Cody Smith

When measuring Girth, Make sure you get both front and rear of dorsel fin~

Well Guys and Gals the lake is finally within sight of normal pool, only 6 more feet to go! I have to say all this high water was challenging and took a minute to get used too. However, I'm positive this lake will benefit tremendously through the next coming years from the 08 spawning condidtion's. Fishing has been terrific when taking time of year into consideration. Water Temps are ranging from 87 - 92 degrees depending on time of day. Presently, I am still catching numbers of fish from 10 - 35 in fairly short order. Lot's of Smallies are schooling and gobbling up the shad that the hybrids are rounding up. When they get going good you can bet that all major game species are coming to take a bite. I have had the best luck late in the evening and fishing up until 11:00 pm or so. Best lure choices are: Shaky Head Spot Remover Jig Heads with 6 - 7 inch finesse worms in Watermelon, Jig and Chunk Combo's, Live Crawlers on 1/8 oz. Jig Heads, Medium Runing Cranks in Pearl and Purple, 3 and 4 inch Grubs and Baby Flukes in lemon and pearl. Of course the Hybrids are moving back deep around dark but you do have a window of about and hour or more to catch them good as there pushing bait towards the points. MAIN LAKE POINTS are holding the majority of the fish. Walleye's, Hybrids, White's, Spot's, Smallies, and even a few Largemouth are in and around the schools. When your choosing an area to fish it's a must to use your gps or good topo map to locate the Longer Points with Rock and Gravel located on them. Select areas to concentrate on where your main channel is running very tight to the point and structure located there in. There will be fish on these areas. Time of day and timing in general has everything in the world to do with you getting bit or not. Like I stated before, I'm doing the best in the evenings, however there is a good morning bite as well. Pick and choose carefully and you are sure to put some fish in the boat. Good Luck out there~

Throughout my fishing young career as a guide and not, I have learned many things about the water and the fish that inhabit them. One thing that you CAN ALWAYS count on is ignorant and disrespectfull people. I don't care if it's just me and one other boat on the water (any water) that other boat is typically going to do something I don't agree with. The sad part is that there are few times when the "law" is on your side. I hate to say it but this will never change. I find alot of the time there is a Huge case of ignorance involved on said party. It's really kinda sad to say the least. Now, even here on the LR there are a couple of "bait" guides that have no courtesy for you drifts and or water your fishing, be it with Fly or other means. They will literally pass (in there pontoons) within 2 feet of you at moderate speed, wave and keep on trucking, even if they almost swamp your boat. Now with the table turned If I'm running up or down river they will do anything, Jump N Jacks, Shout, etc. to keep you from coming within even 75 feet of there anchored boat. As common courtesy when I'm changing location's with or without client's I always signal to the other guide or fisherman and ask which side they would like me to pass them on. A few years back and alot less patience then I have today, I admittedly have done donuts around these guides with my 25 wide open returning the favor to these unnamed pontoons, after almost being swamped as they passed me earlier. Not the right thing to do but there is only so much a guy can take. Like I said this was well before I learned to have patience. I can say that I do get quite a bit more respect on the water from this individuall that I speak of now. NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO, however sometimes you do have to fight stones to stones. Just a little rant~

All these other responses will help you out greatly, However, you must make sure you are using the correct diameter line for the reel. You cannot put 8lb. line on a 4lb. reel. If you look at your spool on the reel closely it should have a Gear ratio and a suggested Line weight for the reel. Also after checking and making sure you have the proper line on the reel you need to manually flip the bell with your hand to prevent any further line twist. Cheaper mono lines have alot of memory that is a nightmare to deal with once on the water/bank. I would suggest buying a line with less memory like a fluorocarbon or a no stretch line like Berkley Fireline. Not only will you increase your feel but also you will elliminate your line twist. Good Luck and let us know how it goes~ Cody Smith Trout Troller Guide Service Greers Ferry Lake and The Little Red River

