Arkansas Wildlife Weekly Fishing Report

April 3, 2025

Jim Harris

Managing Editor Arkansas Wildlife Magazine

Westyn Peek, a 10-year-old angler (left) who was with his family from North Carolina fishing the White River out of Cotter Trout Dock earlier this week, happily enjoyed catching another brown trout, something he’s been doing for several years. He pulled in at least 10 on Tuesday, according to the folks at Cotter Trout Dock. Shad and sculpin were the baits of choice. Read more about the fishing on the White River from three busy trout locations under “North Arkansas” below.

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 (under renovation)

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

(updated 4-3-2025) Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) had no reports.

While Lake Conway is drawn down for renovation, the Lake Conway Nursery Pond is open for fishing in the immediate area, with bream and trout being reported among catches of late. The 70-acre pond has been stocked by the AGFC with mature bass, crappie, catfish and bream as well as rainbow trout for the cold weather months.

(updated 4-3-2025) AGFC staff reported Tuesday that eight people were fishing the Lake Conway Nursery Pond that day and anglers are starting to catch harvestable bream. The overall catch rate appeared high. Anglers were reported to be very positive about having the pond as a fishing option, according to staffers. Also, the Facebook site Crappie Fishing Arkansas featured a photo recently of an angler having caught a nice slab there.

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 4-3-2025) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood said the short time that anglers have been able to fish the Little Red after the major water releases of late winter and early spring, when the SWPA and Corps have stopped running lots of water, anglers have been able to fish and catch good numbers of brown trout and rainbow trout using gold jerkbaits as well as No. 7 and No. 5 size Rapala Countdowns in brown trout, gold and rainbow trout colors. Those can be used from a boat or from the bank but most anglers they’ve talked with are drifting more than anything now. If you want to try some wading, definitely pay attention to the water flow, particularly if this week’s forecast rainfall puts another big rise in Greers Ferry lake. Bank anglers have been catching trout (both brown and rainbows) of late with a Rooster tail or a Little Cleo Spoon.
Make sure to check the links above of the Corps and SWPA for generation schedules and any changes at Greers Ferry Lake with the expected storm fronts passing through the state.

(updated 3-27-2025) Mike Winkler of Little Red River Fly Fishing Trips (501-507-3688) said the Little Red “has springtime caddis action!”

He said, “We’ve been dealing with a bit of an unpredictable generation schedule from (the Southwestern Power Administration) this week. They’ve been running water in the mornings from around 6 a.m. to noon, then again in the evenings from 6-9 p.m. It’s not been super consistent, so we’re still waiting for a solid pattern to settle in. As for the weekend, if last week was any indication, we might see little to no generation — though with SWPA, you never know for sure!
“Greers Ferry Lake is at power pool, and with the nice spring weather, power demand is down. This has opened up a lot of opportunities on the river, letting anglers switch up their tactics throughout the day.
“If you’re into streamer fishing and chasing brown trout, the higher water in the mornings is a great time to throw big streamers toward the banks and look for an aggressive take. As the water starts to drop, switching to a nymph rig will keep you in the action. You can also start your day farther downstream and get right into nymphing.
“The caddis hatch is in full swing, and the fish are locked in on them! The bite has been fantastic, so if you’re heading out, I’d highly recommend running Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ears, Pheasant Tail Soft Hackles, Sunday Specials or any buggy caddis pattern under an indicator. As soon as the temps warm up, you’ll see the bugs flying all over the river, and the trout are loving them.
“It’s a great time to be on the water—get out there and enjoy it!”

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 4-3-2025) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood said a lot of fish appear starting to spawn, and anglers are having success fishing for black bass shallow midway into the backs of creeks where they are finding a lot of fish. A lot depends on the depth of the creek, but they have been catching them from 2 feet down to 10 feet of water. Texas-rigged creature baits, Carolina rigs, floating worm and a jig are the main baits working.

There are still some fish out deeper in the main lake toward the middle, those that haven’t headed in to spawn. A 3-inch swimbait is working well out deep; go with a natural shad color of white color. Also, anglers are throwing the C-rig out in deeper water.

Crappie are biting anywhere from 5 feet to 15 feet. Anglers are catching them fishing shallow and throwing bait around bushes or wood, with a curly tail 2-inch curly tail grub in pink and chartreuse or purple and chartreuse being favored. Also, a blue and white color has worked. Out deeper, you’re going to want more of a natural color to a Bobby Garland Baby Shad for this area, such as gray and white or blue and white, and expect crappie bites at 15 feet of water.

The water level is normal, but that’s likely going to change with the rain in the forecast. Water as of Wednesday was stained to clear, depending on location (the lake tends to be clearer the closer to the dam).

(updated 4-3-2025) Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said Thursday morning the water level at Greers Ferry Lake was at 461.92 feet msl, or 0.12 feet below the normal pool of 462.04. The water, before the last massive rainfall to hit the state Wednesday, has been rising and falling one way or the other each day.

