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Arkansas Fishing Reports
| Fishing Reports for Arkansas. If you have a report for your area send it to us at reports@bobberstop.com. Please put "Fishing Report" in the subject line of your e-mail and please don't forget to include the location. |
** Last Update was made on 7 - 9 - 08 ***
ARKANSAS FISHING REPORTS - LICENSES - REGULATIONS - MAPS.
CENTRAL REGION - Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said water conditions
are normal with a surface temperature in the low 80s. Bream are biting well 11/2 to 2 feet deep
around the banks on crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on buzzing
toads around lily pads. Catfish are picking up on trotlines with minnows and bream.
Dan at Gold Creek Landing said bream are biting well. Bass are biting fairly well on frogs and
buzzbaits early. Crappie fishing is slow. Catfish are biting well on live and prepared baits.
Little Red River:Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) said the river is in good condition with two
generators still running. Anglers are having luck drift fishing on spinner rigs with a glow worm or
Power Egg. Shad Raps, Countdowns and Rouges are working well also.
Jed Hollan at the Little Red Fly Shop said the Greers Ferry Power House is continuing around-the-
clock water releases. The temperature of the water coming through the turbines is 51.8 degrees
with 7.8 mg/l dissolved oxygen content. Because of the high water, we are seeing fewer aquatic
insects than we normally see this time of year. Sparse numbers of blue winged olive mayflies,
sulphur mayflies and midges are being observed in a few areas along the Little Red. Dry fly fishing
is best achieved during periods of low water. If fishing dries is all you want to do, try a hopper
pattern and cast it under low tree limbs near the bank. Several nice brown trout have been landed
lately using this technique. Even though it is possible to catch trout in high water with a sow bug,
zebra midge, copper john or woolly bugger, the fly that has been working the best is the San Juan
worm. You will need about 15 feet of leader and tippet, enough weight to get the worm down to the
streambed and a strike indicator large enough to float it all. The best colors have been cerise,
orange, worm brown and red. The best hook sizes are #12 down to #18. Practice boating safety by
having one person operate the boat full time while others in the boat fish.
Greers Ferry: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
471.44 feet MSL.
`Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level is falling and should be close to
normal pool by August 1. Hybrids and white bass are biting well early and late in the day as well as
during midday. They are being very picky about lure size. They are chasing small fry, so downsize
your lures. Bream fishing is good around cover with some nice ones being taken on worms and
crickets. Catfishing is good on live and prepared baits, with the occasional cat hitting artificials that
bass anglers are throwing. Crappie are slow. Try pole timber close to channel swings around 15-20
feet deep over 60 feet of water with minnows and small jigs. Walleye are biting pretty well when it is
cloudy. Bass are still scattered all over the water column. Try top-water lures early and late and
Texas-rigged and Carolina-rigged worms and lizards and crankbaits during midday.
Shiloh Marina said the water is murky and high. Walleye are fair in deep water on minnows.
Harris Brake Lake:Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said the water is murky and 6 inches high.
Bream are fair on crickets and worms. A few crappie have been caught in deep water on minnows.
Bass are fair on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on cut bait and chicken liver.
Lake Beaverfork: The City of Conway Parks and Recreation Department said the water is murky
and high. Crappie fishing is very good on minnows and jigs.
Lake Overcup:Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said water conditions are normal with a surface
temperature in high 80s. Bream are fair around banks and docks on crickets and wax worms.
Crappie are fair in 12 to 15 feet deep on minnows and jigs. Bass are good around the docks on
spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on bream and stink bait.
Lakeview Landing (501-354-1470) said water conditions are normal. Bream fishing has been very
good on crickets and wax worms. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are biting well on blue and
black jigs. Catfishing is excellent on shad and Magic Bait.
Brewer Lake:Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) had no report.
Sunset Lake: Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said water conditions are normal. Catfish
are the best thing going on Magic Bait.
Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is clear
and low. Bream are excellent on crickets. Bass are biting well on small white/chartreuse
spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on jugs with liver.
Arkansas River in Little Rock: Vince Miller from Fish ‘N Stuff said the water is still high and rough,
but the current should begin to drop soon. Bass have been pretty good in backwaters around
structure on bloodline-colored soft-plastic worms.
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 75 to 79 degrees. The water visibility and
clarity is low. Bream are biting fair on crickets and worms. Crappie are biting slow on shiners and
black/chartreuse 1/8-ounce crappie jigs. Bass are slow, but are being caught on shad-colored
flukes, shaky head finesse worms, small top-water baits (early in the mornings and late in the
afternoons) and Texas-rigged creature baits in the heat of the day. Catfish are biting fair on
nightcrawlers and stink bait.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said bream are biting well in the upper end pad beds on crickets and wax
worms. Bass are biting well early and late on red soft-plastic worms and double willowleaf
white/chartreuse spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on limb lines and trotlines using cut bait and
chicken hearts.
Big Maumelle River: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said bream are fair on crickets. Bass are fair on
spinnerbaits and top-water stick baits. Catfish are excellent on limb lines and trotlines using
minnows, shad and cut bait.
