New to Board....Lake Conway in Arkansas: Question

[dmbutler47]

I just read something about Lake Conway cats. Where are the best spots and what are the best baits? Also, how will the summer droppage affect the fish? Thanks!!!

[LarryW]

Just wanted to tell you welcome to the BOC

[jtrew]

Welcome to the BOC. I've never fished Conway for catfish, but I've heard that the old ponds that existed before the lake was built are good spots. I think that maps are available showing their locations. I think that those spots and down near the dam are the only deep spots in that lake.

[prince]

I mainly fish for bream - crappie but I also trotline for catfish.

While crappie fishing (with jigs) at hwy 89 bridge (creek channel) - I've seen several people catch catfish on nightcrawler pieces and minnows i.e. the crappie and bream fishman catch catfish at the bridge also

As mentioned there are some old ponds - I've been meaning to try one that is right along side the levee going to the damn (nobody seems to know it's there or fish it - and my depth finder says it's 15ft deep and full of big fish (maybe all gar :)

As you probably know 15' is deep for this lake :)

Also the old timers around the lake say anywhere along the old creek channel from the hwy 89 bridge to the end of the creek (right beside the deep pond I mentioned - which is NOT at the damn as people might suspect :) :)

I got a lot of catfish on a trotline in the flat off the side of the channel last year - but they didn't pick up on the damn end until about May (I think they are all upstream in April then gradually start moving back toward damn (my theory and I'm sticking to it - and haven't got around to trotline fishing until just this week since it's almost May

Summary: Old timers around Lake Conway - say that catfishing is good in April on upper end (better than River in April cause shallow lake warms fast). Then by May / June the catfish are in deep holes (Adams Lake, ponds, bridge channel, etc) This is time I had best luck on trotline fishing on flat just off the channel from hwy 89 bridge to levee at damn

Sorry to ramble - not awake yet - probably repeated myself several times. Almost daylight and time to go fishing - some crappie are still biting around Gold Creek is what I heard :)

[TOPS]

David Danner, Welcome to the B.O.C. Enjoy your stay here. Although I am from Arkansas, I have Never fish Lake Conway. I Mostly fish the Arkansas river from Piney Bay to the dam. We do have a couple members from Conway. I am sure the will be posting telling you HI.

[Cherokee]

Welcome to the BOC

[frosty_whiskers]

Welcome to the BOC. I'm sure that you'll get all the answers that you need here!

[teaysvalleyguy]

Welcome to the BOC, always great to have another new member. Like Frosty said, you will get alot of answers on here. Tons of info that take weeks/months to read.

[SeedTick]

David and John, Welcome to the Brotherhood. Just make yourselves at home. I'm looking forward to learning how to catfish Lake Conway with you guys. We moved to Conway last July from Beebe we had to move anyway so I talked the wife into coming here to put me an hour closer to my favorite 2 fishing holes; Lake Conway and the Arkansas River at Palarm. I have always fished the lake for redears and bream but I haven't catfished it since 1978 or so and I'm hoping to get to try it some this year. I have a buddy whose father-in-law lived on the lake at Branddon's sp? Landing for 22 years and he is suppose to show me where he use to fish. (he passed away 4 years ago)
The bream are spawning right now and I'm just having to much fun to fish for anything else. We'll work together and figure out those lake cats.
Where do you guys live and what landing do you fish out of the most?


ST

[dmbutler47]

I live in Jacksonville, I usually fish the Pierce Creek area, but I think I will have to move further up the lake, I have not had much luck the last two times I was out, I was not catfishing then, but could not get into the crappie or brim.

[kbgrillin]

Hey David, welcome to the BOC. I've never fished Lake Conway, so I can't help ya there, But I'm sure someone will be around to help ya.

[jtrew]

It's been a coon's age since I fished Lake Conway. Is Pierce Creek the area between the narrows on 89 and the 4 way intersection? Where the F&G executive retreat is located?

