Fishing Reports News

Arkansas weekly fishing report - By Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

Fishing Tip: During the coldest days of the year, many anglers dress their bass jigs with pork instead of plastic. Pork is more flexible in cold water and lasts much longer than the plastic trailers. Here’s a tip to get even more action out of a pork trailer. Make horizontal slices in the fat side of the pork trailer, cutting all the way to the skin. The skin is tough enough to handle any thrashing fish, and the slices create “hinges” for more action.

Statewide Urban Trout Fishing Report: Trout fishing continues to be good in Lake Atalanta in Rogers, Murphy Lake in Springdale and the West Memphis Park Pond. Anglers should have good success using chartreuse Power Bait. As fish become pressured, adding some live bait such as wax worms or a piece of nightcrawler to your Power Bait can vastly increase the number of strikes you’ll get.

Russellville’s Pleasant View Park Pond was stocked with trout last weekend, and anglers have been very successful early in the morning with 1/8-ounce silver-bladed Rooster Tails in rainbow or white. As the day progresses and the water warms, trout have been taking all forms of Power Bait.

Little Rock city park ponds (MacArthur Park, War Memorial Park Youth and Senior’s, Kiwanis Park, Otter Creek Park, Boyle Park and Rock Creek), Regional Park Youth and Senior’s pond in Pine Bluff, Cabot Community Pond, Sherwood Community Pond, Lake Valencia, Ft. Roots Pond in North Little Rock, and Little Rock Air Force Base Pond will be stocked with trout beginning Saturday, December 17.

For more information on urban trout stockings, call toll-free at 1-866-540-FISH (3474).

CENTRAL ARKANSAS:

Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the lake is at normal level and the clarity is good. Bream fishing is good on worms and crickets in 1 to 21/2 feet of water right off the bank. Crappie fishing is good early and late in the day on minnows and jigs. Caney and Gold Creek are the most productive areas lately.

Little Red River: Lindsey’s Resort said the river is running clear, and the generators are not running much during the day. Trout fishing is good on wax worms, night crawlers and Power Bait. Fly-fishing is really good with the brown trout spawning. Egg patterns are doing very well on the trout eating the free-floating eggs.

Greers Ferry: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 451.32 feet MSL.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said bass are bunched up for the winter. They can be caught on crankbaits and spinnerbaits as well as Carolina-rigged soft plastics. Fish steep chunk rock banks; if the sun is shinning they will be right on the bank and can be caught with spinnerbaits shallow, and if it is cloudy they will be a little deeper and can be caught with the crankbaits and jigs. The Carolina-rig bite is better for the scattered fish, with lizards and finesse worms on secondary points. Once you find the fish, throw a jigworm to pick up a few more keepers. Walleye fishing is not real stable right now, but a few can be caught trolling large-billed Rebel minnows and Rattlin’ Rogues. Hybrid and white bass fishing is real good with some making their way up the creeks. Inline spinners, jigging spoons and swim baits are all working well. Watch for the birds, and if you can find the shad, you have found the fish. Keep it slow; if you think you are fishing slow enough - slow down some more.

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the lake is low and clear. Crappie fishing is good in 3 feet of water on pink minnows and jigs fished around the brush piles in the coves. Bass fishing is good on spinnerbaits around the rocks near the dam.

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the lake is very low. Bream fishing is fair on red worms. Crappie fishing is good on small tube jigs in practically any color. A crappie angler also caught a very nice bass on a crappie jig behind the pier last week, but no bass anglers are visiting the lake.

Toad Suck Lock and Dam: Bates Field and Stream said quite a few stripers are being caught on large bucktail jigs in white and chartreuse. ½-ounce to 11/2-ounce jigs are the best for the stripers.

Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the river is at normal level. Bream fishing is fair on red worms and small red fly poppers. Crappie fishing is fair in 3 to 10 feet of water on jigs and minnows fished tight to any cover. Catfishing is good on any prepared bait fished on a slip-sinker rig on the bottom.

Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger’s Marina said black bass are biting well. Fish the channels and ledges topping out at 15 feet and dropping to 20 feet deep using drop-shotted soft plastics and jigging spoons. Kentucky bass are being caught in 15 to 20 feet of water in the same areas as the largemouths. They are biting the best on 3-inch pumpkin grubs, finesse worms and tubes. White bass are excellent. The whites are close to or in the channel at around 20 feet deep and are feeding on schools of shad. They have been breaking early to midday. Top-water baits and spoons have been deadly. Trolling with Shad Raps in 12 to 15 feet of water is also working well. Catfish are biting well in the channel about 20 feet deep. Canadian nightcrawlers, large minnows and prepared baits are all working well. The crappie are in about 15 to 20 feet of water and are being caught on small 1/32 jigs and pink crappie minnows, but action is very slow. Bream are slow, but a few are hitting on crickets and worms about 20 feet deep.