Lake Maumelle:Jolly Roger’s Marina said black bass are fair early (from sun up to 7:30 a.m.) just
outside of the weeds in about 10 feet of water with crankbaits, Carolina rigs and spinnerbaits. Once
the sun is up, go deep off points with jig-and-pigs, CC Spoons and drop-shot rigs. Kentucky bass
are biting a little better, with reports of schooling Kentuckies over deeper water. White bass are
good. They are schooling in the late evening and are hitting on CC Spoons, Near Nuthings and
Spooks. Bream are excellent 15 feet deep on crickets. If using worms you will pick up some nice
Catfish mixed in with the bream. The College Bass National Championship is being held Wednesday
and Thursday of this week with 56 teams from around the country fishing Lake Maumelle.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said the water is clear and high. Bream are fair in 12 to 14 feet of water
on a split shot and cricket.
Lake Valencia: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said catfish are the best thing going on nightcrawlers and
chicken hearts.
Murray Lock and Dam: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said catfish are excellent on cut shad and green
sunfish.
Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is still very rough and
dangerous.
Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is clear and high. Bream are fair
4 feet deep on crickets. Black bass are hitting early and late on spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Catfish
are fair on the bottom on nightcrawlers.
Peckerwood Lake: Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is clear and continues to fall.
Crappie are the best thing going on minnows and jigs.
NORTH CENTRAL REGION - White River: John Berry of Berry Brothers Guides said the water flows
on the White have been consistently high. Overall, the fishing has been excellent on the White
River. It has at times been spectacular, particularly at the Catch-and-release section at Bull Shoals
Dam and the adjacent state park. The hot flies have been San Juan worms (in tan, orange and red),
and brightly colored marabou jigs. Jigs have the added advantage of riding hook point up which
makes them virtually weedless. Another hot spot was Rim Shoals. Here again the most action was
encountered using brightly colored San Juan worms and eggs. Those fishing just outside the catch-
and-release sections had good results by using black zebra midges and copper johns as droppers.
The best fishing has occurred in the Red Bud area. The hot fly there has been brightly colored
marabou jigs.
Sportsman’s Sportsman’s White River Resort said the water is clear with eight generators still
running. Trout fishing has been excellent on 3-inch pink power worms, jigs, Countdown Rapalas and
Rouges.
Bull Shoals Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
691.71 feet MSL.
Lake Norfork: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
575.30 feet MSL.
101 Grocery and Bait said fishing has been fair. The early morning has been the best time of day to
be fishing. Top-water fishing is still good until about 8 a.m. After that, you will need to fish deep.
Bluegill fishing is very good using worms and crickets fished around 20-30 feet deep. Striper fishing
has been fair. A few are being caught on small live bait. Mid-lake and toward the dam have been the
better areas to fish for stripers. They are hanging in 40 feet of water and deeper. Walleye fishing
has slowed, but a few are being caught on live bait. Try fishing around the thermocline (18-25 feet
deep). Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing are fair. The bass are still being caught around the
trees and along the bluffs. Crappie fishing is slow. White bass fishing is fair. White in-line spinners
are still the choice lure. Catfish are still hitting live bait on limb lines.
Norfork Tailwater: John Berry of Berry Brothers Guides said the Norfork has been spectacular on
low water. Anglers reported great success with black zebra nymphs, olive scuds, and black Norfork
bead heads all in size 18. Other good flies were olive woolly buggers, partridge and orange soft
hackles, and worm brown San Juan worms. The top producer was the green butt soft hackle. There
have been some sparse sulphur hatches in mid morning and this was the key to success. In the
afternoon, on higher water, fishing slows a bit. Use conventional high-water techniques, and if you
are not fishing a catch-and-release area consider using a dropper tied to the lead flies. Dry Run
Creek has been a local hot spot. This is a great place for you to while away the summer with your
children or grand children. It is also a great place to beat the heat.
NORTHWEST REGION - Beaver Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports
the lake’s elevation at 1,129.10 feet MSL.
JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass continue to hang off main lake points and
humps just off the bottom. Finesse worms rigged on Carolina or drop shot rigs have been working
well. Crappie action is good also. The best bite has been on cloudy or rainy mornings under docks,
along drops on flats or along bluffs. Most fish have been suspended around 10 feet and are taking
minnows. White bass are biting OK at night along bluff lines north and east of Rocky Branch under
lights. Minnows have been the best bait. Stripers have been hard to catch as of late but they can
also be found from Rocky Branch and north towards the dam. Umbrella rigs trolled behind the boat
should do the trick. Catfish have been doing fine from the bank at night using cut bait or night
crawlers. Bluegill have been in their normal haunts, under docks and around rocks. Crickets or
worms fished under a float will do the trick.
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the lake itself is pretty clear, but you will find that
the creeks are still pretty muddy. Bream have been fair on crickets and worms. Crappie are picking
up in 10 to 12 feet of water on minnows and jigs around brush. Bass are fair on plastic worms.
Catfish are biting well on jugs with goldfish.
Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said water conditions are normal.
