ARKANSAS FISHING REPORT

CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Lake Conway : Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is murky and high. Bream are fair on crickets. Crappie are fair in 6 to 8 feet of water on minnows and jigs. Bass fishing is good around banks on spinnerbaits and buzzing toads. A few catfish are being caught on trotlines with minnows.

Greers Ferry: Shiloh Marina said the water is murky and high. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers and worms. Fishing for drum is excellent around grassy areas and roads that are under water.

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing (501- 889-2745) said the water is murky and high. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers.

Lake Beaverfork : The City of Conway Parks and Recreation Department said the water is muddy and at normal level with a 70-degree surface temperature. A few crappie have been caught on minnows. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and topwater lures.

Lake Overcup : Lakeview Landing (501-354-1470) said the water is clear and high. Bream are biting well on redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows. A few bass have been caught on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on large minnows and crawfish. Overcup Landing said the water is clear and high. Bream are biting well on crickets and wax worms. Bass fishing is good around the banks on buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on trotlines and noodles with nightcrawlers and minnows.

Brewer Lake : Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said all species are slow.

Sunset Lake : Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports (501-315- 3061) said water conditions are normal. Bream are biting well in shallow water on worms and crickets. Crappie are fair around brush on Tennessee shad grubs. Bass fishing is good on plastic worms around brush. Catfishing is good on live bait.

Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill's Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is clearing up and high. Bream are biting well on worms and crickets. Bass are fair on top-water lures. Catfishing is good on live bait.

Arkansas River in Little Rock: Vince Miller from Fish 'N Stuff said bass are biting well in the backwater on spinnerbaits and crankbaits.

Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger's Marina said the water level is even with the spillway. Largemouth bass are excellent. Some have moved to deeper water, but most are still in 4 to 8 feet of water just off the weed line. Carolina rigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits are working well. Bream fishing is excellent with bream on the beds. Look along the north bank for graveled areas and fish with crickets and worms. Crappie fishing is fair in 10 to 15 of water on small jigs and minnows. Catfishing is good on large minnows and prepared baits in 3 to 5 feet of water. White bass are fair with reports of some small schools around the marina. CC Spoons and clear crankbaits are working well on the white bass.

Little Maumelle River: Josh Jeffers at Pinnacle Mountain State Park (501- 868-5806) said the water level is receding and the surface temperature ranges from 70 to 75. The water clarity is low. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Crappie are biting fairly well on shiners and black/chartreuse 1/8 oz crappie jigs. Bass are biting fair on shad-colored flukes, shaky head finesse worms, and small top-water baits. Catfish are biting well on nightcrawlers, and different types of stink bait. Pinnacle Mountain State Park will be hosting a kid's fishing derby on Saturday, May 31, at the Environmental Education Pond. There will be how-to-fish clinics, casting contests, free snacks, and lots of prizes. The contest is for kids 15 and under, and admission is free. For more information please call Pinnacle Mountain State Park.

Palarm Creek: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said catfishing is excellent on limb lines and trotlines with cut bait and chicken hearts. Crappie are good on minnows. Bream are biting well on crickets and wax worms. Bass are fair on tubes.

Lake Valencia : Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said catfish are being caught on chicken hearts and nightcrawlers.

Murray Lock and Dam: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said catfishing is excellent snagging or bait fishing on shad, cut bait and skipjacks. Stripers are good on Mann's twin tails and CC spoons. Crappie are fair on slip-cork rigs and minnows. White bass are fair on CC spoons.

Pickthorne Lake : Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said bass are biting well early on Zoom Brush Hogs. Catfishing is good in the back of the levee on nightcrawlers and chicken hearts. Bream are excellent on crickets and wax worms.

Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center (501-945- 2471) said the water is murky and high. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is picking up on nightcrawlers.

DeGray Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation at 408.09 feet MSL. DeGray One Stop said the water is high and clarity is fair. Bream are biting well on crickets and redworms. Crappie are scattered and fishing is good at night on minnows. Bass are biting early and late on Rooster Tails, top-water baits and spoons. Catfish are picking up on noodles and trotlines with live bait.

Lake Ouachita : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's elevation was 578.15 feet MSL. Larry Hurley from Poorman's Guide Service had no report. Dave Lindhag of Striped Bass Adventures (501-760-6474) said the time for trophy stripers on freelined shad is pretty much over. The fish are grouping up and there is some schooling activity on the surface, but it is still sporadic. Most fish being caught are between 7 and 12 pounds. Fish the points just off the main channels with shad around 20 to 30 feet deep over deeper water. Always have a top-water handy in these areas as you never know when a school may erupt around you. Early and late in the day have been the best times to fish.

Lake Catherine : Shane Goodner, owner of Catch'em All Guide Service, reports that rainbow trout fishing is very slow. May is traditionally a good month for trout; however, the feeding patterns are unpredictable as the summer heat and humidity set in. Catching a limit of trout is tough right now. The bite will improve in June but an angler needs to recognize the ever-changing habits of river fish. White and hybrid bass action are good. Shad fished under a bobber set 3 to 5 feet deep is an excellent way to target both species. White or gray jigs in 1/8 ounce sizes also work well whether the turbines are running or not. Striper activity is still scarce but will dramatically improve when the large schools of threadfin shad begin their migration towards the dam later this month.