Central Arkansas Lake Conway
Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said bream are fair. Crappie are fair. Bass and catfish are slow.
Dan at Gold Creek Marina (501-607-0590) had no report.
Little Red River
Lindsey’s Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is low, with a little generation in the late evenings over the weekend. Trout are biting well on wax worms, nightcrawlers and Power Bait. 1/32-oz. marabou jigs are working well on rainbow and brown trout. Fly fishing has been fairly good lately.
Greers Ferry
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 460.10 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 461 MSL).
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level is rising, and the surface temperature ranges from the low 50s to 68 degrees, depending on time of day and location. Many bass are spawning in shallow water and holding around the first drop to deep water near creeks. Carolina-rigged lizards and Senkos are working well. 3-inch Senkos on a jighead and jig-and-pig combos are working as well. There are even a few frog fish showing up in the shallows. Crappie are trying to spawn on flats up the rivers. Fish jigs with minnows or small grubs just outside the flats in open water. Bream have moved shallow and are biting very well on crickets. Catfishing is excellent on live and prepared bait. Walleye are in the main lake, and are feeding on crankbaits and jighead/minnow combinations. White bass and hybrids are moving into the rivers and are biting very well on Roadrunners and grubs on a jighead. The lake bite should begin soon.
Cody S. Smith of www.fishgreersferry.com said water levels are on the rise and so is the bite. Water surface temperatures range from the upper 50s to low 60s. The walleye bite is as excellent overall. The walleye are in a post-spawn feeding surge that will take them right into summer. Look for transition areas in the creeks and large gravel flats with grass to hold the best numbers of walleyes for the rest of spring. Focus your effort in 12 to 22 feet of water. Most largemouths have pushed very shallow and should be spawning soon. Minnow imitations, jigs and grubs should all be used when trying to locate these fish. Focus on water less than 7 feet deep with access to a drop-off nearby. Hybrids have finally moved into the shallows. Swim baits, grubs, in-line spinners and most any minnow imitating lure will get bit. The bite has been best late in the afternoon and in less than 3 feet of water with wind or current present.
Harris Brake Lake
Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. No report on any other species.
Greer’s Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said the water is low. Crappie are biting very well on minnows, Bobby Garland Baby Shads, Cajun Crickets and Butter Bellies in monkey milk, white, red/white and blue/white. PowerBait crappie tubes in red/chartreuse are working as well. Catfishing is fair in deep water on minnows and blood bait. Bass are biting very well on spinnerbaits, jigs and live minnows. Yo-yos are producing some good catfish and crappie.
Lake Overcup
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water has come up a little, but Lakeview Landing on Ark. Highway 95 is still the only place to launch. Crappie are spawning, and are being caught in shallow water along the south bank and in the grass at the north end of the lake on black/chartreuse and orange/chartreuse jigs and minnows. Bass are spawning in the shallows and are being caught on top-water baits. Catfish are biting well on trotlines baited with large minnows. Bream are still slow but are getting better.
Brewer Lake
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said crappie are slow, but some are being caught on 2-inch white/chartreuse or black/chartreuse jigs. Bass are being caught in shallow water. Catfishing is good on trot lines and jugs.
Lake Maumelle
Jolly Roger’s Marina said the water level is 7.45 feet below the spillway, and the water temperature is 58 degrees. Largemouth bass are excellent on jerk baits, jigs and swim baits fished in shallow coves. Spotted bass are biting well on jigheads and grubs fished in secondary coves. The white bass run should be over by now, but it’s still going strong. There’s been great activity from Old Jolly Rogers to the end of the lake in the channels. Many limits of white bass have come from the Chimney area. Crappie are excellent near structure in 5 to 10 feet of water. They’re also moving to the banks and hitting small jigs and small pink minnows. Bream are biting well on crickets in 15 feet of water. Catfishing is good on cut shad and prepared bait. Trotlines are producing excellently.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are biting fairly well on worms and crickets in 10 feet of water. Crappie are biting well on jigs and Roadrunners fished in 8 to 10 feet of water near the banks. Bass are biting well on crawdad- and shad-colored crankbaits on main lake points. White bass are biting well in the creeks at the west end of the lake. No report on catfish.
Lake Valencia
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said a few trout are still in the lake, and are biting well on nightcrawlers and Power Bait. Catfishing is very good on worms, stinkbait and chicken hearts.
Sunset Lake
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is clear. Bream are biting well on small bits of Power Bait. Bass are biting well on soft-plastic trick worms. Catfishing is fair on live minnows. No report on crappie.
Saline River Access in Benton
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is high and muddy. Bream are fair on worms. Crappie are slow. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on minnows.
Arkansas River at Morrilton
Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said the catfish are moving to the backwater areas and behind the jetties. Live shad or bream are catching quite a few catfish. Bream are moving around the jetties and are biting well on 1/16-oz. black Rooster Tails. Crappie are improving each day up Point Remove Creek, Coppers Gap, Flagg Lake Cutoff and the Petit Jean River. Minnows fished in 3 to 6 feet of water are working well. White bass and stripers are moving up the creeks to spawn. Vertically jigging spoons with bucktails in the mouths of the creeks and casting Rat-L-Traps or Sassy Shads in the evenings along shallow water at the upstream ends of the creeks is working well. Largemouth bass are in the backwater areas and are biting well on firetiger-colored Rat-L-Traps. Spotted bass are chasing shad around the jetty tips and are being caught on shad-colored crankbaits and spinnerbaits.
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are biting very well on crickets and redworms in the streams feeding the river. Crappie are biting well in the backwater areas on minnows and red/chartreuse, blue/chartreuse and black/chartreuse jigs. Bass are biting well in the backwaters on black/chartreuse jigs, Rattling Rogues and white/chartreuse spinnerbaits. A black/chartreuse tail worm is working well on largemouth in Palarm Creek. Catfishing is excellent on trotlines, limblines and yo-yos baited with cut bait, chicken hearts and nightcrawlers.
Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool)
Vince Miller from Fish ’N Stuff had no report.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said fishing for crappie, bass and catfish is excellent below Murray Lock and Dam. Crappie are biting excellently on white/chartreuse tube jigs and pink/white Roadrunner jigs. Bass are biting excellently on silk chartreuse 3-inch twister tails and on Little Georges and spoons. Crappie fishing in the backwaters and Fourche Creek is good on live minnows fished under a slip-cork rig. Bass fishing in the backwaters is good on spinnerbaits, tube jigs and shallow-running crankbaits. Catfishing in creeks is picking up on jugs and trotlines baited with cut bait and chicken hearts.
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is at normal level and is stained. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows fished around backwater areas. Bass are fair on jigs and crankbaits. Catfishing is fair on chicken liver and cut shad.
Clear Lake
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is low and stained. Bream are biting fairly well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in shallow water around trees. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and soft-plastic lizards. Catfishing is fair with worms.
Peckerwood Lake
Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is high and stained. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well, but no word on what lures have been producing best. Catfishing is excellent on blood bait, stink bait, worms and liver.
Lake Pickthorne
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are biting well on wax worms, crickets and worms fished along the shoreline. Crappie are biting well on minnows and yellow/white or white/chartreuse jigs fished along the shore. Bass are biting well on topwater lures and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on worms and chicken hearts near the levee.
North Arkansas White River
Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is very clear and low, with only two generators running. The river is very easy to navigate right now. Trout are excellent. Rainbow trout are being caught on a variety of casting spoons. Brown trout are biting well on small jigs. Fly fishermen are catching browns and rainbows on black and brown midges.
Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) had no report.
