Arkansas Wildlife Weekly Fishing Report

August 15, 2024

Jim Harris

Managing Editor Arkansas Wildlife Magazine

Beaver Lake fishing guide Jon Conklin was scouting for an upcoming walleye trip when he caught this 29-inch walleye trolling a crawler harness in the Horseshoe Bend area of Beaver Lake. Read Conklin’s full report on the Beaver Lake fishing below under “Northwest Arkansas.”

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

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

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

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

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

Quick links to regions:

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

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

(updated 8-15-2024) Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said with the lake dropping in water again, anglers catching catfish is “pretty much all that’s been going on. A few crappie here and there, a few bass, but that’s it. It looks like it’s getting down to the nitty gritty. We had the fish kill back a few weeks ago, then the big rain that followed and washed them out, and all the rest of the fish scattered. Nobody caught anything for a couple of weeks. Now that it’s going back down, we’re hoping the fish will congregate again where you can catch a few.”

Try cut shad and worms for the catfish. A few crappie have been caught on minnows but your best bet probably is a shad-colored jig now. The tendency now is that if you catch around a dozen crappie, half will be too small to keep.
Most attractive to the bass has been a 7 ½-inch junebug color soft plastic worm.
The Lake Conway Nursery Pond, a small, alternative fishing location now that Lake Conway is being drawn down and renovated, has been popular with anglers lately catching fish. The bass and bream are on the small size, but a lot of table-fare-size catfish are being caught on worms. “Perfect eaters,” our source at Bates says. The 60-acre pond has been stocked with bass, crappie and bream, along with catfish. Follow state creel limits at the nursery pond.

The main Lake Conway, however, has no creel or length limits while the lake is in its drawdown phase as part of the AGFC’s renovation project. All fish may be kept; in fact, it’s encouraged, hence the no limit regulation. 

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

(updated 8-15-2024) Mike Winkler of Little Red River Fly Fishing Trips (501-507-3688) said Thursday that the Southwestern Power Administration generation schedule on the Little Red has been fairly predictable over the last few weeks, with water releases typically starting in the afternoon around 1 p.m. and continuing until about 6-8 p.m. on weekdays. This past weekend saw no water releases, which has kept the bite steady.
For the best fishing, hit the river in the morning when the water from the previous day’s release is still falling. Fish are holding strong in the deeper waters along the moss beds, especially as the water drops and daytime temperature rises. These moss beds provide a great cover from the sun, making them a prime spot for trout.
As for what’s working, the hot flies right now are Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle Nymphs, Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear and Rootbeer Midges. The fish are also active in the shoals or any areas with moving water, so those spots are worth a cast or two.
“If you’re planning a trip, feel free to reach out to me at 501-507-3688, or visit the website linked above for more details. Tight lines!”

(updated 8-15-2024) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood said Thursday bite has been a little bit slower this week — the heat and not as much daily flow have factored — bit anglers are still catching trout on Marabou Jigs and on Rooster Tails.

