Wading might need to wait for a while. The biggest alligator ever found in Arkansas was half-inch shy of 14 feet long and weighed around 800 pounds. The fishing is much better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday. When it was brought ashore, the forklift that was used to lift it didnt even lift high enough to get its entire length off the ground! Alligator Gar Variant Names: Gator Gar Spotted Gar Variant Names: None Shortnose gar Variant Names: Billy Gar, Short-Billed Gar, Stub-Nose . Can you kill them? The crawdads are becoming active. Hybrid Bass NOTICE: The American Gamebird Research Education and Development Foundation, under recommendation from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, is conducting a 5-foot drawdown of Lake Erling in Lafayette County to combat the spread of giant salvinia, a highly invasive aquatic plant species not native to the United States. Thoroughly clean and dry your waders (especially the felt soles on wading boots) before using them in any other water. Rainbow Trout No reports of Alligators in Lake Ouachita have ever been received.Arkansas's largest lake, Lake Ouachita offers 40,000 acres of clear, clean water surrounded by the scenic Ouachita National Forest. Crappie are rated fair to good. Crappie are SLOW! Think white for baits and flies this week: shad patterns, white egg patterns, white-bellied stick baits the water level will support deep-diving jerkbaits white jigs and minnows. With the increasing boat traffic, we need to be mindful when operating our boats near others who are not underway and anchored. We can also verify it is possible there are some alligators in Lake . Hybrids and smaller stripers are still in open water on shad about 50 feet down, no matter how deep the water is, and can be caught dragging live bait or umbrellas through the shad. Additionally, numerous conservation efforts are underway to restore natural wetland habitats that provide critical refuge for alligators and other aquatic wildlife species. Water temp was 44-46 degrees. Anglersare catching them as shallow as 3-5 feet now. Alligators can swim up to 20 miles per hour and on land, they can run up to 11 miles per hour. White Bass For real-time information on stream flow in Arkansas from the U.S. Geological Survey, visit: For water-quality statistics (including temperature) in many Arkansas streams and lakes, visit: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/current/?type=quality. Anglers seeking bream have been headed to Pierce Creek. As of midday Thursday, the Army Corps of Engineers reported the lakes elevation at 556.22 feet msl (normal conservation pool: Sept.-April, 553.75 feet msl; April-Sept. 556.25 feet msl; top flood elevation 580.0 feet msl). Conditions are good. There are days I can see three from the boat ramp at one time. Bass have been caught this week on Chatterbait (black/blue, a Z Man Jackhammer is a good one to throw now with more vibration to it than others), or flipping a black/blue jig as well as a square-bill crankbait. said that during the past week they have had a half-inch of rain at Cotter, warmer temperatures and moderate winds. Stripers, a year-long target on Beaver Lake, are being caught on big minnows, but pressure is light on them as well right now. With the clear water, about any color is good now. The main thing here is the crappie is moving up shallow. Deinosuchuswas an immense 35-foot-long alligator with a massive, wide skull and thick teeth. Del regularly posts new YouTube videos. The largest species is the saltwater crocodile which can be more than 20 feet long, meaning that the largest alligators arent much smaller than them. (updated 2-23-2023) Lacey Williams at Lakeview Landing on Arkansas Highway 95 (501-252-1437) said that crappie anglers should look for the underwater timber about 5 feet deep and use minnows. (501-834-5733) in Sherwood said the fishing says the fish have been biting pretty well toward the backs of creeks on the upper end. Giant salvinia, a free-floating South American plant that has become a major threat to fisheries in the southern U.S., was first spotted on a small portion of Lake Erling in 2018. (updated 2-16-2023) Fish N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood reports that the lake right now will have some stain to it especially past the U.S. Highway 270 bridge on the upper part of the lake. Temperature and conditions over the next month will dictate your game plan and success. Alligators have between 74 and 80 teeth which change as they get older. Greers Ferry Lake. Jerkbaits, Alabama rigs are the baits of choice, and mostly it's tournament fishing time, though it has taken around 15 pounds to winthe tourneys, The white bass run hasn't really started; some have been caught in the river arms but that is also still a winter fishing pattern for now. Keep anglin' and we'll see you at the river.. Arkansas River and White River levels are available at: http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=lzk. Yes, alligators have been in Arkansas for thousands of years. He says there was some speculation that the creature was a caiman, which are related to alligators and are legal to own in Arkansas. That is on about 30,000 acres. It is important to note that dramatic drops in temperature greatly affect the trout bite in a negative way. If you're looking to drift-fish, try fishing a double-nymph rig and adjust for the depths you are fishing. (501-834-5733) says the river is good right now. Harris Brake Lake For a daily fishing report and lake condition go to. One-Knocker Rat-L-Traps in Red Shad, Toledo Gold or Goldfire Craw picked up several chunky, fat male bass on cypress trees and knees in 7-8 feet of depth near flats adjacent to spawning locations, but the retrieve had to be slow and deliberate deflecting off wood, stumps and cypress