(updated 1-6-2022) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525)
said, “We're looking ahead to the new year and seeing
lots of opportunities for trout anglers, young and
old. Water releases from Bull Shoals Dam have been
variable, going from around two units (5,600 cfs) to
over five units (16,000 cfs) pretty regularly this
last week. The lake is just below its normal power
pool of 659 feet mls. These past weeks, with
significant weather fluctuations we've seen, we've
been catching rainbows with a mashup of shrimp and
corn; the browns have responded well to jigs and river
minnows, especially redfin minnows if you can find
them.
“Lunker brown fishing is just around the corner as the
end of the spawning season is upon us. Anglers have
the opportunity during the high-water times to cast
those big stick baits now. Get out your No. 7 and No.
9 Rapala Countdowns, gold and black or the rainbow
pattern, and the 3-inch and 4-inch Smithwicks; try the
blue back, orange bellies first. If you're fishing
from a jon boat, drift a live worm or a bright pink
plastic 2-inch worm toward the bank and near the
bottom. It's all about variety; if you don't get a
bite after several casts with one bait, change
locations, change your bait, or both.
“Hope to see you in 2022. Catch a not-too-cold winter
day to come over to the White; the coffee's on and the
trout are biting.”
(updated 1-6-2022) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins
Fishing Service in Calico Rock, says the rain on New
Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day caused the river to rise
to almost 11 feet and become muddy. By Tuesday of this
week the water was clearing with some remaining
dinginess and river levels varying between 7 and 9
feet. During these conditions the best bait has been
Power Eggs with shrimp, worms or corn. There has been
some limited success throwing Rapala Countdowns or
similar lures.
Being aware of the rise and fall of the river will
increase your chances of catching fish if you can stay
ahead of the rising water or move upriver to where
river conditions have stabilized.
(updated 1-6-2022) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in
Sherwood water is clear. Trout are good when the Corps
is running water; use a jerkbait and a No. 7 Rapala
Countdown. When water is lower, use Trout Magnets in
pink, white or mealworm gold colors on top and below
shoals. Trout are also good on quarter-ounce and
eighth-ounce spoons in trout or silver colors.
(updated 12-30-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers
Guide Service said that on the White River in his
area, the hot spot has been the Rim Shoals. The hot
flies were Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black
with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver
wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, copper Johns,
pink and cerise San Juan worms, gold ribbed hare’s
ears and sowbugs. 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).
John also sid, “I am different from the other
fly-fishing guides around here. Maybe it is my past
history as an Army officer in Viet Nam or long career
as a CPA. I tend to be conservative and tight with my
money. Most of my fellow guides have high-dollar river
boats with big jet motors. They trade in these rigs
every year so that they are always fishing with a new
boat and motor. On the other hand I am fishing from a
2003 second-hand Supreme with a Honda prop motor. I
also drive a second-hand Suburban.
“Years ago I was offered a deal with a local boat
manufacturer to buy a new boat each year at a discount
and then sell it at the end of the year and to do this
year after year. It was a kind offer but it just
didn’t appeal to me. It takes me a while to get used
to things. I have had my latest Suburban for over a
year and I am still figuring out all of the controls.
How to operate the cruise control and the rear window
wipers remain a mystery to me.
“I like to buy good gear, take care of it and use it
for a long time. My waders are top of the line Simms
that I have been wearing for 10 years. They look a bit
ratty, but they do not leak. My favorite fly rod is an
over 20-year-old Sage Light Line that I inherited from
my brother, Dan. It casts like a dream and I have
literally caught thousands of trout with it.
“My Honda outboard motor was a similar deal. I bought
it used over seven years ago with a used boat and
trailer. I would never have bought a Honda on my own
but it came with the deal. I was a Mercury man. I
quickly grew to love it. The motor was quiet, reliable
and just sipped gas. It required little maintenance.
“Just like everything else, it could last just so
long. It was built in 2003 and was getting a little
long in the tooth. It was beginning to have
reliability issues. Last week it broke down on me
during a guide trip. That is a situation that I could
not accept. After 18 years of service, it was time to
replace it.
