Central Arkansas Lake Conway
Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is low and clear. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting well on pink minnows and jigs. Bass are slow. Catfish are slow.
Dan at Gold Creek Marina (501-607-0590) had no report.
Little Red River
Lindsey’s Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is low and there has been very little generation. Wax worms and Power Eggs fished around the shoals has been productive. Fly-fishing is good on egg patterns.
Greers Ferry
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 454.54 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 461 MSL).
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level is falling and the surface water temperature is in the low to mid 40s. The bass bite is still good if you can find them. Follow the shad, and cast jerk baits, crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps. Dragging a football head jig in deep water also is producing a few bass. Crappie are still eating up the rivers and in the main lake in pole timber and over brush piles in 15 to 25 feet of water on jigs and jigs tipped with minnows. Walleye are slow. Hybrids and white bass continue to bite well on spoons, swimbaits, hair jigs and in-line spinners on cloudy days.
Cody S. Smith of www.fishgreersferry.com had no report.
Harris Brake Lake
Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said the water is low. No anglers have been fishing to give a report.
Lake Overcup
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said work on the dam and fish habitat work have been completed. Lane marking is about 90 percent complete. The water is still low, but should refill with the spring rains. Fishing is slow, but some crappie are being caught on pink minnows and pink/white/chartreuse jigs. Bream are biting on redworms. Catfish are fair on trotlines and yo-yos baited with cut shad. Bass are slow.
Brewer Lake
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the lake is 6 to 8 feet low and clear. Crappie have been biting fairly well on minnows and white/chartreuse jigs. Catfishing is fair on cut bait and nightcrawlers. Bream and bass are slow.
Lake Maumelle
Jolly Roger’s Marina said the lake is 9 feet below the spillway and the water temperature is 40 degrees. Fishing has been excellent, despite the cold and low water. Black bass are biting well on crankbaits and jigs fished off points and channel edges around 10 to 15 feet deep. The mid-section of the lake has been the most productive. If you’re heading west, be very careful, as the old Highway 10 is only about 8 to 12 inches deep and the south side of concrete ends are only 2 inches below the surface. Many small spotted bass are being caught on jighead worms fished 12 to 20 feet deep around structure. White bass are scattered on the south side of Big Island and in front of the restricted area. A few have been caught early on Spooks and Near Nuthings early in the morning, and a few have been caught on spoons. Crappie are excellent on structure in 18 to 20 feet of water on 1/32-oz. red/white jigs and small pink minnows. Catfish are slow.
Lake Valencia
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report.
Sunset Lake
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and Kalin’s grubs fished in brush 15 to 18 feet deep. Bass are fair on shad-colored crankbaits and black/blue jigs in 12 to 15 feet of water. Catfishing is slow.
Saline River Access in Benton
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is stained and at normal level. Bass are biting well on brown/orange jigs and pumpkinseed tubes fished around rocks in 5 to 6 feet of water. Walleye are biting fairly well around deep water on salt-and-pepper grubs. All other species are slow.
Arkansas River at Morrilton
Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo had no report.
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report.
Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool)
Vince Miller from Fish ’N Stuff said the water is at normal level. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting well on red/black/chartreuse jigs. Bass are fair. No report on catfish.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said all species are slow, but a few crappie have been caught on jigs.
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is slightly low. Crappie are biting well on chartreuse jigs and minnows. Catfishing is good on trotlines and yo-yos baited with chicken liver. All other species are slow.
Clear Lake
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is low. Crappie are biting well on chartreuse jigs and minnows. Catfishing is fair on yo-yos baited with chicken liver. No report on bass or bream.
Peckerwood Lake
Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) is closed to fishing for the winter and will reopen February 1, 2011.
Lake Pickthorne
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report.
North Arkansas White River
Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is clear and six generators are running. Rainbow trout are biting well on PowerBait. Brown trout are biting well on white jigs.
Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said rainbow trout have been hitting brown trout-colored Rapala floating minnows and countdown minnows in size 7 cast toward the bank and retrieved slowly.
Guide Davy Wotton said despite some wicked cold and serious winds, those who have braved the conditions have done well. Many large brown trout have been caught, including one in the 16- to 18-pound range at the Wildcat Zone. Flows have ranged from zero to high flows, so adapting to the conditions is paramount. Water temperatures are now in the mid to low 40s, so expect the bite to be slow. The best option is to dead drift zebra, shimmer and white tail midges in deep, slow water. Gray and Tan sow bugs and olive scuds are also good bets. During periods of generation, move more toward a two-fly rig with one fly of bright color such as a red, tan or pink egg or San Juan worm. If generations are high, opt for larger 3- to 6-inch streamers into the shoreline as you drift from a boat.
Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said fishing has continued to be good. Many fish are being caught on the White River Zig Jig in ginger or ginger/orange and black/gold/white No. 7 Countdown Rapalas. The numbers have been good on the entire stretch of river. Most fish have been caught close to swift water. When the water starts to drop, be sure to take a fly rod with an Olive Woolly Bugger and strip it where there a lot of rocks on the bottom and the water is 5 feet or less. Be safe on the water and pay attention to what is going on around you; the constant up and down of the generation will bring rocks into play that you did not see just a short time earlier.
Buffalo River
Just Fishing Guides had no report.
Crooked Creek
Just Fishing Guides had no report.
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 647.92 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 654 MSL).
Mike Worley’s Guide Service had no report.
Bull Shoals Tailwater
Ken Richards at Just Fishing Guides had no report.
Lake Norfork
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 543.32 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April - 552 MSL, April-Sept. - 554 MSL).
STR Outfitters said fishing was slow last weekend. Shad were a bit difficult to find and net for striper bait. There were many baitfish from the mouth of Henderson Marina to Bidwell. A few stripers were holding above the shad at 60 feet of water, but the bite was still tough.
Guide Steve Olomon said the water temperature is in the upper 40s. Look for stripers in the creeks. When you mark fish on your depth finder around 30-50 feet, drop a jigging spoon. You can also try throwing a grub and working it along the bottom. Throw suspending jerk baits over brush piles and along the bluffs for some bass. You have to remember that when the water is cold, fish slow and downsize your baits.
Highway 101 Grocery and Bait said surface water temperature is 40-42 degrees. Striper fishing has been fair using live bait or jigging spoons. Stripers are moving all the time, so are the bait fish. Crappie fishing has been good; most folks have been using live bait, fishing in and around any structure. Walleye fishing has been slow. Bass fishing has been good using anything from crankbaits and spinnerbaits to jigging spoons in 20-30 feet of water. White bass fishing has been good using jigging spoons.
Norfork Tailwater
Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) had no report.
Charlie’s Rainbow Trout Resort had no report.
Fishing guide Davy Wotton said Norfork has seen a great deal of pressure during its zero generations which in turn has wised the fish up. The best choices here are long leader systems to 5 or 6x with combinations of midge and sow bugs in sizes 16 to 20. If you see fish working the surface, then go for small midge emergers such as Rs2, in black, red, gray and white.
Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said fishing has been fair on gold/black or silver/black Shad Raps in size 5. Two generators are running in the morning until about 10 a.m. Corn has worked well during low water.
Northwest Arkansas Beaver Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,111.46 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 1,120 MSL).
Bailey’s Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) said striper fishing has been slow with the cold. Stripers are scattered and have moved back toward the main lake in search of bait. They are holding tight to bluffs on deep holes that provide warmer water. The areas between Prairie Creek and Monte-Ne are your best bet. Stripers can be caught by adding a ¼- to ½-oz. weight about 2 feet ahead of live bait and troll them 100 to 150 feet behind the boat at ¼- to 1/2 mph. Use gizzard shad about 3-4 inches long. If using balloons, tie the balloon on about 15 feet ahead of your bait and use no weight. Baits need to be positioned from 8-20 feet deep. Most shad are holding in the 20-40ft depth range. Stripers can also be taken on size 9 Rapala Floating Minnows, Husky Jerks or Smithwick Rattling Rogues trolled at 11/2- to 2 mph. Planer boards help spread your lures and cover more water. Don’t mix live baits and crankbaits while you’re trolling, as both need different speeds to be effective. Current in the lake from generation will generally position fish on upstream or down stream edges of structure; check the daily lake level and flow data link. The following areas will be holding striper at different times during the day. On the mid- and lower sections, check Indian Creek, the mouth of Big Clifty, in front of the marina at Rocky Branch and toward point 6, and near the bluffs at Copper Mine. In the upper section, check Prairie Creek around the islands and the mouth of the creek, Coose Hollow, Blackburn Creek, the channel between the bluffs and the rearing pond at Beaver Shores, Horseshoe Bend (especially the Striper Alley area), bluffs along Hickory Creek and in the deepest holes of War Eagle near "the power lines" and upriver near "Goss" hole or "50 cent" hole. Walleye are being caught on points and mid-stream humps in 20 to 30 feet of water. They are concentrated right now in the mouth of the War Eagle River. Three-way rigs fished with crawlers or Rapalas are producing. Use a 14-inch dropper to your sinker and a 4-foot leader to your bait. Trolling Rapalas or Rogues in Natural Blue, Black/silver and Clown Flash on lead core or wire line also is producing. Troll crawlers and Rapalas at about 1/4 to 1/2 mph, moving just fast enough to keep your lure from hanging up. Pull the lure forward in 2-3 foot sweeps as you go just to give it action, the bite will occur on the drop back.
JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass have been hitting suspending jerk baits and Wiggle Warts on main lake points and chunk rock banks with timber. The best colors have been bone, crawdad, watermelon, chrome and clown. Crappie fishing has been outstanding on warm afternoons. Try a jig or a minnow fished under a cork 4 to 6 feet deep over man made brush piles, timber or laydowns in 20 to 35 feet of water from Monte-NE upstream into the rivers. White bass are suspending 15 to 30 feet deep on main lake coves, edges of flats and in the mouths of coves. Once a school has been found, drop a 3/8- or ¼-oz. Rat-L-Trap or jigging spoon to them. Catfish have been biting well later in the day on cut bait or liver upstream from Hickory Creek.
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is low. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs fished in brush 10 to 12 feet deep. Bass are slow on crankbaits and spoons fished in deep water. Catfishing is slow. Stripers are around the Point 12 area.
Beaver Tailwater
Just Fishing Guides had no report.
Kings River
Just Fishing Guides had no report.
Lake Fayetteville
Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) had no report.
Lake Sequoyah
Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) had no report.
Northeast Arkansas Lake Charles
Lake Charles State Park said the water temperature is hovering around 38 degrees and fishing is slow. A few bass may be caught on a jig-and-pig combo worked very slowly.
Lake Poinsett
Lake Poinsett State Park said Lake Poinsett is still very low. The state park boat ramp is unusable. No report.
Crown Lake
Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said no one is fishing. No report.
Lake Frierson
Lake Frierson State Park had no report. No one is fishing.
Spring River
Mark Crawford with Spring River Flies and Guides said the river is running low, making for some great wading. Water levels are still around 240 cfs. Water clarity is clear with a little cloudiness. Fishing has been great since the AGFC stocked last week. Mayfly emergers and bead-headed woolly buggers have been working well. It’s also time to start fishing for walleye. Live minnows fished on the bottom is the local favorite. Fly-fishermen can do well on Clouser minnows fished deep with a sinking tip line on cloudy days.
Southeast Arkansas Lake Chicot
Lake Chicot State Park said bream fishing has been fair, and crappie fishing has been good. Bream are being caught mostly on crickets. Crappie are being caught on minnows. Catfish are biting well on crickets and blood bait. Bass are slow, but a few have been caught on black soft-plastic worms.
Cane Creek Lake
Cane Creek State Park had no report.
Lake Monticello
Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of MonticelloBigBass.com said cold, wet weather has kept most anglers off the lake. No report.
Southwest Arkansas Millwood Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 255.86 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 259.2 MSL).
Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said the lake level rose with the recent rain, and is 38.4 inches below normal pool and falling. Current in Little River increased to 2,750 CFS, and the four foot drawdown will continue through Feb. 11. Surface temperatures range from 43 to 47 degrees. Clarity on the main lake improved to 10-12 inches of visibility. Largemouth, spotted and white bass are fair to good close to creek junctions and ditches along Little River. The best bite remains during the warmest part of the day. Bomber Fat Free Shad Crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps, jigs, and War Eagle spinnerbaits are working best. The best Rat-L-Trap colors are Tennessee Shad/Gold, White Shad and Toledo Gold. The best Bomber Fat Free Shad colors are Tennessee Shad, White or Citrus Shad. Spinnerbaits in Spot Remover or Chart/White are working along any remaining vegetation. Jigs in black/blue or Texas Craw are working for heavy egg-laden females, worked very slowly. White bass are back to roaming, albeit deeper, and good over the past week. Large schools continue roaming Little River around Hurricane Creek, White Cliffs and oxbows that connect with the Little River. The crappie bite is slow, and they were hitting vertically jigged tiny jigs prior to the muddy inflow of water and current.
Lake Columbia
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water is at normal level. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair. Catfishing is slow.
Lake Erling
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water is low. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair. Catfishing is slow. A few gar and grinnel have been caught on trotlines, but that’s about it.
Lake Greeson
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 537.86 MSL (Flood pool - 548 MSL).
Lakeside Grocery and Bait (870-398-5304) had no report.
For more information on crappie fishing at Lake Greeson, visit Jerry Blake’s website, www.actionfishingtrips.com/tripreports.htm.