Arkansas River: Charley’s Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said the flow at Lock 9 is 900 cubic feet per second with a headwater of 285.1 and a tailwater of 264.02. Catfishing is good in the deeper holes, but the best bite is on live shad suspended under a slip-cork in 10 feet of water above the holes. Sauger fishing is strong below the dam on yellow Rooster Tails. The jetty tips seem to be holding most of the sauger. Stripers have been biting well along the jetty tips on vertically jigged spoons and shad. Bass, crappie and bream have all been slow.

Sunset Lake: Turbyfill’s said the lake is at normal level for this time of year. Crappie fishing is fair in 4 to 6 feet of water on pink minnows and other live bait. Bass fishing is good on Bomber crankbaits in 6 to 8 feet of water around any rocks.

Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill’s said the river is running at normal levels. Crappie fishing is fair on marabou jigs in chartreuse and white fished near brush piles. Bass fishing has been good around rocky areas dropping from 4 to 6 feet deep on a brown jig and pig.

Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center said the lake is at normal pool and the water is clear. Crappie fishing is good in 4 feet of water on minnows fished under a cork around any cover. All other species have been slow.

NORTH ARKANSAS:

White River: Gaston’s White River Resort said there was another week of medium generation. Early in the morning, there were a couple of units running for several hours, and then the water would be shut off before lunch time. Generation would pick up in the afternoon with 3 to 5 units. Anglers have had great luck fishing the running water in the morning from a boat, wade-fishing low water in the afternoon, and catching trout on rising water later in the day. The best flies right now are the brown-and-olive beadhead woolly buggers, Hank’s Sculpinator on lower water, and Hank’s Ant-Bee on high water. You can also use any type of egg pattern or San Juan worm on high water with good success. Spin fishermen are using white Power Bait with pink plastic worms or live wax worms in the low water, as well as Buoyant Spoons, Rooster Tails, Krocodile lures, and Little Cleos. During high water, anglers are using nightcrawlers and white or yellow Power Bait, and Husky Jerk and Rogue suspending lures. Please remember that fishing on the White River is open year round; there is no closed season.
McLellan’s Fly Shop said generation has slacked off some this week, with one or two generators usually coming online in the early morning but only running for a couple hours, then shutting off for the rest of the day, providing plenty of wading on the upper river from late morning on through the rest of the day. Wade fishing the upper river has been very productive with tan and olive McLellan’s Hunchback Scuds and Woven Sow Bugs. Fishing high water out of a boat has also been very productive using large scuds, eggs, and San Juan worms. Winter is a great time to fish a streamer (even in low water); try to trigger a strike from the aggressive brown trout by swinging a streamer like the Zoo Cougar or Platte River Spider through a pool. Experiment with different retrieves until you start getting hits. Egg patterns are still hooking several fish as many trout continue their spawning activities. Some of our favorite egg patterns are the Flashtail Mini Egg, the Unreal Egg, and the Micro Egg. For the health of the fishery, remember to leave actively spawning fish alone.
Wilderness Trail said fishing for trout on the White River has been good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow and white. Buoyant Spoons, gold Colorado Spoons, and Little Cleos are the baits of choice during generation. The fly fishermen did well on olive woolly buggers, olive scuds and unreal eggs in peach and white. The brown trout are being caught on Rattlin’ Rogues, nightcrawlers and Rapala Countdowns.

North Fork River: McLellan’s Fly Shop said generation has slacked off considerably over the last few days, sometimes not even coming online during the daylight hours. The wade fishing has been very good lately, and fishing high water from a boat has been productive as well. Scuds, sow bugs, midges, and eggs in low water, and eggs, San Juan worms, and big streamers like the articulated zoo cougar in high water have been producing plenty of hook-ups. Egg patterns are still hooking several fish as many trout continue their spawning activities. Some of our favorite egg patterns are the Flashtail Mini Egg, the Unreal Egg, and the Micro Egg. For the health of the fishery, remember to leave actively spawning fish alone.
Norfork Trout Dock said there has been moderate flow during the week, but the generators have been off most of the weekends. Rainbow and brown trout are being caught drift-fishing using salmon eggs, worms and corn. Rapala Countdowns in gold, silver and rainbow trout patterns are working well, as are ¼-ounce Little Cleos. Small, white Chrome Dome jigs are also taking quite a few trout when drifted with the current.