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

(updated 8-15-2024) Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said Wednesday the water level at Greers Ferry Lake is at 460.72 feet msl. That’s 1.82 feet below normal pool of 462.54 feet msl for this time of year. Little has changed with the fishing. More fish are coming up on top schooling in different parts of the lake and rivers, and power generation has picked up now some with the Southwestern Power Administration generating 4-5 hours in afternoons, which helps with oxygenation in the lake as well as the river below. It also helps with the bite as all species of game fish are eating off and on at opportune times. Most species are staying out in their summer spots and staying on structure where you can really work on them.
Try super shallow and out to 30 feet for the crappie. Use jigs, minnows or crankbaits. A lot of fish have been migrating to cooler areas in timber where a lot of bait spend the summer, so fishing straight up and down is a must when fishing for crappie now. Walleye are eating in the main lake, with a few left up rivers and scattered throughout the lake. Drag a crawler or crankbait in 28-50 feet depth. Some walleye will flow under big schools of white bass and hybrids, so use a spoon for those. Summer, like with crappie, is when the walleye head to the timber and hang out while it’s hot; it’s a little cooler and there is more bait fish there. A spoon is best for vertical jigging 10-50 feet depth.
“I mentioned a couple of weeks back that I was going to write about Carl Perrin and the way he explained walleye on Greers Ferry Lake to me. After all the fish in the high teens (in weight) were caught, the 10 biggest walleye ever caught in the world came out of here, and the word got out about world walleye classic everyone wanted a piece of this bloodline all over country — buy them, trade them to other states for various favors, other wildlife, etc. Carl Perrin was here and managed this fishery for 30 years, I spent as much time with him as I could picking his brain. They were shocking, and every other year they would raise them and put them in here and various other places, and then every other year trade to other states, and the ones that were turned loose here mostly were put in the south end of the lake. After a few years they learned walleye were like smallmouth bass and returned to the same spot to spawn. Those fish do not go up rivers like our old river fish. Used to, if conditions were right in early spring, at 3 a.m. you could shine a spotlight in the Narrows and it would be full of eyes moving upstream. In the right conditions up all three main streams, they were so thick you could have gigged them.
“So now, fast-forward to 2024. Our river walleye species are getting more numbers, and biologists do not know if at the south end the fish are reproducing because they cannot shock that deep. I know a few lake fish that have been caught that weighed over 15 pounds, but lake fish gather to shallow flats, humps, and riff-raff where our river fish make it back to April-May to summer and try to spawn on those places, so that’s where the numbers of fish come into play. Big river fish in Jan-March are up rivers and numbers later in the lake.”
Most hybrid and white bass have set up for the summer. Some are roaming and schooling on top, but for ones that are set, use spoons, inline spinners, grubs and swimbaits in 25-60 feet. Catfish are biting the usual stuff working in the lake and rivers. Some bream are shallow, but most still around 8-30 feet; crickets and crawlers are working fine as well as inline spinners. Some lone black bass are shallow, but most are out or roaming shallow and schooling — use Carolina rigs, topwater baits, wake baits, drop-shots, crankbaits and spinnerbaits for best action super shallow out to 60 feet. Be safe and wear your life jacket.

(updated 8-15-2024) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood said Thursday that black bass are biting around main lake points on Carolina rigs as well as on a Damiki rig.

Harris Brake Lake
(updated 8-15-2024) Harris Brake Lake Resort (501-889-2745) said catfish are doing well. One gentleman caught a 28-pound flathead on a trotline using baby bream and minnows on the line. Another angler caught seven or eight cats one morning this week. Bream are doing well, too. An angler living across the lake caught 30 bream in one hour using crickets and worms.

The water is really low due to no rain recently. The clarity is a little bit murky.

Nothing heard on crappie, and it may be too hot for bass anglers, as nothing has been reported lately.

Lake Overcup
(updated 8-15-2024) John “Catfish” Banks at Overcup Landing off Arkansas Highway 9 said the water level is normal and clarity is good. Surface temperature is around 88 degrees. There is a ton of shad across the lake. The fish seem to be feeding more early morning and late evening because of the heat. Fishing is really slow right now with the heat; not a lot of people are fishing but the ones trying are still catching bass, bream, catfish and some crappie in the deeper water. 

Brewer Lake
(update 8-15-2024) David Hall at Dad’s Bait Shop (501-289-2210), a 24/7 self-serve bait shop at the lake, had no report this week, but his most recent report in late July said that anglers were having the best luck for crappie and catfish around the dam area. Bass fishing was reported to be best in the late afternoon or evenings. For crappie the tri-color jigs were doing the trick for most anglers on the boats, with a white Rooster Tail working for bass.

Lake Maumelle
(updated 8-15-2024) WestRock Landing in Roland (501-658-5598) said the water stayed about as warm as the past week, ranging 88-90 degrees, and while the black bass bite is fair, most every other species noticeably slowed down this week. Largemouth bass were biting fair in shallow water in the mornings (about 2-4 feet depth, but not moving up much in the evenings), and also being found deeper to 20-22 feet. Largemouths are relating to points and drop-offs and still partial to Texas-rigged worms, topwater lures, jigs and crankbaits. Spotted bass are also fair with reports noting them around drop-offs in 18-22 feet. Use drop-shots and crankbaits for spots. 

The last black bass tournament of the season out of WestRock Landing was this past Tuesday night, with Billy Wright and Brad Edwards landing five bass totaling 16.57 pounds, including the Big Bass of 4.57 pounds. Brandon Crain and Matt Hedrick were right behind with 14.07 total pounds. Cameron Nesterenko and Andrew Wooley fished 19 tournaments this season and won Angler of the Year for the sixth straight year with 246.31 total pounds caught.

Crappie are slow, with reports of them being found suspended around brush anywhere from 16-21 feet depth. Use jigs or minnows. Bream also have slowed and are being found around 10-15 feet. They’ll bite crickets, redworms and drop-shots.

No reports on white bass schooling or any catfish baits. Catfish should be eager for some small bream, liver or worms if you want to catch a few.