Greers Ferry is currently at 473 feet and is constantly falling at a rate of 4 - 6 inches per day. Water temperatures are almost a constant 84 degrees and have been for a few weeks now. The reservoir remain's off color from normal and clearing daily depending on wind and traffic. Campgrounds are reopening and we are seeing more weekend traffic than anytime this summer. During the week it has been very nice with a little wind and surfacing fish most days. It seems the hybrids are making a longer appearance in the evening hours rather than the morning session. We have been doing good and picking off up to 20 per school, along with some white's when they are participating. Spoons, Spooks, and other minnow imitation's will work as long as you can make longer casts to the schools without getting too close. However, one minute they can be 100 yards away and the next there is another bunch of them under the boat. The largemouth bite has picked up on secondary banks, points and some deeper channel swings. Jig and chunk trailers are definately the way to go during periods of sun and traffic. The smallies are hanging deeper on the ledges around points and some type of cover. I have personally caught the spots in as little as 6 feet of water out to 40 feet. They are still a little scattered but seem to be getting into tighter groups as the bait fish begin to move on out. Catfish are still spawning and there should be a good surge in feeding after there done. Look for the transition zones between main channels and spawning areas with cover and baitfish. Good Luck and Be carefull this holiday weekend~ Cody S. Smith / TrouTTroller Guide Service, smittyc888@hotmail.com

Sold

Greers Ferry is currently 475 ft above msl. At the time of this report. Our Reservoir is and has been on a steady fall since the beginning of June. This is good news for boaters and fisher’s alike. Campgrounds that have been impacted by the flooding are opening back up and boat ramps are becoming useable once again. Fishing has stayed very consistent throughout the spring and into the early parts of summer. June produced fantastic days of Smallmouth bites, along with Hybrids and White’s surfacing most every morning and afternoon. Bait fish are everywhere, from 2 feet to 40 feet deep. This has spread the game fish out more than normal for this time of year, however you just have to cover more water to have good results. Water temperatures during the month of June ranged from the upper 60's to where they are currently holding in the mid 80's as of now. July should bring slightly warmer surface temps up to the higher 80's before coming to a peak around 87 degrees. The reservoir has a lot more color than usual, visibility in the lower portion is down to 7 feet or more in some locations with the upper basin holding in the 3 - 5 foot range. I would expect the water to clear slightly every day as the water continues to reseed. This will also help in stabilizing the water temps at lower levels. The clearer the water the less likely it is to reach higher temps. Cloudy or muddy water warms much faster, it simply absorbs the sun light rather than reflecting it. Lot’s of forage for the baitfish remains in relatively shallow water, thus not making them move out quite yet. By far the most dependable bite during the month of July will be all 3 species of bass and our whiskered friends the catfish. Catfishing has been good with live crawlers and sunfish with some being caught on liver. Depths of 14 - 28 feet are your key areas adjacent to deeper channel runs. Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass are on the Points in 16 - 30 feet of water and are feeding well throughout the day. Strike King Football Jigs with Net Bait trailers have been my go to bait. Present them on fairly light line while dragging them around chunk rock on the main lake gravel points. The spotted bass are hanging out in depths of 30 feet or more on sheer banks, secondary bank flats adjacent to bluff lines, and in the pole timber just off the main channels. Drop Shot methods with Action Bait Finesse worms or live crawlers will produce the suspended fish. Electronics seem to be key in locating large concentrations of these fish. The White’s and Hybrids are still schooling early and late around large pods of very small minnows. 3" Action bait grubs and small spooks are by far the best lure’s going. As the sun gets higher and the bait goes deeper you must find the schools of bait and slowly present your jigs and spoons right above them in order to produce. The Crappie fishing has been very hit or miss. The largest concentration’s I have found have been on flats in 12 - 25 feet of water with lot’s of brush and timber on them. The best bait has been the 1" slider jigs in Black and Chartreuse fished on an 1/8 oz. Jig deathly slow. Count the lure down and retrieve it with a slow stop and go method. Bream, Sunfish, and RockBass/Warmouths are holding tight to larger rocks and steep drops feeding on large amounts of bugs and small baitfish. 1/32 oz. Jigs baited with crickets or small red worms have produced best in the 6 - 12 foot range over 30 feet of water. The walleye have continued being a challenge during 2008. The fish are very spread out but should be concentrating down to smaller areas with the water on the fall. Main lake flats in 20 - 40 feet of water should be your primary locations. Dragging crawler harness and bottom bouncers will be the most productive way to score a few for dinner. Well, as we progress into the summer month’s the fish should stay in there current patterns. If you can stand the heat you can definitely produce a good days catch here on Greers Ferry Lake. I hope to see each and everyone of you on the water sometime this summer. If you have any question’s regarding an up coming trip to our area please give me a call or write me an e-mail and I will do my very best to insure you have the best trip available with accommodations and fishing location’s. BTW, Golden Outdoors in Heber Springs has all the gear you need for fun in the Sun, ask for Gwen or Carrie Golden to put the right baits in your hands before hitting the water, be sure and tell them Cody Smith/ Trout Troller sent ya. Guide Dates are available throughout the month of July, Contact me now for the best guaranteed dates. Smittyc888@hotmail.com or (501)362-9958, Cody S. Smith Trout Troller Guide Service