Bull Shoals Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 645.48 feet MSL.
Wilderness Trail said the lake level dropped last week and the lake temperature came down some with the snow. The surface temperature is in the upper 40’s, warming to around 50 degrees by the afternoon. Crappie have moved tight to the brush piles after the freezing weather. Live bait is the key at this time as the crappie are not real active. Use a chartreuse, pink or yellow jighead tipped with a minnow in the brush piles and a slow presentation. Largemouth bass were active on the banks before the chill and they are still on the banks now. Main lake points, secondary points in pockets and coves and banks halfway back in the creek arms are holding feeding largemouth. Get on the trolling motor and cover water with spinnerbaits and crawdad-colored crankbaits. Smallmouth bass are not as shallow as the largemouth but they are using the same structure (points), feeding on shad and whatever crawdads they can find. Crankbaits and jerkbaits will work on suspending smallies and tubes or spider jigs are working the best on feeding smallies foraging on the bottom for crawdads. Don’t overlook fishing a football jig in 40 to 45 feet of water this time of year; you could hook up with a trophy smallmouth. Kentucky bass are deep and they are going to stay deep throughout the winter. Find the shad and you will find the Kentuckies. Channel swing ends, deep pockets and flooded timber are areas to check with a spoon or jigworm. Walleye are not up on the banks, they are off the points and flats on the bottom in 45 to 48 feet of water. Trolling with lead core line with Hot’N Tots or Glass Shad is triggering a few, but the best technique at this time is a live shiner on a jig head or vertically jigging slab spoons. With the cooler water, walleye are really sluggish. If you marking walleye but they won’t bite, move on to try to find some that are active.
Sugar Loaf Harbor said the lake is very low and the water is clear. Crappie fishing is good, with many anglers catching fish in 15 to 20 feet of water, jigging small tube jigs and grubs. Bass fishing is fair on drop-shotted soft plastics. Walleye have moved deep, and a few anglers have found them trolling crawler harnesses.

Lake Norfork: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 540.06 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is clear and low. Crappie fishing is fair, with the fish moving back to shallow brush piles. Minnows fished under a slip-bobber rig are working well. Bass are fair in the shallows on spinnerbaits and crankbaits during low-light hours. Once the sun is up, a football-head jig or jig-and-pig work well in 20 to 25 feet deep.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Beaver Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,106.11 feet MSL.
Southtown Sporting Goods said the lake is low and clear. The extremely cold weather has kept many anglers off the lake. Crappie fishing is fair in 6 to 10 feet of water around planted brush piles. Bass are shallow in the daytime, and anglers are doing the best on spinnerbaits and crankbaits on shorelines where the sun has warmed the water around mid-day. Strippers are biting well around the river arms. Anglers are doing the best on one-ounce spoons and hair jigs as well as 4 to 8 inch brooder minnows and shad.

Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the lake is on the rise, about 11/2 inches a day. The recent freezing weather had the water’s surface frozen over for a few mornings. Crappie fishing has been fair during the day on jigs and minnows in 4 to 8 feet of water. Bass fishing is fair in 4 to 8 feet of water on spinnerbaits and soft plastics fished near logs and brush piles. Catfishing has been fair on chicken livers and worms. Channel cats have been especially cooperative lately.

Beaver Tailwaters: McLellan’s Fly Shop said there has been very little generation over the last few days. If generators come online at all, it’s usually been between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., providing plenty of wading opportunities. Scuds and sow bugs as well as midge pupa patterns have been very productive; however, egg patterns are still hooking several fish as many trout continue their spawning activities. Some of our favorite egg patterns are the Flashtail Mini Egg, the Unreal Egg, and the Micro Egg. For the health of the fishery, remember to leave actively spawning fish alone.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