He says there is great stain to water — pretty much good catching color all over the lake and rivers — but we’re fixing to see a big rise. “Several days ago you probably saw some mid-50 temps with wind really mixing the lake up a lot, and it has cooled back off especially after these cold nights coming, and for sure will cause fish confusion as a lot of them have backed off now!”
For crappie, try super shallow and out to 30 feet and use jigs, minnows or crankbaits. Fishing straight up and down in pole timber or brushpiles is working great. A lot of walleye have moved upriver or close to it after the last big lake rise; there is a lot more staging and some prestaging. They have not even come out of deep water; they are scattered all over the lake and rivers. Look on any corner facing upstream and drag a minnow or crankbaits 45-65 feet. Other walleye are supper shallow; fish a jighead minnow, jerkbait or big minnow-type deep-diving bait. Some are following under big schools of whites and hybrids and some have even spawned up rivers, but lots of males upriver are waiting, and the females are as well; use a spoon for those.

For the walleye just roaming around, a spoon is best for vertical fishing them in 10-50 feet.
Hybrid bass and white bass are set up in the main lake and some are roaming, schooling on top. For the ones set, use spoons, inline spinners, grubs and swimbaits in 25-80 feet. They want to settle in about 43 feet, which is magic water depth where they are comfortable here many months out of the year. It has the right temperature and oxygen. Some are up rivers spawning now; try throwing a grub on a jighead or a Roadrunner.

Catfish are biting all over the lake on the usual stuff. Try staying around schools of shad. Some bream are shallow but most are still around 8-30 feet. Crickets and crawlers are working fine as well as inline spinners.

You will start running into small groups of five to eight black bass up shallow. Most, though, are out or roaming shallow and schooling. Use Carolina rigs, Wiggle Warts and any flat-sided crankbait, drop-shots, spinner baits and Rat-L-Traps super shallow out to 80 feet. The spinnerbait will shine right now shallow or in the guts. Also be mindful of certain trees they will get on in the pole timber! Be safe and wear your life jacket.

Harris Brake Lake

(updated 4-3-2025) Bing Watkins at Harris Brake Lake Resort (501-889-2745) says some crappie were caught on minnows, but not very many. She termed the bite OK. “They are moving around, you’ve got to go find them.” Some people caught catfish on trotlines baited with chicken liver or shad.

The big news was the largemouth bass, though. She said bass are doing “really good.” One angler caught a large one that he didn’t measure, but the photo was posted on the Harris Brake Facebook page. The angler was using a 10-inch Zoom worm. Another angler caught a 4-pound largemouth earlier this week. Last Saturday, the lake hosted the Harris Brake Lake Bass Cup, where 22 boats were entered. The winning two-person team caught 15.30 pounds with a 5-bass stringer, while 13.70 pounds was runner-up. The Big Bass was 4.65 pounds.

The water is on the rise with this week’s storms, and there is a lot of pollen on top. The water temperature Thursday was ranging 60-62 degrees.

Follow more from Harris Brake Lake Resort on its Facebook page.

Lake Overcup
(updated 3-27-2025) John “Catfish” Banks at Overcup Landing off Arkansas Highway 9 said water level is about 1 foot high and clarity is good. Water temperature is around 67 degrees.
Black bass are doing well on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Catfish are going crazy all over. Bream haven’t started yet but should pick up. Crappie are doing well on yo-yos and jugs. Anglers report starting to catch some males that are turning black from the warm shallow water.

“Come see us for all your fishing adventures at Overcup Bait Shop off Highway 9.”

Brewer Lake

(update 4-3-2025) AGFC staff visited Brewer Lake over the weekend (March 29-30) for this report: Surface water temperature is low- to mid-60s and the water level is at full pool. The pollen has put a green tinge to the surface, but other than that, the water is fairly clear with about 2 feet of visibility. Crappie are beginning to move shallow to the flooded brush and should be spawning now. Focus on coves in the northern portion of the lake. Largemouth bass are biting fairly well on secondary points and isolated brush in 7-11 feet of water. Slow-rolled spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits and Carolina-rigged lizards are working well. Fishing the brushline with a wacky-rigged Senko or Texas-rigged lizard will also pick up a few smaller bass. Most of the large fish are still a cast-and-a-half offshore waiting to move up. No report on catfish or bream.

Brewer Lake has a new regulation for 2025: The 13- to 16-inch black bass slot limit on Brewer (as well as Lake Barnett in White County) has been replaced; now, anglers may keep up to 10 largemouth bass, but only one of those may exceed 16 inches.

Lake Maumelle
NOTE: Bryan Rupar, the watershed protection manager for Central Arkansas Water, said Monday (March 31) that repairs to the Lake Maumelle Dam, initiated in early March, are progressing steadily. The contractor is actively restoring the dam’s outer shell, a major undertaking that could take up to two more months to complete, depending on weather conditions. To facilitate the repairs, CAW aims to keep the lake level around 5 feet below normal pool elevation; however, this will depend on rainfall and the progress of the project.

