News Taffy

Central Arkansas

Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/vt7tyb)

Bates Field and Stream ( 501-470-1846 ) filed no fishing report this week.

Little Red River (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/bm8tyb)

Lindsey’s Resort (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/re9tyb) ( 501-302-3139 ) said the water clarity is good but the river is low. Trout are good; try wax worms, Power Bait and marshmallows. Try crankbaits or spinner baits in the afternoon.

Just Fishing Guides (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/769tyb) said low, clear water with high, bright and calm winds are presenting fly-fishers some challenging conditions. Lengthening your leaders to 12+ feet and going to 7X tippet with size 18 flies will definitely improve your success. Also, use as small an indicator as possible in neutral colors like white, black or olive. Zebra-style midges in black, olive and gray are three of the better colors to try lately. Scuds, size 16, in olive, tan or gray have been working at times as well. All the tailwaters are fishing well. Plenty of low-water opportunities have wade fishers rejoicing (except at Bull Shoals). Mornings are better than afternoons, with late evening coming in second. Heavier flows are the norm in the afternoon as the weather heats up. Bead-head nymphs such as pheasant tails and hare’s ears are producing well. Hopper season is here! Be sure to have foam or deer hair hoppers in your arsenal. Be ready to use various sizes and colors of grasshoppers to find what the trout are keying in on. Early terrestrials like beetles and ants are getting some top-water action. Be sure to have some sulphur and light Cahill dries in your fly box. Try a hopper/dropper combo to maximize your chances of hook-ups or, if possible, a double-nymph rig. Doubles are very possible.

Greers Ferry (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/nzauyb)

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 456.9 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 461 msl). (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/3rbuyb)

Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/jkcuyb) said the lake temperature is 80-84 degrees and rising. The hybrid and white bass fishing is good on the lake at various times of the day on spoons, in-line spinners, swim baits and top-water lures. Crappie are biting off and on between the dry fronts coming through, on jigs and jigs tipped with minnows. Bream action is still good all over the lake on crickets and night crawlers. Bass fishing is good in brushpiles, on summer drops and some up in the shallow areas. Walleye continue to be a problem to catch this year; it is very sporadic. Catfishing is still very good overall on trotlines and jugs, as well as rod and reel.

Cody S. Smith of www.fishgreersferry.com (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/zcduyb) said the lake is 5 feet below conservation pool and holding steady with recent rains. Daily generation continues, with generators running for one to three hours. Fishing on the reservoir has been incredible. Hybrids and white bass are schooling together, making it fun and action-packed. Most of the heavy surfacing and feeding has been from 8 a.m.-10 a.m., with sporadic action before and after this peak feeding time. Top-water walking baits, in-line spinners and Slab Spoons have produced best in the last week. There is also a very good multispecies live-bait bite going on throughout the morning. All three species of catfish, bluegill, crappie, largemouth, Kentucky bass and smallmouth are holding in brush on drops off the main channel. The deeper bluff ledges are producing a more consistent bite than main lake points and flats. Graph the drops and don’t fish until you see them on your screen. Discipline yourself this way and you will catch more fish, guaranteed!

Greers Ferry Tailwater (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/f5duyb)

Just Fishing Guides (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/vxeuyb) says there are plenty of low water opportunities for wade fishers. Mornings are better than afternoons with late evening coming in second. Heavier flows are the norm in the afternoon as the weather heats up. Bead-head nymphs such as pheasant tails and hare’s ears are producing well. Early terrestrials like beetles and ants are getting some top-water action. Be sure to have some sulphur and light Cahill dries in your fly box. Try a hopper/dropper combo to maximize your chances of hook-ups or, if possible, a double-nymph rig. Be ready to use various sizes of hoppers to find what the trout are keying on. Doubles are very possible. Water releases have been once per day in the afternoon for two to four hours at 3,000-4,000 cfs.

Harris Brake Lake (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/bqfuyb)

Harris Brake Lakeside Resort (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/riguyb) ( 501-889-2745 ) said the lake is stained and low. Bream are good with worms and crickets. Crappie and bass have been poor. Catfish are good, especially with chicken liver and Danny King’s Blood Bait.

Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville ( 501-889-2011 ) said the lake is about 2 feet low. Crappie are biting on minnows and Slab Slay’Rs and Stroll’Rs in white/salt and pepper, red/chartreuse shad and bone white. PowerBait Crappie Nibbles in green or yellow are working, too. Catfish are good on minnows, worms and goldfish at night. Bass are fair on tequila sunrise and dark-colored worms, spinner baits, Rooster Tails and Flukes. Bream are biting red worms, mealworms, crickets and rock hoppers.

Lake Overcup (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/7ahuyb)

Overcup Landing (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/n3huyb) ( 501-354-9007 ) said the lake is about a foot low and clear. Crappie are fair in 10-12 feet of water. Use pumpkin seed/chartreuse jigs and red/white/chartreuse jigs. Bream are good using crickets and redworms. Catfish are good on trotlines and noodles, using live bream and cut bait. Bass are fair on 6-inch Culprit worms, spinners and buzz baits.

Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville ( 501-889-2011 ) said crappie are biting well on No. 6 minnows, Baby Shad, Stroll’R and Slab Slay’R in white/salt and pepper, red/chartreuse, bone white Baby Shad, and PowerBait Crappie Nibbles in green or yellow. Bream are biting great on night crawlers, red worms, mealworms, crickets and rock hoppers. Bass are hitting tequila sunrise and dark worms, spinner baits, Rooster Tails and Flukes.

