Brake Lake Resort (501-889-2745) says that the crappie has been doing better lately and anglers have caught some big slabs — some 15-15.5 inches in length and up to 2 pounds — fishing from the shoreline. Other nice crappie have been hauled in by anglers using boats. Even though the water has dropped noticeably as water is being used to flood parts of Harris Brake WMA for waterfowl season, access by boat to the lake is fine, they report. Water around the shoreline is only about 2 feet in depth where the close-in crappie are biting.

Pelicans in good numbers have returned, they also report, and shad are moving in shallow.

Anglers are mostly using a pearl white or white/chartreuse color jig, but minnows also are being cast. A woman living across the lake from the resort reported to them that some nice crappie have been picked up from her dock.
Bing, the resort’s regular fishing reporter who runs the resort with her husband, said, “Yesterday (Tuesday) morning, my parents were here and caught 15 crappie in a couple of hours. They caught some white bass, too, using a Rooster Tail.” 

The best time for the crappie and white bass bite, she reports, is from about 5:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.
As for black bass, only a couple of small ones were picked up by anglers in recent days. The focus now is just on crappie and white bass. You can follow more from Harris Brake Lake Resort on their Facebook page.

Lake Maumelle
(update 11-28-2024) Crappie guide Eric Watts of Natural State Fishing (501-548-8990) said water temps are 57-58 degrees. The lake is approximately 7 feet below the winter pool but still accessible via WestRock Landing. Crappie can be found in 25-30 feet of water on brush and are roaming. Jigs and minnows are working great when they’re not stuffed to the gills. As always, presentation is key! This is the absolute best time of the year to catch a mess of super-healthy slabs! Give me a shout today at 501-548-8990 to get in on the action!

(updated 11-28-2024) WestRock Landing in Roland (501-658-5598) reported that the water temperature has taken its first tumble of the fall season into the 50s, ranging 56-57 degrees this week. The water level is 7.6 feet below normal pool, as Central Arkansas Water is drawing the lake down 8 feet to deal with water hyacinth.

Largemouth bass cooled off somewhat from last week’s bite to fair this week. They can be found shallow in 2-5 feet of water and a few reports this week had bass being found in the back of the creeks. Others are being found deeper and scattered around brush anywhere from 10-20 feet. Try points and drop-offs. Best baits these days are topwater, spinnerbaits, jigs, jerkbait, Chatterbait and crankbaits. Spotted bass also are fair with reports still saying they are scattered on drop-offs at 10-20 feet. Jerkbaits and jigs are best.

WestRock held a Winter Series black bass tournament last Saturday, with Tim Cook catching 10.75 pounds; Brandon Crain and Matt Hedrick were in second with 10.56 pounds. The Big Bass of 4.95 pounds was netted by Colton Williams and Robert Kinslow. The next tournament will be Dec. 7 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; call WestRock for more information.

As far as crappie, they are the best bite on the lake this week. Reports of crappie being found in 25-30 feet of water leading into channels and biting jigs.

There were no reports on white bass, bream or catfish.

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

Little Maumelle River
(update 11-28-2024) Ray Hudson at River Valley Marina (501-517-1250) said the water is clear as normal and a lot of crappie are being caught now. The black bass are still biting real well, and anglers are catching them on crankbait and soft plastics but mainly cranks. The best color or cranks is chartreuse or “anything bream colored,” Ray said.
The live bream themselves aren’t biting these days, but catfish can be had on liver and hot dogs.

As for those crappie, they’re biting minnows and jigs. The best colors of jigs are blue/white and red/chartreuse.

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

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

(updated 11-21-2024) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) recommends that the anglers and boaters take a good look at the flow reports from the Corps of Engineers before heading out. Recent heavy rains, especially in Oklahoma, has led to a lot of river flow; Oklahoma has been releasing a lot of water of late. As of Thursday this week, flow in the Little Rock pool was about 100,000 cfs, which is above the small craft warning level. “We recommend staying off the river at the moment because of the high water.”

Peckerwood Lake
(updated 11-28-2024) Donna Mulherin at Herman’s Landing (501-626-6899) said the lake has closed for the season to serve as a waterfowl rest area for the upcoming duck season, which opens Nov. 23. The lake will reopen for fishing on Feb. 10, the Monday following the Special Youth Waterfowl Hunt weekend.