(update 3-20-2025) Crappie guide Eric Watts of Natural State Fishing (501-548-8990) said, “We had a phenomenal week of fishing last week through the weekend! Unfortunately, high winds have made it tough to get out this week.
“Lake Maumelle water level has reached the “critical” point in my opinion. I do not plan to launch my boat there again until the lake refills.” Lake Maumelle is nearly 10 feet below full pool because Central Arkansas Water has targeted a 10-foot drawdown to allow for repair of the dam.
“That said, I’ll be exploring some of our other awesome crappie fishing locations across Central Arkansas over the next few weeks. I’ll let you know how that goes!”

Schedule your next fishing adventure at www.nsfguide.com

(updated 3-20-2025) WestRock Landing in Roland (501-658-5598) had no report this week, noting that they had not had anyone fishing because of the wind. The lake is 9.5 feet low (Central Arkansas Water has lowered the lake to as much as 10 feet for work on the dam).
The front ramps are not accessible but WestRock’s back launch ramp is available. “We recommend having 4-wheel drive because it is steep and has a drop-off.”

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 3-27-2025) Ray Hudson at River Valley Marina (501-517-1250) said the water is clear and normal level and great for fishing, with excellent reports on crappie and bass and some activity seen out of the bream.

Crappie are biting anywhere from a depth of 6 feet all the way up to 2 feet. They are biting minnows and jigs — best colors of jigs would be anything with chartreuse in it. There is no spawning activity being noticed yet, but Ray says the water is warm enough for it. “I figure maybe 2 or 3 more days. They are catching a lot of male crappie, little bucks have come up first. The bigger ones, the females, are a little deeper.”

The bass are doing really well, he said. Try crankbaits and spinnerbaits. The best bet on spinners was mainly a white one. Or use a crankbait that looks similar to a bream: chartreuse and black, chartreuse with orange belly, etc.

Bream are biting on crickets and worms now. He’s heard nothing on the catfish.

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 4-3-2025) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) said this week’s report is subject to change river flow with rain that is forecast, but at midweek the water clarity was stained to muddy in a few places and the water temperature was ranging 58-68 degrees depending on location. Anglers will find it warmer in the backwaters and cooler in the main part of the river; anglers competing in Tuesday night’s bass tournament saw about a 10-degree temperature swing depending on location.
Black bass are biting really well on Texas-rigged creature bait fished up shallow around wood or grass. Black and blue has been a great color lately of creature bait. A black and blue jig has also worked well, along with a black and blue Senko fished weightless. You can also catch some fish on a chartreuse and black back crankbait as well as a white and chartreuse spinnerbait. “They are biting a little bit of everything but those are the main ones,” they say.

They have not heard any reports from the river on crappie lately.

Water is normal level but, again, that may all change drastically before this weekend with the wet weather forecast.

Peckerwood Lake

(updated 4-3-2025) Donna Mulherin at Herman’s Landing (501-626-6899) said anglers have been visiting regularly the past few weeks. She says they’ve been catching quite a few catfish, with minnows and hot dogs the primary baits. Crappie, she added, are still “all over the place with this crazy weather.” Use minnows or jigs for crappie. She had not heard anything on the bass. The lake water level is at normal pool.

White River

Cotter Area
(updated 4-3 -2025) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said March ended on a high note for trout anglers in Cotter. The catch has been especially good this past week for browns. While most may not have been official “trophies,” there were many that fell just an inch or two short of the 24 inches required to earn a catch-and-release pin. The bait of choice was, again, sculpins, but sometimes a few shad were added to the mix and helped bring a brown to the boat.

The water level has been pretty steady over the past few days at just about one unit (3,300 cfs) to three units (9,000 cfs), so anglers were able to drift for trout or find their favorite fishing hole and drop a line there. The lake level is slowly dropping – 658.69 feet msl as of this writing.

You can hook your share of rainbows with a pink worm, sometimes tipped with white PowerBait. A rise in the water level due to increases in generation washes worms (red wigglers mostly) into the river, so baiting your hook with a real worm will add to your creel, too. Tie on something with lots of gold flash if using spoons; spinners with blue and silver blades have also proven successful. The low-water times have also been great for our fly-fishers with many wading opportunities opening up.

Can’t miss with a silver/red midge. The river level can change fast, so keep an eye on the water level if wade fishing.

“We’ve been battling some strong winds, but don’t give in. Nature is working to push winter out of the way. Be prepared for rain this weekend in the Arkansas Ozarks, but daytime temperatures will be mostly moderate. Whatever the weather, we’ll get you catching trout. See you there.”

Calico Rock Area

(updated 4-3-2025) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said, “Fishing this last week has been amazing. We have seen reduced generation from the dams (Bull Shoals and Norfork), creating low and clear water in the Calico Rock area.
“With the reduced flow, drift-fishing has been less effective. We have seen a lot of fish caught using artificial lures such as Little Cleo and Thompson Colorado Spoons. Additionally, Rapala Countdowns in CD5 or CD7 in rainbow trout or black/silver have worked well.

“The prediction is these next rounds of storms are going to cause flooding on the Buffalo River and White River, which will last through at least Sunday. Depending on how muddy the lakes get and the water released from dams, it may take several days or more before the river clears up enough to be fishable.”

