Fishing this week

HOT SPOTS

LAKE MAUMELLE Bass are biting well in 10 to 15 feet of water on jerk baits and dead-sticked wacky-rigged worms. Spotted bass are biting well on jigs and crankbaits in 10 to 15 feet of water. White bass are excellent west of Old Jolly Rogers Marina and at the Arkansas 10 bridge. They’re hitting deepdiving Bomber and Bandit crankbaits on the east side of the bridge and Rooster Tails and a jig-and-grub combo on the west side of the bridge.

BEAVER LAKE Stripers are using deep water next to road beds, gravel bars, tree lines and bluffs. Stripers up in the White River and War Eagle arms of the lake are in clear water pockets or close to the banks and on the bottom along gravel bars. Use the mud line to your advantage as it will often concentrate stripers along its edge. Try dragging baits close to these areas including along the bottom on gravel bars will get you some fish.

ARKANSAS RIVER (PINE BLUFF POOL) Black bass are biting very well, thanks to cooler temperatures and reduced fishing pressure. Spinnerbaits and crankbaits worked slowly along steep rock banks are producing very good-sized fish with relative ease. Black/blue jigs worked in these same areas also can be effective on sunny, calm days.

MILLWOOD LAKE Bass are slightly more aggressive during the warmest time of the day, typically noon until 3 p.m. They are hitting very slowmoving targets like crankbaits and large, ¾-oz. War Eagle Spinnerbaits, medium-diving Bomber crankbaits in Tennessee shad, citrus shad, or threadfin shad patterns, and Echo 1.75 Square bills in chartreuse shiner on flats close to deep water creek channel swings.

LAKE DARDANELLE Bass fishing has been hit and miss because of the weather and changing water conditions. Bass in muddy water have been hesitant to bite, so slow your presentation and use dark-colored finesse jigs and small plastics. In clearer water, bass have been a bit more active on jerk baits, Rat-L-Traps and natural-colored jigs and plastics.