Bream are fair in 4 to 5 feet of water on worms and crickets. Crappie are good 10 to 12 feet of water
on minnows. Bass are fair on plastic worms and buzz baits.
Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is muddy and high. All
species are slow.
NORTHEAST REGION - Lake Charles: Lake Charles State Park (870-878-6595) said the water
level is normal. The water clarity is 20 inches. Fishing has been slow on bream. Catfish has been
slow except trotlines and jugs. Crappie are slow, but a few are being caught on minnows and jigs.
Bass are slow on worms and spinnerbaits.
Crown Lake : Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said water conditions are normal with a
temperature at 85 degrees. Bream are excellent on crickets and worms. Crappie are fair early and
late on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on top-water lures and crankbaits. Catfishing is
excellent on liver, nightcrawlers and goldfish.
Lake Frierson: Lake Frierson State Park said water conditions are normal. Bream are biting well on
crickets and worms. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - Moro Bay: Moro Bay State Park said the river is only a fraction above
summer normal, (65.8 ft above sea level) and it’s not moving up or down very quickly. Fishing has
slowed down a bit, but bream are still being caught in the bay from the beginning of the cypress
trees to the mouth of the creek. Crickets and worms fished at a depth of about 5 foot are working
best. Several good catfish have also been caught in the main river channel on bream and shad. A
few bass have been caught in the bay while trolling with white spinnerbaits and red-shad plastic
worms. Very few reports of crappie have come in. A crappie fisherman would most likely do best in
the bay fishing fairly deep and moving around to find scattered fish.
SOUTHEAST REGION - Lake Monticello: Greg Gulledge with Basshunters Custom Crankbaits said
the bass continue to bite 10-inch worms fished 12 to 20 feet deep. A few bass are schooling in the
afternoons. Standard schooling baits are working such as traps and Baby Kill Gill topwaters. There
are a few fish hitting Spro frogs when the conditions are right. Nights are still producing some nice
fish in the 8- to 9-pound range.
Lake Chicot: Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said all species are slow.
Grand Lake: Koenig Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said all species are slow.
SOUTHWEST REGION - Millwood Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports
the lake’s elevation at 259.54 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water clarity is 6 to 8 inches in the main lake away from
current. The surface temperature is 78 to 88 degrees. Current in Little River is 1,754 cubic feet per
second. Largemouth bass are biting well early and late in the day. They are following typical
summer patterns. The mayfly hatch is still going on and bream are feeding underneath willow trees
and cypress trees. Good bass are under the trees feeding on the bream in 2 to 12 feet of water.
The most consistent reaction bite is on top-water toads, Bass Assassin Shads and white jigs swum
through the weeds at daylight. Once the sun is high, switch to a 10- or 12-inch Texas-rigged worm
in plum, red shad or blue fleck. White bass are either full bore or shut down, depending on the day.
The best bite has been between White Cliffs and Cemetery Slough on Little Cleos, Little Georges,
Rooster Tails and Rocket Shads in 12 to 16 feet. Crappie have improved slightly from last week.
Live shiners, smoke grubs and Mizmo tubes have produced along the edges of the river. Blue and
channel catfish continue to hit well on trotlines, and remain best in current in Little River on cut shad
or Charlie, cottonseed mill cake and chicken hearts and livers. Yo-yo's hung from cypress trees in
8-10 feet of water, near any current are picking up some decent cats. Bream continue to bite well
again along the banks on crickets and redworms around docks and cypress trees. With the mayfly
hatch in full swing, numbers of bream can be caught under a single cypress or willow tree on ultra
light or spin cast tackle on smoke-colored tubes, jigs and also on white/chartreuse colored popping
bugs.
Cossatot River: Davy Ashcraft at Cossatot River State Park (870-385-2201) said USGA states that
the water level is 2.12 feet with the surface temperatures ranging from 68 to 72 degrees. The water
is beginning to clear up, which will cause problems for some anglers using baits with spinners on
them. Bream are biting great on worms and crickets in 3 feet of water. The smallmouth bass are
biting very well on green pumpkinseed finesse worms and crawdad crankbaits around structure in
pools at 4 to 5 feet of water. Small, dark-colored grubs are doing well, too. Black bass are fair with
some being taken on dark-colored finesse worms and grubs fished very slowly around deep
structure. Minnow-rigged setups are producing some limits of bass. Catfish are good with some
being taken on chunks of hot dogs, live perch baited on trotlines are doing good as well.
Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said water conditions are normal. Redear are biting
very well. Crappie are fair on shiners. Catfishing is good on noodles baited with nightcrawlers, corn
and dog food.
Lake Erling: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said bass are fair on a white spinnerbaits with copper
blades. The ramp on the Red River at Garland is now open.
White Oak Lake: White Oak Lake State Park said the water level is steady and water is clearing up.
Bream and crappie are slow on crickets. Bass are slow on spinnerbaits. Catfish are biting well on
trotlines with minnows.
Lake Greeson: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
546.26 feet MSL.
Darryl Morris at Family Fishing Trips said water temperature is in the upper 80s. Crappie are being
caught on hardwood and bamboo brush piles 12-16 feet deep in 16-30 feet of water using rosy reds
and shiners or common fatheads. Bream are good at the same depths using crickets. The catfish
are showing up on the brush piles, too. Most mornings show some surface-feeding bass.
