Lake Dardanelle
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Lake Dardanelle Fishing Reports
Stay up to date with the latest fishing reports from Lake Dardanelle. Reports are submitted by local anglers, fishing guides, and our team of fishing experts.
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Largemouth BassTechniqueTexas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)SeasonSpring (Post-Spawn)StructureLaydownsBFL tournament of Lake Dardanelle wasn't the best but I was able to catch plenty of fish in several places flipping. I did find a better pattern in another cove of the lake but since I was a late boat I decided to go with my second plan since I knew that area would be heavily pressured. I targeted shallow cover along the banks and in some backwaters. This ranged from submerged stumps to laydowns and bushes along the bank. Some fish were in the willow grass along the bank but I did not have any success in the area where I was flipping. The bites were distinctive and all fish had the bait deep in their mouths. Colors ranged from a black and blue to watermelon red depending on water clarity. Gear: Flipping Combo G.Loomis GLX 894JWR Shimano Chronarch 150XG Seaguar 20lb Abrazx 3/16 oz tungsten weight 4/0 Owner Beast EWG hook Strike King Rage Bug Primary pattern I should have fished: Swimming a flashy swimmer through shallow grass and vegetation in another cove. G. Loomis GLX 844MBR Shimano Bantam 150HG Seaguar 15lb Abrazx Owner Flashy Swimmer 5/0 4.8in Swimbait (shad color)
SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueHard Topwater (Prop)SeasonSummerStructureMatted Grass
SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueShallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6')SeasonSpring (Post-Spawn)StructurePointsFish up shallow and around grass on points buzz bait and frog in grass beds along points
- SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueBuzzbaitsSeasonSpring (Post-Spawn)StructureRip Rap
Points and brush piles lots of shad in pockets look for moving water.
- SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueShallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6')SeasonSpring (Post-Spawn)StructurePoints
Points where grass was were key bites along with submerged brushpiles near moving water. Cranking around rock points.
- SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueSoft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium)SeasonSummerStructureSubmerged Vegetation
The bite on Lake Dardanelle has been tough with the late summer heat, recent storms and the high pressure from anglers and tournaments. The bites were hard for me to come by in both prefishing and during the tournament. The majority of the fish I caught were on tubes that I flipped into shallow deep cover or on small swimbaits that I ran along edges of floating vegetation or laydowns where the bass were feeding on shad. The water was extremely muddy and dingy in most the areas I fished and the shad were very plentiful as well. I used a texas rigged, tube in deep weed patches in the shallows. The royal gill spark shad also had measured success when run along floating vegetation islands. It is a tough bite but you can find fish there with these methods.
- SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueBuzzbaitsSeasonSummerStructureSubmerged Vegetation
Some fish still in that late summer pattern, but moving into that fall transition. Bigger fish were moving towards the backs of the creeks. Look for willow grass to hold both size and numbers, as well as wood on the main river.
- SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueTexas Rigs (Worming)SeasonSummerStructureBrush Piles
Right now, fish are still in summer patterns. If you want to target backwaters and creeks, throw Texas rig worms and shakey heads in brush piles if you can find them, or lay downs on banks that are deeper than others. Finding good depth this time of year is critical. Once the afternoon rolls around the offshore bite can pick up. Once again fishing brush piles and rock jetty’s. Looking for 15-20ft of water and throwing compact spinnerbaits, football jigs, and bright colored swimbaits. Current is key in this bite, so make sure it is flowing, and position your boat down wind and cast up.