Brewer Lake (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/3viuyb)

Overcup Landing (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/jojuyb) ( 501-354-9007 ) said the lake is getting low and water is clear. Bream are good using redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair when fishing over brush tops with No. 4 minnows and white/chartreuse jigs. Catfish are good on noodles and trotlines baited with bream and night crawlers. Bass are fair.

Lake Cargile (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/zgkuyb)

Overcup Landing (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/f9kuyb) ( 501-354-9007 ) had no report this week.

Lake Maumelle (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/v1luyb)

Jolly Roger’s Marina (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/bumuyb) reports black bass are good, 15-18 feet deep. They’re hitting spinner baits early in the day, then go to deeper lures such as pig and jigs and Carolina rigs. Early do the drop-offs and during the day, deep structure. Kentucky bass are good. Lots of Kentucky bass are being caught on Rooster Tails, jigheads and worms 10-18 feet deep. White bass are fair. They’re being caught toward the restricted area and north shore on Rooster Tails, trolling with lures 15 feet deep and jigging with CC spoons. Crappie have been excellent. They are 14-18 feet deep on the edges of the channels, and are hitting small jigs, colored grubs and small minnows. Bream are excellent. They’re hitting worms and crickets from 10-15 feet deep. Bream are really big this year. Catfish are excellent on trotlines with prepared bait and large minnows and bream. They are 10-13 feet deep; any deeper and the live bait dies quickly.

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop ( 501-758-4958 ) said crappie are going for jigs and minnows in 15-25 feet of water. Bass are fair with deep-diving crankbaits, jerk baits and other lures, as long as they run deep. Catfish are good. Go with slicks and chicken liver. No report this week on bream.

Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville ( 501-889-2011 )aid crappie are good in coves and brushpiles on Baby Shad and Slab Slay’Rs in red/chartreuse, bone white and pearl, and orange/chartreuse, as well as No. 6 minnows and PowerBait Crappie Nibbles in green or yellow. White bass are biting in the river channel on Rooster Tails in white or salt and pepper. Bream are great on night crawlers, red worms, mealworms, crickets and rock hoppers. Bass are hitting tequila sunrise and other dark worms, spinner baits, Rooster Tails and Flukes.

Lake Valencia (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/rmnuyb)

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop ( 501-758-4958 ) had no report this week.

Sunset Lake (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/7eouyb)

Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports ( 501-315-3061 ) said the lake is clear and low. Fishing for all species has been slow; no specific reports this week.

Saline River Access in Benton (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/n7ouyb)

Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports ( 501-315-3061 )said the river is low and clear. Bream are good on crickets. No report on crappie. Bass are good near shoals or swift water. No report on catfish.

Arkansas River at Morrilton (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/3zpuyb)

Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said cooler weather has brought out more people. Drift fishing for catfish during late evening is producing some nice catfish. Use shad or skipjacks. Since water is up in grass, black bass are sitting on the edges of secondary drop-offs. Fish a Horny toad in shad color; toss it in grass, pull it out and let it drop. Bream are strong on crickets along riprap. White bass are schooling around the jetty; fish a chatter bait. Kentucky bass are going for swim worms along the jetty.

Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool) (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/jsquyb)

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop ( 501-758-4958 ) had this report from Little Maumelle River and Maumelle River: Bream are excellent with crickets and worms. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs in deep water. Bass are fair – try top-water baits in the morning, and top-waters and shaky head worms in the evening. Catfish are good with slicks and cut bait. Main River Channel: Bass are fair at the jetty ends. Use medium-diving crankbaits, jigs and shaky head worms. Catfish have been good on slicks and cut bait. No reports on other species.

Palarm Creek: No report this week.

Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool) (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/zkruyb)

Vince Miller from Fish ’N Stuff (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/fdsuyb) said the river is stained and low. Bream are good on crickets. Crappie are good; they’re going for minnows. Bass have been fair on top-water baits early in the day. Try sandbar drops later in the morning. Catfish are good with stink bait, chicken liver and cut shad.

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop ( 501-758-4958 )had this report from Burns Park and the main channel: Bass are good at jetty ends. Try medium-diving crankbaits or shaky head worms. Catfish are fair in the channel with cut bait and slicks. No reports on other species. Fourche Creek: No report this week. Murray Lock and Dam: No report on bream. Crappie and white bass are good on jigs and minnows. No report on largemouth bass. Catfish are good; they’re hitting slicks and cut bait.

McSwain Sports Center (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/v5suyb) ( 501-945-2471 ) said the water is clear and low. Bream and crappie are reportedly poor, although bass are good. They’re hitting top-water baits early and late in the day. Catfish are good. Use shad on the bottom.

Clear Lake (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/bytuyb)

McSwain Sports Center ( 501-945-2471 ) said the lake is low and clear. Bream are good with crickets. Crappie are good with minnows in brush tops in 4-5 feet of water. No reports on bass and catfish.

Peckerwood Lake

Herman’s Landing ( 870-241-3731 ) said the water is clear and low, although stumps aren’t yet breaking the surface. Catfish are good – they’re going for worms or liver. Bass are good on a variety of lures. Crappie and bream are slow right now.

Lake Pickthorne (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/rquuyb)

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop ( 501-758-4958 ) had no report on the lake this week.

