Update- Arkansas River at Toadsuck w/ bonus Conway 89 rept
Y'all may remember my post a couple weeks ago. I was catching a few fish but not many crappie. Highlight was the rock I stood on was like to secret entrance to a snake den.
Well, I've been back several times since then and only seen a couple water snakes. I hope they are about done for the year but with temps in the 90's I doubt it. Sorry, I keep meaning to put a can of yellow spray paint in the truck so I can mark the spot for anyone else who doesn't particularly like snakes. They are the reason I quit using a basket and carry a bucket to put my fish in!
Fishing from the bank at Toad Suck hasn't been too good since then. I have caught no more than a couple of small crappie per trip (at most). I've tried fishing the Wall (at the dam), 100 yards down the wing dike, and at the boat ramp. I've tried daylight, mid-morning, mid-day, mid-afternoon, and dusk. Most of the crappie I've caught have been right next to the bank at the edges of the current just after daylight. They are small and I haven't kept any. I don't think I have caught any species other than crappie and bream. I've been using jigs- haven't tried any minnows lately. Haven't seen anyone else doing any better, either.
I'm guessing the reason I'm not picking up many fish is they are not releasing much water. I think they've only been running a good flow twice in the last two weeks and those times were during the night. I noticed they dropped the flow to nothing early this morning. They had their work barge up against the gates in the corner by the lock yesterday about lunch time so the Corps may be doing some maintenance. I didn't even go check today because I fished somewhere else:
Hwy 89 bridge Lake Conway. I fished under the bridge a couple of times this week using jigs. Caught a couple dozen various sized small crappie about daylight-9:00 am but no keepers. Saw several fish caught by others but no one keeping anything. Folks fishing there seem to be VERY aware of the 10 inch minimum and I was told a couple of times that a short fish is worth $170 to AGFC. Lots of shad in that area and a couple of muskrats swam through. Everyone said we need some cold weather to turn them on there.
Stopped at Bates to top off lost jigs on the way out- was told I'd better grab all of the Southern Pro Crappie Stingers while I can, said they broke the molds and are discontinuing them. Anyone know the facts about this?