CENTRAL ARKANSAS FISHING REPORT
Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir
NOTICE: AGFC employees and contractors using airboats will be conducting foliar applications of Epaapproved herbicide – which will cause no harm to wildlife, people or aquatic life such as fish – to treat alligatorweed on Lake Conway in 2019. By federal law, these herbicides have up to a 120day irrigation restriction after application. The AGFC asks adjacent landowners to NOT irrigate water from Lake Conway for lawn or garden use from May 20, 2019, to March 1, 2020. For further information, please contact the AGFC Fisheries Office in Mayflower at (877) 470-3309.
Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the clarity is stained and the water level is normal. Bream are good on redworms and crickets. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Crappie are in 5-7 foot depth; fish around the cypress trees. Black bass are good on plastic worms and topwater baits. Catfishing is good with crickets or nightcrawlers.
Little Red River
Lowell Myers of Sore Lip’em All Guide Service said the Little Red is receiving around 12 hours of generation. Caddis pupas, pheasant tails, San Juan worms and streamers will work for fly-fishing. For Trout Magnet fishing, go with cotton candy and hot pink bodies on silver and chartreuse jighead. Always check before heading to the Little Red River by calling the Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District water data system (501-362-5150) for Greers Ferry Dam water release information or check the Corps of Engineers website (swl-wc.usace.army.mil) for real-time water release and the Southwestern Power Administration website (swpa.gov) to see forecasted generation schedule.
Greg Seaton of littleredflyfishingtrips.com (501690-9166) said the river is clear with generation of two units for 12 hours. This has been starting at 8 a.m. or 10 a.m., depending on the day’s schedule. The fish are hitting caddis flies because there is a big caddis hatch in the mornings before the new water hits an area. Caddis emergers and pupa are good fly choices. Drift fishing is good by staying ahead of the day’s generation, and there are short wading opportunities from Winkley Shoal down to Libby Shoal. The new water gets to Winkley in about 3½ hours and Libby in 4-4½ hours after the release at the dam. If wading, plan to be near your takeout point when the water begins to rise because they are running two units and the water rises quickly. The weather forecast is for storms and possible heavy rain the next two days. If this occurs, the river will probably be muddy for two to three days. Check the generation times each day to plan your trip.
Greers Ferry Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 474.13 feet msl (normal conservation pool: 462.93 feet msl Oct. 1-April 30; 463.04 feet msl May 1-June 1; 462.54 feet msl June 1-Sept. 30).
Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said Wednesday morning the water level at Greers Ferry Lake is at 474.14 feet msl and staying pretty steady. It is 12.1 feet above normal pool of 462.04 feet msl. All species are eating if you’re there at right time. A lot of crappie are still in and around the bushes; use jigs and jigs tipped with minnows. Bass fishing is good all over the lake on a variety of baits, with some schooling action as well. Catfish are eating any and all baits right now all over the lake. Bream are eating crickets and crawlers, inline spinners and small crankbanks shallow. Walleye are scattered all over the place. When you catch one, hunker down and stay in area, as several are there getting grouped up somewhat. Use a crawler on a drop-shot rig. Hybrid and white bass are busting some and on structure now, they will eat off and on all day under certain conditions. Spoons, inline spinners, just about any metal bait is working.
Harris Brake Lake
Harris Brake Lake Resort (501-889-2745) reported the clarity is “a little cloudy” and the lake level has returned to normal.
Surface water temperature Monday mid-afternoon was 76.8 degrees. Bluegill and redear are good on redworms and crickets.
The crappie bite is off and on. Fair results with minnows and jigs, they say. Black bass are poor. Catfishing is good with worms. Lake Overcup
NOTICE: AGFC employees and contractors using airboats will be conducting foliar applications of Epaapproved herbicide – which will cause no harm to wildlife, people or aquatic life such as fish – to treat alligatorweed on Lake Overcup in 2019. By federal law, these herbicides have up to a 120day irrigation restriction after application. The AGFC urges adjacent landowners to NOT irrigate water from Lake Overcup for lawn or garden use from May 20, 2019, to March 1, 2020. For further information, please contact the AGFC Fisheries Office in Mayflower at (877) 470-3309.
Johnny “Catfish” Banks at Overcup Bait Shop and R.V. Park (501-354-9007) said water level is high by about 2 feet and clarity is good. Surface temperature is around 70 degrees. Bass are doing well on black plastic worms and buzzbaits around brushtops and structure around the banks. Bream are doing well on crickets and redworms. Crappie are being caught in deeper water, 8-12 feet fishing about 6 feet deep. Catfish are being caught on jugs and trotline with bream and shad. “Come see me, Catfish Banks, at the bait shop, off Highway 9.”
Brewer Lake
Larry Walters at Bones Bait Shop (501-354-9900) reported that fishing has dropped off significantly, mainly with high water and muddy clarity. There are some crappieto be had, with reports of them in 15-18 feet depth and fished spiderrigging. The bite rates poor, and that’s the same rating for bream, black bass, crappie and white bass, Larry says. “Good luck if you go!” he added.