Guide Davy Wotton said caddis are dancing, and so are the trout. Fishing has been good, despite the rough weather. Now is the time for some of the best dry fly fishing of the year, caddis hatches will continue for a few more weeks. Most fish will be near the surface, either taking emergers or the adults. Many combinations of caddis pupae and dries will work, provided they are of the right color combinations and size. As a rule, size 16 and 14 hooks work best. When there is no hatch, dead drift techniques with a pair of caddis pupae is a good bet. Top dries will include elk hair caddis and balloon caddis. Pupae in olive, insect green and tan will work, and SLF trans caddis emerger is a killer. Generations have been generally low or zero with early morning spikes of a few hours. Downside is rising water has been very trashy and will put the fish down in a hurry. You have to move either way upstream above the trash or downstream before it gets to you. Trout will generally hug the river bed during this time, and the only way to deal with it is going to high-visibility flies like worms and eggs.
Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said fishing has been good. Jigs, Rapalas or Power Bait fished along the bottom have worked well. Woolly buggers fished on a fly rod continue to produce. Be aware, the 1.5 inches of rain received over the weekend has raised the Buffalo several feet. It will take a day or so to hit the White and another day to spread down the river, but it will be murky at best. It will take a few days to clear but you can still catch fish.
Buffalo River
Just Fishing Guides said heavy rain has made the Buffalo high and muddy. The Ponca area is in flood stage and higher water is moving downstream. Fishing should be good downstream for awhile. Soft plastics in green, brown and chartreuse will be working. Get out and enjoy a day on the river paddling you canoe and kayak. Water temperatures have averaged 62 degrees with a high of 68 degrees.
Crooked Creek
Just Fishing Guides said the river is rising, but it’s still fishable. The water is at 11.99 feet at Kelly’s Slab with a current of 129 cfs. Soft plastics such as tube baits, hula grubs and lizards are working in watermelon red, green pumpkinseed and pumpkinseed. Fly fishermen should use crawdad patterns.
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 651.90 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 654 MSL).
Mike Worley’s Guide Service said water temperatures fluctuate from the lower 50s to the upper 50s. Many walleye are up on the points at night, getting ready to spawn. The walleye bite usually gets going well at water temps of about 60 degrees. We have been catching walleyes casting stick baits late in the day and just after dark and trolling crankbaits during the day. Bass are biting stick baits on chunk rock points on windy days. White bass are biting well in the backs of creek arms and bays in very shallow water when the wind is blowing. Crappie have been biting around brush piles; some days, fishing over shallow brush works best and on other days, a jig and minnow fished on the bottom is the ticket.
Local Guide Bob Pauletti (870-656-3350) said the fishing on the lake is on fire. If any one is thinking of fishing Bull Shoals, now is the time. White bass are very active in the backs of the major creeks. Small white jigs, Road Runners and crankbaits are all producing fish. Crappie are on brush piles and can be caught on a jig-and-minnow or small stick bait. Spotted bass are close to spawning, and are feeding on live bait in 15 to 20 feet of water. Smallmouth bass also are close to spawning and have the feed bag on. Fishing the major creek arms with tube baits is working well. Largemouth bass are excellent on jerk baits fished around windy areas or crayfish-imitating baits. Walleye are on the banks at night, but are only thinking of spawning. Very soon, a nightcrawler dragged behind a White River rig will produce during the day and a jerk bait fished along the bank will work at night.
Bull Shoals Tailwater
Just Fishing Guides said generation has been averaging 0-3 units over the past week. Caddis have been either hatching or laying eggs all week. Being at the right place at the right time on the river is partly a matter of luck. During periods of generation, streamers fished from a boat can put you on some really nice fish. A few sulphur mayflies are starting to come off on the lower river, so various pheasant tail patterns should be in your nymph rotation. Midges, scuds, sow bugs and worm patterns are also working when no caddis are present.
Lake Norfork
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 550.65 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April - 552 MSL, April-Sept. - 554 MSL).
Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said the water temperature is in the upper 50s to the low 60s. Stripers are hitting live bait, swim baits and large Bass Assassin Shads early. At night, the stripers are hitting stick baits. Bass are hitting a variety of baits from the surface to 30-40 feet of water. There are some reports of some crappie starting to move up.
STR Outfitters said stripers are in their spring run, with the water temperature at 61 degrees. Look for stripers in small bays and creek turns up the creeks, particularly the Fout area. Fish threadfin and gizzard shad on long lines, balloons and planer boards during the day. The night bite is beginning on the points with stick baits. Crappie have moved up and will be spawning this week.
Guide Steve Olomon had no report.
Highway 101 Grocery and Bait said fishing has been fair for the most part, due to the fluctuating weather. Crappie are hitting minnows as well as small soft-plastic jigs. A lot of small fish are being caught. Stripers and walleye are doing best at night and early in the morning. Bass are hitting jerk baits and crankbaits. White bass fishing has been off and on. As long as the weather stays nice, fishing and catching should explode for the crappie, sunfish, stripers and whites as well as the bass and walleye. Catfishing is slow.
Norfork Tailwater
Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said generators are running about two hours per day at different times. There’s been a lot of pressure from anglers. San Juan worms with a scud or sow bug dropper has produced well, but the catching is slow.
Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) had no report.
Just Fishing Guides said generation has been light or off all week. Low water has given anglers ample opportunity to get out and enjoy warm spring weather and fish dry flies for trout. Caddis are either hatching or laying eggs from below Gene’s pool to the handicap access. Size 14 elk hair caddis with a soft hackle or pupae in olive green is working well when caddis are on the water and fish are looking up. Midges, scuds and sow bugs are working if caddis aren’t present. Zebra midges in black and gray, Ozark swimming scud and humpback scud in olive, gray or tan and Ozark tailwater sow bug are a few patterns to try.
Northwest Arkansas Beaver Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,115.31 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 1,120 MSL).
Bailey’s Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) said striper fishing has been fair, fish have been biting on and off through out the day. Stripers are in their usual spring pattern. Break out your spoons, jigs and rooster tails; the white bass run is on. Stripers are being caught on free lines and balloons fished 15 feet deep with most action on free lines. Bait can still be found in the backs of coves looking for warm water. Striper are holding on main lake structure near any cove that is holding shad. Stripers also can be taken with no. 9 Rapala Originals, Husky Jerks and Rattling Rogues flatline trolled at a speed of about 2-2.5mph. On the mid and lower sections check out Indian Creek (free line the flats), Big Clifty (fish flats with free lines and watch for surface activity) and Rocky Branch (Try Larue Cove and striper island near Larue. Also pay attention to the flat across from the water intake that is in the "Doc’s cabin" area.). In the Upper section try Prairie Creek (not many fish, but they’re big, pay attention to the islands and free line the cove), Coose Hollow (look near the flats), Ventris, Blackburn Creek (focus on the back of Blackburn for large schools of shad and free line the cove for stripers), Horseshoe bend (Check Escalapia hollow), Monte-Ne (look in the back for shad and free line near the flats at Point 11), and War Eagle (go as far as you can upstream for white bass action; stripers are excellent from Point 12 to as far as you can get upriver. Old man Goss’ place is excellent now). The walleye are spawning in War Eagle and are being caught from the mouth of the creek, upriver as far as you can get a boat. As the walleye run ends, the fish will begin moving downstream. Most walleye will be about 5 to 10 feet deep around points and on mid stream humps. Cast spoons, Rooster Tails and jigs in white, chartreuse, orange and silver. Flat line troll over shallow bars with Rapalas in natural blue or black back or Rogues in clown flash.
JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass have begun to spawn in shallow water and are holding close to rocks, timber and lay downs close to the bank. Use a spinnerbait, crankbait or hula grub and fish them around the visual structure. Crappie also have begun to spawn and can be found lake wide around laydowns, brush piles and timber close to the bank near channels. A minnow, Shineee Hineee jig or a tube jig under a cork fished 2 to 5 feet deep has been the best method to catch these fish. White bass continue to bite well up either river on silver or chartreuse Shineee Hineee jigs or tiny traps in deeper pools or channel bends. Catfishing is good from the bank in the evening lake wide using liver or worms.
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is low and in the mid-50s. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. Crappie are excellent on minnows and jigs fished in brush piles 2 to 10 feet deep. Bass are biting well on crawdad-colored crankbaits and spinnerbaits. White bass are fair to good on Rooster Tails, live crayfish and Lil’ Fishies swim baits. No report on catfish.
Beaver Tailwater
Just Fishing Guides said there’s been little to no generation for the past several weeks. Midges, scuds and sow bugs dead drifted under an indicator are providing good numbers of fish. Small streamers, sized 8-12 are working on days when the fish are more aggressive. Suggested patterns include zebra midges (sizes 16-20 in olive, gray, brown and black), humpback scud and Ozark swimming scud (sizes 12-16 in olive, tan and gray), Ray Charles Sow Bug and Ozark Tailwater Sow Bug (sizes 14-18), Slumpbusters, Sparrows, .56ers and Woolly Buggers (sizes 8-12).
Kings River
Just Fishing Guides said the water is at 5 feet and 1,380 cfs at Grandview Bridge. The water is high and slightly muddy. Fly fishing is tough with the high water, but spin fishing is good with soft plastics. Water temperatures have ranged from 59 to 69 degrees.
Lake Fayetteville
Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said the water is at 64 degrees. Bream are biting well on crickets and micro-jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Black bass are biting fairly well on broken-tailed Rapala crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps and jerk baits. White bass are biting well on jigs and minnows. No report on catfish.
Lake Sequoyah
Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is muddy and high. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Crappie are near the bank and are biting jigs and minnows. Bass are slow. Catfishing is good on worms and chicken livers. A few walleye have been caught near the dam.
Northeast Arkansas Lake Charles
Lake Charles State Park said crappie have started to bite on live bait. There have been several reports of bass being caught on crankbaits. The water temperature ranges from the upper 40s to the low 50s. Slow down your presentation for better results on bass and crappie.
Lake Poinsett
Lake Poinsett State Park said more crappie are being caught lately. There still aren’t any limits coming in, but the size of the fish is very good. Bass are biting well on jigs and on minnows by crappie anglers.
Crown Lake
Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished 18 inches deep in 8 feet of water around the dock. Bass are excellent on deep-running crankbaits and jerk baits. Bass are on the beds right now. No report on catfish or bream.
Lake Frierson
Lake Frierson State Park said the water is murky and at normal level. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Crappie are fair on jigs. Bass are fair on minnows. Catfishing is good on worms and chicken livers.
Spring River
Mark Crawford with Spring River Flies and Guides said the water is clear and current has been around 300cfs. Fly-fishing for trout over the last week has been excellent. High numbers and really good sized fish are being caught on float trips. Hot flies are BH grandma’s brownie, Y2Ks and olive woolly buggers. The fly for the week has been Mark’s emerger. Chartreuse and orange Trout Magnet, fished under a small float and drifted with the current, are hard to beat. All of the campgrounds have opened for the summer and have been producing some excellent smallmouth fishing. Large grandma’s brownies and Troutslayers have been producing very nice smallmouth. Rock bass have been hitting hard in back eddies and along shorelines.
Spring River Fly Shop had no report.
Southeast Arkansas Lake Chicot
Lake Chicot State Park said the surface water temperature is around 60 degrees. The water clarity is around 10 inches. Bream are biting on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Catfishing is good on worms and chicken liver.
Cane Creek Lake
Cane Creek State Park said bass our still going strong on Cane Creek with 6, 7, and 8 pounders being caught on a regular basis. Minnows, topwater lures and soft plastics seem to be working the best. Trotlines baited with live bait are the best bet for catfish, but rod-and-reel anglers are doing well near the levee.
Lake Monticello
Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of MonticelloBigBass.com said spring is here and the fishing is picking up. Bass are hanging out in the shallows, and many are still cruising and bedding. Soft plastics have been the best bet for cruising and bedding fish in deeper water. Sight fishing is still working well, but finding spawners is a bit more difficult than usual. There is a live bait bite with shiners and black salties.
Southwest Arkansas Millwood Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.39 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 259.2 MSL).
Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said surface temps continue rising and currently range 65 to 73 degrees. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has reduced total discharge to 215 cfs. Clarity on the main lake remained poor with the high wind and ranges 3-6 inches at best in the River depending on location. Largemouth, spotted and white Bass continue to bite fair to good depending on cold fronts. The bite continues improving daily with the warming trends. Largemouth Bass remain in various stages of the spawn in backs of creek channels and oxbows along Little River. Male and female largemouths are tending beds. The best baits are Rat-L-Traps, jigs, lizards, Bass Assassin Shads, and trick worms. The best colors for jigs have been black/blue and Texas Craw. Soft-plastics in junebug, black neon and chartreuse pumpkin are working well. Trick worms are best in lemon-lime and Merthiolate colors. Lily pads have begun opening and blooming over the past couple weeks, and the frog bite should be in full swing soon. White Bass continue roaming Little River, and are biting well near Hurricane Creek, White Cliffs and McGuire. These fish are eager to hit a number of lures, such as Rocket Shads, Bomber Fat Free Shads, Rat-L-Traps, Cordell Gay Blades, Cordell CC Spoons, grubs on lead head jigs, Little Georges and white/red Rooster Tails. The crappie bite is fair, but improving daily. Vertical jigging tiny jigs, grubs and shiners over and in planted brush piles and tops along Little River above White Cliffs campground has worked well. Channel catfish continue feeding well, and some nice 4- to 5-pound blue catfish were brought in from trotlines and tightlines in Little River. The best baits for catfish have been redworms, catalpa worms and Catfish Charlie.
Lake Columbia
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water is low. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs (some are even being caught on crickets by bream fishermen). Bass are fair on soft-plastic lizards.
Lake Erling
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water is low. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair on soft-plastic lizards.
Lake Greeson
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 541.23 MSL (Flood pool - 548 MSL).
Lakeside Grocery and Bait (870-398-5304) said the water is clear to murky and the surface temperature is 70 degrees. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in 2 to 3 feet of water. Bass are biting well on crankbaits and soft-plastic trick worms in 2 to 8 feet of water. Catfishing is good on stinkbait and nightcrawlers. Walleye are biting well in the river arms on crankbaits.
For more information on crappie fishing at Lake Greeson, visit Jerry Blake’s website, www.actionfishingtrips.com/tripreports.htm.
Lake Greeson Tailwater (Little Missouri River)
Visit www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com for a daily update on fishing conditions.
Cossatot River
Cossatot River State Park had no report.
DeGray Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 396.25 feet MSL (Flood pool - 408 MSL).
Due to the low water, boaters should use extreme caution when navigating DeGray. Many unmarked islands and humps are just under the surface, which can cause serious damage and harm if struck.