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

Little Maumelle River
(update 8-15-2024) Ray Hudson at River Valley Marina (501-517-1250) said Thursday he hasn’t seen many people out. Everything is pretty much about the same in terms of fish action, though. The water is the same: clear and normal.

It’s been so hot all week, about the only people he’s seen out are in kayaks, Ray said.

The water temperature is still ranging 82-84 degrees. “It’s as warm as bath water now. I’d say the fish would still be an early and late game. Nothing really great to report. I haven’t really been out fishing myself.”

Black bass should still be most interested in crankbaits, topwater lures and soft-plastic worms. Minnows were working last week for crappie. Catfish will bite hot dogs around the dock now, as well as chicken liver.

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

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

(updated 8-15-2024) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) reports that on the main channel around jetties, bass are biting on small buzzbaits like a Brazalo Wee-Whacker and also on black-and-blue finesse jigs. Also rock piles off the edges of jetties, there is a pretty good bite on drop-shots.

Crappie are being caught as well, fishing those same rock piles off the edge of jetties. Try black-and-chartreuse crappie jigs there.

Peckerwood Lake
(updated 8-15-2024) Donna Mulherin at Herman’s Landing (501-626-6899) said anglers are doing well on catfish, while the crappie are biting for anglers trolling or spider-rigging. Minnows will work for crappie, but she says anglers are mainly catching them on jigs.
Hot dogs and liver are preferred by the cats.

The black bass are doing well, and Donna figures it’s on a topwater lure now but the bass anglers seldom share what they are using. Also, anglers are catching a few bream here and there.

The water is down but no stumps are showing. This time of year, she says, most anglers prefer the stumps to show so they can work their baits around them. 

The water “looks clear for Peckerwood,” she added.

White River
(updated 8-15-2024) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said the Arkansas Ozarks haven’t missed out on the heat wave that’s moving across the country, “but we have the gem of the White River to cool us down. The trout love that cold water and the anglers love that cool mist, which lowers the air temperature by at least 10 degrees.” The pattern from the dam continues with minimum flows in the morning and large flows (15,000 or more cfs) during the late afternoon. The lake level is 658.67 feet msl, 2.5 feet below pool level for this time of year.
Catching rainbows has seldom been easier than it’s been the last few weeks, undoubtedly due to the low water level. Silver blades and orange/brown skirts on a Rooster Tail, or a silver Vibrax Blue Fox with a silver, orange or bubblegum pink bell, will bring in a good share of trout. A nickel/gold Colorado Spoon, one-sixth ounce, is always a good choice in lower water.

The bigger browns have been looking for sculpins or even a fat, floating nightcrawler during rising water. “Keep your eye on the tip of your rod for a little tremor and watch that brown snatch your bait; play it slowly and carefully, no rapid movements, and you’ll be able to net it for a picture.

“School openings are happening around the area. Excited kids don’t always watch where they’re going, so please watch for them. Come on over and join us as we stay cool angling for a fat, energetic rainbow on the White.”

(updated 8-15-2024) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said that “during the weekdays we saw afternoon and evening generation from Bulls Shoals and regular generation from Norfork. With the afternoon and evening generation, we would see higher and dingier water in the morning with water starting to drop in the late mornings and clearing up in the afternoons.
“During these days, fishing with silver inline spinner with Uncommon Baits UV eggs and shrimp or corn worked well. Over the weekend with the cooler temperatures, we saw reduced power generation from Bull Shoals resulting in low and clear on Sunday and Monday mornings. In those conditions artificial lures worked extremely well especially quarter-ounce spoons in gold.
“This week we received one stocking of 1,200 rainbow trout at the Calico Rock boat ramp and another stocking at Chessmond Ferry of 1,200 rainbows.”

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

(updated 8-15-2024) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake (815-592-4302) said Wednesday that the lake level is around 658 feet msl, about a foot lower than this time a week ago. Water temperature dropped a little to 83 degrees, give or take, and it’s warmer in the stained water. Bass fishing has been a little slow, typical for the dead of summer. Bass are set up on summer areas and patterns, and the bite has been better for schoolers during generation. The thermocline is set up in 30-32 feet. Shad are spread out from the back of the creeks out to the main lake. Check deeper water, points, ledges, drop-offs and channel swings and saddles that are close to deep water. The topwater bite has been random! 

The bite will definitely slow down as the sun gets high. If you wait until about 11 a.m. the Corps of Engineers has been generating water and the bite will get going regardless of the heat. It can happen like the flick or a switch. Try a flutter spoon that will fool a few. 