Allison/Mountain View Area

(updated 4-3-2025) Jack’s White River Fishing Resort reports they had a great week of fishing with several trips out on the water. The water level fluctuated between 2-5 feet, but despite that, “we were able to hit our limits each time. The guides had success using Sunrise Orange PowerBait, handmade hammered silver spinners, and shrimp as bait. Most of the fishing took place just past the Highway 9 bridge by Hansford Bluff near Round Bottom.

An AGFC staffer took in a guided trip with a friend and a Jack’s guide, Braden, the week before last and had a lot of success with rainbows, mostly catching them up to 6 miles or so north of the resort and drifting downstream rapidly with a pretty strong current. The AGFC had stocked the river with rainbows at Mount Olive and at the Sylamore Access several days earlier, and the stockers were hungry. Best success was by spin-fishing with inline spinners, eggs (like X Factor or something similar) and pieces of shrimp. Make sure to use only about a third of a whole shrimp; anything more is too much for the trout to swallow. We caught some more mature rainbows as well as the stockers, too.

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 4-3-2025) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake (815-592-4302) reported Tuesday night that lake level was at 658 feet. Water temperature is ranging anywhere from 56 degrees into the 60s depending on location. “It’s that time of year where most anglers have been able to catch some beating the bank. With the incoming weather and a probable rise in water level, everything that’s been happening is about to change, with more fish moving up into pre-spawn areas.
“Power fishing shallow has been favorable with clouds, rain and high winds blowing square on the bank. Some fish are up there roaming shallow in 5-15 feet of water. A spinnerbait, Chatterbait, Alabama rig and a jerkbait will catch a few in natural shad patterns. Target windblown transition banks by steep stuff nearby — yep, not easy with the winds but that’s where they are at. Fish chunk rock, steeper banks and small ledges close to deep water. A SPRO Crawler, Wiggle Wart and Red Craw, or green variations, are catching them. You can go bright in stained water. Natural in the clear.
“The crank bite will slow without wind. There are always fish to be caught on a jig, and a Jewel Peewee seems to be getting a little more action. Try areas near shad. Once again, a warm day with little wind and sunny fish points, drop-offs or ledges, piles, swings — you’re looking anywhere from 20-30 feet, and way shallower (5-10 feet) in stain or clouds.
“The offshore videogamers are going to have to work. The shad are still spread out and throughout the water column and spread through the creeks. Target larger bait balls or any bait you can find up high near the surface and closer to the shore. Most fish are still looking up. Every day is different and every creek will be a little different. If you are targeting shad eaters, it’s been work! A smaller 2.8 swimbait or a regular Tater Shad has been working, and use a jerkbait around those high swimming shad and the shad balls early or late in the day when shad are up in the water column. They are being finicky if they aren’t actively feeding. Good luck, have fun, be safe and ‘Fish the Conditions.’”

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

(updated 4-3-2025) Southernwalleye Guide Service (501-365-1606) says walleye fishing in the daytime on the lower end of the lake has been a little better this week. Windy, cloudy days have helped the daytime fishing a lot. Weather this week calls for lots of rain and this will most certainly change lake levels and fish positions. If the lake rises up over the buckbrush, fish over it with spinnerbaits or a ⅛-ounce jighead with small swimbaits. Also, a shallow-running jerkbait such as a Smithwick Suspending Rattlin’ Rogue will get some bites.

Best fishing this past week has still been late evenings. Walleye seemed to still be in the spawning/post-spawn period. We are still seeing fish coming to the shallows at night. Fish are scattered along chunk rock points with deep water close by and along steeper creek channel swings that have shad. Best to fish lowlight periods at this time. Fishing methods still the same: fishing 4-15 feet of water with jerkbaits or fishing 4 feet out to 30 feet of water with jig and minnow, jig and plastics or Ice jigs worked slowly back to the boat on points with deep water on at least one side will produce fish.
Fishing the same structure right before and after dark with 110-style jerkbaits or 5-inch floating stick baits and retrieved back at extremely slow speeds will get some fish.

If trolling, try to fish lowlight periods. Trolling 5-inch stick baits at slow speeds as low as .85 mph in 7-14 feet along windblown banks will also work.

(updated 4-3-2025) Crappie 101 Guide Service (870-577-2045) says crappie are definitely more scattered than usual after these fronts and an extremely windy March. We had to search a lot of water lately for brush or feeding crappie. Jigs have been working best for me using a ⅛-ounce with a Tater Baits Small Fry in Arctic Blast or Aurora Blue. The minnow bite has been a little slower as of late.

