CENTRAL ARKANSAS FISHING REPORT: JULY 1

Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir

NOTE: Employees and contractors with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission are conducting herbicide applications to Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir over the next several months. The herbicides cause no harm to wildlife, people or aquatic life, but will kill gardens, flowerbeds and lawns if used on neighboring lands. By federal law, these herbicides have up to a 120-day irrigation restriction after application. The AGFC asks adjacent landowners to NOT irrigate for lawn or garden use with water from the lake until Feb. 1, 2021.

The use of herbicides is necessary to control the current problems with alligatorweed and other invasive vegetation species that have infested the lake, restricting access to boathouses, ramps and fishing locations and hindering native wildlife and fish populations. For more information, please contact the AGFC Fisheries Office in Mayflower at (877) 470-3309.

(updated 7-1-2020) Bates Field and Stream (501-4701846) said Lake Conway has its usual Conway stain, and it’s at a normal level. Bream are eating well on redworms, crickets and Dynamax Jigs. Crappie are biting better, with good reports this week. Use minnows or jigs. Black bass are favoring spinnerbaits, plastic worms, topwater lures like frogs and buzzbaits, and chatterbaits. Catfishing is going well using stink bait, gold fish, nightcrawlers, bream and using trotlines.

Little Red River

(updated 7-1-2020) Greg Seaton of littleredflyfishingtrips.com (501-690-9166) said the Army Corps of Engineers informed him Wednesday morning that starting Wednesday they would be running two generators beginning with a 16-hour schedule and increasing the hours of generation as levels permit until they reach a 24/7 schedule over the weekend. The lake level is 465.99 feet msl, and high levels of generation will continue until the lake drops to a normal level of

462.5 feet msl, which will take at least 10-12 days depending on any additional rainfall in the area.

Because this will include the Fourth of July weekend, please use caution if you are planning a holiday trip on the river. Any pleasure kayaking or canoe trips would be better planned for the lake rather than the river. The combination of cold water and fast current makes the river dangerous. Check the daily generation forecast before planning your trip. ‘The river will be returning to normal soon with good fishing and boating, so please exercise good judgment and respect the river. Be safe and have a Happy Fourth of July,” Greg says.

(updated 7-1-2020) Lowell

Myers of Sore Lip’em All Guide Service (501-230-0730) had no reports. He says always check before heading to the Little Red River by calling the Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District water data system (501-3625150) 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.

Greers Ferry Lake

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 465.83 feet msl (normal conservation pool: 462.54 feet msl).

(updated 7-1-2020) Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said the water level at Greers Ferry Lake is at The water level at Greers Ferry Lake is at 466.11 feet msl and falling with generation; it is 3.57 feet above normal pool of 462.54 feet msl.

Crappie are eating well on minnows and jigs in pole timber, brushpiles or manmade structure in 10-25 feet, according to weather conditions. Hybrid bass and white bass are chewing well on and off all day and night; use live bait, spoons, inline spinners, swimbaits and topwater baits in 15-40 feet of water. Bream are biting worms and crickets all over lake.

Catfish are no trouble to catch all over lake and rivers on a variety of baits, rod and reel, jugs, trotlines. Walleye are eating if you can find them, and then you can catch some in 15-28 feet on crawlers rigged various ways. Some black bass are set up; the deep water temp has not gotten hot enough yet for all of them to be out. Some are super shallow, and a list of baits and ways to do it from A-Z will work at some point throughout the day or night.

(updated 6-24-2020) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood says the lake is a little high and clarity is clear. Smallmouth bass are responding well to Carolina rigs and Whopper Ploppers at the lower end of the lake. They’re in 15-20 feet of water. Largemouth bass are prominent in the upper end of the lake, actively biting the Horny Toad in the early mornings.

Harris Brake Lake

(updated 7-1-2020)

Harris Brake Lake Resort (501-889-2745) notes that a Fishing Derby is taking place Wednesday, July 1, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. for ages 5-16. Lake clarity is clear and the water level is high. Bream are good on redworms, waxworms and crickets. Crappie reports have been poor. Bass are good, with the most activity coming along the shoreline in the early evenings. No baits were reported. Catfishing is good using baby bluegill, shad or goldfish on trotlines.

