(updated 4-19-2017) Cotter Trout Dock
(870-435-6525) says the brown bite has slowed down some
-- they're out there, just presented more of
a challenge. Be patient, listen to advice from
your guide or other experienced anglers, and stay with
it. Old fishing adage: You can't catch one if your line
isn't in the water. The rainbow count is climbing. Now
is the time to experience with some different baits
because you'll catch a bunch with shrimp and PowerBaits,
though try something new. Look for the Bleeder Series of
smaller Rapalas, red hooks, flashes of red on the body
of your lure, and red/gold spoons. That old silver and
black Rapala with a cut-throat slash is perfect right
now. Fly-fishers are having success with the silver and
red midge; try a slightly larger hook, size 14 or 12.
Water-release pattern: late afternoon releases during
the week, minimum flow all weekend (and now that we've
published that, watch for a change).
(updated 4-12-2017) Sportsman’s White River Resort
(870-453-2424) said they’ve had a LOT of wind in the
past several days. River level has been low. The trout
bite has ranged from fair to good. The reports on
rainbows have been low. However, the browns seem
numerous and are biting well.
(updated 4-19-2017) John Berry at Berry Brothers Guide
Service (870-453-2424) said during the past week, we
have had no rain, warm temperatures and heavy winds (to
include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull
Shoals fell 0.1 feet to rest at 3.9 feet below seasonal
power pool of 659 feet. This is 39.9 feet below the top
of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock rose 0.4 feet to
rest at 2.6 feet below seasonal power pool and 18.6 feet
below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose 0.4 feet
to rest at 3.6 feet below seasonal power pool and 13.2
feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had
wadable water with some generation. Seasonal power pool
has been reset for the lakes in the White River system.
All of the lakes on this system are below seasonable
power pool. On the White, the bite has been spotty. Some
days have been excellent and some poor. The hot spot has
been the Wildcat Shoals. We have had more wadable water.
The hot flies were olive Woolly Buggers (Nos. 8, 10),
Y2Ks (Nos. 14, 12), prince nymphs (No. 14), zebra midges
(black with silver wire and silver bead or red with
silver wire and silver bead sizes 16 or 18), pheasant
tails (size 14), ruby midges (size 18), root beer midges
(size 18), pink and cerise San Juan worms (size 10), and
sowbugs (size 16). Double fly nymph rigs have been very
effective (John’s current favorite is a size 14 hare and
copper nymph with a size 18 ruby midge suspended below
it). Caddis season is upon us. This is our best hatch of
the year and it is still here. I fished the caddis hatch
on the Norfork with great success. With the lower lake
levels we should have perfect flows to target this
hatch. Before the hatch when the trout are feeding on
the surface but you see no insects use a soft hackle
like my green butt or a partridge and orange. When the
trout begin to target insects, on the surface of the
water, switch over to an elk hair caddis. Match your fly
to the hatching insect based on size, shape and color.
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the
lake’s elevation at 656.19 feet msl (normal conservation
pool – 659.00 msl).
(updated 4-19-2017) K Dock Marina reported the water has
cleared up a lot in the past week. Lake level remains
steady at about 3.5 feet below normal pool of 659.00
feet. Surface temperature has finally gone above the
60-degree mark, resulting in some great fishing.
Temperature has ranged 62-65 degrees. Clarity is clear.
Black bass are good on a variety of small to medium
plastics in the backs of coves. Also good on Wiggle
Warts and Rock Crawlers on points and into coves.
Spinnerbaits are working well on breezy days. Crappie
are good on live minnows in the coves around bush piles.
Swimming minnows also working good. Chartreuse seems to
be the color right now. Crappie should be right on the
shoreline in a week or two. Walleye are fair on small to
medium crankbaits. Should be in the 10-15 feet depths
soon with the water temperature rising. Also fair on
silver or white spoons. White bass are fair up the lake
from K Dock around the Beaver Creek arm.
