Update on Lake Poinsett

AGFC officials say popular Northeast Arkansas spot is nearing full pool

AGFC Communications As much as we all would love for a lake to just be rebuilt in a few weeks, refilled and fishing like we

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once remember it, the reality is a renovation and rebuild of a fishery is a multi-year project. Though anglers can't wait for Lake Poinsett to be back to its position as a favored fishing destination in northeast Arkansas, is been a gradual process, though there a 'completed' sign coming into focus in the distance.

Ben Batten, chief of the AGFC Fisheries Division, reported to AGFC commissioners this week in their meetings in Little Rock, that Lake Poinsett is about 7 feet away from being at full pool (at its deepest point, the lake is said to be about 40 feet deep, and filling the lake is rainfall dependent, though this particular area of the state didn’t get quite as much recent rainfall as other areas in Arkansas, he said). Plans are to stock the lake with channel catfish soon, he said, and Fisheries has asked the commissioners to begin the process of OK'ing a temporary plan to limit catfish to 5 per angler, half of the normal catfish limit, through the end of this year. Catfish will give anglers an immediate opportunity for fishing for something to take home.

Otherwise, angling in the lake will be catch-andrelease (there are now catchable-size redear and bluegill stocked in the lake) until the lake population is rebuilt.

Since March, the lake has been stocked with prey fish to build a forage base before the introduction of crappie and bass next year.

First reading of the interim regulations was heard at the AGFC Commission meeting on June 17 in Little Rock. The Commission would take the matter up for vote later this summer. The other interim regulation, besides a catfish daily limit of 5 through Dec. 31, would be that effective Jan. 1, 2022, all sport fish except bream and catfish must be released immediately.

Bream daily limit would be 25 beginning Jan. 1, and the catfish limit would go up to 10.

The gate at the dam at Lake Poinsett was closed Dec. 1, following the completion of a three-year construction project, and the lake began to refilling with rainfall. The work at Lake Poinsett State Park's lake included a new water control structure, more than 10,000 linear feet of shoreline work, more than 100 habitat structures placed on the lakebed, and nearly 100 trees anchored for fish habitat. Other forage species stocked this spring include fathead minnows, golden shiners and threadfin shad to build up the food supply for the predators arriving next year.

Lake Charles — Shelly Jeffrey at Lake Charles State Park (870-878-6595) said fishing remains good for most species, as the surface water temperature passes 80 degrees (it read 81 degrees Monday morning) and the water level remains high with murky clarity. Bream are good on worms, crickets and jigs.

Looks around the brushpiles, stumps and rocky points. Crappie are fair.

They’re biting minnows, jigs and worms around brushpiles, stumps and points. Black bass are good; try spinnerbaits, topwater lures and plastic worms. Catfishing is good using worms, stink bait and cut bait.

Crown Lake — Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) reports that water clarity is clear and the water level is normal. Not a lot of fishing to report. Catfish are biting well on stink bait and nightcrawlers. Otherwise, no reports on bream, crappie or bass in the past week.

Spring River — Mark Crawford with springriverfliesandguides. com (870955-8300) said water levels

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are at 475 cfs (350 cfs is average) and water clarity has been a little cloudy.

The river is up about a foot above average flow. Still can be tricky wading. The trout are biting great on nymphs and streamers on cloudy days. The sunny hot days can be slow. “The fish are there, just got to get it down deep,” Mark says.

“The smallmouth bass are starting to bite better.

Definitely streamers with lead eyes to get the fly down quick. They love to hit on the drop. Ned rigs and tubes have been working well with spinning equipment.

“It is hot out, so hydrate and don't forget, the Spring River is ice cold.”

Read Mark’s blog at springriverfliesandguides.c om for the latest conditions on the Spring River.

John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said the Spring River is fishing better. This is a great place to wade fish when they are running water on the White and North Fork rivers. The canoe season is upon us.

Look out for the aluminum hatch! 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).

Corps of Engineers reported Thursday that the White River stage at Batesville was at 8.56 feet, 5 feet below the flood stage of 15.0 feet. The Newport stage continued to fall to 12.81 feet, below the flood stage of 26.0 feet. The stage at Augusta has dropped below flood stage of 26.0 feet, sitting at 25.71 feet after being over 30 through much of the spring. Triangle Sports (870-7937122) said the water remains muddy and at a high level. No reports.