Norfork Lake

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

(updated 4-3-2025) Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters (also Facebook.com/stroutfitters or 870-421-1541) guides out of Tracy Ferry Marina and reports that the lake’s water level is at 573 feet msl, it is clear, and the water temperature is close to 60 degrees. However, if the predicted rains happen this week, the lake will have a big shock. We may see a rise of 6-8 feet with very stained water and lots of debris.
Stripers will continue their feeding as they get ready to spawn. Bait will move farther up the creek to feed, and the crappie will wait until the water calms down and warms back up. Next Tuesday we should see a return to stable conditions.
This past week saw lots of stripers being caught both during the day and night. The bite has been starting at first light and continues during the morning. As the wind picks up, the fish move the flats and will have feeding cycles during the morning. The best is large gizzard shad on free lines and planer boards.

The night fishing continues to be excellent this past week. The best times have been 8-10 p.m. Focus on the lake’s north and east banks. South and west winds warm these banks during the day, attracting stripers looking for bait. The best lures for night fishing are rogues and swimbaits.

Target creeks with long, flat areas and slightly stained water. The best locations to find active stripers include Steward Point, Pigeon Creek, Bennetts Bayou, Big Creek and Brushy Creek.

Crappie fishing is picking up. Crappie are being caught around the brushpiles using 1/16- and 1/32-ounce jigs or minnows. They have moved up to shallower water but will move as the water rises later this week.

Beaver Lake

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

(updated 4-3-2025) Jon Conklin with FishOn Guide Service (479-233-3474) said Beaver Lake is holding at 1,120.36 feet msl. That looks to change soon with 4-8 inches of rain predicted this week.

“If we get that rain, it will set up some good spawning conditions as long as the Corps of Engineers doesn’t let the lake come up and then drop it fast come mid-April.”

Stripers have been very good from Prairie Creek islands up to and past the Arkansas Highway 45 bridge.

On that note, the white bass are loading into the Twin Bridges area. With an almost certain river rise, the white bass run may get really good in the next few weeks.\

Walleye have spawned and are still located up in the White and War Eagle areas. If we get a big rise, the walleye will ride the rise back out to mid-lake.

Crappie are moving up and are either on banks or close in 5-15 feet of water. This should remain and get better each week throughout April. Go to your favorite spawning areas and it should be on.

Black bass are also moving shallow and this will continue to get better.

“There are a couple of issues, though. It is supposed to get down to freezing a few days next week; that could have fish back out a bit, and we could have a major and fast water rise that could scatter fish for a bit.

“Be safe and good luck!”

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

Beaver Tailwater

(updated 4-3-2025) Guide Austin Kennedy (479-244-0039) said the water temperature is rising and the fish are moving in. The week was a mixed bag. Trout have been really responsive to Pautzke Fire Worms and Fire Baits fished with light terminal tackle. The Fire Worms have been best with drifting. The walleye bite has been up and down as well, but it is improving. Trolling has produced nice numbers downstream from Houseman Access. Pulling mid-diving crankbaits coated in Pautzke Fire Gel has been the preferred method.

The above-mentioned methods have also produced some white bass as well. The white bass have started to come up, and we have been definitely waiting on them. We got another shot of cold air coming in around April 1; hopefully this will be the last of it.

Remember to follow my fishing Facebook page (Busch Mountain Fishing Guide Service) for day-to-day updates between reports. Have fun, stay safe and catch some fish!

Lake Fayetteville

(updated 3-21-2025) Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) reports that crappie and bass are both coming up into shallower water to bite now that the water temperature is in the 50s. The clarity is “a little dirty, but we like it a little dirty. With the water temp in the 50s, the fish are ready.”
Crappie are biting in jigs and coming up to about 4 feet depth. Black bass are chasing crankbaits. No reports on catfish.

Lake Charles

(updated 4-3-2025) Shelly Jeffrey at Lake Charles State Park (870-878-6595) said fishing for the major species continued to be good this week. Crappie were fishing well with anglers using jigs in all colors as well as worms and minnows. They’re biting near the shoreline. Look for the best times this month to be around the full moon coming in a couple of weeks.

Black bass are good but anglers aren’t sharing their baits used. It’s a good time for crankbaits and spinnerbaits, though, as well as jigs.

Catfish are good but, like the bass, anglers are not sharing what bait they are using. Worms are typically good now, though, such as nightcrawlers, plus the catfish stink bait. Also try live bait like small bluegill. That was what Cameron Morris was using the Monday before last when he caught a nice 13-pound, 7-pound flathead, in case you missed last week’s report.
Bream also are good on redworms and jigs, and like the crappie they have moved their activity to the shoreline.

No reports on white bass. The water is the usual Lake Charles murky, and the level is high.

Lake Poinsett

(updated 3-21-2025) Lake Poinsett State Park reports that anglers are still catching limits of crappie. Also, they are buying lots of minnows as well as worms, but the crappie appear best on minnows. On a nice day, you can see 15-30 boats on the lake.

Most anglers are targeting crappie, but a couple of anglers reported that they caught black bass on minnows as well as jigs.

The lake limit on crappie is 15 fish (all sizes encouraged to be harvested to help prevent stunting), and for black bass you can keep 10 fish with one being larger than 16 inches.

