MonticelloLive

Fishing Tip:  When the water drops rapidly on your favorite lake, fish tend to move out to points and creek turns near deeper water. In lakes with heavy vegetation, points covered with clumps of weeds can be havens for fish. If the fish are active, a crankbait or spinnerbait fished along the edge will work well. But if the fish are sluggish, break out a bass jig or Texas-rigged tube and pitch it to open holes in the grass for a slow, but steady bite.

Arkansas River Levels:  According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as of Wednesday the Arkansas River stages are:
Trimble Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 13):  Headwater – 391.32 feet, Tailwater – 371.64 feet, Flow – 7,430 cubic feet per second
Ozark Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 12):  Headwater – 371.78 feet, Tailwater – 337.92 fee
Dardanelle Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 10):  Headwater – 337.69 feet, Tailwater – 285.30 feet
Ormond Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 9):  Headwater – 285.02 feet, Tailwater – 265.26 feet, Flow – 5,090 cubic feet per second
Toad Suck Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 8):  Headwater – 265.42 feet, Tailwater – 250.53 feet
Murray Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 7):  Headwater – 250.33 feet, Tailwater – 231.33 feet, Flow – 0 cubic feet per second
Terry Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 6):  Headwater – 230.65 feet, Tailwater – 212.91 feet, Flow – 649 cubic feet per second
Sanders Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 4):  Headwater – 195.94 feet, Tailwater – 182.81 feet
Hardin Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 3):  Headwater – 182.26 feet, Tailwater – 164.05 feet
Mills Dam (Dam 2):  Headwater – 162.94 feet, Tailwater – 123.82 feet, Flow – 19,640 cubic feet per second

White River Levels:  According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as of Wednesday the White River stages are:
3.3 feet at Calico Rock (flood stage – 19 feet)
6.1 feet at Batesville (flood stage – 15 feet)
1.1 feet at Newport (flood stage – 26 feet)
10.7 feet at Augusta (flood stage – 26 feet)
0.4 feet at Georgetown (flood stage – 21 feet)
10.6 feet at Clarendon (flood stage – 26 feet)  
Statewide Family and Community Fishing Report:  Catfishing has been excellent on stinkbait and shrimp in the afternoons. Fish are feeding up before winter. Bream are good on worms. Trout fishing has been outstanding in northern Arkansas program ponds on any color Power Bait, marshmallows and gold spinners. For more information on trout stockings, call toll-free 1-866-540-FISH (3474). 

CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Lake Conway:  Bates Field and Stream (501-470-1846) said the water is clear and low. Crappie fishing is excellent on minnows and jigs. A few bass have been caught on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is fair on live bream.
Little Red River:  Lindsey’s Resort (501-302-3139)said the water is clear and at normal level. Generation is at an absolute minimum. Trout fishing has been really good on chartreuse Power Bait, buoyant spoons, and black or olive marabou jigs.
Jed Hollan at the Little Red Fly Shop said the Greers Ferry Power House released water only two days last week. These releases were about three hours long with only one generator being used. Water temperature averaged 47 degrees. The brown trout spawn is on and they’re stacked in the river right now. Twenty-inch long brown trout are all over the shoals eating chartreuse egg patterns like candy. There are some regulations that must be followed and common courtesies that should be extended to protect the fishery and still enjoy fishing. All brown trout 16 to 24 inches long must be released immediately. Please watch where you put your feet. Do not walk in the redds (clean areas of river bed specially prepared by the female trout for egg laying). The skies above the Little Red are dotted with blue winged olive, caddis and midge hatches. This trout food is best imitated on the surface with a tan elk hair caddis (sizes 18-20), BWO (sizes 18-20), Adams (sizes 18-20) or midge (sizes 18-22, cream). In the sub-surface realm, use sow bugs (sizes 14-16, tan, purple haze, peacock or light gray), zebra midges (sizes 16-22, red or black), gold ribbed hare’s ears (sizes 14-16), pheasant tails (size 16), wooly buggers (sizes 10-12, olive or black) and most any color egg pattern. Eggs with hare’s ear droppers and eggs with San Juan worm droppers are proving especially effective. Don’t use a dropper in the special regulations area where only one hooking point per angler is permitted.
Greers Ferry:  As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 457.05 feet MSL.
Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said hybrid and white bass fishing is still excellent all day as long as you stay with the schools of shad. If the fish aren’t pushing the shad to the top, you need to watch your electronics and have some wind to catch them. Spoons and Buckshot inline spinners are working well. Catfishing is good across the lake on jugs baited with bream and set about 18 feet deep. Bass are still scattered and are very hit-or-miss. Walleye are around the hybrids and whites and can be caught on spoons fished under the schools of shad. Crappie fishing is improving in the pole timber and channel swings. No report on bream.
Shiloh Marina said water conditions are normal. White bass are the best thing going in the evenings.
Harris Brake Lake:  Coffee Creek Landing (501-889-2745) said the water is clear and low. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs. Bass fishing is fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Catfish are biting well on trotlines with stink bait.
Lake Overcup:  Lakeview Landing (501-354-1470) said water conditions are normal. Bream fishing is fair on crickets. A few crappie have been caught on pink minnows, shiners and Crappie Stinger tubes. Catfish are biting well on minnows and nightcrawlers.
Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said all species are slow.
Brewer Lake:  Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said all species are slow.
Lake Maumelle:  Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said water conditions are about normal. Crappie fishing is fair in 20 feet of water on minnows. Kentucky bass are biting well on crankbaits and jigs around rocky points.
Lake Valencia:  Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said water conditions are about normal. Bass fishing is good on spinnerbaits and plastic worms. Catfishing is good on chicken hearts and nightcrawlers.
Maumelle River:  Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said water conditions are normal. Crappie fishing is good on minnows. Bass are biting well on jigs and crankbaits. Catfishing is good on limb lines and trotlines using goldfish and small green sunfish.
Sunset Lake:  Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said the water is fairly clear and at a normal level. Crappie fishing is good in about 15 feet of water on 2-inch Tennessee shad grubs. Bass fishing is good in shallow water around brush on trick worms or 5-inch green pumpkin lizards.
Saline River Access in Benton:  Turbyfill’s Outdoor Sports (501-315-3061) said water conditions are normal. Bream fishing is good on crickets. Crappie fishing is fair on black Rooster Tails. Bass are biting well on white spinnerbaits. Walleye fishing is decent in deeper water on green crankbaits.
Arkansas River at Morrilton:  Charley’s Hidden Harbor in Oppelo said catfish are holding on the backside of jetties and drops near sandbars where you have large schools of shad. They are biting well on nightcrawlers and shad fished 8 to 20 feet deep. Black bass are holding near woody cover near 6 to 10 feet of water in the late afternoon and biting on shad-colored Rat-L-Traps and slow-rolled spinnerbaits. A few schools of white bass are showing up in late evenings around Flagg Lake Cutoff and are biting fairly well on white Rooster Tails. Stripers are fair on live shad fished in 10 to 15 feet of water near jetty points and below the dams. Crappie are holding on the inside of the jetties around woody cover. They are biting fairly well on minnows fished 8 to 15 feet deep.
Arkansas River at Little Rock:  Vince Miller from Fish N’ Stuff (501-834-5733) said the water is low and clear with no flow. Bass fishing has still been decent in the backwater on jigs and crankbaits.
Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said fishing has slowed somewhat, but there’s a very good flipping bite with some good fish being caught. A black/blue jig bounced along rock jetties is working well on largemouth.
Little Maumelle River:  River Valley Bait (501-868-3279) said the water is clear and a little high. Bream fishing is fair on worms and crickets. Crappie fishing is decent on minnows and chartreuse jigs. Bass fishing is fair on spinnerbaits and assorted jigs. Catfishing is good.
Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said bream fishing is fair on crickets around lily pads. Crappie fishing is fair on red or chartreuse jigs. Bass fishing is good on minnows and spinnerbaits. Catfish are biting well on trotlines using cut bait.
Murray Lock and Dam:  Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said water conditions are normal. Crappie fishing is fair on minnows. White bass are biting on white and chartreuse twister tails. Catfishing is good on trotlines using cut bait, goldfish and green sunfish.
Palarm Creek:  Hatchet Jack’s Sport Shop said crappie fishing is fair on pink minnows and bass fishing is good on jigs.
Terry Lock and Dam:  McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is not running, which has caused all fishing to be slow.
Clear Lake:  McSwain Sports Center (501-945-2471) said the water is muddy and low. Crappie fishing is good in 4-5 feet of water on pink minnows. Bass fishing is good in 3 feet of water on white spinnerbaits.
 
