Arkansas Fishing Reports 6/12/2013

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During the past week, we have had a minor rain event, hot temperatures and heavy winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals rose nine tenths of a foot to rest at eleven and two tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is twenty nine and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one and two tenths feet to rest at two and one tenth feet above power pool and thirteen and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell three tenths foot to rest at five feet above power pool or four and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had significant periods of wadable water and periods of high levels of generation. Norfork Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at six and two tenths feet above power pool of 553.75 feet or nineteen feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had wadable water most days. The lakes in the White River system are all above the top of power pool and we are getting more generation. I expect this trend to continue for the next few weeks.

Our major mayfly hatch, the sulphurs, is coming off. So far, this hatch has been very sparse. This is a size fourteen yellow/orange aquatic insect. Before the hatch, concentrate on fishing mayfly nymphs. My favorite is the copper John. When you observe fish feeding near the surface but see no insects, the trout are keying in on the emergers. The best fly for this phase is a partridge and orange soft hackle. Then, when you observe insects on the surface of the water and trout keying in on them, you switch over to the adult insect fly. My hands down choice is the sulphur parachute (size fourteen).

On the White, we have had significant wadable water. The hot spot has been Rim Shoals. The best time to fish is early morning or late in the afternoon. Midday can be slow. The hot flies were prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, copper Johns, pink and cerise San Juan worms, gold ribbed hare’s ears and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended eighteen inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise).

Some anglers have been fishing large streamers on the heavy flows we have been getting most afternoons and having success. This requires heavy sink tip lines, heavy rods (eight weights or better) and advanced casting skills. The hot flies have been large articulated streamers in various colors.

Hopper season has begun. These are tempting morsels for large trout. You need a stiff six weight rod and a stout seven and a half foot 4X leader. My favorite hopper patterns are the western style foam hoppers with rubber legs and a bright quick sight patch on the back. Dave’s hoppers are also a good choice but be sure to dress them with plenty of fly floatant to ensure that they ride high. A small nymph dropper can increase your takes. It is not uncommon to take more trout on the dropper. My favorite dropper flies are beadhead pheasant tails or zebra midges.

Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are navigable and both are receiving a lot of pressure. With summer here, the smallmouths are active. The most effective fly has been a tan and brown Clouser minnow. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.

There has been wadable water on the Norfork almost every day. The action has picked up somewhat. With significant wadable water on the White some days, the crowding has eased somewhat. The most productive flies have been small (size 20 or smaller) midge patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and Dan’s turkey tail emerger or soft hackles like my green butt or the partridge and orange. There has also been a sparse hatch of very small mayflies; reliable hatches of midges (try a size 22 parachute Adams for both), some smaller caddis (size 18) and the crane flies are still coming off. Grasshoppers have started producing fish, particularly when used in conjunction with a small nymph dropper (try a size 20 black zebra midge). Olive woolly buggers have also accounted for a lot of trout. The fishing is much better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday.

Dry Run Creek has fished well. School is out and there is much more traffic on the stream. You should fish early or late to avoid the crowds. 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. Use at least 4X tippet to increase your chances of landing these big fish. Carefully handle and release all trout. Take the biggest net that you can lay your hands on. Some of these fish are huge.

The water level on the Spring River is fishable. This is a great place to wade fish when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season is in full swing and the canoeists can a problem. Fish the upper river at the Lassiter Access to avoid them. Be sure to 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, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks.

Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers and Dry Run Creek are infected with didymo, an invasive alga. Be sure and thoroughly clean and dry your waders (especially the felt soles on wading boots) before using them in any other water. Many manufacturers are now making rubber soled wading boots that are easier to clean and are not as likely to harbor didymo.

John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.

Greer's Ferry
Updated: 6/12/2013
Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 461.03

Outflow: 2601

The water level at Greer’s Ferry is at 466.53 and falling with generation and release it is 4.49 feet above normal pool of 462.04 and the temp is warming to the 80’s.

