Thread: Update -- Fish???

J Hook we went to the houseboat on Ouachtia last Saturday and did a nightstalk that included a 35 inch plasma tv and a smoker. We fished off the ends of 2 different houseboat docks and did just ok. I cleaned 12 the next morning after loosing a few and throwing a few back. Caught some as deep as 35 feet. The fish had so little in there stomach cavity that it was kinda freaky.

Last week should have been the rock bottom of fishing for the year. We will not have temps that high on a day to day basis for the rest of the year so the water temps will be cooling from here on out.

If your into throwing the fly rod I would suggest a trip out higway 5 in Benton. Pull over arround any of the bridges that cross one of the forks of the Saline river and start wading. The water is still cool to cold in areas and the fish seem to always be biting. I hunt just upstream from Hwy 5 on the Alum fork of the river. There is an excelent parking area there and you can wade for miles upstream.

Me and my wife went fishing last weekend out at Lake Millwood. THe fishing Saturday was phenomenal. We caught 94 bass from Sunup to Sundown. We caught our limit of keepers. (3 fish 16" minimum) The fish this time of year tend to school really heavy. I wish I had a scanner at the office, but I don't. The crappie were really biting too. I was in the hwy 71/Little River area. The trick was finding cypress trees in 8 to 10 feet of water with weeds and grass grown up around it. I caught 5 of my biggest crappie of the year using that method. The bite shut off about 10 a.m. I caught a few more after that but the trees had to be in the shade. My wife loves to bass fish so I don't get to chase crappie as much as I used to.

I was minnow fishing the shade side of the cypress trees. The top water bass bite lasted most of the day. As long as you find shade, you can catch fish. I would suggest if things are slow, take a trip down to Millwood. The early and late fishing has been great for the last two months.

Michael

Catching a few crappie every day all are small best day was 21 catching fish on brush tops in 12 ft of water using tube jig clear with metal flakes fish are still very small for Lake Erling but size has increased some since early summer hopefully they will be larger as temp cools.

Nolsab:

Thanks guys. It's always exciting to here what others are doing. Sounds like there's some cathing going on.

Gooch -- do you ever run a boat on the Saline? I used to canoe it years ago. Need to get down there.

Spickles - Millwood is on my list. I fished it a few times when it first opened when I was in high school and it was hot then. Everything I read, it stays pretty hot. You guys seem to be tearing it up.

I guess med school has pretty much CEB down.

jhook,

We've been juggin at nite on Millwood the last few weekends. It's been so hot we just throw them out before dark and gather them up at daylight. Catching around 20 - 25 each nite. All in the 3 to 5 lb range with a couple of 8 lbders.

Hook,

Fishing has been up and down this summer. Millwood is a great place to catch different species of fish. You can usually get something to bite at all times. I fish the Saline alot too. We put in at Lyle Park and head north. We usually get out and wade at the fork. The fishing has been slow for us the last couple of times out. Last Saturday, we caught over 100 fish. I think we kept 15. (crappie and bass) . Sunday, we may have caught ten with no keepers.

Labor day weekend, we will take one of our pattened 5 day trrips to 8 lakes, river. I still want to catch a trout, smallie, largemouth, crappie, bream, catfish, and striper in one trip. I have been so close!!!! I guess we will see what happens.

Michael

Wow, what a diverse post. -- I've been off the water for 2 weeks now (wife had GYN surgery, all is well and I've been stay at home dad, den mother, chief cook and bottle washer, etc. the whole time) and apparently I haven't missed much on the water that is.

The deep summer is always a slow, bummer of a time for fishing. But, it certainly makes you enjoy the coming Fall even more and as the water temps drop the schooling, breaking fish even more.

I hear that they are doing well on the bass on Greeson with small crawfish. The crappie have been off again on again on Hamilton so long as your on tops just of the main channel. I plan to be back in the saddle come Monday or Tuesday so I might be able to give a descent report then and no doubt I'm looking forward to the Fall Feeding Frenzy.

Gooch, I've been working on a lighting system for my boat for night stalking trips. You're going to have to remember me someday when you have one of those Ouachita outings. I've not fished at night much for crappie and I figure if I start now I might be ready by next spring or summer.

Ya'll don't forget about the Fall Crappie Camp at Kirby Landing on Lake Greeson come October 26-31. I spoke to Louie Mansfield of Grizzly Jig Co. today. No commitment (fishing touraments is heavy in the Fall) but it would be nice if he was able to make a showing and give us a talk'in on tackle. There is so much on the market and he certainly knows the in's and out's and the good's and bad's.

Anyway, ya'll have a great time no matter what you're doing and hope to see you on the water sometime soon.

Last Friday night we caught some flatheads on lake Conway using trotlines baited with goldfish. grizzly