Hot Spots: Spring Warming Up the Fishing
Guide Tommy Cauley sent us this photo of Bobby Defore and the hybrid bass he caught on Greers Ferry Lake last week. Cauley says the lake is fishing well, as are the main rivers and creeks leading into the lake. Crappie, walleye, catfish, black bass (some are spawning, some aren't, he said) are biting along with hybrids and white bass.
The folks at Fish 'n Stuff in Sherwood have found the Arkansas River too high and fast for their liking, so they've been heading up to Greers Ferry Lake as well. They report smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing being good, as well as crappie fishing. Read more in the report under Greers Ferry Lake.
Elsewhere, Andrews Bait Shop and More at Lake Nimrod says bream and catfish are excellent now, and crappie and bass aren't far behind. No matter how high the water is at the moment, set your line to catch the crappie at 10 feet, they say.
And, the water there IS HIGH. In fact, on most Corps lakes, the water level is high to very high (over seasonal pool height) as of last check. Lakes Ouachita and Greeson are close to normal season pool, but Beaver, Bull Shoals, Norfork and others are very high.
The water's not curtailing the bite at Lake Ouachita, though. Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Marina says stripers and black bass are excellent now, and every other species other than bream are good; the bream bite will come on later.
Guide Lowell Myers says the Little Red River is in a pattern that’s providing early morning wading opportunities and excellent drift fishing throughout the day. The Greers Ferry Lake level is still above normal seasonal pool due to recent rains, so this pattern could change at any time, he said. Be sure to check the schedule before heading out (links to check that out are on the Fishing Report).
There's lot's more to check out in this week's report by clicking the green button below these photos of (left) Bill Eldridge with two crappie out of his several he had caught off of No. 6 crappie minnows at Lake Ouachita; Noah Mitchem and his crappie that he and his father, David, caught while at Millwood Lake fishing with bass minnows; and longtime Millwood Lake Guide Service guide Mackey Harvin and his 2.89-pound crappie.
Yes, it's crappie time!