Millwood Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.15 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water temperature ranges from 52 to 58 degrees. Largemouth bass remain good on War Eagle spinnerbaits in smoke-mouse, chartreuse pearl, or spot remover colors, along the pad stems in Little River. Shad-patterned Norman DLN and Big O crankbaits, and ½-ounce chrome Rat-L-Traps are taking nice black bass and Kentuckies between 2-3 pounds. The deeper-running crankbaits are taking the larger bass. Dead-sticking Bass Assassin Shads is still taking some good black bass in the dying lily pad stems and hydrilla. The water temperature remains much warmer further up Little River than the main lake body. The Carolina-rig bite is picking up in the last few days using Lake Fork French Fries and Zoom Magnum Lizards in watermelon/red, Carolina pumpkin, and sour grape colors. The jig bite continues to improve on Texas Craw and pumpkin/watermelon colored jigs. Fish the jigs around the bases of cypress trees close to the river. The best bite is on the sunny side of the tree knees beside any current in the river. White bass have not been schooling the last few days with the cold fronts and dropping temperatures, and the huge schools that were massively feeding have moved and shifted to deeper water in Little River. Some have been caught on hammered Cordell spoons with white and red bucktail trailers. Kentuckies are still fair to good, along the river on Rocket Shads, twitch worms, and small Rat-L-Traps, around creek mouths and where they dump into Little River. The Kentuckies are still stacked up in the mouths of Snake Creek and Hurricane Creek early this week, but the bite has dropped a notch due to recent cold fronts. Crappie are fair to good, and are still deep in Little River. The Crappie are suspended about 12-16 feet deep along Little River. The best bite is on jigs, in contact with planted brush piles and tops. The best bite is mid-day this week. Channel Cats are fair on cut bait, dog food, cottonseed mill cake, and shiners fished about 18 feet deep, on outside river bends.

Lake Columbia: Steve’s Marine said the bream fishing is fair with most of the bream being caught on red worms and crickets fished right on the bottom. Crappie fishing has been good lately on shiners and jigs. The bass are holding around the brush and anglers are doing fairly well with spinnerbaits, crankbaits and soft plastics. Catfishing is fair on chicken livers, cold worms and stinkbait.

Lake Erling: Steve’s Marine said the bream are biting red wigglers and crickets fished on the bottom. Crappie reports have been good lately. Bass are shallow, and anglers are doing fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits fished around the brush. Catfish are fair on cold worms fished near the bottom.

Lake Greeson: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 535.22 feet MSL.
Lakeside Grocery, Motel/Bait Shop said the lake is still low. Crappie fishing is fair on small tube jigs fished over brush piles in 15 feet of water. Bass fishing has been good on white and shad-colored crankbaits fished along the shoreline. Anywhere from the bank to 20 feet deep may hold a couple of fish. Soft-plastics, jig-and-pigs and slow-rolled spinnerbaits are working well. Catfish are fair on stinkbait and night crawlers fished under the docks in 15 feet of water.

DeGray Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 396.37 feet MSL.

Little Missouri River: Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Flyfishing said the temperature hasn’t gotten much above 50 degrees this week. Get your cold weather gear ready. Nice loads of fish are already in the river at all five public accesses and more are coming each week. We haven’t seen January’s numbers just yet, but you can expect some big time stocking going on after the holidays. SWEPCO released their generation schedule and you can access it on their Web page.

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said the lake is low and at normal clarity. Crappie fishing is good around planted brush piles in 4 to 14 feet of water. Crappie anglers are catching most of their fish on red-and-chartreuse jigs and pink minnows. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits and jerkbaits fished around brush and rocks. Catfishing is good on live bait drifted just below the dam.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the dry weather has kept the water from running in the river. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows and jigs in 10 to 12 feet of water where the mouths of the creeks meet the river. White bass and stripers are holding below the dam and are biting minnows drifted in the current. All other species are slow.

Lake Ouachita: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 567.98 feet MSL.
Mossy Point said the lake is clear and the water temperature ranges from 60 to 65 degrees. Crappie fishing is good on live minnows and Twistertail grubs in 10 to 15 feet of water. Bass fishing is fair on spinnerbaits and finesse worms fished on the outside edge of the moss.
Lake Ouachita State Park marina reports fishing has slowed with the passing fronts, but has been good on calm days. The water is clear with a surface temperature from 52 to 57 degrees. Stripers have been caught in the mornings and afternoons on top-water lures such as the Spook Jr., spooning with CC Spoons and trolling with crankbaits. The stripers are breaking in the low-light hours and C-10 Redfins have brought in their fair share of breaking fish. Bass fishing has been fair on finesse worms and spinner baits on the outside edge of the weed line, and top-water action is still good in the mornings. The white bass have been in roving schools on the east side of the lake. The crappie fishing has been slow, but a few have been caught on Kalin’s grubs and crappie minnows. There have been no reports of catfish success. An occasional walleye has been caught vertically jigging a spoon in 30 feet of water around submerged and standing timber.

Lake Catherine: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said the lake is at winter pool and the water is clearing. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs fished in 8 to 10 feet of water. Black bass are biting well on crankbaits and jigs fished around any rocky points that top off at about 7 feet deep.

Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said the lake is at winter pool and the water is clear. Crappie fishing has improved lately around the Highway 70 bridge on minnows and jigs fished 8 to 10 feet deep. Bass fishing is also good on jigs and crankbaits fished in 7 feet of water around any rocky areas. The bass seem to be holding in around 7 feet of water.

