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Fishing Tip: You can make your own rod carrier for a fraction of the cost of buying one. Purchase a length of 3-inch PVC pipe and two PVC end caps. Cut the pipe length slightly longer than your longest rod. Glue one end cap on, and leave the other to slip on and off to access your rods. These carriers work great for checking rods in baggage when traveling.

White River: Gaston's White River Resort said the weekend was great for large brown trout, 4- to 14-pounds. The river is high, but fishing is excellent. For the browns, use Husky Jerk Rapalas or Smithwick Rogues in silver with an orange belly or green (shad-color) with an orange belly, ¼-ounce Krocodile spoons in white, or ¹/₈-ounce marabou jig in white. Rainbows can also be picked up dragging white or yellow Power Eggs with a white glow worm.
 
Bull Shoals Tailwaters: McLellan's Fly Shop said the trophy area below Bull Shoals Dam opened Feb. 1. Six units have been running on most days, building up to eight units by late afternoon. Fly-fishing from a boat using large strike indicators and heavy split shot has produced plenty of hook-ups and brought many quality trout to the net, especially in the first mile below Bull Shoals Dam. Shad from Bull Shoals Lake have been getting sucked through the dam for almost three weeks now, and the trout are looking for them. As a result, shad patterns like White Zonkers and Arkansas Coneheads have been hooking several quality trout. The best flies have been:  White Zonker (size 6), Arkansas Conehead (size 6), San Juan Worms (size 10), Micro Eggs (size 14), Zebra and Black/Olive Rubber-leg Copper John (sizes 14 to 18), McLellan's Woven V-Rib Sowbug (sizes 14 to 16), McLellan's Hunchback Scud Tan, Olive and Gray (sizes 14 to 16), Red Fox Squirrel Nymph (sizes 12 to 16), Rag Sculpin (size 6), Golden Eggs (size 16), Platte River Spider (size 4), Articulated Zoo Cougar (size 4) and Swimming Jimmy (size 4).
 
  North Fork River: McLellan's Fly Shop said generation has increased over the past week; two units have been running during daylight. While wade-fishing is severely limited by this much generation, fly-fishing from a boat has been excellent over the past week. Shad patterns, San Juan Worms and egg patterns have been producing a ton of hook-ups. During high-water conditions, streamer fishing has also been excellent from a boat. Streamers like the Swimming Jimmy and Articulated Zoo Cougar have produced several strikes lately and plenty of excitement. The best flies have been:  Micro Eggs (size 14), Arkansas Conehead (size 6), White Zonker (size 6), Platte River Spider (size 4), San Juan Worms (size 10), Black Wooly Sculpin (size 4), Articulated Zoo Cougar (size 4) and  Swimming Jimmy (size 4).
 
Bull Shoals Lake: Wilderness Trail said the weather last week varied with daytime temperatures in the mid 50s. The lake level is still ½-foot above normal pool at 654.63 feet. The lake temperature is in the upper 40s, a few degrees warmer than last week. The lake clarity is holding around 16 feet except around the dam area where the clarity is almost 20 feet. Overall, the lake conditions are fair. Bass, walleye and crappie all moved from their deep winter haunts to main lake and creek arm points. The bite picked up a little in the mornings and late afternoons. Crappie are staging close to deep water on the points of coves and pockets that have good brush piles and crappie cribs. They are holding just off the bottom in 35 to 38 feet of water. The best baits are crappie minnows on colored jigheads and Bobby Garland Split Tails in shad colors. Largemouth bass are roaming the northern points and a few can be triggered with Wiggle Warts (V37 and V38) and Bandit crankbaits. Shad are starting to show up in the back of the creeks with some largemouth following them. Try using suspending rogues, Lucky Crafts or small crankbaits around the shad. Smallmouth bass are also moving to the points, but they are holding on chunk rock and pea rock points on the main lake and in the creek arms. The northern banks and points are the best areas to fish with jerk baits, crankbaits or spider jigs. Kentucky bass are still traveling with the shad, which are moving toward the pockets and coves on the main lake and in the creek arms. Again, try the northern side of the creeks and main lake. Drop spoons through the shad or a grub on a drop shot rig to trigger a few strikes. Walleye are now in the creeks and on the drop offs of main lake flats. Walleyes are still in deep water (40 to 50 feet), but they are closer in than last week. Ball jigs with shiners and spoons are still the best bet on catching a few. Long liners pulling leadcore line are starting to catch a few.
 
Lake Norfork: Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is stained but at normal pool. Crappie are biting fair from 5- to 8-feet on crappie minnows over brush piles. Bass fishing is fair from 6- to 20-feet deep using crankbaits on rocky points or off chunk rock banks.

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