(Updated 8-26-2015) Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is at normal level and stained. The surface water temperature is 82 degrees. Bream are biting very well on worms and crickets in 6 to 8 inches of water around the shoreline. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs in 6 feet of water around green cypress trees near the channel. Bass are biting well on white spinnerbaits and dark-colored soft-plastic worms fished around lily pads. Catfishing is excellent on yo-yos and trotlines baited with black salties and large minnows.
(Updated 8-19-2015) Daniel Zajac at Gold Creek Landing (501-607-0590) said bream are back on their beds, hitting crickets, worms and wax worms up on and just off the banks in 1 to 3 feet of water. Bass are hitting fairly well on soft plastics,chatterbaits and frogs off the channels and in the pads. Crappie are fairly slow to fair on cypress trees and brush in deeper water. Catfishing is still good on any live or prepared bait.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Lowell Myers of Sore Lip ’em All Guide Service said Greers Ferry Lake has reached the conservation pool level so we will begin to see less generation on the Little Red River. Current generation is providing opportunities for wading and drift fishing in all sections. Streamers, midges and sowbugs are working well for fly-fishermen. For Trout Magnet fishing, red and pink bodies on gold and chartreuse jig heads are working well. Always check before heading to the Little Red River by calling the Greers Ferry Lake Powerhouse recording or check the Corps of Engineers website for real time water release and the Southwest Power Administration forecast generation schedule.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Greg Seaton with Little Red Fly Fishing Trips (501-690-9166) said the August heat seems to have passed and the river is in good shape. Generation is back to power demand only and this has been about five hours of generation in the afternoons. Last weekend it was cut to one hour per day in the afternoon Saturday and Sunday. The five-hour generation is good water for wade fishing and drift fishing, and the trout are active. Sow bugs, midge pupae, small mayfly nymphs and soft hackles are all productive. There is also a window for dry flies during mid-afternoon when a variety of mini hatches are occurring. Sporadic hatches include blue-winged olives and small caddis. You just have to be in the right place at the right time.
(Updated 8-11-2015) James Dillard at Tailwater Fishing Company (501-207-1770) said fishing has been fantastic. The best fishing continues to be during lower flows and low light conditions. The Corps has been releasing water from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. or midnight. Be careful during high flows. The best flies have been pink San Juan worms, midges and sow bugs. Pink Trout Magnets have been working very well, too.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 462.05 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 462.04 msl).
(Updated 8-26-2015) Tommy Cauley of
Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level at Greers Ferry is 0.48 feet below normal pool and falling. The catfish are eating well all over the lake on cut and prepared bait. No report on walleye. Bream are bedding and can be caught shallow on small crankbaits, flies, crickets and crawlers. Just find the beds and the fish roaming and be real quiet with your approach. Bass fishing is picking up with the cooler weather. The shallow bite is a lot better around bream beds and around any shallow wood. Hybrids and white bass are schooling all over the lake at different times of the day and night. Try topwater baits, in-line spinners, spoons and swim baits, and look for the shad.
(Updated 8-11-2015) Cody Smith at fishgreersferry.com (501-691-5701) said Greers Ferry is currently 2 feet above normal pool and falling with daily generation. The reservoir is fishing very well for this time of year. Days of consistent fishing have returned, and I expect this trend to continue into early fall. Hybrids and white bass are feeding well in creek channels adjacent to main lake flats in 25 to 45 feet of water. Spoons, inline spinners and live bait are all taking fish. Walleyes are mixing in with the whites and hybrids. Spotted bass and smallmouth are suspended around brush piles offshore in these same depths. We have been picking up several eating size catfish each trip out while fishing a drop shot rig. Water surface temps are in the low 90s.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Harris Brake Lakeside Resort (501-889-2745) said the water is high and fairly clear. Bream are excellent on crickets near the edge of the bank. All other fishing has been slow.
(Updated 8-19-2015) Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said crappie are biting well on minnows and on Bobby Garland soft-plastic grubs in Barbecue Chicken, Cajun Cricket, Blue Ice and Bleeding Shad colors. Catfishing is good on minnows, worms and shad. Bass are fair on buzzbaits in the morning and on soft-plastic worms. White bass are biting on Cajun spins, Johnson Silver Minnnow Spoons and Bobby Garland Baby Shads. Bream are biting very well on crickets and worms.
