WEST-CENTRAL 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

June 24, 2009

Lake Winona: Local angler Steve Warren said bass are biting well on Devil’s Horses worked across the flats early in the morning. Later in the day, switch to a Texas-rigged bloodline worm or slow-roll a spinnerbait for a bigger bite. Crappie are slow, but the south end of the lake is producing a few.

Lake Dardanelle: Regina Olson at Spadra Marina said fishing has slowed from last week. The best bet for action is to get a tube of crickets and fish for bream. The water level has been stable and near normal. Catfish are still doing well on cut shad and stinkbait. Crappie are biting for about 2 hours a day some time between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Largemouth bass are starting to become more active; they are chasing black/blue and white spinners. Bass fishermen are also beginning to do well on frogs early in the mornings.

Murphy’s Sporting Goods (479-229-3200) said the water is muddy. Bream are biting well on crickets. Catfishing is good on stinkbait. No report for bass or crappie.

Blue Mountain Lake: Teresa at CD’s Quick Stop (479-947-2178) said the water is high and muddy. Some catfish have been caught on chicken liver. The weather’s been too hot for most anglers to fish.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart (479-667-5155) said the water is murky and at normal level. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well in 8 feet of water on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is excellent on bass minnows, cut shad and perch. Largemouth bass are biting near deep water on frogs and buzzbaits.

Lake Ouachita: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had no elevation available.

Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said bass fishing slowed, but the bass can still be caught on redbug-colored Old Monster worms and spinnerbaits fished over the grass in the mornings. Stripers are excellent with many being caught on swimbaits and large plugs.

Mountain Harbor Resort said the water level is 577.37 and clear. The surface temperature is 80-86 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair to good on shad-imitating baits and flukes fished on main and secondary points. Top-water action is still good early and late. Large Texas-rigged worms are effective in brush piles in 18 to 25 feet of water. Watermelon red, bloodline and red shad are the best colors. Walleye are still good and being caught on bottom bouncers and Lindy rigs on main-lake points near brush. Bream-colored crankbaits also are working. Stripers are very good on live shad or trotline minnows. Main-lake points near creek channels or open water humps are the best areas. Bream are still excellent on worms or crickets in 18 to 25 feet of water. Crappie are good and being caught near brush or over moss. Try brush in water 20 to 30 feet deep and moss flats 10 to 20 feet deep. Minnows or crappie grubs are still working best. Tennessee shad and white are the best colors for artificial baits. Catfish are very good and being caught on cut bait and live bait on jug lines and trotlines.

Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports had no report.

Lake Hamilton: Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports had no report.

Lake Catherine: Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that Entergy continues to generate full-time at Carpenter Dam. One turbine runs around the clock, creating a fairly strong current. Heavy fog covers the launch and day use area in the early morning with the water temperatures holding in the mid to upper 50s. Rainbow trout fishing remains slow, but a few fish have been caught in the morning and late evening. Trolling the main channels hasn't produced because thousands of threadfin shad are now in the tailrace for the spawn. Bank fishermen using nightcrawlers and wax worms fished just off the bottom have accounted for the trout taken the last month. When periods of no generation are scheduled, some quality trout fishing will occur as the fish will resume a more consistent feeding pattern. As the summer heat increases, the water temperature at Carpenter will rise into the mid 60's. By August, the vast majority of rainbows will leave the dam in search of cooler water and the trout season will be over until December when the restocking begins again. Stripers and hybrids are present and feeding on trout and shad in the oxygen rich water. Feeding times are unpredictable, but anglers need to be ready to cast when top-water activity occurs. Casting large top-water presentations imitating injured shad are the best bet when targeting these fish. While the walleye spawn has been over for several months, June temperatures always bring numbers of walleye back into the tailrace to feed on the abundant shad. Anglers using spoons and jigs have taken some quality fish around the bridge pilings. The migrating shad also draw large black bass into the area which can be seen feeding close to the banks in the late evening.

Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said the water is at normal level and clear. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs in deep water. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and minnows. Catfishing is good on chicken liver.

Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said the water is clear and low. No report.