White River
(updated 11-28-2024) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said Thanksgiving is here, Christmas is right around the corner! While many folks are turning their thoughts toward the holidays and hunkering down for the colder months, our anglers are still finding plenty of rainbows and browns willing to leave the comfort of their favorite hidey-holes. 

Bull Shoals Lake level is now 659.71 feet msl. The White River water level below Bull Shoals Dam has averaged one unit (3,000cfs) most of the week, but we’re beginning to see some early pulses of up to four units (12,000cfs). Watch for rises later in the morning and stay ahead of it for the best fishing.

Flashy gold Cleos should work well in this water, as well as the silver-blue hammered spoons. Orange PowerBait has been the popular bait for the rainbows because it mimics the eggs from spawning activity. Mid-afternoon sunshine brings very fishable hatches; time to tie on your favorite dry flies. Orange and yellow egg patterns and the faithful San Juan Worm have been successful when the clouds return, especially during those aforementioned rises. Catch a sculpin or two to put on your hook for brown trout bait.

The weatherman promises cold mornings but milder daytime temperatures for the next week so pick up your rod and reel, get outside and come join us on the river. Take advantage of school fall break and bring the kids. Bundle up in the morning and enjoy the excellent late fall fishing. Happy Thanksgiving.

(updated 11-28-2024) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said the water released from Norfork Dam continues to be dirty, resulting in poor fishing conditions on the White River around Calico Rock. Some of the older guides say they have never seen the river stay this dirty for this long.

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

(updated 11-28-2024) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake (815-592-4302) said the lake level is 659 feet msl and the water temperature is about 61 degrees. There are fish that moved up shallow. Powerfish by targeting stained water with Chatterbait, spinnerbaits or square bill up skinny. If there’s wood, flip a Jewel Jig or Beaver-style bait in the wood. Most of the creeks are stained. If the water is clear, you’re going to have to back out a bit, probably close to shad balls.

Some of the glide baits are working on the right days. The fish seem to be bouncing from shad ball to shad ball. In the creeks the shad are starting to group up. Most are out over the old creek channel, while some are getting pushed onto the flats. There are shad sitting high on the surface down to 60 feet. 

For the guys chasing shad, a small half-ounce Flutter Spoon or Jewel Scuba Spoon or Rapala Jigging Rap is good. If the shad are on the bottom, use a Tater Shad or small, heavy swimbait on the suspended ones.
Loons are showing up. You better be good at the front-looker; having to hit them on the move isn’t easy. Lots of different species are schooling and capitalizing on the shad. Overall, smaller baits have helped. As the lake cools off, we will get more fish moving up shallow. There are fish to be had on the main lake. Check long points, ledges, piles, drop-offs and bluff ends that are close to deep water. If it’s cloudy and windy, the Wiggle Wart, Rock Crawler or a crankbait are getting some attention on steeper, wind-blown banks. Fish the conditions.
Del regularly posts new YouTube videos. Visit his YouTube site (Bull Shoals Lake Fishing Report) for more information and tips on fishing Bull Shoals Lake.

(updated 11-28-2024) Southernwalleye Guide Service (501-365-1606) says the walleye fishing patterns are shifting more toward wintertime positions. The fish are following the shad. Searching for baitfish and good water clarity will be key to locating them. Channel swings midway back in creeks are a good place to start looking as well as long points at the end of channel swings to find a few walleye. The best fishing method right now is spoon fishing or Ice jigs. Vary the sizes of lures as the shads schools vary in size of shads in the schools. 

(updated 11-28-2024) Crappie 101 Guide Service (870-577-2045) says crappie are still scattered and seem to be doing better after the dirty water had set in recently. We’re still finding them in brushpiles mainly, and most seem to be 20-25 feet deep. Minnows have been bait of choice lately and also Tater Baits Small Fry on an eighth-ounce. Move around piles until you find the ones that cooperate.

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

No reports.

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

(updated 11-14-2024) Jon Conklin with FishOn Guide Service (479-233-3474) said, “Well, we received lots of water into the system. The lake rose from 1,111.46 (feet msl) to 1117.79, which is a 6-foot rise. With that, lots of debris entered into the lake, so caution is advised.” 

Fishing is just starting to rebound with a trickle of fish reports, he said.
Stripers have moved south and are starting to be caught around the islands at Prairie Creek. Crappie will reestablish on brush. Look in 12-20 feet depth levels. This will get better in the coming week. 

Walleye are scattered, which is typical and especially when you get major rises. No reports on walleye this last week. 

