February 7, 2020
By ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION
Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir
NOTICE: AGFC employees and contractors using airboats conducted foliar applications of EPA-approved herbicide – which will cause no harm to wildlife, people or aquatic life such as fish – to treat alligatorweed on Lake Conway last year. 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 Lake Conway through March 1, 2020. For more information, please contact the AGFC Fisheries Office in Mayflower at (877) 470-3309.
(updated 2-5-2020) Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the lake continues to maintain its normal Lake Conway stained and is back to a normal level as of Tuesday morning. Bream are good on redworms, crickets and artificial baits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Black bass are good using spinnerbaits, crankbaits and white chatterbaits. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers, dough bait and big minnows.
Little Red River
(updated 2-5-2020) Lowell Myers of Sore Lip’em All Guide Service (501-230-0730) said heavy generation schedule is expected on the Little Red River due to recent rains. For fly fishing, we recommend san juan worms, micro jigs, egg pattern and streamers during high water conditions. Hot pink, cotton candy and white colored bodies on chartreuse jig heads 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 Army Corps of Engineers website for real-time water release and the Southwestern Power Administration website to see forecasted generation schedule.
(updated 2-5-2020) Greg Seaton of littleredflyfishingtrips.com (501-690-9166) said that after four days of 12-hour, two-unit generation, it is now two units at a reduced rate running 24 hours from Greers Ferry Lake dam. The flow will fluctuate slightly during the day due to the fact that they are regulating the electrical grid with Greers Ferry. This will probably continue through this weekend and, depending on the amount of rainfall, most of next week. With the rainfall and colder temperatures, one should check each day before planning your fishing trip. The lake is still about 2 feet above normal and rising. Please stay safe if you’re on the river during the generation. Higher water with increased flows requires more attention to remain safe on the water.
Notice: Greg’s free fly-fishing class will again be offered at First United Methodist Church in Heber Springs this year. The first class will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20. The class will consist of four consecutive Thursday nights at the same time each Thursday. There is no charge for this class but you need to call and register so we can know how many persons will be attending. This class is for beginners and anyone wishing to expand their knowledge of fly-fishing. Please call 501-690-9166 to register for the class. “If I’m on the river, please leave a message and I will return your call,” Greg says.
Greers Ferry Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 464.36 feet msl (normal conservation pool: 462.54 feet msl).
(updated 2-5-2020) Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said the water level at Greers Ferry Lake is at 464.16 feet msl, 2.12 feet above normal pool for this time of year of 462.04 feet msl and coming up more with the rain and forecasts rain. All species are in their wintertime haunts; even with the warm weather we have had, just angle of sun and time for them to move somewhat deeper following the shad, etc. Crappie can still be caught trolling or jigging in 18-35 feet of water. With walleye, the river spawners will make another push uplake and further upriver to do their thing, and lake fish will bite in lake deeper 28-40 feet on jighead minnows, and crankbaits trolled. Black bass can be caught dragging something, Alabama rigs, or crankbaits as well as hair jigs or spoons in real shallow out to 60 feet. No report on bream. Hybrid and white bass will eat spoons, inline spinners, E_Bar City Spinbaits, hair jigs, swimbaits and Alabama rigs in 30-60 feet. No report on catfish.
Harris Brake Lake
(updated 2-5-2020) Harris Brake Lake Resort (501-889-2745) says fishing picked up a little in the past week. The water as of Tuesday was a little murky but at a normal level. Crappie fishing is poor, and there have been no bass reports. But anglers report catching big white bass. The results have been good, but no lures were mentioned. Catfishing is good with chicken liver or nightcrawlers.
Lake Overcup
NOTICE: AGFC employees and contractors using airboats will be conducting foliar applications of EPA-approved herbicide – which will cause no harm to wildlife, people or aquatic life such as fish – to treat alligatorweed on Lake Overcup last year. 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 Lake Overcup through March 1, 2020. For more information, please contact the AGFC Fisheries Office in Mayflower at (877) 470-3309.
(updated 1-29-2020) Johnny “Catfish” Banks of Overcup Bait Shop and R.V. Park (501-354-9007) had no report. Visit Johnny’s Facebook page (Overcup Bait Shop and R.V. Park) for any latest updates and photos.
