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November 16, 2005

Fishing Tip: Spring and fall are two times of year that dressing for the weather is extremely tricky. The day can begin with near-freezing temperatures then change to a sunny day appropriate for short sleeves. During these times of year, the best way to stay comfortable throughout the day is to layer lightweight clothes over each other. The added space between garments adds insulation without too much bulk, and the layers can come off throughout the day. Layering clothes also prevents the need for an expensive, heavy parka that gets in the way when you’re trying to fish.

White River: Gaston's White River Resort said the river clarity is great with very minimal generations and a little rain bringing the cooler weather. Trout are biting well on yellow Power Bait and wax worms. Fly-fishing with Hank’s Aunt Bee, sow bugs and olive woolly buggers has been productive as well.

McLellan’s Fly Shop said generation has slacked off some this week, with one or two generators usually coming online in the early morning but only running for a couple hours, then shutting off for the rest of the day, providing plenty of wade fishing on the upper river from late morning on through the rest of the day.  Wade fishing the upper river has been very productive with tan and olive McLellan’s Hunchback Scuds and Woven Sow Bugs.  Fishing high water out of a boat has also been very productive using large scuds, eggs and San Juan Worms. Roundhouse Shoals and Rim Shoals have been fishing very well lately with some small caddis hatches still coming off, so be sure to have plenty of size 16-18 Elk Hair Caddis. Also, fall is a great time to fish a streamer (even in low water); try to trigger a strike from the aggressive brown trout by swinging a streamer like the Zoo Cougar or Platte River Spider through a pool.  Experiment with different retrieves until you start getting hits.

Wilderness Trail said fishing for trout on the White River has been good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow, pink and Sunrise. With generation the Buoyant Spoons, Super Dupers, and Rooster Tails are the baits of choice. Fly-fishermen did well on olive woolly buggers, olive scuds, zebra midges and serendipity flies. The brown trout are being caught on Flat Fish, nightcrawlers and Rogues.

  North Fork River: Norfork Trout Dock said the river is running pretty clear with a little generation. Rainbow trout are biting well on almost anything. Rainbows are biting well on Power Eggs and in-line spinners fished across the current. Brown trout are biting well on large Rapalas, Rogues and sculpin-pattern flies.

McLellan’s Fly Shop said generation on the Norfork has been very sporadic lately, but it has slacked off some with the cooler temperatures, sometimes not even coming online during the daylight hours.  The wade fishing has been very good lately, and fishing high water from a boat has been productive as well. Scuds, sow bugs, midges, and eggs in low water, and eggs, San Juan Worms, and big streamers like the Articulated Zoo Cougar in high water have been producing plenty of hook-ups.

Bull Shoals Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 646.54 feet MSL.

Wilderness Trail said lake temperature is 63 to 64 degrees in the lower and mid-lake areas and 60 to 61 degrees in the upper lake above Lead Hill. Crappie are in 15 to 20 feet of water around the brush piles and along the bluff walls. Slip bobbers with crappie minnows on a chartreuse jighead are working the best. White bass have moved to the backs of the creeks in 50 to 55 feet of water with some of the shad. We have not seen any top-water action yet, but the spoon bite can be exciting when you find a school.  Largemouth bass are still roaming in the lower and mid-lake areas but they are on the banks in the upper lake areas. Spinnerbaits and crankbaits are working around Tucker Hollow and in the upper part of the Theodosia Arm. The rest of the lake is slow but we are finding a few largemouth on wind blown points and blow downs or brush piles. Spider jigs, football jigs and trick worms are getting a few strikes. The smallmouth just won’t move to the banks; they are staying out in 35 to 45 feet of water, hugging the bottom. Carolina rigs, football jigs and spider jigs are the best baits for the deep fish. Smallmouth in the upper lake area are a little closer to the banks, and a few aggressive ones are being caught on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and Zara Spooks.  Kentucky bass are traveling with the shad, pushing them into pockets and cuts. Spoons and drop-shot rigs are still the best technique to catch Kentuckies. Walleye have been somewhat active this week, but they are scattered. Crawler harnesses and leech harnesses are working in 30 to 38 feet of water along pea rock banks and around main lake points. Casting Shad Raps, Wiggle Warts and DD14’s along chunk rock banks in the creeks is producing smaller walleye in the 18- to 20-inch size class range. Long liners are pulling lead core with Hot’N Tots, Shad Raps, and Glass Shad 34 to 38 feet down over 40 to 45 feet of water and they are catching a few quality ‘eyes in the 4- to 8-pound range each day.

Lake Norfork: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 541.02 feet MSL.

Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is 12 feet low. Crappie fishing is good on minnows. Bass fishing is extremely slow with very few reports of any fish being caught. Stripers are biting well in 70 to 80 feet of water on 1- and 2-ounce vertically jigged spoons.

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