Arkansas Fishing Reports 1-04

December 18, 2000
This will be the last fishing report for this year. We will start up again the first week of February and bring everyone up to date on lake level, lake temperature and fish movement. Wilderness Trail would like to take this opportunity to say Thank You to all our customers and friends that we have been able to serve this year. We wish you all a Happy Holiday.

For the first time in seven years, we are in a deep freeze. Temperatures have been in the 20's and 30's with wind chills in the minus zones. We have 4 to 5 inches of snow mixed with ice which has shut down all the ramps to the lake and even the roads to the marinas. It looks like it is going to be a hard winter. Lake level is at 646.80, seven and a half feet below normal pool and the lake temperature dropped drastically from 52 to 42 degrees. The game fish are now in their winter homes, standing trees in 50 to 60 feet of water, deep cliff walls, channel swings and creek channel drop offs.

Largemouth bass will be in deep water around standing trees or over the drop offs in the deeper creeks. If you can get out on the lake to get to them, your best baits will be spoons and 3/4 to 1 oz. jigs.

Smallmouth bass don't hide as deep and can be found in 35 to 50 feet of water along the cliff walls and chunk rock channel swings. Tube baits and grubs work the best during the winter months.

Kentuckys school up on the main lake points in 40 to 60 feet of water. Spooning will trigger the majority of the fish until spring.

Walleye also move out of the creeks to the main lake during the winter. Their wintering grounds are in deeper water than the bass, 60 to 80 feet. They suspend in the top of the sunken forest in the main lake. Best baits are shiners on ball jigs or nightcrawlers.

Trout on the White River were on a good bite this week for those anglers that made it out. Inline spinners and Little Cleo's worked the best. Rainbows were more active than the Browns. Fly fishermen had some success with egg patterns in fluorescent yellow and pink colors.

Here is a maintenance tip while you are waiting for the thaw to come; clean up your rods and reels. Take an oil rag and clean the blank and eyes on your rod. A Q-tip will work great on the eyes. Most reels have heavy grease in them which needs to be replaced in the winter with a light grease. With the cold temperatures your casting will become smoother if you change.

Remember to keep only what you can eat and release the rest for another day. Rick Culver of Wilderness Trail does the research for this report and the writing of this report. For more information call Rick or Sue Culver at Wilderness Trail at 870-445-2703, e-mail us at [email protected] or check out our web site at www.wildernesstrail.com

Back to Top

Millwood

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 259.2 Temperature: Outflow: 27299 cfs. Level: 5.60 feet high

Largemouth Bass No Report

Crappie No Report

Catfish No Report

Bream No Report

Back to Top

Norfork

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 552.0 Temperature: Release Rate: 1130 cfs. Level: 7.90 feet low

Lake Map

Report By Professional Guide Garry Sperry

Dated 12-12-00

Bass are scattered everywhere. Use crank baits in shad or crawfish colors on 45 degree rocky banks. There is now some scattered topwater action in backs of creeks on spinner baits around brush. Use white, or white & chartreuse with #4 willow leaf blades.

White bass are on creek flats 20-25 ft. deep. Scattered topwater all day. Best lures 1/4 oz. rooster tails or 1/8 oz. roadrunners. Best colors, white, silver or white with pink head on roadrunner, Also try 1/2 oz. jigging spoons, silver, or silver and chartreuse are the best colors. Swedish Pimple or Rapala jigging minnow also very good.

Stripers are mid-lake and in creek arms. There's some topwater in mornings and late evenings. During the day stripers are 20-24 ft. deep. Best topwater lures are Rogues or Redfins. Blue and silver, or silver are the best colors. Use live shad or large shiners during the day. Fish 20 ft. deep. Trolling umbrella lures works well, blue and white, or use white Roadrunners. Best spots are Robinson Island, Float Creek, Bennetts Bayou, and around Blue Lady Dock.

Crappie are on deep brush piles about 3 to 7 ft. deep. Tube jigs work best. On sunny days use pink & white, or yellow & white. On cloudy days use blue & white, or red & chartreuse. Minnows work well with slip bobber. VERY IMPORTANT--The lake is very clear right now so stay off the brush piles with your boat or you'll spook the crappie!

Walleye are on long flats along drop-offs. Slow troll Hot-n-Tots or Sparkle Tails 8 to 10 feet deep. Worm Harness OK but not the best. Best colors, Chartreuse, pink or yellow. Troll slow!

Catfish are being caught on trot lines 6 to 30 ft. deep. Cut shad and small sunfish work best.

Back to Top

This page was last updated Friday, March 30, 2001

Anglers Fishing Info Home page	Arkansas Fishing Reports	Lake Maps
	Illinois Fishing Reports	Fishing Report Archives
	Kansas Fishing Reports	Classified Corner
Fishing Message Boards	Missouri Fishing Reports	Contact Anglers Fishing Info
	Oklahoma Fishing Reports