Lake Willastein

Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop ( 501-758-4958 ) said bream are good with crickets and red worms. Crappie are good with minnows and jigs; go deep. Bass are reported to be excellent; try Texas-rigged red and black worms, and black buzz baits. Catfish are good. They’re going for night crawlers and chicken hearts.

North Arkansas

White River (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/7ivuyb)

Sportsman’s White River Resort (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/nbwuyb) ( 870-453-2424 ) said the water is clear and low with light generation in the morning and heavier generation in the afternoons. Trout fishing is good, especially with PowerBait; try yellow or pink. Pink trout worms, Rooster Tails and Little Cleos are working.

Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/33wuyb) ( 870-499-5185 )) had this report for Buffalo City to Red’s Landing: Low water is back with us again. Once in a while, more water comes in but it slows the fishing automatically. When you find fish, stay with them; it may be a while before you find another active group of fish. Bottom baits like Power Bait, Blue Fox spinners in gold No. 3 or No. 2, or the White River Zig Jigs in ginger or olive with ginger. Be safe out there in the heat. It can hurt you before you know it. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated!

Buffalo River (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/jwxuyb)

Just Fishing Guides (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/zoyuyb) said as of Wednesday, the river was low and slowly falling. Ponca was very low at 1.44 feet, Pruitt was very low at 3.25 feet, Tyler Bend was low at 3.25 feet and Buffalo Point was low at 2.53 feet. Water temperature was averaging in the upper 70s. The river level is extremely low for floating; the water is clear. Most of the Ozark streams are about 20 percent of their normal flows for this time of year. River levels are historically low this year and floating involves too much dragging. If you're willing to hike, you can reach long pools that are full of fish! Clousers, Shenk’s Streamer, KC’s Ozark Slider and Crazy Dads are all working well. Also, try large hopper and dragon fly patterns on top. Whit’s Hopper and Whitlock’s Gorilla Dragonfly are cool patterns to try, as well as Sneaky Pete’s, Gurglers in white or chartreuse, and Boogle Bullets. The top-water bite with flies is really going gangbusters. Spotted bass are holding near woody debris. Smallmouth bass are in the deeper channels. Sunfish have been caught with about anything that hits the water. Small poppers, woolly buggers, spiders, beetles and hoppers are raking in the sunfish. Sometimes it is hard not to catch them. Spin fishing has picked up fish with white or gray Flukes, 4-inch Zoom lizards in watermelon red and tube baits in green pumpkinseed. Crank baits, buzzbaits and spinners have worked well also.

Crooked Creek (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/fhzuyb)

Just Fishing Guides (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/v9zuyb) said the gauge at Kelley’s Slab was reading 9.71 feet Wednesday. River levels are historically low this year and floating involves too much dragging. If you're willing to hike, you can reach long pools that are full of fish! Clousers, Shenks Streamer, KC's Ozark Slider and Crazy Dads are all working well. Also, try large hopper and dragon fly patterns on top. Whit’s Hopper and Whitlock’s Gorilla Dragonfly are cool patterns to try, as well as Sneaky Pete’s, Gurglers in white or chartreuse, and Boogle Bullets. The top-water bite with flies is really going gangbusters. Spotted bass are holding near woody debris. Smallmouth bass are in the deeper channels. Sunfish have been caught with about anything that hits the water. Small poppers, woolly buggers, spiders, beetles and hoppers are raking in the sunfish. Sometimes it is hard not to catch them. Spin fishing has picked up fish with white or gray Flukes, 4-inch Zoom lizards in watermelon red and tube baits in green pumpkinseed. Crank baits, buzzbaits and spinners have worked well also.

Bull Shoals Lake (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/b20uyb)

As of Tuesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 652.2 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 654 msl). Mike Worley’s Guide Service said rain and cooler weather finally arrived in the last few days. Walleye and white bass fishing has improved with some good catches in the 25-inch to 40-inch range on jigging spoons, trolling crank baits or stickbaits on lead-core line and night crawler rigs fished on bottom bouncers. Black bass have been active at night and early morning, biting on tube jigs, jig and trailer, plastic worms and spinner baits in 5-25 feet of water. Catfish are biting on night crawlers and cut bait in 5-25 feet.

 Bull Shoals Tailwater (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/ru1uyb)

Just Fishing Guides (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/7m2uyb) said water releases have been once per day in the afternoon/evening for four-six hours at 2,000-7,000 cfs. Low, clear water with high, bright and calm winds are presenting fly-fishers some challenging conditions. Lengthening your leaders to 12+ feet and going to 7X tippet with size 18 flies will definitely improve your success. Also, use as small an indicator as possible in neutral colors like white, black or olive. Zebra-style midges in black, olive and gray are three of the better colors to try lately. Scuds, size 16, in olive, tan or gray have been working at times as well. All the tailwaters are fishing well. Plenty of low-water opportunities have wade fishers rejoicing (except at Bull Shoals). Mornings are better than afternoons, with late evening coming in second. Heavier flows are the norm in the afternoon as the weather heats up. Bead-head nymphs such as pheasant tails and hare’s ears are producing well. Hopper season is here! Be sure to have foam or deer hair hoppers in your arsenal. Be ready to use various sizes and colors of grasshoppers to find what the trout are keying in on. Early terrestrials like beetles and ants are getting some top-water action. Be sure to have some sulphur and light Cahill dries in your fly box. Try a hopper/dropper combo to maximize your chances of hook-ups or, if possible, a double-nymph rig. Doubles are very possible.