Lake Overcup

NOTE: The AGFC’S temporary advisory concerning the appearance of blue-green algae bloom has been lifted. Overcup Lake has been and remains safe to fish, but swimmers, paddlers boaters and anglers are always urged to use caution and avoid any algae that could appear on the water during warmer months. The algae can break down and release toxins into the water, and the AGFC has been monitoring the blue-green algae level for the past several weeks. Recent tests show that the advisory can now be lifted, the AGFC’S Matt Schroeder said.

For more information call the AGFC Mayflower Regional Office at (877) 470-3309 weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Also, in another note that doesn’t prohibit fishing but is a warning for anglers on the lake, as well as homeowners around the lake: Employees and contractors with the

AGFC are conducting herbicide applications to Overcup over the next several months. The herbicides cause no harm to wildlife, people or aquatic life, but will kill gardens, flowerbeds and lawns if used on neighboring lands. By federal law, these herbicides have up to a 120-day irrigation restriction after application. The AGFC asks adjacent landowners to NOT irrigate for lawn or garden use with lake water through until Feb. 1, 2021. The use of herbicides is necessary to control the current problems with alligatorweed and other invasive vegetation species that have infested the lake and, if left uncontrolled, could restrict access to boathouses, ramps and fishing locations and hinder native wildlife and fish populations.

No fishing report.

Brewer Lake

(updated 7-1-2020) David Hall, owner of Dad’s Bait

Shop (501-977-0303), said the clarity is slightly stained as of Tuesday noon, with surface temperature at 75 degrees. Water level is still high. Bream reports were good; throw redworms their way.crappie are being found at 10 feet depth over brushpiles, and the bite is good. Use minnows. White bass are good and are showing up on top of the water. Anglers are using spinnerbaits, topwaters, minnows and gold fish. Catfishing is good on yo-yos with stink bait or goldfish.

Lake Maumelle

(updated 7-1-2020) Westrock Landing (501-6585598) on Highway 10 near Roland said largemouth bass are fair. Some can be found outside the grass in 12-15 feet, but most are moving into deeper water biting a variety of lures.

Try using drop-shots, swimbaits, deep crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Tuesday night’s bass tournament indicates what can be caught: Cameron Nesterenko and Andrew Wooley brought in a winning 5-bass stringer of 12.57 pounds and the Big Bass of 3.35 pounds. Lee Brizzolara and Wes Lowder were right behind with 10.05 pounds.

Kentucky bass are fair. Some reports have them being found at 18-22 feet depth off drops and rocky banks. White bass are slow. Some are being caught in 20-25 feet depth in or around the channel. Try using minnows, Rooster Tails, jerkbaits and rattle-type baits. Crappie are good. There are reports of them being found in 20-22 feet depth. Some can still be found scattered and mixed in with the white bass. Try using jigs or minnows. Bream are great. They can be found on windy points by drop-offs in 12-15 feet of water. Use crickets, worms or beetle spins. Catfishing is great. Use chicken liver, nightcrawlers or baitfish.

Sunset Lake

(updated 7-1-2020) Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said catfish are still doing pretty good, even though it’s been a month since it was stocked. Fresh chicken livers, black salties, nightcrawlers and bait shrimp seem to be doing the job on catching them. Bream have been excellent on crickets and redworms and Arkie Gill Candy Jigs. Bass have been hitting buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and bass minnows. A few crappie have been being caught early in the morning and late in the evening with pink crappie minnows and No. 6 crappie minnows.

Bishop Park Ponds

(updated 7-1-2020) Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) says catfish are still doing really well here on fresh chicken livers. Crappie are slow but are biting pink and size 6 crappie minnows. Bream are good on crickets and redworms. Bass have been good on minnows, plastics and beetle spins.

Saline River Access in Benton

(updated 7-1-2020) Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said bass have been doing well on minnows, black salties, No. 4 green pumpkin lizards and watermelon candy-colored Baby Brush Hogs. Bream are doing well on crickets.crappie fair on No. 6 crappie minnows. Catfish have been good on fresh chicken livers, black salties and goldfish.