Brewer Lake
(updated 2-5-2020) David Hall, owner of Dad’s Bait Shop (501-977-0303), said water is high and the surface temperature Tuesday morning was 58 degrees. Crappie are good on No. 6 minnows and pink minnows, along with tri-color crappie tubes and Bobby Garland Baby Shad. Black bass are good on minnows and Tequila Sunrise worms. Catfish are good. The bites are on the bottom using chicken liver and black salties. David says all bait and, now, groceries are available at Dad’s Bait Shop.
Lake Maumelle
(updated 2-5-2020) Westrock Landing (501-658-5598) on Highway 10 near Roland said water temperature is in the mid-40s. Largemouth bass are fair. Some can be found shallow around 8-12 feet biting a variety of lures. Try using crankbaits, spinnerbaits, drop-shots and swimbaits. Kentucky bass are slow. Some reports of them being found in 10-15 feet of water outside the grass line at dusk and dawn. They can also be found in 18-22 feet off drops and rocky banks. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair. Reports of them being found scattered in the river channel around 20-24 feet. Some can still be found scattered mixed in with the whites. Try using jigs and minnows. Bream are slow, no reports this week. Give a try, though, using crickets and worms. Catfish are slow. Best to use chicken liver and crayfish.
Sunset Lake
(updated 2-5-2020) Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said crappie have been doing well early in the mornings off of pink crappie minnows and size 4 crappie minnows . Fish around the dock and also closer to the little island out there. Bass have been biting on the brooder minnows and also small jigs like beetle spins and spinnerbaits (black at night and white and pink during the day). With the warmer temperatures the bream have been going after the crickets and redworms pretty well. Catfish are being caught off of nightcrawlers and No. 12 bass minnows. You can find the regulations for this lake in the new AGFC Fishing Guidebook on page 70 at the top of the page (which we have if you need one!).
Bishop Park Ponds
(updated 2-5-2020) Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said crappie are being caught on No. 6 crappie minnows. Catfish doing good on No. 12 bass minnows, nightcrawlers and cut bait. Bass are fair on brooder minnows and No. 12 bass minnows. Bream being taken on crickets as well as on redworms and brown Rock Hoppers .
Saline River Access in Benton
(updated 2-5-2020) Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) says with the access to the river under the I-30 bridge past Sunset Lake being closed due to the construction, it has made it hard for some to get up to the spillway. For now putting in at Lyle Park access and going down to it would be an option. Catfish have been doing pretty well there at the spillway with minnows on the bottom. If you want the walleye, use the brooders just with a small split shot and let them go; don’t fish them on bottom unless you want a catfish. “A couple of guys have done good on the walleye there with brooders. Some getting a few and others getting almost their limit.”
Lisa adds “My husband went early Sunday morning. He caught four walleye, missed three others, then caught a nice Kentucky. He said once it got sunlight the fish cut off, he didn’t have another bite. Which is 6 per person. You can find the regulations for the river in the new AGFC Fishing Guidebook on page 78 at the top of the page.”
Crappie are doing well on No. 6 crappie minnows and pink crappie minnows. Bass have been doing well off of brooder minnows too.
Some of Lisa’s customers indicate to her that Lake Hamilton crappie are doing well on the brush using the pink crappie minnows.
Lake Norrell
(updated 2-5-2020) Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) said she’s heard good reports of some slab crappie being caught up in the coves using No. 6 crappie minnows and pink crappie minnows. Black bass are being caught around the docks with No. 12 bass minnows and brooder minnows as well as spinnerbaits and Zing Tails – Firetiger color has been good. Catfish are good on cut bait, goldfish and nightcrawlers. As few bream are being caught off of crickets fishing on bottom.
Lake Winona
(updated 2-5-2020) Lisa Spencer at Lisa’s Bait Shop (501-778-6944) says catfish are doing fair on bait shrimp, nightcrawlers and goldfish. Crappie are good on No. 6 crappie minnows and No. 12 bass minnows. A few walleye have been caught off of brooder minnows & bass minnows. Bream are fair on crickets. Black bass have been caught off of minnows as well, lots of small bass.