[dmbutler47]

Yes, that is the Pierce Creek area.

[jtrew]

That's what I was thinking. Back when I was stationed here in Arkansas, LRAFB had a recreation area on Lake Conway right where the executive retreat is now located. I used to do a lot of ba$$ fishing right in there. No motor...just a boat & paddle...scull around the stumps & catch fish. Don't even seem like ba$$ fishin' by today's standards.

[dmbutler47]

All I do is go around in a 16ft flatbottom with a trollong motor. There are so many stumps if I had a motor I dont know if I could navigate it without having to swim back to shore, I even hit them with the trolling motor... anything for fish though!!!

[jtrew]

Navigating Lake Conway isn't a problem with an outboard as long as you use common sense. Of course, you still have to go slow, and definitely don't lock down the motor. In fact, if the motor has a shallow water setting, that's where you want it. The biggest trick is when you feel the boat starting to go up onto a stump that's just under the surface of the water---should you try to stop the boat and back off, or give it the gun and power on over the stump? Pick wrong, and you can end up stuck on a stump. Carry an anchor small enough to throw at least 15'-20' with strong rope attached to it so that you can use it to pull yourself off the stump just in case the motor can't do the job. I'm just not sure how well my new composite prop is going to stand up to that kind of use.

[SeedTick]

Hey Guys, We bream fished the lake again yesterday we only kept 27 and still ain't found the redears. I was visiting with a game & fish employee yesterday ( I don't think he was a game warden because he wasn't toting a gun but he had a game and fish truck) and he said that they were going to drop the water level 4 feet on the first of July and leave it like that until December. We were talking about how the lily pads and other vegetation had ruined the upper part of the lake. I asked him if that was the reason for pulling the water off. He said that a lot of people were wanting to work on their boat houses and docks and did eventually say that he thought the land owners were going to work on the vegetation problem. I hope they can do something to help with that problem.
There will be some places that we will still be able to launch a boat on the deeper west side of the lake and you know what? There will be the same number of fish in a whole lot smaller amount of water. That should make for some good fishing.

ST

[prince]

I asked him if that was the reason for pulling the water off. He said that a lot of people were wanting to work on their boat houses and docks and did eventually say that he thought the land owners were going to work on the vegetation problem. I hope they can do something to help with that problem.
There will be some places that we will still be able to launch a boat on the deeper west side of the lake and you know what? There will be the same number of fish in a whole lot smaller amount of water. That should make for some good fishing.

ST

I probably know the AGFC manager that you talked to. I've lived on Lake Conway for a year and have spent a lot of time trying to fix up my fishing area (brush pile, etc). I talk to the area manager from time to time - about what I can and can not do.

I don't post often on this forum because I do not fish with R&R - I only trotline and use yo-yo's to fill my freezer. I went to dam a couple days ago and got some shad - and Wed night got one 5lb channel - then last night a 2.5 lb flathead. - both on yo-yo in 3 ft of water - near a brush pile in front of my house.

I also had a 15 hook trotline for 3 nights but the turtles got the bait (I can tell cause they eat the gut section out of the shad and leave the rest + caught one Wed night

Anyway - I've talked to my neighbors and the AGFC guy is optimistic. As far as I know - I'm the only one near the hwy 89 bridge that plans to clear out the silt / bottom (I need the fill for my yard - plus I had planned to clear in front of my neighbors house - where I bream fish :)

Also the AGFC guy probably did not mention that he and a a warden are going door to door and giving people 60 days to clear up their pier / boat house area (which is good IMHO - but way past due and people are not always listening - despite the 'promise' of a fine.

This manager is fairly New (started here last year in March) He is HOPING people will clear out their area and fix up their fishing piers - but a lot of these people are retired on fixed income and just do not have the money. I suspect he will be sadly disapointed in how many people will do ANYTHING.

I was lucky - and had already planned a new fishing pier (which I just finished 2 weeks ago) and I have a boat house that I built when I moved up here last year.

