Arkansas Wildlife Fishing Report
BY Jim Harris
ON 08-07-2019
Aug. 7, 2019
This is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s weekly fishing report for Aug. 7, 2019. If there is a body of water you would like included in this report, please email jim.harris@agfc.ar.gov 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. Note: msl = mean sea level; cfs = cubic feet per second.
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. Geoloical 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
NOTICE: AGFC employees and contractors using airboats will be conducting foliar applications of EPA-approved herbicide – which will cause no harm to wildlife, people or aquatic life such as fish – to treat alligatorweed on Lake Conway in 2019. By federal law, these herbicides have up to a 120-day irrigation restriction after application. The AGFC asks adjacent landowners to NOT irrigate for lawn or garden use with water from Lake Conway through March 1, 2020. For more information, please contact the AGFC Fisheries Office in Mayflower at (877) 470-3309.
(updated 8-7-2019) Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) says the lake is stained and about 2 feet below normal. Bream are good on redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair and still biting small jigs. Black bass are good on spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and frogs. Catfishing is good with dough bait and nightcrawlers.
Little Red River
(updated 8-7-2019) Lowell Myers of Sore Lip’em All Guide Service said Wednesday morning the Army Corps of Engineers was releasing 24 hours of two units of generation daily. If you fish high water, you will want to use long leaders and heavy weight using egg patterns, San Juan worms, micro jigs and sowbugs. Pounding the banks with streamers is also an effective fly-fishing method. For Trout Magnet fishing, use long leaders and heavy weight using cotton candy and hot pink colored bodies on silver and chartreuse jigheads. Concentrate on pools along the banks. Key for both fly-fishing and Trout Magnet fishing during heavy generation is the ability to get and maintain a good presentation of the fly or Trout Magnet. Always check before heading to the Little Red River by calling the 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.
Greers Ferry Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation is 465.97 feet msl (normal conservation pool: 462.54 feet msl).
(updated 8-7-2019) Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said the water level at Greers Ferry Lake was at 466.02 feet msl early Wednesday morning, 3.48 feet above normal pool of 462.54 feet msl and falling. Crappie fishing is still going pretty well despite most anglers not fishing for them. Try jigs and minnows straight up and down in 18-35 feet of water. Walleye are eating crawlers 18-45 feet on flats all over the lake, just stay with the program on jigheads or drop-shots. Black bass are scattered from super shallow out to 50 feet of water and can be caught a gauntlet of ways. Bream are eating crickets and crawlers on flats if you put your bait in front of them. Catfish are eating, of course, on a variety of baits, and the bite will continue going forward. Hybrid bass and white bass are eating shad on and off all day and night at present with schooling of fish on the verge of breaking loose; try spoons, inline spinners and swim baits from 23 feet out to 60 feet.
Harris Brake Lake
(updated 8-7-2019) Harris Brake Lake Resort (501-889-2745) says the water clarity is clear and the surface water temperature is 89 degrees. The water level is a little low. The bream fishing is good on redworms and crickets. Crappie continue to pick up, with good reports this week. Use minnows or jigs. Largemouth bass are good using plastic lures. Fish close to the shoreline. Anglers say to begin your catfishing in the early morning for best results, and use chicken liver. Also, two white bass were caught Tuesday morning using a plastic lure.
Lake Overcup
NOTICE: AGFC employees and contractors using airboats will be conducting foliar applications of EPA-approved herbicide – which will cause no harm to wildlife, people or aquatic life such as fish – to treat alligatorweed on Lake Overcup in 2019. By federal law, these herbicides have up to a 120-day irrigation restriction after application. The AGFC asks adjacent landowners to NOT irrigate water for lawn or garden use through March 1, 2020. For more information, please contact the AGFC Fisheries Office in Mayflower at (877) 470-3309.
(updated 8-7-2019) Johnny “Catfish” Banks at Overcup Bait Shop and R.V. Park (501-354-9007) said water level is about normal and the clarity is good. Surface temperature is around 90 degrees. Bream are doing well on crickets and redworms. Crappie are slow but anglers are still catching some in 12-14 feet of water over brushtops and around stumps. Bass are doing well. The average bass caught is 3 to 6 points. Catfish are fair and are being caught on jugs and trotlines with bream and shad.
Brewer Lake
(update 8-7-2019) Angler Larry Walters had no report.
Lake Maumelle
(updated 8-7-2019) Westrock Landing (501-658-5598) on Highway 10 near Roland says water temperature is in the low 90s. The largemouth bass bite is fair. Most of them can be found in 16-20 feet of water dusk and dawn biting a variety of lures. Some reports coming in this week say the black bass can be found in 8-12 feet and 16-20 feet. Try using chatterbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits, drop-shots, and swimbaits. Kentucky bass are slow. Some reports of the spots being found in 10-15 feet of water outside the grass line at dusk and dawn. They can also be found in 18-22 feet off drops and rocky banks. White bass are slow. Some can be found mixed in with the crappie on the flats or near brush piles in 8-12 feet. Try using Rooster Tails, jerkbaits and rattle-style baits. Crappie are fair. Reports of them being found stacking in and around brush 15-18 feet of water. Some can still be found scattered mixed in with the whites. Try using jigs and minnows. Bream are good.They can be found up shallow. They are in and around their beds around 8 feet or less. Try using crickets and worms. Catfishing is slow. Some channel cats moved into shallow water. Try using chicken liver, crayfish or worms.
Sunset Lake
(updated 8-7-2019) Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said crappie fishing has been good in the hour or so before daylight for at least one customer who reports catching some nice stringers of some decent fish on No. 6 minnows. Bass have been pretty active early in the mornings, too. Live minnows, floating plastics and topwater baits have been working well. Catfish are biting fair for people using minnows, nightcrawlers and chicken livers. Bream fishing is good with crickets and redworms.
Bishop Park Ponds
(updated 8-7-2019) Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said catfish have been biting chicken livers, worms and minnows. Bream are biting redworms and crickets. Crappie have been slow to bite and the few caught recently on No. 4 minnows have been small to fair-sized. Bass have been biting pretty well on minnows, floating worms and Kalin’s grubs.
