Don’t be afraid to do a little socially distant fishing during virus threat

Fishing spots open for business as pandemic shuts down many attractions, destinations

From the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

www.agfc.com Fly-fishing guide Greg Seaton of Heber Springs offers this tip for those of you who were planning or had already scheduled a spring fishing trip (this applies to all fishing, not just trout excusions): 'It may be best to check with your guide if you have a trip planned during the next couple of weeks. Some are taking trips and others are postponing until we get a better handle on the virus issue. You can discuss the trip with your guide and make your decision.

It’s a hard decision to make, since we consider your health as well as our own. Social distancing is hard to practice while guiding in a boat.

Again, each of us and you have to make these decisions, so call and discuss it with your guide. Hopefully, we will have a better handle on this in a couple of weeks. Good fishing, and good health!”

Meanwhile, in the photo above right, Ella Lax and Cotter Trout Dock guide Doug Knight enjoyed a recent day catching rainbow trout. Cotter Trout Dock has got a great report this week about the fishing going on at the White River below Bull Shoals Dam. Plus there are other promising reports from around the state. Check out the hot spots in the Central Arkansas Fishing Reports (updated March 21):

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— Harris Brake Lake Resort (501-889-2745) says the clarity is muddy and the water level as of Tuesday early afternoon is high.

Bream reports are good, though. Redworms and crickets are both working well. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. The crappie are getting close to the shoreline. Black bass are good. They also are around the shoreline now. Catfishing is good; in fact, some folks are catching BIG catfish, they report. Trotlines baited with minnows, trolling and using goldfish as bait are the ways to go about it.

• Lake Overcup — Johnny “Catfish” Banks of Overcup Bait Shop and R.V. Park (501-354-9007) said water level is high by about 2 feet.

Clarity is good with surface temperature around 57 degrees. Bream are slow but should start picking up with this warmer weather. Bass are chasing shad but not many people are fishing lately. Catfish should start picking up with people starting to fish again maybe I can tell more. Crappie are starting to pick up in 4-7 feet of water. A lot of males are being caught on rods and reels using minnows the last few days. Two anglers had 10 crappie Saturday afternoon that was well over 18 pounds. Johnny also said, “Just a heads up, the Central Arkansas Crappie Association is having a tournament this weekend.”

Crappie also are being caught on yoyo's at night lately.

Visit Johnny’s Facebook page (Overcup Bait Shop and R.V. Park) for any latest updates and photos.

• Brewer Lake — David Hall, owner of Dad’s Bait Shop (501-977-0303), said the clarity is cloudy and the surface temperature as of Monday afternoon was 58 degrees. Crappie are fair. They are 10-20 feet deep in channels, David said. Use minnows or jigs. Black bass are fair.

The bass are 6-7 feet deep in the evenings, the best time to find them.

Catfishing is fair using worms. Cats are staying close to the lake bottom.

No reports on bream.

The water level is high.

• Lake Maumelle — Westrock Landing (501-658-5598) on Highway 10 near Roland says largemouth bass are good. They’re in transition and can be found outside of the grass around 8-12 feet biting a variety of lures. Try using crankbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and swimbaits. The Blue Collar Bass Buddy’s Club tournament held here last Sunday produced lots of good bass, with Cody and Garry Bryant bringing in a 15.66-pound string with the Big Bass of 4.44 pounds. Eric Wallace and Mike Hammott had a 14.06-pound stringer, and Matt and Mike Collum had five bass weigh 13.76 pounds. The black bass are biting, and not just largemouths.

Kentucky bass have improved with a good bite the past week.

Reports of them being found in 10-15 feet of water outside the grass line, and they can also be found in 18-22 feet off drops and rocky banks.

The white bass are good, too. Reports of them being found still mixed in with the crappie and they are in transition.

White bass are staging to make their annual run, which could happen any day. Use Rooster Tails, rattle-type baits and jerkbaits. Crappie are good.

Some are reported suspended in 12-18 feet in transitional areas and some are in deeper water, 25-30 feet. Once water is in 53-59 degrees, they should be in the spawning areas. Try using jigs and minnows. No reports on bream this week, but give the worms and crickets a try, anyway.

Catfishing is fair; use chicken liver, worms or crayfish.

• Sunset Lake — Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said a few crappie are still being caught off of No. 6 crappie minnows.

Bass have been going after plastic worms 'pretty good,' she said, as well as on brooder minnows. On some of those sunny days the bream were being caught on crickets and small jigs.

Catfish have been fair on nightcrawlers, chicken livers and stink baits.

Secret 7 has been pretty good lately. In the photo, Bryson Kindy displays the 7-pounds-or-so black bass he hauled out of Sunset Lake recently.

• Arkansas River Zimmerman’s Exxon (501-944-2527) hears that white bass are starting to run. Anglers report good catches. No other catches reported on bream, crappie, black bass or catfish, however.

Fish ‘N’ Stuff (501-834-5733) advises anglers and boaters to stay off the river. A craft advisory is in effect. The river was high and fast Sunday afternoon. The clarity is murky. They have heard no fishing reports in the past week. Anglers are catching crappie in the Willow Beach area. They report good results using minnows. No other species was reported.

South of the Little Rock pool, reports are that catfish are biting well on cut shad. Also, white bass are good below Terry Dam and the hydroplant.

McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) keeps an eye out on the southern end of the pool, but has had no recent reports from there.

Photo courtesy of AGFC