White River: Gaston's White River Resort said high water and shad are coming through the gates. Many excellent size browns are being caught on shad-imitating lures and flies. Most browns are being caught on no. 9 and 7 Countdown Rapalas, 1/8-ounce white jigs, silver Rattlin’ Rogues and Spoons. Water generation has been running around the clock, with 6 to 7 units running full time. Power Eggs in Yellow and White with Glo-worms are still catching plenty of rainbows. Gold Cleo spoons and Buoyant spoons will catch rainbows too. Fly-fishing on the high water is best with red San Juan worms, white woolly buggers, white shad flies and egg patterns in yellow, peach and red.

Wilderness Trail (870-445-2703) said fishing has been good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow and white along with white marabou jigs with or without a chrome dome head.  During generation, Buoyant spoons, white Rooster Tails and white Krocodiles are the baits of choice. Fly-anglers have done well with little generation on olive or white woolly buggers, San Juan worms in bright colors, white doll flies (jigs) and “unreal” eggs in peach or white. 

Bull Shoals Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 653.66 feet MSL.

Wilderness Trail (870-445-2703) said lake temperature is at 43 degrees. Shad are still coming through the dam and they are starting to struggle with the lake temperature down close to the 40-degree mark. Another few degrees and we could have a shad kill. Crappie remain slow, although some are showing up around docks that have brush hanging off the sides. Live minnows on a slip bobber is the best way to trigger these suspending crappie. Largemouth bass are holding tight to deep cover both in the creeks and on the main lake. Cold water conditions mean smaller lures and slow retrieves.  Work water from 25 feet to 55 feet deep with spider jigs, finesse worms, Baby Brush Hogs and spoons. Smallmouth bass are hard to find, but a few are around transition banks and will hit tubes and jigs. Kentucky bass have gone deep again taking up under the shad in 48 to 60 feet of water. Spoons and drop shot rigs are the key techniques to catching a few. Walleye are slowly moving into the creek entrances, but they are not in any hurry to leave deep water. Most of the walleye that we can mark are close to points in 48-55 feet of water or they are suspended over flooded forests. Spoons are your best bet in catching a few unless you wish to bang the banks with long-billed Rogues or deep X-raps.

 Lake Norfork: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 551.98 feet MSL.

Cranfield Junction Bait and Tackle (870-492-5141) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Bass are biting excellently on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits and jigs fished near major points and creek turns. Stripers are biting well on flat-tailed grubs and jerkbaits.

Norfork Tailwater: Gene’s Trout Dock (870-499-5381) said the water is very clear and generators are running all day except for early mornings. Trout fishing is good on No. 7 size Husky Jerks.