As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation was 407.51 feet msl (flood pool – 408 msl).
Local angler George Graves said surface water ...more temperature is in around 70 degrees and the lake is clear throughout. Bass fishing remains very good with lots of small and slot fish. Look for fish in the spawning coves up shallow between Arlie Moore and Cox Creek. Throw a lipped or lipless crank bait across secondary points and close to shoreline brush. Anything in a natural shad pattern will work. Try a squarebill if the cover is pretty thick. Some bigger fish reported coming on white/chartreuse spinnerbaits. Also try a Texas-rigged 6-inch worm in green pumpkin or red shad across the same points but a little deeper. A lot of spotted bass are coming from the bluff banks at points 14 and 15, also along the West side of Goat Island. Try a Texas-rigged finesse 4-inch worm fished down the rocky banks. Crappie fishing remains slow with only a few fish coming from the south side between the mouth of Brushy and Iron Mountain. Throw a 2-inch tube or curly tail grub on a 1/16-ounce jig head to any exposed cover in 3 to 5 feet of water. Hybrid fishing is fair at best with the fish scattered between Shouse Ford and Cox Creek. There's very little schooling activity, so trolling is the best bet. The best trolling lures are crankbaits such as Shad Raps, 4-inch swim baits, Roostertails, heavy spoons and 5-arm umbrella rigs loaded with 4-inch curly tail grubs. Get the lures about 10 to 12 feet down on a long line of at least 100 feet. Best colors for all rigs are white and chartreuse. Quite a few white bass showing as well. Quite a few catfish are showing up on trotlines set across points at about 20 feet deep. Bait with cut shad, chicken livers, nightcrawlers, Catfish Charlie or hot dogs. Also try big minnows and small live bream. Brushy Creek has been one of the more productive areas.
Report courtesy of Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.