Bump

Hey Guys, I have a nice starter fiberglass river jon for sale, She ain't to pretty but does not leak! 17 foot, 32" bottom, 14" sides, Livewell, 3 Seats, Custom Trailer, Good Tires, New Extended Transom put in a year or so ago. A steal @ $1,200.00 Also available 97 Mercury 4hp LongShank, with built in gas tank. Starts and runs Great $350.00 You can contact me through this board or email or phone me direct @ smittyc888@hotmail.com or 501.362.9958 Cody S. Smith Trout Troller Guide Service Tumbling Shoals, Ar 72581

Great Report~ Sounds as if you are figuring out how to fish High Water, 95% of all the fish will be within 30 feet from the bank! WTG and great to hear about the Ramp... Cody

Greers Ferry is currently 479 ft above msl, still about 18 and one half feet above normal pool. After a late start to a great spring of fishing things are starting to slow down here with water temps in the mid 80's. I've been hard at it for the past few weeks with some days better than others. Most every morning Hybrids are still surfacing along with some white bass. They are moving around pretty good and they are doing a good job of not showing up in the same places. However, a few can be caught on Action Bait Grubs, Stickbaits and Topwaters. Most of the activity I've seen has been in 25 - 60 feet of water. There are some bass on the point's in water of 35 feet and less with others up shallow chasing bream in the 3 - 7 foot range. The largest concentration's are deeper. Jig and chunk combos have produced the best for me when fished super slow around the fall off zones. The catfish bite is going ok, with alot of them getting ready to spawn. We have been doing well on trotlines fished in 12 - 28 feet of water with sunfish and gizzards. The bream are, of course in 3 - 13 feet of water and can be caught on red wigglers and half night crawlers. With the lake falling about 6"'s a day the fish seem to be moving out with it. If I can answer any question's you may have about our fine reservoir, please feel free to contact me via e-mail @ smittyc888@hotmail.com. The parks will be reopening over the next few weeks so plan your trip now and I'll see ya on the water~ Cody S. Smith Trout Troller Guide SErvice

Greers Ferry is still falling and water temps are a shocking 75 degrees in Middle Fork and Hill Creek. Saturday, the lake was not as busy as one would expect to see for Memorial Day weekend. We boated 12 Bass during the afternoon and most all the fish we caught where in 18 - 34 feet of water, still in and around standing and flooded timber. We did pick up a few fish on some secondary points. Jigs with Net bait chunck trailers, finesse worms, and shallow running cranks produced the bite's. 0 Bite's on swim baits, which was suprising! POST SPAWN to say the least. Still managed a decent day but had to fight for them. Water clarity was 1- 4 feet depending on location. Good Luck~ Cody

