Lake Poinsett
FISHING REPORTS (cont.)
crappie are biting well on jigs and worms. Shelly had no reports on black bass, white bass or catfish.
The surface water temperature Monday morning was 48.2 degrees and the water level is low by 5 feet (Lake Charles helps provide water to Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA’s waterfowl hunting).
The clarity is the usual murky and cloudy.
Lake Poinsett is in the process of refilling, but is rainfall dependent and the region hasn’t had a lot of rainfall lately. The fishing now is predominantly catch-and-release for bream.
They seem to be biting on crickets and worms. Small boats, kayaks or canoes are the only watercraft that can launch at this time.
The gate at the dam at Lake Poinsett was closed a year ago, following the completion of a three-year renovation projection, and the lake began to refilling.
The lake has been undergoing an extensive renovation with a new water control structure, more than 10,000 linear feet of shoreline work, more than 100 habitat structures placed on the lakebed, and nearly 100 trees anchored for fish habitat.
Other forage species that were stocked this spring include fathead minnows, golden shiners and threadfin shad have been added in huge numbers to the lake to build up the food supply for the predators, which will be stocked in 2022.
(updated 12-9-2021) Boxhound Marina (870670-4496) has closed for the season and will reopen in mid-February.
Mark Crawford with springriverfliesandguides.c om (870-955-8300) said the Spring River is flowing at 250 cfs (350 is average) and water clarity has been very clear. The river has been very low for a few months now. Really in need of rain in this area. Guide trips have been in rafts lately. The drift boats have not done well on all of the rocks and low water areas.
Catching has been great over the last two weeks.
Lots of blue-wing olives and caddis hatching, especially last week with the warm weather. Dries have been working on the spring, but beware the shad in the shallow areas. We’ve got big ones and they love dries! Nymphs and smaller Woollies have been great for numbers. White Lightning, a big white fly pattern sold in fly shop similar to big white Woolly, has been the producer many times for bigger rainbows and, of course, olive Woollies for the browns. Overcast days have been small streamer fun and nymphing on the sunny days. If the bite is not there, eggs or move!
Catching a few bass, but more largemouth than smallies. As the cold sets in, the smallmouth can start to bite. But slow presentations during winter months. The White Lightning was made for smallmouth during winter below a big hopper. Hopper during winter?
Better than an indicator.
Work on the Jim Hinkle Spring River Hatchery is going well. The hatchery continues to stock the Spring weekly and has been doing great at working around the construction. The work is scheduled for a year before completion. Renovation of the hatchery is very exciting and shows how much Arkansas is investing in the area. Progress will be posted through the year.
With the river so low, wading is better, but please be careful – the river is all boulders and slick rock.
Wading staffs are a lifesaver on the Spring.
John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said the water level on the Spring River is fishable.
This is a great place to wade fish when they are running water on the White and North Fork rivers.
Canoe season is over and the canoes are mostly gone. Fish the upper river at the Lassiter Access to avoid them or fish Dam 3 late in the afternoon, after they have left the area. Wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff – there is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive Woolly Buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks.
The Army Corps of Engineers reported Thursday that the White River stage at Batesville was at 6.29 feet, well below the flood stage of 15.0 feet. The Newport stage was at 4.32 feet, also well below the flood stage of 26.0 feet. The stage at Augusta has was up another foot this week to 15.53 feet, still about 10.5 feet below flood stage of 26.00 feet.
Triangle Sports (870-7937122) in Batesville reports that walleye are fair around Locks 2 and 3 on live bait and jigs.
Tyler Ball, park ranger at Mississippi River State Park (870-295-4040), said anglers at Bear Creek Lake report having a little success catching bream with red worms. Bream have been reportedly caught between depths of 4-6 feet.
Meanwhile, there is very little fishing activity present at Storm Creek Lake now. Tyler says they haven’t received any reports from anglers within the last month. If you’re vising the state park, please let the Visitor Center know how it’s going.
