Trout Fishing Report-White River-Arkansas
March 26, 2010 Edition
White River:
Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is high, with five generators running. Trout are biting well. Fly-fishermen are doing best with midges. Spin-fishermen are catching some nice brown trout on spoons and spinners. Drift-fishing with Power Bait, jigs and Rapalas is working well.
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said low water and warm temperatures have made fishing below Bull Shoals very fruitful. Large numbers of very healthy fish are being reported. Mornings and late afternoons are producing some great caddis hatches. There has been some good dry fly action with black or dark gray flies. Soft hackles also are a good bet for subsurface fishing. Pheasant tail nymphs, hares ears, and copper johns under an indicator are getting fish. Observe how the fish are acting and set your depth accordingly.
Guide Davy Wotton said there has been no generation most days, which has offered plenty of wade fishing and encouraged some great surface activity with midges and caddis. Many anglers are reporting 50+ fish days on small flieGuide Davy Wotton s fished on 5x, 6x, and 7x tippet. The near zero flows have restricted float fishing to drift boats. The best places to fish are around shoals and riffles where water is richer in oxygen. Midge fishing at Bull shoals dam during low water is just about as good as you will find in any fishery. There are many fine fish in the 16 to 22-inch range here. Midges and sow bugs are the flies to use here. Further downstream all manner of flies were working – generic nymphs, soft hackles, streamers, wet and dry flies. Here’s a list of fly patterns to carry during lower water levels: Zebra, white tail and hot head midges (sizes 16 to 18 in black red and tan); generic nymphs such as hares ear, Pheasant tails, sow bugs and scuds(gray and olive); caddis pupa, and rock worm imitations. Faster water flow rates then add dynamite and San Juan worms, red, pink, tan and orange. Soft hackles should include partridge and hares ear, greentail, partridge and orange, black and silver spider. Dry fly patterns, then Elk hair caddis, balloon caddis and some generic hackle dries in sizes 12 to 16, most will work when the fish are surface feeding. If I were to pick four flies as a must have, they would be elk hair caddis, partridge and hares ear, black zebra midges and olive woolly buggers. Spin fisherman will have a tougher time with lower generation, as trout will not be as apt to chase bait from their comfort zone. Small Mepps and Rooster Tail spinners are the best choices. During bright, bluebird days, switch to small jigs with a little weight added to the line. Fishing bait under a bobber is often a better option than using a sinker for static fishing, and small redworms are also often a good choice. With the rainfall we may see more generation, so pay close attention to the water level to make sure the river doesn’t rise and trap you while you’re fishing.
White River (From Buffalo City to Red’s Landing):
Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said the snow and rain in northwest Arkansas has made the White River very muddy. The Buffalo River is a big factor as well, since it is still 7 feet high and muddy. It will be several days until this portion of the White River is right for fishing.
Buffalo River:
Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said the Buffalo River is 7 feet high, swift and muddy. Fishing is very slow.
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides had no report.
Crooked Creek:
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said warmer temps have got the fish moving a little, but the weather from this weekend will put off good fishing for a little while. Levels are good due to melting snows and rain. The water is still a bit chilly.
Bull Shoals Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 655.99 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 654 MSL).
Bob Pauletti at Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock said water temperatures range from 49 degrees in the backs of creeks to 43 on the main lake. With the last three years of high water, anglers may see some of the best fishing on Bull Shoals that this lake has ever experienced! This is the time for big bass, especially large mouth. Look for better fish on bluff wall ends and channel swings in major creeks, also try main lake pockets that may have wind blowing on them. Use a jerk bait that suspends or sinks slowly and work it as slowly as you can. Crayfish-colored crankbaits, Carolina rigs and mojo rigs will pick up smaller prespawn males in the backs of the creeks. White bass have moved to the backs of major creeks. The action is just beginning, so it’s a good time to chase the whites on the run. Some favorite places to fish are Howard Creek, Jimmie Creek, gulley, and Barnes Bay. Fish Roadrunners, white jigs, Beetle Spins and small crankbaits in white or silver. Crappie fishing has been slow, but this will change soon. Your best bet now is a minnow and jig, or just a minnow on a split-shot rig over brush piles. Along with the crappie, you may find yellow perch. I have caught these more and more over the last few years in the same places I catch crappie. Walleye fishing is also slow at this point, especially for this time of year, but this too will change. One of the baits that work well is a jerk bait worked slowly on long points with access to deep water. Also try jigs tipped with nightcrawlers or minnows dragged along the bottom. (Last updated 3-17-2010)
Lake Norfork:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 553.36 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April – 552 MSL, April-Sept. – 554 MSL).
101 Grocery and Bait said walleye and stripers are moving into the creeks and will hit long jerk baits and minnow plugs. The bass are mostly suspended. The crappie are hitting light as are the sunfish. There has been some white bass action around the flats and in the main lake area. Catfish are being caught using live bait and jigging spoons.
Norfork Tailwater:
John Berry of Berry Brother’s Guide Service said the Norfork has received low wadable water every day. It was the only wadable water around and got a bit crowded at times, particularly on the weekends. Now that we are getting some wadable water on the White, we should see reduced pressure. On the low flows, the hot flies were olive scuds, sow bugs and black zebra midges with silver wire and silver beads. We have been getting some nice midge hatches every afternoon and anglers have reported success with small hare’s ear soft hackles (size 16) and Dan’s turkey tail emerger. On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go-to flies. Work the banks and submerged weed beds. Be on the lookout for caddis. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot fly has been sow bugs in size 14. Worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns have also done well. The new boardwalk is scheduled to open on Saturday, March 13. This is the major project of the Friends of the National Fish Hatchery and was done in conjunction with bank stabilization and habitat improvements. Stop by and see what the excitement is all about. I think you will be impressed.
Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said there has been little generation (one to three hours per day). Wade fishing has been possible almost every day until generation begins.