As always, the State Park Visitor Center sells live bait (currently nightcrawlers, redworms and minnows) and is now open every day from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Spring River

(updated 4-3-2025) Mark Crawford with springriverfliesandguides.com (870-955-8300) had no new report, but on his blog late last week he said he’d had a great day on the water that particular day with olive. He saw lots of really heavy rainbows, a few smallies and “crazy savage strikes from river monsters! At the end, I caught some big ’bows on El Diablo.” He added that the river looked great, they had one brief storm move through at 3 p.m. and passed quickly. “Storms can change conditions. Looks great at this time.”

In his most recent report here three weeks ago, Mark noted the water levels were staying around 400-450 cfs, as they had all winter, with 350 average flow, and likely after this week’s rains they will be fast again this week, making for a little tougher wading conditions. Wading staffs are very helpful with current flow. Water clarity is clear with storms moving through, murking up the water at times.

Mark also reported in mid-March, “Catching plenty of really nice rainbows thanks to Jim Hinkle Spring River State Fish Hatchery,” he said. “Stocking should increase over the next few months, getting ready for summertime fishing pressure. Big Woollies, with extra weight to get down, have been excellent — olive is the hot color, as always. On the high-pressure days, we have done well with Hopper droppers, with Y2Ks and nymphs as droppers.

“The smallies have been biting great on good days. Using sculpin and baitfish patterns on long leaders or sink tips. Got to get down to them! The best fighting fish we have, except maybe a carp. One of the great things about fishing for smallies is that the brown trout like the same baits. Work the banks more for the browns.
“Tis the time to chase walleye on the nasty, overcast days. There are a lot of walleye in the Spring River. Big crankbaits work; my fav is Trout Magnets, Trout Crank, in rainbow and brown trout colors.

“April and May are great months to fish the Spring River with lower fishing pressure and perfect weather. The canoe hatch kicks off at the end of May. Then look out.”

Visit Mark’s blog (springriverfliesandguides.com) for the latest conditions on the Spring River.

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 3-27-2025) The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Fishing Team reported that water temperature is in the upper 50s, some protected backwaters are up to mid-60s. Visibility is around 12 inches in most places, some tributaries are muddier, some backwaters are clearer. Black bass are phasing into the spawn. The best fishing is in protected shallows with woody cover using dark- colored soft-plastic creatures and jigs. Spinnerbaits and bladed jigs are effective on windy days.

Cane Creek Lake

(updated 4-3-2025) Shelley Burr at Cane Creek State Park, (870-628-4714) said customers were buying worms last Thursday at the visitor center to try their luck at whatever they could catch from fishing the pier.
Spring break started a couple of weeks back with several visitors on hand that Saturday to fish for crappie. The following day an angler reported catching two bass but overall thought it was too windy to continue. Crickets were purchased at the visitor center for crappie by boat anglers and shoreline anglers recently. Also, minnows have been fished for crappie as well.

Lake Monticello

(updated 4-3-2025) Anglers are reminded that if they venture out for some fishing on Lake Monticello while the lake continues to refill after being renovated, that all fish caught must be released immediately.
The Hunger Run Access is open to boat traffic. Reports are good of anglers catching nice black bass now.

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

(updated 4-3-2025) Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said that two brothers, Griffin and Grant Shuff from Texas, took their maiden voyage with Millwood Lake Guide Service recently for the annual white bass spawning run up Little River. The Shuffs enjoyed doubling down with double catches, and sometimes two at a time on upper Little River this week, with an overall catch rate between 30-40 white bass in a 2- to 4-hour afternoon run. Siefert says the majority of the white bass that have been the most aggressive as of late are ranging in size from 1.5 to 3 pounds each. It seems like sunny days have the white bass schooled up tightly feeding on threadfin shad, and on cloudy days they seem to scatter into broken schools with random reactions more common — that is, one here and one there and another 3 miles away up river.
Millwood’s annual white bass run typically forecasts the run that will happen in Central Arkansas and especially the Maumelle River (watch for the run out at the AGFC’s Sleepy Hollow Access) in the next week or so.
Millwood Lake elevation as of Wednesday was 6 inches above normal pool and rising, at 259.7 feet msl; Millwood Lake Dam was releasing about 4,100 cfs and tailwater was near 231 feet and rising. Incoming threatening storms this week will most likely have those numbers drastically higher by this weekend if the 7- to 9-inch rainfall the National Weather Service is predicting transpires in the next couple days here.

Surface temps continue fluctuating, ranging 64 degrees early to 68 later in the day along Little River this week. Clarity along Little River, for the past week improved from reduced discharge at Millwood Dam. Moderate stain is seen in most locations, muddy in some areas further up Little River, with river clarity ranging 12-18 inches visibility depending on location.

Siefert urges anglers to always watch for broken timber and use caution during navigation. He says that many Little River buoys are missing from Yarborough Access to Bee Lake to Big Bayou Boat Lane to Paraloma Trail and all the way up to mile marker 1 and the open water. The missing buoys are a safety hazard, and the Army Corps of Engineers is aware of the situation and is attempting to replace them ASAP.

Check the most recent lake level of Millwood Lake on the guide service’s website linked above, or the Army Corps of Engineers website, for updated gate release changes and inflow rates with rising and falling lake levels.