“I went to Tracy Area Boat and Motor to buy a new
Honda outboard motor. My sister, Ernestine, had
graciously offered to give me one for Christmas. I was
flabbergasted. I had never gotten a gift like that. I
accepted as quickly as I could. I had to cancel
several trips due to my cancer diagnosis this year and
this helped me a lot.
“I tried to trade my old motor in but they told me
that the Honda was in bad shape. I have a reputation
here in Cotter that I am not the guy to buy a used car
from. When I trade them, they are used up. I guess the
same is true on buying used outboard motors.
“Thank you Ernestine!”
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Thursday, the Army Corps of Engineers reported
the lake’s elevation at 658.95 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: 659.00 feet msl; top flood
elevation is 695.0 feet msl). The reported lake
elevation at Table Rock Lake was 915.25 feet msl
(normal conservation pool: 915.00 feet msl; top flood
elevation is 931.0 feet msl).
(updated 1-6-2022) Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake Boat
Dock said bass fishing has been fair. No need to get
out early, especially if it’s cold. There’s been a
good afternoon bite one-half to three-quarters of the
way back, 60-75 feet, into the guts of creeks. Look
for wind-shad surfacing action. Birds and loons have
arrived around the shad. That seems to be the
predominant bite. In stormy, windy conditions, power
fishermen can grind it out; key in on wind ledges,
channel swing banks with chunk rock. Use Rock
Crawlers, square bills or a Wiggle Wart on windy
transitions. Cover water. Offshore shad have been
moving. Try a Jewel Scuba Spoon, drop-shot and Damiki
Ice Jig. Fish the conditions. The clarity of Bull
Shoals Lake is good. Surface temperature is 53
degrees. Water is below normal pool.
See Del’s YouTube site (Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock)
for more information and tips on fishing Bull Shoals
Lake.
Norfork Lake
As of Thursday, the Army Corps of Engineers reported
the lake’s elevation at 553.69 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: Sept.-April, 553.75 feet msl;
April-Sept. 555.75 feet msl; top flood elevation 580.0
feet msl).
(updated 1-6-2022) Steven “Scuba Steve” Street at
Blackburn’s Resort reported the lake level is 553.80
and is stable “with just enough generation to keep up
with the 3-inch rain we received last week. The
surface water temperature was 52.5 degrees and the
water was stained green and you could see your lure
down 2-3 feet on the main lake and less than that when
I went out yesterday afternoon. The ambient
temperature was in the early 40s and it was partly
cloudy with winds just short of whitecaps. Cold fronts
have been moving through at least once a week and
slowing fishing but not stopping it.”
Open water anglers are finding temperate bass anywhere
from 45-80 feet on shad with white bass approaching 2
pounds, but the stripers are small. Bank and brush
anglers are catching about everything but not in high
numbers. Green stingray grubs and spoons are the best
lures. The fish on the bank are on the main lake on
their winter banks in chunk rock in about 10 feet of
water and hitting the grub. Crappie in the 10- to 11-
inch range are in brush at 25-30 feet on the jigging
spoon along with some big bluegill and Kentucky bass.
The best bite is from about 3:30 p.m. until dark. The
wind usually lays about 4 p.m., if it is going to. The
lake in general is in excellent condition and at a
good level for fishing but overall fishing is just
fair.
For a daily fishing report and lake condition go to
www.blackburnsresort.com and click on Scuba Steve's
Blog.
Norfork Tailwater
(updated 1-6-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said there has been
some wadable water on the Norfork and it fished well
some days and poorly on others. The most productive
flies have been small midge patterns like zebra midges
(black or red with silver wire and silver bead).
Grasshoppers have produced fish, particularly when
used in conjunction with a small nymph dropper (try a
size 20 black zebra midge). 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). The fishing is much
better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers
off midday.
Dry Run Creek has fished well. School is on vacation
and now is a great time to fish it, particularly
during the week. Weekends can get a bit crowded. The
hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San
Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and
cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very
effective. Be sure and carry a large net, as most fish
are lost at the net.
Buffalo National River/Crooked Creek
(updated 1-6-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Crooked Creek
and the Buffalo River are still navigable. With colder
temperatures, the smallmouths are not active. The most
effective fly has been a tan and brown 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.
