White River (near Goshen): McLellan’s Fly Shop said the annual white bass spawning run is on.  Everyday, more and more white bass catches are reported. When you head to the river, be sure to have plenty of Clouser Minnows, Jiggies and Crazy Dads in your fly box. It is amazing how fast the white bass, not to mention the stumps and

rocks in the river, can chew up flies. The best flies have been:  Crazy Dad in olive, pumpkin and orange (size 8), Jiggy in olive and shad-color (size 6), Hot Head Jiggy in white, tan, chartreuse and firetiger (size 6), Cap’n Tim in olive (size 4) and CFB in chartreuse (size 6).

North Fork River: McLellan’s Fly Shop said generation has increased this week. There have been one to two units running during most of the daylight hours. However, after all of the high water the trout are fat and full of fight. During low water, concentrate your nymph fishing on the faster runs and riffles; tie on a size 16 scud or sowbug and hold on. During high-water conditions, streamer fishing has also been excellent from a boat (especially on overcast days). The best flies have been: McLellan’s Hunchback Scud in tan, olive and gray (sizes 14 and 16), Flashback Scud in tan, olive and gray (sizes 12 to 16), McLellan’s Woven Sowbug (sizes 14 and 16), Graphic Caddis in tan and olive (sizes 14 to 18), Flashback Pheasant Tail Nymph (sizes 16 to 20), Beadhead Hare’s Ear Nymph (sizes 14 to 18), Mercury Brassie (sizes 18 and 20), Rojo Midge (size 22), Mercury Blood Midge (sizes 20 and 22), red Jujubee Midge (sizes 20 and 22), Johnny Flash (sizes 20 to 24), Mercury Black Beauty (sizes 20 and 22), Gray Mercury Midge (sizes 20 and 22), black Wooly Sculpin (size 4), Articulated Zoo Cougar (size 4) and Swimming Jimmy (size 4).

Bull Shoals Lake: Wilderness Trail said spring weather has finally arrived. The trees are budding, the wildflowers are blooming and the butterflies are everywhere. Nights are still cooling to the upper 40s, but the daytime temperatures have been in the 70s. The lake temperature ranges from 56 to 59 degrees. The lake level is up to 653.99 feet. There is submerged brush in the lake, which will help the spawn. The water clarity has reduced to the 10- to 12-foot range. The lake rating this week is good with crappie headed to the shallows, white bass very close to their spawn run, largemouth in pre-spawn, walleye in post spawn, and smallmouth along with Kentuckies spawning. The crappie bite has picked up on crappie minnows and Bobby Garland Swimming Minnows in 10 to 15 feet of water in the backs of the cuts and pockets. White Bass are in the back of almost every creek around the lake. Roadrunners, small spoons, Cotton Cordell Spots and crappie grubs are just some of the lures that are triggering some action. Largemouth bass have moved into their spawning areas and are roaming the shallows feeding up before their spawn. There are some largemouth on beds, but they are not locked on, which means they are false beds and the males are waiting on the females. The best baits are spinner baits, flukes, trick worms and tubes worked off the banks around secondary points and in the backs of the creeks, cuts and coves. Smallmouth bass are spawning on ledges in 10 to 16 feet of water throughout the lake. Some of the females that are outside the beds are biting on spider jigs in gourd green or watermelon red colors. Lizards are also triggering some nice smallmouths. Take some time looking in the creeks and on the main lake for transition banks because most of these areas have ledges holding some smallmouths. Kentucky bass are also spawning, but they are so deep the lake visibility will not let you see the beds. Chunk rock points, bluff walls and the middle of deep cuts or watersheds are all primary spawning areas. The best baits are tubes, finesse worms, Senkos and hula grubs. Walleye are still in post spawn and the bite is slow. The sunfish are starting to show up on the banks this week so maybe that will trigger the walleye bite. Meanwhile keep fishing the banks with Pointers, X-Raps and Suspending Rogues in the mornings, and then, switch over to nightcrawler harnesses with bottom bouncers throughout the rest of the day. Work along chunk rock channel swings and "do nothing" banks with some big rock or a transition area present. Sugar Loaf Harbor said the lake clarity is fair, and the lake level is about 2-feet above normal pool. Crappie fishing is excellent using minnows, baby shad and fake minnows.

Bull Shoals Tailwaters: McLellan’s Fly Shop said generation has increased considerably, limiting wading opportunities. However, after all of the recent high water, the trout are used to eating a lot, and they are definitely not being bashful at the dinner table. In the faster riffles and runs, drift a scud, sowbug, mayfly nymph or caddis pupa under a strike indicator and hold on. During high water, 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. The best flies have been:  zebra and black-and-olive Rubber-leg Copper John (sizes 14 to 18), McLellan’s Woven V-Rib Sowbug (sizes 14 and 16), McLellan’s Hunchback Scud in tan, olive and gray (sizes 14 and 16) Graphic Caddis in tan and olive (sizes 14 to 18), Z-Wing Caddis (sizes 14 and 16), Caddis Larva (sizes 14 and 16), Elk Hair Caddis (sizes 14 to 18), E-Z Caddis (sizes 14 to 18), Red Fox Squirrel Nymph (sizes 12 to 16), Rag Sculpin (size 6), Articulated Zoo Cougar (size 4), Swimming Jimmy (size 4) White Zonker (size 6), Arkansas Conehead (size 6), San Juan Worm (size 10) and Micro Egg (size 14).

Lake Norfork: Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is clear except for some dingy water in the creek arms. The lake level has been a little above normal. Crappie fishing is good using minnows, Bobby Garland Swimming Minnows and baby shad along the banks. Bass fishing is good using plastic lizards and top-water lures. Bass are not being taken in large quantities, but the quality of bass being taken is really good. Stripers are biting well on Rogues and live bait at night.

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