Catfish should be good with all the water movement. 

Now, what to expect in the next coming weeks? Fishing should finally settle into a fall/winter pattern. Stripers will push up towards Point 12 and further south. “I expect a good bite should set up in a couple weeks with water temps dropping towards that 50-degree mark. Good things happening with water temps and levels. It should all be positive to the bite on all species. 

“Good luck and remain aware of floating debris, especially on the mid-lake and south.”

Visit Jon’s Facebook page for the latest updates, FishOn Guide Service Goshen AR.

Beaver Tailwater
(updated 11-21-2024) Guide Austin Kennedy (479-244-0039) said fishing has been consistent over the last week with river levels varying. “Old Man Winter has made his presence felt with the cold temperatures this week and another blast for next week. Layer your clothes so you can add or remove layers as needed.”

Fire Eggs with shrimp Fire Gel continue to work well when fished with light terminal tackle. During the periods of lower water, quarter-ounce spoons, Rooster Tails and Rapala Countdowns have had success. When the water is higher, throwing Shad Raps (in a shad color) has worked well, along with Pautzke Fire Minnows.

The changing river levels can make fishing challenging at times, but hang in there — the conditions will change again. Fishing is best if you recognize the river is starting to rise and if you can stay in front of the rising water.
The fall walleye bite has been pretty good. Working jerkbaits along rock walls and inside bends have produced some nice numbers. 

Check out Austin’s Facebook page (Busch Mountain Fishing Guide Service) for regular updates.

Lake Fayetteville
(updated 11-28-2024) Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) says fishing has been good, especially the crappie. Anglers are using crankbaits and jigs, and the bite is good. Bass have and they are getting a little size on them as well. Soft plastic worms, bigger jigs and topwater lures are the most successful approaches to bass.

Lake Charles
(updated 11-28-2024) Shelly Jeffrey at Lake Charles State Park (870-878-6595) said most anglers last week were fishing from the shore with fair success for crappie and black bass, though they didn’t share what baits were used. Bream fishing was good with worms and jigs. There were no reports on catfish or white bass.

If the “moon times” are to be trusted, anglers need to cast a line at Lake Charles around this Thanksgiving holiday: Shelly noted that the best “moon times” for this month were forecast to be Nov. 28-Dec. 4.

The water level at the lake should drop some when water is used in the coming weeks to flood Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA for waterfowl hunting. Right now, the water is high. Clarity is the usual murky. The surface water temperature on Sunday was 59.3 degrees, about a 4-degree drop from last week.

Lake Poinsett
(updated 11-14-2024) Ben Batten, AGFC deputy director, said Tuesday night on “The Wild Side” on KABZ, 103.7 The Buzz, that he and two other AGFC staff fished Poinsett in the last month and caught 100 black crappie. He said about 85-90 were over 10 inches and would have been “keepers.” Currently black bass and crappie are catch-and-release only, but effective Jan. 1 there will be harvest limits applied to those fish as well as the current harvest limits on bream and catfish.

Spring River
(updated 11-28-2024) Mark Crawford with springriverfliesandguides.com (870-955-8300) said water levels are at 400 cfs at the Spring and water clarity has been green stained. The river is looking great this week. Heavy rain a few weeks ago has had the river murky for a while. Late last week the river finally began to clear up. The river is up a few inches above average flow of 350 cfs.

The rainbows are biting great with bigger holdovers feeding as the temperature gets colder. Winter can be the best time to catch that fish of a lifetime on the Spring River. The fish are still stocked through the winter, but with lower numbers than summer. The last few stockings have been really nice-sized fish. Woolly Buggers are best on most days with the higher water, in brown, olive or black; we have not not seen much topwater action with higher flows. On the tough days, you might need a little extra weight to get to the bottom.
The smallies were hitting great when the river was low and clear. Not so much with the river up. Big streamers on sink tips should work. Same for brown trout. The browns will start feeding as it gets colder. Just got to fish for them.
For spin-fishing, the Trout Magnet was super hot when the river was low and clear. With the water up, Trout Cranks can do well or fish a D2 Jig below a float to fish the deep pockets. White, black and olive are the hot colors.

The river has a little above average flows, so be safe wading out on the Spring River. The river bottom is very slick. Use a wading staff and the buddy system. On our guide trips we use Hyde drift boats and NRS rafts to guide in — our clients stay safe and dry. If you get wet, find a warm dry place immediately! 

