Angler Guide | Arkansas Fishing Report: Greers Ferry Lake

About Us | Contact Us | Outdoor News |

Arkansas Fishing Report

States

Lakes & Reservoirs

Rivers

Greers Ferry Lake Sponsored by

Date	01-Aug-24
Water Condition
Water Temperature

Conditions : Greers Ferry: Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said the water level at Greers Ferry Lake is at 462.24 feet msl, 0.3 feet below normal pool of 462.54 for this time of year. It was 460.80 on Tuesday, and thats 1.74 feet below normal pool, so with runoff from rains looks like it will come up some more going forward. Not much else has changed other than more fish coming up on top schooling in different parts of the lake and rivers. Power generation has picked up with the Southwestern Power Administration generating 4 or 5 hours in the afternoon, which will help oxygenation in the lake and the Little Red River below as well. Also it will help with the bite for all species of game fish as are eating off and on at opportune times. Now most species are getting and staying out where they will summer, staying on structure where you can work on them. Try super shallow and out to 30 feet for crappie and use jigs, minnows or crankbaits. Many fish are migrating to cooler areas in timber where a lot of bait will spend the summer, so fishing straight up and down is a must when fishing for these. Walleye are eating in the main lake, with a few still left up in rivers and scattered throughout the lake. Drag crawler or crankbait in 28-50 feet of water. Some walleye are following under big schools of whites and hybrids; use a spoon for those, and just like crappie its time for a lot of them to head to the timber and hang out the rest of summer into fall as water is cooler and more bait fish are there as well. A spoon is best for that vertical fishing required now, targeting 10-50 feet. Next week I will detail the history of our walleye fishery that was taught to me by Carl Perrin, a past biologist for 30 years here. He was first and foremost in the way our walleye fishery was managed, the reason we have two different-acting species in the lake now, and the reason we have a bigger population of walleye in the south end of the lake. Stay tuned. Hybrid bass and white bass are trying to get set up in main lake for the summer, and some are roaming and schooling on top. But ones that are set, use spoons, inline spinners, grubs and swim baits in 25-60 feet of water. The usual stuff is working in the lakes and rivers for catfish as more show up. Some bream are shallow but most still around 8-30 feet; crickets and crawlers are working fine as well as inline spinners. Some solo black bass are but most are out or roaming shallow and schooling; use Carolina rigs, topwater lures, wake baits, drop-shots, crankbaits and spinnerbaits for best action shallow out to 60 feet. Be safe and wear your life jacket.

Fish N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood said the walleye fishing has been good. The fish are concentrating around standing timber at around 25-30 feet of water. Anglers have been catching walleye using bottom bouncer rigs with a nightcrawler on the back, or throwing a nightcrawler on a jighead. The bass fishing, though, has been hit or miss. Early mornings and late evenings are best for the bass anglers because of the pleasure boating throughout the day on the lake. Successful anglers are targeting schooling fish, throwing clear Zara Spooks, small swimbaits and the like.
Water clarity is clear and the lake level is normal.

Reported by: Arkansas F&G

Hatches:	Patterns	Lures & Spinners


About: - The 30,000-acre Greers Ferry Lake is known for its clear waters and cliffs that line much of its shoreline. One easily recognizable geologic feature on the lake is Sugar Loaf Mountain, where a national recreational trail by the same name climbs the 1,000-foot summit on an uninhabited island (making it accessible only by boat). During warmer months, the fog that hovers over the cold water in the Little Red can create a striking effect. And visitors traveling from the south or east will certainly notice a difference as they enter the regions hilly terrain. Fishing - Unknown, but impressive, is the fact that two world-record fish, the hybrid striped bass and the walleye, were caught on Greers Ferry Lake, which is the reservoir from which the Little Red River flows. (The hybrid striped bass, caught in 1997, weighed in at 27 pounds, 5 ounces, and the walleye, caught in 82, was 22 pounds, 11 ounces.) But walleye and hybrid striped bass arent the only catches on the fishing menu at Greers Ferry. Every game fish native to the State of Arkansas has been stocked in the clear waters of the lake by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and it is especially revered as an excellent largemouth bass fishery. Camping - On the lake, there are more than 10 campgrounds, dozens of boat ramps and nine marinas, eight of which offer rental boats.

Misc Info: -