Greers Ferry Forecast July 08

[Cody Smith]

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