Lake Norfork (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/nf3uyb)

As of Tuesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 548.7 feet msl (normal conservation pool: September-April – 552 msl, April-September – 554 msl). (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/373uyb)

STR Outfitters - Tom Reynolds said stripers are off the points in the main lake and migrating towards the dam in larger numbers each day. I'm catching stripers on down lines, in water from 28 to 60-foot depths. My baits are set at 27-feet. They are feeding on shad and crawdads. I have been fishing between deep and shallow water.

Hummingbird Hideaway Resort (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/j04uyb)

Lou Gabric said Norfork Lake fishing is in a transition period with fish going from their spring pattern to their summer pattern. This basically means fish are moving to deeper, cooler water. Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie and walleye have moved out to 20- to 28-foot depths and the striped bass have moved even deeper. This doesn’t mean fishing is harder; it just means you need to change your fishing tactics. In fact, warm-weather fishing is often easier because some species start to school. The striped bass bite has started to get very good. I am finding large schools of fish in 30-50 feet of water and, on occasion, they are suspended in 100+ feet of water. I have been using live shad, but large shiners will also work. I am finding stripers along bluff lines close to a point. Concentrate on main lake points; big flats are holding fish, too. They are 35-40 feet down in 35 to 50+ feet of water. Smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass are in the 20- to 28-foot range of water, typically hugging the bottom. I have caught fish on the banks throwing a Wiggle Wart, but all the fish I have caught this way have been small. The bigger bass have moved out to deeper water. I am finding bass in similar locations as the stripers, but closer to the shore. Main lake points are still the best and, if they have brush on them, even better. Jig and pigs, swimming minnows, grubs and other plastics are good choices at this time; work back to the boat slowly along the bottom. Of course, if you like using live bait, your numbers of fish caught should increase. Some top-water action is still occurring early in the mornings. Walleye are in the same locations as the bass: main lake points. Slow trolling and drifting a night crawler harness are producing nice fish.

Guide Steve Olomon (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/zs5uyb) of Steve’s Guide Service said the water temp is in the mid 80s. The lake level is 549.6 feet. In May the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission released 24,000 striper fingerlings and 44,200 hybrid fingerlings in the lake. This week we caught some hybrids suspended (20 to 30-feet) on a ¼ ounce jighead with a three-inch green grub by casting out and swimming it back to the boat and we also used a jigging spoon. There were some nice whites running with them. (two to three pounds). Bass are chasing baitfish to the surface early will hit any topwater lure. We had better luck on a white Zara Spook Jr. After the topwater bite is over throw a jig, worm, drop shot rigged with a four-inch worm or a jigging spoon. Most of them will be 23 to 25-feet deep hanging on the bottom or just off the bottom. We also caught some on the grub that was mentioned earlier. Campground News: Jordan Campground on Norfork Lake is open April 1-Oct. 1 and managed by Jordan Marina. Formerly run by the Army Corps of Engineers, Jordan Campground is a favorite of families camping on the south end of Norfork Lake and is the gateway to Sand Island and Jordan area beaches. This area also is a favorite of scuba divers, with 30 dive sites within 2 miles of the campground. Jordan Campground has 41 RV and tent sites; sites with 50-amp service and 30-amp service are available for $20 per night. The campground, adjacent to Jordan Marina, also features a swimming beach, picnic pavilion, boat launch and two restrooms. For more information, call (870) 499-7223 or Jordan Marina at (870) 499-7348 .

Norfork Tailwater (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/fl6uyb)

Just Fishing Guides (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/vd7uyb) said water releases have been once per day in the afternoon for four-eight hours 3,000-6,000 cfs. Midges, sow bugs and scuds all fished under a hopper will cover most situations you’ll encounter. All the tailwaters are fishing well. Plenty of low-water opportunities have wade fishers rejoicing (except at Bull Shoals). Mornings are better than afternoons, with late evening coming in second. Heavier flows are the norm in the afternoon as the weather heats up. Bead-head nymphs such as pheasant tails and hare’s ears are producing well. Hopper season is here! Be sure to have foam or deer hair hoppers in your arsenal. Be ready to use various sizes and colors of grasshoppers to find what the trout are keying in on. Early terrestrials like beetles and ants are getting some top-water action. Be sure to have some sulphur and light Cahill dries in your fly box. Try a hopper/dropper combo to maximize your chances of hook-ups or, if possible, a double-nymph rig. Doubles are very possible.

Northwest Arkansas

Beaver Lake (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/b67uyb)

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,115.9 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 1,120 msl).

Bailey’s Beaver Lake Guide Service (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/ry8uyb) ( 479-366-8664 ) said grab your headlamps – the night bite is on! This is my favorite time of year; the big fish are on the feed big time! Beaver Lake stripers are still scattered and can be caught from Prairie Creek to the dam. Striper fishing will be excellent with striper taken on live shad fished on down lines and lightly weighted balloon lines trolled 50-100 feet back, 35-45 feet deep. Downriggers are also producing with artificials; try Rapala No. 14 Husky Jerks in black back or purple back colors. Stripers will be in areas holding bait near the main channel. You may have to hit multiple spots to get your fish. Use live shad, as always, when fishing for trophy stripers; they’re hitting shad in the 4- to 12-inch range. Indian Creek is a hot spot. Check the back of Indian Creek past the power lines. Also, Dry Creek is producing stripers. Fish the mouth of this arm. Point 5 is another hot spot. Check Doc’s Cabin and the mouth of the Big Clifty arm. Other hot spots include Copper Mine and Ventris. Most walleye are about 15-30 feet deep. Fish are being taken off area flats near the channel. Try the areas mentioned above. Flat-line troll with Hot ’N Tots, Rapala Tail Dancers, Shad Raps, Reef Runners or Ripsticks in natural blue or black/back combos, or chartreuse/orange and clown colors. Jigging spoons around brush and rock piles also are producing.

