Arkansas Weekly Fishing Report
BY Jim Harris
ON 10-04-2017
Oct. 4, 2017
Jim Harris
Managing Editor Arkansas Wildlife Magazine
Weekly Fishing Report
This is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s fishing report for Oct. 4, 2017. If there is a body of water you would like included in this report, please email AGFCfishingreport@outlook.com with information on possible sources for reports about that lake or river. Reports are updated weekly, although some reports might be published for two weeks if updates are not received promptly or if reporters say conditions haven’t changed. Contact the reporter for the lake or stream you plan to fish for current news.
Arkansas River and White River levels are available at: http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=lzk
For real-time information on stream flow in Arkansas from the U.S. Geological Survey, visit: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/rt
For water-quality statistics (including temperature) in many Arkansas streams and lakes, visit: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/current/?type=quality
Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir
The AGFC is treating alligator weed in Lake Conway using EPA-registered herbicides approved for use in aquatic systems. The AGFC strongly recommends that adjacent landowners not use lake water for irrigation of lawns or gardens through March 1, 2018. For more information please contact the AGFC Fisheries Office in Mayflower at (877)-470-3309.
(update 10-4-2017) Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water continues to be its usual “stained” and the surface temperature is hovering at 78 degrees. Water level is normal. The bream bite dropped off from last week to just fair. Use worms. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits and plastic worms. Catfish reports were fair, with worms and blood bait used.
(update 10-4-2017) Lowell Myers of Sore Lip’em All Guide Service said the Little Red is receiving 3-4 hours of generation on weekdays and lesser amounts on weekends. Sowbugs, midges, soft hackles and Woolly Buggers are working well for fly anglers. Pink-colored Trout Magnets are recommended for spin fishing. Always check before heading to the Little Red River by calling the Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District water data system (501-362-5150) for Greers Ferry Dam water release information or check the Corps of Engineers website (swl-wc.usace.army.mil) for real-time water release and the Southwestern Power Administration website (swpa.gov) to see forecasted generation schedule.
(update 10-4-2017) Greg Seaton of littleredflyfishingtrips.com (501-690-9166) said the report has been a broken record but the kind you like to listen to over and over. The good weather and lack of rain has been keeping the generation about the same each week and the water temperature and clarity have remained the same. None of this should change until colder weather or a heavy rain. This keeps the fishing report: (1) Small flies; (2) Light tippet; (3) Good presentation. Sowbugs seem to be working before hatches, and small midge pupas and small mayfly nymphs seem to be the best choice during the blue-wing olive hatches. The weather folks tell us that cool fall weather is on the way next week and hopefully a little rain. It’s really getting dry, and a good soaking rain would not hurt.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 458.85 feet msl (normal conservation pool: 462.04 feet msl Oct. 1-April 30; 463.04 feet msl May 1-June 1; 462.54 feet msl June 1-Sept. 30).
(update 10-4-2017) Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said the water level is falling. On Wednesday it was 3.69 feet below normal pool of 462.54 feet and will continue to fall with evaporation and generation as needed. The forecast for cooler weather will help the bite somewhat, but the lake needs rain as well as. The dissolved oxygen is down and the only thing that will help is wind and rain. The bass fishing is tough right now as anglers are in one of those in-between periods, with a very slow presentation working best with a jig or drop-shot and/or C-rig. Try fishing either in 20 feet or on out to 40 for the best results. The crappie have slowed as well. Try fishing jigs or minnows in 18-40 feet real slow. Catfishing is slow with about half the catches coming in as were being caught when the temperature was 10 degrees cooler. No report on walleye. Most bream have moved out to deeper water as the water temps have climbed back up; try crickets and crawlers from about 10 feet out to 20 feet. The hybrid and white bass bite is off as well. They are feeling lethargic at best, but that will improve soon and the bite will be off the charts when the water gets in a better quality. Maybe this little rain and the coming cooler temps will trigger it, as the water temp has jumped 10 degrees and has all species thrown for a loop, so to speak. Try staying around the bait, as they are feeding at different times during the day and it can happen at any time, on top or down. Use spoons, swimbaits Alabama rigs, inline spinners and hair jigs.
(update 10-4-2017) Cody S. Smith of FishGreersFerry.com (501-691-5701) said Greers Ferry is currently on a slow fall and is fishing really well. Crappie have really started over the last two weeks and anglers are catching limits most every day. Water temperatures cooling as much as 6 degrees over the last week have turned the fish on. Basically anything less than 20 feet of water is holding the largest concentrations of baitfish and game fish. Loads of shad are on the upper end and the fish are taking advantage. Get on the water as the fall bite has started.
(update 10-4-2017) Harris Brake Lake Resort (501-889-2745) said the clarity is clear and the water level is normal. Surface temperature of the water was mid 70s. Fishing picked up from the past week. The bream bite is good with both worms and crickets. Crappie are good on minnows or jigs. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits and topwater lures. Catfishing is good with worms or chicken livers.
(update 9-27-2017) Whiskers Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said crappie are starting to pick up, biting on Bobby Garland Baby Shad in Shiney Hiney, Glimmer Blue, BBQ Chicken, Cajun Crickets, Blue Ice, Shimmer, Monkey Milk, crystal, bone/chartreuse, and Penny Back Shad and 1.25-inch Itty Bit Swim’r and minnows. Catfish are biting on minnows and worms and frozen shad. Largemouth bass are biting on buzzbait and minnows, worms, lizards, Brush Hogs and Whopper Plopper. White bass are biting on Slab Slanger, Baby Shad and 1.25-inch Itty Bit Swim’r, Cajun Spin and Silver Minnow. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms and Rock Hopper
The AGFC is treating alligator weed in Lake Overcup using EPA-registered herbicides approved for use in aquatic systems. The AGFC strongly recommends that adjacent landowners not use lake water for irrigation of lawns or gardens through March 1, 2018. For more information please contact the AGFC Fisheries Office in Mayflower at (877)-470-3309
(update 9-27-2017) Johnny “Catfish” Banks at Overcup Bait Shop and R.V. Park (501-354-9007) said the water level is back to normal, around 22 feet. Clarity is dark but good. Bream are slow, but anglers are still catching some smaller ones. Bass are doing well but nobody has been lately. Catfish are doing good with nightcrawlers and bass minnows on poles, jugs and trotlines. Crappie are starting to pick up on jigs and minnows at different depths around the creek channels. Johnny says he has seen some good crappie come out last week. It has slowed up from the heat but it should pick up with cooler weather coming in.