Siefert had these fishing specifics from this past week:

* Millwood is still producing good largemouth bass at tournaments over the past few weeks — consistently week to week there are catches weighing 5-9 pounds. The bass activity has continued to improve over the past few weeks with the warmer conditions, depending on location, but can seem random on high barometric days.

The largemouth are best during the late morning through midday. Several females have been found roaming flats from 1-5 feet deep and on beds in areas of the oxbow lakes up Little River. A few of those roaming largemouths have been fair to good on red chrome half-ounce Rat-L-Traps. The smaller quarter-ounce Spinner Tail Rat-L-Traps in chrome/blue or red shad will get a random reaction near flats through dead lily pads with deep creek bends. When you need to work shallow, throw brown/orange or red chrome crawfish, red shad/gold back or Toledo Gold colors and you will connect. Spin Traps with a gold tail spinner will also work through the dead lily pad stems flawlessly and will connect with roaming bass.

Brazalo Strutter Chatterbaits continue working, and best colors over the past two weeks for us have been Millwood Mayhem Bream, black/blue and pumpkin/fire craw. Reactions have been very good — we’ve been catching healthy 3- to 6-pound bass over the last couple weeks — and the best reactions continue to be in 5-9 feet depths near grass lines, stumps, cypress trees and timber. Brazalo Spinnerbaits in Arkansas River Shad, Peachy, Spot Remover and Hot Mouse are all good choices in the stained to clear water in the oxbow lakes up Little River.

The males we found near and on beds this week were around 3-4 pounds, and were in 2-6 feet deep flats with stumps present near cypress trees and knees for wind protection, with close proximity to drops from 4-9 feet deep. The bite has improved on a red or chartreuse/white Chatterbait, a Brazalo Spinnerbait in Spot Remover or chartreuse/white, or a 6- to 8-inch and magnum-sized lizard. Numerous female largemouths are cruising grass lines and dead lily pad stems, when they are not pinned to the beds, in the 4- to 8-pound class.

If you want to fish the 1-3 feet depths, turn off your electronics and raise your trolling motor to keep from spooking the bass. In the cleaner water back in the pockets and oxbows away from current in Little River, throw a 6- to 8-inch lizard in Cotton Candy, Watermelon Magic or June bug/red, and in the heavier stained or dingy and muddy areas throw black/blue, blackberry, pumpkinseed/chartreuse tail or a chartreuse pumpkin color.

Bass Assassin 5-inch Shad Assassins in Houdini, Salt & Pepper Silver Phantom and Smoke Wagon will draw reactions in the fresh, blooming lily pad stands and behind and in dense grass lines.

* The white bass run IS ON. They have moved further up along Little River and have been heavily schooled up at various creek dumps into Little River for several weeks now. A few nice-sized schools were found up Little River to Patterson Shoals this week. It seems like sunny days have the white bass schooled up tightly feeding on threadfin shad, and on cloudy days they seem to scatter into broken schools with random reactions more common.

We ran up Little River to Cossatot inflow ditch and Patterson Shoals above U.S. Highway 71 at Wilton again several days this week. The water temps we saw there were in the mid-60s and the whites were hitting our crankbaits and spoons with abandon. We have been throwing Bill Lewis Lures Rat-L-Traps in chrome/blue or Millwood Magic colors, Hammered Cordell Chrome Spoons, Little Georges and Cleos, Rooster Tails, Rocket Shads, Tennessee Shad color Bomber Fat Free Fingerlings and the Fat Free Guppy, and our clients also had good luck using Beetle Spins with the black and white twin tail grub.

We caught around 25-30 some days, and good numbers over 40-50 large white bass other days this week, at several locations, and the hard-charging white bass were eager to bite up to 3 pounds. We also saw four or five other fishermen in the same locations, and they were also catching good numbers of FAT white bass this week between Wilton Landing and Patterson Shoals. We stopped and talked with one group of anglers who had also caught around 50 in the afternoon this week. White bass spawning runs continue to be a great time to take a kid fishing!

* Crappie over the past week have been scattered like crazy, kind of like the white bass were a few days this week. So random, nothing consistent to report, and they have not been stacked up in brush like they typically are this time of year. We do not believe water temperature has gotten to the point where the crappie are pulling up shallow to spawn yet, but it’s coming soon. We expect this will change over the next week.

* No reports on catfish or bream.

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.

No reports.

DeGray Lake

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

(updated 4-3-2025) John Duncan of YoYo Guide Service (870-942-6291 or yoyoguideservice@gmail.com) at Iron Mountain Marina says, “Hey everyone, it’s storm time in Arkansas. Water level on DeGray is 407.31 feet msl with a slight rise so far (as of Thursday midmorning).

“Little to say that is not already history with these storms here. Water temperature on the surface was in the 60s prior to the rain. The good news for the crappie guys is that the fish were in the shallows prior to this weather. Jigs, slip bobber, casting, tight-lining all were getting it done. Some of these were in a depth of 18 inches.

