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.