East Arkansas Fishing Reports

See how they’re biting on this side of the state

Arkansas Wildlife Editor This is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s weekly fishing report for July 1, 2020. If there is a body of water you would like included in this report, please email jim.harris@agfc.ar.gov with information on possible sources for reports about that lake or river.

Reports are updated weekly, although some reports might be published for two weeks if updates are not received promptly or if reporters say conditions haven’t changed. Contact the reporter listed for the lake or stream you plan to fish for up to the minute news.

• Horseshoe Lake — Fishing guide Ronnie Tice (901-687-6800) said

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Photos courtesy of AGFC FISHING REPORTS (cont.)

Horseshoe has had a lot of wind lately and the bite has slowed up. Bream fishing is excellent around the lily pads and cypress trees on redworms and crickets.

Crappie are slowing down, and Ronnie says he’s been throwing back a lot of small crappie. Try a crankbait for best success.

Black bass are fair. He says he and his groups are usually catching about 20-30 fish per day but now they’re catching about five or so. Catfishing is excellent on stink bait around the piers. “Lots of activities this weekend for the Fourth and the 50th anniversary of Horseshoe Lake.”

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— The AGFC’s Wil Hafner at Cook’s Lake Conservation Education Center (870-241-3373) says the Cook's Lake fishing access is still closed due to high water.

The White River is on the fall, if the trend continues that will really help our chances of reopening. Wil adds, “I have made a few trips around the region recently and fishing has been slow.”

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— Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) reports the lake clarity has remained clear while water level is normal. Surface temperature Tuesday was 85 degrees.

Bream are excellent; go with crickets. No crappie reports came in. Black bass are good late in the evenings now in deep water. Use a jig. Catfish are said to be spotty, fair results at best.

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Jeffrey at Lake Charles State Park (870-878-6595) said fishing seems to have slowed down a little this week. She notes that good moon times for fishing are July 2-8, with best fishing days this month coming July 17-23. The lake remains murky and had a surface temperature Sunday ranging 61-77 degrees.

Water level is normal.

Bream are good on worms, crickets and jigs with color. Crappie are good with minnows, jigs and worms.

Black bass are good using spinnerbaits, crankbaits, plastic worms, regular worms and topwater lures.

Catfishing is good using worms, blood bait, stink bait, chicken liver, and specifically Catfish Pro Blood/Chicken Liver.

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— The lake at Lake Poinsett State Park has been undergoing a renovation with plans to refill it later this year and for fishing to resume at levels far better than in recent years, thanks to improved fish habitat and new underwater structures.

The water control structure was also repaired.

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— Mark Crawford of Spring River Flies and Guides said the rain in the region lately has gone around the Spring River area. “Not much rain is a really good thing.

River levels are running at 530 cfs at the spring and clarity is green tinted. Not completely clear yet, and still about a foot above average flow, but looking better than it has all Spring.” The trout have been hitting olive and brown Woollies and Y2Ks mainly, he said. “Most important part lately is getting the fly down deep.

Heavy flies or adding a split shot is key. Got to get down with the higher water. A sink tip fly line can help but takes a lot of work. Trout cranks and Flicker Shad have been working great to get down with spin fishers.”

Smallmouth have been biting well this week, Mark says. “Catching a bunch on brown Woollies mainly.

Tying them like Clouser minnows with lead eyes. It appears crawfish is on the menu lately. Get out and enjoy the river. Be safe wading! Tight lines and good luck!” For the latest river conditions and more information from Mark, visit his blog at springriverfliesandguides. com. John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said the Spring River is navigable. This is a great place to wade fish when they are running water on the White and North Fork rivers. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff.

There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive Woolly Buggers with a bit of flash (size 10), cerise and hot pink San Juan worms (size 10) and Y2Ks (size 10).

• Arkansas River (Pine Bluff Pool) — The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Fishing Team said water temperature is in the upper 70s.

Visibility is about 12 inches in backwaters, only inches on main channel.

Water levels continue to fluctuate; it was about 1 foot low at the writing of this report. A 1-foot drop in water level renders all but steep rock banks too shallow to hold fish here. Black bass were biting fairly well off of large woody cover and along the steeper rock banks where morning shad spawns were active in Lake Langhofer. Typical shad spawn lures, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, square-billed crankbaits and lipless crankbaits are producing.

When the shad spawn slows, dark-colored jigs worked along steeper rock banks and through brushpiles located on the first major drops away from the bank produce well, too. On the main channel, look for jetties where water is flowing through/over gaps or low spots in the rocks.

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— Brian Whitson, park interpreter at Lake Chicot State Park (870-265-5480), said catfish and bream are biting on Lake Chicot. Possible scattered thunderstorms expected during the week, with a slight chance of rain in during the weekend.

Lake Chicot will be busy with guests for Fourth of July weekend, but there still time to get out there and snag a good fishing spot.

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— The lake is undergoing a repair to the dam and improvements to the fish habitat and is currently drawn down.