Anyway - I was just thinking - this is a public lake - so ANYONE that wanted to clear out a bank area when they draw down the lake would probably be welcome by the landowners that can't afford / are not physically able to clear it out themselves.

i.e. maybe you (or others) will want to clear out the silt in a couple of places (places you fish) Which will really help make it a bream bed and better yet a crappie fishing spot. The Redear will move to a rocky / hard bottom is what I hear The are couple coves near my place that I may go clear out myself - especially one with a log jam - would be perfect for crappie. I've heard that during the last draw down (8ft. in 1999) a couple of people had pea gravel hauled in - and they have secret Redear bed AND Crappie bed (black crappie love rocky bottom is what the regulars tell me)

I'm rambling - and it's almost time to bait the yo-yo's - I didn't get to dam today and pick up shad - so I'm going to try DK on the yo-yo's - see it that works. I went this PM and pulled trotling - which is what I do most weekends i.e. I use it during week when less chance of bass fishman cutting it. On weekends - I don't fish much (cept maybe a couple yo-yo off my fishing pier)

I'll go Sunday and really stock up on Shad after these Rains.

BTW: If you really want TONS of bream - the bream beds around this lake are Best 3 days before the full moon to 2 days after the full moon - at least that is how I fill my freezer. The rest of the month they are spread out and takes longer to catch a ice chest full

[SeedTick]

I probably know the AGFC manager that you talked to. I've lived on Lake Conway for a year and have spent a lot of time trying to fix up my fishing area (brush pile, etc). I talk to the area manager from time to time - about what I can and can not do.

I don't post often on this forum because I do not fish with R&R - I only trotline and use yo-yo's to fill my freezer. I went to dam a couple days ago and got some shad - and Wed night got one 5lb channel - then last night a 2.5 lb flathead. - both on yo-yo in 3 ft of water - near a brush pile in front of my house.

I also had a 15 hook trotline for 3 nights but the turtles got the bait (I can tell cause they eat the gut section out of the shad and leave the rest + caught one Wed night

Anyway - I've talked to my neighbors and the AGFC guy is optimistic. As far as I know - I'm the only one near the hwy 89 bridge that plans to clear out the silt / bottom (I need the fill for my yard - plus I had planned to clear in front of my neighbors house - where I bream fish :)

Also the AGFC guy probably did not mention that he and a a warden are going door to door and giving people 60 days to clear up their pier / boat house area (which is good IMHO - but way past due and people are not always listening - despite the 'promise' of a fine.

This manager is fairly New (started here last year in March) He is HOPING people will clear out their area and fix up their fishing piers - but a lot of these people are retired on fixed income and just do not have the money. I suspect he will be sadly disapointed in how many people will do ANYTHING.

I was lucky - and had already planned a new fishing pier (which I just finished 2 weeks ago) and I have a boat house that I built when I moved up here last year.

Anyway - I was just thinking - this is a public lake - so ANYONE that wanted to clear out a bank area when they draw down the lake would probably be welcome by the landowners that can't afford / are not physically able to clear it out themselves.

i.e. maybe you (or others) will want to clear out the silt in a couple of places (places you fish) Which will really help make it a bream bed and better yet a crappie fishing spot. The Redear will move to a rocky / hard bottom is what I hear The are couple coves near my place that I may go clear out myself - especially one with a log jam - would be perfect for crappie. I've heard that during the last draw down (8ft. in 1999) a couple of people had pea gravel hauled in - and they have secret Redear bed AND Crappie bed (black crappie love rocky bottom is what the regulars tell me)

I'm rambling - and it's almost time to bait the yo-yo's - I didn't get to dam today and pick up shad - so I'm going to try DK on the yo-yo's - see it that works. I went this PM and pulled trotling - which is what I do most weekends i.e. I use it during week when less chance of bass fishman cutting it. On weekends - I don't fish much (cept maybe a couple yo-yo off my fishing pier)

I'll go Sunday and really stock up on Shad after these Rains.