(update 10-4-2017) Larry Walters at Bones Bait Shop (501-354-9900) said the water is clear and is at a normal level. Surface water temperature tumbled in a week to 77 degrees. Crappie are chasing shad and are in 10-12 feet depth. Use minnows and jigs. Reports have been good on catches. Bass reports were good, with anglers using crankbaits or buzzbaits. Catfishing is good. The fish are in 10-12 feet depth. No reports on white bass. Bream are fair on worms or crickets.
(update 9-27-2017) Jolly Rogers Marina (501-868-5558) said black bass fishing is good. There have been more reports coming in this week of limits being caught. Black bass are biting on crankbaits, drop-shot, jigs, buzzbaits, wacky rig worms and spinnerbaits. Blacks are in the weeds and off the edge line. They shallow during dusk and dawn. Drop 12-18 feet in deep water and drop just below fast-moving schools of shad. Kentucky bass are slow. The spots are being caught on hair and finesse worm jigs, spoons and minnows. They can found in the deep water mixed in with the black bass. White bass action has been slow as well. They are coming up for a shorter period of time and moving quickly with the schools. Use Rooster Tails, CC Spoons and deep-diving Bandits and Bombers. Crappie are good. They are being caught on crappie minnows and jigs (Tennessee Shad). Lots of 11- to 15-inch crappie are being caught 12-15 feet and 17-20 feet deep. Fish off channel or under water bridges. Bream fishing is slow, but bream can be found near the brush piles moving quickly. They are being caught on crickets and live worms. Catfishing is good. The catfish are being caught in 15-25 feet of water, moving to shallower water. Use stink bait, small bream, worms and chicken livers. There have been reports of cats near rocks on shoreline by the weeds.
(update 9-27-2017) Whiskers Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said crappie are biting on Bobby Garland Baby Shad and Slab Slanger and minnows and 1.25-inch Itty Bit Swim’r. White bass are biting Slab Slanger, Baby Shad, Cajun Spin and Silver Minnow. Black bass are biting on worms, lizards, Brush Hogs and Whopper Plopper.
(update 9-20-2017) Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said catfish have been biting at Sunset Lake lately for customers using chicken livers, minnows and Sonny’s Dip Bait with blood. Bream have been biting fairly well on crickets and worms. Bass are hitting minnows, plastic worms and lizards and small topwater baits at sunrise. Crappie fishing has been slow but a few have been caught on No. 4 minnows and pink minnows.
Bishop Park Ponds
(update 9-20-2017) Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said catfish and bream have been biting for folks fishing with crickets and redworms. Bass have been hitting minnows and red soft-plastic worms. Crappie have been biting fairly well on No. 4 and pink minnows but most have been small.
Saline River Access in Benton
(update 9-20-2017) Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said catfish have been biting brood minnows, goldfish and black salties on trotlines at night. Bass fishing has been good with minnows, small plastic worms and lizards and small crankbaits. Crappie have been biting minnows and Tennessee shad-colored Kalins grubs. Bream will almost always bite crickets and worms on the river and are lots of fun for kids of all ages. The gar are still biting and are really fun and challenging to catch. Minnows will get the bites. Look for gar on the waters surface and just get your bait close to them.
(update 9-20-2017) Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said bream fishing has still been fair with crickets and redworms. Bass have been hitting early in the mornings and at night on minnows and dark-colored plastics. Catfish are biting fairly well at night on minnows, goldfish and chicken livers. One customer reported catching a few nice crappie on No. 12 minnows earlier this week.
(update 9-20-2017) Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said bass fishing has been good with No. 12 minnows, plastic worms and lizards and topwater baits. Bream are biting slowly, but a few big ones have been caught lately on crickets and worms. Crappie have been biting great for a few that like to use No. 6 minnows and a few different colors of Bobby Garland jigs. Catfish are biting well from sunset to a while after dark on chicken livers, nightcrawlers and minnows.
(update 10-4-2017) Charley’s Hidden Harbor at Oppelo (501-354-8080) had no report.
(update 9-27-2017) Professional angler Cody Kelley with Best in Bass Guide Service (501-733-5282) reports that the fishing has been pretty slow on the river lately. With slow flows and warm water temperatures, the fish are not exactly in the biting mood. For bass, with the low flow of the river you will find fish really spread out in most places instead of stacked in current break areas. To key in on these fish you need to STAY ON THE MOVE! This is the time of year for “junk” fishing. This means that you need to pick up your favorite shad-imitating bait (squarebill, spinnerbait, buzzbait) and cover as much water as possible. Cody says he would start on the outside of the rock jetties with a buzzbait and work your way into the backwaters. If you have access to side-imaging sonar, try dragging a dark-colored drop-shot-rigged worm over shell beds and other hard structure that you can find on the main river. Bends in the channel are always good.
Cody says light to no flow will make catfishing tough. The best method right now is definitely drift-fishing down the edge of the channel. Position your baits about 1 inch to 2 inches off the bottom and use your trolling motor to stay in that depth zone. Experiment with different bait sizes and types to find what they are wanting on that particular day.
For bream, check out shallow backwater areas within 50 yards of the main channel. Right now it is tough to beat a tube of crickets and a slip cork. When fishing for other species get tough, these guys are a great way to add a little excitement back into the day – especially if you have some kids in the boat!
(update 10-4-2017) River Valley Marina (501-517-1250) said the water is clear and level and current are normal. Bream are fair on worms or crickets. Crappie are in 5 feet depth and catches have been fair. Use minnows. Bass are fair early in the morning again late in the day, with spinnerbaits and plastic worms working best.
