August
13,
2008
Lake
Dardanelle: Eric Pratt at Lake
Dardanelle State Park said cooler temperatures have brought
some well deserved relief for fishing on Lake Dardanelle. Largemouth
bass have become more active in shallower water with the inflow
of fresh water from the past couple of days of rain. Anglers
are reporting catching bass on chartreuse and white spinnerbaits,
shad-colored crankbaits and Texas- or Carolina-rigged worms on
points, humps and areas where rain water is flowing into the
lake. White and chartreuse frogs and buzzbaits are still productive
baits to use in heavy grass beds and around floating vegetation.
Catfish are doing very well at this time with many anglers catching
their limit. Most are reporting catching them in the upper portion
of the lake along the upper river channel on cut shad, gizzard
shad and prepared baits. Fishing at the park on the breakwater
is still an excellent place to catch a limit of catfish. Bream
are biting well on crickets and worms and can be caught just
about anywhere along the banks that have some type of structure
such as overhanging trees or docks
Murphy’s
Sporting Goods (479-229-3200) said water conditions are normal.
Bream are biting well on crickets and worms. Bass are fair on
plastic worms and crankbaits. Catfishing is good on any bait.
Blue
Mountain Lake: As
of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation at 391.37 feet MSL.
Ozark
Pool: Lakeside
Food Mart (479-667-5155) said water conditions are normal.
A few bream have been caught on crickets. Crappie are fair on
minnows and jigs. Bass are fair on jigs and plastic worms. Catfishing
is good on chicken liver, shad and cut bait.
Lake
Ouachita: As
of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation at 574.39 feet MSL.
Larry
Hurley from Poorman’s
Guide Service said the bite has actually been pretty good
with good breaking action in the mornings and bass and stripers
running together chasing shad. Topwaters have produced, but the
best bite has been on shallow-running crankbaits and jigging
spoons. Stripers are hitting extremely well on large Berkley
swimbaits. After the morning bite is over, fish a 10-inch worm
on a 3/8-oz. weight and target the outside edge of the grass
in 25 feet of water.
Mountain
Harbor Resort said the water is clearing up and surface temperatures
are 86 to 90 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged
worms and jighead worms. Walleye are biting well on spoons and
spinner rigs with a crawler harness fished over main-lake points.
Stripers are still very good on live bait with shad or trotline
minnows. White ½-oz. jigs and ¾-oz. spoons are
working as well. Try around Brady Mountain and Bird Island. Bream
are still very good with crickets or worms in 18 to 25 feet of
water. Crappie are still slow and being caught over grass and
brush. Try large moss flats and brush in water 20 to 30 feet
deep. Catfish are very good and being caught on cut bait and
live bait on jug lines and trotlines.
Trader Bill’s
said the rain has helped the bite a little. Some schooling action
has been seen for stripers and black bass in open water. Small
spoons, tailspinners and Zara Puppies are working on the schooling
fish. Larger Sammies will work as well.
Dave
Lindhag of Striped Bass Adventures (501-760-6474) said the cooldown was nice
for boating, but may impact the fishing. Stripers are biting
sporadically, but the bite is still good. Most are being caught
in 25 to 40 feet of water on live shad around main-lake points
with trees. If you can get them stirred up, you can catch a limit
quickly. When going through a probable area, try to use your
electric trolling motor instead of an outboard to troll over
the school. Some anglers are reporting some decent striper fishing
at the dam intake in the evenings.
Lake
Hamilton: Larry Hurley from Poorman’s
Guide Service said bass fishing is very good at night using
10-inch Berkley worms with small weights 12 to 18 feet deep.
Trader Bill’s
said stripers are decent on spoon and live bait. Bass are scattered,
but some are being caught on buzzbaits and spinnerbaits in creeks
and coves.
Lake
Catherine: Shane Goodner,
owner of Catch’em
All Guide Service, reports that before the heavy rains set
in Entergy ran the turbines for 12-hour periods. This is a normal
summertime pattern and provides Hot Springs with electricity as
the need arises. August through November are very slow months for
trout fishing at Carpenter Dam. Many of the fish have been caught
or eaten by this time. Some trout are still being caught, but as
reported, the numbers are low and inconsistent. Restocking begins
again in late November. Striper and hybrid activity has been fair
with most of the good fishing happening in the early morning hours
just after the turbines are started. This sudden movement of water
causes the threadfin shad to move away from the banks and out into
open water where they are easy prey. Topwater action can be fierce
at times but does not continue for long periods. Fishermen need
to be in position when feeding is taking place and capitalize on
the small window of opportunity. Many of these stripers are in
the 20-pound range and can be caught on white ¼-ounce jigs
and 6 to 8-inch soft plastics fished weightless. Live bait rigs
have caught the most fish. Brood and gizzard shad work better than
goldfish or bream at Carpenter Dam. Some quality hybrids have been
taken on 1/8-ounce jigs in shad or white colors. These fish tend
to stay on the outside of the feeding striper schools where competition
for food is lower.
Diamond Head Marina said the water is murky and a little high.
Bream are fair near drop-offs on crickets. Crappie are fair on
minnows. Bass are fair early near shorelines on top-water lures
and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good in deep water on chicken liver.
Lake
Hinkle: Bill's
Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said all species are slow.
Lake
Nimrod: As
of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation at 348.0 feet MSL.