Arkansas Fishing Reports - January 6, 2006

White River: Gaston's White River Resort said last week showed no generation at all during the days. There were a couple of times when a little water was let out of the lake in the late evening, and then shut off quickly afterwards. Temperatures were very nice, so there was not much demand for electricity in regard to heating homes and businesses. The lake level is still 12 feet below power pool and until we get enough rain to bring the lake level up, we probably won't see high water for very long. The best way to fish for trout on low water for spin fishermen is to use white plastic worms, or the PowerBait artificial wax worms and some yellow PowerBait or corn. Red worms work well also. Artificial lures that seem to work best are Little Cleos, Buoyant Spoons, and Rooster Tails on 4-6-pound test line. Fly fishermen are bragging about the Y2K bug being the hot fly this past week, as well as your favorite color of woolly bugger. Tan scuds and rusty nymphs seem to work well also.

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 wading 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. Winter 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. Egg patterns are still hooking several fish as many trout continue their spawning activities.  Some of our favorite egg patterns are the Flashtail Mini Egg, the Unreal Egg, and the Micro Egg.  For the health of the fishery, remember to leave actively spawning fish alone. 

  North Fork River: McLellan’s Fly Shop said Generation on the Norfork has slacked off considerably over the last few days, sometimes not even coming online during the daylight hours.  Wade fishing has been very good lately, and fishing high water from a boat has been productive as well. Scuds, sow bugs, midges, San Juan Worms, and big streamers like the Articulated Zoo Cougar have been producing plenty of hook-ups. Egg patterns are still hooking several fish as many trout continue their spawning activities.  Some of our favorite egg patterns are the Flashtail Mini Egg, the Unreal Egg, and the Micro Egg.

Norfork Trout Dock said the river is running low with little generation last week. Most people were anchored in boats fishing PowerBait, corn or worms. Brown trout were biting well on shiners and shad as well as sculpin imitations. Some nice size trout have been caught lately on small Rapala Countdown Minnows and white marabou jigs drifted with the current.

Bull Shoals Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 644.97 feet MSL.

Sugar Loaf Harbor said the lake is low with good water clarity. Crappie fishing is good in 15 to 20 feet of water on minnows and jigs fished near any timber or brush piles. Bass fishing is good on live crawfish and drop-shotted soft-plastic worms. Walleye fishing has been slow lately.

Lake Norfork: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 539.61 feet MSL.

Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is very low and the water is clear. Crappie have been very shallow lately and are relating to brush piles and other woody structure. The best lures have been minnows and jigs tight lined right in the thickest cover you can find. Bass fishing is good with many bass suspending off the bluff walls. Now’s the perfect time to try the float-and-fly on these suspended bass.