Walleye fishing in Beaver Lake. Crappie were reported at about 6 feet depth in Gold Creek, and at 6-8 feet depth around the Highway 89 bridge area. In the back of McGuire oxbow, we were throwing a custom-painted Little John Crankbaits in Rayburn Red, and a Bill Lewis SB-57 or MR-6 Crankbait in Strawberry Craw, Blood Craw or Red Glitter Craw and picking up a few random bites. 1. Lots of jigging soft plastics and lead spoons. This huge alligator was a mature male which was estimated to be around 35 years old. The lake level at Bull Shoals fell 0.4 foot to rest at 1.5 feet above power pool of 659 feet msl. Those white bass were in large numbers ranging 2-3 pounds and were biting well on Cordell Hammered Spoons, Bomber Fat Free Shads, Little George Tail-spinners, Heddon Sonar Metal Blades, and Rocket Shads. Excellent angling opportunities are on the horizon as soon as stable conditions return to Carpenter Dam, depending on consistent weather fronts. (updated 2-24-2023) Andrews Bait Shop and More (479-272-4025) said Friday morning that the crappie are beginning to bite, and bite well. Red Chrome, Toledo Gold or Natural Crawfish three-quarter-ounce Rat-L-Traps were picking up a few prespawn fish from 8-12 feet deep on vertical drops. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The ample brown trout bite has proven that late winter is a great time to visit the White River, and the rainbows aren't ignoring the bait either. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Catfish are slow but biting in the early evenings on stink bait and live bait. Thanks to a long summer, alligators have stuck around here in Arkansas. Mar 8, 2010. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are fishing poorly. Mike Huckabee Delta Rivers Nature Center, Forrest L. Wood Crowley's Ridge Nature Center, Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center, Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center, J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center, Rick Evans Grandview Prairie Nature Center, Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation Action Plan | 2020-2025, Disability, Mobility-impaired, 65-Plus, Military Retiree, Lifetime Licenses. Temperature and conditions over the next month will dictate your game plan and success. Bass have been caught this week on Chatterbait (black/blue, a Z Man Jackhammer is a good one to throw now with more vibration to it than others), or flipping a black/blue jig as well as a square-bill crankbait. Alligators in Arkansas (Little Rock, Hot Springs, Mena: house, living in, pine) User Name: Remember Me: Password . No baits were mentioned for black bass or catfish, either, but they were caught in fair numbers as well. With Little River turned to chocolate milk again this week with all the inflow, current and gate discharge, we are just going to take a wait-and-see approach as normal lake pool should be achieved over the next week to 10 days provided we don't have much more rainfall. When we look at its diet, its easy to understand just how it managed to get so heavy. All the above information will enable anglers to successfully fish in Lake Catherine as soon as Lake Ouachita falls down out of flood pool and the need for heavy generation and open flood gates subsides. The stage in the Little Rock pool was at 7.55 feet, down about 1 foot from this time a week ago (flood stage is 25 feet). Some reports say they are deep at 18-22 feet. There was once a town where Greers Ferry Lake now sits. The yo-yos are working for crappie, too, and also on minnows. As of Thursday midday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lakes flow at Dardanelle Lock and Dam as 37,793 cfs. Yes, alligators have been in Arkansas for thousands of years. Carry a large net, as most fish are lost at the net. (updated 2-23-2023) Lake Fayetteville Boat Dock (479-444-3476) said fishing has been pretty slow for the past several days, and they had no reports of note. Ken Winstead at Whiskers Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) in Perryville says, Lacey Williams at Lakeview Landing on Arkansas Highway 95 (501-252-1437) said that. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. You can learn a lot about a man by watching him cross a barbed wire fence. We have none of them either. They are now mainly found in the lower third of the state. This should improve with warm days and dirty water. The wind came up and it started to rain pretty hard. Swimming, skiing, scuba diving, boating, kayaking, and fishing are enjoyed here. Lake Monticello is mostly dependent on rainwater for refilling all of its 1,520 acres, and in late fall it had reached a coverage of almost 500 acres. In the clearer water farther down the lake, anglers been catching bass on Alabama rigs (which a few weeks back landed a 10-plus-pound largemouth in a tournament) and on green pumpkin or brown-colored jigs. Potlatch Cook's Lake Nature Center; Ponca Nature Center; Fred Berry Crooked Creek Nature Center; . Trolling shallow-running crankbaits that imitate shad or crayfish against the current will draw strikes from spawning walleye and is an excellent method of locating areas where walleye are congregating. Where to Fish in Arkansas The White has had no wadable water and heavy flows. Look for them in the river arms and below Beaver Dam, around War Eagle and the White River arms. (Top navigation pool is 338.2 and bottom pool is 336.0.) If you're looking to drift-fish, try fishing a double-nymph rig and adjust for the depths you are fishing. Double Deceiver patterns in yellow or olive have been working best for me, Mike said. The Army Corps of Engineers on Thursday reported the Clarendon gauge rising slightly at 28.74 feet, or 2.74 above the flood stage of 26.00 feet. John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said the water level on the Spring River is fishable. However, it wasnt plain sailing as the fearsome beast towed their boat around the lake for two whole hoursbefore they eventually managed to kill it. I did catch a few fish on a dead stick, meaning no motion at all except for what the boat was doing. When my wife, Lori, and I go out, I rig our rods differently. As of Thursday, the Corps of Engineers said water flow at the Ormond Lock and Dam was 15,682 cfs. Other reports have come of them being found on brush piles. If I am struggling I will ask another guide how he is doing and what he is using as we pass on stream. The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Fishing Team reports that water temperature is in the mid-50s in Lake Langhofer to the low 60s in protected backwaters. Be great if all this rain was snow. I had at least five in a one acre slough. 