BTW: If you really want TONS of bream - the bream beds around this lake are Best 3 days before the full moon to 2 days after the full moon - at least that is how I fill my freezer. The rest of the month they are spread out and takes longer to catch a ice chest full


Wow John, I can see I can learn a lot from you about the lake. We wanted to get a place on the water but we just couldn't find a place that we liked and could afford. I think it would be awesome to sit in the backyard and prop a rod up on a forked stick and wait on a jerk. Maybe someday.
We have always fished the upper end of the lake by the old Palarm Creek (where you had to pay,not the public one) boat launch. That bank there that runs east and west use to be as good a redear fishing hole as anywhere I've ever seen. The only problem was that the lily pads took it over pretty quick. Two years ago we started noticing some of that floating matt of vegetation (I don't know what it's called) and it seemed to get worse every day. We have even hooked onto it and drug it out away from our fishing holes. I didn't get to fish any last year and I went over and checked it out this year and I couldn't believe how bad it was I never even launched the boat. Since we were from Beebe we always fished that area because it was closer but since we've moved to Conway I'm wanting to start fishing on the west side in deeper water but I just haven't took time to explore it. We have done all of our fishing so far this year over at the Green Lake access.
Question for you? Will the fish spawn at pretty much the same time on the whole lake? The reason I ask is because on the upper end (Palarm Creek, Art Pond, Hog Island) is only 3 ft deep or so and over on the west southwest part you have water that will average 6 or 7 ft with some going over 10. I've always wondered about that.

I went to the dam last week and dipped me out about a third of a five gallon bucket of those shad you were talking about. I went over to look at it yesterday and man they were in there thick but I forgot to throw my knee boots in the truck and the water was too deep to do in tennis shoes this time. Can you get shad over there any time or is it just in the spring? This was my first time to ever go over there.

I'll leave you alone now I've already asked you a bunch of questions. I sure would appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks.

ST

[SeedTick]

Oh yeah, That game & fish guy I talked to was over at that field dog trial place across the road from the Ben Pearson archery range. He seem like a nice guy.

ST

edit* I don't think the Brotherhood is just for rod and reel fisherman. It's The Brotherhood of Catfishermen*

[RIP]

David,Welcome to the BOC the best catfishing site on the net.

[prince]

Question for you? Will the fish spawn at pretty much the same time on the whole lake?

Can you get shad over there any time or is it just in the spring? This was my first time to ever go over there.



I just moved up here last year but the guy that lived next to me (since moved) was the one that told me all I know (tips I repeat ;).

He is the one that told me to just wait on the week around the full moon if I wanted bream for the freezer - and so far it's worked. But I'm on the dam end of the lake (right across from the dam) - so he / I never talked about the other areas

Re: Shad - I had plenty of shad that show up on calm days at the end of my fishing pier - so Last year I got them that way. It was only recent that I learned that the 2-3" that I was getting were not as big as ones that show up below dam. I hear they show up after a rain when water is running at some of the gates. I'm not sure - but I got the impression that anytime after a rain = including Summer ?

Sorry I can't give more positive answers - but my neighbor has moved and I'm just going on what he showed me last year - that worked :)

I fished this lake as a kid but had not fished here for 30 years - until I retired and moved here last year - so I'm 'relearning' :) And going by info from an old pro :)

[SeedTick]

Boy that sounds good about the shad. I put the ones I got the other day in the freezer most were 2-3 inches and a few were around 5 or so. I would like to get some of them great big ones the ones big enough that you could use just the gut pocket for a bait. Yesterday there were a bunch running up on the concrete and they all looked to be 5 and over. One of my buddies and his wife put in down by the river and ran way up Palarm and tried catching some crappie but didn't do any good. That sure looks fishy up in there.

ST

[jtrew]

John, the guy who moved wasn't named Robert H. was he?

