Nothing like a summer fish fry

Fish are biting in Central Arkansas

Arkansas Wildlife Editor

• Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir — Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) reported that the lake has the normal stain and normal level on Thursday morning.. No surface temperature was recorded. The bream are now off the beds and biting well on redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs; look in deep water now. Black bass are good and staying around the lily pads.

Anglers are going with spinnerbaits, crankbaits and topwater lures. Catfish are good; try chicken liver or cut shad.

• Little Red River — The Army Corps of Engineers reports the outflow at Greers Ferry Dam to be 5,960 cfs (both turbine and spillway) as of 2 p.m.

Friday, June 10. A short release of between 2,795 and 5,600 cfs occurred on Wednesday. Greers Ferry Lake is about 4 feet over normal conservation pool.

The tailwater at 2 p.m.

May 19 was 276.08 feet msl and rising. Check with the Corps website for realtime release data or by calling (501) 362-5150). Also check the Southwestern Power Administration website (swpa.gov) to see forecast generation schedule.

Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood said the Army Corps of Engineers is running a lot of water from the dam. When the water is running, catch trout by throwing a No. 9 Rapala Countdown or a jerkbait; when the water is falling, throw a Maribou jig (one-sixteenth ounce) or a white Trout Magnet.

Lowell Myers of Sore Lip’em All Guide Service (501-230-0730) said that with recent rains, Greers Ferry Lake is above normal seasonal pool, creating unpredictable generation for the Little Red River.

San Juan worms, pheasant tails, hare’s ear, midges and streamers are recommended for fly-fishing. For Trout Magnet fishing, Lowell suggests pink and cotton-candy-colored bodies on chartreuse or gold jigheads. Always check before heading to the Little Red River by calling the Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District water data system (501-362-5150) for Greers Ferry Dam water release information or check the Corps of Engineers website (swlwc. usace.army.mil) for real-time water release and the Southwestern Power Administration website (swpa.gov) to see forecasted generation schedule.

Mike Winkler of Little River Fly Fishing Trips (501-507-3688) said Greers Ferry Lake is 5.69 feet over the normal seasonal power pool. The Army Corps of Engineers has been running a consistent generation schedule lately. The Corps has been running two units usually starting at 10 a.m. and running until 10 p.m.

Always check the USACE Little Rock app before heading out.

The current generation schedule has been creating an opportunity to wade fish from the morning until about 1 in the afternoon if you start out fishing at Barnett Access, aka “Swinging Bridge,” or Libby Access.

Boat fishing has been really good while fishing the falling water. Nymphing underneath an indicator with caddis patterns and pheasant tail nymphs has been working well along with midges.

• Greers Ferry Lake — Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood reports that the water is 6-7 feet high and is clear on the lower end while stained on the lake’s upper end. Bass are going deeper, and they were finding them on the old shoreline in 8-20 feet of water. The bass that are shallower, use jigs, Carolina rig or swim jigs in the bushes as well as topwater lures. For deeper water bass, use a deep-diving crankbait, a football jig or a drop-shot. Crappie and walleye both are good trolling around the South Fork river and Middle Fork river on Bandit 300s in 15 feet of water, suspended.

Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said

Continued on Page 9

Photo by Tristan Lancett. FISHING REPORTS (cont.)

Friday the water level at Greers Ferry Lake is at 467.13 feet msl, which is 4.59 feet above normal pool of 462.54 feet msl.

The water level is dropping with generation and rising with rainfall – up and down, up and down. The overall bite is good, but all species scattered all over.

Crappie are in 10-40 feet and all in between with some still on bank; try jigs, or jigs with minnows or crankbaits. Walleye are better as of late, on flats and on corners, points, humps, etc. Drag crawlers or crankbaits for the best bite in 15-40 feet. Black bass are on the bank out to 60 feet; lots and lots of different baits and techniques are working. The catfish bite is strong all over, and just about any baits will work.

It’s June and flatheads are spawning. Bream are guarding fry up on the bank out to 25 feet and are very active; try crawlers, crickets or small moving bait. Hybrid and white bass are being caught 25-60 feet according to the hour and the weather. Use spoons, inline spinners, hair jigs and swimbaits.

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— Harris Brake Lake Resort (501-889-2745) reports that a 36-pound flathead catfish was caught this week near the shoreline with baby bream as bait. Catfish overall are biting well on yoyos and noddles baited with the baby bream.

Good-sized bream are biting on redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair; you’ll find them in deeper areas now on minnows and jigs.

Black bass are around the shoreline and biting well; minnows and bass lures are the go-tos. Lake clarity as of Thursday morning was muddy after the storms.

Water level is high. No temperature was recorded.

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— Lacey Williams at Lakeview Landing on Arkansas Highway 95 (501-242– 1437) said water level is medium. Clarity is poor. “I think it’s the pollen,” she added.

Striped bass are hitting on minnows, Rooster Tails, spinners and jigs. Bream are smashing the crickets this week.

“Our friend J.T. Blue caught a mess of crappie FISHING REPORTS (cont.)

early in the morning,” she said Wednesday. “He plans on adding more to his haul later in the evening.

Crappie are out in the deep and not so eager to bite everything. But occasionally a minnow will bring in one or two.”

The catfish are biting well on stink bait with shad in it.

“I hope this rain is going to help out the condition before our fishing fundraiser this Saturday. It’s called ‘Beat the Drum.’ Hope to see a lot of people here!”

Johnny “Catfish” Banks at Overcup Bait Shop and R.V. Park (501-354-9007) off Arkansas Highway 9 said water level is up by a foot; clarity is good.

Surface temperature is around 80 degrees. Bass are doing well on crankbaits, buzzbaits and plastic worms. Crappie are out in the deeper water and some anglers are catching limits. Catfish are cranking up on trotlines and jigs baited with bass minnows and perch. Bream are starting to get active with crickets and redworms.

“Everybody have a safe holiday weekend. Happy Memorial Day from Overcup Bait Shop off Highway 9.”

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— David Hall at Dad’s Bait Shop (501-289-2210) says the water remains cloudy and the level is high. No temperature was reported.

Fishing results mirror what David saw last week.

Bream are still good on redworms and crickets.

Crappie are fair on minnows or jigs; try 6-7 feet deep by trolling and spiderrigging down the channel, and also target sunken brushpiles. The best black bass bite is found in the evenings. Go with spinnerbaits. Catfish are favoring Catfish Charlie bait.

Results have been good.

Dad’s is a 24/7 self-serve bait shop.

• Lake Maumelle — Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) said bass are good off main lake points using a dropshot and shaky heads, as well as biting nicely in shallow grass on wacky worms and on watermelon red or green pumpkin Senkos.

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-Ray Hudson at River Valley Marina (501-517-1250) says the water is clear and the level is normal. No surface temperature was reported. Bream are biting well, and they are bedded up shallow.