(update 10-4-2017) Zimmerman’s Exxon (501-944-2527) said the water is murky and the temperature is in the mid-80s. Water level and current are normal. Bream are fair and are biting redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. The bass bite ranges poor to fair, but no baits were reported. Catfishing is fair to good, and the best bet is with skipjack. No reports on white bass.
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)
(update 10-4-2017) Hatchet Jack’s (501-758-4948) said crappie are fair near Murray Lock and Dam. Minnows or jigs will work. No other reports.
(update 10-4-2017) Zimmerman’s Exxon (501-944-2527) said the water is clear and the temperature is ranging 75-78 degrees. Water level and current are normal. Bream are good. They are in 4-5 feet of water and are biting crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows. The bass was fair, with spinnerbaits and plastic worms the way to go. Catfishing is fair below the dam. No reports on white bass.
Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool)
(update 10-4-2017) Vince Miller from Fish ’N’ Stuff (501-834-5733) said the river is clear now and at a normal level. Surface temperature ranged from 78 to the mid-80s. And still, despite the conditions the fishing continues to be tough in the pool, Vince said. Bream results were poor, as were crappie reports. Bass was fair but nothing came easy. Crankbaits and jigs were getting the best results. Catfishing also was poor.
(update 10-4-2017) McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water clear and at a normal level. Fishing is slow in the lower half of the pool. The bream are fair on redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are fair, but no reports on bait used. Catfishing was fair near Terry Lock and Dam using chicken livers.
(update 10-4-2017) Zimmerman’s Exxon (501-944-2527) said the water is clear and the temperature is ranging 75-78 degrees. Water level and current are normal. Bream are good. They are in 4-5 feet of water and are biting crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows. The bass was fair, with spinnerbaits and plastic worms the way to go. Catfishing is fair below the dam. No reports on white bass.
Clear Lake (off Arkansas River-Little Rock Pool)
(update 10-4-2017) McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water clear and at a normal level. Fishing is slow. The bream are fair on redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass improved at least, with fair reports this week. Catfishing also picked up a little with fair reports using chicken livers.
Peckerwood Lake
(update 10-4-2017) Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is clear. The level is normal. No surface temperature was recorded. Bream ranged poor to fair. Worms or crickets will work. Crappie are poor to fair. Use minnows or jigs. Bass reports were poor to fair; no baits were reported. Catfishing is good on blood bait.
NORTH ARKANSAS
White River
(update 10-4-2017) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said fluctuations in the water levels below Bull Shoals Dam have challenged the anglers, including professionals. They’ve seen a few mornings with fairly low water, almost wadable, then a couple of days of higher levels making drift fishing a priority. On low water, shrimp and PowerBait have been the go-to baits again for good sized rainbows; anchor over a deeper hole and drop your line –you won’t have to wait long. The browns have been more skittish, but will nibble at a sculpin if drifted at mid-depth or lower. While drifting worms (red worms or bubblegum pink), they saw a few days of brook trout catching, but the catch has slowed. Come to the river – you can’t catch a trout from your office desk.
(update 10-4-2017) Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water clarity was has a green tinge to it. The river level is low. There have been two to eight generators running the past week. The trout bite is fair to good. Rainbow reports were good. Don’t expect much on the brown trout bite based on the bad reports from the past week.
(update 10-4-2017) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said late last week that for the previous seven days they had no rain, warm temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals dropped 1.8 feet to rest at 0.6 feet below seasonal power pool of 661 feet msl. This is 34.6 feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock rose 0.3 feet to rest at 0.2 feet below seasonal power pool and 14.2 feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake dropped 1.9 feet to rest at 0.3 feet above seasonal power pool and 8.3 feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had no wadable water with moderate generation. Norfork Lake fell 1.5 feet to rest at 0.3 feet below seasonal power pool of 555.75 feet msl and 24.5 feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, they had moderate generation and no wadable water. All of the lakes in the White River System are now at or below the top of power pool. We should expect wadable water in the near future. Hopper season continues. Many guides are banging the bank with grasshopper patterns. Add a nymph dropper (ruby midge) to increase takes. If the grasshopper is hit or sinks, set the hook. John’s favorite grasshopper pattern is a Western Pink Lady. The hot spot on the White has been Rim Shoals. The hot flies were olive Woolly Buggers (sizes 8, 10), Y2Ks (sizes 14, 12), prince nymphs (size 14), zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead size 16, 18), pheasant tails (size 14), ruby midges (size 18), root beer midges (size 18), pink and cerise San Juan worms (size 10), and sowbugs (size 16). Double-fly nymph rigs have been very effective (John’s current favorite is a size 10 Y2K with a size 14 prince nymph suspended below it). Use lots of lead and long leaders to get your flies down.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 659.41 feet msl (normal conservation pool: 659.00 feet msl).
(update 10-4-2017) Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock says anglers are still catching some walleye. The magic numbers seems to be 28-32 feet, either trolling or bottom bouncing the main lake or the main lake points. The lake level is still at 660 feet msl, about 1 foot or 1.5 feet over the normal summer pool. The Army Corps of Enginees has been dropping it and dropping it and they’ve just starting slowing down the generation the last couple of days. The water is dirty in a lot of places, there has been a lot of changes going on in the lake. Del says they still have bushes in the water, which he says is great. The fish are waiting in the bushes, and it’s that time of year when you’re going to have to work for them. Some days it’s a feast and the next day it’s a famine. So, as you go through, just keep in mind, don’t stay in one place, cover some water and you’ll catch some fish. It’s the junk fishing time of year, he says. As these fish are following shad into the creeks, try to cover water using a buzzbait or a squarebill. With a squarebill, Del says, he’s been keying in on the flats in the backs of creeks, in the shallower areas. It’s the time of year you’ve got to go into the backs and see if the fish are there. If they are there, you can hang out, have a topwater tied on. On a bluebird day, in the middle of the day, they’ll start blowing up. The colors to use are going to change depending on where you’re at. Del says he’s going with more natural colors if the water clears up a bit. Rightn ow there’s a lot of dirty water in the lake, so bone has been working. For the Whopper Plopper, he says, what a fun bite there is now! Just parallel along the outsides of the bushes, and try to find some wind. That will help you key in on some of those fish. Del said he did notice that a lot of the fish he’s catching had big 4-inch, 5-inch tentacles hanging out of their stomachs, so he’s moved to the bigger jig and has started to catch more fish on it. They’re not afraid of that. The crawdads in Bull Shoals get fairly large so don’t be afraid to throw that big jib this time of year. Another tool that Del is using, if it is super windy and with wind and clouds, is throwing the spinnerbait. The color will depend on the water. But the Sexy Mouse is working, or try whatever your favorite bait for dirty water is and go with that. If it clears up and maybe gets really stormy, you might throw a spinnerbait and you’ll catch a few on that. The weather is getting very nice and these fish have been going through a lot of changes. The lake has seen hot weather and cold weather and that’s pushed the fish around. Anglers just have to get out there, he says. You’ll work for them but you’ll get them.