As always check springriverfliesandguides.com for the latest river conditions. 

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

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

(updated 11-21-2024) The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Fishing Team reports that water temperatures in the upper 60s. Visibility ranges from around 4-6 inches in the main channel and runoff inlets to 12-14 inches in the protected parts of Lake Langhofer. Black bass are biting well on dark-colored jigs, lipless crankbaits, bladed jigs and spinnerbaits especially from isolated cover on sand flats. Focus on areas occupied by baitfish with a bit of wind blowing across or into them. The Pine Bluff pool tends to fish pretty well late November through December thanks to cooler weather and fewer boats on the water. 

Cane Creek Lake
(updated 11-28-2024) Teresa Atchley at Cane Creek State Park (870-628-4714) said that they have not had much fishing activity reported to them by anglers lately. In the middle of the month, several anglers were fishing with minnows for crappie but came up empty. A few days later, one angler caught three catfish off the interior dock.
This last week, a few new reports came in. Anglers were fishing for crappie on the exterior pier but didn’t report their catches. A boating angler on Friday set up by the floating dock and caught 15 big crappie. He returned the next day and set up by the floating dock again, where he caught several large crappie.
“Good fishing spot if you have a boat,” Teresa said.

Lake Monticello
(updated 11-28-2024) Anglers are reminded that if they venture out for some fishing on Lake Monticello while the lake continues to refill after being renovated, that all fish caught must be released immediately.
The Hunger Run Access is open to boat traffic. Reports are good of anglers catching nice-sided black bass now.

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

(updated 11-28-2024) Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said that with the recent reduced current in Little River, the surface clarity has greatly improved visibility from last week. Millwood Lake elevation is 2 inches above normal pool at 259.4 feet msl and stable; Millwood Lake Dam is releasing about 1,075 cfs and tailwater is near 228.5 feet and falling. Check the most recent lake level of Millwood Lake on the guide service’s website linked above, or the Army Corps of Engineers website linked under “Millwood Lake” above, for updated gate release changes and inflow rates with rising and falling lake levels. Watch for random floaters and broken timber during any navigation on Little River and Millwood Lake.

Surface temperature continues fluctuating, ranging 57 degrees early to 67 degrees later in the day along Little River this last week.
Here are the latest in the fishing specifics:
* Largemouth bass have been chasing/following and breaking on threadfin shad in random locations for several weeks. The oxbows have better water clarity, as far from river current as you can find, and surface-breaking on shad in the oxbow is in full force. Watch for egrets, cranes and herons standing on stumps and broken timber. Those birds are watching the shad. Bass are pushing the shad to the surface, and the birds are picking them off like candy corn. The most aggressive bite of the day for largemouth and spotted bass for the past few weeks is an explosion of random surface activity on threadfin shad at any point in the oxbows. The mouths of creeks dumping into Little River are still holding schools of black bass and white bass following shad from 8-10 feet across creek channel points dumping into Little River, to 10-15 feet deep in the center of the creek channel mouth, and they are holding numerous groups of different age classes. For the past few weeks, bass would fire up on shad almost any time of day, and would remain active 5-10 minutes each time.
The best reaction baits for the schooling bass, when they were frenzy feeding, have been had by using Rat-L-Trap Hammer Traps in Millwood Magic or chrome blue or chrome back, Tail Spinner Rat-L-Traps, Kastmaster Spoons, Bandit 200/300 crankbaits in Splatterback and shad colors. The Bomber Fat Free Guppy and Fingerling crankbaits will draw random reactions across points, with best colors being Tennessee Shad, Khaki Shad and Louisiana Shad. Topwater baits like the Bill Lewis StutterStep, the Cordell Crazy Shad, Baby Torpedoes and Heddon Dying Flutters will also draw surface strikes when bass are schooling or breaking on shad. 

The best color of cranks in the oxbows, like the Bill Lewis Echo 1.75 square bills or the SB-57 and MR-6 for the past few weeks or so have been the Millwood Magic, Ghost Minnow, Tennessee Shad or Green Gizzard Shad. By increasing the size of a Rat-L-Trap up to a three-quarter-ounce Rat-L-Trap, one can fish it much slower and deeper. This technique will draw a few random hits during midday on primary points with stumps present, from creek channels and across points converging with Little River. Best colors of quarter-ounce to three-quarter-ounce Rat-L-Traps have been chrome/blue, chrome/black, White Smoke or Millwood Magic. A quarter-ounce to three-eighth-ounce Tail Spinner Spin Trap will also generate lots of reaction bites from schooling bass in the oxbows.

