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?

Great report! Thanks for the info. Not sure about the Stinger story, but I seriously doubt they will stop making them, as it is a very popular bait this time of year. If they do, just trim down a Lil Hustler. Looks just like a Stinger and some times it is all they will bite at 89 Bridge, especially in late Fall and dead of Winter.







Again, great report!

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Originally Posted by Cmj

just trim down a Lil Hustler

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Exactly what I was thinking of doing if I ran short of the Stingers, since I have more colors and larger quantities of Lil Hustlers! Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Skunkum

Exactly what I was thinking of doing if I ran short of the Stingers, since I have more colors and larger quantities of Lil Hustlers! Thanks!

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nice report

Sounds like bates is overstocked on stingers lol

Ask Bill (Big River Marine ) to confirm this rumor .:fish

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

Ask Bill (Big River Marine ) to confirm this rumor .:fish

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Thanks, Good Idea! IM sent.

Good report. Were the 89 bridge anglers "jigging hard" (as they call it)? They may know that short fish are illegal but most of them like to violently jerk the rod up and down when the crappie are thick in there to snag them.

Do me a favor and call this into the stop poaching hot line. I'm personally tired of seeing this happen there and tired of others needing to tell me about it. The wildlife officers are aware of the snagging problem and will keeping an eye on it. I also frequently fish the area in the Fall and Winter and will call a wildlife officer on the spot. I've done it befor and will do it again.

Was the trash bad under there yet? That drives me crazy too.

Thanks for the report and sorry for the rant. I guess that today was a rough day. :)

No, I didn't see anyone "jigging hard". I've heard this is often a problem there, though. I think there were only six fishermen there the couple of times I went this week.

I hate to say yes, the trash was pretty bad. I don't think I've ever seen it when it wasn't.

I can't remember the last time I fished there previously but the parking area has had some gravel added making it a lot nicer without the wash-outs.

I probably have one or two more trips there this fall. That's about all I can take of people practically sitting in your lap and crowding your fishing. I like to go every year or so to remind myself how those fish come in, feed, and then leave like clockwork, year after year.

Thanks for the response. I don't understand littering. I guess that it is just plain laziness.

We approach the owner about donating the property adjacent the the bridge and parking area, so that we can make more parking and build a fishing pier that is near the bridge. If we did this it would be bank fishing only because the parking lot wouldn't be big enough to accommodate vehicles and trailers. Most of the short road and parking lot are already on his property. He has just let people park there. Unfortunately he only wanted to sell it and he wanted too much money. Maybe something will be worked out in the future.

Fished below the dam 3:30-5:30 today. Noticed the Corps had removed all of the logs that were hung on the back sides of the gates, guess that's what the work barge was up to a couple of days ago.

They had most of the gates open a little so there was a current. Saw one guy with a #3 blue. I caught about a dozen nice big bluegill and half a doz 8-10 inch crappie. I started using a 1/16 jig with one of those stubby tailed shad bodies Walmart sells (they look more like a cricket to me, whatever). Those big bream really liked that but I was missing a few so dropped to a 1/32 with red/chartreuse tube, which worked a bit better.