Lake Hinkle: Bill’s Bait Shop said not many anglers are heading to Hinkle lately.

Lake Nimrod: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 341.46 feet MSL.
Lake Nimrod Bait ‘n’ More II said the crappie are bunching up around brush tops and stumps. Anglers are doing very well on crappie with minnows and red-and-chartreuse jigs. The largemouth bass are biting on large minnows and crankbaits fished on the deeper ledges.

Arkansas River: Mossy Point said the river is murky lately. Bass are fair and are biting right along the bank in the main channel on buzzbaits fished parallel to the river’s edge in the evenings. Crappie fishing is good in 6 feet of water on minnows and jigs.

SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Felsenthal: Hale’s One Stop said crappie fishing is excellent around 12 feet deep near stumps and brush. Shiners fished under a slip-bobber are bringing home quite a few papermouths.

EAST ARKANSAS:

Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The Tackle Box said the water is low and murky. Crappie fishing is good on jigs fished slowly in 15 feet of water. Bass fishing is fair with a few anglers catching a couple of fish in the late evening and early morning around the edges of the river channel. Catfishing is good on large minnows and worms fished just out of the current.

Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the lake is still low because of the weather. Bream fishing is fair on wax worms and crickets (if you can find them) around the piers in 5 to 6 feet of water. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs in the same areas. Bass fishing has been consistently good on spinnerbaits fished near the piers and cypress trees.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS:

Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the lake is clearing up (for Conway) and at normal pool. Bream are fair on nightcrawlers. Crappie fishing has been fair on minnows and jigs in the deepest parts of the creeks.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said the crappie are biting well in Gold Creek.

Little Red River: Lindsey’s Resort said the river is running clear and at normal levels. Generation is still very low, with one unit running a couple of times a week. Trout fishing has been good on wax worms and marshmallows and chartreuse-and-pink Power Eggs. Spin fishermen are doing well on olive and brown marabou jigs. Fly-fishing has been good on egg patterns and red-and-copper brassies.

Greers Ferry: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 451.60 feet MSL.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the surface water temperature is 52 to 55 degrees. Largemouths bass can be caught with crankbaits and spinner baits on steep chunk rock banks on sunny afternoons and out deeper on tubes and spider jigs on cloudy days. Kentuckies and smallmouth are still in about 20 feet of water on secondary points and bluff banks and can be caught with Carolina rigs with a 5-inch lizard. A 4-inch Rite Bite Cinko rigged on a jighead with the hook exposed is also catching quite a few suspended fish. The crappie are still biting pretty well in 15 to 20 feet of water on live bait. Plenty of shad are present around the pole timber in the creeks, and the crappie are feeding on them. The hybrids and whites have followed the shad up the creeks as well. When you find the bait, you can catch them on jigging spoons, in-line spinners and swim baits. The swim bait bite will continue to get better as the winter goes on and the shad grow larger. The walleye are biting fair, and it should get better with the new front.

Harris Brake Lake: Coffee Creek Landing said the lake is low and clear. Crappie fishing is good in 3 feet of water on pink minnows and jigs fished around the brush piles in the coves. Bass fishing is good on spinnerbaits around the rocks near the dam.

Lake Overcup: Lakeview Landing said the lake is clear and low. Bream are biting fair on small jigs and crickets fished around brush in the shallows. Crappie are beginning to come into the bank and around the pier. Anglers have done well on minnows and jigs in 4 feet of water.

Toad Suck Lock and Dam: Bates Field and Stream said striper fishing has been good on white bucktail jigs.

Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the river is at normal level and the water has normal clarity. Bream are biting well in 1 to 4 feet of water on crickets or red worms. Crappie fishing is good on minnows, tube jigs and marabou jigs in 3 to 8 feet of water. Bass fishing is fair on spinnerbaits and top-water lures fished over water 4 feet deep. Catfishing has been good lately.

Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger’s Marina said black bass are biting well. Fish the channels and ledges topping out at 15 feet and dropping to 20 feet deep using drop-shotted soft plastics and jigging spoons. Kentucky bass are being caught in 15 to 20 feet of water in the same areas as the largemouths. They are biting the best on 3-inch pumpkin grubs, finesse worms and tubes. White bass are excellent. The whites are close to or in the channel at around 20 feet deep and are feeding on schools of shad. They have been breaking early to midday. Top-water baits and spoons have been deadly. Trolling with Shad Raps in 12 to 15 feet of water is also working well. Catfish are biting well in the channel about 20 feet deep. Canadian nightcrawlers, large minnows and prepared baits are all working well. The crappie are in about 15 to 20 feet of water and are being caught on small 1/32 jigs and pink crappie minnows, but action is very slow. Bream are slow, but a few are hitting on crickets and worms about 20 feet deep.

