Late Summer Hot Spots

Fish are biting around the state

From the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

www.agfc.com Despite a rise in temperature all over the state, we noticed that there were uplifting fishing reports from many of our sources.

In northeast Arkansas, both Lake Charles and Crown Lake said the fishing was very good. Boxhound Marina at Crown Lake says the bream are excellent with most of them biting redworms. Use crickets as well. Fish under the docks for best results.

At Lake Charles, our reporter from the State Park says that Lake Charles was full of anglers during the holiday enjoying a bonanza of biting catfish and black bass (early morning on the bass, before 9:30 a.m.).

Bream are excellent as well at Lake Catherine, with the reporter from the State Park Marina there telling us the bream are biting at 5-8 feet, while bass also are good.

While it may not be “excellent” for all species, the fishing across the board is good in the Little Maumelle River these days, we’re hearing. For that excellent bite, go for the catfish, Ray Hudson of River Valley Marina says.

Lake Ouachita has a good bite going on most species, and young Matthew Rye (pictured) got to experience that with granddad Joel Johnson and Mountain Harbor Resort guide Mike Wurm recently, landing a mess of fish. Thank you, Joel, for sending us the photo. If you head to Lake Ouachita, the black bass, stripers, bream and catfish are all biting well, we’re told.

The heat appears to have chased most of the crappie down to the deepest reaches, and bass in most cases (such as at Millwood Lake) will bite only before the sunlight starts penetrating the surface, or late at night. But, we’re certain coolers days are ahead, just maybe not this week.