Lakeside Grocery reported that the water is murky and starting to drop, with a temperature at 90
degrees. Bream fishing has been good on crickets. Crappie are being caught deep on minnows.
Bass are fair, schooling early. Try a topwater lure. Catfishing is good on jugs using bream.
DeGray Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
406.84 feet MSL.
DeGray One Stop (501-865-3511) said all fishing is slow.
WEST CENTRAL REGION - Lake Dardanelle: Eric Pratt at Lake Dardanelle State Park said the lake
is beginning to clear up and water temperatures are remaining steady at about 82 degrees. The
river flow is still high, ranging from 130,000 to 140,000 cubic feet per second. Anglers are reporting
that catfish are biting excellent on cut fish, nightcrawlers, chicken liver and prepared baits. Bass
have retreated to deeper, cooler waters and can be caught on deep-diving crankbaits, rigged
plastics, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Top-water baits are effective in the early morning and late
evening when bass visit the grass beds to forage. Bluegill and yellow bass are biting on crickets and
worms. Crappie fishing is slow but some are hitting minnows and small jigs.
Murphy’s Sporting Goods (479-229-3200) said the water is murky and high. Bream are biting well
on crickets. Bass are fairly well on crankbaits and plastic worms. Catfishing is good on stink bait and
nightcrawlers.
Blue Mountain Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation
at 387.03 feet MSL.
Booneville Bait (479-675-9038) had no report.
Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart (479-667-5155) said the water is muddy and high. A few bass have
been caught on chartreuse crankbaits.
Lake Ouachita: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was
576.73 feet MSL.
Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said bass fishing is fair. Start by fishing slow with
Berkley 10-inch Power Worms in green pumpkin, watermelon/red and red bug. Use as small a
weight you can get by with to keep the lure falling slowly. Stripers are hit-and-miss on spoons and
Berkley swim baits. A few crappie have been caught over the grass on spinnerbaits in shad colors.
Mountain Harbor Resort said the water is clear and ranges from 82 to 86 degrees. Largemouth
bass are still fair and can still be caught with Texas-rigged worms, jighead worms and black
spinnerbaits. Drop-shot rigs are still working well for Kentucky bass off drop offs in the river
channels and over brush. Walleye are still biting well on spoons fished on main lake points. Bottom
bouncers with spinners and nightcrawlers are producing some quality fish as well. Stripers are still
fair on live bait with shad or trotline minnows. Bream are very good with crickets or worms in 18 to
25 feet of water. Crappie are fair and being caught over grass and brush in 20 to 30 feet of water.
Lake Catherine: Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that the rainbow
trout bite is almost non-existent. While some fish are being caught, no consistent pattern can be
established because of the diminished numbers. July and August mark the beginning of top-water
action below the dam. Threadfin shad are everywhere in the tailrace and the hybrid and stripers are
feeding on them with great regularity. Most of the action is taking place in the late evening while the
turbines are turning. Anglers using ¼-ounce white jigs are catching the largest fish, but live bait rigs
always hook the most. Large brood and gizzard shad fished under a balloon provide the best results
as the fish are actively searching for threadfin shad. An important point to keep in mind is that when
the shad are in the tailrace, you will have very good numbers of hybrids and stripers after them.
When the shad are not present, the fish will be downstream searching for them. Your success will
bank on the fact that the baitfish are in the area where you are fishing. Some large black bass
migrate to the dam in search of an easy meal, too. Four and five pound fish have been caught on
white and gray jigs by anglers targeting hybrids.
Diamond Head Marina said the water conditions are normal with water temperature at 81 degrees.
Bream are biting well in shallow water around cover on worms and crickets. Crappie are fair in coves
on minnows and jigs. Catfish are biting well on liver and cut bait. Walleye are fair on shad-colored
baits.
Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said water conditions are normal. Bream are biting well
on crickets. A few crappie have been caught in deep water on minnows. Bass fishing is good on
spinnerbaits, plastic worms and plugs. Catfishing has been good on bream and chicken liver.
Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said the water is clearing up and at normal level.
Bream are biting well in deep water on crickets and worms. Catfishing is excellent on crickets and
large minnows.
EASTERN REGION - Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): River City Sporting Goods (870-534-8303) said
the water is muddy and high. Bream are biting well on redworms, wax worms and crickets. Crappie
are fair in 14 feet of water on shiners. Bass are biting well on red shad worms. Catfish are picking
up on cut bait.
White River: Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is murky and high. Bass are biting well
on tubes and crankbaits.
Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is clear and high. Bream are fair
on worms and crickets. Catfishing is good on trotlines.
Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors (870-295-4240) said water conditions are normal. Bream are
fair on worms and crickets. A few crappie have been caught on minnows.
Horseshoe Lake: Local angler Clyde Gregory said water conditions are normal. Bream are biting
well around lily pads on crickets and worms. Crappie are fair in deep water on minnows and black
jigs. Bass have been good on plastic frogs. Catfishing is good on yoyos with nightcrawlers.