Saline River Access in Benton
(updated 8-7-2019) Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said the river is low right now, so navigation can be tough, but fishing has been good for some. Bream fishing has been fun for many that get out there with light tackle and crickets or worms. Some have been catching some decent-sized redear and bluegill. Bass are biting fair, too. Live minnows, soft plastics, crawdad-colored crankbaits and small spinnerbaits all work well. Catfish are feeding at night, and minnows, goldfish, black salties, nightcrawlers or some of the smaller bream you can catch there will catch channels, blues or flatheads. Crappie have been slow on the river but they are there somewhere. Try floating a No. 4 or No. 6 minnow around logs and brush that are close to what little current there is right now.
Lake Norrell
(updated 8-7-2019) Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said bream are biting crickets and redworms fished on tight lines in 12-20 feet of water and 2-4 feet under a float around docks and walls. Catfish are biting fair at night on chicken livers, minnows, nightcrawlers and cut shad. Bass fishing has been fair at night with topwater baits, buzzbaits, floating and Carolina-rigged plastics. Crappie are being stubborn, according to customers trying to catch them there, and No. 6 minnows have caught the few they did get.
Lake Winona
(updated 8-7-2019) Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said crappie fishing has been slow for the regulars that usually catch them. They have been catching a few on No. 6 and No. 12 minnows, but the numbers and size are both down from their usual. Bass have been hitting No. 6 and No. 12 minnows, floating worms, jigs and topwater baits at sunrise and sunset. Catfish are biting fair at night on nightcrawlers, chicken livers, bait shrimp and cut shad fished in shallow water close to deep water. Bream fishing has been good with crickets and redworms.
Arkansas River at Morrilton
(updated 8-7-2019) Charley’s Hidden Harbor at Oppelo (501-354-8080) says he had a few boats launch in the past week. One was running the river to see what ramps were open. The boater said he caught some nice bass in the Pine Bluff Pool on Tuesday morning. He returned to this pool around noon and fished the jetties, and reported catching a few. They also had an angler from Conway show up, and he fished all the push-ups and brush piles with black and blue jigs. He caught 17 black bass and rated fishing fair. Also catfish were around deeper brush piles. Use nightcrawlers. The catfish bite looks good. No reports on bream, crappie, white bass or stripers.
Arkansas River (Cadron Pool)
No reports.
Little Maumelle River
(updated 8-7-2019) Ray Hudson at River Valley Marina (501-517-1250) said the clarity is clearing on the river and the level is normal. Bream reports are good, with redworms or crickets working. Crappie are at best slow, Ray says. He called it poor overall. Black bass, though, are excellent. Fish with spinnerbaits, worms and soft plastic worms. Catfishing is good on worms and chicken liver.
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)
(updated 7-31-2019) Zimmerman’s Exxon (501-944-2527) says they haven’t heard a lot from this pool the past week. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. No other reports.
(updated 8-7-2019) Hatchet Jack’s (501-758-4948) had no report.
Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool)
(updated 8-7-2019) Fish ‘N’ Stuff (501-834-5733) says the water is stained but has returned to a normal level. Black bass reports are good. Anglers are using 3-inch, half-ounce jigs, Bandit 200 crankbaits and fishing in the current breaks on the main nriver in the jetties. Looks for the brush. No other reports.
(updated 8-7-2019) Zimmerman’s Exxon (501-944-2527) said the river continues to clear up. The water temperature is in the high 80s and the flow has slowed down. Bream remain fair, with anglers getting bites on white grubs. Fish below the dams. Crappie are fair. You’ll find them in 10-12 feet depth of water biting pink minnows. Fish close to the rocky points. Black bass are good. Use black/blue jigs and fish a topwater early in the morning. Catfish are good below the hydroplant at the dam on skipjack. Below the Terry Lock and Dam, bream are good on worms and crickets. No reports on crappie. Bass are fair with a white Rooster Tail. Catfish are fair on cut shad or skipjack.
(updated 8-7-2019) McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) reported that below the Terry Lock and Dam, the river is clearing up and the water is just a little high. Black bass are good, and anglers are using crankbaits or worms on the edges and around jetties. Catfish are good behind the dam with cut bait. No reports on bream or crappie.
Clear Lake (off Arkansas River-Little Rock Pool)
(updated 8-7-2019) McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is clear and the level is normal. Bream are good using redworms or crickets. Catfishing produced no reports this week. Crappie are poor/slow, but give minnows or jigs a try; maybe it will turn around. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits, crankbaits or worms.
Peckerwood Lake
(updated 8-7-2019) Donna Mulherin at Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) says the lake clarity is clear and the water level is normal. No surface water temperature was recorded. Bream remain good on redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair trolling, using jigs, or fishing with minnows. Black bass are good on s[ommerbaits and topwater baits. Catfishing is good using chicken liver, hot dogs, “and just about anything,” she said.
White River
(updated 8-7-2019) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) says, “The water has arrived, and the guides are excited. Bull Shoals Lake is the repository for overflow from Beaver and Table Rock lakes, plus a lot of tributary runoff, and for several months has been releasing very little of the pent-up water via the dam so as not to cause additional flooding downstream. Now we’re seeing some of that water being released and, in my opinion, in a very prudent manner; smaller releases early in the day, increasing amounts late in the afternoon. It’s true that wading opportunities are scarce for now, but releases are much less swift and damaging than in previous years.
“The catch here in Cotter has been a higher quality, 17- to 21-inch rainbows are almost common, and the ones that are taken home (under 14 inches) are healthy and fat. To fill your creel, downsize your hooks (size 8 or 10) and try a tiny piece of shrimp with a bubblegum pink worm. Make it a mousetail – white egg pattern on the pink worm – for a more sure catch. Smithwick stickbaits are in order: silver or orange bellies, swimming depth of 4-6 feet. Fly-fishers, use weighted line if you’re casting a streamer – and now is a great time for those using the tried and true olive or brown and orange with beadheads. Drift-fishing will be the norm for the next couple of months, but your guides have a few favorite anchoring sites they save for times when children are on board and a simpler casting/retrieving method is desired. Bank fishing is not out of the question, just bring along some extra patience and be ready to cast more frequently than when the river level is low. High water should not keep you from the river, it just provides more opportunity for learning new techniques. Come visit and catch!”
