SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS - Weekly Fishing Report

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Randy Zellers (501)223-6406, e-mail: rdzellers@agfc.state.ar.us

This is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's fishing report

August 27, 2008

Millwood Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.89 feet MSL.

Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water clarity is 1 to 3 inches in the main lake away from current. The surface temperature is 77 to 82 degrees. Current in Little River is 1,059 cubic feet per second. All USACE boat ramps and campgrounds are open, as of Monday.  The State Park has one boat ramp still under repair, but the one closer to the campgrounds is open. Bass continue to bite very well, definitely the best during early and late hours. The most consistent reaction bite is on toads, Bass Assassin Shads, white jigs with white chunk trailers, and 10- or 12-inch worms. Top-water action is the best right at daylight and dusk on Jitterbugs, Spit'n Images, buzzing toads and buzzbaits. The crankbait bite has improved. Fat Free Shads and Cordell Big O's in shad colors are working around flooded timber and laydowns. Bass Assassin Shads in blue glimmer or baby bass are best for a reaction bite in heavy lily pad stands. Wacky Worms, Salty Rat Tails and trick worms in watermelon/red, kiwi or peanut butter-and-jelly continue working.  Siefert's Buzz Baits continue to draw good bites around pads and Primrose grass from 1-6 foot deep. Most early buzzbait fish are ranging from 15-19 inches long. War Eagle spinnerbaits, in Firecracker, Hot Mouse, or Aurora colors, are still working around flooded vegetation and cypress trees close to deep water. Rat-L-Traps in Sexy Shad, Shad Daddy and Silver are working as well. The crappie bite slowed with the low-clarity water. The most consistent bite remains on live shiners, grubs on light-wire jigheads, and white/chartreuse hair jigs. Blue cats and channel cats improved this week on trotlines using cut shad, Charlie or chicken livers. Bream continue to bite well along the banks on crickets and redworms around docks and cypress trees at Yarborough Landing, Jack's Isle, and Millwood State Park.  

Cossatot River: Davy Ashcraft at Cossatot River State Park (870-385-2201) said USGA states that the water level is 2.11 feet, with the surface temperatures ranging from 75 to 80 degrees. With the water levels back to normal and the cooler temperatures, conditions are great for fishing. Bream are biting excellently on worms and crickets in 3 feet of water. Smallmouth bass are biting well on green pumpkin finesse worms and crawdad crankbaits around structure in the deeper pools at 4 to 5 feet of water. Small, dark-colored grubs and Rooster Tails are doing well, too. Black Bass are good with some being taken on dark colored finesse worms and dark colored grubs fished around deep structure, and as always minnow-rigged setups are producing some limits of bass. Catfish are hit and miss; most are being caught at night on nightcrawlers. Many fish are being caught across the park and as far south as the backwater of the lake.

Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said the water is murky and a little high. Bream are biting well on worms. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on cut bait.

Lake Erling: Steve's Marine (870-234-2222) said the water is murky and high. Bream are biting well on worms. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits and worms.

White Oak Lake: White Oak Lake State Park said the water level is rising, temperature is lower and clarity is murky. Bream are hitting worms and crickets very well. Catfishing is good on minnows. Bass and crappie are slow.

Lake Greeson: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 544.41 feet MSL.

Lakeside Grocery said the water is murky and high. Bream fishing is good on crickets. Bass are schooling early and late on top-water lures. Bass are also being caught in shallow water on worms. A few stripers have been caught near the dam on shad. Catfish are fair on minnows and worms.

DeGray Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 401.35 feet MSL.

Charles at Iron Mountain Lodge and Marina said the water temperature is 83 degrees. Largemouth bass are schooling early and late in the day. Tiny Torpedoes, Zara Spooks and Rooster Tails are working well on the schoolers. During mid-day, bass are biting well on watermelon-colored jigs, 11-inch Red Bug, Cherry Seed, Tequila Green or Bloodline worms. Night fishing is still very good for bass. Kentucky bass are biting well on live crayfish 20-26 feet deep on points and drop offs. Hybrids are excellent on live shad fished 35-45 feet deep around the Dam and Caddo Bend areas. Some are schooling early and late and can be caught on topwaters and jigging spoons. Crappie are good on Tennessee shad grubs and live minnows fished around brush piles and moss points in 18-22 feet of water. Catfishing is good on trotlines and jugs baited with cut shad or live minnows. Bream are great on worms and crickets in 8-16 feet of water.