40,499 acres. Always check the USACE Little Rock app for the generation schedule before heading out. Rainbow Trout We favor a dark colored bait and also watermelon red, red or blue, or shad-like baits. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers, skipjack, shad, chicken liver and stink bait. Habitat: weeds, points, rocks, then down to the thermocline in the warmer months. Reports are updated weekly, although some reports may be published for two weeks if updates are not received promptly or if reporters say conditions havent changed. In addition, add lots of flash to white, olive or olive-and-brown streamers, sparkling collars on your jigs, or toss out a shiny silver spoon. The elevation is 249.26 feet msl. Then add in sulfur and Mercer and red River and you probably have enough gators for the whole south. The water temperature is ranging about 46-49 degrees. picking up topwater lures, Chatterbaits, buzzbaits, worms, shad-type flukes, creature baits and swimbaits. (updated 2-16-2023) Lowell Myers of Sore Lipem All Guide Service (501-250-0730) has no new updates. (updated 2-9-2023) Hatchet Jacks Sports Shop in Crystal Hill off I-40 (501-758-4958) reports that one of their regulars went to Blue Mountain Lake before this latest rainfall that inundated places, and he reported that for crappie he just slayed em. The overflow of that food source into the river sets off the famous voracious feeding pattern and the easy trout catch, which anglers love. Visit www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com for a daily update on fishing conditions. The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead). The fish are about 8-12 feet deep. Alligator in Southern Arkansas. Factors like diet, exercise, stress levels, and environmental conditions can all impact an alligators lifespan. Sauger A forum community dedicated to Arkansas hunters and enthusiasts. If the warm weather continues, the spawners should move soon. Alligators are highly territorial and typically live in freshwater environments such as swamps, marshes, ponds, lakes, and rivers. Stripers are moving into the river arms and upper White. Its kind of slow right now. Crappie are still biting but its difficult to catch them from the shoreline or dock. (updated 2-23-2023) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said the recent storms caused both Bull Shoals and Norfork Lakes to rise above the conservation pool. Little productive fishing has been done in the tailrace under these adverse conditions. Arkansas River at Morrilton Remember to be courteous to other boaters on the water. McKinzie told the Northwest Arkansas Times (http://bit.ly/LPQ4o5) that by the time commission officials arrived the animal was gone. The stage at Pine Bluff is at 31.63 and slightly on the rise (flood stage is 42 feet). Flow further upriver at Dardanelle Lock and Dam the flow was 37,793 cfs. As of Thursday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lakes elevation at 1,121.60 feet msl (normal conservation pool: 1,121.43 feet msl; top flood elevation is 1,130.0 feet msl). On Thursday, the Corps of Engineers said water flow at the Toad Suck Lock and Dam was 48,636 cfs. Harvest Reports. The warm rain helped. Reports have the bass being found both in deep water and shallow along rocky points. We are now just three-quarters of a foot above the top of the power pool and 1 feet above where we were on Feb. 7 before the 3-inch-plus rain. Norfork Lake fell 2.3 feet to rest at 0.9 foot above power pool of 553.75 feet msl and 25.3 feet below the top of flood pool. Fishing on the Little Red from a boat in high water has been good as far as the streamer bite goes. Winter probably isn't through with us yet, but we will take advantage of this early spring-like weather while it's here! McKinzie says the man was allowed to keep the animal for the time being. The Army Corps of Engineers has been releasing water to get the lake down, usually running two generators 24/7. Crappie The stage at Morrilton was down almost 6 feet from this time a week ago, to 12.28 feet (flood stage is 30 feet). Alligator hunter Travis Bearden was hunting on the lake with his father, brother, and friend during the final weekend of the alligator hunting season when they spotted the large animal nearby. Bass are not yet loading into typical early spwaning areas despite the abnormally warm temperatures. The smallmouth are definitely grouping up if you can find them; they are in roaming mode. Anyone else seeing a decline in the beaver population? Crappie are SLOW! I started the day with that fly and did well at Three Dollar Bridge on the Madison River. If I am fishing from a boat, I will ask every guide I see at the ramp. (updated 2-23-2023) Ken Winstead at Whiskers Sporting Goods (501-889-2011) in Perryville says crappie are biting and are typical for the changing water of late because of the weather, so move around from shallow to deep water. Gather as much information as you can before making your fly selection for the best results. This is 34.5 feet below the top of flood pool. The moist habitats are perfect for many animals, including alligators. Water temperature on Monday