Colton Dennis, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's black bass program supervisor, had many positive comments regarding the picture for bass fishing in our state in 2010.

"Fishing should be very good in our major reservoirs," he said. "Adult populations look good and should get better due to two consecutive high-water years during the spring and extending into the summer months, producing good spawns and increasing survival of those spawns. The lower pools of the Arkansas River, with abundant backwater habitat, have fared well, while the middle and upper pools of the river will likely be recovering from the extended high river flows."

Dennis' major concerns include land development along the smallmouth fisheries of the Caddo and upper Saline rivers. Otherwise, the worries over largemouth bass virus, other diseases, mercury contamination and invasive species of flora and fauna have waned for now.

If you want numbers, Dennis suggested heading to our mountain reservoirs, where both spotted bass and largemouths are abundant. For fish of 8 pounds or more, he listed Monticello and Millwood as hotspots. Lake Atkins is trying to join those two lakes, with Ken Vinson, owner of Lucky Landing, noting that he weighed four bass over 10 pounds last year and got one report of a fish about 2 pounds heavier.

Those wanting to seek out hidden gems for lunkers, Dennis suggested, can try Lake Barnett or Marion McCollum Lake Greenlee. Both smallish impoundments can be researched on www.agfc.com. Meanwhile, the lower Arkansas River, Dennis said, can produce largemouths in both numbers and size. For spotted bass, Dennis pointed to the Illinois River in northwest Arkansas as an overlooked fishery. And, for smallies, Crooked Creek and Buffalo River continue as "Blue Ribbon" streams.

Turning to those in the know, here's what anglers, guides and outfitters had to say about the bass fishing on their favorite waters for 2010.

SMALLMOUTH BASS
In the smallmouth waters, locals point to soft plastics, jigs, spinnerbaits and topwaters as the best lure choices. They say baits mimicking crayfish, small sunfish or minnows are good color choices.

The cornerstone of Arkansas' stream smallmouth fishery, the Buffalo River is the first waterway to earn designation as a national river. A handful of outfitters provide floats, guided trips and other amenities. Many choices exist for floats along the river, meaning some part of the Buffalo should produce bites just about anytime, with the major exception being rain-swollen, muddied waters. While I've personally probed the lowest couple of miles of the Buffalo, more informed sources regarding the Buffalo's smallies are easily found on the Internet.

John Berry operates Berry Brothers Guide Service in north-central Arkansas, guiding trout fishermen on the White River. But, if his wife, Lorie Sloas, had her druthers, she'd spend more time chasing smallmouths on Crooked Creek.

"We have been able to pull some good-sized fish out of Crooked Creek. In fact, in the first part of spring last year, I got one about 18 inches out of there," Sloas began, and then noted that float-fishing is the best way to access Crooked Creek waters. She listed several floats, including Snow access to Kelly's Slab, Kelly's to the Yellville park, and the Pyatt access. Sloas and her husband prefer to hook their smallmouths on flies that include Clouser minnows and crayfish patterns.