Water levels are low running at 320 cfs at the spring. Water clarity has been clear. The area is badly in need of some rain. The river has been very low making floating the river tough. The Smallmouth stretch has become too low to get over water falls easily.
The trout have been hitting great. Small nymphs have been great for numbers. Blue wing olives and caddis are hatching heavy most days. Anything to imitate them works. Lots of smaller browns in the river can make for some fun dry fly action too. Hopper droppers have been a blast lately. For the bigger fish a white lightning or big woollies have been the ticket for us. Only problem is the small fish try to eat them too but just short strike. Wait for the heavy hit.
We are catching smallmouth on hour glass lead eye streamers like woollies, sculpin, and crayfish patterns. Drag it slow along the bottom. And yes if your fishing for smallies right ya will lose a lot of flies.
Spin fishing has been hot with trout magnets with the low clear water. Doing a little better without a float, with a cast across letting it bounce along the bottom with a small split shot foot above. Hot pink, white and orange have been hot colors.
Groundbreaking at the Jim Hinkle fish hatchery is scheduled for next week and work will start on rebuilding the hatchery. This should not affect the river as it will be done in stages. The hatchery has been at 40% or less capacity since the flood of 2017. Jim Hinkle hatchery stocks rivers thru out the state of Arkansas with trout. It is vital for the trout fisheries in our state. We have been waiting for this to happen and it will be completed over the next year.
