White River
Sportsman’s White River Resort
(870-453-2424) said the water is clear and normal with two generators
running. Trout are good on midges, nymphs woolly buggers and streamers
in swift current. Rainbows are hitting anything – spinners, spoons,
PowerBait and PowerWorms.
Randy Oliver at
www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said rain has muddied the water, with two to four generators running most days.
Guide Davy Wotton
said there should be some early caddis hatches soon with the warm
weather. Generation levels are generally low with a few high water
spikes, which have generated some shad through the dams. Best options
are at this time drift fishing combinations of caddis larva and rock
worms, sow bugs, white tail and prism midges in black and red. Wade
fisherman, more or less as above, for the Norfork during low water then
you will have to reduce the size of the midge from 16s to 22s at times,
same also for Bull Shoals dam when generation is shut down.
Jim Brentlinger at
Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge(870-499-5185)
said Buffalo City to Reds Landing water levels have been low for the
last 10 days. We are not getting any flow from the Buffalo. Fishing has
been very good in the low-water conditions. Rapalas in the deeper holes
and Zig Jigs everywhere else. The wind has been an issue for a week
making it very difficult to work jigs properly.
Buffalo River
Just Fishing Guides
said the river levels are 5/12 feet and 1,330 cfs at Ponca; 9.14 feet
and 2,880 cfs at Pruitt; 11.87 feet and 8,330 cfs at Tyler Bend, and
9.22 feet and 6,790 cfs at Buffalo Point. Water temperatures range from
50-57 degrees, right at the point where fishing (catching) starts
getting better for smallmouth bass. That is not saying that you can't
catch them in cooler water; it just gets tougher. Make sure you are
fishing the deep holes and shallower waters on warm, sunny days. Some
good fish have been caught. With the warmer temperatures continuing and a
warm rain, fishing should really pick up. Fish slow and deep with soft
plastics or crawdad pattern flies.
Crooked Creek
Just Fishing Guides said the gauge at Kelly’s Slab is reading 13.13 ft and 1,850 cfs. Water temperatures have been averaging 55 degrees.
Bull Shoals Lake
As of
Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation
at 654.03 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 654 MSL).
Mike Worley’s Guide Service
said walleye and bass are in shallow water and biting on Alabama
rigs, stick baits, spinner baits, crankbaits and jigs. Crappie
are biting on minnows and jigs fished about 6 feet deep over brush
piles, and should be moving to the spawning banks soon. Try casting
smoke or blue thunder 2-inch Swimming Minnows on 1/16-ounce jigheads on
windy gravel banks in the creeks. White bass are biting in the late
afternoon in the back of the creeks in less than 10 feet on white jigs,
Rooster Tails and small crankbaits.
Bull Shoals Tailwater
Just Fishing Guides
said the lake level is 653.6 feet, 0.4 feet below the top of
conservation pool. Generation has been around the clock with 1-2 units
(3,000 cfs and spikes to 7,000 cfs) during the week and no generation
sometimes during the weekend. Caddis patterns are the preferred flies
now. Suggested patterns include Prince nymph, Zugbug, Hare ’n’ Copper
(olive), BH Z-Wing caddis (olive), partridge and peacock soft hackle,
graphic caddis and elk hair caddis, all in size 14.
Lake Norfork
As of
Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation
at 552.24 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
Tim Partin says fishing has been good for walleye and crappie. Sunfish
are hitting worms around brush in the back of most coves. Bass are
hitting swim baits fished 15-25 feet deep. White bass are starting to
show up in the shallow water upstream, as are some stripers.
STR Outfitters
Tom Reynolds says rain has triggered stripers to begin biting. The
stripers are in deep water – 50-80 feet – but are in the 30-foot range,
so stay in deep water but fish shallow during the day. Early daylight
and evenings the stripers are moving to shore, feeding on crawdads. A
25, 18, 16 and two 12s were caught on shiners and shad recently.
Hummingbird Hideaway Resort Lou
Gabric says walleye fishing has been really good upriver. A couple of
friends had a great fishing trip using live chubs. Shiners and night
crawlers should work as well. Walleye are in the middle of their spawn
and should start moving downriver very soon. The after-dark rogue bite
is starting to happen. Crappie are over brush in shallow water. You will
find them 5-20 feet down. Live bait has been working best. I was
netting many nice crappie back in the bayou in 10 feet of water. Start
looking for several upcoming fishing events that will happen over the
next couple of weeks. The white bass run and spawn should start to
happen any time. You will be able to find these fish on very shallow
flats and in the back of creeks; smaller hybrids will be hanging with
them. The after-dark bite for stripers and walleye with slow rolling a
jerk bait has already started, but will get much better once the water
temperature gets closer to the mid 50s. Crappie will start to stage for
their spawn. You will start to find crappie in very shallow water along
banks in coves and creeks. Look for fallen timber that is lying in the
water.
Guide Steve Olomon had no report.
Randy Oliver at
www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) had no report.
Norfork Tailwater
Randy Oliver at
www.randyoliverguide.com
(901-832-1903) ) said shad have been coming through the dam and the
fishing has been hot. When the river is running, use black and silver
Countdown Rapalas in size 7, and black and silver Shad Raps in size 5.
Dead shad and redworms are working during low water, fished about 12
inches off the bottom.
Just Fishing Guides
said the lake level is 552.2 feet, 0.2 feet over the top of
conservation pool. Generation has been usually twice per day with flows
to 6,000 cfs with 2-6 hours each time. Over the weekend, it was
continuous at 3,000 cfs. Midges and caddis are what the trout are keying
on predominately now. Look for midging trout late morning and switch to
caddis patterns sometime in the early afternoon. Suggested patterns
include Zebra midge (black, gray and rusty brown), Parachute Adams, sow
bug (gray and tan), scud (olive, gray and tan), Prince nymph, Zugbug, BH
Z-Wing caddis (olive), Hare ’n’ Copper (olive), partridge and peacock
soft hackle, graphic caddis (olive) and olive elk hair caddis.
The Cotter Area Chamber of Commerce recently hosted the 2012
Shawnee-Supreme Invitational Trout Tournament on March 10th @ Cotter
Big Spring Park. We had 67 2-man teams enter the tournament. Rob
Williams, owner Shawnee Boats, Inc. donated the 2012 L48 Supreme Boat
for the boat drawing.
Boat Draw Photo - (L to R) Gary Grimm (winner), Paula Flippin
(Cotter Area Chamber of Commerce President), Steve Cooper (winner), Rob
Williams (owner, Shawnee Boats, Inc.) winners of the 2012 L48 Supreme
Boat donated by Shawnee Boats, Inc.