When the schooling action moves into chasing shad into the lily pads, a Johnson chrome or gold spoon with a white grub 3-inch curly tail trailer, or a Bass Assassin Shad in Grey Ghost, Salt & Pepper Phantom, Violet Moon and Rainbow Shad color, will snatch them in the heavy vegetation and lily pads from 4-6 feet of depth near stumps. It’s easier finessing a small, quarter-ounce Tail Spinner Spin Trap from Bill Lewis Lures through the lily pads and not getting hung up with the tail spinner in place of the rear hook hanger.
* White bass continued schooling this week, chasing shad with the largemouth and Kentucky bass. They are surface-breaking at random times during the day; they can literally fire up at any point and continue for 2-5 minutes at a time. The whites were hitting vertical-jigged half-ounce Slab Spoons in Little River between Jack’s Isle and the first entrance into Mud Lake, and also in Hurricane Creek, from 10-15 feet deep. Little River’s clarity has improved, and the bite has improved on primary or secondary points. White bass are roaming all along the oxbows and Little River, and in and out of creek dumps, too. Keep a heavy, half-ounce to three-quarter-ounce hammered spoon with a white/red bucktail on deck at all times to reach the surface clattering when the whites and black bass push the shad to the surface and begin surface-breaking!
Heavy three-quarter-ounce Cordell Hammered Spoons, Kastmaster chrome/blue spoons with white bucktails, or Bomber Fat Free Guppy or Fingerling crankbaits, the Bill Lewis MR-6 Crankbaits and half-ounce to three-quarter-ounce Rat-L-Traps in Citrus Shad, Tennessee Shad and Millwood Magic colors continue to draw reactions from white bass. Little George’s, Rocket Shads and red/white Rooster Tails were working last week. Random and broken schools of whites are chasing and feeding on the same schools of threadfin shad as the black bass are. All the creek channel intersections, primary points and many creek dumps into the oxbows are holding decent schools of whites. Their activity levels continue improving, reacting to crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps in the oxbows very well. These white bass range from juveniles to adults and are 1-3 pounds each.
* Crappie are fair but continue a slow improving trend. Reduced current along Little River and improved water clarity has them hungry again. Best activity in our planted brush is in 10-16 feet depth. The planted brush piles continue holding some nice slabs. Minnows, hair jigs and blue/chartreuse tubes were catching some 1- to 2-pound fish recently. Cordell smoke-colored grubs with a chartreuse tip tail on a light wire jighead will pick up a few extra bites.
* No reports on bream.

* As for catfish, two fishermen we visited with on Little River were having success using limblines and cut buffalo along Little River under overhanging tree limbs from 8-12 feet depth.

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

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

(updated 11-14-2024) Philip Kastner of Trader Bill’s Outdoors in Little Rock and Hot Springs said on “The Wild Side” show on KABZ-FM, 103.7, that Greeson, like all the other big area lakes, is still well below its full pool level, down about 5 feet. Of late, it’s been great for topwater, he says. Use something that resembles a small shad; they are chasing tiny shad. A quarter-ounce Rat-L-Trap in chrome and blue back or chrome and black back is a good place to start on this and other similar lakes now. If that doesn’t get their attention, switch to other small topwater baits to get some hits, or a small spoon or rise and pull them up; the fish are all focused on eating on top.

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

(updated 11-14-2024) Philip Kastner of Trader Bill’s Outdoors in Little Rock and Hot Springs noted earlier this week on “The Wild Side” on KABZ, 103.7 The Buzz, “It’s ridiculous how good topwater fishing is on all of our area lakes. Lake Hamilton, Ouachita, DeGray, Greeson, Greers Ferry Lake, in central Arkansas the topwater bite is incredible because of the warm fall we’re dealing with. If you want to go catch a bunch of fish, all you have to throw is a topwater bait.

“If there’s cloud cover (like on Wednesday this week), regardless of whether you’re throwing a buzzbait, or a topwater bait or a Spook of some kind or whatever you’re going to throw, with the big cloud cover coming through that’s where you’re going to catch a lot of fish.”

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

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

White Oak Lake Area
No reports.