Once the sun gets high, a lot of the fish will move deep and suspend or move into brush piles or off ledges. They can be stubborn. Try a drop-shot or Jewel Scuba or big worm. If you get one or two to bite, you might as well go to the next pile. These fish can be tougher to fire; finesse will help. You can still catch them off points with a small Jewel Peewee Jig in green pumpkin orange or PB&J, or a tube or shaky head in 10-20 feet early, then at 25-35 feet. Keep the boat out for deep, long casts. There is a lot of activity around the 30-feet range. Fish the conditions. Quality seems to be deeper in the brush. Looking forward to cooler temps. 

Del regularly posts new YouTube videos. Visit his YouTube site (Bull Shoals Lake Fishing Report) for more information and tips on fishing Bull Shoals Lake.

(updated 8-15-2024) Southernwalleye Guide Service (501-365-1606) says fishing for walleye has been fair on the lower end of the lake. They are pulling nightcrawler harnesses in 30-35 feet slowly, 0.8 to 0.9 mph, with 2-ounce bottom bouncers on the sides of primary and secondary points. Fishing with 1.5 Smile Butterfly Blades in gold or orange and chartreuse with orange bead patterns is working. Also, still just a No. 4 split shot and No. 2 Aberdeen hook and a nightcrawler, worked slowly around groups of fish or on deeper sides of brush piles, will catch some. Lots of fish in the 16- to 17-inch size are still being caught at this time.
Spooning with a three-quarter-ounce white spoon in water off main lake points in 30-35 feet will also get some fish. 

(updated 8-15-2024) Crappie 101 Guide Service (870-577-2045) says the crappie bite has been fairly tough for the most part the last week. Key on different brush on a daily basis and when you find some that cooperate; don’t expect it to be that way the next time you show up the next day or days. They are very particular lately and overall we have still been catching a lot of mixed quality and occasionally a few really nice ones. The jig bite is pretty slow, but if you’re going to fish one, a 1/16-ounce with a small fry bait, minnows, have carried the majority of the load lately. That brush that’s around 20-30 feet seems to be the better stuff. Fall is around the corner and it’s going to get better before long. 

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

(updated 8-15-2024) Lou Gabric at Hummingbird Hideaway Resort (870-492-5113) said had no new reports, but he posts fishing reports nearly every day to his blog on the Hummingbird Hideaway Resort webpage.

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

(updated 8-15-2024) Jon Conklin with FishOn Guide Service (479-233-3474) said Beaver Lake level is steady at 1,118.00 feet msl, which is 3 feet below normal pool. Water temps are in the mid-80s or so.
“We are still in the summer pattern for another month or so, then it will start to transition to an early fall pattern. Translation is, early or late is your best option at this time to put some fish in the boat.
“Stripers are still very consistent and are located from Point 6 all the way to the dam. Use your electronics to locate bait and fish. I would not drop lines until you feel fairly confident that you are seeing the correct pieces of the puzzle. Again, that is bait and fish being nearby.
“Crappie can be caught trolling or targeting suspended fish with forward-facing sonar – 20-25 feet is where I have been locating crappie and walleye. 

“Walleye have been consistent but the only fly in the ointment is culling through shorts to find that keeper. Crawler harnesses are working, as are trolling cranks that can reach down to 23 feet or so.
“Catfish are good on any method you choose. Same for bluegill.
“It’s hot; stay hydrated and wear those PFDs. Good luck!”
Visit Jon’s Facebook page for the latest updates, FishOn Guide Service Goshen AR.

Beaver Tailwater
(updated 8-15-2024) Guide Austin Kennedy (479-244-0039) said fishing this past two weeks has been pretty good. “You may have to move around a bit, but the bite does pick up as you do so. Most fish have been caught between Houseman Access and the U.S. Highway 62 bridge. The trout have been very responsive to Pautzke Fire Worms, fished on bottom, with slight movement. This is also the bait and presentation of choice when drift-fishing. Also Fire Bait, with light terminal tackle, has also produced nice numbers. 

“You can also try pulling crankbaits in the deeper water for some bigger fish. The water temperatures have been up and down, but the Corps of Engineers is releasing water to keep the tailwater cool.
“There are still some here-and-there walleye being caught. Most are being caught in the deeper holes jigging with soft plastics.
“As we are losing a little more light each day, it is still summer! Remember to stay hydrated, wear loose cool clothing and protect yourself from the sun. Hope you all are able to get out and catch some fish!”

