Central Arkansas Fishing Reports

Fish are still biting, some sites shutting down for duck season

By Jim Harris

Arkansas Wildlife Editor

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— Bates Field and Stream (501-4701846) said lake clarity is the normal stain, and the water level is still low. Bream reports have been good. They’re biting redworms, crickets and hand-tied jigs. Crappie are good. Throw pink, small, medium or crappie minnows their way, or try jigs that are 1-3 inches in size. Black bass are good and are biting spin-

See FISH, page A9

Photo courtesy of AGFC FISH

From page A8

nerbaits, crankbaits, buzzbaits, creature baits and curly tail worms. Catfishing is going well, with stink bait, dough bait, nightcrawlers and trotline minnows all working well.

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— Angler Dennis Charles said water is clear and cold.

Crappie have been found midway down and the bite is excellent. Catfish are deep and by the docks. Black bass are roaming all over and all depths and, like crappie, the bite is excellent.

• Little Red River —Greg Seaton of littleredflyfishingtrips.com (501-6909166) said the river remains clear after light rain during the night on Wednesday. Generation has been sporadic with mostly afternoon releases for one to two hours. As always, it’s best to check the schedule for the next day and call during the day to verify the schedule.

Rainbows are taking egg patterns and small midge pupa. The browns are taking egg patterns. Please try fishing below the redds to catch the fish that are feeding on the eggs drifting off the redd. Avoid harassing the fish that are on the redds spawning. These fish will probably be caught by foul hooking rather than taking the fly.

It is that time of the year when you should be careful when wading the shoals where the fish are trying to spawn. A redd is an area on the bottom of the river in the gravel where the fish have cleaned the debris from the rocks and lay their eggs in the gravel.

These areas are easily identified by being cleaner and shining on the bottom. Please avoid wading through these areas. Disturbing the eggs destroys them and therefore reduces the amount of browns in the river. Wade around, not through the redds.The browns are not stocked in the Little Red River and depend on this spawn to survive.

Lowell Myers of Sore Lip’em All Guide Service (501-230-0730) had no report. Always check before heading to the Little Red River by calling the Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District water data system (501-3625150) 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 (501-834-5733) in Sherwood says Little Red River is at normal level and has a little color from the rain this week. The trout bite remains good on maribou rigs, Rapala Countdowns and Shadraps.

• Greers Ferry Lake — Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said the water level at Greers Ferry Lake is at 458.75 feet msl Thursday morning; it is 3.29 feet below normal pool for this time of year of 462.04 feet and falling for the most part. Turnover is about all cleaned up, so the bite should be better all over the lake. Winter will be here soon. Crappie are stacked around pole timber and piles and getting more so every day. Fishing straight up and down or trolling will catch them when you find them on jigs or minnows. No report on walleye. Bream are still somewhat active but deeper, around 820 feet. Try crawlers or a moving bait.

As for catfish, there’s been no report as no one has been after them since deer season, but they’re a very untapped resource. Black bass are still from super shallow out to 60 feet eating a variety of baits. Pretty much pick your poison. It’s a great time of year to pick up a bait you’re not very familiar with and learn to use it. Hybrid and white bass are eating at will all over the lake and rivers on spoons, inline spinners, swimbaits and hair jigs coming into play now as well.

Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood says smallmouth bass are biting well on Alabama rigs, jerkbaits and Rat-L-Traps on main lake points and along creeks.

• Harris Brake Lake — Harris Brake Lake Resort (501-889-2745) says the lake is clear. The level is “very low.”

Bream fishing has fallen off, with poor results this past week. Crappie are good, though. Best fishing for crappie is around the shoreline. Use minnows or try jigs with pink jigheads and shiny colors. Also, crappie are biting trotlines with minnows. Black bass are good; look in the deeper areas of the lake. Spinnerbaits will work best. Catfishing is good using nightcrawlers or glow worms.

• Lake Overcup — Randy DeHart at Lakeview Landing (501-354-5309) said the cold weather has pushed the crappie into shallower water and anglers are catching quite a few keepers right now. Crappie are good on small minnows and on jigs; he says pink, white and chartreuse are the good colors. He had no other reports. The lake has cleared up quite a bit from the recent rain. Water level is normal.

Johnny “Catfish” Banks at Overcup Bait Shop and R.V. Park (501-3549007) said the Overcup water level is down by 8 inches. Surface temperature is around 56 degrees, he said.

Clarity is murky. Black bass have been doing well and chasing shad. Use a shad-like bait. Bream are slow but anglers are still catching some. “I personally caught a bluegill that was 10 inches long and weighed 12 ounces,” Johnny said.

Catfish are being caught on worms.

“A guy caught a 6-pound channel cat out of the windbreak,” Johnny said.

He adds that crappie are doing well off the docks on the 95 side, but have been slow the last couple of days.

“Come see us off Highway 9. Johnny Banks at Overcup Bait Shop for all your needs.”

• Little Maumelle River — Ray Hudson at River Valley Marina (501-5171250) says river clarity is clear and the level and current are normal. Bream have been good; use worms or crickets. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Black bass are good using crankbaits or plastic worms. No reports on catfish.