NORTH ARKANSAS
White River:  Gaston’s White River Resort said Eagle Claw Nitro Worms are still reeling in great catches. Pink, orange, and white are good colors to try (This bait is scented and cannot be used in the Catch-and-Release Area.). The most popular baits the guides are using are live nightcrawlers and redworms. Artificial lures that are catching trout well are red/gold Buoyant Spoons, and gold/nickel Colorado Spoons. Silver or Rainbow patterned countdown Rapalas are hit or miss, but can bring in a wall-hanger.
Sportsman’s White River Resort said the water conditions are normal. Generators are running in the afternoons. Trout fishing has been excellent. Fly fishing is starting to pick up a lot more.
Angler’s White River Resort said the water is clear and a little low. The generators have been turned off and are just now being turned back on. Trout fishing has been fair on Power Bait.
Bull Shoals Lake:  As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 649.05 feet MSL.
Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock (870-445-4424) said fishing has been very tough for the last week and fall turnover is right around the corner. Surface water temperature in the low 70s and high 60s. Kentucky bass are suspended along bluffs dropping to the 80-foot range. Live minnows and nightcrawlers are working fairly well on the points and bluff walls. Top-water lures will catch fish in the early mornings, and it’s good to have a topwater ready at all times for random breaking fish. Kentucky and largemouth bass are biting well on spoons in deep standing timber. Walleye have been non-existent for the last week or so. Crappie are picking up and can be caught on brush piles in 18 to 25 feet of water on slip bobbers baited with a minnow.
Lake Norfork:  As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 546.60 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Bait and Tackle (870-492-5141) said the water is clear and about 5 feet low. Crappie fishing has been very good on minnows and jigs. Bass fishing is good on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and jigs. Stripers are biting well at night on minnows.
Norfork Tailwater:  Gene’s Trout Dock (870-499-5381) said the water is clear and the generators have slowed. Fly fishing is picking up on zebra midges and green woolly buggers. Brown and rainbow trout are being caught on Power Bait.
McLellan’s Fly Shop said generation has been very sporadic. Fall is the best time of year to fish egg patterns as the brown trout leave the deeper water for the shallow gravel flats to spawn. Best flies have been McClellan’s hunchback scud (sizes 14-16, tan, rainbow and copper, flashback scud (sizes 12-16, tan, olive and gray), McClellan’s woven sow bug (sizes 14-16), mercury brassie (sizes 18-20), flashtail mini egg (sizes 16-18) and unreal egg (size 16).
 
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
Beaver Lake:  As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,114.68 feet MSL.
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said water conditions are normal. Crappie fishing has been good in 10-12 feet of water around underwater structure on minnows, jigs and tube jigs. Catfish are biting well on trotlines. Bass fishing is fair on light-colored spinnerbaits.
Beaver Tailwater:  McLellan’s Fly Shop said there has been very little generation during the last few days, providing plenty of wade-fishing opportunities. Scuds, sow bugs, midge pupae patterns and cream midge adult patterns have been very productive. Fall and winter are great times to fish egg patterns as the brown trout make their annual spawning run. The best flies have been McClellan’s hunchback scud (sizes 14-16, gray or olive), McClellan’s woven sow bug (sizes 14-16), zebra midge (sizes 16-20, black/copper or olive), poison tung (size 20, gray/blue or black), cream midge adult (sizes 22-24), flashtail mini egg (sizes 16-18), unreal egg (size 16).
Lake Fayetteville:  Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) aid all species are slow.
Lake Sequoyah:  Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock (479-444-3475) said all species are slow.
Sugarloaf Lake:  Midland Minimart (479-639-9467) said the water is clear and low. Crappie fishing has been good on crickets. Bass are biting well on lures.
 
NORTHEAST ARKANSAS
Crown Lake:  Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is a little murky and low. Bream fishing is fair on crickets. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on crankbaits. A few catfish have been caught on liver.
Lake Frierson:  Lake Frierson State Park said all species are slow.
Eleven-Point River:  Woody’s Canoe Rental and Campground (870-892-9732) said all species are slow.
 
SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
Lake Chicot:  Koenig Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said the water is clear and 2 feet low. Bream fishing is fair on wax worms and crickets. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is good on worms and crickets.
Grand Lake:  Koenig Bass Tracker Marine (870-265-5374) said the water is clear and low. Crappie fishing is good trolling minnows and jigs.
 
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
Millwood Lake:  As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 259.34 feet MSL.
Millwood Lake Guide Service said main lake and Little River surface temperature is 63 to 66 degrees, depending on location and time of day. Main lake clarity and visibility is at 2-3 inches. Current is decreased to 155 cubic feet per second. Largemouth bass and white bass fired back up in random locations along Little River and her oxbows over the last few days with surface feeding frenzies. The bite has been very good on swimming jig heads w/ Bass Assassin Curly Shad trailers and Rat-L-Traps all morning. Shallow-running crankbaits are beginning to draw responses from largemouths. The Baby Minus-1 in shad patterns, the Fat Free Shad/Guppy and the Cordell Big-O shallow divers are catching some decent fish deflecting off stumps in sloughs of inside river bends. The best results after the top-water bite dies are coming by slowly swimming shallow-running jerkbaits and Rat-L-Traps through stands of green lily pads. Some nice-sized fish are holding where smaller clumps of 6 to 15 lily pads are standing away from huge pad fields. The best jig-and-pig bite has been on Texas Craw (chart/pumpkin/black) or black/blue jigs with black or green pumpkin chunk trailers. Texas-rigged 10-inch worms in junebug/red, black grape or blue fleck are taking some nice keepers on cypress trees, cypress tree knees, stumps, and close to vegetation and stumps near creek channel swings in 7 to 12 feet of water. White bass seem to be best on Rat-L-Traps, Roadrunners and Rocket Shads. Find the clearest water near Horseshoe, Mud and McGuire oxbows and in Hurricane Creek and Cemetery Slough and start the search for white bass anywhere from 5 to 10 feet deep. Crappie are near planted brush piles in 11 to 14 feet of water, and are biting poorly on hair jigs and shiners. Catfish are fair around the river and oxbows on yo-yos and trotlines baited with cut shad, minnows and stinkbait and set 6 to 9 feet deep=2E
Lake Columbia:  Steve’s Marine (870-234-2222) said bream fishing is fair on crickets. Crappie fishing is picking up around shallow water on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is fair.
Lake Erling:  Steve’s Marine (870-234-2222) said bream fishing is fair on crickets. Crappie fishing is picking up around shallow water on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is fair.
White Oak Lake:  White Oak Lake State Park said fishing really picked up last week. Bass are biting top-water lures and minnows well. Crappie are biting minnows very well. Catfish are still going after prepared bait on jugs and trotlines. The coming cold front is really bringing them around.
Lake Greeson:  As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 535.83 feet MSL.
Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips Guide Service said fishing has been good on the river lately with emerger patterns, especially a “smidge” or A&W emerger. The best action has come from deeper pools, but many fish have been seen roaming the flats.
Little Missouri River:  Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Fly Fishing said evening fishing is nothing short of excellent on sub-surface flies such as the smidge pattern. The front came through, but bright, sunny skies are still the order of the day. When you can get a little breeze to add some chop to the water, try a light Cahill..
DeGray Lake:  As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 394.45 feet MSL.
DeGray One Stop (501-865-3511) said the water is clear and low. A few bream have been caught in 15-20 feet of water on redworms and crickets. Crappie fishing is decent in shallow water on jigs and live bait around brush piles. Bass fishing is fair on spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and top-water baits. A few catfish have been caught in deeper water on live bait.
Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said fishing is still excellent on hybrids and black bass in the lower section of the lake near the state park. Top-water lures are working well on breaking fish from sunup to around 9 a.m. After the surface activity stops, Carolina rigs and jigs fished in the outside edge of the grass are working well until around noon.
 
WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Lake Dardanelle:  Bill’s Bait and Tackle (479-754-6354) said the water is a little murky and low. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs. Bass fishing is fair on crankbaits, jigs and plastic worms. Catfishing is fair on shad.
Blue Mountain Lake:  As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 384.24 feet MSL.
CNC’s End of the Line (479-947-2398) said the water is a little murky and low. Bream fishing has been good on worms. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Bass fishing is good on spinnerbaits. Catfish are biting on worms, livers and minnows.
Ozark Pool:  Lakeside Food Mart (479-667-5155) said the water is a little murky and at a normal level. A few bream are being caught on worms and crickets. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs. Black bass are being caught on spinnerbaits and black crankbaits. White bass are being caught on jigs and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on cut bait and nightcrawlers.
Lake Ouachita:  As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 568.12 feet MSL.
Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said fishing is good with some nice stringers of Kentucky bass coming from creek channels on spoons. There are some breaking fish, but overall the bite is spotty. Fishing is good flipping a ¾- to 1-ounce jig in dense grass around 15 to 17 feet deep. Stripers are hit-and-miss but should be picking up soon. Crappie are fair on the outside edge of the grass.
Mountain Harbor Resort said the surface temperature is 64-70 degrees. Largemouth bass are biting well on finesse worms, spoons and Zara Spooks on main lake points and secondary points. Spotted bass are biting well on live crayfish fished near brush in 15 to 20 feet of water. Walleye are biting well on spoons and crankbaits over humps and main lake points with brush. Stripers are excellent on live bait. Top-water action is good in the middle part of the lake early and late. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms in 18 to 25 feet of water. Crappie are excellent over grass and brush in 12 o 24 feet of water. Catfishing is good on jugs and trotlines baited with cut bait and set in 20 to 25 feet of water.
Lake Catherine:  Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that the 5-foot winter drawdown is underway and will be completed Nov. 9. An additional 3 feet will be taken Nov. 18-21. This water will be returned to the initial 5-foot level Dec. 10-13. During this process, the tailwater area will be dangerous to boaters and wade fishermen alike. Generation will continue throughout this period and the whole area is filled with shallow rock and other underwater hazards. Beginning mid-November, the rainbow trout stocking program will begin and fishing conditions will be back to normal.
Lake Hamilton:  Larry Hurley from Poorman’s Guide Service said fishing is mostly unchanged from last week. The bass bite is good in the mornings on crayfish-colored crankbaits. When the sun is high, switch to a Carolina-rigged Berkley Beast on main lake points. Some fish are being caught along the docks on jigs as well.
Lake Hinkle:  Bill’s Bait Shop (479-637-4719) said water conditions are normal. Crappie fishing is good in deep water on minnows. Bass fishing is fair on spinnerbaits and plastic worms. Catfishing is fair on worms, liver and perch.
Lake Atkins:  Lucky Landing (479-641-7615) said the water is clear and a little low. Bream fishing is excellent on worms and crickets. Crappie fishing is starting to pick up using minnows and jigs. Catfishing is excellent on trotlines and yo-yos.
Lake Nimrod:  As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 342.05 feet MSL.
Bait N’ More (479-272-4025) said that water conditions are normal. Crappie fishing has been good on minnows. Bass are biting well on minnows and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is excellent on live and prepared bait.
 
SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Moro Bay:  Moro Bay State Park said the river is at its normal level (65 feet above sea level). On clear days the temperatures have been great for being outdoors. It’s a bit chilly in the mornings though, so bring a jacket if you plan to come early. The crappie are beginning to bite around 3feet deep in the bay. Shiners and red/chartreuse jigs seem to be working best. A few catfish are being caught on trotlines, including a 26.5-pound fish only a few days ago. Some small bass have been caught, but for the most part, bass and bream anglers have gone home empty handed.
Jones Lake:  Russell Ice and Tackle (870-797-2993) reports that crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is decent on worms and liver.
 
EAST ARKANSAS
Arkansas River (Pine Bluff):  River City Sporting Goods (870-534-8303) said the water is murky and at a normal level. Crappie fishing is good on red minnows and black or chartreuse jigs. Bass fishing is good early and late on spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on cut bait.
White River:  Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water is clear and low. Bass fishing is fair on Senkos.
Maddox Bay:  Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) said all species are slow.
Bear Creek Lake:  Arkansas Outdoors (870-295-4240) said the water is murky and low. Crappie fishing is fair trolling green jigs. A few bass have been caught on plastic worms.
Horseshoe Lake:  Local angler Clyde Gregory said water conditions are normal. Crappie fishing is good around the piers on black/chartreuse jigs. Bass fishing is good on top-water lures fished over grassy areas. Catfishing is excellent on small shad and red hot dogs strung from trotlines.