Arkansas Fishing Report

(Updated 5-30-2018) White Oak Lake State Park (870-685-2748) reports that White Oak Lake is just above normal pool this week.

White Oak Lake State Park has been selling out of worms, minnows and crickets for the last couple of days. Bream are biting worms and crickets at depths of 3-6 feet deep around stumps and trees.

Catfish are staying in deeper parts of the lake near the levee systems and channel markers where water depths go to 15-20 feet.

Bass are hitting on topwater baits such as buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, frogs and jerkbaits.

Crappie have slowed down a bit, moving to deeper water and heading to brush piles with anglers use minnows and jigs to lure them out.

Felsenthal

(Updated 6-6-2018) Sportsman’s One Stop in El Dorado (870-863-7248) said the water level is normal now.

Bass are a little slow. Bream are biting well on crickets. Crappie are slow.

The Ronald McDonald Big Bass Tournament will be going on this weekend.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS Lake Columbia

(Updated 6-6-2018) Sportsman’s One Stop in El Dorado (870-863-7248) said bream are biting.

No report on bass and crappie.

Millwood Lake

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.66 feet msl (normal conservation pool: 259.20 msl).

(Updated 6-13-2018) Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said lake level Monday on Millwood rose over the past few days’ rain events, and was about 6 inches above normal conservation pool and falling at 259.7 feet msl; the discharge was near 670 cfs in Little River according to the Army Corps of Engineers.

The tailwater below the dam and gates as of Monday remained very low, about 227 feet msl. Water temps continued improving over the past week.

Surface temps Monday ranged near 85 degrees early to 90 degrees later under full sun, depending on location.

Be sure and check the most recent lake level of Millwood Lake on the guide service’s website, or at the Army Corps of Engineers website for updated gate release changes and inflow rates with rising and falling lake levels and conditions.

Continue to use caution in navigation on Little River and Millwood watching for random, broken, or floating timber.

Clarity and visibility continue improving over the past week, but remain stained in places, especially up river.

The main lake and lower sections of Little River continue to improve, are not quite as stained or muddy as the upper regions of Little River and Saline River.

As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity and visibility is moderate stain, ranging 10-15 inches.

Little River's visibility ranges 10-12 inches with heavy to moderate stain, depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranges 20-30 inches depth of visibility depending on location.

Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds, rain, or thunderstorms.

Mike says largemouth bass over the past week have been at their best activity levels from dawn to around 10 a.m., then the bite shuts off until almost dusk.

Largemouth bass have been fair; cloud cover mornings offering best activity, over the past few weeks early at dawn and dusk, and activity levels have slowed with the increase of surface temperatures in the mid to upper 80s range over the past week during the heat of the day.

Best baits drawing reactions over the past week or so have been plastic frogs and Bass Assassin Shads on a light wire hook working in new lily pad growth.

Best colors of frogs have been black and June Bug in new lily pads.

War Eagle Spinnerbaits in white/chartreuse, Spot Remover, Firecracker or Firetiger colors continue working randomly around flooded brush and new emerging vegetation for 2-3 pound bass.

Slow-rolling the spinnerbaits off points, ditches and creek mouths dumping into Little River from 8-12 feet will yield a few random bass.

Males can still be caught relatively shallow around new vegetation and lily pads. StutterSteps, Spit'n Images, Ken Pops, PopR's and buzzbaits are beginning to draw random reactions from post-spawn largemouths around vegetation and new pads.

Topwater activity levels have slowed with the increased heat over the past few days.

Shallow-running squarebill 2.0 and 3.0 S-cranks and Echo 1.75s deflecting and banging/deflecting them off stumps, from 7-12 feet deep, will take a few random, bass around 14-15 inches in length. Spinnerbaits in Firecracker have been drawing a few reactions near cypress trees and vegetation, all from 9-12 feet deep.

In the clearer water of the oxbows, better spinnerbait or chatterbait colors are Firecracker, Spot Remover, or Hot Mouse colors for the last couple weeks.

In the more stained areas, the White/Chartreuse and FireTiger were drawing best reactions. Best color of cranks in the oxbows, like the 2.0 S-cranks, and Echo 1.75 square-bills, for the past week or so have been the Bold Bluegill, Millwood Magic, and Ghosts. Rat-L-Traps in Millwood Magic and White Smoke will get a slow, random reaction from 15-18-inch bass over the past couple weeks in creek channels leading in and out of spawning flats worked slower and deeper in the creeks.