Southtown Sporting Goods ( 479-443-7148 ) had no fishing report this week.

Jason Piper of JT’s Crappie Guide Service (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/7q9uyb) ( 479-640-3980 )said bass fishing has been best at night. Try fishing a six-inch black lizard or an eight-inch ringtail worm on a 3/8 ounce shaky head or Texas-rig and fish them along sloping gravel to chunk rock banks. Crappie fishing has been best very early in the day as the sun comes up. Fish have been suspended just off the bottom close to brush or timber not far away from a channel in 20 to 40 feet of water. One-and-a-half-inch tube jigs on a 1/16 ounce jig head has been most productive in the shadiest areas possible. Eden Bluff, upstream from War-Eagle Marina and Monte-NE have all been good places to fish. White bass have been schooling each evening lakewide on main lake flats and adjacent points. Kastmaster spoons in ¼ ounce to ½ ounce have been the best lure choice. Catfishing is best at night from the bank using liver or worms.

Beaver Tailwater (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/njavyb)

Just Fishing Guides (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/3bbvyb) said water releases have been once per day in the afternoon/evening for four-six hours at 2,000-7,000 cfs. Low, clear water with high, bright and calm winds are presenting fly-fishers some challenging conditions. Lengthening your leaders to 12+ feet and going to 7X tippet with size 18 flies will definitely improve your success. Also, use as small an indicator as possible in neutral colors like white, black or olive. Zebra-style midges in black, olive and gray are three of the better colors to try lately. Scuds, size 16, in olive, tan or gray have been working at times as well. All the tailwaters are fishing well. Plenty of low-water opportunities have wade fishers rejoicing (except at Bull Shoals). Mornings are better than afternoons, with late evening coming in second. Heavier flows are the norm in the afternoon as the weather heats up. Bead-head nymphs such as pheasant tails and hare’s ears are producing well. Hopper season is here! Be sure to have foam or deer hair hoppers in your arsenal. Be ready to use various sizes and colors of grasshoppers to find what the trout are keying in on. Early terrestrials like beetles and ants are getting some top-water action. Be sure to have some sulphur and light Cahill dries in your fly box. Try a hopper/dropper combo to maximize your chances of hook-ups or, if possible, a double-nymph rig. Doubles are very possible.

Lake Elmdale (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/j4bvyb)

Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/zwcvyb) ( 479-871-6305 ) said the water level us still dropping. With the heat, fishing is slow. White buzz baits are doing fair for bass. Better to use blue fleck worms fished slowly by mid-morning. Soft plastics fished 10-16 feet deep have produced some nice bass. I had a line breaker on for a while this week. He nearly pullled the rod out of my hand, then broke off. Three pounds was my biggest of four caught between 8-10 a.m. John Bohannon of Springdale caught a 17-inch crappie fishing with minnows under a bobber at 12 feet. Chad Murphy of Tontitown showed off a 6-pound bass he caught using a chatter bait. They are there – you gotta find them! Fish slowly and deep for bass. Deep-running crank baits (12-18 feet) or plastic worms will work with the proper presentation. Bluegill and redear have been caught in 5-8 feet of water. Try near the bottom for more bites. Red worms or crickets will do the trick. No word on catfish. Stiink bait or liver would be the baits to use. Fish at night when they’re most active. Come on out and fish with us – we’ll see you on the lake!

Kings River (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/fpdvyb)

Just Fishing Guides (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/vhevyb) said the river gauge near Grandview was reading 2.5 feet and 15 cfs Wednesday. River levels are historically low this year and floating involves too much dragging. If you're willing to hike, you can reach long pools that are full of fish! Clousers, Shenks Streamer, KC's Ozark Slider and Crazy Dads are all working well. Also, try large hopper and dragon fly patterns on top. Whit’s Hopper and Whitlock’s Gorilla Dragonfly are cool patterns to try, as well as Sneaky Pete’s, Gurglers in white or chartreuse, and Boogle Bullets. The top-water bite with flies is really going gangbusters. Spotted bass are holding near woody debris. Smallmouth bass are in the deeper channels. Sunfish have been caught with about anything that hits the water. Small poppers, woolly buggers, spiders, beetles and hoppers are raking in the sunfish. Sometimes it is hard not to catch them. Spin fishing has picked up fish with white or gray Flukes, 4-inch Zoom lizards in watermelon red and tube baits in green pumpkinseed. Crank baits, buzzbaits and spinners have worked well also.

Lake Fayetteville (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/bafvyb)

Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock ( 479-444-3476 ) said the water is clear and normal. Bream fishing is fair with crickets and worms. Bass are fair on a variety of lures in grassy areas. Catfish are fair – they’re hitting crickets and other baits. Crappie are slow.

Lake Sequoyah (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/r2fvyb)

Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock ( 479-444-3475 ) said the lake was stained and 4 inches low. Water temperature is 89 degrees. Catfish are fair with chicken livers, shad and live bait. No reports on other species.