Overcup Landing had no report.
(Updated 8-19-2015) Jan Johnson at Brewer Lake Bait Shop (501-354-4108) said Conway Corporation reports the lake level at 328.0 msl (normal pool level is 330.0 msl). There is a lot of exposed shoreline for bank fishing. Crappie are very good on pearl or white Crappie Stingers and jigs and live minnows fished 10 feet deep over brush piles. Nice blue and flathead catfish in the 10- to 25-lb. range are being caught at night on jugs and trotlines baited with large minnows, shad, bream or black salties. Bass are around the shoreline and biting well on live minnows, crankbaits or soft plastics in watermelon or black. Bream and redear are schooling around structures in 2 to 8 feet of water and taking crickets and redworms. Bream and catfish are also being taken around the sides of the old rock quarry.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Charley's Hidden Harbor at Opello said catfishing has been ver good drifting whole shad past jetty tips. Largemouth bass are biting very well on green pumpkin worms fished on a light Texas rig over the tops of submerged jetties. Bream are biting well on crickets where grass and riprap meet. Spotted bass are following shad on the front side of the jetties and can be caught on parrot-colored crankbaits fished at the front edge of the jetty tip. White bass are biting well on shad-colored crankbaits around shad near the mouths of feeder creeks. Stripers are biting well below locks nine and 10 on Hopkins Wobble Spoons.
(Updated 8-19-2015) Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said crappie are fair on Bobby Garland Baby Shad and minnows. White bass are biting well on Cajun Spins and Johnson Silver Minnow spoons.
(Updated 8-11-2015) Jolly Roger’s Marina said the water is one foot below the spillway and the surface water temperature is 88 degrees. Largemouth bass are biting well on wacky-rigged worms, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and jerkbaits in 10 feet of water and less during the evening. Spotted bass are biting well on jigs and crankbaits in 5 to 10 feet of water. White bass are excellent just east of Jolly Rogers Marina and on the west end of the lake on deep-diving Bandit and Bomber crankbaits fished about 14 feet deep. Spoons, white jigs and Rooster Tails are also working when the fish are schooling. Crappie are fair in 20 feet of water, but only a few are being caught in any one location. Bream are excellent in 5 to 15 feet of water around brush on crickets and live worms. Catfishing is good on chicken livers, stink bait and small bream in 10 to 15 feet of water.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Lisa's Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said some small bream were caught last week on crickets. A few nice-sized crappie have been caught on no. 6 crappie minnows, but most fish caught were very small.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Lisa's Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said catfish have been biting fairly well on nightcrawlers, chicken livers and chicken hearts. Bream fishing has been good on crickets and redworms, but most have been small. Crappie have been slow to bite, but some have been caught on no. 6 crappie minnows and Kalin's 2-inch Tennessee Shad grubs. Bass fishing has been fair in the morning with Texas-rigged lizards and trick worms.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Lisa's Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said some good eating flathead were caught with rod and reel using brood minnows and black salties. Several spotted bass and smallmouth bass were caught on brood minnows and small soft plastics. A few crappie have been caught on no. 6 crappie minnows and no. 12 bass minnows fished around brush and logs. Bream and other sunfish have been good on crickets.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Lisa's Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said bream are still biting crickets and redworms but have slowed down. They're still on the bottom in 12 to 18 feet of water. Catfish have been biting nightcrawlers, bait shrimp and chicken livers. The best recent report was a good stringer caught in the heat of the day while fishing a deep shady spot. Bass fishing has been slow and we had no reports of crappie being caught .
(Updated 8-26-2015) Lisa's Bait Shop in Benton (501-778-6944) said crappie fishing has been slow the last few days with only a few catches reported. The larger crappie have been caught on no. 12 bass minnows. Catfish have been caught on nightcrawlers, chicken livers and bass minnows. Late afternoon seems to be the best time to catch them feeding close to rocks and logs. Bream are biting crickets and redworms.