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

Lake Fayetteville
(updated 8-15-2024) Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) says nobody’s out fishing. “We’re in a heat wave,” they reported Thursday. “No one has been out all week.” Before the heat rolled in, bass and crappie were both biting. Bass were good on a spinnerbait. Crappie were fair on worms. 

The water is murky and is at a normal level.

Lake Charles
(updated 8-15-2024) Shelly Jeffrey at Lake Charles State Park (870-878-6595) said the water cooled back down a few degrees, to 77.6 degrees Sunday morning, and fishing was good for bream and catfish. But crappie and black bass went into hiding — or at least there were no reports offered up by visiting anglers. 

Bream are good on worms. Try for them around brush piles, stumps and rocky points. Catfish are good on blood bait and chicken liver, and the bite has been good on lines. 

The water level is normal and the clarity is murky.

Good fishing days based on the moon times line up again this week, starting Friday, Aug. 16, and running through Aug. 22, Shelly added. Best days based on “moon” charts should fall Aug. 30-Sept. 5, she adds.

Lake Poinsett
(updated 8-1-2024) Jonathan Wagner at Lake Poinsett State Park said fishing at Lake Poinsett has been booming! Bream are hitting on crickets and bass are hitting on lures like the Berkley Choppo. One local angler, Buzz Worth, has been catching bass in the mornings especially. He recommended the Drag and Hop technique to get the fish really hooked on your baits! He also stated that he saw bass beginning to school on shad in the shallower parts of the lake, but that most of his catches were in 8-10 feet of water.
The bait shop at Lake Poinsett State Park continues to sell crickets, nightcrawlers and minnows, even during the hotter days.
Remember, anglers: Bass and crappie continue to be catch-and-release at Lake Poinsett.

Spring River
(updated 8-8-2024) Mark Crawford with springriverfliesandguides.com (870-955-8300) said water level is running at 340 cfs (350 cfs is average at the Spring) and water clarity has been clear. A dry spell over the last week has the river looking great. Check the blog for current river conditions on our website lined above. Storms moving through can change river conditions.

The trout are biting great on Woollies or Hopper droppers on good days. With the heat it is very wise to fish early, then quit as the temperature gets in the upper 90s — not good for the fish and they do turn off as it gets hot. On the tough days you’ve got to get to the bottom and keep the fly there. Stocking size has been smaller. Ready for fall and bigger trout.

For spin-fishing, Trout Magnets in pink, white and red have been hot. Chasing bigger fish, try the Trout Cranks, with the rainbow pattern working best; use Ned rigs for the smallies. Please catch and release the smallmouth, it takes over 10 years to get a 20-inch smallmouth bass. Release and let them grow — by far the hardest fighting fish ever for its size!

“The smallies are biting great with this heat wave. The trick is to get to the bottom and work the fly slowly. Big olive Woollies and Brownies have been the go-to. No need for a sink tip; just a heavy fly with a long leader works great. A young man was fishing with me and had one olive-zonked strip fly that was very hot. Only thing is, he was fishing it below an indicator. I don’t know, but he caught a bunch of nice trout and bigger smallies.
The AGFC has had new portable bathrooms placed in our public accesses. There has been an issue with them being nasty. A big thank-you to the AGFC for hearing us and trying to fix the problem. A nice place to use the bathroom is very important! Please help us by keeping them clean. 

With the hot temps, the Spring River is a cool, refreshing 58 degrees! A great place to cool off and catch some beautiful trout.

Check out Mark’s blog for the latest river conditions on the Spring River on his website linked above.

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

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

(updated 7-25-2024) The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Fishing Team reports water temperature in the upper 80s, mild flow on the main channel and visibility up to 12 inches. Recent rains have cooled the water slightly and the black bass are biting well. White bass, striped bass and black bass can be found schooling occasionally near jetties on the main channel, and sand flats within Lake Langhofer. Poppers, small walking baits, small swimbaits and lipless crankbaits in reflective or shad colors do well within schooling activity. Otherwise, focus on current breaks along the main channel with shallow crankbaits, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits (mainly in the morning and evening) in shad colors. Swim jigs are producing in vegetation or cover too thick for crankbaits. Better quality fish can be caught by focusing more on dark-colored finesse jigs near current breaks or woody cover/brush piles, though expect fewer bites with this approach. 

