Arkansas Fishing Report

Fishing Tip: Many flyfishermen use sink-tip lines to get streamers or nymphs down to trout feeding near the bottom in fast current. Here's a cheaper and more convenient way. Tie a section of lead-core trolling line between your fly line and a 3-foot mono leader.

Use a short piece to sink a fly in shallow water, a longer one in deeper water.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said water conditions are normal. Bream are biting well in the afternoon on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows in 6 to 9 feet of water. Bass are being caught on plastic worms. Catfish are biting well on any bait.

Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is clear and high, with heavy generation. Fishing

for trout is very good on Power Bait, corn, spinnerbaits, Rapalas and wax worms.

Greers Ferry: Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water is falling and the surface temperature ranges from 61 to 70 degrees. White bass and hybrids are still upriver and biting well on grubs, Road Runners and jerkbaits. A few bream are biting in the main lake on nightcrawlers. Crappie fishing is picking up on jigs fished close to the brush. The best action is coming from Choctaw Basin, Hill Creek and all three river arms. Walleye are hitand miss, and it seems like the main-lake walleye have not spawned yet. The riverrun walleye have spawned but have not set up on the flats like usual. Bass fishing continues to improve, but the spawn seems a bit behind. A few largemouths are on beds, and smallmouths are just pulling up to prepare beds.

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing (501- 889-2745) said the water has cleared up and the lake isalmost back to normal level. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. Crappie are still hit or miss. Bass are biting well on minnows and artificial lures. Catfishing is good on goldfish or bream.

Lake Beaverfork: The City of Conway Parks and Recreation Department said the water is murky and a little high. Crappie are good on minnows.

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing (501-354-1470) said the water is dingy and at normal level. Bream fishing is good on red worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Catfishing is good on shad and nightcrawlers.

Brewer Lake: Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is still high and all species are slow right now.

Sunset Lake: Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports (501-315- 3061) said water conditions are normal. Bream are good on crickets. Crappie are biting well in shallow water on 2-inch lemon-colored grubs. Bass are excellent on watermelonseed lizards and floating worms. A few catfish have been caught on liver.

Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the river is normal. Crappie are biting well on red/chartreuse Road Runners around brush piles. Bass are biting well on crankbaits and pumpkinseed finesse worms.

Lake Maumelle: Jolly Rogers Marina said the lake level is 0.2 feet above the spillway. Largemouth bass are biting very well in 3 to 6 feet of water. They've finished their spawn, but are still shallow. Carolina rigs and spinnerbaits are working the best. Kentucky bass have been mixed in with the largemouths. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs along the banks in 4 to 10 feet of water. Bream are excellent on worms and crickets, with worms working the best. Fish shallow cover and docks for the best success. Catfishing is good on prepared baits in 10 to 15 feet of water. Jolly Roger's will be hosting a catfish tournament this weekend to take advantage of the plentiful cats in the lake. Call the marina for details.

Brewer Lake: Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is still very high and dingy. All species are slow right now.

Arkansas River in Little Rock: Vince Miller from Fish 'N Stuff said the water is still high with strong currents. Bass can be caught in the backwaters on spinnerbaits and lizards.

Little Maumelle River: Josh Jeffers at Pinnacle Mountain State Park (501- 868-5806) said the water level is receding and the surface emperature ranges from 65 to 70. The water visibility and clarity is low. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Crappie are biting fairly well on shiners and black/chartreuse 1/8-ounce crappie jigs. Bass are biting fairly well on small chartreuse/ white spinnerbaits and small Texas-rigged creature baits. Catfish are biting well on night crawlers.

Palarm Creek: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said bream fishing is good on crickets and redworms. Crappie are fair on pink minnows.

Murray Lock and Dam: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said crappie are biting well on red or chartreuse jigs and minnows with a slip-cork rig. Catfishing is good snagging or bait fishing. Stripers are biting well on large silk chartreuse twister tails. White bass are fair on CC spoons.

Pickthorne Lake: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said bream are good in shallow water on wax worms and crickets. Crappie are fair on slip-cork rigs. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits early and late. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and chicken hearts.

Terry Lock and Dam: Mc- Swain Sports Center (501- 945-2471) said catfish are the best thing going on large minnows.

Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center (501-945- 2471) said the water is stained and high. Bream are biting wellon crickets in 4 to 6 feet of water around the banks. Crappie are fair on pink minnows.

Peckerwood Lake: Herman's Landing (870-241- 3731) had no report.

