Nice Catches!

Send in your photos and show off your trophy fish

Arkansas Wildlife Editor We're starting to receive photo submissions of great catches around Arkansas, now that fishing season has kicked into gear and the weather is (sometimes) nicer. Actually, to be honest, we 'borrowed' the photo on the left from our friends at State Parks of Arkansas, which posted this shot on their Facebook page of Albert Clark and the 10-pound-plus largemouth bass he caught on DeGray Lake (and released it back to the lake after the photo was taken). Jonathan Schee, the DeGray Lake State Park Marina manager, snapped the photo and sent it along to State Parks.

Meanwhile, in the right photo, Doug Isanhart of Conway caught this 24inch brown trout on Tuesday fishing near Buffalo City on the White River. Doug tells us, 'I moved to Arkansas in 1992 in a job relocation. I started going to the White back then. Have caught a ton of trout in the White over the years, but never a big brown. I release every one.'

Doug sent us the photo via askagfc@agfc.ar.gov, which is a great way to send us your catches so we can publish them here. Or, you can send them to the editor of the page at jim.harris@agfc.ar.gov. We love sharing all the great fishing stories from our great fishing state on this email each week, and we hope you will to.

Read up on some of the great fishing going on in Central Arkansas below in the regional fishing reports…

• Lake Willastein — Hatchet Jack’s Sports Shop in Crystal Hill off I-40 (501758-4958) says that fishing is good in small bodies of water in the backwaters. Bass will go for any kind of moving bait — spinner, crank, Rat-LTraps. Crappie are biting minnows and jigs. Bream are starting to move up shallow.

• Little Maumelle River — Ray Hudson at River Valley Marina (501-5171250) says clarity is slightly stained; the river level and current are normal.

Crappie are good and have

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been found even closer to the surface compared to last week, biting in 3-4 feet depth of water; use minnows and jigs. Black bass continue to bite better with good reports this week.

They still lean toward spinnerbaits, soft-plastic worms and swimbaits. Catfish started biting yo-yos baited with minnows at night. No reports on bream.

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— Fish ‘N’ Stuff (501-834-5733) said Wednesday that there is still a craft advisory out on the Little Rock Pool with 140,000 cfc flow.

Bass are good on crankbaits along the main channel off jetties. Try red crawfish colors. Bass also are good at entrances to the backwaters. Z-Man Jackhammers and jigs were working there.

Zimmerman’s Exxon (501944-2527) said white bass are “really good” on pearlcolored Lil’ Fishies below Terry Lock and Dam and Murray Lock and Dam.

Crappie are good below the dams in 8-10 feet depth on regular minnows and red/chartreuse jigs. Catfish are biting well on skipjack below Terry Lock and Dam and Murray Dam, and snagging starting to pick up below the hydroelectric plant at Murray. Stripers are being caught below both dams usings chartreuse flukes.

Hatchet Jack’s Sports Shop in Crystal Hill off I-40 (758-4958) reports that catfishing is slow. However, white bass are good below the Murray Lock and Dam when the flow rate falls below 60,000 cfs.

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— McSwain Sports Center (501-9452471) said the lake remains slightly stained and the water level is normal.

Anglers are catching good amounts of crappie on minnows and jigs. Catfish are beginning to bite, with skipjack working. Nothing was reported on bream or bass.

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— Donna Mulherin at Herman’s Landing (870241-3731) reports that the lake clarity is still little dingy and the water level is high. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs.

Black bass are good on jigs. Catfish are good and still going after yo-yos, as well as jigs and minnows. No reports on bream.

Photo by John Criner