Report By: AG&FC
ARKANSAS FISHING REPORTS - LICENSES - REGULATIONS - MAPS.
CENTRAL REGION - Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said water conditions
are normal with a surface temperature in the low 80s. Bream are biting well 11/2 to 2 feet deep
around the banks on crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on buzzing
toads around lily pads. Catfish are picking up on trotlines with minnows and bream.
Dan at Gold Creek Landing said bream are biting well. Bass are biting fairly well on frogs and
buzzbaits early. Crappie fishing is slow. Catfish are biting well on live and prepared baits.
Little Red River:Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) said the river is in good condition with two
generators still running. Anglers are having luck drift fishing on spinner rigs with a glow worm or
Power Egg. Shad Raps, Countdowns and Rouges are working well also.
Jed Hollan at the Little Red Fly Shop said the Greers Ferry Power House is continuing around-the-
clock water releases. The temperature of the water coming through the turbines is 51.8 degrees
with 7.8 mg/l dissolved oxygen content. Because of the high water, we are seeing fewer aquatic
insects than we normally see this time of year. Sparse numbers of blue winged olive mayflies,
sulphur mayflies and midges are being observed in a few areas along the Little Red. Dry fly fishing
is best achieved during periods of low water. If fishing dries is all you want to do, try a hopper
pattern and cast it under low tree limbs near the bank. Several nice brown trout have been landed
lately using this technique. Even though it is possible to catch trout in high water with a sow bug,
zebra midge, copper john or woolly bugger, the fly that has been working the best is the San Juan
worm. You will need about 15 feet of leader and tippet, enough weight to get the worm down to the
streambed and a strike indicator large enough to float it all. The best colors have been cerise,
orange, worm brown and red. The best hook sizes are #12 down to #18. Practice boating safety by
having one person operate the boat full time while others in the boat fish.
Greers Ferry: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
471.44 feet MSL.
`Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water level is falling and should be close to
normal pool by August 1. Hybrids and white bass are biting well early and late in the day as well as
during midday. They are being very picky about lure size. They are chasing small fry, so downsize
your lures. Bream fishing is good around cover with some nice ones being taken on worms and
crickets. Catfishing is good on live and prepared baits, with the occasional cat hitting artificials that
bass anglers are throwing. Crappie are slow. Try pole timber close to channel swings around 15-20
feet deep over 60 feet of water with minnows and small jigs. Walleye are biting pretty well when it is
cloudy. Bass are still scattered all over the water column. Try top-water lures early and late and
Texas-rigged and Carolina-rigged worms and lizards and crankbaits during midday.
Shiloh Marina said the water is murky and high. Walleye are fair in deep water on minnows.
Harris Brake Lake:Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said the water is murky and 6 inches high.
Bream are fair on crickets and worms. A few crappie have been caught in deep water on minnows.
Bass are fair on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on cut bait and chicken liver.
Lake Beaverfork: The City of Conway Parks and Recreation Department said the water is murky
and high. Crappie fishing is very good on minnows and jigs.
Lake Overcup:Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said water conditions are normal with a surface
temperature in high 80s. Bream are fair around banks and docks on crickets and wax worms.
Crappie are fair in 12 to 15 feet deep on minnows and jigs. Bass are good around the docks on
spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on bream and stink bait.
Lakeview Landing (501-354-1470) said water conditions are normal. Bream fishing has been very
good on crickets and wax worms. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bass are biting well on blue and
black jigs. Catfishing is excellent on shad and Magic Bait.
Brewer Lake:Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) had no report.
Sunset Lake: Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said water conditions are normal. Catfish
are the best thing going on Magic Bait.
Saline River Access in Benton: Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is clear
and low. Bream are excellent on crickets. Bass are biting well on small white/chartreuse
spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on jugs with liver.
Arkansas River in Little Rock: Vince Miller from Fish ‘N Stuff said the water is still high and rough,
but the current should begin to drop soon. Bass have been pretty good in backwaters around
structure on bloodline-colored soft-plastic worms.
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 75 to 79 degrees. The water visibility and
clarity is low. Bream are biting fair on crickets and worms. Crappie are biting slow on shiners and
black/chartreuse 1/8-ounce crappie jigs. Bass are slow, but are being caught on shad-colored
flukes, shaky head finesse worms, small top-water baits (early in the mornings and late in the
afternoons) and Texas-rigged creature baits in the heat of the day. Catfish are biting fair on
nightcrawlers and stink bait.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said bream are biting well in the upper end pad beds on crickets and wax
worms. Bass are biting well early and late on red soft-plastic worms and double willowleaf
white/chartreuse spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on limb lines and trotlines using cut bait and
chicken hearts.
Big Maumelle River: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said bream are fair on crickets. Bass are fair on
spinnerbaits and top-water stick baits. Catfish are excellent on limb lines and trotlines using
minnows, shad and cut bait.