(update 9-27-2017) K Dock Marina said the lake is almost back to seasonal pool of 661 to 659 feet msl. The boat launch is now being used by a small number of people with access from the top of the bluff on Warren Road and Parksley Lane. All species are still very slow. Lake conditions should be back to normal, and walleye, bass and Crappie can get back into normal pre-fall patterns. Surface water temperature was 76 to 78 degrees. Water is stained.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 554.50 feet msl (normal conservation pool: September-April 552.00 feet msl; April-September, 554.00 feet msl).
(update 10-4-2017) Lou Gabric at Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said Norfork Lake is trying to cool down a little. For the second time in the last month the lake surface temperature has dropped to around 76 degrees in the early morning. If this cooldown continues it will help energize the fish and help make the fall bite take off. The striped bass bite for Lou, he says, is good one time out and nonexistent the next. Tuesday was one of those good days, but Lou said he was having difficulty getting a good hook set and when he did have a good fish on he was breaking off. “I guess I still need more practice,” he joked. “I was fishing with live thread fin shad. I managed to land five striper/hybrids, but should/could have had many more.” All but one hybrid were released. The bite started around 5:15 a.m. and lasted until about 7 a.m. He was fishing in 25-35 feet of water and the fish were at all depths. Lou said one of his trolling guests is starting to pick up a few nice stripers later in the mornings in 100 feet of water. The fish are still 25-30 feet down. When you find shad in the deep water, there more than likely will be some stripers hanging close by.
Lou says the crappie bite is still decent, but not great. There are crappie on brush in 23-30 feet of water and the fish are anywhere from 8 feet down to the bottom. You just need to keep fishing different depths until you find the level where the fish are feeding. Lou has found some big white crappie scattered on the big sandy flats. A live minnows on a slip bobber is a great method, but jigging a small hair jig or a spoon has also been working. Walleye are scattered though out the lake and are shallow before dark, then in about 25-30 feet of water the rest of the time. Crawler harnesses with a bottom bouncer or a drop-shot rig are working very well. Lou landed a nice 22-inch walleye on a live minnow in 27 feet of water Tuesday. Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass are also scattered though out the lake. There are a lot of smaller fish on brush piles (great spawn the last two years). Lou has been finding the larger fish in about 28 feet of water lying on or close to the bottom along bluff lines and also close to bluff line points. Lou has been vertical-jigging a spoon looking for walleye when he runs across big bass. Drop-shot rigs with a jig or plastic crawler should also work. Lou has also noticed many suspended fish 10-20 feet down along the bluff lines. He has caught some of these fish with my spoon, but most are small, with a few bigger fish mixed in. There has been some topwater feeding going on early in the morning and then again at sunset. All sizes of fish are feeding at this time when you run across this action. Catfish are also at this same 25-35 feet depth. Tuesday Lou landed two really nice channel cats while striper fishing, he said. “They really do not want to come off the bottom once you get them hooked. Lots of fun.” He says, “I guess in a nutshell the bite is basically the same or very similar to my last report and I don’t expect much change until the water cools down into the 60s. There are many fish that can be caught at this time, but you do have to work for them. Work (hahaha) that is what I tell my wife when I head out to go fishing. I am going to work!”
Lake level is falling slowly, close to 2 inches per day with slight power generation. The current level is 554.68 feet msl. The main lake is somewhat clear, but the creeks and coves are stained. The current surface water temperature Tuesday morning was 76.5 degrees.
(update 10-4-2017) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Norfork Lake fell 1.5 feet last week to rest at 0.3 feet below seasonal power pool of 555.75 feet msl and 24.5 feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, they had moderate generation and no wadable water. The water is stained. It fishes well one day and poorly the next. Navigate this stream with caution as things changed a bit during the recent flooding. There has been major gravel recruitment at the bottom of Mill Pond and the dock hole. The most productive flies have been small midge patterns (sizes 18, 20, 22) like ruby midges, root beer midges, zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and soft hackles (sizes 14, 16) like the Green Butt. Egg patterns have also been productive. Double-fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead-headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended 18 inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise size 10). The fishing is better in the morning. John’s favorite rig has been a cerise San Juan worm with a pheasant tail dropper (size 10). Dry Run Creek is stained but still fishing well. The hot flies have been sowbugs (size 14), Y2Ks (size 12) and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise size 10). While you are at the creek you should visit the Norfork National Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure and remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases.
Buffalo National River/Crooked Creek
(update 10-4-2017) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said the Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are low and clear. With the warmer weather the smallmouths are more active. John’s favorite fly is a Clouser minnow. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,120.44 feet msl (normal conservation pool: 1,121.00 msl).
(update 10-4-2017) Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is clear and the surface water temperature is 79 degrees. The level is low, down nearly 2 inches in the past week from full pool. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie are fair. Fish are in 10-12 feet depth and the best success is by trolling brush piles. Use minnows. Average reports from bass anglers, with topwater baits such as Zara Spooks working, along with spoons. Catfish are good. Use prepared bait or nightcrawlers.
