The Cotter Trout Dock News and
Weekly Fishing Report

February 9, 2012

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About Us and This Newsletter Fishing Report
Greetings from all of us at Cotter Trout Dock on the banks of the White River in Cotter, Arkansas!
We are expanding on our Weekly Fishing Report from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to include some of the latest happenings around here at the dock and anywhere that we find interesting. 

We invite you to send suggestions on what you would like to see here!  We need the help!

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2012 Shawnee – Supreme Invitational Trout Tournament

Hosted by: Cotter Area Chamber of Commerce
Saturday, March 10, 2012  7:00 AM - 2:00 PM
At the Cotter Ramp on the White River
Entry Fee — $100.00 per Team (2 People)

A New 2012 Deluxe Boat, Trailer and Seats
Donated by Shawnee Boats, Inc. – Motor available at cost
Valued at $7000.

Click image for larger image. Prize is not actual boat and trailer as in photo, but boat is same model (I think).  Trailer in photo may be a higher grade than prize.

Last years (2011) Winners

Lou Treat and Lynn Hicks won the tournament and $1,000 with a total weight of 11.75 pounds. Jon Miller and Tommy Worth won $800 with a second-place finish of 11.25 pounds, and they won an additional $1,400 for catching a 7.6-pound brown trout for the Big Fish of the day. John Zeltner and Joe Jones won the drawing for a 2011 Shawnee Deluxe Boat, trailer, and seats valued at $6,900.

Fishing Report From Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

White River

Sportsman’s White River Resort(870-453-2424) said the water is high and clear. Two generators are running on the weekends. Trout fishing is excellent. Fly-fishermen are doing well on woolly buggers during high water and egg patterns and Y2K bugs during low water. The further upstream you go, the better the fishing gets. Rapalas and other minnow-style crankbaits are working well. Drift-fishing Power Eggs, shrimp or trout worms has worked well on rainbows.

Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903)  said generation has been steady and the fish are holding in the deeper pools. Black/silver no. 7 Countdown Rapalas are working well on rainbows and brown trout.
Guide Davy Wotton said Bull Shoals Dam trophy zone opened last week with the usual armada of boat traffic and anglers. Despite that fishing was good for many with many trophy browns caught as well as many good rainbow trout. There have been a few reports of shad, but there likely will not be a large shad kill this year. Lakes are close to pool levels, so expect fluctuations from high to low during the day. If fishing swift water, dead drift egg, worm or nymph patterns. Streamer fishing may be off and on, but is still worth trying. During slower current, fish midge pupae, sow bug and scud patterns.

Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge(870-499-5185) said fishing has been slow. All the rain muddied up the confluence of the Buffalo River and the White, making it unfishable.

Buffalo River

Just Fishing Guides had no report.

Crooked Creek

Just Fishing Guides had no report.

Bull Shoals Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 654.55 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 654 MSL).

Mike Worley’s Guide Service had no report.

Bull Shoals Tailwater

Just Fishing Guides said generation has been around the clock, varying between two to six units (5,000-20,000 cfs). Nymphing and streamers are two of the more productive presentations. Seasonal flies include scuds, sow bugs, blue wing olives, micro-caddis, midges, worm, egg and sculpin patterns. Now is the time to get out your big streamers and the 8 weight rods to pick up some big browns.

Lake Norfork

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 522.87 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April - 552 MSL, April-Sept. - 554 MSL).

Blackburn Resort said the water level has stopped rising. Surface temperature is in the mid-40s. People are catching some nice stripers on grubs halfway back in the creeks. Crappie are also halfway back in the creeks around deep brush. Several fish have been caught on small spoons in the brush piles.

101 Grocery and Bait said the surface temperature is 42 to 47 degrees. The water is stained to clear. Fishing has been good for crappie and bass. Stripers are hitting live bait and small jigging spoons fished 30 to 40 feet deep.

STR Outfitters said bass, crappie and walleye are biting fairly well. Striper fishing is slow. Bass and  crappie are being caught on minnows and small spoons fished around brush piles. Walleye have begun their spawning run in the river above Red Bank. 

Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said crappie, largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass are currently the best bites on Norfork Lake. A ¼-oz. spoon fished vertically light line and a spinning rod has worked well on suspended fish. Look for schools of baitfish in 20 to 30 feet of water and you’ll find the crappie and bass.

Guide Steve Olomon said the water temperature is in the mid- to upper 40s. Look for fish suspended around 30 feet deep, and drop a jigging spoon to them. Crappie, bass, stripers and walleye can all be caught on the spoon. Another good tactic is to throw suspending jerk baits along bluffs and over deep brush piles in coves.

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

Norfork Tailwater

Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) ) said generation has been steady each day. Most fish are holding near the dam. Bottom fishing using corn or redworms outside of special regulations zones has worked well on rainbow trout.

Just Fishing Guides said generation has been usually all but 6-8 hours per day with flows from 3,500-8,000 cfs. Periods of low water late night to very early morning each day for wade fishers. Tan scuds have been hot lately. Small streamers without bead or cone heads producing a slower fall are working well also. Sow bugs, midges, worm and egg patterns should be in your arsenal as well.

Cotter Trout Dock, 321 Big Spring Pkwy pob 96, Cotter, AR  72626 To ensure you receive our monthly newsletter, make sure you add ctd@southshore.com to your address book. If you prefer not to receive future email from Cotter Trout Dock, please unsubscribe here.