Lake Greeson Tailwater (Little Missouri River)
Jeff Guerin of www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com had no report.
Cossatot River
Cossatot River State Park had no report.
DeGray Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 393.71 feet MSL (Flood pool - 408 MSL).
Due to the low water, boaters should use extreme caution when navigating DeGray. Many unmarked islands and humps are just under the surface, which can cause serious damage and harm if struck.
Local angler George Graves said with all the snow, rain and cold, virtually no one is fishing. The water temperature has reached the low level where the fish just quit feeding.
West-Central Arkansas Lake Nimrod
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 340.59 feet MSL.
Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) had no report.
Lake Hinkle
Bill’s Bait Shop (479-637-7419) said the water is low and no anglers are fishing.
Lake Dardanelle
Regina Olson at Spadra Marina said crappie have been sporadic. Once you hit a good spot you can expect to catch 10 or more easily, but you have to find them first. Many big crappie have come from Lake Ludwig and out of Pottsville. Bass seem to be picking up. Catfish have been slow, but some shad are beginning to come in, so the catfish should pick up.
Blue Mountain Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 384.46 feet MSL.
Teresa at CD’s Quick Stop (479-947-2178) said the store is closed until spring 2011. No report.
Lake Ouachita
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 567.97 MSL (Flood pool - 578 MSL).
Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said stripers are fair on spoons fished 50 to 60 feet deep in creek channels. A few largemouth bass and walleye are mixed in with the stripers. Bass are fair on jigs on creek channel points in the standing timber.
Mountain Harbor Resort said the water is clear and 40 to 44 degrees. Largemouth bass are biting well on peanut butter and jelly, black/blue and green pumpkin football jigs in 25 feet of water. Walleye are fair on spoons fished around brush in 20 to 25 feet of water. Stripers are biting well on live bait, soft-plastic grubs and white or gray hair jigs. Crappie are fair to good near brush in 20 to 30 feet of water on minnows or Tennessee shad crappie grubs. Catfish are still fair trotlines and jug lines baited with cut bait and live bait.
Lake Hamilton
Lake Hamilton has been lowered 3 feet for its annual winter drawdown. Navigation can be dangerous in some areas of the lake, as humps and points are only a few inches below the surface. Use caution while boating.
Daryl Morris at Family Fishing Trips said bass and crappie are good on live bait and jigs. Larger fish are showing up with the cold weather.
Lake Catherine
Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, said water temperature below Carpenter Dam is 45 degrees with clear conditions for several miles downstream. Navigating the tailrace is dangerous during the drawdown. Rainbow trout fishing is very good with quality stringers of fish caught on a regular basis. Wax worms or meal worms fished under a bobber are excellent baits. Small crappie minnows are also working well tightlined or used with a bobber. Spin fishermen casting white or brown Rooster Tails or silver or gold Super Dupers over sand bars have taken the largest trout. Fly-fishermen are having success casting egg patterns and San Juan worms near current. Small streamers in white or gray and olive or black woolly buggers have done fairly well when the main fly patterns fall short. Crappie and white bass fishing is poor. Striper activity is hit-and-miss with little generation occurring, but some fish have been taken below the bridge in the main channel. Brood or gizzard shad fished with a balloon rig have accounted for striper in the 10- to 12-pound range. Walleye continue to be caught, mostly at night, on live minnows or crawfish cast on a Carolina rig over shoals and rocky bottoms.
Rick Sawyer at Dozhier’s Rainbow Landing (501-262-2825) said the weather has kept many anglers away from the lake, but the fishing is good and trout stocking has continued.
Lake Atkins
Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) had no report.
South-Central Arkansas Moro Bay
Moro Bay State Park at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay had no report.
Ouachita River Oxbows
Jaret Rushing had no report.
Tri-County Lake
Jaret Rushing had no report.
East Arkansas Arkansas River at Pine Bluff
The Tackle Box (870-534-1498) had no report.
White River
Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said fishing is slow and no anglers are on the river.
Maddox Bay
Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is low and clear. All species are slow.
Island 40 Chute
Daily’s Boat Dock (870-739-3478) said the water is low and ice is at the edges of the bank every morning. Crappie are biting fairly well on jigs and on minnows fished on yo-yos. Bass are fair on jigs.
Horseshoe Lake
Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water is at normal level and the clarity is good. All species are slow. A few small crappie have been caught around piers, but that’s about all that’s biting.
Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is low and clear. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting well on pink minnows and jigs. Bass are slow. Catfish are slow.
