Fishing Tip: When the water rises
dramatically from rains, new cover is flooded and many fish rush to the
shallows for the warmer water and new food sources. As reservoirs fill,
flood gates will be opened and the water will then drop sharply. Once
the water begins to drop, the same fish that rushed up shallow will be
found on the points and ledges nearest the shallow-water feeding areas.
White River: Gaston's
White River Resort
said the holidays and mild weather have put power demand at a minimum,
so the water conditions have been low with one generator turned on for
an hour or two. Trout fishing has been excellent, with a lot of trout
being caught on red worms, wax worms, nightcrawlers and Berkley
PowerBait. The best artificials have been gold/red Buoyant Spoons, gold
or gold/red Little Cleos and floating Rapalas. Fly fishing has been
excellent with the low water. Olive woolly buggers, sow bugs and tan
scuds are all doing well. If a little water is running, a red
San Juan worm is
working great.
Wilderness
Trail (870-445-2703) said fishing the
White
River
has been good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow and white along with
artificial or live wax worms. Fly anglers have done well with little
generation on olive woolly buggers, zebra midges and unreal eggs in
peach or white Brown trout downriver of the catch-and-release areas are
being caught on Rapala Countdowns, Rogues and nightcrawlers.
Bull
Shoals Lake: As of Tuesday,
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 654.08
feet MSL.
Wilderness
Trail
(870-445-2703) said crappie are still active in the upper lake but they
have slowed down in the lower lake. Brush piles and channel drop offs
are the winter holding areas. Crappie minnows will still work until the
water temperature reaches the low 40-degree mark. The best artificial
baits are sword-tail tubes, crappie tubes and crappie jigs. Drop down
to 4-pound line and work your baits slowly. Largemouth, smallmouth and
Kentucky
bass started biting on the banks last week. It seems as though the
spinnerbait and crankbait bite is turning on. Largemouth bass are on
the banks inside of small cuts in the creeks and along the banks at the
backs of main-lake pockets and coves. You have to cover a lot of water
but when you finally catch one on a bank you will catch a few more in
the same area. Some largemouth are still under the shad, once you find
an active school there will be largemouth under them. Drop a silver or
white spoon under the shad for these fish. Smallmouth are also on the
banks, but they are mostly around secondary and main-lake points.
Slow-rolled spinnerbaits and Wiggle Warts in green or brown crawdad
colors are working the best. Other smallies are off the drop offs of
the points. Spider jigs, tubes and finesse worms on a shaky head jig
are the key baits. Kentuckies seem to be in the backs with the
largemouth although we have picked up a few around points. The
Kentuckies are striking spinnerbaits better than crankbaits. Many
Kentuckies are under balls of shad off main-lake points, along creek
channel swings and in main-lake cuts. Spoons are the best bet for them,
but a drop-shot rig will work great as well. Walleye are in their
winter haunts, suspended over the flooded timber, along the bluff walls
and on the bottom in 45 to 50 feet of water on the flats. The best
fishing is by jigging Binks spoons, CC spoons and Rapala Jigging
Spoons. Pulling minnow baits can produce some nice walleye during the
winter months but the trolling technique is very spotty in cold water.
Lake
Norfork:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation at 552.86 feet MSL.
Cranfield
Junction Bait and Tackle (870-492-5141) said the water is clear and a
little high. Crappie fishing is poor. The crappie have moved deep. Bass
are fair on spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits and jigs. Walleye are fair
on crankbaits trolled around major break lines. Hybrids are biting well
on spoons and trolled crankbaits.