(updated 8-7-2019) Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the river was up, and high, Tuesday morning. The trout bite has been good. Anglers caught some nice rainbows and a couple of brown trout over the weekend. The larger rainbows were going for spinnerbaits. Browns will bite white jigs or stick baits.
(updated 8-7-2019) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said that that last week they had no rain, hot temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level as of Sunday at Bull Shoals dropped 1.9 feet to rest at 22.6 feet above seasonal power pool of 661 feet msl. This is 11.4 feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock dropped 0.9 foot to rest at seasonal power pool and 14 feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell 0.3 foot to rest at 5.8 feet above seasonal power pool and 2.8 feet below the top of flood pool. The White saw heavy generation with no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell 1.1 feet to rest at 12.9 feet above seasonal power pool of 555.75 feet msl and 11.3 feet below the top of flood pool. The Norfork had heavy generation in the afternoon and limited wadable water in the morning. Seasonal power pool has been reset for the lakes in the White River system. Most of the lakes in the White River System are well over the top of power pool. Expect heavy generation for the foreseeable future.
Hopper season is in full swing. Use a short, 7½-foot leader to turn over the big fly. Cast near the bank and hang on. The takes can be vicious. “I prefer large western foam hoppers so that I do not need to dress them. Add a dropper nymph to increase your catch,” John said.
The White has fished very well. The hot spot has been the Narrows. 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 sizes 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 combination is a cerise San Juan worm with a size 14 pheasant tail nymph suspended below it. Use long leaders and plenty of lead to get your flies down.
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reported the lake’s elevation at 682.93 feet msl (normal conservation pool: 661.00 feet msl).
(updated 8-7-2019) Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock said the lake clarity is mostly cloudy, and the Bull Shoals remains high at about 25 feet over normal pool. Black bass are picking up, he said. The fish are 20-30 feet depth of water and the bite has been good. Use a topwater in the early morning. Fish the rocky points. Use jigs or drop-shots on the secondary points. Catfishing has been good for the jugs and limblines at night. Redear sunfish are biting on a red crawler bait in 15-20 feet of water. Check out Del’s YouTube channel (Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock) for his regularly updated video fishing report with various baits and patterns he’s using for the bass.
Norfork Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reported the lake’s elevation at 568.11 feet msl (normal conservation pool: Sept.-April, 552.00 feet msl; April-Sept. 555.75 feet msl).
(updated 8-7-2019) Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters said the Norfork Lake stripers bite was better this past week I limited out one day and had several days that if we hooked all of the bites, we would have our limit. What we are finding is there is no early bite. We have been leaving the dock at 5:30 AM and really get no bites until after 6:30 AM so this week we are leaving at 6:30 AM. Some days the bite starts around 6:30 and ends by 7:30. What I found was the active fish move out and if you wait and keep changing your bait you will get bit later in the morning. For example I have fishing one location and catch a couple of fish by 7:30, then I move to a place by the dam and try for another striper. I then move back to the original location and catch some later fish. Saturday I moved around everywhere and could not get a bit so I went back to my original spot and found some fish but they did not bite until 8:50 and then we had 3 move bites by 10 AM. We caught 2 16 & 18 lbs and lost 2 in that size range. I feel that the real bite is somewhere between 8 and 10 AM. I also feel there is an afternoon bite which I plan on trying on my next off day. I continue to fish from Koso Point to the Dam. Dam Cove and along the buoys the guides have been catching fish in the 80’ range. Most of the stripers I have catching are at 80’ right off the bottom. In-line spinners, spoons, trolling and live bait all are producing catches.
(updated 7-31-2019) Lou Gabric at Hummingbird Hideway Resort said Norfork Lake fishing is in its summertime fishing pattern. “This means that the fish have gone deep and will stay deep until the lake starts to cool. My fishing time has greatly been reduced this summer. I have only been able to get out once or twice a week. I will get back to my every day fishing habit shortly. I will try my best to start doing more frequent fishing reports, as well.”
Lou says most species of fish are at or around the thermocline, 25-35 feet deep. “I spent (Tuesday) morning fishing at this water depth. I was casting swimbaits, letting them sink to the bottom, jigging spoons off the bottom and at the same time dragging several live shad on the bottom. I moved around slowly in 25-35 feet of water and caught many different species of fish. I was mainly fishing the shallow sloping banks. I was looking for walleye, but catfish and bass were hanging around and liking the live shad. I did land many walleye, but I could only find the nursery fish. The walleye that I caught were only 12-15 inches long. The catfish were nice-size and really fought hard. I actually broke off two, but not before seeing them several times before they dove for the bottom again. All the cats that I have caught have been well over 8 pounds. My live bait caught the most fish, but jigging the spoon caught all the walleye.”
Striped bass fishing has been a little difficult, Lou says. This time of year, once the water temperature gets into the upper 80s, many of the striped bass head toward the dam area. Lou says he fished for striped bass on Monday. “I headed out before light to search. I looked at several typical areas but found very few fish. In the fourth area, I started to mark fish 60 feet down and deeper. It was about 6 a.m. and was getting light. I set our four live shad rods, two at 60 feet and the other two at 70 feet, and was moving around in 60-90 feet of water. It was not long until a fish hammered one of the baits, and then once I landed this fish a second rod took off. I thought that the bite was on! I continued to mark lots of scattered fish, but it took another hour before I caught my limit. The stripers that I have caught over the last couple of weeks have mainly been feeding on crawdads. Stripers need to go deep to get to the cooler water, which takes them away from the shad, as most of the shad are staying around the thermocline.”