The bream fishing is great all over the lake on crickets and crawlers, the fish are in water 6 inches to 15 feet.

The walleye bite has gotten better some what, after the water gets pulled down and settled the bite should be red hot, try dragging crawlers on rocky banks 15-27 feet of water.

The crappie fishing is picking back up with the clearer water try jigs and minnows in 15-25 feet of water around timber and brush piles.

The white and hybrid bite is on and off with the generation and all thought out the day, with the feeding good at times and not good at all sometimes, after the water gets settled out the bite will be more dependable , with the generation schedule, try spoons, in-line spinners and swim baits, around shad.

The bass bite has picked up on the outsides, bush points ,brush piles and the like with the water being pulled with the best bite with the generation try, top water baits, small crank baits and Texas rigged worms.

Catfishing is still great all over the lake and will continue to be so the rest of the year on any of your favorite baits.

Hello everybody! There are a few changes going on finally. The water temperature is starting to warm up in to the mid to high 60's. The bass fishing is still great with lots of fish and good reports coming in. There are a lot of bass on the beds in this cove around the marina. We have been watching them spawn for the last week. Yes, it is a late spawn this year. One of the latest I have ever seen. It should be a good one too. The lake is 7-8 foot high still which means there is some brush in the lake along the shore line. This will give the small spawn a place to hide and survive. Another reason the spawn should be good is the higher lake level. Most species of fish are going to get to spawn while the water is a little high. There has been a few times in the past that the fish will try to spawn and the lake gets dropped then their beds end up out of the water. This is not going to happen this year. The visibility is still really good and should continue to be for a while until the water temperature gets up there where the algae will start to grow.

BASS - The plastic patterns seem to be working the best. The mustard colored and watermelon colored tube jig (gitzit) is really hot. Carolina rigging a lizard, brush hog, French fry, or finesse worm in 5 to 15 feet of water. With the water being clear the natural colors should work better. The hula grub, gitzit, tube jig, salt craw, all types of plastic baits can catch fish. These can be worked in 5 to 20 feet of water depending on where the fish are that day. Crawfish colored crankbaits are catching fish on windy banks. Cloudy days also seem to help the shallow patterns. Spinner baits on cloudy windy banks. Mostly natural colors in clear water and bright colors in dingy water live minnows on a simple split shot rig in 5 to 20 feet of water. Slow retrieve of any type of artificial minnow bait. Split shot a night crawler in 5 to 20 feet of water.

WHITE BASS - Very few reports of white bass during the day night. The patterns below usually work this time of year. The night bite under lights is starting to work. Trolling minnow looking baits early in the morning and late in the day on the gravel banks back in the creeks. Jigging a spoon will also catch white bass in 20 to 30 foot deep water back in the main lake pockets and coves. Night fishing under lights is starting to produce some fish.

Walleye - Bottom bouncing with night crawlers in 18 to 22 feet is producing some walleye. Split shoting night crawlers in 18 to 22 feet is producing walleye drop shoting night crawlers is producing in 18 to 22 feet of water. Stick baits such as the X-rap, rogue, rebel in shallow water at night or close to dark. Minnow’s colors seem to be the best.

Crappie - Small minnows around brush piles. Small 1/16, 1/32, 1/64 oz jigs around the brush piles.

As of Sunday 09 June, the lake level is approx 7 inches above normal conservation pool and rising. There is increase in current of Little River. The Largemouth Bass and Crappie bites, continue an improving trend over the past couple weeks. Little River's oxbows over the past week which had began clearing, muddied up this week with increase of incoming fresh water and thunderstorms. Surface water temps crept upward again over the past week.

Largemouth Bass are full blown summer routines, the topwater bite continues to improve, and Bream are spawning.

Surface temps as of Sunday 09 June are ranging 74ºF early to 81ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

Lake level as of Sunday 09 June is currently is 259.64 mfsl, and rising with increased current, which is approx 6 inches above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Friday was a total discharge of 14,420CFS and rising . The tailwater level as of Sunday was down, at 227.05 mfsl.