Upper White River (Twin Bridges area) (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/7ugvyb)

Just Fishing Guides (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/nnhvyb) said warm-water streams and rivers have been fishing very well (although hot!) lately with both high-quantity and high-quality fish being caught. Mornings are better than afternoons, with late evening coming in second. Heavier flows are the norm in the afternoon as the weather heats up. Beadhead nymphs such as pheasant tails and hare’s ears are producing well. Early terrestrials like beetles and ants are getting some top-water action. Be sure to have some sulphur and light Cahill dries in your fly box. Try a hopper/dropper combo to maximize your chances of hook-ups or, if possible, a double-nymph rig. Be ready to use various sizes of hoppers to find what the trout are keying on. Doubles are very possible.

War Eagle Creek

Just Fishing Guides (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/3fivyb) said most of the Ozark streams are about 20 percent of their normal flows for this time of year. Be prepared to walk and drag your boat quite a bit. We have had spotty, scattered showers but not enough to make any difference. All of the rivers have fallen in the last week. All are at or near record lows for the date and all time. However, warmwater streams and rivers have been fishing very well lately in both quantity and quality. Fly-fishing has been good with good with baitfish patterns, Bogle Bugs in white, Tequeely Streamers, wooly buggers, Clouser minnows. The top water bite with flies is really going gangbusters. Spotted bass are holding near woody debris. Smallmouth are in the deeper channels. Sunfish have been caught with about anything that hits the water. Small poppers, wooly buggers, spiders, beetles and hoppers are raking in the sunfish. Sometimes it is hard not to catch them. Spin fishing has picked up fish with white or gray flukes, four-inch Zoom lizards in watermelon red and tube baits in green pumpkinseed. Crank baits, buzz baits and spinners have worked well also. Flows are at 9.9 cfs.

Northeast Arkansas

Crown Lake (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/j8ivyb)

Boxhound Marina (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/z0jvyb) ( 870-670-4496 ) reports the lake is clear and a foot low. Bream are good on red worms and crickets. Catfish are good with chicken liver. No reports on crappie or bass.

Lake Frierson (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/ftkvyb) Lake Frierson State Park (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/vllvyb) said the lake is murky, 2 feet low and falling. Bream have been fair, especially on crickets. Crappie are fair; they’re biting wax worms. Catfish are good. Try worms or, if you’re using jugs, live bait. No reports this week on bass or saugeye.

Spring River (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/bemvyb)

Mark Crawford with Spring River Flies and Guides (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/r6mvyb) said water is running at 280 cfs at the spring and water is clear. It rained about half an inch Sunday, not enough to affect the river. The river has been so clear lately that a person can see trout coming before the take, which can make for a very exciting take. Olive and black woolly buggers, Guppies, Brownies and Y2ks have been the hot flies. There has been very little bug life hatching on the river; just too hot. Trout are biting great unless a front is moving through and then they can turn off. Spin anglers have been using trout-colored spoons, night crawlers and Trout Magnets. When using Trout Magnets, it is important to fish just off the bottom of the river with a float. If the sun is bearing down, it is a must to get down. With the low water levels, it is not hard to accomplish.

Southeast Arkansas

Cane Creek Lake (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/7ynvyb)

Cane Creek State Park’s (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/nrovyb) Geoff Wright said the lake has some really good bream fishing right now. Crickets and worms seem to be working the best. Try fishing early in the morning or late evening around underwater logs and around the lily pads. Trotlines are still producing some good catfish catches as well.

Southwest Arkansas

Millwood Lake (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/3jpvyb)

As of Tuesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 254.5 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 259.2 msl).

Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/jcqvyb) said surface temperatures are ranging from 82 degrees early in the day to 90 degrees in the afternoon. The discharge Monday, with one gate open, was 170 CFS. The tailwater level was 223.95 mfsl. Clarity and visibility are fair to good depending on location; clarity is stained somewhat in the river but the oxbows’ clarity is better. The best largemouth bass bite in the last several weeks continues to be from dawn through mid-morning, then again a couple hours before dusk. Numerous techniques are catching bass, including buzz baits, Spit’n Images, Zara Spooks, Jitterbugs and soft-plastic Bass Assassin shad jerk baits near vegetation and lily pads. Points in Little River and her oxbows continue to hold the most active fish at dawn. Creature and hog baits like Brush Hogs, Pit Bosses, Wooly Bugs, bulky 10-inch worms, spinnerbaits and jigs around stumps and grass on these points are catching largemouth in the 14-inch to 18-inch class. For white bass, Rat-L-Traps and Bomber crankbaits will still get bites from random and aggressive fish roaming the oxbows in large, broken schools, chasing shad. Whites are scattered along Little River and the oxbows in loose and broken schools, and can still be found trolling crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps in the Little River between Jack’s Isle and Mud Lake, and between Mud Lake and Horseshoe Lake, around Hurricane Creek dump into the river. Several broken schools were chasing and busting shad at the surface in McGuire and Horseshoe oxbow lakes up Little River the last few weeks. Daylight is the best time for these broken schooling fish. Crappie have slowed with the recent heat, and are scattered, but continue holding in 15-20 feet of water around planted brushpiles, and can be located with electronics in 15-18 feet on jigs and grubs on light-wire jigheads in brushpiles and standing timber. Smoke-colored Cordell paddle tail grubs on eighth-ounce jigheads were working early morning hours the last couple of weeks. Catfish have been fair to slow over the last couple of weeks, mainly because of reduced current in Little River. Trotlines, yo-yos, and tight lines, in any remaining current, and break lines in the outer bends of Little River are the best bets. Blue and channel cats were biting best on punch bait, cut shad and cottonseed mill cake in 18-22 feet of Little River on the outer break lines in any remaining current, or on yo-yos tied along the Little River or from cypress tree limbs in 10-15 feet of the oxbows. Minnows were catching some nice blues in McGuire and Mud lakes, on yo-yos in the last week.