Dan at Gold Creek Marina (501-607-0590) had no report.
Little Red River
Lindsey’s Resort (501-302-3139) said the water is low and there has been very little generation. Wax worms and Power Eggs fished around the shoals has been productive. Fly-fishing is good on egg patterns.
Greers Ferry
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 454.54 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 461 MSL).
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level is falling and the surface water temperature is in the low to mid 40s. The bass bite is still good if you can find them. Follow the shad, and cast jerk baits, crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps. Dragging a football head jig in deep water also is producing a few bass. Crappie are still eating up the rivers and in the main lake in pole timber and over brush piles in 15 to 25 feet of water on jigs and jigs tipped with minnows. Walleye are slow. Hybrids and white bass continue to bite well on spoons, swimbaits, hair jigs and in-line spinners on cloudy days.
Cody S. Smith of www.fishgreersferry.com had no report.
Harris Brake Lake
Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said the water is low. No anglers have been fishing to give a report.
Lake Overcup
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said work on the dam and fish habitat work have been completed. Lane marking is about 90 percent complete. The water is still low, but should refill with the spring rains. Fishing is slow, but some crappie are being caught on pink minnows and pink/white/chartreuse jigs. Bream are biting on redworms. Catfish are fair on trotlines and yo-yos baited with cut shad. Bass are slow.
Brewer Lake
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the lake is 6 to 8 feet low and clear. Crappie have been biting fairly well on minnows and white/chartreuse jigs. Catfishing is fair on cut bait and nightcrawlers. Bream and bass are slow.
Lake Maumelle
Jolly Roger’s Marina said the lake is 9 feet below the spillway and the water temperature is 40 degrees. Fishing has been excellent, despite the cold and low water. Black bass are biting well on crankbaits and jigs fished off points and channel edges around 10 to 15 feet deep. The mid-section of the lake has been the most productive. If you’re heading west, be very careful, as the old Highway 10 is only about 8 to 12 inches deep and the south side of concrete ends are only 2 inches below the surface. Many small spotted bass are being caught on jighead worms fished 12 to 20 feet deep around structure. White bass are scattered on the south side of Big Island and in front of the restricted area. A few have been caught early on Spooks and Near Nuthings early in the morning, and a few have been caught on spoons. Crappie are excellent on structure in 18 to 20 feet of water on 1/32-oz. red/white jigs and small pink minnows. Catfish are slow.
Lake Valencia
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report.
Sunset Lake
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and Kalin’s grubs fished in brush 15 to 18 feet deep. Bass are fair on shad-colored crankbaits and black/blue jigs in 12 to 15 feet of water. Catfishing is slow.
Saline River Access in Benton
Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is stained and at normal level. Bass are biting well on brown/orange jigs and pumpkinseed tubes fished around rocks in 5 to 6 feet of water. Walleye are biting fairly well around deep water on salt-and-pepper grubs. All other species are slow.
Arkansas River at Morrilton
Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo had no report.
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report.
Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool)
Vince Miller from Fish ’N Stuff said the water is at normal level. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting well on red/black/chartreuse jigs. Bass are fair. No report on catfish.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) said all species are slow, but a few crappie have been caught on jigs.
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is slightly low. Crappie are biting well on chartreuse jigs and minnows. Catfishing is good on trotlines and yo-yos baited with chicken liver. All other species are slow.
Clear Lake
McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is low. Crappie are biting well on chartreuse jigs and minnows. Catfishing is fair on yo-yos baited with chicken liver. No report on bass or bream.
Peckerwood Lake
Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) is closed to fishing for the winter and will reopen February 1, 2011.
Lake Pickthorne
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop (501-758-4958) had no report.
North Arkansas White River
Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is clear and six generators are running. Rainbow trout are biting well on PowerBait. Brown trout are biting well on white jigs.
Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said rainbow trout have been hitting brown trout-colored Rapala floating minnows and countdown minnows in size 7 cast toward the bank and retrieved slowly.
Guide Davy Wotton said despite some wicked cold and serious winds, those who have braved the conditions have done well. Many large brown trout have been caught, including one in the 16- to 18-pound range at the Wildcat Zone. Flows have ranged from zero to high flows, so adapting to the conditions is paramount. Water temperatures are now in the mid to low 40s, so expect the bite to be slow. The best option is to dead drift zebra, shimmer and white tail midges in deep, slow water. Gray and Tan sow bugs and olive scuds are also good bets. During periods of generation, move more toward a two-fly rig with one fly of bright color such as a red, tan or pink egg or San Juan worm. If generations are high, opt for larger 3- to 6-inch streamers into the shoreline as you drift from a boat.
Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said fishing has continued to be good. Many fish are being caught on the White River Zig Jig in ginger or ginger/orange and black/gold/white No. 7 Countdown Rapalas. The numbers have been good on the entire stretch of river. Most fish have been caught close to swift water. When the water starts to drop, be sure to take a fly rod with an Olive Woolly Bugger and strip it where there a lot of rocks on the bottom and the water is 5 feet or less. Be safe on the water and pay attention to what is going on around you; the constant up and down of the generation will bring rocks into play that you did not see just a short time earlier.
Buffalo River
Just Fishing Guides had no report.
Crooked Creek
Just Fishing Guides had no report.
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 647.92 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 654 MSL).
Mike Worley’s Guide Service had no report.
Bull Shoals Tailwater
Ken Richards at Just Fishing Guides had no report.
Lake Norfork
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 543.32 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April - 552 MSL, April-Sept. - 554 MSL).
STR Outfitters said fishing was slow last weekend. Shad were a bit difficult to find and net for striper bait. There were many baitfish from the mouth of Henderson Marina to Bidwell. A few stripers were holding above the shad at 60 feet of water, but the bite was still tough.
Guide Steve Olomon said the water temperature is in the upper 40s. Look for stripers in the creeks. When you mark fish on your depth finder around 30-50 feet, drop a jigging spoon. You can also try throwing a grub and working it along the bottom. Throw suspending jerk baits over brush piles and along the bluffs for some bass. You have to remember that when the water is cold, fish slow and downsize your baits.
Highway 101 Grocery and Bait said surface water temperature is 40-42 degrees. Striper fishing has been fair using live bait or jigging spoons. Stripers are moving all the time, so are the bait fish. Crappie fishing has been good; most folks have been using live bait, fishing in and around any structure. Walleye fishing has been slow. Bass fishing has been good using anything from crankbaits and spinnerbaits to jigging spoons in 20-30 feet of water. White bass fishing has been good using jigging spoons.
Norfork Tailwater
Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) had no report.
Charlie’s Rainbow Trout Resort had no report.
Fishing guide Davy Wotton said Norfork has seen a great deal of pressure during its zero generations which in turn has wised the fish up. The best choices here are long leader systems to 5 or 6x with combinations of midge and sow bugs in sizes 16 to 20. If you see fish working the surface, then go for small midge emergers such as Rs2, in black, red, gray and white.
Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said fishing has been fair on gold/black or silver/black Shad Raps in size 5. Two generators are running in the morning until about 10 a.m. Corn has worked well during low water.
Northwest Arkansas Beaver Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,111.46 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 1,120 MSL).
Bailey’s Beaver Lake Guide Service (479-366-8664) said striper fishing has been slow with the cold. Stripers are scattered and have moved back toward the main lake in search of bait. They are holding tight to bluffs on deep holes that provide warmer water. The areas between Prairie Creek and Monte-Ne are your best bet. Stripers can be caught by adding a ¼- to ½-oz. weight about 2 feet ahead of live bait and troll them 100 to 150 feet behind the boat at ¼- to 1/2 mph. Use gizzard shad about 3-4 inches long. If using balloons, tie the balloon on about 15 feet ahead of your bait and use no weight. Baits need to be positioned from 8-20 feet deep. Most shad are holding in the 20-40ft depth range. Stripers can also be taken on size 9 Rapala Floating Minnows, Husky Jerks or Smithwick Rattling Rogues trolled at 11/2- to 2 mph. Planer boards help spread your lures and cover more water. Don’t mix live baits and crankbaits while you’re trolling, as both need different speeds to be effective. Current in the lake from generation will generally position fish on upstream or down stream edges of structure; check the daily lake level and flow data link. The following areas will be holding striper at different times during the day. On the mid- and lower sections, check Indian Creek, the mouth of Big Clifty, in front of the marina at Rocky Branch and toward point 6, and near the bluffs at Copper Mine. In the upper section, check Prairie Creek around the islands and the mouth of the creek, Coose Hollow, Blackburn Creek, the channel between the bluffs and the rearing pond at Beaver Shores, Horseshoe Bend (especially the Striper Alley area), bluffs along Hickory Creek and in the deepest holes of War Eagle near "the power lines" and upriver near "Goss" hole or "50 cent" hole. Walleye are being caught on points and mid-stream humps in 20 to 30 feet of water. They are concentrated right now in the mouth of the War Eagle River. Three-way rigs fished with crawlers or Rapalas are producing. Use a 14-inch dropper to your sinker and a 4-foot leader to your bait. Trolling Rapalas or Rogues in Natural Blue, Black/silver and Clown Flash on lead core or wire line also is producing. Troll crawlers and Rapalas at about 1/4 to 1/2 mph, moving just fast enough to keep your lure from hanging up. Pull the lure forward in 2-3 foot sweeps as you go just to give it action, the bite will occur on the drop back.
JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass have been hitting suspending jerk baits and Wiggle Warts on main lake points and chunk rock banks with timber. The best colors have been bone, crawdad, watermelon, chrome and clown. Crappie fishing has been outstanding on warm afternoons. Try a jig or a minnow fished under a cork 4 to 6 feet deep over man made brush piles, timber or laydowns in 20 to 35 feet of water from Monte-NE upstream into the rivers. White bass are suspending 15 to 30 feet deep on main lake coves, edges of flats and in the mouths of coves. Once a school has been found, drop a 3/8- or ¼-oz. Rat-L-Trap or jigging spoon to them. Catfish have been biting well later in the day on cut bait or liver upstream from Hickory Creek.
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the water is low. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs fished in brush 10 to 12 feet deep. Bass are slow on crankbaits and spoons fished in deep water. Catfishing is slow. Stripers are around the Point 12 area.
Beaver Tailwater
Just Fishing Guides had no report.
Kings River
Just Fishing Guides had no report.
Lake Fayetteville
Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) had no report.
Lake Sequoyah
Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) had no report.
Northeast Arkansas Lake Charles
Lake Charles State Park said the water temperature is hovering around 38 degrees and fishing is slow. A few bass may be caught on a jig-and-pig combo worked very slowly.
Lake Poinsett
Lake Poinsett State Park said Lake Poinsett is still very low. The state park boat ramp is unusable. No report.
Crown Lake
Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said no one is fishing. No report.
Lake Frierson
Lake Frierson State Park had no report. No one is fishing.
Spring River
Mark Crawford with Spring River Flies and Guides said the river is running low, making for some great wading. Water levels are still around 240 cfs. Water clarity is clear with a little cloudiness. Fishing has been great since the AGFC stocked last week. Mayfly emergers and bead-headed woolly buggers have been working well. It’s also time to start fishing for walleye. Live minnows fished on the bottom is the local favorite. Fly-fishermen can do well on Clouser minnows fished deep with a sinking tip line on cloudy days.
Southeast Arkansas Lake Chicot
Lake Chicot State Park said bream fishing has been fair, and crappie fishing has been good. Bream are being caught mostly on crickets. Crappie are being caught on minnows. Catfish are biting well on crickets and blood bait. Bass are slow, but a few have been caught on black soft-plastic worms.
Cane Creek Lake
Cane Creek State Park had no report.
Lake Monticello
Fishing guide Greg Gulledge (870-723-3928) of MonticelloBigBass.com said cold, wet weather has kept most anglers off the lake. No report.
Southwest Arkansas Millwood Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 255.86 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 259.2 MSL).
Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said the lake level rose with the recent rain, and is 38.4 inches below normal pool and falling. Current in Little River increased to 2,750 CFS, and the four foot drawdown will continue through Feb. 11. Surface temperatures range from 43 to 47 degrees. Clarity on the main lake improved to 10-12 inches of visibility. Largemouth, spotted and white bass are fair to good close to creek junctions and ditches along Little River. The best bite remains during the warmest part of the day. Bomber Fat Free Shad Crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps, jigs, and War Eagle spinnerbaits are working best. The best Rat-L-Trap colors are Tennessee Shad/Gold, White Shad and Toledo Gold. The best Bomber Fat Free Shad colors are Tennessee Shad, White or Citrus Shad. Spinnerbaits in Spot Remover or Chart/White are working along any remaining vegetation. Jigs in black/blue or Texas Craw are working for heavy egg-laden females, worked very slowly. White bass are back to roaming, albeit deeper, and good over the past week. Large schools continue roaming Little River around Hurricane Creek, White Cliffs and oxbows that connect with the Little River. The crappie bite is slow, and they were hitting vertically jigged tiny jigs prior to the muddy inflow of water and current.
Lake Columbia
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water is at normal level. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair. Catfishing is slow.
Lake Erling
Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water is low. Bream are slow. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass are fair. Catfishing is slow. A few gar and grinnel have been caught on trotlines, but that’s about it.
Lake Greeson
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 537.86 MSL (Flood pool - 548 MSL).
Lakeside Grocery and Bait (870-398-5304) had no report.