Cane Creek Lake
(updated 8-15-2024) Claire Humes at Cane Creek State Park (870-628-4714) said that earlier this week, boaters were catching bass as well as good-sized bream (fishing with crickets) on the east side of the lake. Last weekend was a busy one for fishing as well. Boating anglers were seeking crappie last Saturday, using minnows, and another group said they were using crickets and nightcrawlers to try to catch some crappie. Catfish anglers were at the exterior pier using prepared catfish bait on Saturday. Sunday saw some anglers using redworms to land some crappie, and they caught a few but released them. Another group was putting redworms to use for bream, and yet another group tried redworms for bream and crappie while at the exterior pier. Some others were seeking anything that would bite from the camper dock on Sunday, again with redworms.

Lake Monticello
(updated 8-15-2024) Anglers are reminded that if they venture out for some fishing on Lake Monticello now while the lake continues to refill after being renovated, that all fish caught must be released immediately.
The Hunger Run Access is now open to boat traffic. Reports are good of anglers catching bass now.

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

(updated 8-15-2024) Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District’s 2-foot drawdown continues, allowing for the planting of millet for waterfowl, improved shoreline vegetation and to promote sediment compaction. The drawdown will expose an extensive area of shoreline for revegetation to allow the planting of millet, which promotes water quality, increases fish production and provides habitat for wintering waterfowl. The lake will be held near an elevation of 257.2 feet until Sept. 13, when it will be raised a half-foot. The lake will be raised to the top of the normal conservation pool, 259.2 feet, on Nov. 1.
Boaters are urged to wear a life jacket and exercise caution during the drawdown as submerged stumps and shallow areas will be more prominent, especially in boat lanes. Real-time lake level information can be found on the USACE Little Rock smartphone app. For more information, contact the Millwood Project Office at 870-898-3343.
Mike also said the No Wake buoys are in place at Yarborough Landing, but most boaters are ignoring their placement. “When residents or boaters are on the new AGFC Courtesy Dock, or parking their boats in the new courtesy doc boat slips, and boaters blow in and out on plane swamping the new dock, it will end up being torn all to pieces in short order, hurting someone, or tearing up someone’s $80,000 Bass Boat and ripping off a trolling motor!,” he said. 

Surface temps are stable, ranging 87-93 degrees depending on location and the time of day. Use caution in navigation on main lake river channels where river buoys may be out of channel from recent high wind, or not yet replaced. Clarity along Little River remains muddy in many locations, but continues improving this week with decreased river current. Normal to moderate stain is found in most locations, with some areas further up Little River being heaviest stain, with river clarity ranging 5-8 inches visibility depending on location. Clarity of oxbows will vary widely from normal stained to good visibility from 20-30 inches, and fair visibility has been noted in a few wind- and current-protected areas like McGuire Oxbow up to 3 feet clarity.

Mike had these specifics for the fishing this week on Millwood:
* It is HOT. There’s not much change over the past few weeks for largemouth bass. The best bite of the day continues to be from dawn to around 9 a.m., and the bite is done. Nice groups of largemouths are holding in the mouths of creeks dumping into Little River where the thermocline resides between 10-15 feet. Bass up to 2-4 pounds still are active early on topwaters, and cloud-cover mornings still see the best activity at dawn. Feeding activity levels have slowed with the increase of surface temperatures in the mid- to low 90-degree range over the past couple weeks. 

Several nice, healthy bass from 9-10 pounds have been caught and released lately in the Thursday night tournaments (6-9 p.m.).
Baits drawing best reactions in the early morning continue to be buzzbaits, soft plastic frogs, Cordell Crazy Shads, Baby Torpedoes and Chuggers near pads and vegetation. Buzzbait colors drawing best reactions continue to be black/blue, Hot Firecracker or Hot Cotton Candy. The best buzzbait bite is along Little River in depths and drops across points, and also flats near creek channel swings with stumps and laydowns, and around lily pads. Chuggers, Cordell Crazy Shads, Arbogast Jitterbugs and plastic frogs continue working in the slop, and are all getting fair to good reactions in creek channels near stumps, cypress trees and near lily pads stands along Little River. Topwater activity levels drop off after 9 or 10 a.m. Then there is very little topwater activity until dusk.

After the early morning bite slows, a random bite can be had near creek dumps into Little River with a custom painted, shad pattern, shallow-running square-bill crankbait — 2.0 and 3.0 and S-cranks, Bill Lewis Echo 1.75’s — by banging/deflecting them off stumps from 8-10 feet deep in creek channels and points. Bass around 14-15 inches in length are randomly responding to crankbaits in shad and bream colors. Best color of cranks in the oxbows, like the 2.0 S-cranks and Echo 1.75 square bills, have been the Bold Bluegill, Millwood Magic and Ghosts. Increasing size up to a three-quarter-ounce Rat-L-Trap, fished much slower and deeper, will draw a few random hits during late mornings in creek channels and across points converging with Little River. Best colors of Traps over the past week or so have been Millwood Magic and White Smoke. 