Lake Greeson (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/z4qvyb)

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 545.6 feet msl (Flood pool – 548 msl). Lakeside Grocery and Bait ( 870-398-5304 )said the lake is low and clear in deep water but murky in shallow areas. Surface temperature is 85 degrees. Bream have been good on crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows in 20-25 feet of water. Bass are fair early and late in the day on worms, jigs and top-water baits around rocky points. Catfish are good; try chicken liver. On trotlines, try bream in about 10 feet of water. Walleye are good on jigs and crankbaits in deeper water. For more information on crappie fishing at Lake Greeson, visit Jerry Blake’s website, www.actionfishingtrips.com/tripreports.htm (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/fxrvyb).

Lake Greeson Tailwater (Little Missouri River) (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/vpsvyb) Visit www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/bitvyb) for a daily update on fishing conditions.

DeGray Lake (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/rauvyb)

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 403.0 feet msl (flood pool – 408 msl). Local angler George Graves says surface water temperture is in the high 80s and the lake is clear throughout. Bass fishing is fair with just about all action in the early morning hours or at night. Look for surface-feeding fish on points and in coves all along the south side of the state park, from Caddo Bend to DeRoche Ridge. Throw a surface lure such as a Zara Spook, Sammy, Pop-R or Fluke/Swimming Fluke. Also try a 4-inch swim bait and just let it fall where you see the fish break. If bass are schooling, the Alabama rig with Swimming Flukes is hard to beat. With the hot, clear weather, action is over by 9 a.m., so be on the water early, even before sun-up. Night fishing is pretty good, especially after midnight. Use a big, black spinner bait and slow roll it over main lake points. Best bass fishing now is between Edgewood and the Spillway. Crappie fishing is really in the doldrums, with very few fish reported. Best bet now for crappie is to fish the main lake attractors with minnows and a slip float or sixteenth-ounce jigheads with either a minnow or a 2-inch Tennessee shad grub or tube. Fish vertically over attractors 20-25 feet deep and just above the thickest part of the brush. The best time is early in the morning, even before sun-up. Look for attractors between Edgewood and Iron Mountain, also try Brushy Creek. Hybrid fishing is very good with the fish stacked in the thermocline (20 feet). Most every cove on the south side of the state park has hybrids, with the best ones at the lodge causeway and the state park marina. The easiest way to find the fish is to slow troll, (with the trolling motor) a five-arm umbrella rig with 3-inch Curly Tail grubs. Once the school is found, just stop and throw chartreuse spoons and big in-line spinners to the fish. Make sure you let the lure go under the fish (to about 30 feet) and work it up through the fish. Like all other fish right now, early morning is best and the fishing is over by 8:30 a.m. Bream fishing remains good, with fish in most any cove with some rock or wood cover. Redworms and crickets are the best baits. Bream are a school fish so keep moving until you find the school. Catfish are fair with some decent catches coming at night on noodles and trotlines. Set trotlines in coves off the main lake and drop noodles over standing timber. Use Catfish Charlie, blood bait, night crawlers and hot dogs with soap for channel cats, and big minnows or live bream for the bigger blues and flatheads. Tip: Run three hooks spaced about 3 feet apart on your noodles and have the top hook about 15 feet down.

West-Central Arkansas

Lake Nimrod (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/72uvyb) As of Tuesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 344.1 feet msl (flood pool – 373 msl).

Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville ( 501-889-2011 ) said crappie are biting around brushpiles and in the Upper Fourche River on minnows, Baby Shad and Slab Slay’Rs and Stroll’Rs in white /salt and pepper, red/chartreuse and bone white shad, and PowerBait Crappie Nibbles green or yellow. Bream are biting great on red worms, mealworms, crickets and rock hoppers. Bass are good on tequila sunrise/dark-colored worms, spinner baits, Rooster Tails and Flukes.

Lake Bailey (Petit Jean Mountain) (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/nvvvyb)

Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville ( 501-889-2011 ) said bream are biting great on red worms, mealworms, crickets and rock hoppers. Catfish are biting well on worms, minnows and goldfish. Bass are good on dark-colored worms, spinner baits, Rooster Tails and Flukes.

Fourche La Fave River (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/3nwvyb)

Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville ( 501-889-2011 ) said the river is stained and very low. Crappie are hitting minnows and white/salt and pepper and red/chartreuse Baby Shad, and PowerBait Crappie Nibbles in green or yellow. Catfish are fair. Try stink bait, livers and goldfish in the river. Bass are going for tequila sunrise and dark worms, spinner baits, Rooster Tails and Flukes.

Lake Hinkle (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/jgxvyb)

Bill’s Bait Shop ( 479-637-7419 ) said the lake is clear and normal. Bream are good, mostly on crickets. Crappie have been slow, but try minnows in deep water. Bass have been good with crankbaits, plastic worms and jigs. Catfish are good with chicken liver and worms.