NORTH ARKANSAS

White River: John Berry of Berry Brothers Guides said although the reservoirs on the White River system have fallen, they remain precariously close to the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White has been to run all eight generators around the clock. In addition they opened the flood gates and ran 13, 000 additional cubic feet per second (the equivalent of four additional generators). The also ran the flood gates on Beaver and Table Rock. All have now been shut down. There have been a few brief periods of wading opportunities on the Norfork River at night but none on the White. On the higher water, boating conditions have been excellent. Most boat ramps on the White River are now usable. Great care should be taken when launching or loading your boat during heavy generation. The use of a personal flotation device is highly recommended when boating on heavy water. Fishing on the White has been tough. The water has been so high most anglers have avoided it all together. A few brave souls have fished the upper White with some success, particularly the Catch-and-Release section below Bull Shoals dam.

Bull Shoals Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 693.62 feet MSL.

SWEST ARKANSAS

Millwood Lake: Millwood Lake Guide Service said the main lake and Little River's surface temp ranges from 63 to 75 degrees, depending on location and time of day. The water clarity is improving away from the current. There is still much debris coming down the river. along the river and main lake, is beginning to improve. Discharge/ Release Rate at the spillway of 18,048 CFS. Most bass are still pre-spawn in the lake. Jigs, 10-12-inch worms, magnum lizards large Rat- L-Traps and magnum tubes continue working well on the bass.

Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said water conditions are normal. Bream are the best thing going, withworms and cricketsproducing the best results.

Lake Erling: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said water conditions are normal. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are being caught on liver and nightcrawlers.

White Oak Lake: White Oak Lake State Park said the water level is stable and the water is warming up slowly. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are slow, but a few have been caught on live minnows and jigs. Bass are fair on surface poppers. Catfish are biting well on live and artificial baits hung from jugs.

Lake Greeson: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 547.74 feet MSL. Lakeside Grocery said the water is murky and at normal level with water temperature at 75 degrees. Bream fishing is fair on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and small jigs. Bass fishing is very good in shallow water on topwater lures and plastic worms. Catfishing is good on trotlines and jugs with stinkbait or large minnows.

DeGray Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 407.80 feet MSL. DeGray Lake State Park said the black bass are being seen paired up in the shallows. Bream is starting to move in, with some starting to hit crickets, but they're still on the small side. The catfish are starting to come in a big way from the bank to 15 feet of water, including a 37-pound flathead caught on a noodle. The hybrids are breaking more now than they have in the last three years; they are coming up and staying longer while schooling the shad. The water temperature is 62 degrees, down 5 degrees from last week, but warming in the shallows. Clarity is dingy from the high water but clearing slowly.

W-CEN ARKANSAS

Lake Dardanelle: Murphy's Sporting Goods (479- 229-3200) said the water is muddy and high. Bass are good in shallow water on top-water lures. Catfish are biting well on shad.

Lake Ouachita: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 577.84 feet MSL. Larry Hurley from Poorman's Guide Service said walleye are excellent. Many big walleye are being caught on spinnerbaits, jigs and jerkbaits over the grass. Bass are biting very well with larger fish coming on crankbaits and a jig. Bass are on the points and creek turns. Stripers are improving, but are still spotty. Dave Lindhag of Striped Bass Adventures (501- 760-6474) said the water is warming and clear. Stripers are in the creek mouths and on the points. Live gizzard shad are working well when freelined. All sizes of stripers are biting well, but larger fish are biting best on 10 to 18-inch shad. Most of the fishing is over by 9:30 in the morning and doesn't pick up again until 4:30 in the evening. Some stripers are being caught in 20 to 30 feet of water on trolled umbrella rigs in the mornings.

Mountain Harbor Resort said the water is 62 to 64 degrees and clearing. Largemouth bass are still biting very well on YUM Dingers, floating worms and Carolina rigs. Walleye are biting very well, and are being caught on jerkbaits over main-lake points. Stripers are still excellent on live bait and topwater action is excellent right now with C-10 Redfins. Bream are biting very well on crickets or worms in 10 to 20 feet of water. Crappie are good and being caught over grass and brush. Try large moss flats and brush in water 10 to 20 feet deep. Minnows or crappie grubs are still working best. Tennessee shad and white are the best colors for artificial baits. Catfish are excellent and being caught on cut bait and live bait on jug lines and trotlines. Several large fish have been caught this week.

Lake Catherine: Shane Goodner, owner of Catch'em All Guide Service, reports that the tailrace is now clear and the lake level is back to its normal summertime level. The surface temperature is 56 degrees and drops to 51 as you arrive at the dam. Despite almost two months of storms and statewide flooding, the rainbow trout population is alive and well below the dam. The trout are healthy and feeding heavily on the threadfin shad schools that are migrating towards the dam. Fly-fishermen are catching limits of trout on streamers and micro jigs in white or grey with the best results during periods of generation. Boaters are landing trout in the 2- to 3-pound range by trolling the channels with small crankbaits that run 4 to 6 feet deep. Shad or crawfish imitators work best as both of these creatures are a prime food source for all the fish that inhabit the tailrace.