Fishing report

Lake Catherine: Shane Goodner, Catch’em All Guide Service, said white bass are being caught on live minnows tight-lined over deep water below the bridge, with jerkbaits in a black/silver pattern working well over rock structure and sand bars during periods of generation. Stripers are feeding on shad, a typical pattern in May and June, with

20-pounders observed feeding below the bridge in late evening while flood gates are open. Smaller Alabama rigs and jigs are much more effective now than earlier in the string. Strong lines and rods are recommended.

Rainbow trout are winding down, although area guides have caught and released some 4- and 5-pounders in the last several days. Live-bait presentations are best under a bobber or just off bottom with a marshmallow floater. Redworms, nightcrawlers, waxworms or mealworms, along with live minnows and crickets, are an excellent choice.

Lake conditions: 64 degrees below Carpenter Day, clear, with Entergy opening flood gates for three-hour periods daily to help maintain lake levels. Boaters and anglers should use caution approaching the dam when the flow is at its highest peak, and life jackets should be worn at all times.

Lake Hamilton: Phillip Kastner, Trader Bill’s Outdoor Sports, said night fishing is popular and said despite the summer heat, daytime topwater fishing is surprisingly good. Best time to fish is ahead of approaching cold fronts, one group at White Oak Basin making good catches around boat docks last weekend. Any topwater method will work, though Kastner suggests moving parallel to the edge of a boat dock and throw a frog or chugger.

Lake Ouachita: Todd Gadberry, Mountain Harbor Resort, said black bass are fair to good on Texas-rigged plastics and crankbaits worked late evening and night in main-lake and secondary points. Walleye are very good on small crankbaits and spoons on main-lake humps and points near brush. Stripers are good on Alabama rigs and live bait in central and eastern parts of the lake. Bream are excellent 10-15 deep on crickets and worms.

Crappie are good on minnows or crappie jigs around 20-25 feet deep worked near brush.

Catfish are very good on live bait and cut bait 10-20 feet deep. Lake conditions: 78-82 degrees, clear,

576.34 feet msl (flood pool 580 feet msl). DeGray Lake: Local angler George Graves said bass fishing is good in early morning on main-lake points near the shoreline grass line. Try surface plugs such as Zara Spooks, Pop R’s and Spit’n Image. Soft plastic lures (Flukes, Bass Assassins and

4-inch swimbaits) in natural shad or white coloring will work in clear water. Also try medium-running crankbaits fished across points. Some nice fish are showing in big coves with standing timber. Work a buzzbait or spinnerbait next to tree turnsk between Edgewood and Shouse Ford and in big creeks such as Brushy, Big Hill and Yancey.

Crappie fishing is good on main-lake attractors at 18-20 feet of water. Vertical fish a 2-inch Kalin’s Tennessee shad grub on a

16th-ounce jighead several feet below the top of the brush or throw the lure across the attractor, count down to about 12 or feet and slowly retrieve. Best time is in morning hours and between Edgewood and Shouse Ford.

Hybrid fishing is picking up nicely in the lower end between Point 4 and the dam. Look near the old river channel 30-50 feet down in

100-plus feet of water. Using sonar to locate the fish, drop a heavy jigging spoon or grub on a quarter-ounce jighead. Bream fishing is good on shallow humps and big coves with some cover in 5-10 feet of water. Try crickets and redworms fished near bottom between Edgewood and Shouse Ford.

Lake conditions: low 80s, clear, 406.79 feet msl (flood pool 408 feet msl).