(updated 4-19-2017) Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake Boat
Dock said water temps are about 60s depending on
location. They've had some cool nights last week and a
little bit of rain, though not quite enough to get us up
to into the bushes like anglers wanted, but enough to
give a little color to the backs of creeks. If it stays
stable, anglers will start seeing some of the large
females start moving up on the beds. They’ll be cycling
through over the next couple of weeks. With the clear
water, fishing is a little tougher but you can see a lot
the beds and a lot of guys are catching fish off the
beds. Lots of Kentucky bass, smallmouths and largemouths
males are still up. Del says that what he likes to key
into is some of the dirty water. If you go up the lake
in the major creek arms, anywhere some of that muddy
water is moving in, it seems to be a lot easier to sneak
up on them. Over the next couple of weeks, you should be
able to follow the spawn back into the lake. Anglers are
not quite locked on, but there were some fish caught in
the very backs of the dirtier creek arms. If you’re
fishing the clear water, obviously it’s going to be a
lot more challenging, it takes a little more finesse.
What will work will is a Ned rig or shaky head, natural
colors, green pumpkin, watermelon, watermelon red. Or
use a jig, as the jig seems to be getting some of the
bigger fish. They’re not necessarily all the way in the
very backs. If you’re going into a spawning pocket, the
last bit of deep water, a bluff, a point before they go
up and spawn is where they're hanging. Del says he's not
fishing real deep, just in 15-20 feet of water. Check
the shore, hit the shore; the gravel pockets are where
some fish are going to spawn. Look at all those areas on
your maps. You’re going to catch a lot of fish there.
Enjoy it while it last. They’re not going to stay
shallow all year. This is a great time to get into the
shallow bite. If you find dirty water, still use the
Shaky Head, and under bluebird skies pick up the finesse
stuff. Use a drop-shot in the beds. Carolina rigs will
work. In the really dirty water, some anglers are still
throwing swimbaits, and some guys are using a bigger
swim bait targeting large females and catching them. A
squarebill is working in the skinny water. A War Eagle
spinnerbait in dirty skinner water. Try to match the
conditions of the water. Also a Sexy Mouse in natural
color with a little chartreuse to get their attention.
It’s a fun time to be fishing. Early in the morning or
late in the evening people are still catching some
walleye with jerkbaits, swimbaits, lots of ways.
Norfork Lake
As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the
lake’s elevation at 551.44 feet msl (normal conservation
pool: September-April – 553.75 msl, April-September –
552.00 msl).(updated 4-19-2017) Tom Reynolds of STR
Outfitters says the weather continues to wreak havoc on
the fishing. You get on a pattern and think that the
long awaited spring bite is starting, then the weather
turns ugly and the fish go back into hiding. One day,
Tom says, he’ll catch a good bunch of stripers and his
son only catches one or two. The next day it’s the
opposite: He catches a bunch and Tom doesn’t catch
anything. Then they will both have great days and if the
weather just stays consistent they will be bringing in
limits every day. The threadfin shad are in the early
stages of spawning and the spawn will trigger all the
fish to go on a feeding binge. Tom says he has fished
both Bennett’s Bayou with little success and fished Big
and Brushy creeks with better success. They were
catching lots of fish in both creeks until the weather
turned bad last Thursday, and by Sunday they had very
little success. Because the shad are moving shallow, Tom
decided to start fishing the main lake points and
channel swings. Tom caught fish right away and has been
since. The crappie
Tom adds, “I took Brian and Gerald out for their annual
two-day striper trips. Gerald has been fishing Lake
Norfork for over 30 years and loves catching stripers.
Fishing was slow for me before they arrived, but with
all the shad movement I knew it would be a great time. I
went to one of my spring go-to places and sure enough
the stripers were in their feeding mood. We hooked nine
stripers but only boated four the first day. The boys
were scheduled to trout fish the next day, so we planned
on striper fishing the following day. They were on their
game that day and we had our limit in one hour. We then
went out on the main lake to try and catch a big fish.
We had one taker but it released the bait before we
could set the hook. Overall they had a great father and
son fishing outing.”