The square bills, S-cranks, and Echo 1.75 cranks and shallow-running crankbaits in bream, Bluegill Ghost and Tennessee Shad colors are working near creek mouths and points extending into Little River over the past week or so. The drawdown is pulling a lot of fish to the mouths of creeks. Working the cranks in a stop-and-go slow retrieve will draw a better reaction than fast retrieves. The drawdown will bring the majority of largemouths to creek mouths and points in junction with Little River in short order.

* White bass continue hitting vertical-jigged half-ounce and 1-ounce slab spoons in Little River between Jack’s Isle and the first entrance into Mud Lake, and also in Hurricane Creek from 10-15 feet depth. Little River has improved clarity and the bite over the past couple weeks and the reduced current has clarity much improved on primary or secondary points. White bass are roaming back down Little River to their summer spots in the main lake, but pausing on these points in the process, and roaming in and out of creek dumps, too. With the drawdown in effect, many whites are found in close proximity to the Kentucky and largemouth bass, all feeding on threadfin shad.
Heavy, three-quarter-ounce Cordell Hammered Spoons, Kastmaster chrome/blue spoons with white bucktails, or Bomber Fat Free Guppy or Fingerling crankbaits, and the Bill Lewis MR-6 Crankbaits both in Citrus Shad, Tennessee Shad and Millwood Magic colors will draw reactions. Little George’s, Rocket Shads and red/white Rooster Tails continue working. Random and broken schools are pausing their annual migration back down river and stopping in Little River where primary or secondary points intersect with creek mouths dumping into the river, and with reduced current, their activity levels have improved reacting to crankbaits and spoons.
Crappie continue to improve with water clarity improving in many locations. Locating planted brush piles in Pugh Slough, Horseshoe, Bee Lake, Millwood State Park or Saratoga continue to hold nice 12- to 15=inch crappie, and gave up some nice 2-pound slabs over the past few weeks. Use minnows, jigs or jigs tipped with a minnow in planted brush piles 10-16 feet of depth. Best colors for jigs and tube jigs over the past few weeks have been Houdini, Monkey Milk or Electric Chicken. Cordell smoke-colored grubs with a chartreuse tip tail on a light wire jig head will pick up a few extra bites.
* Bream are wrapping up their annual spawn for the most part. Several nice bluegills and Mason Bream, along with goggleye, have been caught in the three-quarter to 1-pound range over the past several weeks by bank anglers at Millwood State Park and Jack’s Isle. Crickets, redworms and minnows were working best over the past several weeks.
* Spoke with two catfishermen the other day and they were having fair results using King’s Punch Bait, homemade cheese dough bait and spoiled chicken gizzards on trotlines set across Little River between Horseshoe Lake and White Cliffs Campground between 12-18 feet of depth.

Lake Columbia
No reports.

Lake Erling
No reports.

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

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

(updated 8-8-2024) Philip Kastner of Trader Bill’s Outdoors in Little Rock and Hot Springs noted earlier this week on “The Wild Side” on KABZ, 103.7 The Buzz, that it’s “all about the topwater bite. The topwater bite has been incredible, obviously, for the last couple of weeks — before this week, because it has been so hot. A couple of weeks ago we got that little cool front that came through and that’s what we’re dealing with right now. You go out the first 2, 3 or 4 hours of the day and catch whatever you’re going to catch. And option B, go night fishing. After the sun goes down, on Hamilton, DeGray, Ouachita, Greeson, it doesn’t matter, there’s a lot of great fishing after dark.”

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

(updated 8-15-2024) Capt. Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips (501-844-5418) said that he’s been fishing here and Lake Hamilton, and the activity is the same: At first-light, you can find all bass (white, black and hybrid) breaking for their morning feed. “Spoons have worked best for me.”

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

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

White Oak Lake Area
No reports.

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

(updated 8-15-2024) Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that water temperature is 64 degrees with clear conditions in the tailrace. Entergy has scheduled 8-hour generation times during the week with special periods of flow on the weekends for downstream activities. Tailrace conditions are very good for this time of year as moss and grass growth has been kept at a minimum by the consistent flow of water from the dam. Rainbow trout fishing hit rock bottom with experienced guides recording zero catches around the dam to the bridge. This occurs every year around this time, but was forced earlier by the spring flooding that displaced thousands of trout downstream that never returned. Trout fishing will return to the area in November when the stocking schedule resumes for the fall season. 

