Lure of the Week: To familiarize new anglers with the huge variety of lures available, we will be using the fishing tip section to describe a new lure every week.
Crawbug - With the advances in soft-plastics and manufacturing, it seems that a newer, more realistic crawfish imitation comes out every year. The Crawbug is the latest in this ultra realistic group of lures. To fish the crawbug, rig it on a jighead with the hook exposed or Texas rig it with a standard offset worm hook. The lure can be pitched to wood structure like a jig-and-pig combo or cast out over rocky areas and worked across the bottom slowly with an occasional hop. Fish will usually hang onto the soft plastic longer than a jig, so you have time to make a good hookset. Kentucky bass and smallmouths are particularly vulnerable to this lure when they’re not gorging on shad.
White River: Gaston's White River Resort said the water was low last weekend. Trout were biting well on wax worms and yellow and white PowerBait. Live worms and nightcrawlers are doing well for the trout, too. Fly fishermen are having the most success with gray sow bugs and olive green Woolly Buggers.
Wilderness Trail said fishing for trout on the White River has been good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow and white or Power Nuggets in orange and rainbow. With generation the Buoyant Spoons, Little Cleos and Blue Fox spinners are the baits of choice. Fly-fishermen did well on olive Woolly Buggers, olive scuds and sow bugs. The brown trout are being caught on Jointed Countdowns, nightcrawlers and Rogues.
Bull Shoals Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 647.18 feet MSL.
Wilderness Trail said largemouth bass have left the banks and so have the shad. Secondary points and deep structures off the banks are now holding the largemouth. As the lake stabilizes the largemouth will return to the banks and backs of the creeks following the return of the shad. Meanwhile fish jigs, tubes and Mojo-rigged finesse worms or centipedes on the points and deeper structures. Smallmouth bass have also slid back into deeper water, but they are still in transition bank areas. Back off a little, put your boat in 38 feet of water and fish tubes, Spider Jigs, Football jigs and small crankbaits through 26 to 31 feet of water. Kentuckies are now easy to find because they moved to the middle of the cuts and creeks with the shad. Spooning and drop shot techniques will work well until the shad start moving toward the banks and the backs of the creeks, cuts and pockets. Also look for Kentuckies to push shad to the top and frenzy feed out in the middle of nowhere. Small top-water baits will work the best at this time.
Walleye love the cooler water conditions and are staying close the thermocline between 28 and 31 feet. Long liners are triggering a few with Purple Trout Hot’N Tots, Glass Shad and Reef Runners. Bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses or leech harnesses are also coming back into play. Spoons will stay productive in the 30 to 31 foot range or under the thermocline.
Sugar Loaf Harbor said catfishing has been fair using trotlines baited with bream. Bass fishing has improved and most anglers are catching them on Bomber crankbaits. Crappie are holding in 37 feet of water and are biting well on minnows fished over the top of the brush piles.
Lake Norfork: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 542.35 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake was low. Not many reports are coming in from anglers.
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