Square-bill S-cranks and shallow running crankbaits in shad or bluegill and bream patterns are working near creek mouths and points extending into Little River for the past week or so, since the post-spawn largemouths have pulled out to deeper sections of creek channels and points dumping into the river.

Working the cranks in a stop and go, slow retrieve will draw a better reaction than fast retrieves. Hog Craws in black and blue flake, Brush Hogs, Beaver Bugs, and Magnum 4-inch Gitzit tubes continue working for the last couple weeks deeper into the creek channels.

Best colors for the past couple weeks have been South African Special, PB&J, Watermelon Candy, black/blue and black neon. Heavy, big, bulky 10-12-inch worms are picking up a few random reactions from bass in creek channels, creek mouths dumping into Little River, and points along Little River.

White bass have not been seen in the last couple weeks.

Last known location was the points extending into Little River either side of the Cossatot River inflow ditch, either side of U.S. Highway 71 bridge.

Crappie were biting jigs and minnows near standing timber and planted brush piles 12-15 feet deep. Crappie over the past couple weeks seem to be transitioning to deeper drops 15-20 feet of depth, near standing timber or planted brush piles.

They have been located by vertical jigging minnows, Arkie Jigs and minnows in standing timber in 10-15 feet of depth. Crappie slowed over the past few days with the increased heat.

Not many crappie fishermen out in the past few days. Before the Corps cut the discharge rate back, channel cats and blues were fair up to 6 pounds on trotlines set 10-12 feet deep in Little River using chicken livers, gizzards and hearts and using chum blood baits near set trotlines.

Almost no current exists along Little River this week and has slowed the cat bite down considerably.

Last week, a couple guys told us they were doing OK on yo-yos hung from cypress trees. They were using cut shad and buffalo in Mud Lake near the back in 8-9 feet under the cypress tree limbs.

DeGray Lake

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 406.06 feet msl (flood pool: 408.00 feet msl).

(Updated 6-13-2018) Local angler George Graves said surface water temperature is in the mid80s and the lake is clear throughout.

Overall fishing is fair early in the morning with the heat limiting afternoon action. Quite a few bass are showing all over the lake with most fish being on the small side.

Look for schooling fish early in the morning in the coves between points 2 and 4 on the south side.

Also some action along the State Park between the Lodge causeway and marina. Most any topwater lure will work as long as you hit where the fish "breaks."

Also some fish are showing at mid-lake around Arlie Moore and Caddo Drive. Try a Texas- or Carolina-rigged worm or lizard worked across main lake points. Red shad and green pumpkin are the goto colors. Crappie fishing has really slowed when the water temperature hit the mid-80s.

Reports from the underwater camera viewing are showing none or very few fish on the attractors. Looks like the fish have scattered to deeper cover.

Hybrid fishing is hit and miss with mostly miss. The fish are really scarce this year with very few even showing on the sonar. However, the white bass fishing is very good with fish showing all the way from Shouse Ford to Caddo Bend and the mouth of Brushy Creek.

The fish are mostly suspended at 25-30 feet, and working a jigging spoon up through the fish will produce. Also try a 3-inch grub on a quarter-ounce jighead.

Like hybrids, the best time for white bass is early in the morning. Bream fishing is good with lots of fish showing in the coves with some rock or wood cover. Fish at 5-8 feet and bait with crickets or redworms.

(Updated 6-13-2018) John Duncan of yoyoguideservice.com at Iron Mountain Marina said, “Hot, hot, hot. Its summertime in Arkansas.”

Water temperatures have risen back up to 87-88 degrees. Lake level 406.6 feet msl with little fall. Fishing is beginning to stabilize.

Black bass are in their

summer time moods. Use worms on points either Texas- or Carolina-rigged; use topwaters real early in and around buck brush. You can find it from midlake to Point Cedar.

Move to crankbaits as the sun goes up, then to the worms and deeper-diving crankbaits. Hybrids are showing signs of surfacing from Shouse Ford to Iron Mountain.

Some good catches reported on spoons in the mid-lake area. Lots of schools of fish are running higher in the water column.

Use your electronics to locate a school and the match your depth with count-downing a spoon to the right level, let down live bait (bigger the better) to the correct depth, match fish depth to appropriate depth crankbait and then troll.

