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

February 3, 2010

Millwood Lake:  As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 258.66 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 259.2 MSL). Millwood Lake Guide Service said main lake and Little River's water surface temperatures range from 46 to 50 degrees, depending on location and time of day. Exercise extreme caution during running Little River during low light as there are still many river markers pushed out of place or missing. Crankbaits, suspending jerkbaits, Rat-L-Traps, heavy thumping spinnerbaits, tubes and jigs have been the go-to baits for bass. The best bite is occurring during mid-day. Slow-moving spinnerbaits, large 1-ounce Rat-L-Traps, Cordell Big O or XCalibur Fat Free Shad crankbaits are still working. Carolina Rigs were improving along the washouts and creek channel mouths intersecting with Little River. Magnum flipping tubes with rattles continue working in remaining flooded grass and stumps. The best colors have been pumpkinseed/chartreuse tail, black/blue tail, or black neon. Flipping stumps, cypress trees, and laydown tree trunks near deep water at creek mouths and deeper sections of creek channel swings, are the best bets with tubes or jigs. White bass are scattered and slow. Crappie are beginning to improve, but the muddy current in Little River has them deep and out of the main river channel. The upriver, oxbow bite along Little River away from current is the best on live shiners fished over planted brush, for the past couple weeks. Crappie were suspending in planted brush 12-16 feet deep. Channel catfish are loving the increased current. Blues and channel cats are biting well along Little River on cut shad, Catfish Charlie and homemade dough balls along the increased current in Little River between Jack's Isle and Mud Lake or on yo-yo's hung from cypress trees in the oxbows over 9-12 feet of water. White Oak Lake: Local angler John Tilley said there hasn’t been much fishing activity. A few crappie have been caught from the County Road 15 bridge using jigs. No reports on bass or catfish. The lake is still being lowered. Water clarity is extremely muddy due to recent rains. Lake Columbia: Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water is clear and at normal level. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Catfishing is fair on worms. No report on any other species. Lake Erling: Steve’s Outdoor Sports (870-234-2222) said the water is clear and at normal level. Crappie are biting well on minnows. Catfishing is fair on nightcrawlers. Lake Greeson: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 545.04 MSL (Flood pool – 548 MSL). Lakeside Grocery and Bait (870-398-5304) said fishing is slow for all species. A few walleye have been caught on minnows and crankbaits, but it’s very slow. Cossatot River:  Cossatot River State Park had no report. DeGray Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 406.32 feet MSL (Flood pool - 408 MSL). Local angler George Graves said the surface water temperature is in the mid to upper 40s. The water is clear from the dam to Point 14 and moderately muddy to Cox Creek. Fish are still in their deep winter pattern. Crappie fishing is fair with some reports of fish being taken from the deep brush. The best brush piles have been in water from 30 to 35 feet deep. A red head/chartreuse body, 1/16-ounce marabou jig with either a minnow or crappie nibble has been the most productive. Fish the jig very slowly just above the cover on main lake or major creek attractors between Arlie Moore and Yancey Creek. Bass fishing is fairly good but the fish are still deep, (25 to 35 feet). Look for bass on main-lake points, bluffs, ledges and steep humps. Heavy jigs with a pork or plastic trailer have been working best, but Texas- and Carolina-rigged worms are working, too. Try to find some wood or rock cover. Some nice bass have been reported by those fishing for crappies so try the jig or worm around the fish shelters. The best areas for bass have been between Caddo Drive and Point 15. Bream fishing has been fair with some nice-sized fish reported around the same shelters that hold crappies. Use either worms or crickets and fish just above the cover. Sometimes bream will hold on the edge of the cover and not necessarily in it. No report on hybrids.