Seedtick, if you're interested, I know where there's an easily accessible shallow flat that covers several acres down here in my area. I never tried it for bream, but it looks like it should be covered up in them during the spawn.

[SeedTick]

John, the guy who moved wasn't named Robert H. was he?

Seedtick, if you're interested, I know where there's an easily accessible shallow flat that covers several acres down here in my area. I never tried it for bream, but it looks like it should be covered up in them during the spawn.


Jerry, are you talking about Lake Conway or somewhere closer to Little Rock? What I need to do is get to fishing some new water over here on the west side of the lake. I'm not 20 minutes from Brandon's Landing but I just keep going back to places I've fished before and am sure we can catch some bluegills but we've not found the redears yet. The redear fishing on this lake is unbelievable to people who haven't ever gotten into them.
I wish I still had that article that came out in the game & fish magazine but back in the 80's the game & fish stocked it with a hybrid redear that wasn't truly a hybrid. True hybrids can't reproduce (according to that article) but still go through the motions, ie. prespawn, spawn, post spawn. This hybrid could reproduce but the offspring were an extremely high percentage male, 80-90 percent best as I can remember and this would be instrumental in keeping the population in check and allowing the fish to not become 'stunted'. Well it was a success and these fish get huge but from what we have caught in the past 2-3 years and what we have heard from other fishermen the really big ones are not being caught as often now as they use to be. I don't know happened but still yet the bigger ones that we are catching now are still way bigger than any bluegill.

ST

[MRR]

:big_smile: WELCOME TO THE GREATEST CAT FISH CLUB IN THE COUNTRY. REALLY BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL REALLY ENJOY IT. A WHOLE LOT TO LEARN ON THIS SITE. ENJOY,ENJOY, AND ENJOY. WELCOME !!

[jtrew]

Seedtick, it's just as you come into North Little Rock on I430. As you are coming to the river, look on your right. First you will see a small lake with cypress trees in it. You can't get to this lake from the river, but I know an access place. Between that lake and the river you will see a large backwater. We went about a third of the way back into it from the river; we had to raise the motor and use the paddles to push the boat along because it was so shallow. To get to it, you cross the river and take the Cantrell exit halfway up the hill. At Cantrell, turn right, go to the light, and turn right again. This will take you right back down the hill to a launching ramp at the Coast Guard station. Go straight across the river and you will see the opening to the backwater. Be careful, there's a whole lot of shallow water all across the river there. Once you get to the backwater, you can either pole the boat around or anchor it and get out and wade.

[prince]

John, the guy who moved wasn't named Robert H. was he?



No - my neighbor was guy that had to move due to health problem. He and his wife were heart broken to have to give up their place - but his health was such that he could not out to fish - or even get around any more without a walker.


He had to move near his son's and his doctors near Pine Bluff.

I really miss him - he knew so much about this lake / fishing.

[SeedTick]

Hey Jerry,
That does sound like a good place. It being a little hard to get into makes it that much better cause most folks won't make the effort.



Hey John,

How muddy is the lake? We sure got some good rain. Is it to muddy to bream fish in? Might have to go to the river this week. I checked the flow and we have 20-30 thousand cubit feet per second coming down. I hope Oklahoma got enough rain to keep it up like that a few days.

ST

[prince]

How muddy is the lake? We sure got some good rain. Is it to muddy to bream fish in?

Lake is muddy - and it is higher than I've seen it in the last year. Some fishing piers have water all the way to the platform

Today - I had two boat loads of people fishing in the brush pile in front of my house - did not see a single bream.

Then a friend stopped bye and fished for about an hour - around 4:30PM got one small (trotline size) bream. Usually after about 4:30 - 5:30 in PM - I can catch all the little bait thieves I need for trotline - but not today. i.e. even the little ones are stubborn today :)

[SeedTick]

That's kinda what I figured. I bet the river will be soupy too. Oh well, I'm not going to complain because we sure need the rain.