Lake Atkins
(updated 11-28-2024) Bates Field and Stream at Mayflower (501-470-1846) reports that with Lake Conway being drawn down to just a few small pools of water around much of the lake now, a lot of their regular anglers and customers have been heading up I-40 to Lake Atkins for their crappie fishing. The fishing is reportedly good, with minnows and jigs both working.

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

(updated 11-28-2024) Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that water temperature has dropped to 49 degrees with clear conditions in the tailrace. Entergy has been generating for 8 hours each day this past week with this schedule being posted each Wednesday on the Entergy/Hydro website. A 3-foot drawdown is in place on both lakes Hamilton and Catherine with the annual refill scheduled to begin the first week in March 2025. The fall rainbow trout season is now underway with 1,300 fish delivered to Lake Catherine on Nov. 5th. The initial stocking of trout is historically difficult to pattern as the trout tend to scatter in all directions in very small numbers.
As December approaches, much larger numbers of trout are stocked, which will create more consistent catches by bank and boat anglers alike. Currently, quality trout are being caught from the bridge to the dam by bank fishermen using redworms and nightcrawlers floated just off the bottom with a marshmallow floater. PowerBaits in white, orange and yellow are also catching trout fished in the same manner. An important point to remember when targeting rainbow trout is that these fish are born egg eaters and will consistently prey on fish eggs whether natural or man-made.
Spin-fishermen are having some success casting Rooster Tails at the head and tail of shoal areas. White or brown colors in 1/16- and ⅛-ounce weights work best casted across areas of current. These lures imitate small threadfin shad that live in the tailrace and are a main food source for all area game fish in the winter, spring and summer seasons.
Fly-fishermen now have better access to areas that hold trout with the 3-foot drawdown in place and have caught trout casting Woolly Buggers in olive or black colors under a strike indicator. San Juan Worms in red or hot pink have also taken trout along with micro-jigs in black or gray. Targeting areas of current is key whether the generators are running or in periods of slack water. Trout fishing will dominate the Carpenter Dam tailrace as the winter months take hold and offer anglers consistent fishing opportunities and some wonderful table fare for the holiday season.
Always follow all park and lake regulations when visiting Carpenter Dam and remember to pick up after each outing, as the number of trash cans are limited. 

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

(updated 11-28-2024) Seth Boone, superintendent at Lake Dardanelle State Park (479-890-7474), had no new reports, but most recently he had reported Lake Dardanelle was cooling down and the fish were biting better with the fronts that moved through. The black bass are biting decently on crankbaits. Crappie have tended to be better on the minnows than jigs. Catfish are biting decently on stink bait. Bream are biting on crickets and worms at a fair rate.

Lake Hamilton
(updated 11-14-2024) Philip Kastner of Trader Bill’s Outdoors in Little Rock and Hot Springs noted earlier this week on “The Wild Side” on KABZ, 103.7 The Buzz, “It’s ridiculous how good topwater bass fishing is on all of our area lakes. Lake Hamilton, Ouachita, DeGray, Greeson, Greers, in central Arkansas the topwater bite is incredible because of the warm fall we’re dealing with. If you want to go catch a bunch of fish, all you have to throw is a topwater bait.

“If there’s cloud cover (like on Wednesday this week), regardless of whether you’re throwing a buzzbait, or a topwater bait or a Spook of some kind or whatever you’re going to throw, with the big cloud cover coming through that’s where you’re going to catch a lot of fish.”

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

(updated 11-28-2024) Carter Cove Bait-N-More (479-272-4025)

Carter Cove has a Facebook page, and the email address is cartercovebaitnmore@gmail.com, with updates and photos. Stop in for live bait, tackle, cabin rentals, pizza, burgers, sandwiches and more.

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

(updated 11-21-2024) Capt. Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips (501-844-5418) said crappie are still in a fall pattern and will enter a winter pattern soon. “I’m on and off the water till next spring. Be safe and stay warm.”

(updated 11-28-2024) Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa (870-867-2191/800-832-2276 out-of-state) said black bass are still good. These fish are schooling up in the mouths of major creek channels. Still no reports on walleye, bream or catfish. Stripers remain very good and are biting on live bait in the central and western parts of the lake. Crappie are good and biting over the tops of brush in the 20- to 30-feet range. 

Water temperature continues to drop some and is ranging 60-66 degrees. Water clarity is clearing. Lake level is 572.49 feet msl and holding. Call the Mountain Harbor fishing guides (Mike Wurm, 501-622-7717, or Chris Darby, 870-867-7822) for more information.

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

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

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