Bream still being picked up on some beds. Electronics or word of mouth will help locate the beds, then stay off and cast to them.

Fish right off the bottom with drop-shot of bobber and hook. Crappie are a different story, but a good story.

The fish are holding real tight and in cover. Fish as close as you can over brush piles from mid-lake to Point Cedar; 12-25 feet deep is required depending on water depth.

Best way to catch the “big” ones is fishing a 1/16-ounce jig (pink or chartreuse) head tipped with a minnow and fishing the freefall; bites are light on the start but finish with some good ’uns. Good fishing, stay hydrated, help others.

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS Arkansas River (Pine Bluff Pool)

(Updated 6-13-2018) The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Fishing Team said water temps are in mid- to upper 80s, while shallow backwaters are reaching low 90s by the end of the day.

Visibility in the main channel is a little over half a foot at worst to around 1 foot at best. Some backwaters are up to 1½ feet of visibility.

The river has been flowing lightly. Black bass are biting well in the mornings on buzzbaits and squarebilled

and medium-diving crankbaits worked along rocks and vegetation, especially on the main channel.

Fish the current side of jetties and rock banks for more bites. Most of the fish are small but occasionally there is a large one mixed in.

Some fish can be caught from offshore brush piles in Lake Langhofer. If you prefer to fish the bank, target the shaded banks after the sun is fully risen for higher success rates.

Cane Creek Lake

(Updated 6-13-2018) Park Superintendent Jeff Shell at Cane Creek State Park said the water is staying warm as the overnight lows have been in the 70s and 80s.

Bream can still be found on beds, and for your best chances of catching pan-sized bream, use crickets. Jeff recommends casting out at least 15 yards and use a float to suspend your cricket.

The water clarity has increased to the point that those large bream are skittish. Bass are taking advantage of the cooler morning and evening. Use a hollow frog dragged across the tops of lily pads before “hopping” off into open water.

A soft plastic bait fished near structure on shaded banks may also lead to successful catches.

Catfish are starting to come off bed and are biting various attractants from an hour before dark to an hour after dark.

Crappie are hard to find right now, but if you’re determined to find some, try suspended timber in deeper water.

EAST ARKANSAS Cook’s Lake

(Updated 6-13-2018) The AGFC’s Wil Hafner at Cook’s Lake Conservation Education Center (870241-3373) said anglers are reporting black bass to be hitting Texas-rigged baby brush hogs and Jig-Sooie jigs at the bases of the deeper cypress trees.

Bluegill are spawning and can be caught on crickets or nightcrawlers in the shallow flats or at the base of cypress trees. Crappie have been slow.

Cook’s Lake is a 2.5-milelong oxbow off of the White River, nestled in the heart of the Dale Bumpers

White River National Wildlife Refuge near Casscoe in Arkansas County. This fertile oxbow receives very little fishing pressure due to being used only for education purposes and youth and mobility-impaired fishing.

The scenic lake is full of slab crappie, giant bluegills, largemouth bass and catfish of all species. Cook’s Lake will be open to fishing Saturday, June 16, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will be open the first and third Saturdays of every month through October, water level pending. Cook’s Lake is open to fishing for youth under 16 or mobility-impaired anglers, and up to two helpers (who may also fish).

Fish from the 140-foot mobility-impaired accessible dock or launch a boat, but we ask for trolling motors only.

Before launching, please check in at the Conservation Education Center, and report back before leaving. For information or unscheduled closures, please contact the center at 870-241-3373.

Bear Creek Lake

(Updated 6-13-2018) Natalie Faughn, ranger at Mississippi River State Park (870-295-4040), said it feels like activity at Bear Creek Lake has begun to slow.

With temperatures reaching the high 90s during the day, it seems most of the activity occurs in the early morning or evening hours.

Bass are still biting on treetops and against banks, mostly on artificial jigs. Not much being reported on bream and crappie activity – it has definitely slowed in the past few weeks with water temperatures rising.

The boat launch is open to the public now, so feel free to come out and see what you can catch.

Storm Creek Lake

(Updated 6-13-2018) Natalie Faughn, ranger at Mississippi River State Park (870-295-4040), said Storm Creek Lake has seen a slight uptick in fishermen activity, but still nothing substantial in the way of fish caught.

Early morning crappie activity has been reported, tapering off around mid-morning when the sun begins to peak. Biting on worms.