(Updated 8-26-2015) River Valley Marina (501-517-1250) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are excellent on worms and crickets fished around brush. Crappie are biting well on minnows fished about 4 feet deep. Bass are biting well on soft-plastics and spinnerbaits fished from the bank to 3 feet deep. Catfishing is fair on worms.
(Updated 8-26-2015) The folks at
Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) said the water is clearing and flows are in the 20,000 to 30,000 cfs range. Bass fishing has been very good, with topwater lures and crankbaits catching quite a few bass on the main river around current breaks.
(Updated 8-26-2015) McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is muddy and at normal level. Catfishing is excellent on cut bait below the dam. No report on bream, bass or crappie.
(Updated 8-26-2015) McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is muddy and at normal level. Bream are biting well. Catfishing is good. Now that school has started back up, reports from anglers are getting scarce.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Herman's Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is fairly clear and low, with a lot of stumps showing throughout the lake. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting well on chartreuse and brown jigs fished around stumps in 4 to 5 feet of water. Bass are slow. Catfishing is very good on worms and chicken livers.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 686.47 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 659 msl).
(Updated 7-29-2015) Bull Shoals Boat Dock said summer fishing patterns are in full swing. We have been seeing air temperatures in the 90s, during the day so the water temperature is in the mid 80s. There is a thermocline around 25 feet deep. The water is still very clear, even with an extra 30 feet of water. The fishing patterns are in the classic summer mode. Topwater or shallow-running baits in the morning and late afternoon. Most of the fish seem to be shallow at these times before as the sun is low in the sky. During the day, you have to fish 25- to 30-feet deep around the thermocline and past the brush or you can fish around the large trees that are around the shoreline that have shade. The walleye fishermen are still having good success, but you have to downrig or lead core troll over 40 to 70 feet of water with your baits running 25 to 35 feet deep. The night bass fisherman are still catching fish just before dark shallow, then after dark anywhere from 5 to 30 feet deep. There haven't been any good crappie catches lately, which is typical for high water.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is clear and high with eight generators running. Trout are biting very well on prepared baits like shrimp and shad or on artificial lures like spinners and minnow-imitating crankbaits like the original Rapala Floating Minnow. The high water makes it difficult to fish other than from a boat right now.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Jim Brentlinger with Linger's Guide Service said six to eight generators are running most of the time, and the larger brown trout have moved to the bank. Fish deeper banks around cover with Rapalas or Smithwick Rattlin' Rogues for best results. Don't give up as it is a painstaking endeavor, but you will like the results. When the water starts receding and gets noticeably lower switch to the Varimax Blue Fox spinner in a size 2 or 3.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Berry Brothers Guide Service (870-453-2424) said on the White, we had high generation with no wadable water. On heavy generation, the best way to catch fish is to switch to longer leaders and heavier weight. The hot spot was the catch-and-release section at Rim Shoals. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers (size 8-10), Y2Ks (size 12-14), prince nymphs (size 14), zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead size 16-18), pheasant tails (size 14), ruby midges (size 18), root beer midges (size 18), pink and cerise San Juan worms (size 10), and sowbugs (size 16). Double-fly nymph rigs have been very effective (my current favorite is a hot fluorescent pink or cerise San Juan worm with an orange egg suspended below it). Hoppers are producing as well. I favor shorter leaders (seven-and-a-half foot 4X) and a stiff six-weight rod for these weighty flies. My favorite flies are Dave’s hoppers (size 10) and the western pink lady (size 8). To increase hook ups I always use a dropper. I am currently using a ruby or root beer midge in size 18 on a three-foot or longer tippet (depending on the depth of the water I am fishing).
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 569.43 feet msl (normal conservation pool: September-April – 553.75 msl, April-September – 556.75 msl).