Arkansas River: Charley’s Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said the flow from Lock 9 is 3,000 cubic feet per second with a headwater of 285.35 and a tailwater of 264.32. Catfish are in the deeper holes in the main part of the river and are biting well on whole shad. Stripers are biting well on the deeper drops and jetty tips. Live shad are working well in water 25 to 35 feet deep. Sauger fishing is good on speck rigs in chartreuse and red. Float fishing with live minnows along the jetty tips is also picking up a few saugers. Kentucky bass are biting well on spinnerbaits with double willow-leaf blades in silver and gold. Concentrate on the rocks that are being warmed by the sun. White bass are biting well on Heddon Sonars fished around the schools of shad close to the main channel.

Arkansas River (Little Rock area): Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said crappie are biting well on jigs fished in 21/2 to 3 feet of water along the rocks. Catfishing is good on large minnows, worms and chicken livers fished just outside of the main channel. The stripers are biting well on chartreuse jigs and minnows fished along the current breaks.

Lake Valencia: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said the lake is always a good bet from the many stockings it receives.

Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center said no water has been running lately. A few stripers have been biting on large bass minnows, but everything else has been slow.

Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center said the lake is at normal level and clear. Crappie fishing is good in 4 to 5 feet of water on minnows. All other species have been slow.

NORTH ARKANSAS:

White River: McLellan’s Fly Shop said Generation has slacked off some this week, with one or two generators usually coming online in the early morning but only running for a couple hours, then shutting off for the rest of the day, providing plenty of wade fishing on the upper river from late morning on through the rest of the day. Wade fishing the upper river has been very productive with tan and olive McLellan’s Hunchback Scuds and Woven Sow Bugs. Fishing high water out of a boat has also been very productive using large scuds, eggs, and San Juan Worms. Early winter is a great time to fish a streamer (even in low water); try to trigger a strike from the aggressive brown trout by swinging a streamer like the Zoo Cougar or Platte River Spider through a pool. Experiment with different retrieves until you start getting hits. Egg patterns are starting to hook several fish as more and more trout start their pre-spawn activities. Some of our favorite egg patterns are the Flashtail Mini Egg, the Unreal Egg, and the Micro Egg. For the health of the fishery, remember to leave actively spawning fish alone.
Wilderness Trail said fishing for trout on the White River has been good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow and white. With generation the Buoyant Spoons, Colorado Spoons in gold, and Little Cleo’s in gold are the lures of choice. Fly fishermen did well on olive woolly buggers, olive scuds and unreal eggs in peach and white. The brown trout are being caught on Smithwick Rattlin’ Rogues, nightcrawlers and Rapala Countdowns.

North Fork River: McLellan’s Fly Shop said Generation on the Norfork has been very sporadic lately, but it has slacked off some with the cooler temperatures, sometimes not even coming online during the daylight hours. The wade fishing has been very good lately, and fishing high water from a boat has been productive as well. Scuds, sow bugs, midges, and eggs in low water, and eggs, San Juan Worms, and big streamers like the Articulated Zoo Cougar in high water have been producing plenty of hook-ups. Egg patterns are starting to hook several fish as more and more trout start their pre-spawn activities. Some of our favorite egg patterns are the Flashtail Mini Egg, the Unreal Egg, and the Micro Egg. For the health of the fishery, remember to leave actively spawning fish alone, and avoid wading through their spawning redds (clean, oval depressions in the gravel).
Norfork Trout Dock said the river is crystal clear with moderate generation (four units running each day). Rainbow trout are good on wax worms, corn and salmon eggs. Brown trout are fair and are being taken on sculpin patterns, shad and shiners drift fished in the current.

