Arkansas Fishing Reports - January 25, 2006
(Reports are from Arkansas Game and Fish Commission)

Fishing Tip: Although many anglers shy away from high-visibility lines, they can be an excellent aid to detecting light strikes and keeping track of where your lure is. High-visibility lines rarely have any impact on fishing success in stained or muddy water or in areas with current. If you are fishing clear water and are afraid the bright color may affect your fishing success, tie a 3-foot leader of fluorocarbon between your line and the lure. This way, you can still benefit from the high-visibility line without spooking fish.

White River: Gaston's White River Resort said there was some generation last week, but one unit is hardly enough to even notice additional flow. Still, the extra water was a nice refresher for the trout. Low-water baits and flies, such as white plastic worms, or PowerBait artificial wax worms and yellow PowerBait or corn, are working well.  Red worms are working well, also. The best artificials seem to be Little Cleos, Buoyant Spoons and Rooster Tails on 4-6-pound-test green low-visibility line. 

McLellan’s Fly Shop said there has been very little generation below Bull Shoals Dam lately, providing plenty of wade fishing on the upper river from late morning throughout the rest of the day. Wading the upper river has been very productive with tan and olive McLellan’s Hunchback Scuds and Woven Sow Bugs. Fishing high water from a boat has also been very productive using large scuds, eggs, and San Juan worms. Winter is a great time to fish a streamer; 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.

North Fork River: McLellan’s Fly Shop said Generation on the Norfork has been a little sporadic lately, but when they turn on the generators, they haven’t stayed on for very long.  Wade-fishing has been very good lately, and fishing high water from a boat has been productive as well. Try 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 for the best action.

Norfork Trout Dock said generation has been pretty light lately. Rainbows have been taking wax worms, corn, salmon eggs and white and gray Chrome Dome flies. Brown trout have been biting well on white and gray jigs, sculpin patterns and Rapala Countdowns and Shad Rap crankbaits. The White River is running low and clear below the tailwaters.

Bull Shoals Lake: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 644.98 feet MSL.

Sugar Loaf Harbor said the water is low and cloudy. Crappie are suspended in 15 to 20 feet of water around standing timber resting 25 to 35 feet deep. Minnows fished on a slip-cork rig are the best bet for these papermouths.

Lake Norfork: As of Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 538.40 feet MSL.

Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the lake is still about 14 feet low. Visibility in the main lake is estimated at 10 to 12 feet. Bream are biting fairly well on panfish worms right under any docks. Crappie are biting tube jigs, minnows and swim baits fairly well once you find the heavier concentrations of fish. Bass fishing is good with spinnerbaits crankbaits and jigs fished on the first drop to deep water. A few stripers are biting, but they are scattered. All other species are slow.

Ron & Debbie Gamble, Owners/Operators

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

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