Greers Ferry Lake is still on the high side with the lake levels currently at 484 feet above msl. Normal pool for our reservoir is 461.4 feet. Fishing has been fantastic throughout the spring and I foresee this trend to continue through the month of June. With the high water situation we have had, the spawn for all species with the exception of walleye, has been awesome. All the new water has given the fry plenty of cover to hide and escape harms way. During the next few years we should really see a boost in population’s of all major game fish and with the lack of walleye spawn the AGFC will be stocking them which will give the river strain a boost as well. All the high water is exactly what this infertile reservoir needed to insure great fishing into the future. I have received numerous e-mails regarding which ramps are available for use, HWY 25 S has lot’s of room and is in great shape, Hill Creek is also available as well as the Narrows to name a few. Also to note the town of Greers Ferry will be offering a shuttle service for overflow parking of boat trailers, etc. From Narrows Park. Our newest member, Greers Ferry Tours will be taking people from parking to the lake and back for $5 round trip. Boaters can put their boat into the lake at the Narrows Park, then drive their trailers to West Side School or if they are staying at the local motels, Narrows Inn, Sportsman's Lodge and Sugar Maple Inn they can return their trailers to their motel and the bus will pick them up from the motels and take them back to the lake. When they are done on the lake, the bus will be at the park and take them back to either their motel or West Side School's parking to get their trailers. The Shuttle will run every hour from 9 a.m. To 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The shuttle can hold 13 people at a time and will make as many trips as necessary to get the people back and forth. So, spread the word, the lake is open and ready for the vacationers! On with the forecast...... Water temps are slightly cooler than normal for this time of year but it won’t be long before they catch up to the yearly averages. In the month of June, one can expect to see water temps from the upper 60's in the beginning to mid to upper by the latter part of the month. Water clarity; depending on location throughout the reservoir it will vary, with all parts of the lake clearing as more stable and dryer weather patterns move in. At present, the lower basin has visibility levels up to 10 feet and the 5 fingers portion to the north is still stained and visibility is holding around 3 - 5 feet. We will be experiencing post spawn patterns for Largemouth and Spotted Bass. After recuperating from the spawn that took place the last 2 weeks of May, these fish will be aggressively feeding this month while water temps are still in the ideal range of 65 - 75 degree mark. The spot’s will be schooling and cruising medium to deeper depths compared to earlier this year. They will stay with the bait fish, lures to keep in mind when pursuing them will be rat-l-traps, soft plastic jerk baits and any minnow imitation fished in and around creek channels and drops into deeper water. Of course, there will still be a few scattered throughout the shallows that can be taken with a variety of methods. Now the largemouth should pull out from the flooded shorelines and position themselves in 10 - 18 feet of water on long, slow tapering points on creek channels and main shorelines on the main lakes and throughout our feeder creeks and rivers. Action Bait 4" little teaser finesse worms (www.actionbait.com) fished on Strike King Shakey Head’s will be a great way to catch some pig’s. 1/8 oz. - ½ oz. Football Jigs with the Net Bait Small Paca chunk trailers or the Rage series from Strike King fished in natural colors will get bit by the most finicky of Larry’s. Jigging spoons and Carolina Rigs will also be a staple during the month of June. Now, for the bronze backs look for isolated small rock piles next to the flooded shorelines adjacent to smaller and secondary points on channels. Tubes and smaller swimbaits fished thoroughly around and in this cover will produce. Also look for the smallies to be foraging on Mayfly hatches and other insects hitting the waters surface. This fish will position themselves in areas where they can escape to deeper water during High light penetration periods. Of course, cloudy overcast days and periods of rain will fish best. The Hybrids and White Bass, are moving out of the rivers and creeks back towards the deeper water with some stragglers still being caught regularly in the flooded timber up the arms. These fish will follow the bait, as long as it hangs around look for them to be close by. Later in the month after the water temp reaches the mid to upper 70's consistently the bait fish will retreat and you should use your electronics to locate large schools and these highly predacious fish will be close by. Jigging spoons, Large in-line spinners, Big Rat-L-Traps and live bait methods with large shiners will do best when presented to actively feeding fish. Our walleye made a big surge in feeding this last month and it should continue until the water temps reach the upper 70's. Most of the eyes are using "new"cover to forage in and around. Wally diver’s and deep running crank’s along with 4" Action grubs fished over flooded tops have really produced well at low light periods. Look for roadbeds, creek channels and any new highways for these fish to set up on. As the water warms and the falls out the fish will get back on there main lake flats and be a little more predictable at depths of 25 - 40 feet deep around standing timber and small rock piles. At this time crawler harness and bottom bouncers trolled at very slow speeds will be the golden ticket when coupled with live bait, crawlers being best. The Crappies are finishing up there spawn and will be back on the flats in the pole timber by the middle of this month. Small Cranks and Jig and Minnow combos will produce best at this time. Look for them to be in 30 feet of water holding in the 10 - 15 foot part of the column. Bream and Catfish are spawning heavily this month. Look at areas with shallow flats adjacent to deeper water and forage. Of course the cat’s will be stuffing themselves on sunfish and can be caught tight lining but the best method on this reservoir will be from trotlines. Well, as always have a safe trip while you’re here and the lake is definately open for business. If you have any question’s regarding this reservoirs or The Little Red River, please shoot me an e-mail and I will get back with you. Take a kid fishing and share the passion for our great sport. Free Fishing Weekend in Arkansas is June 6th - 8th, so there is no excuse not to get a hook wet, No lic. Or Trout Stamp is needed to fish our waters from noon on Friday until midnight Sunday. Trout Troller Guide Service, Greers Ferry Lake and The Little Red River, Cody S. Smith smittyc888@hotmail.com

