Fishing this week

LITTLE ROCK — HOT SPOTS

1. ARKANSAS RIVER (LITTLE ROCK) Bass fishing has been good on spinnerbaits, jigs and shad-colored crankbaits.

Fishing is best in the backwater areas.

2. LAKE COLUMBIA Bream fishing is good on crickets, and crappie fishing is good on jigs. Bass are biting well on watermelon worms.

3. DEGRAY LAKE Bream can be caught in 20-25 feet of water on redworms and crickets.

Crappie are biting in 15-20 feet of water on live bait. Bass fishing is good on Carolina rigs, worms and jigs, and early and late they can be caught on spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Some catfish have been caught on noodles and live bait. Hybrids are breaking and following schools of shad. Crankbaits and CC spoons are working well on the breaking fish.

4. LAKE OVERCUP Crappie fishing is good on black-andwhite jigs in shallow water. Bass fishing is good on plasticworms and spinnerbaits. Catfishing is good on worms and shrimp.

5. LAKE OUACHITA Largemouth bass are biting well on Rooster Tails, Spooks and finesse worms fished around main-lake points

and secondary points. Topwater toads are getting good results fished over and around moss beds. Spotted bass are biting excellently on live crayfish fished near brush in 15-25 feet of water. Walleye are biting well on spoons and crankbaits fished over main lake points and brush. Stripers are excellent on live brood minnows and gizzard shad. Topwater action is picking up. Bream are biting well on crickets and worms in 18-25 feet of water.

Crappie fishing is very good with most being caught over grass and brush in deeper water. Try large moss flats and brush in water 20-35 feet deep. Minnows or crappie grubs are still working best. Arkansas shad, Tennessee shad and white are still the best colors for artificial baits. Catfish are still good using live bait and cut bait on jugs and trotlines in water 20-25 feet deep.