East Arkansas Fishing Reports

Find out about the fishing close to home

By Jim Harris Arkansas Wildlife Editor

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— Kent Williams of Oxbow Guide Service (870-278-7978) said that he found the water temperature at 54 degrees on Sunday. “With the weather fronts continuing, look for the lake temperature to slowly rise.

Hopefully the wind will lay a couple days a week to allow for some fishing.”

Crappie were still holding over deeper water. Most fish were caught 10-12 feet deep, but some were caught as deep as 18 feet. “Slowly the fish are scattering, which means it won’t be long before they head to the shallows. Males are starting to show some color as well. A variety of techniques will still work, with most people opting for spider- rigging and others are using advanced electronics.

Baits are about the same, with minnows, jigs or a

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combination of the two working.

“As for black bass, once again no official report, but I am still seeing some bass fishermen working the shallows in the warmer part of the day.”

No reports on catfish or bream.

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— Wil Hafner, facility manager at Potlatch Cooks Lake Nature Center (870-241-3373), said there has been no change here. The White River is holding at 27.5 or more feet at Clarendon, and Cooks Lake fishing is inaccessible. Cook’s Lake is a 2-mile long oxbow off of the White River, nestled in the heart of the Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge near Casscoe in Arkansas County. This fertile oxbow receives very little fishing pressure due to being used only for education purposes and youth and mobilityimpaired fishing. The scenic lake is full of slab crappie, giant bluegills, largemouth bass, and catfish of all species. Under current guidelines, Cook’s Lake will be open to fishing during normal business hours Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., water level pending. Cook’s Lake is open to fishing for youths under 16 or mobility- impaired anglers and up to two helpers (who may also fish). Fish from the 140-foot mobility-impaired accessible dock or launch a boat. To comply with current guidelines, please call ahead at least a day in advance to register to fish.

Before launching, please check in at the Conservation Education Center, and report back before leaving.

For information or unscheduled closures, call the center at (870) 241-3373.

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— Shelly Jeffrey at Lake Charles State Park (870-878-6595) said filling fell off a bit over the past weekend.

Crappie were the only fish reported, with fair results.

It appears the crappie had moved back into deeper water. Minnows and jigs were working along with worms. But no bream, black bass, white bass or catfish reports came in. The water is murky and high.

Surface water temperature Monday morning was 54.8 degrees. Shelly says the water is warming up despite the recent cooler air temperatures. While the crappie are deep, she adds, she had reports of a few nice-sized crappie being caught.

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— Lake Poinsett is within about 1.5 feet from full pool. The fishing now full harvest for bream and half limits for catfish. Bream are biting on crickets and worms.

Largemouth bass are scheduled to be stocked later this spring. Crappie will be stocked in the fall.

The lake was “rededicated” with a special ceremony signifying the reopening of Poinsett on April 5 following a nearly 5-year renovation project costing $3.5 million, the biggest AGFC lake renovation effort to this point. Several thousand more channel catfish were stocked in the lake during the event.

The gate at the dam at Lake Poinsett was closed in late 2020 following the completion of a three-year renovation project, and the lake began to refill. 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

trees anchored for fish habitat.

Other forage species that were stocked last year include fathead minnows, golden shiners and threadfin shad. They have been added in huge numbers to the lake to build up the food supply for the predators, which will be stocked this year.

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— Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the lake is “pretty clear” with a surface water temperature of 55 degrees. Water level is normal. The only reports they’ve heard on the lake have come from bass anglers, who report good catches. They’re using Dingers and Trick Worms.

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— Mark Crawford with springriverfliesandguides. com (870-955-8300) said water levels have been at 520 cfs (350 is average) and water clarity has been fair. Plenty of rain lately has the river flowing strong, about a foot above average flows.

Anglers have needed to be careful wading lately.

The trout have been hitting great with a little more weight to get the fly down.

Lead eye Woollies and tungsten bead-head nymphs are great. “And we are tying big Y2Ks to help on the slow days,” Mark said.

The campgrounds have all opened for the summer season and this provides more wade in access. “Stocking has ramped up also with Jim Hinkle Spring River Hatchery stocking really nice fish the last few weeks. Go wet a hook!”