Norfork Lake surface water temperature has been in the mid 80s in the mornings and rising slightly in the heat of the day. The water level is dropping about 2 inches per day with both generators being run 50% of the time. The current lake depth is at 569.48 feet msl. The main lake is clear and some the creeks and coves are slight stained. “Happy fishing and see you on the lake,” Lou says.
Norfork Tailwater
(updated 8-7-2019) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said last weekend that during the previous week Norfork Lake fell 1.1 feet to rest at 12.9 feet above seasonal power pool of 555.75 feet msl and 11.3 feet below the top of flood pool. The Norfork had heavy generation in the afternoon and limited wadable water in the morning. Seasonal power pool has been reset for the lakes in the White River system. Most of the lakes in the White River System are well over the top of power pool. Expect heavy generation for the foreseeable future.
The Norfork has been slow. Navigate this stream with caution as there has been major gravel recruitment at the bottom of Mill Pond and the dock hole over the past couple of years. 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 ruby midge (size 18) suspended 18 inches below a red fox squirrel and copper size 4). The fishing is better in the morning. Dry Run Creek is fishing well. With school out, it can be crowded. There is some work being done at the hatchery that has affected access to the upper areas on the creek and some of the hatchery discharge pipes are not running resulting in lower flows on the creek. The hot flies have been sowbugs (size 14), Y2Ks (size 12), various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise size 10) and mop flies.
About Dry Run Creek, John also says, “I spent quite a bit of time guiding on Dry Run Creek during July. The most memorable client was Fulton. I guided him, his parents (Steve and Binky) and his sisters (Lily and Eva). He was quite a fisherman. The family had attended a fly-fishing class together and Fulton had started tying his own flies. He is also an avid hunter.
“On the first day we fished together, he caught several large rainbows. The largest was a stout 25-inch, brightly colored male with a huge girth. On the second day, he caught several good rainbows and a spectacular cutthroat.
“He had done well fishing nymphs and was looking for a new challenge. He asked if he could fish a grasshopper. I said sure. He pulled out his fly box and we studied it carefully. We selected a green foam hopper that he had tied. I rigged the fly on his rod and gave him a quick lesson on fishing hoppers.
“He was a natural and cast the hopper with ease. His drifts over large fish produced a few refusals but no takes. I suggested a change to a similar fly that was tan hopper that he had tied. We quickly tied it on and cast it over the trout. A big rainbow was interested and rose to take it. Fulton deftly set the hook and the fight was on. He landed the big trout. It was a stout 24-inch rainbow.
“This was only the second trout that I have seen landed on a grasshopper on Dry Run Creek in my 30 years of guiding there. The fact that it was landed on a fly tied by Fulton made the event that much more memorable. The previous trout that I had seen caught on a grasshopper was about 12 years ago. It was a similar rainbow that was feeding on the surface. We floated a tan foam hopper over it and got several refusals. We switched to a Dave’s Hopper and achieved success. A Dave’s Hopper is a dead-on imitation of the actual insect.
“The next day he and his sister were guided by my wife, Lori, while I was guiding his parents in my river boat on the White River. Fulton caught a huge brown that was about 27 inches long. It was his biggest fish of the trip. He had now caught a trophy rainbow, brown and cutthroat. He needed a brook in order to catch all the species available on Dry Run Creek. He caught it on his next trip a few weeks later.
“I paused a minute to determine how he had done so well. He cast well and he set the hook quickly. More than anything, he wanted it! He was totally absorbed by the process and he will continue to become an even better angler.”
Buffalo National River/Crooked Creek
(updated 8-7-2019) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said the Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are low and clear. The smallmouths are more active with the warm conditions. John’s favorite fly is the Clouser minnow. Carefully check the water levels before entering these fisheries as there are no dams on either stream. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event, and the water can rise very quickly.
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
Beaver Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,126.92 feet msl (normal conservation pool: 1,121.00 feet msl).
(updated 8-7-2019) Jon Conklin with FishOn Guide Service (479-233-3474) says it’s “the same old song and dance here at Beaver Lake! Lake levels still up and water warm. We are stuck in this pattern for at least 4 to 6 more weeks, I’m afraid. Fishing can be tough right about now. Early and late are the best options for many reasons.”
Bass are fair at night – try black spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Some bass are schooling early. Crappie are being caught pushing or pulling cranks and jigs. Walleye are fair on crawler harnesses “and another method I use is trolling spinnerbaits on braided line through flooded timber for suspended walleye. Spinnerbaits will deflect most of the time off branches without hang ups. Graph the fish they are sometimes in the tops or other times more in middle of the timber. White works well.”
Catfishing is good up the War Eagle arm at night on liver. “Hang in there. Fall is not far off. Still, if you work at it you can catch them,” Jon says.
(updated 8-7-2019) Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is good and clear and is still high, almost 1,127 feet msl on Wednesday morning. The surface water “is HOT!” they report. Bream reports have improved with good catches. Use small redworms or crickets. Crappie are good, though they are deep. Anglers are trolling jigs in deep water and fishing near brush piles. Black bass have moved deep, too, and anglers report a fair bite. Crankbaits, a topwater late in the evening, spoons, drop-shots and deep crankbaits are the go-to baits. Catfishing is fair on cut bait and prepared bait.
Beaver Tailwater
(updated 8-7-2019) Guide Austin Kennedy (479-244-0039) said fishing has been great in the tailwater this week. The trout bite has been consistent, hitting on just about anything. The back flow from Table Rock Lake has slowed a bit, pushing most the baitfish downstream. The trout have responded best to spoons and various PowerBaits fished with light terminal tackle. A few walleye are still being caught toward Holiday Island. The preferred method has been jigging live minnows or soft plastics. No bass report this week. The hot spot for trout has been between Spider Creek and Bertrand Access. “You’re almost certain to hook into these awesome fish if you get out and toss a line. Have fun, stay cool and most of all, safe!”
