Nice weather gives a boost to holiday fishing

Sunny Memorial Day leads to hotter fishing action in Arkansas

Arkansas Wildlife Editor Memorial Day weekend in Arkansas can often be a scorcher. But this year, in terms of weather, it was almost indescribably pleasant after a rainy week.

And that was enough to get many people out enjoying the state's fisheries for a variety of species last week. Though water is still high in many lakes (still on the rise in some of the Army Corps of Engineers lakes in the northern part of the state while holding high but steady elsewhere), the fishing opportunities near the 'new' shorelines in the high lakes provided many catching chances, especially for bream and bass.

Walleye are still being caught at Greers Ferry Lake, too. Hybrid bass and stripers are coming on in the big lakes, we're told.

Catfish reports are on the rise; one spot to check out is in east Arkansas at Bear Creek Lake in the Mississippi River State Park.

Trout fishing has been a family affair for many this season, as the Yancey family showed us over the holiday. Justin Yancey sent us the photo below of him and his kids having a blast on the White River around Norfork Lake, as 8-yearold Ava hooked a fish and 5-year old Gavin did the netting part, with dad holding on to the rod. This was on Saturday; two days later they took in Dry Run Creek for more fun trout fishing, a perfect kids and parents getaway. Even though Bull Shoals Lake and Norfork Lake are well above normal conservation pool, the Army Corps of Engineers is being careful releasing water that would push things too high on the trout steams below.

We're told that Greers Ferry Dam is on a 12-hour generation schedule now.

Check out all our Fishing Reports this week for tips and locations for some fun fishing that will suit all ages, starting with the East Side of Arkansas

Bear Creek Lake & Storm Creek Lake

Tyler Ball, park ranger at Mississippi River State Park (870-295-4040), said anglers at Bear Creek Lake report having great success in catching crappie and blue catfish within the last week. Crappie have been reported to be biting at depths of 3-4 feet, particularly in coves. Artificial baits and minnows have grown to be the most popular for catching these wonderful tasting fish. Blue cats have also been on the menu. Anglers report having success catching blues in depths of 6-8 feet using mostly homemade baits.

Surveying has been completed for the construction of the spillway at Bear Creek Lake; however, the park is still waiting news from the U.S Forest Service on when the project will be started and an approximate date on completion.

At Storm Creek Lake within the state park, anglers report catching blue catfish

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Photo courtesy of AGFC FISHING REPORTS (cont.)

within in the past week in depths of about 8 feet using homemade baits. “The fishing activity at Storm Creek Lake is starting to pick up, it seems,” Ball said. “We hope to hear more positive outcomes in these hot summer

months!”

The AGFC’s Wil Hafner at Cook’s Lake Conservation Education Center (870-241-3373) said it continues to be the same story for Cook’s Lake due to the higher water from the White River, which ends up flooding the parking lot at the center. It will remain closed until water recedes enough, Hafner said.

He did make another trip over to Peckerwood Lake, just east from Slovak between Hazen and Stuttgart, this week; see his report under Central Arkansas.

Kent Williams of Oxbow Guide Service (870-278-7978) had no new reports.

John Criner, Evening Times Outdoors Columnist said the fishing was a bit of a bust over the weekend thanks to strong winds and cooler temperatures but by Memorial Day the action (and the weather) had heated up.

Shelly Jeffrey at Lake Charles State Park (870-878-6595) said Lake Charles anglers and visitors enjoyed a beautiful, cool Memorial Day weekend, and she received lots of fishing reports on bream and catfish, with a few nice bass caught and some good activity seen with crappie.

The bream bite is excellent on worms and crickets.

Bream are up around brushpiles, stumps and rocky points and in shallow areas. Crappie are good.

Try minnows, jigs and worms. Crappie are being caught around brushpiles, stumps and rocky points.

Black bass are good, with anglers using spinnerbaits, crankbaits and plastic worms. Anglers were targeting brush and rocky points for best success.

Catfishing is excellent. Try worms, blood bait, stink bait, chicken liver, shad and goldfish. The lake clarity is murky as usual and water is high. Water temps are in the high 60s

Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) reports that water clarity is “pretty clear” and the lake is high.

Surface water temperature Wednesday morning was 73 degrees. Bream are good on redworms and crickets. Crappie action just disappeared over the week; no reports. Black bass are good; try using plastic worms.

Catfish got with it this week, biting well on chicken liver and nightcrawlers.

Mark Crawford with springriverfliesandguides.c om (870-955-8300) said water levels are running at 470 cfs and water clarity has been clear this week.

River flows are still up some, “but thankfully we have missed most of the rain lately. A heavy rain could change river conditions this time of year. Be careful wading with the higher flow.”

The trout have been hitting great on olive and brown Woollies on cloudy days and Y2Ks and nymphs on sunny days. It has been tough getting the fly down, and an extra weight may help get the fly down to the fish. Smallies have been tough in the high water but have been hitting as the water clears. Big streamers or Clousers are the ticket to get them to bite around the big rocks and rocky shoreline.

For spin-fishers, Trout Cranks and Flicker Shad are working well. The crankbaits do a good job of getting down to the fish, and they're also a good way to possibly catch a walleye. During this time of year keep an eye on Mark’s blog at springriverfliesandguides. com for the latest conditions on the Spring River.

John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said the Spring River is high and off-color. This is a great place to wade fish when they are running water on the White and North Fork rivers. 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 (size 10), cerise and hot pink San Juan worms (size 10) and Y2Ks (size 10).

The Army Corps of Engineers reported Thursday that the White River stage at Batesville was at 9.97 feet, 5 feet below the flood stage of 15.0 feet. The Newport stage continued to fall to 17.44 feet, below the flood stage of 26.0 feet. The stage at Augusta slowly closes in on flood stage of 26.0 feet, sitting at 28.75 feet after being over 30 a couple of weeks ago.

Triangle Sports (870-793-7122) said the water remains muddy and at a high level. No reports on the quality of fishing.

Arkansas River at Pine Bluff The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Fishing Team said water temperature is in the low 70s.

Visibility is up to 1-1.5 feet with good plankton blooms in protected waters. Water levels and water velocity are variable. The shad spawn is underway; watch for them early in the morning and late in the evening along rock banks. Any shad-colored moving lure, topwaters to crankbaits, will work well for black bass at this time. Back off to brushpiles along sand ledges during the middle of the day or target cover that creates shade along the bank.

Sarah Reap, assistant superintendent at Cane Creek State Park, said fishing activity at Cane Creek Lake this week has been on the downslope. There have been many reports of unsuccessful trotlines and shoreline fishing. Bream activity has remained steady with the bream being caught with crickets, while crappie are being caught with jigs and minnows.