Local angler George Graves said surface water temperature is near 70 degrees and the lake is very clear up to Point 15 and only slightly discolored to Point Cedar. Bass fishing is very good with many good catches reported. The fish are spawning and are in the shallow cover on the points in the spawning coves. Fish 5 to 10 feet deep and look for any surface activity in the morning. Throw a top water lure, swim bait or Rat-L-Trap to the schooling fish. Later in the day, use a Texas- or Carolina-rigged worm or lizard in green pumpkin or red shad or a crawfish-colored jig-and-pig. The best areas for bass have been between Edgewood and Point Cedar. Some nice catches also have been reported from Big Hill Creek. Crappie fishing has slowed a little, but is still quite good. The fish are relating to brush piles in 12 to 18 feet of water. The best lures are a Tennessee shad 2-inch grub or a smoke/silver flake tube on a 1/32- or 1/16-ounce jig head. Work the jig slowly over the thickest part of the brush and be sure to cover the entire attractor. With the warmer water and weather, fishing is now best early in the morning and late in the evening. Shouse Ford is still the best area, but a few fish are coming from Lenox Marcus and Yancey Creek. Hybrid fishing has slowed with very little schooling activity. A few fish have been reported in Shouse Ford in the early morning. Trolling a 3-inch white grub has worked fairly well. Bream are starting to move to the shallow cover, but very few anglers are fishing for them.
West-Central Arkansas Lake Nimrod
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 345.56 feet MSL.
Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said the water is at normal level. Crappie and catfish are biting excellently on minnows. Catfish are also biting very well on worms, stink bait and PowerBait.
Lake Bailey (Petit Jean Mountain)
Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said bream are biting excellently on crickets and worms. Catfishing is fair on worms and minnows.
Fourche La Fave River
Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said yo-yos and trotlines are producing catfish on minnows and stink bait. Strike King jugs baited with live bait also are catching some good catfish. Crappie are biting well on minnows.
Lake Hinkle
Bill’s Bait Shop (479-637-7419) said the water is low and clear. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and spoons. Catfishing is fair on shiners and nightcrawlers.
Lake Dardanelle
Regina Olson at Spadra Marina said crappie have begun to bite in 6 inches to one foot of water on minnows and red/green jigs. Catfish are biting well on shad and goldfish. White bass are beginning to group together, but action has been slow. Bass have been sporadic.
Blue Mountain Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 386.68 feet MSL.
Teresa at CD’s Quick Stop (479-947-2178) said the water is murky and at normal level. Crappie are biting well on minnows fished along the bank. Bass are fair on minnows. Catfish are slow.
Lake Ouachita
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 570.58 MSL (Flood pool - 578 MSL).
Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said bass fishing is excellent. Bass are in all stages of the spawn. Swim baits fished around creek channel points are working well for post-spawn fish, while white lizards are producing fish from spawning beds. Stripers are fair on shad and spoons.
Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports said the water temperature is in the upper 50s to the low 60s. The lake level is very low and the water is clear on the main lake and stained in the creeks. Bass are being caught on jerk baits and jighead worms over moss. The best moss is on the northeast side of the lake, from Rabbit to Blakley’s. Also try a crankbait in the timber. Crappie are biting on jigs and minnows in 5 to 8 feet of water at the edge of moss or timber lines.
Mountain Harbor Resort said the water temperature ranges from 52 to 68 degrees, depending on location and time of day. Largemouth bass are biting very well on Carolina-rigged lizards and floating worms (watermelon seed, green pumpkin and watermelon candy are the best colors). Jerk baits fished over main lake points and humps are still getting good results. Walleye are biting well on fluorescent jigs and watermelon seed plastics fished 12 to 15 feet deep around brush in the river channels. Stripers are biting very well on live bait, soft-plastic grubs and white or gray hair jigs. Reports of top water action are starting to come in to the marina. Bream are still good and being caught on crickets or worms 15 to 25 feet deep near brush. Crappie are excellent and being caught near and over brush in water 8 to 12 feet deep. Minnows or crappie grubs are still working best. Tennessee shad, albino shad and rainbow trout are the best colors for artificial baits. Catfish are good and are being caught on cut bait and live bait on jug lines and trotlines.
Lake Hamilton
Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports said the water temperature is in the upper 50s to low 60s, and the water is clear. The lake is full and warming quickly. Bass are being caught in creeks on a jigworm in the guts of pockets. Also, try a crankbait on rocks with sun shining on them or a Rat-L-Trap on sunny flats in the afternoon. After rains, concentrate in the creeks with a spinnerbait. Crappie are being caught in 5 to 8 feet of water on jigs or minnows.
For a daily fishing report from Darryl Morris, visit Family Fishing Trips.
Lake Catherine
Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, said water temperature below Carpenter Dam has risen to 49 degrees. Moss growth is still low, but on the increase. Rainbow trout fishing remains excellent with good numbers of fish caught on a daily basis. Boaters trolling the main channel below the bridge have done well with small crankbaits that imitate shad or crawfish. Spin fishermen casting Super Dupers in sliver or gold or Countdown Rapalas in sliver and black are recording limits of quality trout. Bank anglers are catching the most trout on wax worms floated off the bottom with marshmallows. Redworms and small nightcrawlers will also attract trout fished in the same manner. Crappie remain slow, but some very nice fish have been caught below the dam on live minnows. White bass are also present, spawning alongside the crappie and are being caught on minnows tightlined over deeper water. Striper action is hit-and-miss with some topwater activity observed. Most of the fish are singles and are chasing shad or trout over deeper water by the bridge. Brood or gizzard shad tightlined or fished under a balloon rig give anglers the best chance of hooking a big striper.
Rick Sawyer at Dozhier’s Rainbow Landing (501-262-2825) said trout fishing is excellent below the dam.
Lake Atkins
Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said fishing is good. Bream, redear and white bass are plentiful and easy to catch anywhere along the banks. Slab crappie are being caught in about 8 or 9 feet of water. The best crappie are coming away from the bank by boat anglers. Some are being caught off the banks, but it’s slow. Bass are picking up some.
South-Central Arkansas Moro Bay
Moro Bay State Park at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay had no report.
Ouachita River Oxbows
Jaret Rushing said fishing has slowed a bit. The oxbows are still producing a lot of bass, but the big ones are few and far between. Folks seem to be catching them on spinnerbaits around the edges of moss banks. A few fish have been caught on topwater lures lately as well.
Tri-County Lake
Jaret Rushing said bass are moving to the rock banks and the inlets. Folks are still catching a few crappie in the channels around tops and stumps. No report as to what they are catching them on, though.
East Arkansas Bear Creek Lake
Mississippi River State Park said campers at Beech Point Campground are saying bass have been biting well on spinnerbaits in about 3-5 feet of water near the bank. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows and worms and catfish are fair to good on cut bait.
Storm Creek Lake
Mississippi River State Park said crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Bream are fair to good on beetles and crickets. Bass are biting well on jigs fished in about 4 feet of water.
Arkansas River at Pine Bluff
The Tackle Box (870-534-1498) had no report.
White River
Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are biting fairly well on soft-plastic worms and crankbaits.
Adam Mount, avid fisherman and guide, said the water conditions between lock 1 and 2 are excellent. The river is at a real nice boating level and the black bass and crappie are starting to spawn. Fishing is excellent on shiners, green sunfish and worms fished with a float set 2 feet deep. White bass are biting well on shiners drifted around rocks and flats. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits.
Maddox Bay
Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on shallow-running crankbaits. No report on catfish.
Island 40 Chute
Daily’s Boat Dock (870-739-3478) said the water is high. No report on any species.
Horseshoe Lake
Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water level is normal, and the water is clear and warm. Bream are biting well on redworms fished around shallow cover. Crappie are biting well on black/chartreuse jigs. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits fished along the edge of the lily pads. Catfishing is good on worms and cut bait hung from yo-yos or trotlines around cypress trees and knees.
Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said bream are fair. Crappie are fair. Bass and catfish are slow.
Dan at Gold Creek Marina (501-607-0590) had no report.
Little Red River
Lindsey’s Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is low, with a little generation in the late evenings over the weekend. Trout are biting well on wax worms, nightcrawlers and Power Bait. 1/32-oz. marabou jigs are working well on rainbow and brown trout. Fly fishing has been fairly good lately.
Greers Ferry
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 460.10 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 461 MSL).
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level is rising, and the surface temperature ranges from the low 50s to 68 degrees, depending on time of day and location. Many bass are spawning in shallow water and holding around the first drop to deep water near creeks. Carolina-rigged lizards and Senkos are working well. 3-inch Senkos on a jighead and jig-and-pig combos are working as well. There are even a few frog fish showing up in the shallows. Crappie are trying to spawn on flats up the rivers. Fish jigs with minnows or small grubs just outside the flats in open water. Bream have moved shallow and are biting very well on crickets. Catfishing is excellent on live and prepared bait. Walleye are in the main lake, and are feeding on crankbaits and jighead/minnow combinations. White bass and hybrids are moving into the rivers and are biting very well on Roadrunners and grubs on a jighead. The lake bite should begin soon.
Cody S. Smith of www.fishgreersferry.com said water levels are on the rise and so is the bite. Water surface temperatures range from the upper 50s to low 60s. The walleye bite is as excellent overall. The walleye are in a post-spawn feeding surge that will take them right into summer. Look for transition areas in the creeks and large gravel flats with grass to hold the best numbers of walleyes for the rest of spring. Focus your effort in 12 to 22 feet of water. Most largemouths have pushed very shallow and should be spawning soon. Minnow imitations, jigs and grubs should all be used when trying to locate these fish. Focus on water less than 7 feet deep with access to a drop-off nearby. Hybrids have finally moved into the shallows. Swim baits, grubs, in-line spinners and most any minnow imitating lure will get bit. The bite has been best late in the afternoon and in less than 3 feet of water with wind or current present.
Harris Brake Lake
Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. No report on any other species.
Greer’s Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said the water is low. Crappie are biting very well on minnows, Bobby Garland Baby Shads, Cajun Crickets and Butter Bellies in monkey milk, white, red/white and blue/white. PowerBait crappie tubes in red/chartreuse are working as well. Catfishing is fair in deep water on minnows and blood bait. Bass are biting very well on spinnerbaits, jigs and live minnows. Yo-yos are producing some good catfish and crappie.
Lake Overcup
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water has come up a little, but Lakeview Landing on Ark. Highway 95 is still the only place to launch. Crappie are spawning, and are being caught in shallow water along the south bank and in the grass at the north end of the lake on black/chartreuse and orange/chartreuse jigs and minnows. Bass are spawning in the shallows and are being caught on top-water baits. Catfish are biting well on trotlines baited with large minnows. Bream are still slow but are getting better.
Brewer Lake
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said crappie are slow, but some are being caught on 2-inch white/chartreuse or black/chartreuse jigs. Bass are being caught in shallow water. Catfishing is good on trot lines and jugs.
Lake Maumelle
Jolly Roger’s Marina said the water level is 7.45 feet below the spillway, and the water temperature is 58 degrees. Largemouth bass are excellent on jerk baits, jigs and swim baits fished in shallow coves. Spotted bass are biting well on jigheads and grubs fished in secondary coves. The white bass run should be over by now, but it’s still going strong. There’s been great activity from Old Jolly Rogers to the end of the lake in the channels. Many limits of white bass have come from the Chimney area. Crappie are excellent near structure in 5 to 10 feet of water. They’re also moving to the banks and hitting small jigs and small pink minnows. Bream are biting well on crickets in 15 feet of water. Catfishing is good on cut shad and prepared bait. Trotlines are producing excellently.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are biting fairly well on worms and crickets in 10 feet of water. Crappie are biting well on jigs and Roadrunners fished in 8 to 10 feet of water near the banks. Bass are biting well on crawdad- and shad-colored crankbaits on main lake points. White bass are biting well in the creeks at the west end of the lake. No report on catfish.
Lake Valencia
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said a few trout are still in the lake, and are biting well on nightcrawlers and Power Bait. Catfishing is very good on worms, stinkbait and chicken hearts.
Sunset Lake
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is clear. Bream are biting well on small bits of Power Bait. Bass are biting well on soft-plastic trick worms. Catfishing is fair on live minnows. No report on crappie.
Saline River Access in Benton
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is high and muddy. Bream are fair on worms. Crappie are slow. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on minnows.
Arkansas River at Morrilton
Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said the catfish are moving to the backwater areas and behind the jetties. Live shad or bream are catching quite a few catfish. Bream are moving around the jetties and are biting well on 1/16-oz. black Rooster Tails. Crappie are improving each day up Point Remove Creek, Coppers Gap, Flagg Lake Cutoff and the Petit Jean River. Minnows fished in 3 to 6 feet of water are working well. White bass and stripers are moving up the creeks to spawn. Vertically jigging spoons with bucktails in the mouths of the creeks and casting Rat-L-Traps or Sassy Shads in the evenings along shallow water at the upstream ends of the creeks is working well. Largemouth bass are in the backwater areas and are biting well on firetiger-colored Rat-L-Traps. Spotted bass are chasing shad around the jetty tips and are being caught on shad-colored crankbaits and spinnerbaits.
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are biting very well on crickets and redworms in the streams feeding the river. Crappie are biting well in the backwater areas on minnows and red/chartreuse, blue/chartreuse and black/chartreuse jigs. Bass are biting well in the backwaters on black/chartreuse jigs, Rattling Rogues and white/chartreuse spinnerbaits. A black/chartreuse tail worm is working well on largemouth in Palarm Creek. Catfishing is excellent on trotlines, limblines and yo-yos baited with cut bait, chicken hearts and nightcrawlers.
Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool)
Vince Miller from Fish ’N Stuff had no report.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said fishing for crappie, bass and catfish is excellent below Murray Lock and Dam. Crappie are biting excellently on white/chartreuse tube jigs and pink/white Roadrunner jigs. Bass are biting excellently on silk chartreuse 3-inch twister tails and on Little Georges and spoons. Crappie fishing in the backwaters and Fourche Creek is good on live minnows fished under a slip-cork rig. Bass fishing in the backwaters is good on spinnerbaits, tube jigs and shallow-running crankbaits. Catfishing in creeks is picking up on jugs and trotlines baited with cut bait and chicken hearts.
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is at normal level and is stained. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows fished around backwater areas. Bass are fair on jigs and crankbaits. Catfishing is fair on chicken liver and cut shad.
Clear Lake
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is low and stained. Bream are biting fairly well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in shallow water around trees. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and soft-plastic lizards. Catfishing is fair with worms.
Peckerwood Lake
Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is high and stained. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well, but no word on what lures have been producing best. Catfishing is excellent on blood bait, stink bait, worms and liver.
Lake Pickthorne
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said bream are biting well on wax worms, crickets and worms fished along the shoreline. Crappie are biting well on minnows and yellow/white or white/chartreuse jigs fished along the shore. Bass are biting well on topwater lures and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on worms and chicken hearts near the levee.
North Arkansas White River
Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is very clear and low, with only two generators running. The river is very easy to navigate right now. Trout are excellent. Rainbow trout are being caught on a variety of casting spoons. Brown trout are biting well on small jigs. Fly fishermen are catching browns and rainbows on black and brown midges.
Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) had no report.