Keep an eye on the lake and let me know when she clears up some.
Thanks

ST

[jtrew]

Seedtick, I've never seen anybody fishing either place.

[prince]

I put out 5 yo-yo's last night - two with DK and 3 with tiny bream (bait thieves)

I got a 3lb channel on DK - turtles had bream snacks last night ;)

[SeedTick]

John, do you think I could do any good pole fishing for cats during the day on the lake? I've never tried. When I was a teenager we use to set out trot lines and yo-yos around Art Lake and caught several but I don't remember ever catching a cat on a pole. I had thought about trying it when the river didn't have any flow this summer.

ST

[prince]

I was just at the damn and there are about 1/2 dozen catfish pole fishman now that they have 5 gates open (and water running over top of others)

I didn't see a catfish - but there are two guys that are snagging fish - they get something on most cast. Guy with big treble hook gets something on almost ever throw - other guy has small treble but he got a couple of big red ear that he put in bucket. They get mostly drum/carp/shad/some other 'slick looking fish' - but in an hour I only saw the one guy keep two big red ear

Saw some BIG (50lb at least) drum/carp/buffalo ( I couldn't tell what type but the guys carrying them had a load. I never was good at telling the difference - never paid attention to these type of fish - but guess they were drum. They got those in the slack water on the opposite side - using minnows (I think)

Back to your question - the lake is too high right now to get under the hwy 89 bridge or I'll say that would be a good spot.

I've fished for crappie in a boat at the bridge - and watched a guy on bank catch all types of fish. He is regular and uses about half dozen rod n reels - some with minnows - some with night crawlers - some with red worms. He catches all types of fish - and I've seen him catch nice channel cats and some blue cats. Also saw him lose one that probably would have been over 10 lbs - it took him about 10 minutes to get it close to shore and then it broke line - he sit down and I'm not sure if he was crying or just resting but he sit there about 10 minutes ;) It was on a light weight spinning rod - probably had 6lb line (guess). Anyway - he fishes for bream, bass, crappie - anything that will bite - so I've never seen anyone using DK or trying just for catfish.


The creek(s) that all come together under the bridge look like perfect place for catfish on rod n reel - but I don't think anyone targets them. Most are fishing for crappie and bass. The water is about 11-12 ft right there.

Another possible place is the levy on the east side of the hwy 89 bridger- I see jug fishman a lot. And the water is still deep 9-11ft right up to the bank. Also there are couple guys that trotline that area from time to time. I don't think any try bank fishing - just jugs and trotlines

Maybe one of these days I'll try it - but not really into rod n reel fishing for catfish (may change my mind some day:)

[I_try]

Jtrew, is that cypress pond on 430 accesible by foot from the bridge because i see cars parked by the sign that reads "arkansas river" almost everytime i go to little rock, wondering if they walk down there and how

[SeedTick]

John, I have fished over there on the east side of 89 bridge. We fished it in December and January with worms on the bottom for redears. We never caught a cat but we caught some nice redears. We didn't catch great numbers like you can in the spring but all the ones we caught were nice. We watched a couple of guys wearing out the crappie one day. They were fishing a jig under a bobber and trolling around on that flat just a little north and west of the east side of the bridge. Whew just typing that made me dizzy. I got to go get stuff ready cause TopStgLawrence is carrying me fishing in the morning.

ST

[prince]

SeedTick - you wanted to know when water cleared up - well they have 5 gates open on dam and water has been dropping for 3 days - but it's still muddy

BUT - at 6:30PM today I went to see if I could catch some little bream for a trotline - the bad news is I only got 3 small bream. The Good News is I got 15 BIG bream to clean. I was fishing next to bank trying to find little fish and kept catching big ones. Total fishing time 1 hour - 10 minutes. So bream didn't mind the muddy water this PM :)

[SeedTick]

Hey John, that sounds good. I bet it is back up after this rain we had today. Top carried me to the river up around nuke 1 Wednesday and we had a blast. Didn't catch any cats but we caught some bass and a little bream. Man it was good to visit with him. I've got me a new fishing buddy.