Lake Maumelle
Westrock Landing (501658-5598) on Highway 10 near Roland reports water temperature is in the mid70s. Largemouth bass are good. Most of them can be found shallow at dusk and dawn biting a variety of lures. Some are moving into 8-12 feet of water and some can still be found deep. Try using chatterbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits, drop-shots and swimbaits. Cameron Nesterenko and Andrew Wooley caught a whopping five bass totaling 18.87 pounds to win Tuesday night’s black bass tourney; their haul included a 6.12pound Big Bass. Meanwhile, the spotted bass bite is good. Some reports of the Kentuckys being found in
4-8 feet of water outside the grass line at dusk and dawn. They can also be found in 12-16 feet off drops and rocky banks. White bass reports this week have been poor. Reports of the run slowing down. Some can be found mixed in with the crappie on the flats or near brush piles in 8-12 feet. Try using Rooster Tails, jerkbaits and rattle-style baits. Crappie are good. Crappie are heading out of the deeper holes. Reports of them being found 8-12 feet around brush piles as well as 14-18 feet and are starting to stack some, while otherse are still scattered. Try using jigs and minnows. Bream are slow. Use crickets or worms. Catfish are slow. Reports coming in that the channel cats are moving in to shallow water. Try using stink bait, crayfish or worms.
Sunset Lake
Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said catfish have been doing great; it was stocked by the AGFC on May 6. They been catching them on fresh chicken livers, nightcrawlers, brooder minnows – really, just a little bit of everything. Bream are starting to bite well. Bass have been hitting brooder minnows and bass minnows. Crappie have been fair on No. 6 crappie minnows and Kalin’s Tennessee Shad 2-inch grubs.
Bishop Park Ponds
Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said that with all the rain we’ve had, it has pushed some of those fish out of the creek that come from Hurricane Lake and into both ponds. The front one lately have been more productive, according to some of Lisa’s customers. Some catfish been caught off chicken livers , nightcrawlers and crawfish.bream have been good on crickets and redworms. Bass have been hitting on Red Shad plastic worms. Crappie are being caught off No. 6 crappie minnows.
Saline River Access in Benton
Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said the river fishing has been so up and down with all this rain. But a few anglers have done well on the bream with crickets. Bass have been hitting the brooder minnows. Catfish have been caught on trotlines with black salties and goldfish – and some on rod and reel with brooder minnows. Crappiehave been biting No. 6 crappie minnows and pink crappie minnows.
Lake Norrell
Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said some of those big redear bream are being caught on crickets fishing on bottom. Catfish are being caught off of black salties and cut up shad. Crappie have been doing well on No. 6 crappie minnows. Bass have been slow but have been hitting spinnerbaits and brooder minnows.
Lake Pickthorne
Hatchet Jack’s (501-7584948) said crappie are fair. Anglers are having the best success with minnows or with Bobby Garland white Slab Slayers and spider rigging. Fish the creek channel of the lake.
Lake Valencia
Hatchet Jack’s in North Little Rock (501-758-4958) says
catfishing is fair. Use chicken liver or chicken hearts.
Lake Willastein
Hatchet Jack’s in North Little Rock (501-758-4958) says bream are fair. Fish around piers. Redworms and crickets will get reactions. Black bass are good with Texas-rigged creature baits and buzzbaits. The bite is picking up in the early mornings and late evenings.
Lake Winona
Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s
Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said some anglers are still catching some nice crappie off of No. 6 crappie minnows and pink crappie minnows. Catfish have been good on crawfish and nightcrawlers. Bream good on crickets. Bass been hitting on bass minnows and watermelon red plastics.
Arkansas River at Morrilton
Charley’s Hidden Harbor at Oppelo (501-354-8080) had no report.
Little Maumelle River
Ray Hudson at River Valley Marina (501-5171250) says the clarity is muddy while the water level is low. “Everything is pretty slow,” he says. He gives poor ratings across the board to bream, crappie, black bass, catfishing and white bass.
Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)
Hatchet Jack’s (501758-4948) said catfishing is excellent at Murray Lock and Dam by snagging.
White bass are also excellent. Use spoons and twister tails.
Zimmerman’s Exxon (501944-2527) says you’ll have best success here fishing on the Maumelle River and in the creeks. Bream are good on redworms and crickets. That’s all they’ve heard about. This pool was significantly calmer in current than the Little Rock pool on Sunday.
Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool)
Fish ’N’ Stuff (501-8345733) reports that the river is still too high. “Stay off the river,” they urge. It’s also muddy.
Hatchet Jack’s (501758-4948) said catfishing is excellent at Murray Lock and Dam by snagging.
White bass are also excellent. Use spoons and twister tails.
Mcswain Sports Center (501-945-2471) says the river is high and is not safe for boating or fishing.
Zimmerman’s Exxon (501944-2527) says the river is muddy, high, with fast current, and dangerous. Avoid fishing.
Clear Lake (off Arkansas River-little Rock Pool)
Mcswain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said Clear Lake is high and the clarity is a bit cloudy. Bream are good on crickets. Crappie are good on minnows or jigs. No reports on bass. Catfish are good using skipjack and nightcrawlers.
Peckerwood Lake
Donna Mulherin at Herman’s Landing (870241-3731) said the clarity remains a little stained. The water level is back down to normal. Bream are excellent on worms or crickets. Crappie are good. They’re mainly biting jigs, and anglers are trolling. Check the grass patches and brush piles. No reports on black bass. Catfishing is excellent; go with hot dogs and minnows.