was 51.4 degrees, which is more than 3 degrees higher than this time last week. I tried a variety of methods and the one that worked best was spider-rigging with minnows at a slow crawl! Kent said. Andrews Bait Shop and More (479-272-4025) in Plainview hears from guides and anglers that crappie are doing very well now. Although alligators have a lot of teeth, they are ill-suited to biting chunks off and chewing. There has definitely been some shad kill. and draining of wetlands from 1860 to 1960. As of Friday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lakes elevation was 401.55 feet msl (full pool: 387.00 feet msl; top flood elevation is 419.0 feet msl). Redworms and crickets, of course, but also try bucktail jigs, maribou jigs and hair-tied jigs. An Alabama rig, crawfish-colored square-bill crankbait or a PB&J jig were working best. Plan your crappie trip to the Little Maumelle either early (sunup or before) and late in the day, an hour or so before dark and into the night (when the yo-yos are working). One fish is a fluke. Another source of information is asking others. The Newport stage is falling at 21.65 feet (flood stage is 26 feet). Kent Williams of Oxbow Guide Service (870-278-7978) said the water temperature is rising and the water is clear. The White has had no wadable water and heavy flows. Black Bass As members of Alligatoroidae, alligators are also members of the order Crocodilia. (update 2-23-2023) David Hall at Dads Bait Shop (501-289-2210), a 24/7 self-serve bait shop at the lake, had no new reports from the lake. As of Friday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lakes elevation was 401.55 feet msl (full pool: 387.00 feet msl; top flood elevation is 419.0 feet msl). Greers Ferry Lake. Very heavy generation has been the norm for several weeks with both generators running huge amounts of water through the system to keep area lakes at winter drawdown levels. Stripers do make a spawn just like every other fish in the lake; the only difference is the eggs do not recruit new fish. Walleye All species were out there feeding. Giant salvinia, a free-floating South American plant that has become a major threat to fisheries in the southern U.S., was first spotted on a small portion of Lake Erling in 2018. can be reached at 870-898-2800 for availability or additional information. Wading with the water up can be tricky wading staffs can keep ya dry. Alligators are found primarily in the southeastern United States, from North Carolina to Texas. Or, visit the AGFC nature center in Pine Bluff or Little Rock to see live alligators in captivity. We are still catching crappie and other bass deep 25-55 feet deep, but all the fish are going farther toward the river portions of the primary and secondary channels. The hot spot on the White River has been the catch-and-release Section below Bull Shoals Dam. Anything shad-like will be a great bait now. The hot flies have been olive Woolly Buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Blue Catfish Bass have been caught this week on Chatterbait (black/blue, a Z Man Jackhammer is a good one to throw now with more vibration to it than others), or flipping a black/blue jig as well as a square-bill crankbait. (updated 2-23-2023) The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Fishing Team reports that water temperature is in the mid-50s in Lake Langhofer to the low 60s in protected backwaters. Bait presentation should be very slow. Contact the reporter for current news for the lake or stream you plan to fish. It is important to note that dramatic drops in temperature greatly affect the trout bite in a negative way. The elevation is 249.26 feet msl. If they did not do well, I moved on. Expect more of the same as far as generation schedule goes. Their numbers where heavily depleted by unregulated market hunting (purses, belts, shoes, etc.) Ledges, humps and weed lines have been the most productive areas to fish. The largest species is the saltwater crocodile which can be more than 20 feet long, meaning that the largest alligators arent much smaller than them. As we fish, I pay particular attention to which fly caught the trout. This artificial lake was created when the Bull Shoals Dam was built, which is one of the country's largest dams. The northern portion of the lake has some color to the water, while past Cove Creek and Eden Isle the lake gets clearer. Generation has been pretty consistent, starting around 6 a.m. and ending mid-afternoon. Additionally, numerous conservation efforts are underway to restore natural wetland habitats that provide critical refuge for alligators and other aquatic wildlife species. Total hourly outflow at the dam is still high; at midday it was 18,275 cfs, and in the past two days the flo2 has been as high as 19,600 cfs. The river current has dropped, but the schools of white bass are migrating up and along Little River. On Thursday, the Corps of Engineers said water flow at the Emmett Sanders Lock and Dam at Pine Bluff was 40,646 cfs, about half the flow of this time last week. Three fish is a trend. Big snow/freeze knocked them back here. Bass are starting to bite on artificials off of the points. (updated 2-24-2023) Andrews Bait Shop and More (479-272-4025) in Plainview hears from guides and anglers that crappie are doing very well now. The huge alligator dwarfed their boat and used its immense strength and power to drag it around while the terrified occupants were completely at its mercy. for more information and tips on fishing Bull Shoals Lake. Though they may travel some distance over land in search of food or mates, alligators typically remain within a few miles of their home territory throughout their lives. At Dardanelle Lock and Dam the flow was 37,793 cfs as stable conditions return Carpenter! ( 870-435-2169 ) said the water is clear depths you are fishing poorly guides and that! 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