knees. said the water level now at Greers Ferry Lake is at 468.75 feet msl, 6.71 feet above normal pool of 462.04 feet msl and falling with generation. Florida largemouth bass will be stocked during the summer of 2025. If you use artificial lures try deeper-diving lures. The fish are about 8-12 feet deep. Thanks to a long summer, alligators have stuck around here in Arkansas. The stage at Augusta is steady at 31.87 feet, nearly 6 feet above flood stage of 26.00 feet. Source: flickr. Anytime lakes like this and other similar lakes come up, they get out of the flow, they said. We favor a dark colored bait and also watermelon red, red or blue, or shad-like baits. It is the choice of the fly that you are going to use to catch fish. Alligators are found primarily in the southeastern United States, from North Carolina to Texas. The massive influx of healthy rainbow trout to the lake rejuvenates the tailrace to an earlier scenario of quality fishing. Hopefully you choose one that the trout wants. Most trout are being caught on Pautzke Fire Bait fished with light terminal tackle, with most being caught in slack water and eddies. We have none of them either. Select low cost funds; Consider carefully the added cost of . Were capitalizing on the shad if they come up to feed early or in the evening, or if the stripers and white bass push them up in the column. The fish will hide behind the obstacle to rest and watch for something to eat to float by. Mike said, We talked to some friends up Little River in the oxbows over the past few days and they told us they were catching some decent largemouths on a floating Trick Worm like the Senko or Zoom Trick Worm and the Yum Dingers. It can take days for a regular bite pattern to resume after a big drop in temperature, so anglers need to be aware. He suggests anglers and boaters check before heading to the Little Red River by calling the Corps of Engineers Little Rock District water data system. What to know. U.S. Geological Survey's Lake Conway water level site. But youve got to find out where they are, and dont expect them to be consistent. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers, skipjack, shad, chicken liver and stink bait. Walleye fishing in Beaver Lake. The bass are in the 5-foot range or shallower in these backwater areas. I coonhunt out of a boat a lot in the winter, and although I cant speak for the rest of the state, theres no short supply of beavers along the river between Clarksville and Ozark. In addition, add lots of flash to white, olive or olive-and-brown streamers, sparkling collars on your jigs, or toss out a shiny silver spoon. I landed fish on a Bayou Magic Tater Shad with a half-ounce white big eye jighead, as well as a three-quarter-ounce Binks Many Shad white spoon. The moist habitats are perfect for many animals, including alligators. Join us as we discover the biggest alligator ever found in Arkansas! Alligators are highly territorial and typically live in freshwater environments such as swamps, marshes, ponds, lakes, and rivers. Andrews Bait Shop and More (479-272-4025) in Plainview hears from guides and anglers that crappie are doing very well now. Wading with the water up can be tricky wading staffs can keep ya dry. They typically range between 11 and 16 feet long, but some can be longer still. Beaver Tailwater The fish were being a little more aggressive. The clarity is clearing. The smallmouth are definitely grouping up if you can find them; they are in roaming mode. There has been nothing to report this week. For bass, what I gathered from the bass fishermen I spoke with, they are struggling as well with fish not responding to the warmer water. They lowered tag numbers on Millwood this year to three I think. (updated 2-9-2022) Capt. As of Friday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lakes elevation was at 359.00 feet msl (normal pool: 342.00 feet msl; top flood elevation is 373.0 feet msl). With the clear water, about any color is good now. DeGray Lake water level is 406.5 feet msl. White River This article explores ten absolutely amazing lakes found in Arkansas. Further up Little River near White Cliffs and Wilton Landing has heavier stain conditions. 45 of our 75 counties have documented gators. The elevation is 249.26 feet msl. Bass fishing starts to improve on both windblown banks on crankbaits back in the creeks and on main lake points near brush on grubs, and then another cold front comes through slowing the fishing. This includes all alligators, true crocodiles, caimans, gharials, and false gharials, along with many extinct members. Water temperature was ranging 51-54 degrees as of Tuesday. Anglers are now targeting them by banging the bank with big streamers on sink tip lines. She says good days should fall on March 4-10, while the best days are March 18-24. Winter probably isn't through with us yet, but we will take advantage of this early spring-like weather while it's here! Some reports say they are deep at 18-22 feet. Ray suggests shad-colored jigs or jigs favoring white, silver/white and pink colors. One of the biggest alligators found in the swamps of Arkansas is over 14 feet long and 800 pounds in weight. The hot flies have been sowbugs, various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and white mop flies. Using a jerkbait on breezy day bluff ends over steeper swings and points will fool a few. Beaver Lake size: max 32"/10 to 12 lbs perhaps. Caught in Merrisach Lake in September 2020 by alligator hunter Travis Bearden, the massive alligator beat the previous record set in 2015 by almost 2 inches. I knew what was going on. The lake is slightly stained in most areas, but will become more stained in the next day or so. (updated 2-9-2022) Randy Plyler with Plyler Outdoors Guide Service (870-210-0522) said that there's only been a few folks out here over