Use extreme caution in Little River navigations as there is a lot of debris, logs, limbs, etc, coming down Little River in the rapid current.

Clarity and visibility continued poor over the past week with thunderstorms increase of incoming muddy water, and high wind. As of Sunday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 2-3 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 3-4 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity worsened with the increased current of Little River, ranging approx 6-8 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds or thunderstorms.

The USACE upgrade project and maintenance work including installation of a new bypass valve at the River Run East recreational area below the spillway is complete and River Run East park at the spillway is now open.

To volunteer for one of the cleanup dates or ramp and USACE park information, contact Tony Porter at the Millwood Tri-Lakes Project Office. To receive project updates, daily lake level information updates, gate release flows, tailwater information, park and campground information, or volunteer, call the US Army Corps of Engrs toll-free information line at 888-697-9830.

Largemouth Bass: The bass' attitude toward topwater surface feeding continues improving at dawn. Best bite of the day currently is running from daylight hours through mid to late morning hours. Majority of Bass continue their surface feeding activity aggressively at dawn until mid morning or the sun begins heating surface from overnight lower temps.

The best surface reaction bite is occurring around daybreak, and best reaction baits lately continue to be buzz baits, Spit'n Images, Spooks, Arborgast Jitterbugs, Ken-Pops, frogs, and Bass Assassin Shads. Frog's strikes around new lily pad growth and hydrilla and stumps continues improving. Buzz Baits in Blackbird, Pine Cone, or Bleeding Bluegill colors are getting good reaction strikes from solid Largemouths at dawn. Lizards in blackberry or green pumpkin, Yum Dingers or Salty Rat Tails in watermelon red, and War Eagle Spinnerbaits in Hot Mouse or Firetiger continue getting good reactions over the past couple weeks. Largemouths continue hitting Rat-L-Traps in Creole Craw, Toledo Gold, or Wild Shiner colors, around 2-3 foot flats with stumps/grass/pads nearby. 10" Power Worms in Blue Fleck, Junebug, and Black Grape continue working near cypress trees and stumps.

Bass Assassin Shads in gizzard shad, or gold shiner colors have been taking some nice size bass as well, up Little River in the oxbows around vegetation lines and lily pads. Bass Assassin's Jingle Bugs in Okeechobee and June Bug, or Pit Bosses in California colors continue working along drop offs from flats into the stumps from 5 to 9 feet deep in the better water clarity areas and farthest from current if you can find those areas.

Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs in June Bug, Texas Craw and Baby Gator colors with black and blue or pumpkinseed craw trailers continue working for 14-18" Largemouths on cypress trees, knees, and stumps in 5-8 foot depths around patches of sawgrass and where alligator weed is in close proximity to cypress trees.

White Bass: Whites are being caught on main lake points of Little River, and in grass beds on spinnerbaits. Whites also continue biting Rat-L-Traps in Chrome / black or chrome/blue back and Millwood Magic. Crankbaits in shad patterns are randomly working between McGuire Lake oxbow and Highway 71 bridge out of the current behind points, and in sloughs.

Crappie: Most Crappie over the past week have scattered with the increase in muddy water and increase of current in Little River and bite has been slow.

Cats: Channel Cats and Flatheads are very good on trot lines with chicken hearts, gizzards, and livers, and cut shad in the outer bends of Little River placed from 6-12 feet deep with the increase of current in Little River this week.

Surface temps as of Sunday 09 June continue ranging 74ºF early to 81ºF later in the afternoon hours, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

Lake level as of Sunday 09 June, is currently is 259.64 mfsl and rising, with much increased current in Little River, which is approx 6 inches above normal conservation pool elevation. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Sunday was 14,420 CFS. The tailwater level as of Monday was at 227.05 mfsl.

Use extreme caution in Little River navigations as there is a lot of debris, logs, limbs, etc, coming down Little River in the rapid current.

Clarity and visibility worsened over the past week with thunderstorms and high wind. As of Sunday 09 June, on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges 2-3 approx inches. Little River's visibility ranges 3-4 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity also worsened with increased current, ranging approx 6-8 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds or thunderstorms.