Lake Fayetteville
(updated 7-24-2019) Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) says the clarity remains murky and the water level is normal. No surface temperature was recorded. Bream are fair on worms. Nothing reported on crappie over the past week. Black bass are good using soft plastic worms. Catfishing is fair with live worms or stink bait.
Lake Fort Smith
(updated 8-7-2019) Ralph Donnangelo, superintendent at Lake Fort Smith State Park, had no report.
Lake Sequoyah
(updated 8-7-2019) Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the lake remains clear and the water level is normal. No temperature was reported. Bream are good on redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair and can be found in 5-8 feet depth of water. Use minnows, jigs and artificial crappie baits. Black bass reports were poor this week. Catfishing was good using worms or crickets.
Lake Charles
(updated 8-7-2019) Shelly Jeffrey at Lake Charles State Park (870-878-6595) says they are still getting reports of bream, crappie and catfish biting well off the shoreline or in the boat on the lake. No reports on bass. Use worms and crickets for bream. Crappie are biting worms and jigs. Now is the time to use crankbaits or plastic worms for bass. Catfish are favoring Catfish Pro blood bait and worms.
Lake Poinsett
(updated 8-7-2019) Seth Boone at Lake Poinsett State Park said Lake Poinsett State Park is continuing to sell baitn though the lake is drained. “A good indication of the season is that anglers are seeking goldfish, which likely means the catfish are really biting. We have stayed sold out this week!” Work on Lake Poinsett continues, with a target of midway 2020 for reopening when the construction is completed and the lake refills.
Crown Lake
(updated 8-7-2019) Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the clarity is “very clear” and the level is normal. Bream are good on redworms and crickets. Crappie reports are poor. Black bass are good using plastic worms and live worms. Catfishing is good with live worms.
Spring River
(updated 8-7-2019) Mark Crawford with springriverfliesandguides.com (870-955-8300) said water levels are running at 400 cfs at the spring. Clarity has been clear. “A few weeks ago the gage at the spring jumped up and it appears to be off. The river has gotten low lately with the lack of rain in our area,” Mark says. “The Dam 3 access area has had a lot of algae in the channel by the parking lot. Not easy to fish in. During this time of year I prefer to fish at the campgrounds that have been holding better fish in my opinion. Many islands, Spring River Oaks, Riverside Resort and Saddler Falls all have easy places to wade and are really nice places to fish through the week. Saturdays are busy on the Spring River with the canoe hatch, but through the week can be so nice and peaceful. A map of all locations to fish can be found on agfc.com under the Resources tag. A must-have map!”
Mark reports that the trout and smallmouth have been hitting well, with olive Woollies working best on overcast days. On the sunny hot days, you have got to get down and work for the bite. Y2Ks on hot sunny days can be very productive. There are some really good bug hatches on some mornings – blue-wing olives, tan and black caddis. Beadhead nymphs below a hopper can be great fun.
(updated 8-7-2019) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said the Spring River is a navigable and clear. This is a great place to wade fish when they are running water on the White and Norfork rivers. Canoe season is here and the river can be crowded, especially on the weekends. 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).
Walcott Lake (Crowley’s Ridge State Park)
(updated 7-24-2019) Walcott Lake (Crowley’s Ridge State Park) is cloudy and the water is warm with the hot air temperature around it. Water level is high. The largemouth bass bite is fair. Bass are about 8 feet deep and will hit a topwater. No other reports.
White River
(updated 8-7-2019) Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) had no reports.
Arkansas River (Pine Bluff Pool)
(updated 8-7-2019) The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Fishing Team reported that all of the main boat ramps to the river in Pine Bluff are open (Regional Park, St. Marie Park and Island Harbor). Water temperatures are in the upper 80s. Water clarity in the harbor and some backwaters is up to about 1 foot and as little as a few inches on the main channel in certain areas. The current on the main channel is still strong as the flush continues. Water levels have been slightly lower than normal. Be careful navigating; many of the channel marker buoys are missing or displaced and some of the jetties are lower than they were before the flooding. There are also some new sand deposits so go easy through shallow places you used to run through to make sure they’re still passable. Black bass are biting well on the main channel and in the harbor on shallow crankbaits and dark colored jigs.
Arkansas River (Pool 2)
No reports.
Cane Creek Lake
(updated 7-31-2019) Austin Davidson, park interpreter at Cane Creek State Park, said a week of cool and stable weather followed by a few rain showers has caused the fishing at Cane Creek Lake to once again become unpredictable. Bream are reacting to the cooler water temperatures by going a little deeper in the water (5-7 feet). Worms have been the bait of choice for enticing them to bite. Fish tight line over the side of the boat in about 6 feet of water, give or take a foot, using a nightcrawler or red wiggler. As usual, crappie are still deep and are only caught by people who know where to find them. Fishing over deep holes that have structure on the bottom give you the best chance at catching a slab. Use a shiner on your hook, and suspend your line at about 9 feet to increase your chances. Bass will enjoy the cooler water and may ease out into the more open areas near lily pad fields. Find a good transition zone where a lily pad or lotus field turns back into open water, and fish around the edge. Topwater will still be your best bet in low-light conditions, while an earth-colored soft plastic played around plant stems or a bright-colored spinnerbait burned just under the surface of the water will cover your bases during the majority of the day. Catfish will be reacting to recent rains and will gather up in the shallows to catch any food that has run off into the water. Fish anywhere between 4-10 feet, around structure, with shiners (alive or dead) drug along the bottom. The recent conditions even have blue and channel cats eating other small fish alongside flatheads.
Lake Chicot
(updated 7-31-2019) Brian Whitson, park interpreter at Lake Chicot State Park (870-265-5480), says the Lake Chicot drawdown continues, with gradually more lakeshore being exposed. Fishing has stalled, with very little activity reported. Chances of scatter thunderstorms expected through Wednesday night and on into the week. Remember Daily Creel Limits are half of what they normally are during the drawdown. The boat ramp at Lake Chicot State Park should remain accessible during most if not all of the drawdown; but, some of the other area docks will prove inaccessible as the lake level continues to drops.