(Updated 8-26-2015) Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters said Norfork Lake continues to drop but it’s like watching paint dry, an inch or two a day. The oxygen content for the stripers is at 30 to 35 feet and 70 to 85 feet. The morning bite continues early. Stripers and hybrids are feeding heavy until the sun gets bright then they move into deeper water. The deep bite continues to be around the dam area. Where I have been fishing I can see the dam right in front of me. The stripers are holding from 70 to 85 feet right on the bottom in small groups of 3 or 4 fish. Most of the bites are very light. I have trained my clients to watch the rod tip. If they see it start to bend I have them reel very fast and that has been hooking the stripers. Many people have been missing the fish since you really have to pay attention to your rod.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Lou Gabric of
Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said Norfork Lake fishing has been good for the last couple of weeks. The stripers and hybrids are doing what they should be doing this time of year. Big schools of stripers and hybrids can be found right before daybreak in 30 to 50 feet of water. They will be on the bottom or suspended 25 to 40 feet down. Main lake points and secondary points back in the creeks are good places to look, especially where the old river channel swings in close to the shoreline. My guests and I have found stripers in the Robinson area and down towards the dam. Threadfin and gizzard shad for live bait and spoons and swim baits for artificial baits are great choices. Most of the stripers being caught in the shallow water early in the morning are in the 5 to 10 pound range with the bigger hybrids just starting to show up. The bigger stripers are being caught out in deeper water 70 to 80 feet down on the bottom. When the sun gets high in the sky is the best time to find the deep stripers. Look at main lake points for these deep fish. Live bait and spoons are your best choices for deep fish. I expect to see these fish go a little deeper very soon. Walleye, smallmouth, largemouth, spots, catfish and white bass will be found in the same general areas as the stripers. 25 - 35 feet of water is the best place to start. The fish will also be suspended at this same depth following the baitfish into deeper water.
(Updated 7-29-2015) Guide Steve Olomon said the lake level is 571.9 and the water temp is in the upper 80s. The stripers are suspended 40 to 60 feet. Early in the morning, they are close to the bottom down at 40 feet. As the sun gets higher they start moving toward the deeper water. We caught a few small stripers on topwater back in Barren Creek. The bigger fish are in the deeper water within a few miles of the dam. Bass are coming up early and will hit topwater baits like a Spook or a Pop-R. After the topwater bite slows, throw a jig to the edge of the brush or a worm. When you mark fish suspended or close to the bottom, drop a jigging spoon.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Berry Brothers Guide Service (870-453-2424) said there is a substantial amount of water leaking around one of the flood gates that was being repaired. As a result, the water temperature on the Norfork has risen to near dangerous levels. There has been no observed fish kill, but the trout are stressed. Any fish caught should be carefully released. During periods of generation the temperatures are near normal. The most productive flies have been small midge patterns (sizes 18-22) like ruby midges, root beer midges, zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and soft hackles (sizes 14-16) like the green butt. Egg patterns have also been productive. Double-fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended 18 inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise size 10). There have been reliable hatches of small midges (try a size 24 Adams parachute) and caddis (try a size 18 elk hair caddis). There have been daily hatches of sulphurs around noon. The fishing is better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday. My favorite combination has been a grass hopper with a root beer or ruby midge dropper. There is a major construction project at the Norfork National Fish Hatchery. You can still access Dry Run Creek. It has seen more pressure with school out. It still fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs (size 14), Y2Ks (size 12) and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise size 10).
(Updated 8-26-2015) Berry Brothers Guide Service said the Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are navigable. With the warm weather, the smallmouths are active. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Berry Brothers Guide Service said the Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are navigable. With the warm weather, the smallmouths are active. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,127.55 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 1,120 msl).
(Updated 8-26-2015) Bailey’s Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) said water temperatures are in the mid- to high 80s. Stripers are leaving their deep water summer haunts as the water is beginning to cool. Watch for surface activity from stripers, whites and hybrids. Beaver Lake Striper are using main lake points, humps, ridges, rock piles, brush lines and ditches on their annual up lake migration and in the search for food and scattered throughout the lake. They will be making their way into the creek arms soon as the water temp is beginning to cool. Fishing will be good with stripers taken on live shad fished from the surface down to 30 feet deep. Also try trolling small umbrella rigs with white or chartreuse grubs. For trolling crankbaits, try weighted lines or flatline trolling Rapala no. 14 Husky Jerks in black back or purple back colors and Smithwick Rogues in similar colors. Stripers also are being caught at night by casting main lake points with large surface lures like Redfins and Rapalas or large Rat-L-Traps. Hot spots include points 1, 3, 5, and 6, as well as the mouth of Indian Creek and back to the power lines. Most walleye have moved to deeper drops and are being caught about 20-30 feet deep. The best methods to catch the walleye are three-way rigging Rapalas, trolling Rapala Shad Raps or Rat-L-Traps at 1-2mph or jigging Bink pro scale 1-oz. jigging spoons in white or white/chartreuse.