Blue Mountain Lake (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/z8xvyb)

As of Tuesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 385.3 feet msl (flood pool – 419 msl). The Army Corps of Engineers began a drawdown of Blue Mountain Lake July 5 to improve aquatic vegetation, make repairs to launch ramps and buoys, and complete other projects. The lake will be dropped to 379 feet msl, which is 7 feet below the normal pool elevation. This will take about 26 days, depending on rainfall. When this level is reached, about Aug.1, Corps officials will decide if the drawdown will continue to 373 feet by Oct. 1. During the drawdown, boaters should exercise extreme caution because submerged stumps and shallow areas will be more prominent. All water activities such as skiing, tubing and operating personal watercraft are prohibited. Boaters should be cautious when launching because of damage or sediment build-up that may have occurred at the end of the ramps. It is impossible to determine which ramps might be affected. Boat ramp closures may occur during the drawdown.

Lake Ouachita (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/f1yvyb)

As of Tuesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 573.4 feet msl (flood pool – 578 msl).

Mountain Harbor Resort ( 870-867-2191 ) says largemouth bass are good on crank baits and big Texas-rigged worms. Try fishing near brush in water 25-30 feet deep. Black spinnerbaits have been working after dark near the main lake points. Walleye are very good. These fish are being caught on jigging spoons near humps and main lake points with brush. Trolling deep diving crankbaits, using shad colors, has been very effective in the 20-28 foot range. Stripers are good and being caught with live bait. Main lake points are the best locations for these fish. Bream are very good and being caught on crickets or worms 20 to 25 feet deep. Crappie are good and being caught near and over brush. Try brush in water 15 to 25 feet deep. Minnows or crappie grubs are working best. Tennessee shad and rainbow trout are the best colors for artificial baits. Catfish are still very good and being caught on cut bait and live bait on jug lines and trot lines from 20 to 30 feet deep. Water temperature is 82 to 86 degrees and water is clear.

Lake Hamilton (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/vtzvyb)

For a daily fishing report from Darryl Morris, visit Family Fishing Trips (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/bm0vyb).

Lake Catherine (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/re1vyb)

For weekly flow releases from Carpenter Dam, visit www.entergy.com/hydro (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/761vyb).

Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/nz2vyb), reports that water temperature below Carpenter Dam is 60 degrees with clear conditions in the tailrace. Moss growth is heavy around rock structure and sandbars, which is normal in the hot summer. Regular generation times have kept water temperatures at safe levels, which has greatly benefited fish. Rainbow trout are very slow with fish still being caught, but numbers are low. The majority of trout have been caught by this time of year and the ones that live around the dam are extremely wary. Live bait presentations such as wax worms or redworms give anglers the best chances for strikes fished just off the bottom with a marshmallow floater. Live minnows tight-lined over deep water will also attract trout that are searching for injured shad. Patience is key to summer trout when small numbers available to catch. Stocking will begin again in mid-November. Walleye catches have improved in July with 3- to 5-pound fish caught in the late evening when the turbines are off. Jigging brightly colored spoons over deep water close to the dam has been the best technique for artificial lures. Live-bait fishermen have taken a few limits on night crawlers and live shad. White bass are hit-and-miss with the best action occurring during generation. White jigs in sixteenth-ounce size work best for these fish, along with jerk baits and small crankbaits. Threadfin shad are in big numbers close to the dam. All fish feed on them, so lures that imitate shad are going to be necessary for any successful trip. Large catfish below the dam are finishing the June spawning run. Fish over 30 pounds were taken and released in June on gizzard shad. These fish are resting and feeding heavily before migrating downstream for summer. Heavy lines and rods are recommended as these predators are fierce fighters capable of snapping equipment in half with ease. Stripers and hybrid schooling activity has been low this year. We hope summer heat will bring these fish closer to the dam in search of food and more oxygenated water. C-10 Redfins and Super Spooks in trout colors, along with brood and gizzard shad are the most effective presentations for these bass. Anyone visiting Carpenter Dam is advised to be aware of the generation schedules and always follow all park and boating regulations.

East Arkansas

Bear Creek Lake (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/3r3vyb)

Mississippi River State Park (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/jk4vyb) said the water is low but clear. Bream have slowed down but some are being caught on crickets. Bass are fair on plastic worms very early in the morning. Catfish are slow on crickets. No word on crappie.

Storm Creek Lake (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/zc5vyb)

Mississippi River State Park (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/f55vyb) said fishermen at Storm Creek Lake say bream are good on plastic worms and crickets early in the morning. Bass are fair on crankbaits. Catfishing is fair on chicken livers. Crappie are slow.

White River (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/vx6vyb)

Triangle Sports ( 870-793-7122 )said the river is running low but it’s clear. Stripers have been fair early and late in the date with Skinny Dippers. White bass also are fair early and late, also on Skinny Dippers. Walleye are fair; try Wally Divers late in the day or after dark.

Maddox Bay (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/bq7vyb) Maddox Bay Landing said the water is clear and low. Bream are god, especially with crickets. Crappie reports have been slow; try trolling minnows and jigs. Bass are good on crank baits. Catfish are fair with stink bait.

Horseshoe Lake (http://e2.ma/click/7ahmc/7i774f/ri8vyb)

Local angler Clyde Gregory said the water is clear and at normal level. Bream are good in lily pads; try worms and crickets. Crappie can be caught with minnows and jigs, also among lily pads. Bass have been good on plastic frogs in lily pads. Catfish are good; try worms or cut bait in cypress trees.