Spring Break means Spring Fishing

A look at some of Arkansas’s favorite angling destinations

By Jim Harris

Arkansas Wildlife Editor

With most Arkansas schools on Spring Break this week, we thought it would be a good idea to check in with some of the state’s most popular fishing holes.

Little Red River

For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time outflow report from Greers Ferry Dam, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website or by calling (501) 362-5150). Also check the Southwestern Power Administration website to see forecast generation schedule.

Mike Winkler of Little Red River Fly Fishing Trips/Little Red River Fly Guides (501507-3688) said, “The Southwestern Power Administration has been doing some interesting water releases from the dam. They typically start in the morning for a few hours, then turn it off, and then resume until around 9 o’clock.

Be sure to check the SWPA website for the daily water release schedule before hitting the water.”

“With the recent generation schedule, the best fishing strategy is to fish from a boat near the dam during high water flows. I’ve been having success using a deep-water nymph rig set anywhere from 6-12 feet deep. The go-to fly has been a pink San Juan Worm, set at various depths depending on where you are on the river.

Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood said Thursday that water has been consistent on the Little Red of late and fishing has been pretty good.

Most of the fishing lately is out of a boat; there haven’t been quite the regular wade opportunities there were a few weeks back when little water was being released.

Anglers are catching trout on both a black Maribou jig and a white Maribou jig in an eighth-ounce size. A gold black back jerkbait has been doing well here lately, too.

Also, try the Rooster Tails and little spoons, as those have been doing really well of late, and don’t forget to bring along Rapala Countdowns that work well in the water they’re seeing.

White River

Cotter Trout Dock (870-4356525) said the warm weather is here and the fishing is hot on the rivers in the Arkansas Ozarks. Releases from Bull Shoals Dam have been variable this past week, from one unit to over three units (9,000 cfs), while the lake sits 3 feet below power pool at 656.09 feet msl.

“We’ve been offered all types of water levels, fluctuating between low, shallow water to high, deep water — so take a cue from our professionals and get creative out there. Be prepared to change your fishing tactics in the middle of the day as the water rises. Start the day with a white D2/Trout Magnet jig (one-eighth ounce) or a smaller white-bellied lure (Rapala’s glass blue Husky Jerk Minnow is great). Of course, the shrimp/PowerBait combo works almost every time, so a light-colored egg pattern (white or yellow, maybe even pink) and a minibite of shrimp will bring a bundle of rainbows in. Worms work very nicely as the water level increases.

“Shiny gold spinners (Blue Foxes) and spoons (Cleos) attracted the rainbows and the heavier ones catch the eye of a brown every once in a while. The brown trout have mostly been biting live baits: minnows, sculpins and shad.

Some browns have even been caught on shrimp this week.

“Spring break on the White River near Cotter means lots of young anglers. Seeing families enjoying the great outdoors and being able to spend time together without the everyday hustle and bustle is

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Photos courtesy of AGFC FISH

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the best.”

Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said the rain last week caused the Buffalo River to rise, which caused us to have muddy water until Friday. The water cleared up some on Saturday but was very dirty on Sunday. By Monday the water had some dinginess but was definitely fishable. When the river was muddy the best fishing option for trout was to move up into the mouths of the creeks where the fish were looking for cleaner water, tie up or anchor, and fish using corn. This resulted in some nice limits of trout plus a few other species of fish caught. Monday through Wednesday fishing was decent using Uncommon Bait Neo Pink UV eggs and shrimp or corn. Artificial lures were not effective.

“We will be watching the rain coming in Thursday night and Friday morning to see how it affects the river conditions.

This week we received one stocking of more than 800 rainbow trout from the Norfork Hatchery.”

Bull Shoals Lake

Guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake said Wednesday’s lake level was 656 feet msl. The Army Corps of Engineers has been running some water in the mornings. The water temp is ranging 53-59 degrees. Bass fishing has been up and down with the weather fronts and changing daily.