“White bass have been plentiful and doing some surfacing around the Yancy Cove area.

“Wow, there is little to say with this weather other than ‘Be patient.’ High water will be coming and things are going to change.

“Brian Bean won the BFL Tournament this weekend on DeGray with 18.6 pounds. His big fish was on a Berkley Lizard.

“Spring is here. Stay safe and be courteous.”

(updated 3-27-2025) Capt. Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips (501-844-5418) continues to do most of his fishing at and reporting from lakes Ouachita and DeGray, and says, “The crappie are in their spawn. We have been catching ample numbers of crappie on staging tops near spawning coves 8-12 feet deep and in the buckbrush fished 3 feet deep.”

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 4-3-2025) Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that due to an outbreak of severe weather on Wednesday that is forecasted to continue until Saturday, Entergy has scheduled 24/7 generation flows from Carpenter Dam. Rainfall amounts as high as 15 inches are expected over our area during this time along with possible tornado and large hail events. Fast flows will be the norm on Lake Catherine in conjunction with open flood gates to aid in passing these huge amounts of water through the dam system. Treacherous conditions will be present until the flood waters subside, which could be weeks depending on rainfall amounts. No one should attempt to navigate the Carpenter Dam tailrace until lake conditions return to normal and local weather stabilizes.

Lake Dardanelle

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

(updated 4-3-2025) Seth Boone, superintendent at Lake Dardanelle State Park (479-890-7474), had no new fishing reports.

Lake Hamilton

No reports.

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 4-3-2025) Sheila at Carter Cove Bait-N-More (479-272-4025) had no report this week, but most recently had reported that fishing for bass and crappie were good for some, not as good for others with the lake back to a normal level. Black bass were biting spinnerbaits but many were small. Crappie were various sizes and total catches. She reported selling a lot of minnows, but some regulars tend to stick with the jig.

Carter Cove has a Facebook page, and the email address is cartercovebaitnmore@gmail.com, with updates and photos.

Lake Ouachita

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

(updated 3-27-2025) Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa (870-867-2191/800-832-2276 out-of-state) reports that black bass are still excellent. Carolina-rigged lizards, jerkbaits, hover rigs and a floating worm are all producing quality catches. Walleye are moving back into the main lake from the rivers and major creeks. Try a watermelon-colored soft plastic or small swim jig. Stripers are still very good and biting on topwater C-10 Redfins, live bait and small minnow-like jigs on the western end of the lake. Bream are fair on worms or crickets in 20-30 feet of water, holding near brush. Crappie are good and relating to brush in the 8- to 20-foot range. Catfish should be picking up on trot lines with live and cut bait.
Water temperature is ranging 58-63 degrees, about a 3-degree rise over last week. Water clarity is clearing. Lake level is steady at 577.89 feet msl. Call the Mountain Harbor fishing guides (Mike Wurm, 501-622-7717, or Chris Darby, 870-867-7822) for more information.

(updated 3-27-2025) Capt. Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips (501-844-5418) continues to do most of his fishing at and reporting from lakes Ouachita and DeGray, and says, “The crappie are in their spawn. We have been catching ample numbers of crappie on staging tops near spawning coves 8-12 feet deep and in the buckbrush fished 3 feet deep.”

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.

(updated 4-3-2025) Sheila at Carter Cove Bait-N-More (479-272-4025) says bait customers who stop in there before heading to Blue Mountain Lake say the fishing at Blue Mountain is going well for crappie. Minnows are being used. “Almost everyone I talk to is saying, ‘Crappie, crappie, crappie’ … Some customers are wanting to catch bream and are requesting crickets, though it’s not time for the bream to be spawning yet. I still got some crickets in, though.”

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.

(updated 3-27-2025) The AGFC’s Wil Hafner at Cook’s Lake Nature Center (501-404-2321) said, “The lake has fallen over 5 feet since this time last week, causing the water to mostly be out of the woods. I do not have anything to report other than the lake is starting to look good. We will be open for youth and mobility-impaired angling and their guests this Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.”

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, with black bass, crappie, bream and catfish. This fertile oxbow receives very little fishing pressure due to it being used only for education purposes and youth and mobility-impaired fishing. Cook’s Lake is open to fishing for youths under 16 or mobility-impaired anglers who must possess the AGFC mobility impaired access permit, and up to two guests (who may also fish), during the specified fishing season. Fish from the 140-foot mobility-impaired accessible dock or launch a boat. Fishing will be allowed only on Fridays and Saturdays March through August, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., water level pending. Before launching, please check in at the Nature Center classroom and report back before leaving. For information or unscheduled closures, please call the center at 501-404-2321.

White River/Arkansas River (Pool 2)

(updated 4-3-2025) Webb’s Sporting Goods (870-946-0347) in DeWitt (1970 S. Whitehead Drive) reports that With the current weather situation, we are looking at all the rivers to be at high flow by the end of the week. This should make the catfishing better from about a week to 10 days from now. Fish have been biting before this front, but we know it will be slow after the front moves through. “As always, thanks for supporting Webb’s Sporting Goods!”

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