Arkansas Fishing Report

SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS White Oak Lake

(Updated 4-4-2018) White Oak Lake State Park (870-6852748) reports the fish are slowing down.

Since the flooding, crappie have slowed, but they’ll bite on minnows and jigs in deeper water ranging 5-7 feet.

The bream are starting to bite on crickets and worms now as the weather becomes warmer. As we get into April, the bass are starting to spawn.

Worm and lizard lures are working occasionally with spinnerbaits.

With the weather producing rain this week, expect to see the catfish moving toward the shoreline to feed.

Felsenthal

(Updated 4-4-2018) Sportsman’s One Stop in El Dorado (870-863-7248) said water is still 15 feet high.

Not much fishing going on. A few spawning bass are being caught.

EAST ARKANSAS Horseshoe Lake

(Updated 4-4-2018) Professional guide Ronnie Tice of Horseshoe Lake Guide Service (901-687-6800) had no report.

Bear Creek Lake

(Updated 4-4-2018) Natalie Faughn, ranger at Mississippi River State Park (870-2954040), said Bear Creek Lake was jam-packed with fishermen this past weekend, but unfortunately the report wasn’t what they were hoping.

Most folks shared that they did their best catching early in the morning – between about 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.

The crappie and bass were biting on live bait, but after mid-morning all activity seemed to drop off.

Storm Creek Lake

(Updated 4-4-2018) Natalie Faughn, ranger at Mississippi River State Park (870-2954040), said Storm Creek Lake still has little activity.

The water has been up and muddier than usual, which might be pushing the fish into deeper waters.

If this weather would ever decide what it wants to do, we might see increased activity down there, she said.

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS Arkansas River (Pine Bluff Pool)

(Updated 3-21-2018) The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Fishing Team said water temperatures are in the upper 50s in the river and in Lake Langhofer.

Some protected backwaters are reaching the low to mid60s on warm sunny days. Water visibility is still down a bit from normal, only about 6 inches or less in most areas. The water level continues to fluctuate by several inches each day as pulses of water move through the river.

Black bass are biting well on spinnerbaits, bladed swim jigs, shallow- to medium-running crankbaits and jigs worked along rock banks.

Black bass also seem to be easier to catch during periods of rising or higher water, rather than dropping or lower water.

Striped bass and white bass are congregating on the first sand drop-offs away from the banks where wind and baitfish are present.

Groups of crappie have been located sitting over brush piles in 6-10 feet of water by sonar, although the team has not tried to catch them.

Cane Creek Lake

(Updated 4-4-2018) Park Interpreter Austin Davidson at Cane Creek State Park said the fish are still biting strong at Cane Creek Lake. Rising daytime temperatures have increased activity of many species of sport fish.

Crappie are holding on till the very end and are biting in the cool morning and evening. Fish with a minnow in the deep, open pockets near the middle of the lake, and by the courtesy dock and spillway.

The lower end of the lake seems to be more productive at the moment.

Expect lower quantities

caught but larger overall size for individual fish. Bass are becoming productive, hungry and aggressive.

Reports are coming in of them breaking topwater during certain times in the day, specifically evening. Run shallow squarebills, lipless cranks and small spinnerbaits within three feet of the water’s surface during the brightest, warmest part of the day, and loud topwater baits with erratic action during the latter part of the evening to attract the aggressive bass that have already started breaking topwater.

Soft plastic baits with lots of moving appendages can be Texas-rigged and fished by dragging them from shoreline or the tops of logs into the water.

Expect bass hiding under structure to react once the bait clears whatever surface you’re dragging the bait across.

Catfish are reacting well to raw chicken livers fished from poles or trotlines. Fish late in the evening toward the bottom in 8-10 feet of water to attract decent-sized blue and channel catfish. Use live fish such as minnows or small bream to attract that trophy flathead.

Bream have started working early this year and reports have come in of significant sizes and quantities being caught near structure and even from the shoreline.

While crickets are still the best option due to their similarity to dragonfly larvae, the increasing temperatures should cause them to start reacting to worms.

Fish smaller worms like red wigglers until the temperature rises above the 80s and stay there, then nightcrawlers should become quite popular.

Lake Monticello

(Updated 3-28-2018) Angler

Chris Van Duren at Lucky’s of Monticello said the water in the south portion of the lake is clear while on the north side it is fair to murky.

Surface water temperature is ranging 60-70 degrees. The level remains low. Fishing overall is fair. Crappie are good in 1-2 feet of water.

Use soft plastic bass bait. Bass are good in about two feet of water, as the bass are moving up on the beds. Use a crankbait.

No reports on bream, catfish or white bass.

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS Lake Ouachita

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 577.67 feet msl ( full pool: 578.00 feet msl).

(Updated 4-4-2018) Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa (870-867-219; 1-800-832-2276 out of state) says black bass are still excellent. Pre-spawn and spawning lures are best now. Shallowrunning crank baits, spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, Trick Worms and lizards are “on fire” at this time.

Secondary points and coves are the best areas for these fish. Walleye are good and moving back out of the river and major creek channels.

Bright- colored jigs and crankbaits are working best for these fish.

Stripers are excellent on Alabama rigs and live bait. Major creek and river channels on the western part of the lake are still the best for these fish.

Bream are still good and being caught on crickets and worms in deeper water near brush.

Crappie are good and being caught on minnows in 10-15 feet of water near structure. Catfish are still excellent up the river.