Greers Ferry is 484.9 right now. 2 things have affected our reservoir to note; Consistant falling water (finally) and lack of pressure, Both of these are good, as you know it makes developing patterns easier. Fishing has been great on most species, location is everything. The north basin is clearing slightly and the eyes are still holding tight to relatively shallow water in depths of 18 feet or less, Road Beds and of course flooded timber along creek channels are producing. Deep diving crankbaits and Crawlers are catching a few. Hybrids are still foraging daily in pretty good numbers on the scatterd bait fish. If you find them one day don't count on them being there the next. 4" grubs and Rat-L-Traps are proving to be best. Move fast and keep your hooks wet to locate them. These fish are cruising edges of all types of structure, they will stage away in deeper water but still relatively shallow in the column, they simply are moving in and out when they want to feed. Early and Late are definately best. Smallmouth bass are feeding aggresively after recoping from there spawn, tubes and soft plastic jerk baits fished on rocky flooded shorelines are #1 with your main lake points being relatively absent of fish at this time. Largemouths and Spots are Spawn and Post Spawn right now. The spots are starting to school tighter and are as unpredicatble as any other species right now, 1 day you really rake them and the next 1 or 2 here and there. Concentrate up all main and minor feeder arms in the timber for the best bite. Some large Females are still on the beds and the ones that have already done there thing have backed off and are lethargic from the spawn. Jig and Chunk combos are your number 1 bait right now. You can pick up some smaller ones throwing jerkbaits and medium running cranks over, again, flooded tops. Good Luck and the bite is definatly still on~

Glad to hear you had some great action below the dam~ Those Hybrids sure are fun and the Eye's also. Those trout don't have a chance if those species hang around.

I'm not clear on what your asking, Fishing on the river has been darn near terrific with the consistant higher flows. Please be a little clearer and I'll do my very best to help~ Cody Trout Troller Guide Service

Coming from someone that Owns a Jack, They will hunt, run, chase and bark at any car or vermin out there: Trained or not. Super protector and Great Companion's, I hope you find her a good home~

If it takes place on a WMA then you should also contact AGFC.

The Little Red has been fishing great the last week or so that I've been out. We've had different water releases along with alot of rain in a short amount of time. From the Dam down to Ramsey's is quite stained but there are alot of hatches happening daily and alot of hungry trout ready for your offering. Today was no exception, My wife the puppy and I hit the water a little late for alot of acition but still caught the water on it's way up. We put in at Lobo around Noon and fished until the crest around 3:00. Evidentally AGFC stocked a few hours prior to us arriving, there where tons of fish going crazy at the ramp with a few rental boats getting in on the action. We fished from Hanging tree shoal down through the old C & R with most of the fish including a 20" Brown comming in the latter. We boated several nice fish along with your typical 12 - 14 inchers in this stretch. My wife, Billie, had great sucess using the float and fly technique along with some hard stick baits. I caught most of my fish on Bill's Deena, one of the members of this forums creation, Beefed up to a #2 with a few modification's fished on moderate sinking line. Saturday I had the pleasure of taking one of my very best friends and His son out. It was his 4 year old son's first outing on the river and very first trout trip. Jackson and Brad boated over 40 fish for the afternoon, again fishing the rising water at Lobo. The float and fly method worked great for Jackson, his father stuck with a 1/16 oz. Brown and Orange Hair jig. It was a great Day and everyone had a memorable time. If any of you would like information about our area or would like to set a guide trip up give me an e-mail at smittyc888@hotmail.com or send me a PM~ Cody S. Smith Trout Troller Guide Service

Great Little Report and Congrats!

