2/19/2019 Arkbutla Fishing Report

Arkabutla - 2/19/2019 2:48:49 PM

With several inches of rainfall predicted this week, expect spillway gates to be reduced or shut off and water levels to rise. Cold, muddy inflows and are expected. There have been no recent reports on anything. Best luck for crappie would either trolling or drifting along the dam, in the gravel pit, or in the mouths of major creeks with jigs and/or minnows or jigging in any remaining cover. White Bass should be starting to move up the river and creeks if we get a warming trend later in the week and could be taken on jigs fished over sand bars. There are no Striped or Hybrid Striped Bass in the reservoir, just White Bass and a few Yellow Bass. Largemouth Bass will be in the clearest available water on any cover where soft plastics or a jig-n-pig are best baits. Catfishing is normally best using various natural baits on rod-and-reel, noodles (jugs), or trotlines over mudflats or on worms or stink baits in tributaries after rainfall.

The spillway had one gate open 19.0 ft (1300 cfs) as of 9 AM Tuesday. Expect the gates to be lowered more or shut off, depending on how much rain falls. Best luck in the spillway is when some water is being released. For crappie, fish jigs and/or minnows out of the current, like in Elbow Creek, or right along the rocks. Catfishing is best in eddies on natural bait fished near the bottom. White Bass will be in the current where you can drift a 2 jig rig just off bottom (watch the rocks!) or fish small crankbaits or tailspinner lures. For largemouths, fish any cover or right on the rocks in the spillway with crankbaits or a jig-n-pig.

Arkbutla Lake, Arkbutla Fishing Reportaaron bartonFebruary 19, 2019Comment

2/19/2019 Arkbutla Fishing Report

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