Weekly Fishing Report for North and Northeast Arkansas

Fishing Tip of the Week: The Family and Community Fishing Program will be making its final rounds of trout stockings in the next few weeks. Trout cannot survive in the ponds once the water begins to warm up, so the focus will shift to catfish throughout the spring and summer. If you’re looking for a fresh catch of trout or looking to stock up the freezer, now’s the time to hit one of the FCFP locations, available at http://www.agfc.com/fishing/Pages/FishingProgramsFCF.aspx
 
Arkansas and White river levels are available at: http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=lzk
 
For real-time information on stream flow in Arkansas from the U.S. Geological Survey, visit: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/rt 
 
For water quality statistics (including temperature) in many Arkansas streams and lakes, visit: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/current/?type=quality 
 
For Family and Community Fishing Program: Trout have been stocked in all Family and Community Fishing Program ponds. They will hit a variety of lures, including Power Bait, frozen shrimp, nightcrawlers and small jigs and spinners.
Click http://www.agfc.com/fishing/Pages/FishingProgramsFCF.aspx for a list of program ponds and up-to-date stocking information.

White River
 
Sportsman’s White River Resort ( said the water is clear and low with three generators running. Trout are excellent on spinners, wax worms with marshmallows, Power Bait and cocktail shrimp. 
 
 
 
Bull Shoals Lake
 
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 647.42 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 654 msl).
 
 
 
Lake Norfork
 
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 542.24 feet msl (normal conservation pool: September-April – 552 msl, April-September – 554 msl).
 
Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters said stripers are schooling in the main lake. Set live shiners and shad at depths ranging from 35 to 50 feet and just keep moving slowly. The morning bite is from first light until 10:30 a.m. Set your lines at the level of any shad schools you see on your graph. Be sure to enter the 2013 Norfork Lake Spring Fishing Derby. 

 
Lou Gabric of Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said the winter fishing bite on Norfork Lake has been outstanding the last couple of weeks. Striped bass, hybrid bass, white bass and black bass have all been equally outstanding. This has been one of the best winter bites I have seen in a long time. Striped bass and hybrid bass have been outstanding at Cranfield, Henderson and 101 areas. Live shiners and 1¾-oz. spoons worked very slowly have been working great. Many fish will hit the spoon when it’s motionless. The fish are in small to large schools and are suspended from 30 to 50 feet down in 60 to 100 feet of water. You need to find the bait with your graph or if you happen to see a flock of sea gulls feeding, go fish in the same area as the birds. When I am using shiners as my bait, I tie on a 2-oz. weight with a 2- to 3-foot leader and a no. 4 Kahle hook. I fish the bait straight down from the side of the boat and sometimes put out a balloon (float) on one or two rods to get the bait away from the boat. You need to keep your bait above the bait you mark with your fish finder. Currently the best baits for black bass have been a small spoon, Wiggle Warts, suspending jerk baits and 3- to 4-inch paddle tail grubs and swimming minnows. The bass are coming up in shallow water (10 – 15 feet) early and late in the day and will drop back to 25 to 50 feet of water other times. I have been catching many 12- to 14-inch spotted bass in 25 to 35 feet of water. Once I get to about 40 feet of water I have been getting some nice size largemouth and the bigger spots. Another great bite has been for white bass. I have been finding massive schools of whites in 60 to 70 feet of water. The fish have been feeding on tiny shad and you can see the feeding frenzy from 20 feet down to the bottom.
 
Guide Steve Olomon of Steve’s Guide Service said the lake rose over a foot during last week’s rain. The surface water temperature remains in the mid-40s. Stripers are still hanging around 30-50 feet of water, following baitfish. Some baitfish are starting to move up. Bass are still hitting crankbaits along the bank and suspending jerk baits over deeper water. Try along the bluffs and off the end of the bluffs. Look for suspended fish out there also and drop a spoon or a drop shot rig to them.
 
Tim Partin of 101 Grocery and Bait, said fishing has been good for stripers using live shiners and stick baits. Crappie fishing has been fair using minnows fished around the brush. Bass fishing has been good using crankbaits and Alabama rigs. Water surface temps have been in the mid 40s to low 50s.
 
Campground News: Jordan Campground on Norfork Lake is open April 1-Oct. 1 and managed by Jordan Marina. Formerly run by the Army Corps of Engineers, Jordan Campground is a favorite of families camping on the south end of Norfork Lake and is the gateway to Sand Island and Jordan area beaches. This area also is a favorite of scuba divers, with 30 dive sites within 2 miles of the campground. Jordan Campground has 41 RV and tent sites; sites with 50-amp service and 30-amp service are available for $20 per night. The campground, adjacent to Jordan Marina, also features a swimming beach, picnic pavilion, boat launch and two restrooms. For more information, call (870) 499-7223 or Jordan Marina at (870) 499-7348.

Crown Lake
 
Boxhound Marina (870-670-4496) said the water is stained and at normal level. Bass are biting well on jigs fished around ledges in 25 to 30 feet of water. No report on bream, crappie or catfish. 
 
Lake Frierson
 
Lake Frierson State Park said the water is muddy and has come up about a foot in the last couple of weeks. No report on bream, bass or crappie. A few channel catfish have been caught on nightcrawlers in coves. No report on blue or flathead catfish. Saugeye fishing is picking up with a few fish being caught on chartreuse/crawdad-colored crankbaits. Saugeye fishing should steadily improve over the next few weeks as they go through the motions of the spawn. Last year’s state record saugeye was caught here on Jan. 30. 
 
Spring River
 
Mark Crawford with Spring River Flies and Guides said water levels are running at 284 cfs at the spring and water clarity has been clear. The trout have been biting very well during the last month. Good-sized trout with high numbers can be expected this time of the year. If an angler just wants to get out and try to catch 100 trout a day, the Y2k or hot pink Trout Magnet below an indicator or float is recommended. When fishing for larger trout, guppies and big mayfly emergers are the ticket. And of course keep the olive and black woolly buggers handy this time of year. Get out and enjoy this great weather.