(Updated 8-11-2015) Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is clear and very high. The surface water temperature is in the low 80s. Bream are fair on redworms and crickets in 4 to 8 feet of water. Crappie are slow on minnows and trolled Bandit 300 series crankbaits in 10 to 20 feet of water. Bass are fair on topwaters and soft-plastic lures early in the morning or right at sundown. They are holding in 15 to 30 feet of water. Catfishing is fair on trotlines baited with live bream on shallow flats in 10 to 15 feet of water.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Beaver Dam Store said the high water is dropping very slowly, and f
ishing has been very good. There is a little wadable water accessible with a kayak below Parker Bottoms, just be careful of the clay spots in the bank. You will end up under water if you are not careful. I had my best luck with a no. 18 Prince Nymph. Get a boat, canoe or kayak and catch some trout. Rapala crankbaits and Berkley Flicker Shad are working, too. Worms with white and yellow Power Bait. Very little wadable water now. Fly guys get out the streamers. Not much flow, so it may be hard to get a drift for a midge.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Austin Kennedy of Busch Mountain Fishing Guide Service (479-640-8733) said the water has been high in the tailwater, but that has not slowed the fishing. Temperatures at Houseman access are in the mid 50s during the early morning, topping out to the low 70s. Further upriver to Spider Creek they are in the low 50s to high 40s. Some very nice trout are being caught throughout the tailwaters on Rapalas and Power Bait. Further downriver from Houseman, you can find the white bass. Most bass are being caught on Rapalas and umbrella rigs. The bite has been excellent this month.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said fishing had been pretty slow until the rain came through Sunday. Crappie have started hitting minnows at 8 feet deep under a slip bobber in about 18 feet of water. The bluegill bite also went into high gear with redworms bringing in some jumbo sized gills from about 3 feet of water under a small bobber with a no. 7 split shot and a no. 8 bluegill hook. Pinch off only an inch of worm, worm it on the hook, and push the side of it, to cover the point. A black buzzbait early in the morning is the ticket for largemouths, then switch to a white one after sunup. Lipless crankbaits in firetiger and chartreuse have been working as well. For soft-plastics, Zoom Redbug worms or Berkley Blue Fleck Power Worms are working well right now. No report on catfish.
(Updated on 8-11-2015) Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said the water is murky and at normal level. Bream are fair. Catfish are fair. Bass and crappie are both slow. No anglers are reporting any of the lures they are having success with lately.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is muddy but clearing. The water level is normal and the surface water temperature is 85 degrees. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets around rocky points and banks. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in 8 feet of water. Bass are excellent on buzzbaits and topwater lures lately. Catfishing is good on shad and liver near the channel.
(Updated 8-5-2015) Lake Poinsett State Park said catfish and bream fishing are both fair right now. The crappie are still deep, and a few anglers are chasing them with minnows. No report on bass.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is clear and at normal level. The surface water temperature is about 80 degrees. Bream are excellent on crickets around docks. Bass are biting well on topwater lures fished around points. Crappie are slow. Catfishing is good on chicken livers and shrimp well off the bank.
