Trout Fishing Report-White River-Arkansas-September 8, 2011

Trout Fishing Report-White River-Arkansas....From Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

September 8, 2011 Edition Back to Fishing Reports Index

Fishing Highlight of the Week: As the water cools, white bass, small stripers and hybrids will sometimes congregate in the same schools to feed. It’s important to recognize the differences between the three types of fish, as some lakes and rivers have special size regulations and limits for one of the three. Here are some pointers to differentiate between the species:

White bass have a single rough tooth patch on the back of their tongue and a rounded body with faint stripes (only one stripe may extend all the way to the tail).

Stripers have two distinct tooth patches on their tongue, slender bodies and several distinct stripes that extend to the tail.

Hybrids have distinct stripes that are usually broken and extend to the tail, have two tooth patches on their tongue and rounded bodies.

For illustrations of the three species, turn to Page 39 of the 2011 Annual Fishing Guidebook.

White River

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is clear and high. Six to eight generators are running around the clock. Trout are excellent from a boat. Rainbows are being caught on pink worms and small spinners. Brown trout are being caught on jigs and Rapalas.

Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said five generators are running in the mornings, and five to eight generators running in the afternoons. Black/gold and rainbow colored no. 7 Countdown Rapalas have worked well in the mornings.

Guide Davy Wotton said the lower temperatures haven’t hindered fishing, and the action is still good. Generation may slack off with the cooler weather and less power demand. Hoppers and hopper/dropper combinations are still catching many trophy browns as well as some better than average rainbows and cutthroats. If you find fish are moving to your larger dries then reduce the fly size, even ants and crickets will do well. Streamer fishing has its ups and downs, some days the bite is good others very slow. Nymph fishing is probably the most productive way for numbers of fish, and occasionally a big brown with take a small nymph. Given water conditions are generally clear then fish will easily see smaller flies, sizes 12 to 16 fished at depth. Combinations of midge, GRHE, PTNs, worms, sow bugs and scuds are all well worth fishing. You may have to reduce leader/tippets to 4x or less for the smaller flies, 5x being overall best.

Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said water levels remain relatively high but consistent. Trout are continuing to hit Countdown Rapalas in sizes 7 and 9 cast toward the bank or any place where there is a seam or fast water meeting slack water. Power Bait is working well dragged on the bottom, but most of the fish caught on Power Bait have been small.

Buffalo River

Just Fishing Guides said the water levels are: Ponca – 1.33 feet and 2.3 cfs; Pruitt – 2.31 feet and 3.4 cfs; Tyler Bend – 3.57 feet and 55 cfs; Buffalo Point – 2.36 feet and 93 cfs. The entire river is very low and wading or dragging a canoe is the only way to fish except in the Tyler Bend and Buffalo Point areas. Water temperatures are ranging from 75-85 degrees. Smaller fish have been the rule. The river flows are very low and care should be taken to not spook fish. Spin fishermen are doing good bottom-bouncing tubes, lizards and brush hogs in watermelon/red and green pumpkinseed. For fly-anglers, try crazy dads, rabbit tail sliders, woolly buggers, Clouser minnows and Shenks white streamer on both floating and sink-tip lines.

Crooked Creek

Just Fishing Guides said the gauge at Kelly’s Slab is reading 9.33 ft. and 4.3 cfs. The creek is really low for floating, but fishing is excellent for wading. Spin fishing with soft plastics and 1/16-oz. jigs will consistently catch good numbers of fish. Topwater lures are working well also and some days will catch just as many as bottom bouncing plastics. 4-inch lizards, tubes and brush hogs in watermelon, watermelon/red and green pumpkin along with Tiny Torpedoes and small buzzbaits are working well. Fly-anglers should use Clousers, zonkers, crazy dads, near nuff sculpins, poppers, sliders and hopper patterns.

Bull Shoals Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 665.35 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 654 MSL).

Mike Worley’s Guide Service said walleye, bass and bluegills are all biting well on several techniques. Bottom bouncers with spinners and nightcrawlers are working well in 25 to 35 feet of water. Trolling crank baits like Fat Free Shads, 600 Reef Runners and No. 9 Shad Raps are catching walleye and bass near points in 15 to 25 feet of water. Jigging spoons are working well on points and brush piles in 25 to 35 feet of water. Some launch ramps now have parking lots that are usable and most of the launch ramps should be in pretty good shape for Labor Day weekend.

Bull Shoals Tailwater

Just Fishing Guides said water releases are continuous at 14,000 cfs with releases ramping up to 17,000 cfs. Drift fishing has been very good with sink-tips and medium size streamers with good numbers of rainbows and browns. Hopper patterns are doing very well also and of course nymphing with scud, sow bug, caddis and worm patterns. Minnow crank baits in black/gold and black/blue are working along with brown trout colored jointed minnows. In-line spinners like Rooster tails and Mepps are also picking up fish.

Lake Norfork

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 558.13 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April - 552 MSL, April-Sept. - 554 MSL).

101 Grocery and Bait had no report.

Blackburn Resort said surface temperature is 85 degrees and dropping slowly. Stripers are moving deeper to about 80 feet, and can be caught on a spoon or trolling with a downrigger. Crappie and bass are moving to the brush piles around 29 feet deep and can also be caught with a spoon or with minnows.

Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said bass, walleye, crappie and bluegill seem to be down 20 to 30 feet on the bottom. I have been finding lots of baitfish hovering in the 20 to 30 foot range and when I find the bait usually I mark a lot of fish. This is also telling me that the thermocline is dropping. I am still noticing increased numbers of black bass breaking the surface at sunrise. Yesterday I actually saw a huge area of water just start to boil. There were big fish coming totally out of the water. Normally you don’t see this type of topwater action this time of year, but the fishing this year has been a little different than usual. Catfish are being caught on trotlines using live bait and also on rod and reels using chicken livers.

Guide Steve Olomon said the lake level is 559 and the water temperature is still in the mid-80s. With the cool weather, the water temperature will start slowly cooling down and the bite will only get better. The stripers are still down 60-80 feet deep. Bass are chasing baitfish early. Watch for surface activity on points and some of the deeper channel swings. They will hit just about anything that you throw. After the topwater bite is over, throw a jig, worm or a drop-shot rig.

Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) had no report.

Norfork Tailwater

Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) had no report.

Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said two generators are running from 8 a.m. until dark. Shrimp have worked well along with corn drifted on the bottom.

Just Fishing Guides said generation has been continuous and running between 3,500-4,500 cfs. Drift fishing has been the way to go. Scuds, sow bugs, zebra midges, San Juan worms, eggs, hoppers, ants, beetles and streamers should be in your arsenal now.