(update 10-4-2017) Bailey’s Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) says stripers are on the feed in their summer areas but most fish are on the move toward fall areas and your best bet is to cover lots of water, paying close attention to what Mike Bailey refers to as “high percentage spots.” High percentage spots are typically points, humps, pockets or tree lines where stripers can corner bait. Some stripers also can be caught fishing the open water or channel areas near high percentage spots. Mike says they have also been seeing some fish surfacing, so have your spoons, jigs or topwater plugs handy in order to capitalize on a quick rush when they pin bait to the surface. Fish free lines, balloons and downlines between 10 feet deep to about 40 feet in order to ensure you have a good spread. You can also try trolling umbrella rigs with white or chartreuse jigs/grubs or plugs like Rapala No. 14 husky jerks in black back or purple back colors, as well as Smithwick Rogues in similar colors in 5-6-inch model on downriggers or snap weights and planer boards to get some depth and stagger your presentation. Make sure you do not keep striper under 20 inches and not more than three stripers or hybrid or combination. Walleye must be 18 inches long with a limit of four. Fish location is greatly influenced by lake level and current flow. Current in the lake from generation will generally position fish on the upstream or downstream edges of structure. Check the daily lake level and flow data link on Mike’s website. Water surface temperatures are in the mid- to high 70s on the mid- and lower sections of the lake. Check out these hot spots: Lost Bridge South, Pine Log, Point 4, Big Clifty, points 5 and 6, Rambo Creek Arm, Rocky Branch, and Ford and Cedar creeks. Make sure to check main lake structures, humps and secondary points in the area where the channel intersects at Shaddox Hollow. Walleye are in their summer mode and can be found from 15-20 feet deep during the daylight hours, depending on areas you fish. Night fishing and concentrating on chunk rock banks in 5-10 feet of water with jigs, shallow-running cranks and jerkbaits is also producing.
(update 10-4-2017) Guide Austin Kennedy (479-244-0039) says he has been on the stand elk hunting but he relayed this report from one of his angler friends: Trout have been biting consistently on various PowerBaits, fished with light terminal tackle. Quarter-ounce spoons have also produced nice numbers as well. The water temperatures between Houseman Access and the Highway 62 bridge have been in the mid- to high 50s. A nice number of trout have been caught between Bertrand launch ramp and Parkers Bottom. Smallmouth are hitting soft plastic thrown into cover and various crankbaits. A couple of walleye have been caught toward Beaver town using crawler harness and bottom bouncing. With rain being in the forecast midweek, he would suspect the bite to really pick up in the next couple of days.
(update 10-4-2017) Beaver Dam Store said that Southwestern Power Administration told them that when the lake level reaches 1120.44 feet msl, continuous water generation will stop and resume the normal 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. generation, allowing fly-fisherman to finally get back in the water and start fishing again. The brown trout should start spawning really soon, if they haven’t already started doing so, so be aware of the reds in the river and not walk all over them. Fisherman in boats are catching their limits while drifting with PowerBait and waxworm combos. There have been some walleye caught using night crawlers. Nightcrawlers are working well for catching trout. Fish the Bertrand and the launching ramp just below the dam using PowerBait. Also, try fishing the Parkers Bottom area. When water is flowing, throw quarter-ounce spoons. Flicker shad are also doing the job. Starting October 23, the store will be closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and will be open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The store also notes that its annual one-fly, one-lure tournament is Saturday, Oct. 21. Pick up a registration at the front desk of the store.
(update 10-4-2017) Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said the water is dingy and at a low level. Surface temperature was 74 degrees earlier this week. Bream are good and are biting redworms. Crappie fishing remained good the past week on both minnows and jigs. Bass reports were poor. Catfishing is good, with worms, blood bait, stink bait and chicken livers all working for cats.
(update 10-4-2017) Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said water remains clear, and the surface temperature was 74 degrees. The water level is 4 inches low. Bass reports were good. Anglers were having success with topwater baits and plastic worms. Catfishing is good on chicken livers and live bait. Bream reports were poor, as were crappie reports.
(update 9-27-2017) Ome Coleman at Lake Poinsett State Park reports that Lake Poinsett is getting very difficult to get to as the complete lake drawdown continues. However, some anglers are managing to succeed. Those that are getting out there are coming in with some nice fish. Ome says they are keeping plenty of bait on hand for anglers.
(update 10-4-2017) Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) reported back-to-back weeks of good fishing. The water is “really clear” and is back at a normal level. Surface temperature is 77 degrees Bream are good on redworms and crickets. Crappie are good on minnows or jigs. Bass remain good. Use spinnerbaits, topwater lures and plastic worms. Catfishing fell back some to fair. Live bait was working best.
(update 10-4-2017) Mark Crawford with springriverfliesandguides.com (870-955-8300) said water levels are running at 280 cfs, 350 average, and water clarity has been clear. On the hot sunny days the trout are finding deeper pools of water to stay out of the heat. On the Spring, always watch for the deep green pools for bigger trout to be hiding in. On overcast cool days, the trout are feeding better. Hot flies lately have been Grandma’s Brownie, Guppies and the Idaho leech. With the first few cold days of fall the trout should start moving around more. For spin-fishers out there, hot pink and white Trout Magnets are working great. Hot pink always seems to work on trout and smallmouth in the Spring River. Chartreuse is a good color for brown trout but Mark says he always go back to the hot pink. A little Super Glue on the hook before putting on the Trout Magnet body will keep it from sliding down. Mark usually prepares several the night before. For the local small creeks that hold nice smallmouth and bream, the hot pink Trout Magnet fished along the banks with a slow strip back works perfect. Cast across a fast pocket and let the Magnet swing and watch them chase it down. Fun, fun, fun.
(update 10-4-2017) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said the Spring River is fishing well. This is a great place to wade fish when they are running water on the White and Norfork rivers. Canoe season is still on and there many boats on the river. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive Woolly Buggers with a bit of flash (size 10), cerise and hot pink San Juan worms (size 10) and Y2Ks (size 10).
(update 10-4-2017) Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said fishing continues to be slow. The water clarity is clear and the water level is low. Surface water temperature is 78 degrees. Bream are poor. Crappie are poor. Bass are fair. Catfishing is poor. Walleye reports were fair. No baits were reported.