Millwood Lake
The Army Corps of Engineers lake level cannot be reported at this time. However, Millwood Lake Guide Service reports the lake as as 257.2 feet msl, 24 inches below normal pool. The lake is in a 2-foot drawdown for repair work and the planting of millet on the shoreline for waterfowl season.
(updated 8-7-2019) Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service says that the heat is back with a vengeance in southwestern Arkansas. Millwood Lake is undergoing a planned, 2-foot drawdown for maintenance at the dam, as well as for millet planting for fall migratory flight paths, according the Army Corps of Engineers. The drawdown will last through September. Millwood is 24″ inches BELOW normal conservation pool and falling at 257.2 feet-msl; and the discharge was near 1,400 CFS in Little River. The tailwater below the dam and gates, as of Monday, was around 227 feet msl. Check the most recent lake level of Millwood Lake on the guide service’s website, or at the Army Corps of Engineers websit for updated gate release changes and inflow rates with rising and falling lake levels, especially during drawdown conditions. Use extreme caution navigating on Millwood Lake during affected drawdown conditions when stumps, timber and debris will be at or near surface pool, and river buoys are missing.
Surface temps as of Monday were ranging near 85 degrees early to 89 range later under full sun, depending on location. Clarity and visibility continue improving over the past week, but remain stained in places, especially upriver. The main lake and lower sections of Little River continue to improve and are not quite as stained or muddy as the upper regions of Little River and Saline River. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity and visibility is moderate stain, ranging 5-10 inches. Little River’s visibility ranges 8-10 inches with heavy to moderate stain, depending on location and current. The oxbow’s clarity currently ranges 25-30 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.
Mike says crappie have been on FIRE and consistently biting minnows for the past few weeks in the standing timber of the oxbows and planted brush piles along Little River, just out of river current behind primary or secondary points. Minnows have been seeing the best bite over the past few weeks with an occasional largemouth or white bass stealing it. Good slabs up to 2.5 pounds are biting well, best from daylight to around 10-11 a.m. when the bite almost shuts off like the largemouths. Most of the crappie have been holding from 4-9 feet of depth around cypress trees where deeper drops are nearby. From daylight till around 8-9 a.m., one can catch some slabs using minnows around the deeper side of the cypress tree. Once the sun starts heating the 3-5 feet depth range, the crappie are retreating to standing timber or planted brush piles, nearby in 10-17 feet of depth, and the bite slows considerably.
He says that largemouths continue in their typical full-blown summer patterns. Not a lot of change over the past few weeks. The best level of topwater activity continues to be early morning, best from dawn to around 9-10 a.m. Once the sun climbs and begins intense surface penetration, the surface temp will climb several degrees, and the largemouth bass are retreating to the first and second drops out of the flats and deeper sections of the creeks or the river behind primary and secondary points out of river current. Over the past few mornings, cloud cover mornings are best for overall surface activity. The bite slows considerably during the heat of the day with the bass moving. Best baits drawing early morning reactions over the past few weeks have been buzzbaits, plastic frogs and chrome Johnson spoons fished in lily pads. “Cloudy mornings we are using a gold spoon with a 3- to 4-inch tail thumping Bang Die Dapper swimbait on the single hook, and bright mornings we simply change from gold Johnson spoon to a chrome version with the same Bang Die Dapper trailer. At daylight, throw the spoon and trailer as far back in the pads near creek channels and work it out to the creek over the tops of the lily pads. This presentation has drawn some ferocious topwater explosions lately in the pads from 1-3 pound bass cruising shallow just before daylight and meandering their way back to the creeks as the sun rises and heats up the surface temps.” Heddon Dying Flutters, Baby Torpedoes and Moss Bosses are still good for a few reactions also working at daybreak. StutterSteps and Spit’n Images continue to draw random reactions around grass, vegetation and lily pads. White bass for several weeks have been schooling with juvenile largemouths on shad in the oxbows at dawn, and surface breaking on shad and bait in Horseshoe and McGuire lakes in the oxbows up Little River where water clarity is best. Hammered Cordell Spoons with red/white bucktails, chrome/black or chrome/blue, and Millwood Magic colored Rat-L-Traps, Spin Traps, and Bomber Fat Free Guppy cranks in Citrus Shad, were catching these surface schoolers breaking on shad along with a host of topwater in the middle of the mayhem, like chrome/black or clear-blue nose Cotton Cordell Crazy Shads, clear Baby Torpedoes, Cordell hammered spoons and Heddon Dying Flutters.
No report on cats this week. But bluegills and Mason bream have been biting for the past couple weeks on big redworms, catalpa worms, crickets and bread at the Millwood State Park off the shoreline, and at Jack’s Isle on the floating dock with picnic tables. Some really nice, large-size bluegills, as big as your hand, have been biting for the past couple weeks.
Lake Columbia
(updated 8-7-2019) Sportsman’s One Stop in El Dorado (870-863-7248) has heard no reports from here.
Lake Greeson Tailwater
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 at Narrows Dam was 546.8 feet msl (full pool: 548.00 feet msl).
(updated 7-24-2019) Tamara Lunsford, park superintendent at Daisy State Park near Kirby, said Lake Greeson’s surface water temperature Sunday was ranging 85-90 degrees, and the water was very turbid. The lake is 9.21 feet above full pool as of 9:30 a.m. Sunday. Bream are poor, but there is a little bite on worms at 5-10 feet depth. Crappie are reported fair. They are in 10-25 feet and are biting minnows and jigs. Fish the brush piles or rocky points. Black bass are fair, and they appear to be in depth of 10-20 feet. Use spinnerbaits, crankbaits and plastic worms and fish near brush. Catfishing is poor. The best bite is on worms or blood bait. White bass reports are poor, with the water level too high. Flood waters have really affected the fishing over the past weekend, Tamara reports.
(updated 8-7-2019) Jason Lenderman of JL Guide Service (870-490-0804) had no report.
DeGray Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 400.20 feet msl (full pool: 408.00 feet msl).
