DEGRAY LAKE Bass fishing is fair between Arlie Moore and Point Cedar on main lake points close to deep water. Throw medium-running crank baits -- lipped and lipless -- across major points and parallel to the bluff banks. Also try Texas rigged worms worked slowly in the same areas. Green pumpkin and red shad are good starting colors. Crappie fishing is improving with some good catches coming from 20-25 feet on the main lake. Drop a 2-inch black/chartreuse tube on a 1/16-ounce jighead into the thickest part of the brush at about 15 feet down. Bites are very subtle in the cold water, so pay close attention to your line. Hybrids are beginning to show on the west side of Goat Island. Trollers are picking up a few on deep-running crankbaits and the small 5-arm umbrella loaded with 4-inch curly tail grubs. Natural shad with some chartreuse is best for the cranks and white, chartreuse or pink on the grubs. Late afternoon is the best time.
BEAVER LAKE Striper fishing should be good this week. Beaver Lake stripers are using the mouths of coves, creek arms and the channel adjacent to shallow gravel bars. Fish free lines, balloons and downlines between the surface and about 40 feet deep in order to ensure a good spread. Troll umbrella rigs with white or chartreuse jigs/grubs or plugs like Rapala No. 14 husky jerks in black back or purple back colors, or 5-6-inch Smithwick Rogues in similar colors on planer boards to stagger your presentation. Live bait is always the go-to approach on Beaver Lake when fishing for trophy stripers. Mike says these areas are hot spots: Rambo Creek Arm (check the back near War Eagle Cavern), Rocky Branch (check the back of Larue near boat ramp), Ford and Cedar creeks (check backs of these and pay attention to where tree line intersects channel), Larue (note the main channel bends and cuts), Coppermine, Ventris and Shaddox Hollow. In the upper section of the lake, hot areas are: Arkansas 12 bridge (check main lake structures, humps and secondary points in the area where the channel intersects), Prairie Creek (check back of this and Avoca), Coose Hollow, Blackburn Creek, Beaver Shores, Escapalia Hollow/Falls Hollow, Horseshoe Bend, Mont Ne, Hickory Creek, War Eagle.
LAKE OUACHITA Largemouth bass are biting jigs, Alabama rigs and Rat-L-Traps. Stripers are being caught on Alabama rigs in major creek channels and the western part of the lake. Crappie are fair and being caught on minnows in 20-30 feet of water near structure.
Sports on 02/01/2018