Arkansas Fishing Reports - January 11, 2006

   (Reports are from Arkansas Game and Fish Commission)


Fishing Tip: If you find yourself out of minnows to tip jigs with during your fishing trip, here’s a quick substitute. Cut out the triangle of flesh underneath a fish’s jaw and tip your jig with it. This meat is tough enough to last many bites and wiggles enticingly to attract other fish and keep you fishing long after your minnow supply runs out.

White River: 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. 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.  Experiment with different retrieves until you start getting hits.

  North Fork River: McLellan’s Fly Shop said generation on the Norfork has slacked off considerably the last few days, 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.
Norfork Trout Dock said the water is clear and the generators are running a little in the mornings. Rainbow and brown trout are biting well. Most anglers are drifting in the mornings and anchoring in the afternoons. Bait anglers are doing the best on red worms and pink or yellow Power Bait. White jigs and shad are bringing in some nice browns when fished across the current.
Bull Shoals Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 644.96 feet MSL.
Sugar Loaf Harbor said the lake is low and the water clarity is fair. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs in 15 to 30 feet of water. The bass are holding just off the banks and are biting spinnerbaits well. Bass fishermen casting spinnerbaits up shallow also caught many walleye.

Lake Norfork: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 539.19 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.

Ron & Debbie Gamble, Owners/Operators

Cotter Trout Dock
P.O. Box 96
Cotter, Arkansas 72626

Toll Free: 800-447-7538     Local: 870-435-6525