Lake Norrell

(updated 7-1-2020) Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said bream are doing great on crickets fishing them on bottom. Catfish have been biting on nightcrawlers, fresh chicken livers and cut baits. Crappie are fair on pink and No. 6 crappie minnows. Bass have been doing well on topwater baits and buzzbaits early in the mornings and late in the evenings.

Lake Winona

(updated 7-1-2020) Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said catfish have been good on goldfish, black salties and bait shrimp. Bream are good on crickets. Bass have been hitting minnows, plastic worms and crankbaits. Crappie are good on crappie minnows and crappie jigs.

Arkansas River at Morrilton

(updated 7-1-2020) Charlie Hoke at Charlie’s Hidden Harbor at Oppelo (501-3548080) had big news about the catfishing in the river recently, with good flatheads being caught anywhere from 10-25 feet deep. “They are drift-fishing for catfishing … a lot of the catching is when they’re floating by the tip of the jetties and when they’re floating on the upstream side of the jetties.

“I haven’t seen catfish caught like this in 3-4 years. Of course, the river has been up until now.”

Charlie says numbers of anglers in his area have improved recently, particularly with the river dropping some. “Now, the river is nice, calm, the flows are good. It’s getting in the summer months, and we see mornings where the water is down, not much generating at the power stations, and then it starts building up in the mornings. I like it when the flows are between 40,000 and 70,000 cfs.”

The jetty tips have been good for bream and bass, he says, but where there is grass nearby the bass are moving toward the grass lines. White bass are “basically on the jetty tips” as well. Anglers are using anything from redworms to chartreuse and Firetiger crankbaits and doing “fairly well on that. When the water is starting to clear, they’ll probably have to go to pearl or white colors and they’ll be doing pretty good.” Anglers are also getting a few white bass now below the dam, catching those on crankbaits.

“Then you go up the Petit Jean River, and I had a man who caught some big crappie, not a lot, but some big crappie on live minnows,” he notes.

Bream are starting to move around a lot and are good now where water is coming up to the grass lines, and it’s good for the bass too. The bream are running the edges and biting crickets.

But it’s the catfish that have him pumped up. “The catfish are just going nuts. We’ve had some 40-pounders caught.”

Charlie urges people who stop on the river islands to be aware of the lease turns that are now in the islands now and to be careful where they stop. “I’m told they have chicks on just about every island, so be careful where you step if you’re going to get on an island.”

Arkansas River (Cadron Pool)

No report.

Little Maumelle River

No reports.

Arkansas River (Maumelle Pool)

On Wednesday, the Corps of Engineers said water flow at the Toad Suck Lock and Dam was 44,473 cfs.

No reports.

Arkansas River (Little Rock Pool)

On Wednesday, the Corps of Engineers said water flow at the Murray Lock and Dam was 49,245 cfs. Flow at the Terry Lock and Dam was 50,963 cfs.

(updated 7-1-2020) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) said the flow is down in the pool, and they’ve heard some good reports.black bass are being found in the main river jetties that are parallel to the bank. They’re being caught in middriving crankbaits and squarebilled crankbaits. They can also be caught at the ends of jetties using shaky heads and finesse jigs. In the backwaters, try a frog or using spinnerbaits for best success. Bream are good around the trees fishing with mayflies or with redworms. Catfishing is good by the dam. The water clarity is stained and the level has returned to normal with a flow of 20,000 cfs as of Tuesday midday.

(updated 7-1-2020) Zimmerman’s Exxon (501944-2527) said catfishing in the river is good below the Murray Lock and Dam and the hydroelectric plant on cut shad and skipjack. Black bass fishing is slow. The water has slowed down, and there is not much current. Crappie are good below the Terry Lock and Dam on black/chartreuse Super Jigs in 8-10 feet depth. Bream are good in the Willow Beach area in 3-4 feet of water on crickets.

Clear Lake (off Arkansasriver-little Rock Pool)

No reports.

Peckerwood Lake

(update 6-24-2020) Donna Mulherin at Herman’s Landing (870-241-3731) said the lake is clear and at a normal level. Breamcontinue to be caught in decent numbers, with good results this week on worms or crickets. Crappie have fallen off; poor results this week. Black bass are good; no baits were suggested by the anglers. Catfishing is good using worms, chicken liver or hot dogs.