(update 9-27-2017) Jennifer Albertson at Cane Creek State Park said bream are slowing down fast at Cane Creek Lake. Crickets will not be available at the park bait shop until the coming spring. However, crappie and bass are hitting fairly well! Bass are hitting steady on topwater baits for now. Crappie are picking up, and are biting on shiners. Cane Creek Lake is about to hit its prime crappie season in the next few weeks. Right now, morning temperatures are cool — almost chilly — while afternoons are quite warm. Catfish are nowhere to be found, but things should pick up on cats when the weather cools off some more.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will open a special commercial fishing season on Lake Chicot to target Asian carp from Nov. 1-Dec. 31. Chicot normally is off limits to commercial harvest. Commercial anglers will be allowed to keep any commercial fish other than alligator gar during the season, and all Asian carp caught must be removed from the lake. The 16-inch minimum length regulation on buffalo is removed during the season as well. Commercial anglers should contact the Monticello Regional Office at 877-367-3559 to obtain a free permit to participate in the special season.
(update 10-4-2017) Brandy Oliver at Lake Chicot State Park (870-265-9705) said eople fishing for catfish have reported fair catches. Limblines and noodles have been more effective than rod and reel, especially late in the evening or early in the morning. Not many people are catching crappie. A few people have caught bream, mostly on crickets.
(update 9-27-2017) Angler Chris Van Duren at Lucky’s of Monticello said the lake is getting very, very low from the drawdown. Water temperature is in the mid-80s and the clarity is fair. Reports on bream, crappie and catfish are all poor. The bass bite is good, however. Bass are active in the shallow parts as well as in the deepest areas. They are hitting spinnerbaits, crankbaits, plastic worms and topwater lures.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 257.45 feet msl (normal conservation pool: 259.20 msl).
(update 10-4-2017) Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said that as of Monday the lake level was about 22 inches below conservation pool and stable at 257.4 feet msl for ongoing drawdown. There is current of 174 cfs in Little River continuing fall drawdown according to the Army Corps of Engineers. The tailwater as of Monday was about 224.7 feet msl. Water temperatures were stable over the past week. Check lake level of Millwood Lake on the guide service’s website helpful links page, or at the Army Corps of Engineers website, for updated gate release changes and inflow rates with rising and falling lake levels during ongoing drawdown conditions. The drawdown is to run through Nov. 15 for planting millet grass for fall duck hunting in the shallow flats. The drawdown will be about 21-24 inches until early October, and as of Monday the elevation was starting to rise back up to 258 or 14.4 inches below normal and held there until Oct. 15 when the Corps will begin raising back to normal conservation pool. Use extreme caution in navigation on Millwood Lake during drawdown conditions as this will bring stumps and broken timber close to surface pool in many areas, and the boat lanes will be much shallower than routine conditions, exposing submerged objects at or near surface pool.
Surface temps Monday ranged 76 degrees early to 85 later under full sun. Clarity and visibility continue improving for main lake and Little River. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity and visibility ranged 10-15 inches. Little River’s visibility ranges 8-12 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow’s clarity currently ranging 15-25 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds, rain or thunderstorms.
Largemouth bass have seen little change over the past few weeks. The lake’s drawdown over the past few weeks have moved the bass to deeper dropoffs of major and secondary points and creek dumps that junction in Little River. Bass remain good around 2-4 pounds on topwaters early at dawn up to around 11 a.m. Bass continue to react the most aggressive at dawn in the oxbows of Little River where creek channels dump into main body water. Topwater bite at daybreak remains very good over the past few weeks on almost any topwater prop or chugger bait. Seems like on windy mornings, bass prefer the prop and splash baits more than the plastic frogs. The buzzbaits, Baby Torpedoes and Dying Flutters are the go-to baits on windy mornings. On calm days, the soft plastic frogs, Bass Assassin Shads, chuggers like Pop-Rs and Lucky 13s and Jitterbugs work to produce better results. oft plastic Bass Assassin Shads and topwater soft plastic frogs remain working best around vegetation and lily pads. Best color of buzzbaits over the past couple weeks included black/blue and Firecracker/chartreuse around pads and vegetation adjacent to deeper sections of the creek channels or in the river. Bass Assassin Shads continue working well and best reaction anglers have had remain on the Grey Ghost, Houdini, Molting or Rainbow Shad colors. The deep- and medium-diving crankbaits like the Bomber Fat Free Shads, Fat Free Fry or Fat Free Guppys are working from 4-8 feet deep in creek channels and across primary points along Little River with the best colors over the past couple weeks drawing best reactions being the Citrus Shad, White Pearl, Threadfin Shad and Citruse. The Rat-L-Trap 1.75 Echo squarebill crankbaits continue working in creek channel swings (outer bends and deflecting off stumps) and where creek mouths and sloughs feed and dump into the oxbows, and the the best colors over the past few days have been the Ghost Minnow, Ghost Bluegill, Gizzard Shad or Stumpknocker. Nice-size bass also continue biting 10-inch Magnum Berkley worms with best colors over the past several days being Plum, Blue Fleck or Black/Blue. War Eagle Spinnerbaits continue working in and around vegetation and cypress trees. It’s been best on windy mornings, and colors drawing best reactions over the past week were Mouse or Hot Mouse, Spot Remover or Chartreuse and Blue Firecracker.
Whites/hybrids are back to early and mid-morning schooling activities with all the recent cloud cover and cooler daytime temps, away from river current in the oxbows. Clear Baby Torpedoes, Cordell Crazy Shads in chrome/black, Stuttersteps, Little Georges, Rocket Shads, Rooster Tails and Rat-L-Traps in black-chrome or Millwood Magic are still working. Crappie continue improving as long as the water continues clearing, and with the reduced current of Little River. Crappie are best near standing timber and planted brush in the backs of the oxbows from 10-15 feet deep on vertical jigging spoons, small H&H’s, Cordell smoke-colored paddle tail grubs, and Blakemore Road Runners. Channel cats continue biting well on trotlines set along outer bends of the river in timber from 12-18 feet deep using CJ’s Punchbait or chicken gizzards and livers. Yo-yos using shiners and minnow are catching some nice cats in the oxbows underneath cypress tree limbs from 6-9 feet deep.
