Oxbow Lake wisdom

For you guys who fish natural bays or oxbows off of river systems, when is best and when is "stay home" regarding water levels? For example, I've always thought that if a bay was really high but stable and not really muddy, might as well fish it. I've been told if it is rising or falling fast, stay home. When do you guys like to hit these bodies of water best?

Seems like I read on here that some of you E AR guys that fish Mississippi Oxbows like to get in right when the river gets out?

Thanks for any wisdom you can share.

Always best when water is lowest concentrates fish, good on slow fall for me. Fish any chance as you might learn something new.

I'm still trying to figure out the mississippi river levels for oxbows over there but as far as the lower white river I think they are best when the Clarendon gauge is between 17 and 22 feet if the river is too high the fish just scatter and are hard to find

fishing is best as long as water levels are pretty stable

Slow fall is good on most oxbows, rise or fast fall save your gas money! !!

Yep, if it's rising, I don't fish. If it is falling more than a foot a day, I stay home. I like to fish oxbows when there is a little extra water in them, not just when the river gets out. A half foot a day fall with clear water, it's on!

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Originally Posted by Greg Parker

I'm still trying to figure out the mississippi river levels for oxbows over there but as far as the lower white river I think they are best when the Clarendon gauge is between 17 and 22 feet if the river is too high the fish just scatter and are hard to find

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I think you'll find the best fishing on the lower White River is when the gauge at Clarendon is 14' or below.

Thanks guys for sharing some of your thoughts! I can't take it; I have to go fish a couple of my favorite oxbow lakes before moving out of NE AR. They shouldn't be too muddy if we don't get any storms in the next day or so. I'm in agreement with several of you; I don't mind a little extra water as long as it is stable or slowly falling.