T_boy
04-23-2010, 01:21 PM
Tennessee
Pickwick Lake: Catfishing guide Phil King (662-286-8644) says the channel cats are moving toward the rock bluffs and should be spawning soon. During the spawn, King uses big nightcrawlers under bobbers against the rock bluffs. Besides catfish, he catches drum, bluegill, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and shellcracker.
Kentucky Lake: Guide Steve McCadams (731-642-0360) says bass are bedding, and anglers are having lots of success sight-fishing with Texas-rigged plastics around the beds. Crappie are on the back side of their spring run, but anglers are still catching lots of smaller fish around manmade structure in 8-10 feet of water. Shellcracker and bluegill will be bedding soon, so keep an eye on the shallow areas and be ready with light-tackle rigs and live bait like crickets and red worms.
Herb Parsons Lake: The folks from the Herb Parsons Lake Store (901-861-5087) say fishing has been good for just about everything. Bank fishermen and boaters are catching lots of bluegill, catfish and yellow bass on wax worms, red worms and nightcrawlers. Bass fishing has been good around shoreline cover with soft-plastic jerk baits and small topwater baits. The best bass fishing is during the morning and evening hours. Crappie are still biting minnows and jigs around fallen trees on the shoreline, but 10-inch keepers have been hard to come by.
Mississippi
Horn Lake: The Lakeview Boat Dock (662-781-1550) says crappie, catfish, and bream have been biting all types of live bait around the fishing pier. The best crappie fishing has been around the thick cover in Mud Lake. Bream fishing is getting better every day, with lots of good eating-size fish taking wax worms and crickets around the trees. Good numbers of bass are taking spinnerbaits and Texas-rigged plastics around shoreline cover. As of Thursday, the new minimum size limit for crappie on Horn Lake is 10 inches. The creel limit is 30 per person.
Moon Lake: The BMW Pit Stop (662-337-2732) says crappie fishing is still good with minnows and jigs fished around cover in 1-5 feet of water. Anglers are having success wading and fishing with long jig poles from boats. Bass are bedding shallow and can be caught around structure with Texas-rigged lizards and tubes.
Lake Arkabutla: The lake is 3.4 feet above rule curve. Those who know the lake well are catching quite a few crappie. With the water level still very low, crappie are concentrated around all available shoreline cover. Brightly colored jigs (pink, orange and chartreuse) have been working well in 3-4 feet of water. Boaters are advised to use extreme caution to avoid getting stuck on a mud flat.
Sardis Lake: The lake was 1.7 feet above rule curve. Long's Sporting Goods and Quick Stop (662-487-2187) says the warm front this week should improve the fishing dramatically. Smaller crappie are moving toward the shoreline, and anglers are having lots of success on brightly colored jigs. The backs of creeks near the dam are holding lots of crappie. It's still a little early for bream fishing, but a few big bluegill have been caught accidentally by crappie anglers.
Enid Lake: The lake is 3.5 feet above rule curve. Trollers are catching a few crappie using crankbaits and minnow-tipped jigs in 8-12 feet of water. Trollers are also catching white bass, largemouth bass and an occasional channel cat.
Grenada Lake: The lake is 0.1 feet below rule curve. The staff at Collins Bait Shop (662-226- 3581) says crappie are suspended off the bottom in the mouths of the creeks and coves. Most anglers are targeting 4-8 feet of water and fishing with their jigs 2-6 feet deep.
Arkansas
White River: Sportsman's White River Resort (870-453-2424) says the water is stained and high with four to six generators running most of the time. Trout fishing has been decent with wax worms and Berkley PowerBait. A few brown trout have also been taking drifted shad and sculpins.
Little Red River: Fly-fishing guide Phil Landry (901-461-8822) says water releases from Greer's Ferry Dam have been occurring mostly during the evening hours. Boat fishing and wade fishing for trout have been great. The caddis hatch is very strong right now, and the fish are responding well to it. Pheasant Tail nymphs have been the best producers, but fish are also biting sow bugs, caddis larvae, pupa and dry flies. Rain is in the forecast for tonight/Saturday morning, so the conditions could change. The Trout Unlimited-sponsored river cleanup is set for Saturday. Volunteers are encouraged to meet at the Ozark Angler fly shop at 8 a.m. The cleanup is a four-hour event, and a free lunch will be provided at the fly shop starting at noon. Participants will also be eligible for raffle prizes. Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) says trout are biting Berkley PowerBait, nightcrawlers, small spinners and Little Cleos.
Spring River: Mark Crawford at Spring River Fly Shop (870-277-4567) says the flow has been ideal for wade fishing. Water clarity is good and the weather forecast looks perfect for the weekend. Black flies have been working well, and stone flies are starting to show up. Float trips down the river have been very productive recently.
Island 40 Chute: James Sample of Daily's Boat Dock (870-739-3478) says the water is clear and at a good level for fishing. Crappie are just now starting to bite jigs around the shoreline stumps. Red/white and red/chartreuse have been some of the better jig colors. Bass are biting Texas-rigged soft plastics around the banks, and catfishing is good with nightcrawlers, cut bait and stink bait.