Lake Greeson Tailwater (Little Missouri River)
Visit www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com for a daily update on fishing conditions.
Lake Greeson
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 537.78 feet msl (full pool: 548.00 feet msl).
No reports.
DeGray Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 398.16 feet msl (flood pool: 408.00 feet msl).
(update 10-4-2017) Local angler George Graves said surface water temperature is in the high 70s and the lake is clear throughout. Bass fishing is fair with quite a few being caught early in the morning in the vast shad schools. Look for fish at mid-lake between Edgewood and Shouse Ford. Throw surface lures and soft plastics into the schools of breaking fish on main lake points. Lots of small Kentucky bass in the Shouse Ford area. Look for schooling fish and throw small spoons and inline spinners such as Rooster Tails. Crappie fishing is fair with quite a few big fish reported. Look for main lake attractors between Caddo Drive and Shouse Ford. The deeper attractors at 20 feet are producing best. Use a Kalin’s 2-inch grub on a 1/16- or 1/8-ounce jighead in Tennessee Shad or Arkansas Shad. Either fish vertically to just above the cover or back off the attractor and throw the lure over the brush, count it down to about 15 feet and just slow roll it back. Either way will work, just try both to see which is best. Hybrid fishing is slow but white bass are everywhere between the mouth of Brushy Creek and Shouse Ford. Just look for the schooling “breaking” fish and throw small spoons or small inline spinners. Early morning is the best time. A few large bream, shell crackers, are showing on secondary points in 15-20 feet of water near the bottom. Vertically tight-line a redworm or cricket.
(update 9-27-2017) John Duncan of YoYoGuideService.com at Iron Mountain Marina said it is hot, hot, hot. Water level is 398.34 (as of Tuesday). Water temperatures are in the mid-80s throughout the lake. It is summertime blues in the fall. Fishing is still slowed down. Breaking fish are being reported throughout the lake from Marker 4 near Iron Mountain up to Point Cedar. The surfacing fish do not seem to stay up long. The black bass are sometimes mixed in with the whites and hybrids in some places. The surfacing hybrids are smaller than usual. It’s the same drill: shad-colored topwaters like Zara Spook Jr., Whopper Plopper and then switch to diving baits like Shad Raps, Rat-L-Traps or other crankbaits. As the school goes deeper, switch to spoons and count down the depth shown on your electronics. Crappie reported still being caught but deep due to the water temperature. Try Alpine Ridge or Lennox Marcus areas. Catfishing is slow. No report on bream or walleye. The lake is very low and many places that are shallow may not have a “shallow marker” at every location. Watch for islands and humps that do not have markers on them. Stay cool and watch out for the other guy.
(update 9-27-2017) Capt. Darryl Morris at Family Fishing Trips said white bass and hybrid striper can be found schooling mid-lake. Spoons and topwater have produced. The fall feeding frenzy for crappie should be coming on soon with the cooling water temperatures. Minnows fished vertically is always the go-to.
(update 9-29-2017) Phillip Kastner of Trader Bill’s said that the Ozark Bass Club would be fishing DeGray on Saturday (Sept. 30) and they’ll wake up to temperatures in the mid-50s with a high of 84 expected. With that, he says, “topwater, topwater, topwater, that’s my first guess” as the way to go. He says the days of throwing the Rat-L Trap on the flats on DeGray are just in front of us but he doesn’t think the first cool morning is going to move the fish on those flats; it’s going to take a little time. He says the water is still so warm that a Ribbit or buzzbait or topwater bait of some kind would have to be a deadly weapon. He’s heard there are a lot of breaking fish over in the middle part of the lake, basically from Caddo Point to Arlie Moore. A lot of those fish are smaller Kentuckies and there are a lot of hybrids as well, but he expects there are some good black bass mixed in with them.
De Queen Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 437.06 feet msl (flood pool: 437.00 feet msl).
No reports.
Dierks Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 525.19 feet msl (flood pool: 526.00 feet msl).
No reports.
Felsenthal
(update 9-27-2017) Sportsman’s One Stop in El Dorado (870-863-7248) said there are still a few bream being caught, but it’s a slow bite. The crappie bite hasn’t picked up much. No word on catfish. Bass are still being caught, crankbaits has been preferred bait.
(update 9-27-2017) Sportsman’s One Stop (870-863-7248) received a report of a few bream being caught. Bass are said to be slow.
(update 10-4-2017) Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said nothing changed from the past week. The water is clear and at a normal level. Surface temperature ranges near 80 degrees. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair using spinnerbaits and plastic worms. Catfish are fair on chicken livers. Poor results with white bass.
Lake Bailey (Petit Jean State Park)
(update 9-27-2017) Whiskers Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said are catfish biting on minnows and worms. Bream are biting well on crickets, worms and Rock Hopper. Bass are biting on worms, lizards, Brush Hogs and Whopper Plopper.
Lake Catherine
For weekly flow releases from Carpenter Dam, visit www.entergy.com/hydro.
(update 10-4-2017) Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that water temperature below Carpenter Dam is 66 degrees with clear conditions in the tailrace. Entergy is only generating every few days to maintain lake levels. Lake Catherine is at normal summertime pool with no change in water levels expected until November. A 3-foot drawdown is planned for the lake beginning Nov. 1. Catherine will begin to refill in early March. The rainbow trout season has been over for months with the bite dying out in early July. Trout stocking will begin again in mid-November. White bass migrate in and out of the area chasing shad and can be caught on spinnerbaits in white or yellow. Jerkbaits in a black/silver pattern are another good choice of artificial lure that imitates baitfish. The bite is best during periods of generation, and the late evening periods have been the most productive. Some hybrid action is mixed in with the white bass and these fish are being caught on the same techniques. Striper action is hit and miss with some topwater action observed below the bridge in the early morning around daybreak. Gizzard shad fished under a balloon give anglers the best chance to hook a large striper as these predator fish consistently target large baitfish. Large soft plastics casted weightless into feeding fish will draw vicious strikes. Strong rods and lines are recommended as many of these fish weigh over 20 pounds with some in the 40-pound class. A few walleye have been caught in the early morning on crankbaits trolled against the current. Walleye often remain the tailrace after the spring spawn with small numbers taken year-round. Anyone navigating the Carpenter Dam tailrace should be aware of all boating and park regulations and always wear a life jacket.