(updated 7-31-2019) Capt. Darryl Morris at Family Fishing Trips said schooling bass are going crazy at when dawn breaks on spoons to topwaters. After that, you should see success trolling crankbaits.
(updated 7-24-2019) John Duncan of yoyoguideservice.com at Iron Mountain Marina says, “Wow, what a weather change, 60s at night and 80s in the day? This must be Arkansas.” Water level is 404.29 feet msl and water surface temperature mid-80s. “I think the best fishing is in the schooling fish. Whites have been surfacing a lot lately all over the lake. Rooster-tailed jigs and spoons are great baits. The wind is the issue. Look for schooling fish in smoother water. Reports are from Iron Mountain to Shouse Ford that schooling fish can be seen.” Bream have been on the beds with the full moon. Electronics using side scan are used to find beds then back off and cast to them with slip sinker and cricket. Crappie fishing is slow. Trolling crankbaits or spider-rigging is your best bet. Remember to stay above the thermocline. No report on black bass or catfish. “Enjoy the cooler weather while you can. Go early or late and look for schooling fish in smoother water. Good luck.”
De Queen Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 437.42 feet msl (full pool: 437.00 feet msl).
Dierks Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 536.96 feet msl (full pool: 526.00 feet msl).
No reports.
White Oak Lake
No report.
Felsenthal
(updated 8-7-2019) Sportsman’s One Stop (870-863-7248) in El Dorado the river is almost back to normal. Bass are being caught on crankbaits, creature baits and spinnerbaits. Bream are in good shape and are still biting on worms and crickets. A few crappie are starting to bite.
Lake Atkins
(updated 8-7-2019) Sharon at Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said the lake is clear and at a normal level. Bream are good on redworms and crickets. Crappie are “really slow” but anglers are catching a few on jigs. Black bass are good on topwater lures and soft baits. Catfishing is good on limblimes and noodling. Use perch or shad for bait.
Lake Catherine
For weekly flow releases from Carpenter Dam, visit www.entergy.com/hydro
(updated 8-7-2019) Steve Donahou at Lake Catherine State Park (501-844-4176) reports that according to Tosha Walker, Lake Catherine State Park Marina Manager, the clarity of the lake is clear and the surface water temperature is 81.6 degrees. Water level is normal. The bream bite is excellent. The depth of fish is 5-8 feet. Worms and crickets are working. Crappie have been poor. “The crappie are slow to bite on minnows,” Tosha said. Try minnows. Bass are good on crankbaits and plastic worms. Catfish are good using stink bait and chicken liver. No reports on white bass.
Lake Catherine (Below Carpenter Dam)
For weekly flow releases from Carpenter Dam, visit www.entergy.com/hydro
(updated 8-7-2019) Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that water temperature is 62 degrees below the dam with clear conditions in the tailrace. Entergy has regulated the generation schedules so the Carpenter Dam tailrace can be safely navigated and fished, as Lake Ouachita is now a full 5 feet below flood stage. Numbers of quality rainbow trout are still present in the area because of the heavy flooding early in the year; however, these trout will be gone through migration and predation in the next several weeks. Boaters can anchor in areas holding good numbers of trout and will have success casting Rooster Tails in white or brown around rock structure and sandbars. The months of May and June brought huge numbers of shad toward the dam to spawn. Trout feed heavily on these baitfish and will strike artificial lures that imitate live minnows. Small jigs in gray or white will also work well in the same areas in slack or current situations. Trolling against the current with shallow-running crankbaits imitating shad or crawfish will attract larger trout that seek bigger prey. Bank fishermen should take advantage of slack water periods by presenting trout with nightcrawlers and redworms fished just off the bottom with a marshmallow floater. Waxworms and mealworms used in the same manner will allow anglers to catch limits of rainbows that are actively searching for food. Live bait presentations cannot be overemphasized because trout become much more wary as their environment warms and the summer heat sets in. June brought white bass by the thousands into the Carpenter Dam tailrace to begin the spawn. August still holds numbers of whites, although the size is smaller than in a normal year. Crankbaits, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits and jig presentations will all draw strikes from these temperate bass from the dam to the bridge as they feed on shad for months. Hybrid bass also run alongside these fish and will feed on the same prey items. Stripers always migrate into the area in the summer months in search of food and cooler temperatures. Balloon rigs with gizzard shad give anglers a good chance to hook a big striper, but artificial lures such as Super Spooks and Alabama rigs should not be overlooked. Strong rods and lines are recommended for these predator fish that possess great power and are often in the 20- to 40-pound range. Anyone navigating Lake Catherine should always wear a life jacket and be aware of the generation schedules. All park rules and regulations must be followed in the Carpenter Dam tailrace.
Lake Dardanelle
(updated 7-31-2019) Jason Baumgartner, park aquarist at Lake Dardanelle State Park (479-890-7495), said they have experienced mostly sunshine with tolerable heat and humidity. Mostly cloudy skies are forecasted until afternoon rain chances arrive for the weekend. There is limited visibility in the water; water continues to clear up in several areas, he reports. Surface temperature is 85 degrees. As of Tuesday (July 30) the river at Ozark Lock & Dam 12 has risen slowly from 345 feet to 350 feet. The pool has finally receded below the small craft advisory mark of 70,000 cfs. Release held steady above 100,000 cfs last Wednesday and rapidly dropped below 70,000 cfs. There has been no power generation. Water has receded some around the islands and bottoms at the Arkansas Highway 109 bridge and near Spadra. Some dikes may still be submerged and new sandbars are emerging, so please use caution. Access to Shoal Bay and Dublin from the river channel has been silted in and is difficult to navigate. Two dredge barges are working the channel between Shoal Bay and Spadra near river miles 221 and 225. Downriver, pool elevation near Lake Dardanelle State Park has been near normal and doesn’t fluctuate much. The Dardanelle tailwater has fell below 10 feet. Release has also rapidly fallen from over 100,000 cfs to about 60,000 cfs. Power generation has been consistent for several weeks.