ST

[jtrew]

David, those people parked there are almost always fishing underneath the I430 bridge. That's a popular spot.
The lake is named Rosenbaum Lake, and doesn't connect to the river, except maybe at high water. I won't say it's impossible to get into that lake from I430, 'cause with a chain saw, weed eater, machete, .22 pistol loaded with snake shot, and enough determination, a country boy can get just about anywhere. And the spot I did find is not accessable during bad weather, 'cause you got to walk down a wet-weather streambed about 50 yards.

[prince]

Hey John, that sounds good. I bet it is back up after this rain we had today.

They opened up more gates at the dam (8) and the Lake is holding at about the normal level (but still muddy).

I was just surprised that I was trying NOT to catch big bream (wanted a few little ones) - and that I was catching the big ones on ever cast until I gave up :(

[SeedTick]

They opened up more gates at the dam (8) and the Lake is holding at about the normal level (but still muddy).

I was just surprised that I was trying NOT to catch big bream (wanted a few little ones) - and that I was catching the big ones on ever cast until I gave up :(

Catching big ones ever cast and not happy.........You're making me feel really bad. :big_smile_2:

You would be happy with what I usually catch, at least what I've been catching this year. I need to go down to the dam and see what it's like with that much water coming out. I ain't never seen it when the water was high.

ST

[prince]

The parking lot at the dam was full most of the day - so I didn't go over there (too many treble hooks flying around when some of the 'snaggers' get wild. Which makes me wonder how many accidents they have when too many people go over there - some of those guys get wild IMHO :(

Anyway - this AM - the water was getting down to about normal level - but it started coming up for some reason - not sure - maybe Arkansas river is full - or maybe they closed some of the gates at the dam? Anyway the water is now really high again - I guess there was more water upstream than I figured.

I know we needed this rain - but the mosquitos sure are thick tonight. I managed to catch some little bream this time (10) so I baited a little trotline (15 hooks tonight - ran it one time - got one gar so far - figure I wasted my time with this high water - but I enjoy floating around late in day / evening - baiting trotline. Except the mosquitos are going to spoil my fun - so I didn't rebait the line (had a couple hooks that turtles / gar have not stripped yet :)

BTW: I did catch 4 big bream in the hour that I fished for bait - but I plan to let them go in AM - since I didn't use them for cut bait / rebait the line.

[CNTRYBOY]

Just want to welcome you to the BOC!!! I have fished Conway a bit, but has been a while. There is so much cover in that lake that you just have to fish till you find them. It is best that you have a boat, and do some trot lining and jugging. If you want to go some where close to ya and have use of a boat then Toad suck Dam on the Arkansas River is not far from you!! You can fish from the bank at the dam as well if you do not have a boat. Looking forward to seeing you at some of the gatherings we have there. Once again, welcome aboard!!!

[SeedTick]

John, I checked the flow this morning and they are still releasing around 100,000 cfs and that's a lot of water. I don't know how long it's been since we have had this much water. It ought to wash out some of those good holes and we may have the best river fishing we've had in a long time. I hope I hope...

ST

[MRR]

:0a25: DON'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT CONWAY LAKE BUT WELCOME TO THE BOC BEST CAT FISH CLUB AROUND. ENJOY IT AND LEARN A WHOLE LOT.

[Smellycat]

Welcome John. We don`t fish Lake Conway, so can`t help you with spots. We fish the dam over at Dardenelle mostly. I believe I would drift fish the lake to locate spots.

