ARKANSAS FISHING REPORT
Posted on Sunday, July 20, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/hl/Sports/25109/
NORTHWEST
Beaver Lake Southtown Sporting Goods said the water is stained and about 8 feet above normal level. Bream are good on crickets. Crappie are fair in 15-20 feet of water on jigs. Bass are good on jigs and deep-diving crankbaits. White bass are good in the midlake area. J. T. ’s Crappie Guide Service said bass have are good on Carolina rigs fished around mainlake points and humps. Best colors are watermelon-red and pumpkin seed. Spinnerbaits fished along flooded trees have also been effective. Crappie are good in the mid-lake area on Shineee Hineee jigs. White bass and walleye are fair at night around Horseshoe Bend along the bluffs. Best tactic is to set out lights and fish minnows 10-30 feet deep. Stripers are fair around point 4 on umbrella rigs trolled 20-30 feet deep. Hook, Line & Sinker said bass remain fair in flooded trees, bushes and grass. Productive lures include spinnerbaits, topwaters, finesse worms or jigs and Carolina-rigged soft plastics. Topwater action is fair early and late on the lower end of the lake and in other areas where the water is sufficiently clear. Crappie remain scattered and fair on minnows, jigs and trolled crankbaits. Stripers are fair from the Clifty area to the dam on big topwaters, live shad and umbrella rigs. Fair catches of white bass, crappie and a few walleye are being made at night under lights on live minnows or small shad. Catfish are good on cut bait, livers and other traditional catfish baits. Bream are good on crickets and worms. Hickory Creek Marina said crappie are fair, best by trolling with black-chartreuse Bandit crankbaits. There’s some schooling action with black, spotted (Kentucky ) and white bass early mornings and late evenings, when fair catches are being made on small topwaters or spoons. Catfish remain good on livers, stink bait, small bream and goldfish. Walleye are fair, best near rocky points on nightcrawlers. Bream are good in the shallows on crickets and worms. Bella Vista Lakes Hook, Line & Sinker said bass remain in a summer pattern and are fair in daytime hours on finesse worms and jigs worked from the banks early and late in the day. Bass are good at night with some big ones continuing to be taken from Loch Lomond. Jigs, Texas-rigged plastic worms and crankbaits are the lures of choice. Crappie and catfish are slow but bream are good on crickets and worms.
Bull Shoals Bull Shoals Boat Dock said the lake remains extremely high at 692. 0 feet. There’s some typical summertime topwater action with bass in early morning and late evening hours. Productive lures include Flukes and Zara Spooks. Otherwise, best bass action is in the same hours and at night on jig-and-frog combos worked along bluffs. A few bass continue to be caught on Rogue, Rebel or X-Rap stick baits and spinnerbaits fished near the banks; on tubes worked at various depths; on live minnows or nightcrawlers; on white Road Runners fished 10-20 feet deep over flooded brush; on drop-shot rigs; and by flipping jigs or tossing weightless plastic worms around shallow brush. White bass are fair at night under lights and a few are being caught by trolling minnow-imitating lures 18-26 feet deep during daytime hours. Walleye are moving deeper and being caught 18-40 feet deep on nightcrawlers and by trolling Reef Runners or Wally Divers at depths of 20-35 feet. Bull Shoals Tailwaters Berry Brothers Guides said water releases from Bull Shoals Dam remain consistently strong but trout action is excellent, particularly in the catch-and-release areas. Hot flies are San Juan Worms (tan, orange or red ) and brightly colored marabou jigs. Jigs have the added advantage of riding hook point up, making them virtually weedless. Another hot spot is Rim Shoals, where anglers are scoring with egg patterns in bright colors and San Juan Worms. Those fishing just outside the catch-and-release areas are making good catches by using black Zebra Midges with Copper Johns as droppers. Action is extremely good in the Red Bud area on brightly colored marabou jigs. Sportsman’s White River Resort said trout are excellent, best on jigs and Rapala Countdown lures. Power Bait and pink or red 3-inch Power Worms also are working well. Kings River The river was at 3. 5 feet on the gauge at Berryville on Wednesday and is expected to drop to 3. 0 over the weekend, creating good floating conditions. Guide J. D. Fletcher said bass remain good on tubes in shades of brown or green and Rebel Crawfish crankbaits.