Thousands of threadfin shad have migrated into the tailrace in huge schools. These baitfish are easily spotted as they congregate near the top of the water column. Striper and hybrid bass activity has been observed in the early morning times, which intensifies during times of generation. Anglers can catch numbers of fish casting topwater lures into areas of activity, such as Zara Spooks and Alabama rigs that closely match the size of the shad. Too large of a presentation is ignored and rarely produces results. 

Summertime fishing reports below Carpenter Dam usually resemble a broken record with the absence of rainbow trout and the walleye, crappie, white bass and catfish spawns complete. The doldrums of summer heat go on for months in Arkansas and it appears that a void is created in the area for catchable fish. There will be times where good numbers of white and hybrid bass feed near the dam due to the huge numbers of shad present, and anglers will have to be diligent in search for these fish as action is short-lived and sporadic. Big stripers move in and out of the tailrace seeking cooler water and forage and can be seen feeding below the bridge in deeper water in the main channel. Always wear a life jacket when on the water and remember to follow all park and boating regulations as law enforcement is present and checking for violations. 

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

No reports.

Lake Hamilton
(updated 8-15-2024) Capt. Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips (501-844-5418) said that at first-light, you can find all bass (white, black and hybrid) breaking for their morning feed. Spoons have worked best for me.

(updated 8-8-2024) Philip Kastner of Trader Bill’s Outdoors in Little Rock and Hot Springs noted earlier this week on “The Wild Side” on KABZ, 103.7 The Buzz, that it’s “all about the topwater bite. The topwater bite has been incredible, obviously, for the last couple of weeks — before this week, because it has been so hot. A couple of weeks ago we got that little cool front that came through and that’s what we’re dealing with right now. You go out the first 2, 3 or 4 hours of the day and catch whatever you’re going to catch. And option B, go night fishing. After the sun goes down, on Hamilton, DeGray, Ouachita, Greeson, it doesn’t matter, there’s a lot of great fishing after dark.”

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

(updated 8-15-2024) Carter Cove Bait-N-More (479-272-4025) reports that with the water very low from the Corps of Engineers drawdown — lake level was 10 feet below normal pool, or 337.4 feet msl on Thursday — only two ramps have any real accessibility, and of those, Carden Point is the access most being used. Anderson Access is on the more difficult side to access, they say. 

Despite that and the drawdown, fishing is still going well and anglers are still catching everything out there, they report. One angler caught his limit of crappie earlier this week while another had a mixed day, catching about nine. A female angler fishing for bass with a spinnerbait landed a large catfish in the process.

“Because it’s so low, catfish are biting on everything,” they say. 

Crappie are still biting really well, catfish are good and anglers are still catching plenty of bream. Most of Nimrod’s regular bass anglers are going up to Dardanelle these days rather than risk getting stuck trying to get their bass rig into Nimrod. One regular was catching some bass from the shoreline earlier this week, but they weren’t keepers.

There are some parts of the lake that are only about a foot deep. Boaters/anglers are urged to follow the buoys and “go slow!” One group boating recently got their craft stuck and needed a rescue from Carter Cove personnel.

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

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

(updated 8-16-2024) Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa (870-867-2191/800-832-2276 out-of-state) said black bass are slow. Try a topwater bait near main lake and secondary points early or a Texas-rigged Ole Monster worm near brush after dark.

Walleye are very good and being caught on nightcrawlers near structure with a drop-shot rig or jigging spoon. Stripers are still good. These fish are being caught in the eastern portions of the lake. Bream are still good and being caught on crickets and worms in the 15- to 25-feet range. No reports on crappie. For catfish, try stink bait or cut bait on a rod-and-reel setup in the 15- to 25-feet range, especially near structure and brush.
Water temperature is consistent with recent weeks, ranging 82-86 degrees. The clarity is clear. The lake level continues to fall some, down to 573.57 feet msl at midweek. Call the Mountain Harbor fishing guides (Mike Wurm, 501-622-7717, or Chris Darby, 870-867-7822) for more information.

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

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

Horseshoe Lake
(updated 8-15-2024) Kent Williams of Oxbow Guide Service (870-278-7978) had no new reports from Horseshoe Lake.

White River/Arkansas River (Pool 2)
(updated 8-15-2024) Webb’s Sporting Goods (870-946-0347) in DeWitt had no new reports.

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