(Updated 8-19-2015) Lake Frierson State Park said catfish have finally started biting more regularly as the water has warmed. Channels have been good all over the lake on nightcrawlers, liver and dip bait. Blue catfish have been caught on similar baits and cut bait in the deeper portions of the lake. More flatheads have been caught on small bream and minnows hung from jugs and on rod-and-reel from the bank. Bass are scattered and chasing schooling shad all over the lake throughout the early morning, day and early evening. Topwaters and crankbaits fished around the schooling shad are producing some nice fish. Flipping tubes or other soft plastic baits into likely cover is also producing some fish; make repeated casts to laydowns and brush to get a reaction bite. Bream can be caught on any shoreline on redworms or pieces of nightcrawlers fished under a float. The larger fish are a little deeper and a little further from shore. Vary your depth if you aren’t having any luck or the fish stop biting. No reports on saugeye or crappie.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Mark Crawford with
Spring River Flies and Guides said water levels are running at 380 cfs and water clarity has been clear. Clouser patterns looking like small hatchery trout have been hot this week for both trout and smallmouth. On slow days, a hot pink Trout Magnet fished below an indicator will put a bend in the rod. And trout crankbaits can do well on a spinning rod. Really nice weather over the last week has made it really nice to be on the river.
(Updated 7-22-2015) The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Team said water temperatures are in the mid- to upper 80s. Visibility is less than one foot in Lake Langhofer, and less than half a foot on the main channel. The river continues to flow strong and the water is still about one foot high. Black bass are scattered and difficult to pattern. Fishing should improve when the water level stabilizes. Try to fish early in the morning or late in the evening and look for anything that can create shade
(Updated 7-29-2015) Seth Boone at Cane Creek State Park in Star City said bream are biting well on crickets. Bass are biting well on topwater lures. Catfish are fair on live bait.
(Updated 6-9-2015) Geoff Wright at
Lake Chicot State Park had no report.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.44 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 259.20 msl).
(Updated 8-26-2015) Mike Siefert at
Millwood Lake Guide Service said the lake level is 3.25 inches above normal conservation pool and steady. There is only light current in Little River with the gates releasing 867 CFS. Surface temperatures range from 85 to 93 degrees. Water clarity continues improving and is 15-22 inches of visibility away from current. Little River above McGuire remains stained but improving. Clarity in the oxbows currently running anywhere from 18-36 inches. Largemouth and spotted bass continue to be excellent on topwater lures, such as frogs, buzzbaits, Baby Torpedoes and Cordell Crazy Shads fished around vegetation near the edges of the creeks early in the morning. Later, during the heat of the afternoon, switch to crankbaits, squarebills and bulky 10-inch worms around cover and cypress trees in 5-10 feet of water. Spotted bass remain crowded around creek mouths that dump into Little River. Spotted bass are aggressive on short 4- to 5-inch worms, smaller lizards and tubes. The best colors are pumpkin/chartreuse, appleseed and Green Pumpkin. Rat-L- Traps and Echo 1.75 Squarebill crankbaits are working around deeper drops into the creek channels from 5-8 feet. Millwood Magic, Red Chrome, and Gold are the best colors for the Rat-L-Traps; and Ghost Minnow, Gold, or Millwood Magic have been hot for the Echo 1.75 Squarebills, away from any river current around cypress trees and stumps in the oxbows. White basss continue roaming Little River and the oxbows, and are schooled up in creek mouths dumping into Littler River. Whites continue being caught on red/white Rooster Tails, chartreuse/white Little Cleos, shad-colored Rocket Shads and Tennessee Shad- or Citrus Shad-colored crankbaits in creek dumps and mouths of sloughs connecting with Little River. Crappie improved on planted brush now that the clarity is getting better. Cotton Cordell smoke paddle tail grubs on light wire jig heads and Southern Pro Lil’ Hustler tubes were working early this week in 9-13 feet of water on planted brush piles. Blue and channel catfish continue biting well in Little River trotlines baited with homemade blood bait, spoiled chicken liver, hot dogs and cheese dough balls set 12-14 feet deep.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 543.06 feet msl (Flood pool – 548 msl).
(Updated 8-26-2015) Gary Lammers of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported surface temperatures ranging from 83 to 86 degrees. The water is clear throughout the lake. Schooling activity has been fair and fish are hitting small CC spoons in chrome and small topwater lures like the Zara Puppy. Look for white bass 15 to 20 feet deep under schooling spotted and largemouth bass. The shallow bite has picked up with the recent rains and bass are hitting buzzbaits and flukes. No report on crappie or catfish this week.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 399.26 feet msl (flood pool – 408 msl).
