Making Memories at Dry Run Creek

Great trout reports from across the state

By Ralph Hardin

ralphhardin@gmail.com

Abbott Young of Conway wasn't too young to haul in this big rainbow trout at Dry Run Creek (right).

According to his dad, Philip Young, Abbott fought this fish for a good 10 minutes al by himself before bringing it in.

Youngsters make memories at Dry Run Creek all the time, and this is a great time to take a kid there.

John Berry, one of our reporters and guides from Cotter, says that brown trout are making their way into the creekk now, too.

We've continualy gotten great reports on trout fishing all across north Arkansas and down into the Little Red River.

Remember, too, that the AGFC's Family and Community Fishing Program will begin stocking tablefare-size rainbow trout in many of the program's ponds across the state this month, and a tagged trout promotion willl be starting in December where anglers of all ages fishing the FCFP ponds can win nice prizes, inclulding a grand prize (three of them) of a guided fishing trip.

So basically, what we're saying is trout is on the menu, the table or waiting to be on your hook, photographed like Abbott's catch, and then carefully released back into the water for someone ellse to catch someday.

Plenty more fishing opportunities await you while we continue to have this spectacular fall weather. Check out some of this week's Regional Fishing Reports below.

Also, because Veterans Day falls at the end of the week this year, some of our reporters will be filing or updating their reports as the week progresses, so if your favorite spot hasn't been updated today, check the report again on Tuesday for all the latest updates.

Good Fishin', everyone!

Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir

Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said clarity is back to the normal Lake

See FISH, page A13

Photo courtesy of AGFC FISH

From page A8

Conway stain and the water level is also normal.

Crappie fishing is excellent. They’re biting great in the creeks, the usual places: Caney Creek, Gold Creek and the Highway 89 bridge. Use minnows or a chartreuse/ black or chartreuse/ white jig. The bream are biting well on redworms. Anglers have not been saying anything this week about the bass or catfish, so they had no reports this week. But last week, black bass were biting well on plastic worms around the cypress trees, whie the catfish are fair on limblines baited with cut shad.

Lake Beaverfork

Angler Dennis Charles said he has not been able to collect many reports of late, BUT of those anglers who do share their stories, crappie are slow in midwater away from the shore.

Bream are slow off the weeds. Bass are suspended 12 feet on average; try the whole box. Catfish are by the docks and deep holes.

Try the box on them as well.

Little Red River

Lowell Myers of Sore Lip’em All Guide Service (501-230-0730) said, “We are in the typical fall and winter generation pattern for the Little Red River.

We are seeing some generation on weekdays and very little, if any, generation over the weekends.

This generation pattern is unpredictable and could change depending on power demands. It’s highly recommended to check forecasted and real-time generation before planning a trip to the Little Red.”

For fly fishing, Lowell recommends midges, hare’s ears and sowbugs. Hot pink and cotton candy colored bodies on chartreuse jigheads are recommended for Trout Magnet spin-fishing.

Be safe while enjoying the river. Always check before heading to the Little Red River by calling the Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District water data system (501-362-5150) for Greers Ferry Dam water release information or check the Corps of Engineers website (swlwc. usace.army.mil) for real-time water release and the Southwestern Power Administration website (swpa.gov) to see forecasted generation schedule.

Fish ’N Stuff (501-8345733) in Sherwood says Little Red River is at normal level and a little stained. The trout bite is “pretty good” on Rooster Tails and maribou jigs around the bank.

Greg Seaton of littleredflyfishingtrips. com (501-6909166) said the river is clear today (Oct. 28) “but we’ll have to wait and see how much rain we get today (Wednesday) and tomorrow. Generation has been on a twice-a-day schedule of one unit early in the morning and again late afternoon. Again, it’s best to check the schedule daily.”

Greg says there was a midge hatch Monday in the low water and the fish were rising. The midges were small (probably size 28-30) and hard to match. “This

See JUMP, page A15 FISH

From page A13

makes fishing tough but we were able to fish the deeper water with small midge pupa with some success.

Also, small emergers worked fished just under the surface.”

Harris Brake Lake

Harris Brake Lake Resort (501-889-2745) says the lake is clear but the water level is low. Bream reports have been poor of late.

Crappie are good. Crappie are being caught on trotlines in the early morning.

Minnows and jigs are working for anglers. Black bass reports have been poor for two weeks. Catfishing is good. Use worms, chicken liver or goldfish.

Greers Ferry Lake

Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said the water level at Greers Ferry is staying about the same, 458.68 feet msl. It is 3.36 feet below normal pool for this time of year of 462.04 feet msl. “We are experiencing a turnover in different parts of lake now and until it is over and gets settled back down, usually two weeks, catching is going to be down. But after that it should resume, being better than so far this fall.

If you run into water with an awful smell and tannic color, you are in the middle of it and you need to move uplake or downlake to try and get away from it. Black bass are eating topwater baits on out to 40 feet, dragging something and all in between. Some are staying in place but a lot are roaming around staying with the moving schools of shad. Spoons, inline spinners, swimbaits, hair jigs, A-rigs and drop-shots working. Crappie can still be caught with crankbaits, jigs, minnows, Road Runners and beetle spins at various depths. The walleye bite is off with turnover, for sure; a lot are roaming underneath schools of shad, too. Try spoons and drop-shot baits. Some bream are still up shallow, but most are moving deeper; try crawlers from real shallow out to 25 feet. No reports on catfish.

Hybrid bass and white bass are still trying to eat off and on but hate murky or off-colored water. The bite will be great, though, when all of this is over for the rest of winter. Try spoons, inline spinners, swimbaits or live bait.

Fish ’N Stuff (501-8345733) in Sherwood reports that the lake is low and with clear clarity. Bass are good on Rock Crawler Crankbait and Wiggle Wart Crankbait in 6-8 feet of water, as well as biting on drop-shots and Carolina rigs. Crappie are fair for anglers throwing blue/white and shad-colored crappie jigs. Walleye are good on the main lake and secondary points by drop-shotting and using nightcrawlers.

Lake Overcup

Randy DeHart at Lakeview Landing (501-354-5309) said the lake’s clarity turned a little murky in the past few days. Water level is normal. Stripers are good on spinnerbaits, he said.

Bream are good on redworms or crickets. Crappie reports the past week have been excellent. Try a minnow or a jig in white/chartreuse. No reports on black bass. Catfishing is good using shad or basic catfish bait.

Lake Maumelle

Westrock Landing (501658-5598) on Highway 10 near Roland said water temperature remains in the mid-60s. The largemouth bass bite is good. Some can be found in shallow water or just outside the grass line biting a variety of lures. Try using Rat-LTraps or that style of bait, along with swimbaits, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Kentucky (spotted) bass are good as well. Some reports have surfaced of them being found in 15-20 feet off drops and rocky banks Use jigs. White bass are slow. There have been reports of anglers catching them while trolling. Try using minnows, Rooster Tails, jerkbaits or rattlestyle baits. Crappie are good right now.