Bull Shoals Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 646.19 feet MSL.
Wilderness Trail said that with the cool temperatures not many people are fishing, but those that have gone out have caught fish. Lake temperatures range from 50 to 54 degrees, depending on what part of the lake you are fishing. The oxygen level and temperature are still about the same down to 80 feet. White Bass are showing up from time to time back in the pockets and cuts. They are spotty, but if you have a ½-ounce spoon in silver or white tied on and you happen upon them, you can catch some nice whites in the 1- to 3-pound range. Crappie are holding tight to brush piles in about 25 feet of water. The best baits are crappie minnows and Bink’s Crappie Spoons. You will need to work in the brush pile very methodically for a reaction strike. Largemouth bass are either suspended in 15 to 25 feet of water or up on the banks, from the main lake points to the back of the cuts and pockets. Small crankbaits or spinnerbaits are your best bet in the windswept pockets. Smallmouth bass are still looking for crawdads and are in 25 to 35 feet on channel swings or points and anywhere large rocks are holding crawdads. The best baits are crankbaits and spider jigs or football-head jigs. Slow-rolling a spinnerbait will also get you a bite or two, especially if there are some shad in the area. Kentucky bass are also looking for crawdads but also are still with shad. The best bite is under the shad with spoons or a drop-shot rig. Check the cuts and pockets off the main lake for concentrations of Kentuckies or look for a flooded stand of trees. Walleye are still with the shad. If you can find the baitfish, you will find the walleye. Bottom bouncing with a leech or a crawler harness caught some walleye last week in the 2- to 4-pound range. The walleye have not started to stack up against the banks yet. They will be found in 20 to 50 feet of water. Trolling with a Deep Little Ripper in shad colors in 20 to 50 feet of water should produce a few strikes.
Sugar Loaf Harbor said the lake is low. Crappie fishing is good in 20 feet of water on jigs and minnows in brush piles. Kentucky bass, smallmouths and largemouths are biting well on Zoom Horny Toads and 4-inch watermelonseed drop-shot worms.

Lake Norfork: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 540.62 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is clear and low. Crappie fishing is fair, with the fish moving back to shallow brush piles. Minnows fished under a slip-bobber rig are working well. Bass are fair in the shallows on spinnerbaits and crankbaits during low-light hours. Once the sun is up, a football-head jig or jig-and-pig work well in 20 to 25 feet deep.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Beaver Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,106.51 feet MSL.
Southtown Sporting Goods said the lake is low and clear. Crappie are biting well in 4 to 10 feet of water on minnows fished tight to the brush piles. Some anglers are reporting that you need to be so tight to the brush, you may get tangled up. Bass are fair to good around shallow, secondary points on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Stripers are biting well in the main lake on live shad. In the river arms, striper anglers are also doing well on spoons and Roadrunners.

Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the lake is clear and low. The rain didn’t really help the lake level. Bream fishing is poor. Crappie are biting well about 4-feet deep on minnows and jigs. Some bass are being taken with spinnerbaits and jig-and-pigs about 4-feet deep. Catfish are biting well on goldfish and chicken liver.

Beaver Tailwaters: McLellan’s Fly Shop said there has been very little generation over the past few weeks. If generators come online at all, it’s usually between 3 and 5 p.m., providing plenty of wade-fishing opportunities. Of course, scuds and sow bugs as well as midge pupa patterns have been very productive; however, egg patterns are starting to hook several fish as more and more trout start their pre-spawn activities. Some of our favorite egg patterns are the Flashtail Mini Egg, the Unreal Egg, and the Micro Egg. For the health of the fishery, remember to leave actively spawning fish alone, and avoid wading through their spawning redds (clean, oval depressions in the gravel).

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

Lake Charles: Powhatan Landing said the crappie fishing has been good on a jig-and-minnow combination lately.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

Millwood Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.16 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water temperature ranges from 54 to 60 degrees and the discharge at the dam is 172 cubic feet per second. Largemouth Bass from 3 to 5 pounds have been biting well on War Eagle spinnerbaits in smoke-mouse or firecracker colors along the dying lily pad stems in Little River. Deep-diving crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps in white, chrome or shad patterns are taking some nice black bass and Kentuckies as well. Bass Assassin Shads are still taking some fair keepers in the dying lily pad stems and hydrilla and in pockets in the backs of the creeks. We have noticed the water temps are much warmer further up Little River than the main lake body. The Carolina-rig bite is picking up in the last few days, and the jig bite is beginning to improve. White bass are still randomly schooling in Little River above and below Ark. Hwy 71 bridge in Little River where the creek mouths dump into the river. Try Rat-L-Traps in chrome, Rocket Shads in white, Little Cleos and Rooster Tails where you see baitfish flicking the surface of the river. Kentucky bass are biting well on Rocket Shads, twitch worms, and small Rat-L-Traps around creek mouths and where they dump into Little River. Kentuckies are still stacked up in the mouths of Snake Creek and Hurricane Creek. Crappie are fair to good and have moved to slightly deeper drop-offs in Little River. They are suspended about 13 feet deep along Little River in brush piles and treetops. The best bite is on jigs in mid-morning. Catfish are fair on cut shad, chicken hearts, hot dogs and shiners 12 to 14 feet deep on trotlines and yo-yos.