For those fishing: Please use caution when on the water as the river bottom has changed in many areas. Lake Dardanelle State Park has no scheduled tournament events until Aug. 23-25. For tournament updates, please contact the Lake Dardanelle State Park Visitor Center at (479) 967-5516.
(updated 7-31-2019) Charles Morrison at Classic Catch Guide Service (479-647-9945) had no report.
Lake Hamilton
(updated 8-7-2019) Greeson Marine, hometown dealer of the Arkansas-born-and-bred all-welded aluminum Xpress fishing boats in Hot Springs, reports lake levels normal and visibility in excess of 3 feet throughout. Water temps are back to near 90 degree surface temps. The FLW’s main event takes place this weekend on Lake Hamilton and the air is electric! Pro fisherman are everywhere out on the water and you can spot some superstars of the fishing world it seems around every bend. Its hot out there folks! That being said those Bass are hot and sluggish too. Those big baits that we all love to throw just aren’t performing right now. This fishing is excellent if you can downsize and adapt to the conditions of high pressure and heat. The go to right now for us has to be the drop shot rig and the wacky rig. Green pumpkin and watermelon seed are the colors of choice but don’t be afraid of those plum and black colors either. Baits to use are small Senkos, trick worms and lizards. Fish these presentations as motionless as possible and in the current if you can find it. Be creative and use those electronics to find immovable objects that obstruct current in 10-25 feet of water. Fish are not spread out right now and honey holes are filled with fish usually. Topwater baits are still good very early in the mornings in shallows near grass or deep water. Breaking bass are suckers for the shad colored fluke fished weightless. Timing is everything!”
Catfish are good everywhere in 20ft of water near the creek channels. Bream are good off deeper docks. No crappie report. “Good Luck FLW! And Go Greeson!”
(updated 7-31-2019) Capt. Darryl Morris at Family Fishing Trips said schooling bass are going crazy at Hamilton (and at DeGray) at first-light on spoons to topwaters. After that, trolling crankbaits have produced.
Lake Nimrod
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 351.26 feet msl (normal pool: 345.0 feet msl).
(updated 8-7-2019) Andrews Bait Shop and More (479-272-4025) said the water clarity is “really clear” and the water level is still 6 feet or so high. Bream fishing is excellent, they say. Worms or crickets will work around the beaches and Carter Cove. Fish away from the brush. Anglers report catching a lot of bluegill. Crappie are good in 6-10 feet of water. Minnows are working along with Bandit 200, trolling and spider-rigging in the channels. Black bass are good, with the fish hitting at 4-6 feet depth. Blue swimbaits and black/shad-colored swimbaits were reported working well. Catfish are good on crickets or nightcrawlers.
(updated 8-7-2019) Good Ole Boys Trading Post (479-272-4710) reports the lake remains very high and no one has been fishing there.
Lake Ouachita
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at Blakely Dam was 572.40 feet msl (full pool: 578.00 feet msl).
(updated 8-7-2019) Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa (870-867-2191/800-832-2276 out of state) said black bass are fair. Texas-rigged worms, drop-shot rigs and spoons fished over points are working at this time. Walleye are good. Three-quarter-ounce CC Spoons jigged vertically and nightcrawlers on drop-shot rigs are producing good stringers. Stripers are still good. These fish are located primarily in the eastern part of the lake and are being caught on live bait or big hair jigs. Bream are good with reports of fish being caught with grubs and worms in 15-25 feet of water near brush. Crappie are still slow and being caught with jigs or minnows in 20-30 feet of water near brush. Catfish are good and anglers are having luck with rod-and-reel using live nightcrawlers around brush piles. Water temperature is ranging 86-90 degrees and the clarity is clear. Lake level Tuesday was 572.59 feet msl. Contact the Mountain Harbor fishing guides (Mike Wurm, 501-622-7717, and Chris Darby, 870-867-7822) for more information.
Blue Mountain Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 395.41 feet msl (full pool: 384.00 feet msl).
(updated 8-7-2019) No report.
Horseshoe Lake
(updated 7-31-2019) Professional fishing guide Ronnie Tice (901-687-6800) said Tuesday that the lake is clear and the water level is normal. Crappie are fair on jigs. It’s best to try for them with jigs under piers or shooting the docks. Bass are fair, but Ronnie reports catching 30 fish in four hours. Crankbaits will get their attention. Catfishing is poor, and bream fishing also is poor. Check out Ronnie’s Facebook page for the latest information and photos of his excursions with clients.
Bear Creek Lake
(updated 8-7-2019) Natalie Faughn, assistant superintendent at Mississippi River State Park (870-295-4040), had no reports.
Cook’s Lake
(updated 8-7-2019) The AGFC’s Wil Hafner at Cook’s Lake Conservation Education Center (870-241-3373) said he does not have an accurate fishing report due to the lack of angling participation. The river is dropping out of the lake and the fishing should continue to get better. Your best bet would be to target bluegill. These tasty panfish are being caught on crickets fished about 3 foot under a cork near laydowns. For black bass try green pumpkin or black and blue jigs around cypress trees and laydowns. Crappie should be biting on jigs and minnows around the cypress trees and channel. Cook’s Lake is a 2.5-mile-long oxbow off of the White River, nestled in the heart of the Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge near Casscoe in Arkansas County. This fertile oxbow receives very little fishing pressure due to being used only for education purposes and youth and mobility impaired fishing. The scenic lake is full of slab crappie, giant bluegills, largemouth bass and catfish of all species. Cook’s Lake will be open to fishing during normal business hours, Tuesday through Saturday 8am to 4:30pm through October, water level pending. Cook’s Lake is open to fishing for youth under 16 or mobility impaired, and up to two helpers (who may also fish). Fish from the 140-foot mobility-impaired accessible dock or launch a boat, but we ask for trolling motors only. Before launching, please check in at the Conservation Education Center, and report back before leaving. For information or unscheduled closures, please contact the center at 870-241-3373.
Storm Creek Lake
(updated 8-7-2019) Natalie Faughn, assistant superintendent at Mississippi River State Park (870-295-4040), had no reports.
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