(updated 4-19-2017) Lou Gabric at Hummingbird Hideaway
Resort said Norfork Lake springtime fishing is at its
best. Lou says this is one of his favorite times to fish
the lake. All species of fish are in shallow water and
they get a lot of good topwater action for striped,
hybrid and white bass as well as largemouth and
smallmouth bass. Artificial baits and live bait work
equally well this time of year. Shad are spawning, as is
typical for this time of year. The shad spawn really
gets the fish excited. Striped bass, hybrid bass and
white bass fishing all were on fire the last week. Once
the lake temperature reached the mid-60s the fish became
active. Tuesday was a great example of spring topwater
action. Several of Lou’s friends were out on the lake
and they all were checking out different areas. One
found the fish blowing up back in a cove at about 7 a.m.
He gave Lou a call and they all had great fun for the
next three hours. Lou said he was throwing a 5-inch
pearl swimbait with a 3/8-ounce jighead, and a Zara
Spook Jr. It is a blast to watch these fish blow up on
topwater baits, Lou says. Best places to look for
topwater action is partway back into the creeks and in
the secondary coves in the creeks. Right now, Lou says,
he has heard of topwater action in all parts of the lake
so get out there and have some fun. The late afternoon
bite has been great one day, then very hard to find the
fish the next, but when you do find them they very well
could be busting the surface.
Lou adds that largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass
fishing is also excellent at this time. Look in the same
areas that the stripers are in, but mainly look at the
shoreline. You will find the water boiling with shad
right up on the rocks. The fish are pushing the shad in
tight to the shore, then feeding at will. Tuesday they
were in the same cove where they found stripers in, from
6 inches of water out to 6 feet. Both Lou’s Zara Spook
and swimbait were picking up some very nice fish. The
fish also wanted both of his baits worked very fast as
they were in the chasing mood. As the day wears on, the
largemouth will move out into a little deeper water so a
jig-n- pig or some other plastic bait worked along the
bottom will pick up some good-size bass. At sunset look
at the very shallow water again as they will start to
feed heavily on shad. The after-dark bite for large and
smallmouth bass should be good. Lou says he personally
hasn’t been out the, but typically they will be hanging
around docks and shallow points. Dark-colored
spinnerbaits and tube jigs are some of his favorites.
Lou adds, “Walleye, I bet you can guess, are in the same
areas as the stripers and the largemouth. My swimbait is
picking up some nice fish early in the morning and then
again at sunset. The walleye are also starting to show
up on the big shallow flats in 10-25 feet of water. Move
slowly with your trolling motor with a bottom bouncer
and crawler harness or a large shiner on a drop-shot
rig.” He also says crappie are showing back up on brush
in 20-30 feet of water. Most times you will find them
suspended over the brush, so you need to keep testing
different depths until you find the feeding fish. There
will be a few nice fish still on the bank, so casting a
small Road Runner will work and will also pick up other
species. Hang on with your crappie rod because it is not
uncommon the hook into a big striper while crappie
fishing this time of year.
Norfork Lake surface water temperature Tuesday morning
was 67 degrees. The water level has been fairly stable
with a slight rise and currently sits at 551.36. The
main lake is clearing and the creeks and coves are a
little stained, but are clearing rapidly.
North Fork River (Norfork Tailwater)
(updated 4-19-2017) John Berry at Berry Brothers Guide
Service (870-453-2424) said Norfork Lake rose 1.9 feet
to rest at 2.9 feet below seasonal power pool of 553.75
feet and 29.1 feet below the top of flood pool. On the
Norfork, we had less generation with more wadable water.
There has been more wadable water on the Norfork but it
has fished a bit better particularly if you can catch
the caddis hatch. The most productive flies have been
small midge patterns (sizes 18, 20, 22) like ruby
midges, root beer midges, zebra midges (black or red
with silver wire and silver bead) and soft hackles
(sizes 14, 16) like the Green Butt. Egg patterns have
also been productive. Double-fly nymph rigs have been
very effective. Try a small bead-headed nymph (zebra
midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended 18 inches
below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent
pink or cerise size 10). There have been reliable
hatches of small midges (try a size 24 Adams parachute)
and caddis (try a size 16 elk hair caddis). The fishing
is better in the morning. My favorite rig has been a
hare and copper nymph with a ruby midge dropper. Dry Run
Creek has been very crowded due to spring break. The hot
flies have been sowbugs (size 14), Y2Ks (size 12) and
various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot
fluorescent pink and cerise size 10). While you are at
the creek you should visit the Norfork National Fish
Hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure and remove your
waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic
diseases.
Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers and Dry Run
Creek are infected with didymo, an invasive alga. Be
sure and thoroughly clean and dry your waders
(especially the felt soles on wading boots) before using
them in any other water. Many manufacturers are now
making rubber soled wading boots that are easier to
clean and are not as likely to harbor didymo.
Berry says, “This year we have had conditions that have
been favorable to fish dry flies, particularly the
spring caddis hatch, which is our best longest lasting
hatch of the year. The trick, as always, is to be on
stream when the insects are coming off. My favorite way
to fly-fish for trout is to fish dry flies. Therefore, I
went to the Norfork the other day in search of the
caddis hatch.
My wife, Lori, accompanied me as did her sister, Terri,
and her husband, Larry. Terri and Larry are avid fly
fishers and frequent guests at our home, in Cotter. We
began our Sunday fishing trip with a hearty breakfast at
the White Sands Restaurant. As my late brother, Dan,
used to say, “You need a couple of sausage gravy
biscuits to keep your feet in the gravel”. Conditions
were near perfect. It was sunny with a bit of wind and a
high temperature in the low seventies. The water was at
minimum flow and the prediction was for no generation
for the entire day. To our surprise, the Ackerman Access
was not very crowded. We had expected a much larger
crowd on a day this near perfect. We waded up stream
into the catch-and-release section. There were no caddis
coming off. I was determined to fish dry flies. I had my
favorite fly rod, a 30-year-old Sage light Line 9-foot,
4-weight that had originally belonged to Dan. I had
rigged it with a 7½ leader and a 5-foot 5X tippet with a
size 16 olive elk hair caddis with an application of fly
floatant. Though there was no active hatch, I figured
that the trout would be looking up. Therefore I began
casting not at rising trout, but at spots where I
expected them to be. After three casts, I was rewarded,
with a nice fat 17-inch rainbow. A few more casts and I
landed an even fatter 10-inch rainbow. I was on a roll.
Lori noticed my success and joined in on fishing dries.
She didn’t have the same fly as I was fishing, so I gave
her one. She had quick success. About that time Terri
and Larry arrived. They had been fishing downstream with
limited success. I showed them, how I was fishing, and
they quickly rigged their rods accordingly. I gave them
my spot and I went looking for new water to fish. Larry
was into a good trout as I walked out. I found a likely
spot and began fishing in earnest. I hooked a nice
14-inch rainbow and as I was bringing it in a Great Blue
Heron decided that it looked like lunch. I gave him a
shout and he gave up the chase. I caught several more
trout there. Meanwhile Lori was having success nearby.
About this time, Larry hit a big fish. It was a huge
rainbow that was fat and in excess of 24 inches long.
The fight went on for quite a while. A drift boat that
was floating through dropped anchor upstream so that it
would not interfere with his fight. As luck would have
it, the fish slipped the hook at Larry’s feet. He was
stoked over the trout but disappointed for not landing
it. I have been there before!
Success had eluded Terri. But her time had come. She
rerigged to my Green Butt soft hackle and was
immediately into trout. Lori and I had caught enough and
we were ready to go home. Terri and Larry stayed
on-stream for a while, so that Terri could catch up with
our success. The trout cooperated.
You don’t always have to have an active hatch to fish
dry flies. Sometimes the trout are looking up and will
fall for a well presented fly.
Buffalo National River
(updated 4-19-2017) Berry Brothers Guide Service
(870-453-2424) said the Buffalo is navigable. With the
warmer weather the smallmouths should be more active.
Berry’s favorite fly is a Clouser minnow. Carefully
check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or
the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams.
They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding
during and following any rain event. The water can rise
very quickly.
Crooked Creek
(updated 4-19-2017) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service (870-453-2424) said Crooked Creek is navigable.
With the warmer weather the smallmouths should be more
active. John’s favorite fly is a Clouser minnow.
Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked
Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these
streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to
flooding during and following any rain event. The water
can rise very quickly.