Powerfish if it’s cloudy, rainy and windy covering water with a Rock Crawler, Wiggle Wart or square bill in red/orange variations. Look for windblown shady, ledgy or chunk rock banks and steeper swings and target 5-15 feet.

“I’m going halfway to threequarters into the creeks. In stained water use a square bill or Chatterbait covering water.

You can always catch them on a jig in green pumpkin variations and a PB& J color. Try piles, ledges or wood areas close to shad balls or even close to spawning areas near south-facing pockets protected from the cold north winds. The jig bite can vary from 5-25 feet day to day. A shaky head or Ned rig will get bites on tough days. I feel a lot the fish are still looking up, so I’m still Scoping, and the shad seem to have spread out again, moving back into the bigger creeks arms and mouths of pockets, holding down in the 60-70 feet range, and then they’re spread out up high everywhere. Graph, graph, graph. Drop a small shad, Damiki, Tater Shad or Thump Shad, changing head size according to depth. A swimbait will fool some also.

A fluke on high shad balls or a jerkbait in white or shad colors is working for me. Loons and gulls are in the area; you better pay attention. Every day is different.

White bass are up to spawn.

Not much has changed with the crappie, and the crappie fishing is still pretty good.

Crappie are still actively feeding and posting up on brush in the creeks. Still catching a few roamers and also on brush. A one-eighth-ounce jig with a Tater Shad Jr. in Bayou Bleeder color has been the best lately. And, of course, minnows are working well, also.

Del regularly posts new YouTube videos. Visit his YouTube site (Bull Shoals Lake Fishing Report) for more information and tips on fishing Bull Shoals Lake.

Southernwalleye Guide Service reports walleyes for the most part are still deep under or around shad 50-60 feet deep on the lower lake section and larger creeks. “We have also started to catch a few smaller spawning male walleyes around known main lake spawning points in 50-60 feet on spoons. Fish are making their way up to spawning areas up in the bigger tributaries (Theodosia and Power Site areas) to the warmer flowing waters. Rapala Ice Jigs and spoons are still the ticket.

Jerkbaits and small shad-style crankbaits fished like a jerkbait should be producing soon if the weather stays warm. If trolling, try stick baits slow and shallow during low light periods in 8-14 feet of water — 0.85 to 1.2 mph should produce a few fish.

Beaver Lake

Jon Conklin with FishOn Guide Service (479-2333474) said Beaver Lake is still remaining at a stable level of 1,115.58 feet msl. That correlates to a level around 7 feet below normal pool. Fishing is starting to pick up. Crappie are starting to move shallower each week. Water temperature is in the mid- to upper 50s.

Crappie are still suspended at different levels of the water column, and that seems to change lately for all you forward- facing sonar people.

Crappie are also on brush and laydowns in 5-15 feet of water. The bite has been pretty good, and good areas are from Nelson’s Hollow up to Camp War Eagle or up to Neil’s Bluff on the White River side. The usual baits will work.

Stripers are starting to show back up on the south end of the lake from Hickory Creek up to Camp War Eagle. This should get better as water warms into the 60s, which triggers the striper spawn.

Even though the stripers do not recruit (eggs do not hatch and make it), they do spawn and make a spawning run just like every other fish on Beaver. That being said, they will move up river arms and back of creek arms.

Bass are starting their prestage spawning and can be caught on jerkbaits off main lake and secondary points.

Walleye are very inconsistent as we need some water inflow. “It’s very hard to get up into the spawning areas by boat. Some anglers are walking into areas and catching some. It’s a very strange year indeed.

“Also, white bass remain very scattered and I believe some good water flow will set them off in a good way. The big difference this year is low water and lack of big river rises that usually funnel fish in drives up into the river arms. Hopefully that will change. Still, fishing is awesome anytime you can go!

Stay safe and good luck!”

Visit Jon’s Facebook page for the latest updates, FishOn Guide Service Goshen AR.