Arkansas White River Trout Fishing Report - February 21, 2007

(Reports are from Arkansas Game and Fish Commission)

Fishing Tip: A sharp hook’s worst enemy is oxidation. Wet hooks dull quickly when they’re packed away in a
closed space. Save the silica packets shipped with electronics and keep them in your tackle box. The silica will
absorb the water and keep all your hooks and lures in prime condition.

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 the White River has been good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow and
white along with white marabou jigs with or without a chrome dome head. As long as the shad are coming through
this pattern will hold. With 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 Brown trout are being caught on
Countdowns, Rogues and nightcrawlers.

Bull Shoals Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 655.29 feet
MSL.
Wilderness Trail (870-445-2703) said lake temperature took a dip and is now 41 degrees in the main lake, 40
degrees in Theodosia and 34 degrees above Lead Hill. That is shad kill temperature. It started about Wednesday
and Sunday the shad were floating. Crappie remained suspended out away from the brush piles around 35 feet
deep and they have all the shad they need to feed on. Best baits at this time are Bobby Garland Swimming
Minnows and crappie tubes. You want to fish something that will get their attention and a live crappie minnow
among the dying shad is not the ticket right now.
Largemouth bass have not changed from last week, but with the warm up and the shad kill, we could see a jerk
bait bite or Senko or Fluke bite start up. Fish main lake and creek arm points that have drop offs or look for
largemouth on brush piles or blow downs in the back of pockets and creeks. Smallmouth bass and Kentuckies
are feeding like crazy on shad out away from the banks over open water. This pattern makes it very tough to
pinpoint where they might be, so look for the birds and you will find the feeding bass. Cast spoons, Chrome Dome
jigs, Roadrunners or grubs. Anything that looks like shad in the areas the birds are working. Walleye are moving
in and out of the creeks and have been found in very shallow water this week. It is a here today and gone
tomorrow scenario. Check the flats first out in front of the creeks, and then move toward the backs. Spoons and
Max Gap jigs are your best bet. Also try ¼-oz. Roadrunners tipped with a shiner if other baits don’t produce

Lake Norfork:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 553.15 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Bait and Tackle (870-492-5141) said the water is clear and at normal levels. Crappie are biting
well on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting well on suspending jerkbaits and crankbaits with a long pause.

Norfork Tailwater:
Gene’s Trout Dock (870-499-5381) said the water has a green ting and two generators have
been running nonstop. Fishing is good on nightcrawlers, brown marabou jigs and brown beadhead flies such as
pheasant tails.


Ron & Debbie Gamble, Owners/Operators

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

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