Pickwick Lake: Catfishing guide Phil King (662-286-8644) says the channel cats are moving toward the rock bluffs and should be spawning soon. During the spawn, King uses big nightcrawlers under bobbers against the rock bluffs. Besides catfish, he catches drum, bluegill, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and shellcracker.
Kentucky Lake: Guide Steve McCadams (731-642-0360) says bass are bedding, and anglers are having lots of success sight-fishing with Texas-rigged plastics around the beds. Crappie are on the back side of their spring run, but anglers are still catching lots of smaller fish around manmade structure in 8-10 feet of water. Shellcracker and bluegill will be bedding soon, so keep an eye on the shallow areas and be ready with light-tackle rigs and live bait like crickets and red worms.
Herb Parsons Lake: The folks from the Herb Parsons Lake Store (901-861-5087) say fishing has been good for just about everything. Bank fishermen and boaters are catching lots of bluegill, catfish and yellow bass on wax worms, red worms and nightcrawlers. Bass fishing has been good around shoreline cover with soft-plastic jerk baits and small topwater baits. The best bass fishing is during the morning and evening hours. Crappie are still biting minnows and jigs around fallen trees on the shoreline, but 10-inch keepers have been hard to come by.
Mississippi
Horn Lake: The Lakeview Boat Dock (662-781-1550) says crappie, catfish, and bream have been biting all types of live bait around the fishing pier. The best crappie fishing has been around the thick cover in Mud Lake. Bream fishing is getting better every day, with lots of good eating-size fish taking wax worms and crickets around the trees. Good numbers of bass are taking spinnerbaits and Texas-rigged plastics around shoreline cover. As of Thursday, the new minimum size limit for crappie on Horn Lake is 10 inches. The creel limit is 30 per person.
Moon Lake: The BMW Pit Stop (662-337-2732) says crappie fishing is still good with minnows and jigs fished around cover in 1-5 feet of water. Anglers are having success wading and fishing with long jig poles from boats. Bass are bedding shallow and can be caught around structure with Texas-rigged lizards and tubes.
Lake Arkabutla: The lake is 3.4 feet above rule curve. Those who know the lake well are catching quite a few crappie. With the water level still very low, crappie are concentrated around all available shoreline cover. Brightly colored jigs (pink, orange and chartreuse) have been working well in 3-4 feet of water. Boaters are advised to use extreme caution to avoid getting stuck on a mud flat.
Sardis Lake: The lake was 1.7 feet above rule curve. Long's Sporting Goods and Quick Stop (662-487-2187) says the warm front this week should improve the fishing dramatically. Smaller crappie are moving toward the shoreline, and anglers are having lots of success on brightly colored jigs. The backs of creeks near the dam are holding lots of crappie. It's still a little early for bream fishing, but a few big bluegill have been caught accidentally by crappie anglers.
Enid Lake: The lake is 3.5 feet above rule curve. Trollers are catching a few crappie using crankbaits and minnow-tipped jigs in 8-12 feet of water. Trollers are also catching white bass, largemouth bass and an occasional channel cat.
Grenada Lake: The lake is 0.1 feet below rule curve. The staff at Collins Bait Shop (662-226- 3581) says crappie are suspended off the bottom in the mouths of the creeks and coves. Most anglers are targeting 4-8 feet of water and fishing with their jigs 2-6 feet deep.
Arkansas
White River: Sportsman's White River Resort (870-453-2424) says the water is stained and high with four to six generators running most of the time. Trout fishing has been decent with wax worms and Berkley PowerBait. A few brown trout have also been taking drifted shad and sculpins.
Little Red River: Fly-fishing guide Phil Landry (901-461-8822) says water releases from Greer's Ferry Dam have been occurring mostly during the evening hours. Boat fishing and wade fishing for trout have been great. The caddis hatch is very strong right now, and the fish are responding well to it. Pheasant Tail nymphs have been the best producers, but fish are also biting sow bugs, caddis larvae, pupa and dry flies. Rain is in the forecast for tonight/Saturday morning, so the conditions could change. The Trout Unlimited-sponsored river cleanup is set for Saturday. Volunteers are encouraged to meet at the Ozark Angler fly shop at 8 a.m. The cleanup is a four-hour event, and a free lunch will be provided at the fly shop starting at noon. Participants will also be eligible for raffle prizes. Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) says trout are biting Berkley PowerBait, nightcrawlers, small spinners and Little Cleos.
Spring River: Mark Crawford at Spring River Fly Shop (870-277-4567) says the flow has been ideal for wade fishing. Water clarity is good and the weather forecast looks perfect for the weekend. Black flies have been working well, and stone flies are starting to show up. Float trips down the river have been very productive recently.
Island 40 Chute: James Sample of Daily's Boat Dock (870-739-3478) says the water is clear and at a good level for fishing. Crappie are just now starting to bite jigs around the shoreline stumps. Red/white and red/chartreuse have been some of the better jig colors. Bass are biting Texas-rigged soft plastics around the banks, and catfishing is good with nightcrawlers, cut bait and stink bait.