Lake Maumelle:Jolly Roger’s Marina said black bass are fair early (from sun up to 7:30 a.m.) just
outside of the weeds in about 10 feet of water with crankbaits, Carolina rigs and spinnerbaits. Once
the sun is up, go deep off points with jig-and-pigs, CC Spoons and drop-shot rigs. Kentucky bass
are biting a little better, with reports of schooling Kentuckies over deeper water. White bass are
good. They are schooling in the late evening and are hitting on CC Spoons, Near Nuthings and
Spooks. Bream are excellent 15 feet deep on crickets. If using worms you will pick up some nice
Catfish mixed in with the bream. The College Bass National Championship is being held Wednesday
and Thursday of this week with 56 teams from around the country fishing Lake Maumelle.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said the water is clear and high. Bream are fair in 12 to 14 feet of water
on a split shot and cricket.
Lake Valencia: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said catfish are the best thing going on nightcrawlers and
chicken hearts.
Murray Lock and Dam: Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said catfish are excellent on cut shad and green
sunfish.
Terry Lock and Dam: McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is still very rough and
dangerous.
Clear Lake: McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is clear and high. Bream are fair
4 feet deep on crickets. Black bass are hitting early and late on spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Catfish
are fair on the bottom on nightcrawlers.
Peckerwood Lake: Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the water is clear and continues to fall.
Crappie are the best thing going on minnows and jigs.
NORTH CENTRAL REGION - White River: John Berry of Berry Brothers Guides said the water flows
on the White have been consistently high. Overall, the fishing has been excellent on the White
River. It has at times been spectacular, particularly at the Catch-and-release section at Bull Shoals
Dam and the adjacent state park. The hot flies have been San Juan worms (in tan, orange and red),
and brightly colored marabou jigs. Jigs have the added advantage of riding hook point up which
makes them virtually weedless. Another hot spot was Rim Shoals. Here again the most action was
encountered using brightly colored San Juan worms and eggs. Those fishing just outside the catch-
and-release sections had good results by using black zebra midges and copper johns as droppers.
The best fishing has occurred in the Red Bud area. The hot fly there has been brightly colored
marabou jigs.
Sportsman’s Sportsman’s White River Resort said the water is clear with eight generators still
running. Trout fishing has been excellent on 3-inch pink power worms, jigs, Countdown Rapalas and
Rouges.
Bull Shoals Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
691.71 feet MSL.
Lake Norfork: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
575.30 feet MSL.
101 Grocery and Bait said fishing has been fair. The early morning has been the best time of day to
be fishing. Top-water fishing is still good until about 8 a.m. After that, you will need to fish deep.
Bluegill fishing is very good using worms and crickets fished around 20-30 feet deep. Striper fishing
has been fair. A few are being caught on small live bait. Mid-lake and toward the dam have been the
better areas to fish for stripers. They are hanging in 40 feet of water and deeper. Walleye fishing
has slowed, but a few are being caught on live bait. Try fishing around the thermocline (18-25 feet
deep). Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing are fair. The bass are still being caught around the
trees and along the bluffs. Crappie fishing is slow. White bass fishing is fair. White in-line spinners
are still the choice lure. Catfish are still hitting live bait on limb lines.
Norfork Tailwater: John Berry of Berry Brothers Guides said the Norfork has been spectacular on
low water. Anglers reported great success with black zebra nymphs, olive scuds, and black Norfork
bead heads all in size 18. Other good flies were olive woolly buggers, partridge and orange soft
hackles, and worm brown San Juan worms. The top producer was the green butt soft hackle. There
have been some sparse sulphur hatches in mid morning and this was the key to success. In the
afternoon, on higher water, fishing slows a bit. Use conventional high-water techniques, and if you
are not fishing a catch-and-release area consider using a dropper tied to the lead flies. Dry Run
Creek has been a local hot spot. This is a great place for you to while away the summer with your
children or grand children. It is also a great place to beat the heat.
NORTHWEST REGION - Beaver Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports
the lake’s elevation at 1,129.10 feet MSL.
JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass continue to hang off main lake points and
humps just off the bottom. Finesse worms rigged on Carolina or drop shot rigs have been working
well. Crappie action is good also. The best bite has been on cloudy or rainy mornings under docks,
along drops on flats or along bluffs. Most fish have been suspended around 10 feet and are taking
minnows. White bass are biting OK at night along bluff lines north and east of Rocky Branch under
lights. Minnows have been the best bait. Stripers have been hard to catch as of late but they can
also be found from Rocky Branch and north towards the dam. Umbrella rigs trolled behind the boat
should do the trick. Catfish have been doing fine from the bank at night using cut bait or night
crawlers. Bluegill have been in their normal haunts, under docks and around rocks. Crickets or
worms fished under a float will do the trick.
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the lake itself is pretty clear, but you will find that
the creeks are still pretty muddy. Bream have been fair on crickets and worms. Crappie are picking
up in 10 to 12 feet of water on minnows and jigs around brush. Bass are fair on plastic worms.
Catfish are biting well on jugs with goldfish.
Lake Fayetteville: Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said water conditions are normal.
Bream are fair in 4 to 5 feet of water on worms and crickets. Crappie are good 10 to 12 feet of water
on minnows. Bass are fair on plastic worms and buzz baits.
Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said the water is muddy and high. All
species are slow.
NORTHEAST REGION - Lake Charles: Lake Charles State Park (870-878-6595) said the water
level is normal. The water clarity is 20 inches. Fishing has been slow on bream. Catfish has been
slow except trotlines and jugs. Crappie are slow, but a few are being caught on minnows and jigs.
Bass are slow on worms and spinnerbaits.
Crown Lake : Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said water conditions are normal with a
temperature at 85 degrees. Bream are excellent on crickets and worms. Crappie are fair early and
late on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on top-water lures and crankbaits. Catfishing is
excellent on liver, nightcrawlers and goldfish.
Lake Frierson: Lake Frierson State Park said water conditions are normal. Bream are biting well on
crickets and worms. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - Moro Bay: Moro Bay State Park said the river is only a fraction above
summer normal, (65.8 ft above sea level) and it’s not moving up or down very quickly. Fishing has
slowed down a bit, but bream are still being caught in the bay from the beginning of the cypress
trees to the mouth of the creek. Crickets and worms fished at a depth of about 5 foot are working
best. Several good catfish have also been caught in the main river channel on bream and shad. A
few bass have been caught in the bay while trolling with white spinnerbaits and red-shad plastic
worms. Very few reports of crappie have come in. A crappie fisherman would most likely do best in
the bay fishing fairly deep and moving around to find scattered fish.
SOUTHEAST REGION - Lake Monticello: Greg Gulledge with Basshunters Custom Crankbaits said
the bass continue to bite 10-inch worms fished 12 to 20 feet deep. A few bass are schooling in the
afternoons. Standard schooling baits are working such as traps and Baby Kill Gill topwaters. There
are a few fish hitting Spro frogs when the conditions are right. Nights are still producing some nice
fish in the 8- to 9-pound range.
Lake Chicot: Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said all species are slow.
Grand Lake: Koenig Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said all species are slow.
SOUTHWEST REGION - Millwood Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports
the lake’s elevation at 259.54 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water clarity is 6 to 8 inches in the main lake away from
current. The surface temperature is 78 to 88 degrees. Current in Little River is 1,754 cubic feet per
second. Largemouth bass are biting well early and late in the day. They are following typical
summer patterns. The mayfly hatch is still going on and bream are feeding underneath willow trees
and cypress trees. Good bass are under the trees feeding on the bream in 2 to 12 feet of water.
The most consistent reaction bite is on top-water toads, Bass Assassin Shads and white jigs swum
through the weeds at daylight. Once the sun is high, switch to a 10- or 12-inch Texas-rigged worm
in plum, red shad or blue fleck. White bass are either full bore or shut down, depending on the day.
The best bite has been between White Cliffs and Cemetery Slough on Little Cleos, Little Georges,
Rooster Tails and Rocket Shads in 12 to 16 feet. Crappie have improved slightly from last week.
Live shiners, smoke grubs and Mizmo tubes have produced along the edges of the river. Blue and
channel catfish continue to hit well on trotlines, and remain best in current in Little River on cut shad
or Charlie, cottonseed mill cake and chicken hearts and livers. Yo-yo's hung from cypress trees in
8-10 feet of water, near any current are picking up some decent cats. Bream continue to bite well
again along the banks on crickets and redworms around docks and cypress trees. With the mayfly
hatch in full swing, numbers of bream can be caught under a single cypress or willow tree on ultra
light or spin cast tackle on smoke-colored tubes, jigs and also on white/chartreuse colored popping
bugs.
Cossatot River: Davy Ashcraft at Cossatot River State Park (870-385-2201) said USGA states that
the water level is 2.12 feet with the surface temperatures ranging from 68 to 72 degrees. The water
is beginning to clear up, which will cause problems for some anglers using baits with spinners on
them. Bream are biting great on worms and crickets in 3 feet of water. The smallmouth bass are
biting very well on green pumpkinseed finesse worms and crawdad crankbaits around structure in
pools at 4 to 5 feet of water. Small, dark-colored grubs are doing well, too. Black bass are fair with
some being taken on dark-colored finesse worms and grubs fished very slowly around deep
structure. Minnow-rigged setups are producing some limits of bass. Catfish are good with some
being taken on chunks of hot dogs, live perch baited on trotlines are doing good as well.
Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said water conditions are normal. Redear are biting
very well. Crappie are fair on shiners. Catfishing is good on noodles baited with nightcrawlers, corn
and dog food.
Lake Erling: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said bass are fair on a white spinnerbaits with copper
blades. The ramp on the Red River at Garland is now open.
White Oak Lake: White Oak Lake State Park said the water level is steady and water is clearing up.
Bream and crappie are slow on crickets. Bass are slow on spinnerbaits. Catfish are biting well on
trotlines with minnows.
Lake Greeson: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
546.26 feet MSL.
Darryl Morris at Family Fishing Trips said water temperature is in the upper 80s. Crappie are being
caught on hardwood and bamboo brush piles 12-16 feet deep in 16-30 feet of water using rosy reds
and shiners or common fatheads. Bream are good at the same depths using crickets. The catfish
are showing up on the brush piles, too. Most mornings show some surface-feeding bass.