The USACE upgrade project and maintenance work including installation of a new bypass valve at the River Run East recreational area below the spillway is now completed. USACE has now opened River Run East facility on the east side of the spillway below the dam. All other USACE parks around Millwood Lake project are operating normally with a few specific campsites being worked on and some minor dead tree & debris removal.

To volunteer for one of the clean-up dates, to receive ramp or campground and park project updates, daily lake level information and project release flow updates, or tailwater information, call Tony Porter at the US Army Corps of Engrs toll-free information line at 888-697-9830.

Wear your Life Jacket and kill switch!! If you are suddenly or unexpectedly thrown from your boat, it could be your only chance of survival. Use caution navigating Little River in low light conditions, SLOW DOWN, and pass friendly to other boaters! As always, careful watch for any random floaters and debris in Little River's current, and wearing your PFD and kill switch is a requirement!

Visit with us on our website and on Facebook, for the most current Millwood Lake fishing report, updated weekly. See some great catch and release photos, sponsor links, tons of great information and resources on the lake available to you, along with excellent related direct links to Arkansas' State Parks, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's Black Bass Program, The US Army Corps of Engineers, Arkansas.com and tons more great fishing stuff....

Blue gill fishing on Norfork Lake has been good using crickets and red worms fishing along the bluffs in deep water.

Crappie fishing has been fair using minnows fishing in the deep water around brush. Bass fishing has been fair. As the water cools fishing will continue to pick up

Norfork Lake fishing has been on fire since my last report on 5/8/13. Fishing was good 9 days ago and has only gotten better. I anticipate that fishing will continue to improve with top water action getting better and better. I have been using 3 main baits.

A fluke or bass assassin with a 5/0 worm hook un-weighted, a Heddon Zara Spook junior size and live shad. You can use large shiners if you don't have a shad tank.

Rogues, or a similar type of suspending jerk bait, are working the best for walleye. The best bite has been at sunrise and at sunset. If you are fishing mid-day, you may need to go a little deeper for all species.

A jig & pig has been working well for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass for one of my guests.

All species are showing up in the same areas. It is fun to go out fishing without really knowing what you are going to catch. I just love this time of our fishing year! Fish are being found from the mouth of the major creeks to half way back into the creeks. Some fish have started to move out to the main lake points. This is still slow to happen, but it won't be long.

The shad are in the buck brush possibly spawning. As I have said before, find the shad and you will find fish. I have found shad just going crazy on the shore because the fish have them cornered and are having a buffet.

Overall the best bite has been for largemouth, smallmouth & spotted bass.

Striped bass and hybrid are probable the next best bite with white bass, catfish, walleye and crappie rounding out the species being caught. Look for points in the creeks with sunken brush and I bet you will find a few catchable fish. Norfork Lake is rising very slowly and currently sits at 558.8. The surface water temperature is also rising slowly and was in the mid to upper 60's this morning. The main lake is gin clear with some of the major creeks somewhat stained.

The striper bite continues, the shad are continuing to spawn; I have been fishing a channel swing in water 50 to 90 feet.

Stripers & Hybrids are now both shallow less than 30' and deep. I marked fish from 40 to 80' and caught 1 striper at 40'. The fish are moving from shallow to their summer patterns. In the next several weeks you should fish with free line, weighted line & down line, you will catch fish in all levels.

Most of the stripers are still in the upper end of the creeks, some fish are being caught on the main lake, stay fluid because each day the fish will move.

The water temp is in the low to mid 70's and with the rain from last week the lake level is 560.2. The lake is up 1.5 ft. from last week. Keep a rod rigged with top water bait ready for when the fish start chasing baitfish to the surface. Try throwing a soft jerkbaits or a swim bait.

Stripers, hybrids and bass have been hitting these baits. If you see fish suspended 25-40ft. drop a jigging spoon or if using live bait get your bait down just above them. You may also see fish a little shallower.