By ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION
CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir
NOTE: Employees and contractors with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission conducted herbicide applications to Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir through September. The herbicides will 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 10-21-2020) Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the lake has the normal Conway stain and is at normal level. Bream remain good on redworms and crickets. Crappie are good, with anglers catching them using crappie minnows in pink, silver or medium-sized. They’re also using jigs that are 2½ inches and smaller, as well as hand-tied jigs. The black bass bite is still good. Plastic worms are a good bet for the deeper ones, topwater will also work, and anglers report success on buzzbaits, chatterbaits and jigs. Catfish are good. Go with nightcrawlers, goldfish, dough bait, bass minnows and trotline minnows.
Lake Beaverfork
(updated 10-21-2020) Angler Dennis Charles had no report.
Little Red River
(updated 10-21-2020) Lowell Myers of Sore Lip’em All Guide Service (501-230-0730) said the generation pattern for the Little Red River is unpredictable. “We are experiencing days without generation and days with significant generation. It’s highly recommended to check forecasted and real-time generation before planning a trip to the Red.”
For fly-fishing, Lowell recommends midges, hare’s ears and sowbugs. Hot pink and cotton candy bodies on chartreuse jigheads are recommended for Trout Magnet spin-fishing. Be safe while enjoying the river. Always check before heading to the Little Red River by calling the 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.
(updated 10-21-2020) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood says the brown trout bite is getting better on jerkbaits, maribou jigs and Trout Magnets. The river is normal and clear.
(updated 10-14-2020) Greg Seaton of littleredflyfishingtrips.com (501-690-9166) said the river remains clear and low. Generation has been the afternoon, one-unit variety ranging 2-5 hours with the two-hour schedule being the most common. “Southwestern Power Administration has informed me that one unit is shut down for maintenance until some time in November, so any generation will be one unit until that time. Afternoon generation should be the rule unless cold temperatures call for the early morning schedule. It is always best to check the next day schedule before planning your trip. The app, USACE LITTLE ROCK, is available free for your cell phone. Check the SWPA Forecasts icon on this app for the schedule.”
Rainbows are taking small midge pupa and mayfly nymphs. There is a blue-wing olive hatch some afternoons and a few caddis are hatching. In deeper pools, micro jigs are taking rainbows and a few browns. The browns have not started moving much at this time.
Greers Ferry Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 458.84 feet msl (normal conservation pool: 462.54 feet msl).
(updated 10-21-2020) Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said the water level at Greers Ferry Lake is at 458.84 feet msl and falling, sitting 3.2 feet below normal pool of 462.04 feet msl. Crappie, again, are just coming in by the droves. More and more people are adapting to methods of catching instead of just fishing, as our resource is just very abundant at present. Crappie are 12-40 feet all over water column and biting jigs, minnows, crankbaits etc. Walleye are roaming eating all they can and at 12-40 feet. Catch them with crawlers, crankbaits or spoons. Catfish are roaming and feeding as well, and are being caught with trotlines and jugs, and while fishing for other species. Black bass are on top out to 70 feet eating a gauntlet of baits, all very healthy. Hybrid bass and white bass are eating at will in 25-75 feet of water and every once in a while on tip ends. Spoons, topwater baits, inline spinners, Largo Muskie Specials are the baits to use. Bream will eat crawlers, crickets and crankbaits real shallow.
(updated 10-21-2020) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood reports that the lake temperature on the surface is in the low 70s with clear clarity. The level is a little low. Smallmouth bass are good at the lower end of the lake. They’re biting shaky heads, drop-shots, Carolina rigs and topwater lures both early in the day and late. Walleye have been good on drop-shotting nightcrawlers on the main lake humps and secondary points.
Harris Brake Lake
(updated 10-21-2020) Harris Brake Lake Resort (501-889-2745) reports the clarity being a little dingy and the water level is low. Bream activity is slowing down and anglers said they had poor success. Crappie, though, have been good. The crappie are being caught close to the shoreline on minnows and jigs, particularly using pink jigheads. Black bass are good in the lake’s deeper areas. Try a spinnerbait or a plastic worm. Catfishing is good. Use chicken liver, and on trotlines you should bait with shad, goldfish, regular catfish bait or King’s Punch Bait.
(updated 10-7-2020) Whiskers Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) reports that crappie are starting to pick up on Bobby Garland Jigs in popsicle, shiney hiney, glimmer blue, bbq chicken, cajun crickets, blue ice, shimmer, monkey milk, crystal, bone/chartreuse, gumdrop and pennyback shad, along with 1.25-inch Itty Bit Swim’r and minnows. Catfish are biting on minnows and worms. Black bass are hitting buzzbaits and minnows, worms, lizards and Brush Hogs. White bass are biting on popsicle, slab slanger, baby shad and 1.25-inch Itty Bit Swim’r, and Cajun Spin and silver minnow. Bream can be caught on crickets, worms and Rock Hopper.
Lake Overcup
NOTE: Employees and contractors with the AGFC conducted herbicide applications to Overcup through September. 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 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.
(updated 10-21-2020) Randy DeHart at Lakeview Landing (501-354-5309) said the clarity has improved and on Tuesday early afternoon it was clear. The lake is about a foot low. Crappie reports were fair; try minnows or tri-colored jigs. Black bass are fair, with best results in the shallows. A crankbait is working best. No reports on bream or catfish.