Guide Davy Wotton said caddis are dancing, and so are the trout. Fishing has been good, despite the rough weather. Now is the time for some of the best dry fly fishing of the year, caddis hatches will continue for a few more weeks. Most fish will be near the surface, either taking emergers or the adults. Many combinations of caddis pupae and dries will work, provided they are of the right color combinations and size. As a rule, size 16 and 14 hooks work best. When there is no hatch, dead drift techniques with a pair of caddis pupae is a good bet. Top dries will include elk hair caddis and balloon caddis. Pupae in olive, insect green and tan will work, and SLF trans caddis emerger is a killer. Generations have been generally low or zero with early morning spikes of a few hours. Downside is rising water has been very trashy and will put the fish down in a hurry. You have to move either way upstream above the trash or downstream before it gets to you. Trout will generally hug the river bed during this time, and the only way to deal with it is going to high-visibility flies like worms and eggs.
Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said fishing has been good. Jigs, Rapalas or Power Bait fished along the bottom have worked well. Woolly buggers fished on a fly rod continue to produce. Be aware, the 1.5 inches of rain received over the weekend has raised the Buffalo several feet. It will take a day or so to hit the White and another day to spread down the river, but it will be murky at best. It will take a few days to clear but you can still catch fish.
Buffalo River
Just Fishing Guides said heavy rain has made the Buffalo high and muddy. The Ponca area is in flood stage and higher water is moving downstream. Fishing should be good downstream for awhile. Soft plastics in green, brown and chartreuse will be working. Get out and enjoy a day on the river paddling you canoe and kayak. Water temperatures have averaged 62 degrees with a high of 68 degrees.
Crooked Creek
Just Fishing Guides said the river is rising, but it’s still fishable. The water is at 11.99 feet at Kelly’s Slab with a current of 129 cfs. Soft plastics such as tube baits, hula grubs and lizards are working in watermelon red, green pumpkinseed and pumpkinseed. Fly fishermen should use crawdad patterns.
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 651.90 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 654 MSL).
Mike Worley’s Guide Service said water temperatures fluctuate from the lower 50s to the upper 50s. Many walleye are up on the points at night, getting ready to spawn. The walleye bite usually gets going well at water temps of about 60 degrees. We have been catching walleyes casting stick baits late in the day and just after dark and trolling crankbaits during the day. Bass are biting stick baits on chunk rock points on windy days. White bass are biting well in the backs of creek arms and bays in very shallow water when the wind is blowing. Crappie have been biting around brush piles; some days, fishing over shallow brush works best and on other days, a jig and minnow fished on the bottom is the ticket.
Local Guide Bob Pauletti (870-656-3350) said the fishing on the lake is on fire. If any one is thinking of fishing Bull Shoals, now is the time. White bass are very active in the backs of the major creeks. Small white jigs, Road Runners and crankbaits are all producing fish. Crappie are on brush piles and can be caught on a jig-and-minnow or small stick bait. Spotted bass are close to spawning, and are feeding on live bait in 15 to 20 feet of water. Smallmouth bass also are close to spawning and have the feed bag on. Fishing the major creek arms with tube baits is working well. Largemouth bass are excellent on jerk baits fished around windy areas or crayfish-imitating baits. Walleye are on the banks at night, but are only thinking of spawning. Very soon, a nightcrawler dragged behind a White River rig will produce during the day and a jerk bait fished along the bank will work at night.
Bull Shoals Tailwater
Just Fishing Guides said generation has been averaging 0-3 units over the past week. Caddis have been either hatching or laying eggs all week. Being at the right place at the right time on the river is partly a matter of luck. During periods of generation, streamers fished from a boat can put you on some really nice fish. A few sulphur mayflies are starting to come off on the lower river, so various pheasant tail patterns should be in your nymph rotation. Midges, scuds, sow bugs and worm patterns are also working when no caddis are present.
Lake Norfork
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 550.65 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April - 552 MSL, April-Sept. - 554 MSL).
Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said the water temperature is in the upper 50s to the low 60s. Stripers are hitting live bait, swim baits and large Bass Assassin Shads early. At night, the stripers are hitting stick baits. Bass are hitting a variety of baits from the surface to 30-40 feet of water. There are some reports of some crappie starting to move up.
STR Outfitters said stripers are in their spring run, with the water temperature at 61 degrees. Look for stripers in small bays and creek turns up the creeks, particularly the Fout area. Fish threadfin and gizzard shad on long lines, balloons and planer boards during the day. The night bite is beginning on the points with stick baits. Crappie have moved up and will be spawning this week.
Guide Steve Olomon had no report.
Highway 101 Grocery and Bait said fishing has been fair for the most part, due to the fluctuating weather. Crappie are hitting minnows as well as small soft-plastic jigs. A lot of small fish are being caught. Stripers and walleye are doing best at night and early in the morning. Bass are hitting jerk baits and crankbaits. White bass fishing has been off and on. As long as the weather stays nice, fishing and catching should explode for the crappie, sunfish, stripers and whites as well as the bass and walleye. Catfishing is slow.
Norfork Tailwater
Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said generators are running about two hours per day at different times. There’s been a lot of pressure from anglers. San Juan worms with a scud or sow bug dropper has produced well, but the catching is slow.
Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) had no report.
Just Fishing Guides said generation has been light or off all week. Low water has given anglers ample opportunity to get out and enjoy warm spring weather and fish dry flies for trout. Caddis are either hatching or laying eggs from below Gene’s pool to the handicap access. Size 14 elk hair caddis with a soft hackle or pupae in olive green is working well when caddis are on the water and fish are looking up. Midges, scuds and sow bugs are working if caddis aren’t present. Zebra midges in black and gray, Ozark swimming scud and humpback scud in olive, gray or tan and Ozark tailwater sow bug are a few patterns to try.
Northwest Arkansas Beaver Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,115.31 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 1,120 MSL).
Bailey’s Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) said striper fishing has been fair, fish have been biting on and off through out the day. Stripers are in their usual spring pattern. Break out your spoons, jigs and rooster tails; the white bass run is on. Stripers are being caught on free lines and balloons fished 15 feet deep with most action on free lines. Bait can still be found in the backs of coves looking for warm water. Striper are holding on main lake structure near any cove that is holding shad. Stripers also can be taken with no. 9 Rapala Originals, Husky Jerks and Rattling Rogues flatline trolled at a speed of about 2-2.5mph. On the mid and lower sections check out Indian Creek (free line the flats), Big Clifty (fish flats with free lines and watch for surface activity) and Rocky Branch (Try Larue Cove and striper island near Larue. Also pay attention to the flat across from the water intake that is in the "Doc’s cabin" area.). In the Upper section try Prairie Creek (not many fish, but they’re big, pay attention to the islands and free line the cove), Coose Hollow (look near the flats), Ventris, Blackburn Creek (focus on the back of Blackburn for large schools of shad and free line the cove for stripers), Horseshoe bend (Check Escalapia hollow), Monte-Ne (look in the back for shad and free line near the flats at Point 11), and War Eagle (go as far as you can upstream for white bass action; stripers are excellent from Point 12 to as far as you can get upriver. Old man Goss’ place is excellent now). The walleye are spawning in War Eagle and are being caught from the mouth of the creek, upriver as far as you can get a boat. As the walleye run ends, the fish will begin moving downstream. Most walleye will be about 5 to 10 feet deep around points and on mid stream humps. Cast spoons, Rooster Tails and jigs in white, chartreuse, orange and silver. Flat line troll over shallow bars with Rapalas in natural blue or black back or Rogues in clown flash.
JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass have begun to spawn in shallow water and are holding close to rocks, timber and lay downs close to the bank. Use a spinnerbait, crankbait or hula grub and fish them around the visual structure. Crappie also have begun to spawn and can be found lake wide around laydowns, brush piles and timber close to the bank near channels. A minnow, Shineee Hineee jig or a tube jig under a cork fished 2 to 5 feet deep has been the best method to catch these fish. White bass continue to bite well up either river on silver or chartreuse Shineee Hineee jigs or tiny traps in deeper pools or channel bends. Catfishing is good from the bank in the evening lake wide using liver or worms.
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is low and in the mid-50s. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. Crappie are excellent on minnows and jigs fished in brush piles 2 to 10 feet deep. Bass are biting well on crawdad-colored crankbaits and spinnerbaits. White bass are fair to good on Rooster Tails, live crayfish and Lil’ Fishies swim baits. No report on catfish.
Beaver Tailwater
Just Fishing Guides said there’s been little to no generation for the past several weeks. Midges, scuds and sow bugs dead drifted under an indicator are providing good numbers of fish. Small streamers, sized 8-12 are working on days when the fish are more aggressive. Suggested patterns include zebra midges (sizes 16-20 in olive, gray, brown and black), humpback scud and Ozark swimming scud (sizes 12-16 in olive, tan and gray), Ray Charles Sow Bug and Ozark Tailwater Sow Bug (sizes 14-18), Slumpbusters, Sparrows, .56ers and Woolly Buggers (sizes 8-12).
Kings River
Just Fishing Guides said the water is at 5 feet and 1,380 cfs at Grandview Bridge. The water is high and slightly muddy. Fly fishing is tough with the high water, but spin fishing is good with soft plastics. Water temperatures have ranged from 59 to 69 degrees.
Lake Fayetteville
Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said the water is at 64 degrees. Bream are biting well on crickets and micro-jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Black bass are biting fairly well on broken-tailed Rapala crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps and jerk baits. White bass are biting well on jigs and minnows. No report on catfish.
Lake Sequoyah
Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is muddy and high. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Crappie are near the bank and are biting jigs and minnows. Bass are slow. Catfishing is good on worms and chicken livers. A few walleye have been caught near the dam.
Northeast Arkansas Lake Charles
Lake Charles State Park said crappie have started to bite on live bait. There have been several reports of bass being caught on crankbaits. The water temperature ranges from the upper 40s to the low 50s. Slow down your presentation for better results on bass and crappie.
Lake Poinsett
Lake Poinsett State Park said more crappie are being caught lately. There still aren’t any limits coming in, but the size of the fish is very good. Bass are biting well on jigs and on minnows by crappie anglers.
Crown Lake
Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished 18 inches deep in 8 feet of water around the dock. Bass are excellent on deep-running crankbaits and jerk baits. Bass are on the beds right now. No report on catfish or bream.
Lake Frierson
Lake Frierson State Park said the water is murky and at normal level. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Crappie are fair on jigs. Bass are fair on minnows. Catfishing is good on worms and chicken livers.
Spring River
Mark Crawford with Spring River Flies and Guides said the water is clear and current has been around 300cfs. Fly-fishing for trout over the last week has been excellent. High numbers and really good sized fish are being caught on float trips. Hot flies are BH grandma’s brownie, Y2Ks and olive woolly buggers. The fly for the week has been Mark’s emerger. Chartreuse and orange Trout Magnet, fished under a small float and drifted with the current, are hard to beat. All of the campgrounds have opened for the summer and have been producing some excellent smallmouth fishing. Large grandma’s brownies and Troutslayers have been producing very nice smallmouth. Rock bass have been hitting hard in back eddies and along shorelines.
Spring River Fly Shop had no report.
Southeast Arkansas Lake Chicot
Lake Chicot State Park said the surface water temperature is around 60 degrees. The water clarity is around 10 inches. Bream are biting on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Catfishing is good on worms and chicken liver.
Cane Creek Lake
Cane Creek State Park said bass our still going strong on Cane Creek with 6, 7, and 8 pounders being caught on a regular basis. Minnows, topwater lures and soft plastics seem to be working the best. Trotlines baited with live bait are the best bet for catfish, but rod-and-reel anglers are doing well near the levee.
Lake Monticello
Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of MonticelloBigBass.com said spring is here and the fishing is picking up. Bass are hanging out in the shallows, and many are still cruising and bedding. Soft plastics have been the best bet for cruising and bedding fish in deeper water. Sight fishing is still working well, but finding spawners is a bit more difficult than usual. There is a live bait bite with shiners and black salties.
Southwest Arkansas Millwood Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.39 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 259.2 MSL).
Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said surface temps continue rising and currently range 65 to 73 degrees. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has reduced total discharge to 215 cfs. Clarity on the main lake remained poor with the high wind and ranges 3-6 inches at best in the River depending on location. Largemouth, spotted and white Bass continue to bite fair to good depending on cold fronts. The bite continues improving daily with the warming trends. Largemouth Bass remain in various stages of the spawn in backs of creek channels and oxbows along Little River. Male and female largemouths are tending beds. The best baits are Rat-L-Traps, jigs, lizards, Bass Assassin Shads, and trick worms. The best colors for jigs have been black/blue and Texas Craw. Soft-plastics in junebug, black neon and chartreuse pumpkin are working well. Trick worms are best in lemon-lime and Merthiolate colors. Lily pads have begun opening and blooming over the past couple weeks, and the frog bite should be in full swing soon. White Bass continue roaming Little River, and are biting well near Hurricane Creek, White Cliffs and McGuire. These fish are eager to hit a number of lures, such as Rocket Shads, Bomber Fat Free Shads, Rat-L-Traps, Cordell Gay Blades, Cordell CC Spoons, grubs on lead head jigs, Little Georges and white/red Rooster Tails. The crappie bite is fair, but improving daily. Vertical jigging tiny jigs, grubs and shiners over and in planted brush piles and tops along Little River above White Cliffs campground has worked well. Channel catfish continue feeding well, and some nice 4- to 5-pound blue catfish were brought in from trotlines and tightlines in Little River. The best baits for catfish have been redworms, catalpa worms and Catfish Charlie.
Lake Columbia
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water is low. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs (some are even being caught on crickets by bream fishermen). Bass are fair on soft-plastic lizards.
Lake Erling
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water is low. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair on soft-plastic lizards.
Lake Greeson
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 541.23 MSL (Flood pool - 548 MSL).
Lakeside Grocery and Bait (870-398-5304) said the water is clear to murky and the surface temperature is 70 degrees. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in 2 to 3 feet of water. Bass are biting well on crankbaits and soft-plastic trick worms in 2 to 8 feet of water. Catfishing is good on stinkbait and nightcrawlers. Walleye are biting well in the river arms on crankbaits.
For more information on crappie fishing at Lake Greeson, visit Jerry Blake’s website, www.actionfishingtrips.com/tripreports.htm.
Lake Greeson Tailwater (Little Missouri River)
Visit www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com for a daily update on fishing conditions.
Cossatot River
Cossatot River State Park had no report.
DeGray Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 396.25 feet MSL (Flood pool - 408 MSL).
Due to the low water, boaters should use extreme caution when navigating DeGray. Many unmarked islands and humps are just under the surface, which can cause serious damage and harm if struck.
