Fishing this week

A map showing the location of Arkansas fishing spots.
A map showing the location of Arkansas fishing spots.

HOT SPOTS

LAKE MAUMELLE The rain and cooler weather have activated the bass. Kentucky bass also are good and are being caught on crankbaits and jigs. They can be found in 10-15 feet of water mixed in with the black bass. White bass fishing has been excellent all over the lake. Use CC Spoons, deep-diving Bandits and Bombers. When they are schooling in the main lake, use CC Spoons, white jigs and Rooster Tails. Rain improved the crappie fishing in the past week, as they are in 20 feet. Try the edges of the channels and on the old road beds, and use crappie minnows or jigs. Bream fishing is excellent, and the fish can be found at 15 feet on the bottom. Use crickets or live worms.

HARRIS BRAKE LAKE With the drop in temps, the fishing has improved. Bream are excellent and about 2 feet deep. Use redworms and crickets. Crappie are in about 5 feet and have been good. Bass fishing has been good, with spinnerbaits working best. Catfishing is good, and the fish are biting anything.

BEAVER TAILWATER Norfork hatchery dumped trout Friday, so fishing should be excellent over the weekend below the dam. The browns can be caught using midges, streamers and hopper patterns. For rainbows, try drifting zebra midges, nymphing and swinging small soft hackles. Good lures have been gold and silver Colorado Spoons, red and gold Bouyant Spoons, Flicker Shad in pro series sizes 4 and 5. Good PowerBait colors are white, red, orange, yellow, chartreuse and peach. Good flies continue to be pheasant tails, midges in blue dun, black, olive or hares ear, tungsten copper Johns, WD 40s and Trout Magnets.

LAKE ATKINS Bream fishing will be excellent if anglers can find the new areas where bream are bedding. Use worms or crickets. Crappie are starting to bite, and there were good reports in recent days. Try using Bobby Garland Baby Shad or minnows. Bass are good on crankbaits and plastic worms. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers, chicken livers and shad.

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