(Updated 8-26-2015) Local angler George Graves said the surface water temperature is in the mid-80s and the lake is clear throughout. Bass fishing is fair with lots of smaller bass eating the newly hatched shad. The fish are hard to catch because it is virtually impossible to match the hatch since the shad fry are only bout 1/2-inch long. The best bet is to use a 2-inch white swim bait and be sure to hit the fish exactly where it breaks. Look for breaking bass early in the morning in the DeRoche Ridge and Iron Mountain areas. Quite a few white bass and hybrids are mixed in to provide action if the bass are playing hard to get. Another decent pattern has been a Texas- or Carolina-rigged worm or lizard fished across main lake points in 5 to 15 feet of water. It seems the bass have moved up shallow, so no need to dredge the depths. Try mid-lake around Arlie Moore and Edgewood. Hybrid fishing is good mainly for fish suspended deep at 30 to 40 feet. The best pattern has been a big 2-ounce spoon dropped under the fish and jigged up through the school. Use the sonar to locate the fish. Try the lower end of the lake between Iron Mountain and Point 4. There also are some fish reported in the big coves along the state park. A few breaking fish were reported at the Route 7 dike and in the coves between points 2 and 4. Be prepared because the fish are not staying up very long. Most any smaller topwater lure will work with the Zara Puppy being one of the better ones. Early morning is the best time for hybrids. Bream fishing is very good with lots of nice catches reported. Look for fish on secondary points with some cover in big coves. Redworms and crickets are the best baits with the worms working best for redears and crickets for bluegills. Be sure to fish the worms next to the bottom for redears in 15 to 20 feet of water. The best bet is to tightline the bait and just move around the point slowly with the trolling motor until the school is located. Try Caddo Drive, Edgewood or Arlie Moore. No reports on catfish.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Stacey Jackson at White Oak Lake State Park (870-685-2748) said bass are biting well on flukes, spinnerbaits and brush hogs fished early in the morning and on cloudy days. Bream are biting crickets and worms very well lately. Catfishing is good on trotlines baited with live bait and on tightlined worms and commercial catfish baits. No report on crappie fishing. Remember that the lower lake has a daily limit of 5 catfish, 50 bream, and all other species are catch-and-release. Statewide limits apply to the upper lake.
Tri-County Lake will be undergoing a 5-foot drawdown until late fall. This is being done to compact the silt which has been building in the lake, reduce some of the aquatic vegetation in the lake, make repairs on jetties which have deteriorated over the years and address the lake's stunted crappie and bream populations by forcing these smaller fish into areas where they are more susceptible to the lake's predator fish.
Local angler Jaret Rushing had no report.
(Updated 8-19-2015) Buddy Ham at Sportsman's One Stop in El Dorado (870-863-7248) said bream are still biting well on worms and crickets. Bass are biting fairly well on soft-plastics and buzzbaits early and late in the day. Catfishing is slow. A few crappie are being caught on the lower side of the refuge.
(Updated 8-19-2015) Buddy Ham at Sportsman's One Stop in El Dorado (870-863-7248) said bass are schooling a little, but the bite is sporadic. Bream, crappie and catfish are all slow.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) had no report.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 343.57 feet msl (full pool – 342 msl).
(Updated 8-26-2015) Good Ole Boys Trading Post (479-272-4710) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets fished around Carter Cove. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished around the buckbrush. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and soft-plastic worms. Catfishing is good on live bait, shrimp and chicken livers.
(Updated 8-19-2015) Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said crappie are biting very well on Bobby Garland Baby Shads and Slab Slay'Rs as well as minnows and trolled Rat-L-Traps. Catfishing is good on minnows, worms and shad. Bream are fair on crickets and worms.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Chuck Morrison at Classic Catch Guide Service (479-774-9117) said surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s and the water is dingy. The river is being drawn down a bit for upriver dredging. Fishing has been very good. Upriver, the largemouth bass bite has been good on topwater prop baits, Spooks, Pop R's and buzzbaits early in the morning. Around 10 a.m., anglers should start to make a move to deeper water with soft-plastics like a Zoom Trick Worm. Look for water running over rocks and treetops in 10 feet of water. At mid-river, the best bite has been on frogs and white jigs with a white Bamboozie craw trailer fished around floating mats and lily pads in the creeks. The lower river bite has been very good around bridge points with crankbaits and worms. The lower river also has produced some good fish on worms and swimbaits fished around deeper brush piles and on jigs and frogs fished around matted vegetation early. Bream have been biting very well in the backwater areas and the creeks on crickets and worms. Stripers have been biting well around current breaks off the ends of jetties, at the heads of the creeks and the inlet of the nuclear plant on swim baits, jerk baits, top-water poppers and spooks. White bass have been very good in the same areas as the stripers on small white crankbaits, TaleSpin in-line spinners and spoons. Catfish have been good on cut shad and perch in the main river channel. Crappie have been improving with the slower current on dark jigs in deep river trees and in ditches.