Lakeside Grocery reported that the water is murky and starting to drop, with a temperature at 90
degrees. Bream fishing has been good on crickets. Crappie are being caught deep on minnows.
Bass are fair, schooling early. Try a topwater lure. Catfishing is good on jugs using bream.
DeGray Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at
406.84 feet MSL.
DeGray One Stop (501-865-3511) said all fishing is slow.
WEST CENTRAL REGION - Lake Dardanelle: Eric Pratt at Lake Dardanelle State Park said the lake
is beginning to clear up and water temperatures are remaining steady at about 82 degrees. The
river flow is still high, ranging from 130,000 to 140,000 cubic feet per second. Anglers are reporting
that catfish are biting excellent on cut fish, nightcrawlers, chicken liver and prepared baits. Bass
have retreated to deeper, cooler waters and can be caught on deep-diving crankbaits, rigged
plastics, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Top-water baits are effective in the early morning and late
evening when bass visit the grass beds to forage. Bluegill and yellow bass are biting on crickets and
worms. Crappie fishing is slow but some are hitting minnows and small jigs.
Murphy’s Sporting Goods (479-229-3200) said the water is murky and high. Bream are biting well
on crickets. Bass are fairly well on crankbaits and plastic worms. Catfishing is good on stink bait and
nightcrawlers.
Blue Mountain Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation
at 387.03 feet MSL.
Booneville Bait (479-675-9038) had no report.
Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart (479-667-5155) said the water is muddy and high. A few bass have
been caught on chartreuse crankbaits.
Lake Ouachita: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was
576.73 feet MSL.
Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said bass fishing is fair. Start by fishing slow with
Berkley 10-inch Power Worms in green pumpkin, watermelon/red and red bug. Use as small a
weight you can get by with to keep the lure falling slowly. Stripers are hit-and-miss on spoons and
Berkley swim baits. A few crappie have been caught over the grass on spinnerbaits in shad colors.
Mountain Harbor Resort said the water is clear and ranges from 82 to 86 degrees. Largemouth
bass are still fair and can still be caught with Texas-rigged worms, jighead worms and black
spinnerbaits. Drop-shot rigs are still working well for Kentucky bass off drop offs in the river
channels and over brush. Walleye are still biting well on spoons fished on main lake points. Bottom
bouncers with spinners and nightcrawlers are producing some quality fish as well. Stripers are still
fair on live bait with shad or trotline minnows. Bream are very good with crickets or worms in 18 to
25 feet of water. Crappie are fair and being caught over grass and brush in 20 to 30 feet of water.
Lake Catherine: Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that the rainbow
trout bite is almost non-existent. While some fish are being caught, no consistent pattern can be
established because of the diminished numbers. July and August mark the beginning of top-water
action below the dam. Threadfin shad are everywhere in the tailrace and the hybrid and stripers are
feeding on them with great regularity. Most of the action is taking place in the late evening while the
turbines are turning. Anglers using ¼-ounce white jigs are catching the largest fish, but live bait rigs
always hook the most. Large brood and gizzard shad fished under a balloon provide the best results
as the fish are actively searching for threadfin shad. An important point to keep in mind is that when
the shad are in the tailrace, you will have very good numbers of hybrids and stripers after them.
When the shad are not present, the fish will be downstream searching for them. Your success will
bank on the fact that the baitfish are in the area where you are fishing. Some large black bass
migrate to the dam in search of an easy meal, too. Four and five pound fish have been caught on
white and gray jigs by anglers targeting hybrids.
Diamond Head Marina said the water conditions are normal with water temperature at 81 degrees.
Bream are biting well in shallow water around cover on worms and crickets. Crappie are fair in coves
on minnows and jigs. Catfish are biting well on liver and cut bait. Walleye are fair on shad-colored
baits.
Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said water conditions are normal. Bream are biting well
on crickets. A few crappie have been caught in deep water on minnows. Bass fishing is good on
spinnerbaits, plastic worms and plugs. Catfishing has been good on bream and chicken liver.
Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said the water is clearing up and at normal level.
Bream are biting well in deep water on crickets and worms. Catfishing is excellent on crickets and
large minnows.
EASTERN REGION - Arkansas River (Pine Bluff): River City Sporting Goods (870-534-8303) said
the water is muddy and high. Bream are biting well on redworms, wax worms and crickets. Crappie
are fair in 14 feet of water on shiners. Bass are biting well on red shad worms. Catfish are picking
up on cut bait.
White River: Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is murky and high. Bass are biting well
on tubes and crankbaits.
Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said the water is clear and high. Bream are fair
on worms and crickets. Catfishing is good on trotlines.
Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors (870-295-4240) said water conditions are normal. Bream are
fair on worms and crickets. A few crappie have been caught on minnows.
Horseshoe Lake: Local angler Clyde Gregory said water conditions are normal. Bream are biting
well around lily pads on crickets and worms. Crappie are fair in deep water on minnows and black
jigs. Bass have been good on plastic frogs. Catfishing is good on yoyos with nightcrawlers.
Report By: AG&FC