White Oak Lake: Charlie’s One Stop said the lake is low and the water clarity is fair. Crappie fishing is good around brush piles in 10 feet of water on crappie minnows. Bass fishing reports have been fair with most anglers going to a jig-and-pig.

Lake Greeson: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 535.18 feet MSL.
Lakeside Grocery, Motel/Bait Shop said the lake is clear and still extremely low. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers fished underneath the docks in the marina that are in 15 feet of water. All other species are slow.

DeGray Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 396.65 feet MSL.

Little Missouri River: Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Flyfishing said the stocking has been in full swing along the public access points to the river. The cold weather makes neoprene a must for any trout angler wanting to wade right now. SWEPCO released their generation schedule and you can access it at their Web page. Typically there won’t be any generation on weekends and only few hours during the weekdays, making for some excellent fishing. The low lake level may reduce the generation even more this winter.

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said the lake is low and clear. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs fished near the bridge pilings. The crappie seem to be holding near the base of the pilings, so fish deep. A few catfish have been pulled in on trotlines set towards the river turns.
Mossy Point said crappie fishing is fair on live minnows from 4 to 6 feet of water. All other species have been slow.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the water was low and clear. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows and jigs fished right on the bottom along the deeper ledges. Striper fishing has been fair on minnows and jigs, with some stripers surfacing throughout the day.

Lake Ouachita: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 568.13 feet MSL.
Mossy Point said the surface temperature ranges from 60 to 65 degrees. Crappie fishing has been good in 10 to 15 feet of water on live minnows and Twistertails. Bass are fair on finesse worms and spinnerbaits fished on the outside edge of the moss.
Lake Ouachita State Park Marina said fishing has slowed with the passing fronts. The water is beginning to clear from recent storms. The water temp is between 57 and 59 degrees. Stripers have been caught in the mornings and afternoons and anglers have been catching them on top-water lures such as Heddon Spooks, spooning with CC spoons and trolling with Shad Raps. Bass fishing has been fair on traditional baits such as finesse worms and spinner baits. Top-water action for bass has been good in the mornings. The crappie have not moved in as expected, but a few have been caught on Kalin’s grubs and crappie minnows. Anglers have reported the bream fishing as slow. There have been no reports of catfishing success. An occasional walleye has been caught spooning in 30 feet of water around submerged and standing timber.
Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said crappie fishing is good in 10-12 feet of water on the deep side of the moss line. Minnows and jigs are working the best. Stripers are breaking on top-water lures in the west end of the lake in the South Fork and the Ouachita River.

Lake Catherine: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said the lake is at winter pool, about 5 feet below normal. Anglers are doing well on bass near the lower end of the lake, within sight of Remmel Dam. They are doing the best on crawfish-colored crankbaits.

Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill’s Sport Shop said the lake is at winter pool and will be there until February. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs near the exposed brush piles. Bass fishing is excellent in 7 to 10 feet of water on crawfish-colored crankbaits and jigs.

Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the lake is clear and low. Bream fishing is good on red worms fished about 5 feet deep along the banks. Crappie fishing is excellent on small tube jigs fished next to the boat ramp by the store in 4 feet of water. Bass fishing is fair on soft-plastic worms fished along the shoreline out to 6 feet of water. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers fished on slip-sinker rigs.

Lake Nimrod: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 341.49 feet MSL.

Arkansas River: Mossy Point said the river is murky. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs fished in 6 feet of water. Bass are biting decent along the banks in the main channel on a buzzbait in the evenings.
Tackle Box said the river is low with fair clarity. Crappie fishing is fair in various depths from 12 to 22 feet of water. Minnows fished under a slip-bobber have been the most productive when fished near bridge pilings and brush piles. Bass fishing has been fair on spinnerbaits in 4 to 5 feet of water around dead weed beds. Catfishing is fair on cut shad below Ozark Dam.

EAST ARKANSAS:

Horseshoe Lake: Local angler Clyde Gregory said the lake is low right now. Bream are biting fair on red worms fished in 6 feet of water, just off the bottom. Crappie fishing is good in 6 feet of water on minnows and jigs in red-and-chartreuse and black-and-chartreuse around the piers. Bass are biting well in the cypress trees stretching out to deeper water on white spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers and cut bait suspended off of yo-yos.

Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): The Tackle Box said the river is running low and clear. Crappie fishing is excellent in 3 to 10 feet of water on sandbars with rocks, stumps or brush around them. Minnows and small tube jigs are working the best. Bass from 6 to 18 inches are being caught on crankbaits and swim baits fished 20 to 30 feet off the banks. All other species have been slow.