Looking for stripers?
Here's where all the action is lately…
Arkansas Wildlife Editor Wayne Walker (pictured) of Springfield, Missouri, brought in a massive Norfork Lake striped bass this week. Walker caught the fish vertical-jigging a Tader Shad and showed it off at the marina at Hummingbird Hideaway Resort, where owner Lou Gabric got a photo and sent it to us.
Lou says striped and hybrid bass are being found all over Norfork Lake. On Wednesday, he found them in a cove in 15-25 feet of water feeding on shad. Not only that, he found largemouth, spotted and white bass also feeding heavily on the surface in the same area. He also located a few striped and hybrid bass in 60 feet of water just outside of the main river channel. Shallower stripers are going for a small 3.5-inch paddle tail swimbait or a Kastmaster with a feather trailer, Lou says. The deeper stripers are interested in a vertically jigged 3-inch plastic jig, though anglers can also vertical-jig a spoon.
All sorts of bass are 'getting very energetic,' he said, and topwater action is starting. It's sure to get better as the water warms.
Guide Jon Conklin of FishOn Guide Service at Beaver Lake says stripers are still roaming there and are fair. Look from Monte Ne to Point 12. 'They should make a good spring showing up both river arams within the next month,' Conklin said.
Stripers are also very good and are staging at Lake Ouachita to make their runs up the river channels, according to Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa.
Alabama rigs and topwater C-10 Redfins are always good choices for striper there.
Plenty of other opportunity abounds. Check out our reports below:
Norfork Lake
As of Saturday, the Army Corps of Engineers reported the lake’s elevation at 553.54 feet msl (normal conservation pool: Sept.April, 553.75 feet msl; April-Sept. 555.75 feet msl; top flood elevation 580.0 feet msl). Total outflow from Norfork Dam is 6,266 cfs.
Lou Gabric at Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said Norfork Lake has had some fishing ups and downs due to the ever-changing weather patterns. But overall, the bite continues to be good for most species. Yes, you do have to look for bait to find the species that follow the bait fish, but typically once you find the bait the fish will not be far away. The bait moves from very shallow water out to deep water, then the cycle begins again.
Striped and hybrid bass are being found all over the lake. “(Wednesday) I found them in the back of a medium- size cove where the strong southwest wind was blowing straight in. There were big schools of bait at the mouth of the cove, but once I passed the points of the cove, I found that the bait was scattered out. The fish were in 15-25 feet of water feeding on shad. The fun part of this area was that the largemouth, spotted and white bass were all feeding heavily on the surface. I also located a few scattered out striped/hybrid bass in 60 feet of water just outside of the main river channel. The bait was scattered out so, of course the fish were scattered out as well. I am catching the shallower stripers either by casting out a small 3.5-inch paddle tail swimbait or a Kastmaster with a feather trailer. I have been catching all species on these two baits when I find them in relatively shallow water.
The deeper stripers I have been vertical jigging a 3-inch plastic jig but you can vertical jig a spoon.| “As stated above the bass are getting very energetic.
Topwater action is starting and will only get better as the water temperature continues to warm. This will happen when the cool fronts stop and we start getting some stable weather. Crankbaits, swimbaits, spinners, A-rigs, and topwater baits are all working at this time. After a rain head back into creeks that have some flowing water, you will find some nice bass.
“Crappie have started to school on tops of brush and are starting to roam back into their spawning areas.
This is the time when I start trolling Berkley Flicker Minnows in size 7 and 9. Find a cove that has a lot of brushpiles and start trolling throughout the cove. You will pick up some really nice fish. There will still be some crappie in the brush, typically on the tops of the brush. Use a small plastic jig. Live bait drifted over the brush is
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FISHING REPORTS (cont.)
also working great.
“This is a great time of year to catch most species in Norfork Lake.”
The surface water temperature this morning was close to 53 degrees. The water level is rising slowly due the rain last weekend. The current level is 553.38. The water is stained due to the rain, but is a great fishing color.
“I post almost daily on Facebook. If you want more frequent information please visit and like Hummingbird Hideaway Resort’s Facebook page.
“Happy Fishing and enjoy Norfork Lake.”
Steven “Scuba Steve” Street at Blackburn’s Resort says the lake level is 553.37 feet msl and has risen about 2.5 inches in the last 24 hours with generation
about three-quarters
of the time. The White River at Newport is 19 feet
and rising. “We are approaching the power pool of 553.75 feet msl, where the C.orps of Engineers take over generation control again. We received about 2.5 inches of rain here at Blackburn’s in the last three days, but it is over now and another cold front is here with highs near 50 for a couple of days and then warm-up later this weekend and very warm early next week.
“It has been very windy and making it hard to fish.
The water on both the main lake and in the creeks is stained and you can see your lure down only a couple of feet. The surface water temperature remains in the low to mid-50s depending on where you are. Overall fishing is just fair with the bass bite being the best followed by crappie. Most walleye have spawned and have moved to the main lake points in water less than 20 feet, and the bite is picking up nicely. White bass have moved to the backs of major creeks in big bays and the topwater bite for them and bass will start soon and get into full swing by April 15.
Bass are both on main lake and back in the creeks near the bank, but I have seen none on beds yet (but the stained water makes it hard to see them).
“It was very clear near the bank, but not as of yesterday. It will clear rapidly now unless we get another big rain. Male crappie are in the backs of creeks on any wood and are staging to make nests. If you work the bank with a jig, you can catch singles. The warm weather next week will make a lot of changes. The night bite for stripers is nearly over with just a few being caught on the bank at and after dark. This is an exciting time.”
