Robert Johnson – Local angler Jacob Holloway got one for the wall this last week. This big striper came at the end of our trip, caught on a 6-in. shad freelining 20 feet under a planer board about 100 feet to the side of the boat in 8 ft. of water at Horseshoe Bend. The river run is over and most have moved back closer to us with big fish being caught between the Hwy. 12 bridge and Rocky Branch.
So the long drive is about over and we get to start going out from the dam. Look in the mouth of the creeks, main lake points and the flats. Shad are spawning now and with the water temps still below 72°, it means stripers can go right into the shoreline buck brush with them.
Best live baits are 1. shad 2. perch 3. brood shiners. Best lures now are the big Zara spooks, redfins and chuggers for the top, a rattling rogue for surface lures, and a big fluke, rattletrap or bucktail jig for going deeper. There’s still no need to go any deeper than 20 ft.
The rogue is also doing well for some at night in the same areas. Just work lure slower at night.
Here at Holiday Island, walleye have mostly moved out of the tailwaters and are feeding on shad from here to the Houseman access area. Working a jig tipped with a minnow, slow, while water temps are under 70°. When we get above 70° a jig tipped with a nightcrawler might do better.
Trolling small crankbaits like the flicker shad #7 and #8 in 10- to 20-foot water off the flats are catching some, along with the whites. Crappie are still on their spawn here which means it’s a good time to catch them in the shoreline brush in water from 1 to 6 ft. deep, jigs and minnows will both work under a slip float.
Bass are moving closer to the shoreline to build their spawning beds, so working anything slow that looks like it might eat their eggs can catch them. It’s a great time to fish and catch, so maybe we’ll see you out there while we all enjoy the Arkansas Ozarks. Robert Johnson, fishofexcellence.com. (479) 253-2258