[prince]

I haven't really had time to trotline - in past few days - but the kid down the street asked his dad to teach him how to trotline:

Here is what he got

Day 1: 4 lb channel on rice slick / trotline in creek channel 10-12ft deep

Day 2: 5 lb flathead on JUG with a crappie minnow for bait (Jug about 3 ft deep in cypress trees

Day 3: 3 catfish on trotline - all on rice slicks. 3.5lb channel, 4lb blue, 8lb flathead (after moving trotline to shallow water in cypress trees - about 4 ft deep)

Day 4 (TODAY): 31lb flathead Also had another catfish on trotline that got off while trying to get the 31 pound in the boat. Took the kid 30 minutes to figure out how to drag the fish in the boat (I do believe he was excited when he came to my house to get me to weight it for him :)

Summary: I don't think the kid needs any more lessons on how to trotline :) Catfish are biting on trotline on Lake Conway - with rice slicks for bait

BTW: The water was super high on day 1 - and gates in dam were open and lake has been dropping fast every day i.e. water level didn't have much of effect IMHO :)

[SeedTick]

Hey John, Yes sir I believe the kid is now a full fledged trotliner. How is the bream fishing? My sister just called to find out if the lake was to high and/or muddy for tomorrow(Thursday). I told her I'd check with you and call her back. Thanks

ST

[prince]

The rain this morning is bringing up the lake for now - but with dam gates open it should be about normal by tomorrow

I predict bream fishing will take off tomorrow or Friday - because the full moon is Saturday

Last month the bream bed's were very HOT - 3 days before the full moon until 2 days after. May should be better than April but it may take a day for pressure / temperature to stablize so Friday may be better.

Addendum: Forgot to mention - the trotline kid got a 5lb flathead last night on trotline minnows (bait shop has sold out of rice slicks :(

[squirtspop]

I've never heard of a rice slick...what is it?

[Tinboat]

a small green sunfish...available in a lot of bait shops.

[prince]

They are small green ear bream - that grow in rice fields (at least in Arkansas). Usually called Sunfish when in a lake but from what I hear the rice fields are drained before they get very big.

They are hard to find in bait shops and you never see very big ones (at least I've never seen very big ones)

Very small sunfish might be better answer ?

[squirtspop]

Okay, I'm in the hills so ain't around the rice that much. They once asked me what the difference between a hillbilly and a flatlander was. Told em I didn't know. They said the Black River.

[Arkie55]

Squirtspop,
The bait shops around here have the slicks. All they really are are small bream. You can catch them in minnow traps in the ponds. I have a friend that uses the slicks to bait his trotlines in black river. He catches all his bait in minnow traps out of ponds. He don't even put bait in his traps. Just drops the traps in the pond and the small bream just naturally are attracted to the traps (according to him anyway). He says they use the traps for structure. I haven't tried it myself but I know he catches a bunch of bait in short order.

[SeedTick]

The rain this morning is bringing up the lake for now - but with dam gates open it should be about normal by tomorrow

I predict bream fishing will take off tomorrow or Friday - because the full moon is Saturday

Last month the bream bed's were very HOT - 3 days before the full moon until 2 days after. May should be better than April but it may take a day for pressure / temperature to stablize so Friday may be better.

Addendum: Forgot to mention - the trotline kid got a 5lb flathead last night on trotline minnows (bait shop has sold out of rice slicks :(

Hey John, Thanks for the information. I had kinda written off fishing for tomorrow but we may try it. The weather is suppose to beautiful now if we can get the fish to cooperate.:smile2:

ST

[PACAF]

HI DM,
I also live in J'ville, new to he board here, but interested in fishing Conway.

[PACAF]

I have an RV and enjoy taking it with me when I go to fish. Allows me to stay over night and have my coffee too. LOL
Would anyone here know if there might be a marina with RV hook ups or and RV park close to Lake Conway?

[1ucky 0xyg3n]

Anyone caught any cats on conway latley?

[janton311]

Welcome to boc I'm new too, this site is great:smile2:

[kbgrillin]

Hey Jason. Welcome to the BOC. It's always great to have another brother join. Now, dig in & have fun.