The lake has dropped almost a foot since my last report. Water temps in the Lower basin are in the mid 60's with 65 degrees being the warmest I located. Fishing is still going well with lot's of catches to be had. The white bass have backed off and are recoperating from there great spawn, you can still catch a few fishing around the mouths of the feeder creeks and main creek channels. The hybrids are working it over pretty well, with Early Morning and Late afternoon being the most productive. You can catch these fish mid to all the way up the arms. They have been schooling and feeding very aggresively. I would count on at least another week of this activity. Best lures are in-line spinners in 1/2 oz., Lead Head Jigs with Action Bait 3" Grubs in Chart. Pepper, June Bug, and Electric Blue Grape. Walleye's are showing up in better numbers than they have all year. They are also doing better right at dawn and dusk with the latter being better. There moving around pretty good so you have to really stay with them for consistant action, but the best bite's have been on the 3 and 4 inch Action bait grubs and deep diving crankbaits. The Smallmouth bass are coming out of recovery after there spawn. Expect action on this species to really be picking up. Look for Brush edges around 45 degree banks with gravel and small rock in 12 - 20 feet of water for the best bite. Largemouths and Spots made a hug push about 2 weeks ago beginning to stage in the shallower depths of the water column. These fish are still active with the big females spawning in different location around the lake. Soft plastic jerkbait's, wacky rigged worms and small crankbait's are catching the more active fish still in pre-spawn mode. Jig and Chunk combo's along with Tube's fished in and around tight cover and spawning location's are catching some nicer fish. Most points are void of many fish as of yet. I would expect this to change within the coming weeks. Bream and all panfish can be caught shallow on anything small, red worms, crickets, 1/32 oz. jigs etc. Good Luck and If you have any question's or want to set a Guide Date email me at smittyc888@hotmail.com

I am not familiar with Mark Twain, however I am o` so familiar with catching "eyes". My rule of thumb along with most of the walleye greats, is keep it simple... The first thing you want to do when pursuing a new species is overcomplicate things. Like I stated before I'm not familiar with mark twain, however I would say if you have a fair to moderate population of eye's swimming around, right now they should be well past post spawn and feeding aggresively. Walleyes like wood, deep cover and hard bottoms. Try weed or timber lines on main and minor channel swings in medium depths for the reservoir or lake your fishing. KEEP IT SIMPLE, one of the most deadly ways to produce eyes is on a 1/16 or 1/8 oz jig head fished methodically on the bottom. Cast and drag your offering across structure and make sure your using a 6 1/2 - 9 foot rod with a medium backbone and a light tip. Water temps under 55 degrees Large Golden Shiner's or Black Salty Inshore minnows are best, Above 55 Degrees, Crawlers and Leeches can't be beat. As far as artificial's go, x-wraps and medium running stick baits should be fished in low -light periods on a moderate retrieve~ Good Luck and Let us know how it goes~ Cody S. Smith Greers Ferry and The Little Red River

