T_boy
04-03-2009, 03:13 PM
Tennessee
Pickwick Lake: Guide Clagett Talley (731-607-5266) says big bass have been hard to come by. But good numbers of smaller fish have been taking jigs and soft plastics around cover in 3-6 feet of water. White bass are still easy to catch using white grubs on one-quarter-ounce jig heads close to the bank. White or crawfish-colored crankbaits have also been working well. Bank fishermen are using live crawfish to catch white bass. A few stripers are starting to bite deep-diving crankbaits, but Talley expects the fishing to be much better in a week or two. Sauger can now be caught with standard jigs or by trolling crankbaits. The ideal crankbait has been the Strike King Series 3 in bright colors. Catfish are starting to move into the shallow areas to spawn. Many anglers are already having success using nightcrawlers under floats around the rock bluffs.
Reelfoot Lake: Guide Billy Blakely of Blue Bank Resort (877-258-3226) says the crappie fishing is excellent. Anglers are catching good limits of eating-size fish using live minnows 5-7 feet deep on the main lake. The water temperature is still just 57 degrees, so the fishing should only get better for the next three weeks. Bass fishing has also been good around the lily pads during the early-morning hours. Topwater baits like the Devil's Horse have been producing lots of good fish.
Mississippi
Arkabutla Lake: The lake is 15.2 feet above rule curve. With the water rising from recent rains, catfishing has been good on the main lake with nightcrawlers and cut shad fished on the bottom. Every other form of fishing has come to a halt.
Sardis Lake: The lake is 0.9 feet above rule curve. Even with the water in bad shape from recent rains, anglers are catching quite a few pre-spawn crappie around cover in 4-7 feet of water. Most anglers have been relying on live minnows for bait in the discolored water. As soon as we have three or four straight days of warm weather, the crappie should make their final move toward shallow water to spawn.
Enid Lake: The lake is 3.9 feet above rule curve. Crappie anglers are having decent success trolling for pre-spawn crappie in the mouths of creeks. Minnow-tipped chartreuse/black jigs have been working well. Catfishing has been good in the creeks with worms and stink baits.
Grenada Lake: The lake is 9.7 feet above rule curve. Collins Bait Shop (662-226-3581) says crappie are taking black/chartreuse and orange/chartreuse jigs around cover in 6-8 feet of water. Catfishing has been good on worms and stink bait in the river.
Horn Lake: The Lakeview Boat Dock (662-781-1550) says crappie are biting well in the runout on chartreuse/orange jigs and live minnows. The fish have been holding extremely tight to cover. Bream are taking red worms and wax worms on the outside of the tree line.
Arkansas
Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) says the generators have been running from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Drift fishing has been good with gold in-line spinners and Berkley Power Bait. Some anglers are also having success with spoons and Rapalas.
White River: Fly-fishing guide John Berry (870-435-2169) says the generation pattern has been for low flows throughout the day with an occasional spike of heavy current around lunchtime. Fishing has been excellent on the upper river from Bull Shoals Dam downstream to Cain Island. During low flows, anglers have been doing well with No. 14 black zebra midges. During high flows, the best flies have been brightly colored San Juan worms.
Spring River: Mark Crawford at Spring River Fly Shop (877-212-0465) says the water is stained from recent rains, but trout fishing has remained good on Cotton Candy flies and White woolly buggers.
Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) says the water is muddy, but bream fishing is still fair around stumps with crickets and red worms. Crappie are also biting minnows and jigs fished around shallow brush.
Pickwick Lake: Guide Clagett Talley (731-607-5266) says big bass have been hard to come by. But good numbers of smaller fish have been taking jigs and soft plastics around cover in 3-6 feet of water. White bass are still easy to catch using white grubs on one-quarter-ounce jig heads close to the bank. White or crawfish-colored crankbaits have also been working well. Bank fishermen are using live crawfish to catch white bass. A few stripers are starting to bite deep-diving crankbaits, but Talley expects the fishing to be much better in a week or two. Sauger can now be caught with standard jigs or by trolling crankbaits. The ideal crankbait has been the Strike King Series 3 in bright colors. Catfish are starting to move into the shallow areas to spawn. Many anglers are already having success using nightcrawlers under floats around the rock bluffs.
Reelfoot Lake: Guide Billy Blakely of Blue Bank Resort (877-258-3226) says the crappie fishing is excellent. Anglers are catching good limits of eating-size fish using live minnows 5-7 feet deep on the main lake. The water temperature is still just 57 degrees, so the fishing should only get better for the next three weeks. Bass fishing has also been good around the lily pads during the early-morning hours. Topwater baits like the Devil's Horse have been producing lots of good fish.
Mississippi
Arkabutla Lake: The lake is 15.2 feet above rule curve. With the water rising from recent rains, catfishing has been good on the main lake with nightcrawlers and cut shad fished on the bottom. Every other form of fishing has come to a halt.
Sardis Lake: The lake is 0.9 feet above rule curve. Even with the water in bad shape from recent rains, anglers are catching quite a few pre-spawn crappie around cover in 4-7 feet of water. Most anglers have been relying on live minnows for bait in the discolored water. As soon as we have three or four straight days of warm weather, the crappie should make their final move toward shallow water to spawn.
Enid Lake: The lake is 3.9 feet above rule curve. Crappie anglers are having decent success trolling for pre-spawn crappie in the mouths of creeks. Minnow-tipped chartreuse/black jigs have been working well. Catfishing has been good in the creeks with worms and stink baits.
Grenada Lake: The lake is 9.7 feet above rule curve. Collins Bait Shop (662-226-3581) says crappie are taking black/chartreuse and orange/chartreuse jigs around cover in 6-8 feet of water. Catfishing has been good on worms and stink bait in the river.
Horn Lake: The Lakeview Boat Dock (662-781-1550) says crappie are biting well in the runout on chartreuse/orange jigs and live minnows. The fish have been holding extremely tight to cover. Bream are taking red worms and wax worms on the outside of the tree line.
Arkansas
Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) says the generators have been running from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Drift fishing has been good with gold in-line spinners and Berkley Power Bait. Some anglers are also having success with spoons and Rapalas.
White River: Fly-fishing guide John Berry (870-435-2169) says the generation pattern has been for low flows throughout the day with an occasional spike of heavy current around lunchtime. Fishing has been excellent on the upper river from Bull Shoals Dam downstream to Cain Island. During low flows, anglers have been doing well with No. 14 black zebra midges. During high flows, the best flies have been brightly colored San Juan worms.
Spring River: Mark Crawford at Spring River Fly Shop (877-212-0465) says the water is stained from recent rains, but trout fishing has remained good on Cotton Candy flies and White woolly buggers.
Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing (870-462-8317) says the water is muddy, but bream fishing is still fair around stumps with crickets and red worms. Crappie are also biting minnows and jigs fished around shallow brush.