Happy Hybrid time at Greers Ferry

High waters leading to big catches this week around the state

Arkansas Wildlife Editor Matthew Kraus (right) took his wife, Tanna, and son Evan (Page 11) for Evan’s 11th birthday to Greers Ferry Lake, where they had a big time catching hybrid bass with guide Tommy Cauley recently.

The recent, REALLY high water at Greers Ferry Lake (and all the other big lakes around Arkansas) have all species of fish roaming around, and there’s a lot of new food sources out there for the fish as the water moves up past shoreline that has been untouched by the water for a while. As for hybrid bass and white bass, Tommy says, “Well, it’s June, so here they are ready to chew finally in 25-30 feet, eating hair jigs, inline spinners, spoons and topwater baits.”

Stripers are showing themselves in some of the big lakes, too. We heard a report from Lake Sequoyah east of Fayetteville about an 18pound striper being caught below the dam last Friday. We’ve heard good reports of walleye, and even a resurgence of an excellent crappie bite out there, just when it looked like crappie had shut it down until the cooler fall. Check out this week’s reports for more:

Greers Ferry Lake

Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said Wednesday the water level at Greers Ferry lake is at 472.49 feet and rising; it was 9.95 feet above this month’s usual pool of

Continued on Page 9 HYBRID TIME (cont.)

just stay with program, fish for them in 12-30 feet depth all over the lake on jigs, crankbaits and minnows. Bream are spawning. Use crickets and crawlers in super shallow out to 15 feet. Catfish are eating and roaming with all new water and being caught on a number of prepared and live baits. Walleye are really roaming around. A lot are in bushes, and in front of certain bushes, on crawlers ,grubs and crankbaits. Black bass are mostly in the old brush line up to new bank and can be caught a number of ways: anything on top, Texasrigged Right Bite plastics, or try hopping a Christmas tree-colored 4-inch tube with tail dyed chartreuse straight up and down in old brush line. You won’t get a ton of bites but the ones you do get will be nice fish. The A-rig is working for deeper fish out on drops. hybridgreers. jpgHybrid and white bass, well, its June so here they are ready to chew finally in 25-50 feet, eating hair jigs, inline spinners, spoons and topwater baits.

Fish ’N Stuff (501-8345733) in Sherwood says water is high. Bass are good on the edge of the flooded buckbrush in bushes on Texas rigs, lizards, tubes and swimbaits, and they’re starting to bite buzzbaits and topwater on the shoreline

(updated 6-10-2021) Harris Brake Lake Resort (501889-2745) says the lake is muddy but is now high with all the rainfall. Bream this past week were good on redworms or crickets. Crappie are fair and have retreated back to deeper water; use minnows and jigs. Black bass were poor this week. Catfish are good. Try worms, and bait your trotlines with baby bream or minnows.

Phil Thomas at Lakeview Landing (501-354-5309) said the clarity is very clear and the lake level is back up to high. Bream are good using redworms or crickets. No reports on crappie or black bass. Catfish are good using worms or chicken liver.

David Hall at Dad’s Bait Shop (501-977-0303) said the lake clarity remains fairly clear but still cloudy in spots. The level is high by 1-2 feet. Bream are good on redworms and crickets. Crappie are good on size 6 minnows and on jigs. Black bass a good and favor the size 12 bass minnows as well as goldfish. Catfishing is good using live baits such as nightcrawlers, goldfish on the trotlines, and bass minnows.