(update 10-4-2017) Charles Morrison at Classic Catch Guide Service (479-647-9945) had no report.
(update 10-4-2017) Greeson Marine in Hot Springs, hometown dealer of the Arkansas bred and built, all-weld Xpress fishing boat, reported that black bass and spotted bass have begun their annual shad binge and fishing is fun, fast paced and fishy! Black bass and spotted bass can be found on most secondary points of the main channel in 8-20 feet of water. Bass are feeding heavily on these points for shad. Secondary points can be docks, grass, outcroppings and flats. The best way to locate fish is to reel or “burn” a shad-colored or chrome Rat-L-Trap swimbait as fast as possible in these areas. Do not be surprised by seeing three or more bass chasing or hitting your bait the whole way in. When found it is a good idea to switch to a swim jig or weighted swimbait to entice the bigger fish. Fishing is good but will get even better in the next few weeks. Get out there and have fun.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 342.31 feet msl (full pool: 342.00 feet msl).
(update 10-4-2017) Andrews Bait Shop and More (479-272-4025) said the surface temperature earlier this week dropped to 79 degrees. Water is clear. The lake is at normal. Reports the past week weren’t quite like last week, but bass reports were fair. Anglers brought in 12-14 pounds of fish using spinner baits and monster plastic worms. The catfish were poor, with only minnows getting much response. Bream were fair on worms.
(update 10-4-2017) Good Ole Boys Trading Post (479-272-4710) had no report.
(update 9-27-2017) Whiskers Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said crappie are start to pick up, biting on Bobby Garland Baby Shad in Shiney Hiney, Glimmer Blue, BBQ Chicken, Cajun Crickets, Blue Ice, Shimmer, Monkey Milk, crystal, bone, Penny Back Baby Shad, Slab Slay’r and 1.25-inch Itty Bit Swim’r and minnows. Catfish are biting on minnows and worms and frozen shad. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms and Rock Hopper. Largemouth bass are biting on worms, lizards, Brush Hogs and Whopper Plopper.
Lake Ouachita
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 568.82 feet msl (full pool: 578.00 feet msl).
(update 10-4-2017) Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa (870-867-2191/800-832-2276 out of state) said black bass are still fair and spotted bass are good. Try drop-shot finesse worms or live crawfish for a mess of Kentuckies. Walleye are still fair and being caught on spoons or bottom bouncers on main lake humps and points near brush. Stripers are picking up on live bait. The central part of the lake is still the best area for these fish. Bream have slowed but are still being caught in water 20-25 feet deep on crickets and worms. Crappie picking up and being caught on minnows in 20-30 feet of water near structure. Catfish are fair on live bait, stink bait and hot dogs with trotline or jugs. Try depths of 20-30 feet. Water temperature is ranging 78-82 degrees and the clarity is clear. Call the Mountain Harbor guides – Mike Wurm (501-622-7717), Chris Darby (870-867-7822) or Jerry Bean (501-282-6104) – for more information.
(update 9-29-2017) Phillip Kastner of Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports noted on US97 that he heard a good report and saw photos earlier this week of a big group of crappie caught off the west end of the lake. The angler was not fishing moss but rather timber and brush, and the crappie were caught in about 15 feet of water. The water level in Ouachita is down, but Kastner says he’s seen it much lower than this in previous Octobers. However, he warns, if you’re running your boat through the creeks, pay attention as it would be easy to run up on a hump or stump. Kastner suggests that folks venture out to Bird Island on the lake, as the sight of moss there is “incredible,” a huge, wide open moss bed that stretches for miles, he says. “It goes from one end to the other, an incredible view,” he said. And, with the moss, there was a lot of activity out there with fish surfacing and breaking on the sides of the moss. “There are a lot of things moving around out there, which makes it attractive to go fishing in the morning or the afternoon,” he said, adding that Bird Island is not the only place with moss on Ouachita. He says there are “tons” of it matted up all through Buckville, in Rabbit and in Cedar Fourche, and the Blakeleys “is nothing but a great big moss bed from one end of it to the other, but Big and Little. It’s just something to see if you haven’t been up there and something to go fish.”
(update 10-4-2017) Greeson Marine in Hot Springs, hometown dealer of the Arkansas bred and built, all-weld Xpress fishing boat, says their anglers are reporting excellent black bass action on the lake this week. Bass are schooled up and aggressively taking shad-colored swimbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits in the gap between main lake points and secondary points. Bass are stacking up to binge on shad and fatten up for the winter months. Some fish can still be located in grassy areas late in the day also, but that bite is slowing by the minute. If you still want to throw large bait, throw a white swimbait and you should cash in on the fish. Crappie report is fair with fish still being caught on minnows and jigs in 12-17 feet of water. Crappie should get better from here on out with the fish migrating to deeper water.
Blue Mountain Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 383.96 feet msl (full pool: 384.00 feet msl).
No reports.
(update 10-4-2017) Professional guide Ronnie Tice of Horseshoe Lake Guide Service (901-687-6800) had no report.
(update 10-4-2017) Natalie Faughn, ranger at Mississippi River State Park (870-295-4040), said Bear Creek some anglers out this weekend/early part of the week with nothing positive coming in. When they do catch something, it’s been too small to mention. The bait shop is still carrying assorted live and artificial bait for those willing to try, however they do not currently have any minnows. Hoping it’ll pick back up this weekend.
(update 10-4-2017) Natalie Faughn, ranger at Mississippi River State Park (870-295-4040), said that like in Bear Creek, Storm Creek is still lacking a decent fishing report. Some anglers went out but had no reports. The bait shop still has assorted live and artificial bait for those willing to try; however, there are no minnows available.
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