Hardy, Arkansas -- The trout population in the Spring River has taken a hit this year, but that just means a lot of other species are showing up and making anglers happy. One of those species is the native smallmouth bass, and angler John Jernigan (below) was fishing with Spring River guide Mark Crawford when he landed this nice "smallie" on the Spring recently.

The smallmouth love the rocky mess on the bottom of the river, and Crawford says they're favoring heavy Woolly Buggers in black, olive and brown colors for fly-fishing, or try Trout Magnet's D2 jigs for spin-fishing.

You can read more of Crawford's report, along with reports from throughout the state, by clicking here. Of particular note is that the black bass bite is excellent now on Lake Ouachita, according to the guides at Mountain Harbor Resort, and at Beaver Lake the "turnover" is completed, stripers are on the move and overall fishing is picking up as expected on Beaver, according to guide Jon Conklin.

At Millwood Lake, the late summer drawdown for shoreline work and planting of vegetation for the winter waterfowl migration ended last Saturday, but the lake needs some rainfall to refill to normal pool; there is some random surface-breaking and schooling going on, according to guide Mike Siefert. Also, Lake Maumelle's bass population is biting nicely, both largemouths and spots, while crappie fishing has really caught on at Harris Brake Lake (photo below, just one of several 2-pounders caught there this week) and at the Little Maumelle River, where the crappie are hanging out around 8 feet deep.

Make sure to get out this weekend and take advantage of the good bite before that first frost arrives early next week.