Local angler George Graves said surface water temperature is near 70 degrees and the lake is very clear up to Point 15 and only slightly discolored to Point Cedar. Bass fishing is very good with many good catches reported. The fish are spawning and are in the shallow cover on the points in the spawning coves. Fish 5 to 10 feet deep and look for any surface activity in the morning. Throw a top water lure, swim bait or Rat-L-Trap to the schooling fish. Later in the day, use a Texas- or Carolina-rigged worm or lizard in green pumpkin or red shad or a crawfish-colored jig-and-pig. The best areas for bass have been between Edgewood and Point Cedar. Some nice catches also have been reported from Big Hill Creek. Crappie fishing has slowed a little, but is still quite good. The fish are relating to brush piles in 12 to 18 feet of water. The best lures are a Tennessee shad 2-inch grub or a smoke/silver flake tube on a 1/32- or 1/16-ounce jig head. Work the jig slowly over the thickest part of the brush and be sure to cover the entire attractor. With the warmer water and weather, fishing is now best early in the morning and late in the evening. Shouse Ford is still the best area, but a few fish are coming from Lenox Marcus and Yancey Creek. Hybrid fishing has slowed with very little schooling activity. A few fish have been reported in Shouse Ford in the early morning. Trolling a 3-inch white grub has worked fairly well. Bream are starting to move to the shallow cover, but very few anglers are fishing for them.
West-Central Arkansas Lake Nimrod
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 345.56 feet MSL.
Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said the water is at normal level. Crappie and catfish are biting excellently on minnows. Catfish are also biting very well on worms, stink bait and PowerBait.
Lake Bailey (Petit Jean Mountain)
Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said bream are biting excellently on crickets and worms. Catfishing is fair on worms and minnows.
Fourche La Fave River
Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) said yo-yos and trotlines are producing catfish on minnows and stink bait. Strike King jugs baited with live bait also are catching some good catfish. Crappie are biting well on minnows.
Lake Hinkle
Bill’s Bait Shop (479-637-7419) said the water is low and clear. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and spoons. Catfishing is fair on shiners and nightcrawlers.
Lake Dardanelle
Regina Olson at Spadra Marina said crappie have begun to bite in 6 inches to one foot of water on minnows and red/green jigs. Catfish are biting well on shad and goldfish. White bass are beginning to group together, but action has been slow. Bass have been sporadic.
Blue Mountain Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 386.68 feet MSL.
Teresa at CD’s Quick Stop (479-947-2178) said the water is murky and at normal level. Crappie are biting well on minnows fished along the bank. Bass are fair on minnows. Catfish are slow.
Lake Ouachita
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 570.58 MSL (Flood pool - 578 MSL).
Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said bass fishing is excellent. Bass are in all stages of the spawn. Swim baits fished around creek channel points are working well for post-spawn fish, while white lizards are producing fish from spawning beds. Stripers are fair on shad and spoons.
Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports said the water temperature is in the upper 50s to the low 60s. The lake level is very low and the water is clear on the main lake and stained in the creeks. Bass are being caught on jerk baits and jighead worms over moss. The best moss is on the northeast side of the lake, from Rabbit to Blakley’s. Also try a crankbait in the timber. Crappie are biting on jigs and minnows in 5 to 8 feet of water at the edge of moss or timber lines.
Mountain Harbor Resort said the water temperature ranges from 52 to 68 degrees, depending on location and time of day. Largemouth bass are biting very well on Carolina-rigged lizards and floating worms (watermelon seed, green pumpkin and watermelon candy are the best colors). Jerk baits fished over main lake points and humps are still getting good results. Walleye are biting well on fluorescent jigs and watermelon seed plastics fished 12 to 15 feet deep around brush in the river channels. Stripers are biting very well on live bait, soft-plastic grubs and white or gray hair jigs. Reports of top water action are starting to come in to the marina. Bream are still good and being caught on crickets or worms 15 to 25 feet deep near brush. Crappie are excellent and being caught near and over brush in water 8 to 12 feet deep. Minnows or crappie grubs are still working best. Tennessee shad, albino shad and rainbow trout are the best colors for artificial baits. Catfish are good and are being caught on cut bait and live bait on jug lines and trotlines.
Lake Hamilton
Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports said the water temperature is in the upper 50s to low 60s, and the water is clear. The lake is full and warming quickly. Bass are being caught in creeks on a jigworm in the guts of pockets. Also, try a crankbait on rocks with sun shining on them or a Rat-L-Trap on sunny flats in the afternoon. After rains, concentrate in the creeks with a spinnerbait. Crappie are being caught in 5 to 8 feet of water on jigs or minnows.
For a daily fishing report from Darryl Morris, visit Family Fishing Trips.
Lake Catherine
Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, said water temperature below Carpenter Dam has risen to 49 degrees. Moss growth is still low, but on the increase. Rainbow trout fishing remains excellent with good numbers of fish caught on a daily basis. Boaters trolling the main channel below the bridge have done well with small crankbaits that imitate shad or crawfish. Spin fishermen casting Super Dupers in sliver or gold or Countdown Rapalas in sliver and black are recording limits of quality trout. Bank anglers are catching the most trout on wax worms floated off the bottom with marshmallows. Redworms and small nightcrawlers will also attract trout fished in the same manner. Crappie remain slow, but some very nice fish have been caught below the dam on live minnows. White bass are also present, spawning alongside the crappie and are being caught on minnows tightlined over deeper water. Striper action is hit-and-miss with some topwater activity observed. Most of the fish are singles and are chasing shad or trout over deeper water by the bridge. Brood or gizzard shad tightlined or fished under a balloon rig give anglers the best chance of hooking a big striper.
Rick Sawyer at Dozhier’s Rainbow Landing (501-262-2825) said trout fishing is excellent below the dam.
Lake Atkins
Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said fishing is good. Bream, redear and white bass are plentiful and easy to catch anywhere along the banks. Slab crappie are being caught in about 8 or 9 feet of water. The best crappie are coming away from the bank by boat anglers. Some are being caught off the banks, but it’s slow. Bass are picking up some.
South-Central Arkansas Moro Bay
Moro Bay State Park at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay had no report.
Ouachita River Oxbows
Jaret Rushing said fishing has slowed a bit. The oxbows are still producing a lot of bass, but the big ones are few and far between. Folks seem to be catching them on spinnerbaits around the edges of moss banks. A few fish have been caught on topwater lures lately as well.
Tri-County Lake
Jaret Rushing said bass are moving to the rock banks and the inlets. Folks are still catching a few crappie in the channels around tops and stumps. No report as to what they are catching them on, though.
East Arkansas Bear Creek Lake
Mississippi River State Park said campers at Beech Point Campground are saying bass have been biting well on spinnerbaits in about 3-5 feet of water near the bank. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows and worms and catfish are fair to good on cut bait.
Storm Creek Lake
Mississippi River State Park said crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Bream are fair to good on beetles and crickets. Bass are biting well on jigs fished in about 4 feet of water.
Arkansas River at Pine Bluff
The Tackle Box (870-534-1498) had no report.
White River
Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are biting fairly well on soft-plastic worms and crankbaits.
Adam Mount, avid fisherman and guide, said the water conditions between lock 1 and 2 are excellent. The river is at a real nice boating level and the black bass and crappie are starting to spawn. Fishing is excellent on shiners, green sunfish and worms fished with a float set 2 feet deep. White bass are biting well on shiners drifted around rocks and flats. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits.
Maddox Bay
Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on shallow-running crankbaits. No report on catfish.
Island 40 Chute
Daily’s Boat Dock (870-739-3478) said the water is high. No report on any species.
Horseshoe Lake
Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water level is normal, and the water is clear and warm. Bream are biting well on redworms fished around shallow cover. Crappie are biting well on black/chartreuse jigs. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits fished along the edge of the lily pads. Catfishing is good on worms and cut bait hung from yo-yos or trotlines around cypress trees and knees.