Greers Ferry is currently 485.5 feet and holding steady. By the Middle of May, with no more major rain events, we should be down to the upper 470's. Remember normal summer pool is 461.4 feet. Folks, it's going to take some time to get all this extra water out. Marina's are having a tuff time, to say the least managing there slips. Most of the Parks that surround the lake should be reopening with the lower water allowing more access points. It's been a record breaking year with the rain, however the fishing through out the entire month of April was Fantastic! We had several days of 60+ fish and a few that pushed 100. White's proved to provide the most dependable action early on in the month, with Hybrids a close second. We caught 95% of all our fish up the main and minor creek arms with moderate to slow current, while fishing 3 and 4 inch curly tail grubs by Action Bait Company out of Florence, AL. With all the new water entering the lake Clarity was a factor. Paying close attention to color and presentation was a HUGE factor in catch rates. Electric Blue Grape and Yellow where by far the best colors. With the water clearing and visibility reaching 4 - 7 feet in the lower basin the Electric Blue Grape is still out producing any other combo's and colors. I will say that the 1/8 oz Jig and 3" grub has been the most effective weapon with all the high water. You can fish in and around all the new cover, there is a ton of it, and that's where the fish are locating themselves. Look for this trend to continue through the month of May. Water temps are currently 58 - 62 degrees and by the middle of May they will be in the mid to upper 60's with average annual temperatures. Walleyes are locating themselves in 10 - 25 feet of water on brush lines close to minor creek channels that feed into major drops. These fish have been and will continue to be active during low light hours. Key in on balls of bait up major and minor arms, once you find the bait your eye's are going to be close. Same rule of thumb goes for the Hybrids. I've found the majority of these game fish to be at the mouth's of intersecting creek channels close to structure and feeding heavily at low light periods and times of overcast. Large bucktail in-line spinners, along with the 4" grubs have and will produce best fished on a moderate retrieve near the mouth's. Smallmouth Bass are finishing up there spawn and are staging in current up major and minor creek arms. If you find current along with rock piles in as little as 5 feet of water there will be some bronze backs to be caught and released. The kentuckies and largemouth are in Pre-spawn mode. During the month of April these fish where spread out pretty good, but patterning and locating larger concentration's of them is getting better day by day. Once the water temp consistantly reaches 64 degrees look for them to be on shallow flats in the flooded timber spawning heavily and then pulling back out to the edges of the minor channels. Some Bream are up shallow trying to spawn with the full moon of last month. Look for these fish to spawn in greater numbers this month around the 20th. Slip bobbers with crickets are wigglers will be your number one option to bring a mess home. Crappies have been the ONLY species I have not seen to many of during the month of April. Look for the spawn to be in full swing by the first 2 weeks of May, It's seems like it's rather late this year, however the fish continue to be on the 2 - 3 week delay. They are going to be tuff on you, again with all the high water there is alot of places for them to retreat. If you pick up one, stick with the area to locate the larger numbers. 1/16 oz. jig heads with small tubes in Pink,White, Chartreuse, tipped with a small minnow are #1 lure choices. A number of presentation's will work, casting and counting down, float and fly, along with the long pole and "bumpin" trees will fair best. I have not personally attempted to catch any of our whiskered friends but have heard mediocore reports on trot lines and jugs baited with live sunfish or cut bait. June will be the time for the cat's along with the full moon of this month. Let me close by saying with all the new water the fish are slightly more spread out than usual and in very different location's. However, they can be located and caught with great success. Have patience and venture into new areas when your on the reservoir to locate a good days catch. Lake Levels should be nearing normal by July with the corp. releasing water daily. This spring has continued to amaze with changes and really goes to show you who's in charge.... Mother Nature! We simply have to adapt and deal with what she hands out. Stay positive and keep your hook wet and you will surely have a great time on our beautiful reservoir. Now's the time to be on the water, enjoy some good time's and fellowship with friends. If any of you have any question's about what's going best during the coming month, please e-mail me @ smittyc888@hotmail.com and I will provide an accurate account! Take a Child Fishin' Cody S. Smith Trout Troller Guide Service, The Little Red River and Greers Ferry Lake

Welcome Aboard~

Night Fishing Trip...... Turned out well. 485.80 and falling.....Yesterday afternoon, friend and client Brad West, Heber Springs, and I hit the water around dusk. The fishing started off with a bang and ended about the same. Brad boated several nice: spots, white's, walleye along with the occasional Hybrid. We focused on the mouth's of main creeks and fished 18 - 30 feet of water right on edges of deeper water and structure. Most fish came on a 4" Action grub coupled with an 1/8 or 1/4 oz. lead head jig. We boated well over 20+ fish for the evening and early night. The moon was bright and the wind settled. It was a great time to be on the water. With the rain that came in late last night and early this morning the lake should have a little color to it and really should keep fishing strong. The water temps had come up since Tuesday to reach the Upper 50's and Lower 60's. The spotted gar are making there push into the shallows getting ready for there spawn. The spot's are in definate Pre-Spawn Mode with the males feeding aggresively. The smallmouth spawn is in full swing and if you can penetrate the thick stuff you will score on the bronze backs. Walleye are finally making a feeding surge and can be picked up on there usual hard bottom next to timber and flooded bushes in 10 - 20 feet of water. Let me know if any of you would like to scheldule a trip or have any question's. Smittyc888@hotmail.com Cody S. Smith Trout Troller Guide Service