For more information on crappie fishing at Lake Greeson, visit Jerry Blake’s website, www.actionfishingtrips.com/tripreports.htm.
Lake Greeson Tailwater (Little Missouri River)
Jeff Guerin of www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com had no report.
Cossatot River
Cossatot River State Park had no report.
DeGray Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 393.71 feet MSL (Flood pool - 408 MSL).
Due to the low water, boaters should use extreme caution when navigating DeGray. Many unmarked islands and humps are just under the surface, which can cause serious damage and harm if struck.
Local angler George Graves said with all the snow, rain and cold, virtually no one is fishing. The water temperature has reached the low level where the fish just quit feeding.
West-Central Arkansas Lake Nimrod
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 340.59 feet MSL.
Greer’s Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) had no report.
Lake Hinkle
Bill’s Bait Shop (479-637-7419) said the water is low and no anglers are fishing.
Lake Dardanelle
Regina Olson at Spadra Marina said crappie have been sporadic. Once you hit a good spot you can expect to catch 10 or more easily, but you have to find them first. Many big crappie have come from Lake Ludwig and out of Pottsville. Bass seem to be picking up. Catfish have been slow, but some shad are beginning to come in, so the catfish should pick up.
Blue Mountain Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 384.46 feet MSL.
Teresa at CD’s Quick Stop (479-947-2178) said the store is closed until spring 2011. No report.
Lake Ouachita
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 567.97 MSL (Flood pool - 578 MSL).
Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said stripers are fair on spoons fished 50 to 60 feet deep in creek channels. A few largemouth bass and walleye are mixed in with the stripers. Bass are fair on jigs on creek channel points in the standing timber.
Mountain Harbor Resort said the water is clear and 40 to 44 degrees. Largemouth bass are biting well on peanut butter and jelly, black/blue and green pumpkin football jigs in 25 feet of water. Walleye are fair on spoons fished around brush in 20 to 25 feet of water. Stripers are biting well on live bait, soft-plastic grubs and white or gray hair jigs. Crappie are fair to good near brush in 20 to 30 feet of water on minnows or Tennessee shad crappie grubs. Catfish are still fair trotlines and jug lines baited with cut bait and live bait.
Lake Hamilton
Lake Hamilton has been lowered 3 feet for its annual winter drawdown. Navigation can be dangerous in some areas of the lake, as humps and points are only a few inches below the surface. Use caution while boating.
Daryl Morris at Family Fishing Trips said bass and crappie are good on live bait and jigs. Larger fish are showing up with the cold weather.
Lake Catherine
Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, said water temperature below Carpenter Dam is 45 degrees with clear conditions for several miles downstream. Navigating the tailrace is dangerous during the drawdown. Rainbow trout fishing is very good with quality stringers of fish caught on a regular basis. Wax worms or meal worms fished under a bobber are excellent baits. Small crappie minnows are also working well tightlined or used with a bobber. Spin fishermen casting white or brown Rooster Tails or silver or gold Super Dupers over sand bars have taken the largest trout. Fly-fishermen are having success casting egg patterns and San Juan worms near current. Small streamers in white or gray and olive or black woolly buggers have done fairly well when the main fly patterns fall short. Crappie and white bass fishing is poor. Striper activity is hit-and-miss with little generation occurring, but some fish have been taken below the bridge in the main channel. Brood or gizzard shad fished with a balloon rig have accounted for striper in the 10- to 12-pound range. Walleye continue to be caught, mostly at night, on live minnows or crawfish cast on a Carolina rig over shoals and rocky bottoms.
Rick Sawyer at Dozhier’s Rainbow Landing (501-262-2825) said the weather has kept many anglers away from the lake, but the fishing is good and trout stocking has continued.
Lake Atkins
Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) had no report.
South-Central Arkansas Moro Bay
Moro Bay State Park at the junction of the Ouachita River, Raymond Lake and Moro Bay had no report.
Ouachita River Oxbows
Jaret Rushing had no report.
Tri-County Lake
Jaret Rushing had no report.
East Arkansas Arkansas River at Pine Bluff
The Tackle Box (870-534-1498) had no report.
White River
Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said fishing is slow and no anglers are on the river.
Maddox Bay
Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is low and clear. All species are slow.
Island 40 Chute
Daily’s Boat Dock (870-739-3478) said the water is low and ice is at the edges of the bank every morning. Crappie are biting fairly well on jigs and on minnows fished on yo-yos. Bass are fair on jigs.
Horseshoe Lake
Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water is at normal level and the clarity is good. All species are slow. A few small crappie have been caught around piers, but that’s about all that’s biting.