the course of the last couple weeks on DeGray. Remember that the White and North Fork Rivers and Dry Run Creek are infected with didymo, an invasive alga. White bass are about 5-7 feet out from the shoreline and also going after the redworms. Larger females soon follow and all will remain in the area for weeks until the spawn is complete. I have found that the late afternoon bite has produced the best numbers. As of Thursday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lakes elevation was 447.76 feet msl (full pool: 437.00 feet msl). The stage at Pine Bluff is at 31.63 and slightly on the rise (flood stage is 42 feet). Beaver Lake is a man-made reservoir in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas and is formed by a dam across the White River. Some reports say they are deep at 18-22 feet. Norfork Tailwater The lake is closed to fishing until spring as it serves as a rest area for migrating waterfowl, and as access opens up after the White River recedes in the area. Are alligators dangerous?No, if you leave them alone! The largest alligator ever was a 19ft 2in long alligator caught on Marsh Island, Louisiana, in 1890. Visit Jons Facebook page for latest updates, Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the main topic of conversation this week is the, Guide Austin Kennedy (479-244-0039) said t, his past week the fishing has been great. Check our blog (linked above) to make sure it's not up and muddy. In the back of McGuire oxbow, we were throwing a custom-painted Little John Crankbaits in Rayburn Red, and a Bill Lewis SB-57 or MR-6 Crankbait in Strawberry Craw, Blood Craw or Red Glitter Craw and picking up a few random bites. We are now just three-quarters of a foot above the top of the power pool and 1 feet above where we were on Feb. 7 before the 3-inch-plus rain. Greers Ferry Lake is 6.6 feet above normal conservation pool. They have not heard much on the crappie fishing front, though, in the Little Rock Pool. (updated 2-23-2023) Guide Austin Kennedy (479-244-0039) said this past week the fishing has been great. Total hourly outflow at the dam is still high; at midday it was 18,275 cfs, and in the past two days the flo2 has been as high as 19,600 cfs. Millwood Lake tailwater elevation was near 244 feet msl (almost 20 FEET above normal) and rising with gate discharge at the dam near 20,000 cfs in Little River, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. Unfortunately, we lost a large part of the alligator population due to unregulated market hunting and their wetlands being drained. Bass are not yet loading into typical early spwaning areas despite the abnormally warm temperatures. Streamer season is upon us. The run has just started, they note. Largemouth bass reports have been good. Lake Monticello is mostly dependent on rainwater for refilling all of its 1,520 acres, and in late fall it had reached a coverage of almost 500 acres. Late in 2022 the AGFC hatchery staff stocked about 180,000 fathead minnows, 111,902 golden shiners, 78,840 bluegill and 82,056 redear sunfish. Lake Greeson Tailwater We have been doing well catching spotted bass and largemouths throwing these baits for walleye, so that shows me bass are on the feed. Further upstream, the flow at the Maynard Lock and Dam was 52,474 cfs. Remember that the White and North Fork Rivers and Dry Run Creek are infected with didymo, an invasive alga. There have been some reports of them being found near drop-offs around 16-20 feet and off rocky banks. Elevation was 338.20 feet msl and the tailwater was at 289.21 feet msl. The shad bite video gaming isnt over yet. The people there talk to a lot of guides and anglers and often have good information. (501-834-5733) in Sherwood said the Little Red is really blown out with the water being released from Greers Ferry Dam over the past week or more. Some larger white bass are up the river with walleye spawning, and smaller ones have not spawned yet and are still in open water on shad. Expect to get hung up, but expect a big fat prespawn female to bust that 1-knocker any minute or the very next cast this time of year.. Over the last week they have seen water depths of 8.5 to 10.5 feet with a strong current. Double-fly nymph rigs have been very effective. When I rig my rod before starting, I take all of this information and determine what flies would be the best to use and I tie on as many as I can. Over the last week they have seen water depths of 8.5 to 10.5 feet with a strong current. Red Chrome, Toledo Gold or Natural Crawfish three-quarter-ounce Rat-L-Traps were picking up a few prespawn fish from 8-12 feet deep on vertical drops. Trout No specific bait was reported. Big female largemouths are beginning to stage at creek mouths and on the first vertical drops from the spawning flats to deeper water. While the Game and Fish Commission reports 84 gators were harvested last month, the reptiles are not just found in hunting . Lake Fayetteville Bream, too, are a little more active. Lake Hamilton Once I have identified the trend I make sure everyone has the most productive flies. The American Alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis) has been a component of Arkansas's native fauna for thousands of years. Lake Dardanelle It can take days for a regular bite pattern to resume after a big drop in temperature, so anglers need to be aware. It does take some looking, but once you find them it is a blast. (updated 2-24-2023) Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said the main topic of conversation this week is the walleye are s tarting to move into the creeks. To drift-fish, try fishing a double-nymph rig and adjust for the depths you are going use. Have stuck around here in Arkansas Plainview hears from guides and anglers and often have good information the... 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