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 385.48 feet msl (full pool – 384 msl).
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 570.85 feet msl (full pool – 578 msl).
(Updated 8-26-2015) Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort said the water temperature is 86 to 90 degrees and the water is clear. Black bass are fair on drop-shot rigs, Texas-rigged worms and jigs fished around brush and other cover near points. Early in the morning, buzzbaits, poppers, chuggers and Horny Toads are working around topped out grass and shorelines. Walleye are still very good on main lake points and humps on 3/4-oz. CC spoons jigged vertically around any cover you find. Stripers are biting well on live shad and hair jigs in the eastern end of the lake around main lake humps. Bream are biting well on worms, grubs and crickets near brush in 15 to 25 feet of water. Crappie are slow on minnows or crappie jigs about 15 to 20 feet deep. Catfishing is very good on nightcrawlers and stink bait.
(Updated 8-19-2015) Tom Duke and Phillip Kastner with
Trader Bill's Outdoor Sports Fishing Report in Hot Springs said the hydrilla and milfoil should be holding some good fish right now. If someone's just looking for a limit of keepers, a drop-shot on rocky points will be the ticket, but the bigger fish are going to come from the moss. Topwater lures and buzzbaits are good bets early in the morning, and a Texas-rigged worm is good when the sun comes up.
(Updated 7-29-2015) Darryl Morris of
Familyfishingtrips.com said all fish species are tough on Hamilton right now, however, if you get out there at first-light you can catch schooling white bass and hybrids.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service reports that water temperature below Carpenter Dam is 60 degrees and rising to 64 degrees below the bridge. Entergy has scheduled 4-hour generation periods on weekdays beginning at 2 p.m. and ending at 6 p.m. Weekends the flow will begin at noon at continue until 6 p.m. Clear conditions are the norm below the dam with the summertime pool in place until mid-November when the drawdown will begin again for all area lakes. Rainbow trout fishing is over until November with very few fish being caught. The vast majority of trout have either been caught, eaten by predators or migrated away from the dam. This scenario occurs every year and is normal pattern below a hydro-electric dam. White and hybrid bass fishing has tailed off considerably in the last week as schools of shad move in and out of the trailrace. These fish follow the baitfish and are prone to move out of an area at any time. Alabama rigs have been key in catching these fish along with live bait tightlined over deep water near the dam. Walleye have been caught in the same areas on Carolina rigs tipped with nightcrawlers or live minnows. Most of the action is taking place at night when the turbines are not running. A few large blue catfish have been caught below the bridge in the main channel on hand-sized bream fished under a jug. No striper action has been observed in the tailrace this week since the shad schools are few at present. Anyone visiting Carpenter Dam should be aware of the generation schedules and must always follow all park and boating regulations.
Very few anglers have been on the water due to the extreme heat. No report.
Very few anglers have been on the water due to the extreme heat. No report.
Very few anglers have been on the water due to the extreme heat. No report.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is high and clear. The surface water temperature is cooling to the 70s. Bream are fair on crickets in 2 to 4 feet of water. Crappie are slow, but a few have been caught on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair on crankbaits fished around the bay. Catfishing is good on stink bait fished in the runouts.
(Updated 8-26-2015) Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is clear and is cooling down from the break in the weather. Crappie are fair to slow. Bass are biting well on topwater lure, buzzbaits and jigs fished above Lock Three. Walleye are slow. There hasn't been a good report on catfish lately.