For a daily fishing report and lake condition go to www.blackburnsresort.com and click on Scuba Steve’s Blog.
(updated 3-24-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Norfork Lake fell 0.4 foot to rest at 0.8 foot below power pool of 553.75 feet msl and 27 feet below the top of flood pool. The Norfork tailwater had wadable water every day. All of the lakes in the White River system are now below power pool. With the current lake levels, expect more wadable water in the future.
There has been wadable water on the Norfork during the day and it fished poorly. The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead). Grasshoppers have produced fish, particularly when used in conjunction with a small nymph dropper (try a size 20 black zebra midge). Double-fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended 18 inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise). The fishing is much better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday.
Dry Run Creek has fished particularly well. Spring break is here and the creek can get busy during the week. Weekends can get a quite crowded. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective. Carry a large net, as most fish are lost at the net.
As of Saturday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,120.30 feet msl (normal conservation pool: 1,120.43 feet msl; top flood elevation is 1,130.0 feet msl).
Total outflow from Beaver Dam is 3,871 cfs.
Jon Conklin with FishOn Guide Service (479-233-3474) said Beaver Lake has felt the effects of the upand- down weather. Water was warming nicely, then rain and a cold front dropped water temps to the low 50s. The latest rain brought the White River up 3.5 feet on gauges. The mudline is close to the U.S. Highway 412 bridge on the White and past Natural Walk on the War Eagle. It did not get extremely muddy on either, so it should clear in a few days.
Fishing is good but Tuesday it slowed a bit due to drop in water temps.
Walleye are spawning and are on a pretty good bite.
Look up the White past Neill’s Bluff up to the Arkansas Highway 45 bridge. White bass are also starting to show. That will get better in the next few weeks. Bass are showing in
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dropped water temps to the low 50s. The latest rain brought the White River up 3.5 feet on gauges. The mudline is close to the U.S. Highway 412 bridge on the White and past Natural Walk on the War Eagle. It did not get extremely muddy on either, so it should clear in a few days.
Fishing is good but Tuesday it slowed a bit due to drop in water temps.
Walleye are spawning and are on a pretty good bite.
Look up the White past Neill’s Bluff up to the Arkansas Highway 45 bridge. White bass are also starting to show. That will get better in the next few weeks. Bass are showing in the backs of main arms and are doing well on Alabama rigs. Stripers are still roaming and are fair. Look from Monte Ne to Point 12.
They should make a good spring showing up both river arms within the next month.
“Hoping for warm weather. Stay safe and good luck!”
Visit Jon’s Facebook page for latest updates, FishOn Guide Service Goshen AR.
Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) reported that walleye are good in the rivers. They are spawning now and biting crankbaits and soft plastics as well as live minnows. White bass appear to be just getting started, and anglers report good results. Black bass are good on crankbaits, jerkbaits and jigs. Crappie are in prespawn mode and are biting well on minnows and jigs around cover. No reports on bream or catfish. The river water level is normal.
Guide Austin Kennedy (479-244-0039) said that with the generation schedule and the water levels going down, getting on the bite has been a little bit of a struggle, but definitely possible. The best response has been with light terminal tackle and various PowerBaits. Hitting the deeper holes and moving around will keep you on the bite.
“Drifting has done good as well, but not as good as fishing the deep holes and slack water,” Austin said.
“I have not tried it yet, but with the low water levels, you may try to fish downstream from Houseman Access. Try pulling F-7s, and S-R 5s. You may end up catching something other than a trout. The bite is spread out, there really has not been a real hot spot, just hit the deeper water. Good luck and catch some fish.”
Visit Austin’s fishing Facebook Page for more tips on the tailwater.
As of Sunday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at Blakely Dam was 574.65 feet msl (full pool: 578.00 feet msl).
Capt. Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips (501-844-5418) said lake level and water temperature is on the rise. “We’ve been catching crappie as shallow as 3 feet and as deep as 10 feet mostly on live bait under slip corks in the backs of creek arms and coves. Don’t get too discouraged because when they are making babies; they don’t eat much. Once they are done with their business, they’ll be hungry and stacked up on the midrange brushpiles fished 6-12 feet deep.
Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa (870-867-2191) said black bass are good.
Try a lipless crankbait or jerkbait over main lake points for these fish or a spinnerbait in runoffs.
Floating worm and Carolina-rigging season are here! Walleye are making their way back down to the lake. A swim jig or Shad Rap should work to find and catch these fish.
Stripers are very good and are staging to make their runs up the river channels.
Trolling an Alabama rig or throwing a topwater C-10 Redfin are producing quality catches. Bream are fair on crickets or worms 20-25 feet deep on brush. Crappie are still very good on small jigs or minnows. Try brushpiles in the 18-30 foot depth range. Catfish are good on juglines or trotlines with stink bait, shad or nightcrawlers. Water temperature is ranging 54-57 degrees. The water clarity is stained. Lake level Thursday was 574.36 feet msl. Call the Mountain Harbor fishing guides (Mike Wurm, 501-622-7717, or Chris Darby, 870-867-7822) for more information.
Masterbaiters Bait and Tackle (501-209-6538) on Arkansas Highway 7 outside Hot Springs Village reports that they are still getting good numbers of walleye on crankbaits and nightcrawlers from 40 feet in the trees to rocky points in 20-25 feet. Also look in the grass; also getting some mixed in with the white bass on jigging spoons
