Lake Catherine Tailwater (Below Carpenter Dam)
For weekly flow releases from Carpenter Dam, visit www.entergy.com/hydro
(updated 1-8-2026) Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service, reports that water temperature below the dam remains in the low 50s due to the warm weather of the last week. Upcoming rainfall could stain the water somewhat in the tailrace but will clear quickly with the low-water conditions and limited flow from the dam. Lakes Hamilton and Catherine are in their 5-foot winter drawdown, with Lake Catherine lowered another 2 feet for infrastructure projects in Hot Springs scheduled Dec. 1-Jan. 31. This has created a terrible situation on Lake Catherine for fishermen looking to launch a boat while this low-water situation is in place. No water is anywhere near the two loading ramps adjacent to the public access fishing docks and the winter loading ramp is also out of action due to the extreme drawdown.
Do not be fooled into thinking the water levels are high enough to launch a boat when there is flow from the dam. Generation times now are very short, and as soon as the current flow stops, the water level will fall quickly and will make loading a boat impossible. As soon as the additional 2 feet of water added back into Lake Catherine at the end of this month, water levels will be high enough for safe boat launching and loading.
As reported the last several weeks, rainbow trout stocking will be drastically reduced all over the state due to the massive flooding and water quality issues that destroyed thousands of trout scheduled to be delivered to our lakes and streams.
Despite the low water and trout emergency measures, fishermen have caught small numbers of trout in the tailrace casting Rooster Tails in white or brown in a 1/16- or ⅛-ounce weight. The trout are very scattered from the dam to the bridge, but fly-fishermen have taken numbers of trout on Trout Magnets in hot pink or white presented under a strike indicator.
January, February, March and April are scheduled to have 1,000 rainbow trout stocked below both Carpenter Dam and Blakely Dam, and that will conclude the spring stocking for those areas.
Anyone attempting to navigate the Carpenter Dam tailrace is urged to use extreme caution in the low-water conditions.
Lake Dardanelle
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ outflow and gauge level reports from Dardanelle, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.
(updated 12-18-2025) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood reports that largemouth bass are being caught between 5-10 feet of water on flats, with anglers throwing red Rat-L-Traps or black-and-blue Chatterbait. They’re also catching them at the mouths of creeks or bridge pilings on a half-ounce football jig.
Crappie are biting a eighth-ounce chartreuse jighead with a chartreuse Crappie Magnet in 10-15 feet of water, mainly on brush.
(updated 1-8-2026) AGFC biologists from the west-central region recently did some electrofishing samples on two pools of the Arkansas River (Lake Dardanelle and Pool 9). They looked at fish populations in the backwaters as well as in the main river channel.
While backwater areas look consistent with past years for fish numbers and species, main river habitats showed fewer fish than expected. This is likely due to the prolonged flooding and high flow rates we experienced this spring and summer. It can temporarily push fish out of sampling zones. Biologists expect these populations to bounce back in the coming years as river flows return to normal.
As for some species snapshots from the sampling:
Largemouth bass/spotted bass: Adult populations are still looking good. Although years with high flow rates generally lead to weak year classes, a fair number of young-of-the-year fish (especially largemouth) were observed.
Catfish: Blue catfish populations appeared to be down in riverine habitats. However, large populations of blues were observed on the lower end of Lake Dardanelle. Flathead catfish appeared to have a poor spawn, as young-of-the-year flatheads that are usually abundant were few and far between.
Crappie: Electrofishing is not the best gear to collect crappie, especially during late summer months. However, some nice crappie were observed around laydowns situated over deep water. On a side note, biologists have documented good year classes of crappie being produced in years with high flow rates in the past. They will be able to determine just how good reproduction was in 2025 during next year’s crappie netting sample.
Shad: Shad numbers were down, especially in riverine habitats. However, both shad species (gizzards and threadfin) were still present in fair numbers. Shad populations often bounce back quickly, especially in years with low to normal flow rates.
Lake Dardanelle is known for its strong largemouth bass population, along with good quantities of bream and is stocked with crappie. White bass are native to the river and are found in the lake. Catfish are abundant. Smaller topwater lures like a Zara Puppy Spook or a smaller buzzbait would be ideal for black bass. Try minnows for crappie with temps beginning to fall. Redworms and crickets will pull in bream. Surface water temperature as of midweek last week was about 75 degrees, which should have the black bass and panfish getting active.
Lake Hamilton
No reports.
Lake Nimrod
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time lake level and outflow reports from Nimrod Lake, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.
(updated 12-18-2025) Sheila Ferrebee at Carter Cove Bait-N-More (479-272-4025) reports that the word going around Nimrod is the crappie are ready and are waiting for all the anglers.
Check out Carter Cove’s Facebook page for more updates; Carter Cove’s email address is cartercovebaitnmore@gmail.com.
Lake Ouachita
For the current lake level at Blakely Dam, click here.
(updated 1-8-2026) Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa (870-867-2191/800-832-2276 out-of-state) reports that black bass are still very good. Spoon action is still working well, and a jig fished in and around brush will produce results, too. Stripers are fair and are being caught on Alabama rigs and live bait near major creek basins in the western and central parts of the lake. Crappie are good. Try a small minnow-colored jig over brush in the 30- to 50-foot range, or go with a No. 6 crappie minnow.
No reports on walleye, stripers, bream or catfish.
Water temperature is ranging 50-54 degrees. Water clarity is light stain/clear. The lake level is steady at 570.08 feet msl. Call the Mountain Harbor fishing guides (Mike Wurm, 501-622-7717, or Chris Darby, 870-867-7822) for more information.
(updated 12-18-2025) John Koestler at Masterbaiters Bait and Tackle (501-209-6538), at 3200 N. Highway 7 outside Hot Springs Village, reports that “not having posted in probably a year, we’ve been busy. But, let me tell you about Lake Ouachita right now. Fishing is on fire — largemouth and spotted bass are hitting on swimbaits and jigs, and the dirty jig is doing really well. A lot of big fish are coming in right now, stripers for a lot of people spooning on stripers, as well as white bass, and some are catching largemouths and Kentucky bass (spots) in with them.
“Crappie have been really good, with some monster crappie. Some days, you’ll catch your limit. Some days, you only catch a few, but they’re in 40 feet, 35 feet, 20 feet down in the trees. Jigs and minnows have been working, but the colder this weather is, the fishing has been on fire.
“Don’t forget, we’re also a Minn Kota authorized service center. And, over this vacation, take the kids out fishing. Good luck to everybody and happy holidays.”
Blue Mountain Lake
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time lake level and outflow reports from Blue Mountain Lake, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.
NOTE: Blue Mountain Lake is undergoing a two-phase drawdown proposed by the Army Corps of Engineers to improve aquatic and waterfowl habitat by exposing mudflats for seeding and for critical maintenance on the lake’s intake structure. Phase one began Sept. 2, lowering the lake to its normal winter pool elevation of 384 feet. The second phase will begin May 1, 2026, with the lake further lowered to 374 feet through Nov. 1, 2026. During the drawdown, water activities will be limited, boat ramps may be affected, and areas around the lake will be seeded.
Japanese millet will be seeded on the mudflats during phase one to improve habitat for waterfowl and other aquatic species. Call 479-947-2372 for more information.