White River
(updated 3-24-2022) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525)
said, “It's brown trout season on the White River,
tailwater of Bull Shoals Lake: Our anglers are pulling
in more browns than rainbows this past week and the
guides are going all-out to continue the catching
fever into the new week. No secret to what been
tempting the browns: sculpins and minnows. Trap a few
redfin minnows and you'll likely have a fight on your
hands with a strong, healthy brown. Get a quick
picture before the release to serve as bragging rights
and rebait for your next catch. Handle with care.
Red and gold spoons are favored by the rainbows this
week. If throwing spoons isn't appealing, try pink or
Orange power bait or pink and/or pink/white Berkley
mousetail worms. If the fish seem finicky, move on
till you find a deeper hole where the trout are
seeking refuge from fast water and you'll feel the
tug.
“Feels like winter is having its last Hurray (we
hope); there's been a cold wind blowing down the river
these last few days. But it won't last, and it hasn't
stopped the trout from biting. Just bundle up extra.
Bull Shoals Lake has reached desired power pool level,
now sitting at 659.13 feet msl. The lake has started
to rise slowly from the rain and runoff this week.
Generation from Bull Shoals Dam has stayed steady at
around three units (9,600 cfs). Come visit the
Arkansas Ozarks and enjoy a spring day in our Natural
State. We have a great time each and every day
enjoying and employing God's great outdoors.”
(updated 3-24-2022) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins
Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said the fishing has
been great this week. Keeping it simple by using three
Power Eggs on a No. 2 hook has done well.
Sunrise-colored Power Eggs have worked best, but there
has been success by mixing colors such as orange and
white. Gold-colored spoons did OK when the trout moved
onto the gravel bars to feed. Other lures such as Shad
Raps and Countdowns had limited success. Use sculpins
if targeting larger rainbows and browns.
The rain Monday and Tuesday combined with Bull Shoals
and Norfork dams generating water had the river level
reach a high of 11 feet on Wednesday. Luckily the rain
didn’t muddy the water, so the main part of the river
is fishable. If the river does get muddy, move up into
the creeks where the trout will be looking for cleaner
water, and if a person is lucky they may catch a
smallmouth bass or catfish to augment the trout.
(updated 3-24-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service said that during the past week they had about
half an inch of rain in Cotter, warmer temperatures
and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals rose
0.1 foot to rest at 0.2 foot below power pool of 659
feet msl. This is 36.2 feet below the top of flood
pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell a foot to rest at
1.4 feet below power pool and 17.4 feet below the top
of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell 0.2 foot to rest at
0.6 foot below power pool or 10.2 feet below the top
of flood pool. The White has had no wadable water.
Norfork Lake fell 0.4 foot to rest at 0.8 foot below
power pool of 553.75 feet msl and 27 feet below the
top of flood pool. The Norfork tailwater had wadable
water every day.
All of the lakes in the White River system are now
below power pool. With the current lake levels, expect
more wadable water in the future.
Streamer season fishing is upon us. Now that the brown
trout spawn is over, they are moving back to their
regular locations. It is a good time to target them.
Fishing is best with heavy generation. Bang the bank
with big streamers on sink tip lines. White is John’s
current favorite color.
On the White, the hot spot has been the State Park
below Bull Shoals Dam. After opening day, there have
been some big browns caught. 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 an
orange egg with a size 18 purple zebra midge.
John also mentions this week’s Sowbug Roundup 2022:
“It feels like my life is getting back in order. I
feel like we have put the coronavirus behind us and we
are starting to do things that we haven’t done in a
couple of years. I have gone back to the gym and am
working out several times a week. More importantly the
Sowbug Roundup is scheduled for March 24-26 at the
Baxter County Fairgrounds after a two-year hiatus. It
is sponsored by our local fly-fishing club, the North
Arkansas Fly Fishers. Admission is only $10 for all
three days. Children under 12 years of age accompanied
by an adult will be admitted free.
“The Sowbug Roundup is the top fly-tying show in the
area and arguably the best in the United States. This
year’s show will feature over 100 fly-tyers from
throughout the United States. Some of these tyers are
artists with feather and thread. Others like me tie
down-and-dirty guide flies that catch fish. Whatever
flies you prefer, there will be several tyers there
who will pique your interest. Attendees are very much
encouraged to sit and talk to the tyer as he ties a
fly. The tyers all love to talk about fly-tying,
fly-fishing and how to tie a fly.
“This year’s Sowbug is dedicated to living legend Dave
Whitlock. He will be there and will have a booth
featuring his artwork and books. He is supplying us
with an original painting that we will raffle off.
Dave will also teach a seminar or two and will be
honored at the Shindig, the awards banquet Friday
night at St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church. If
you have any of Dave’s books, bring them to Sowbug and
have him autograph them. He adds unique artwork to his
autograph. It is truly awesome.
“There are other seminars, including one presented me
and my wife, Lori Sloas, on Saturday on how to fish
Dry Run Creek. In addition, Lori will be teaching
fly-casting classes on Friday and Saturday. Other
seminars cover a variety of fishing topics.
“In addition to Dave Whitlock, there are a variety of
vendors selling fishing-related products and services.
Alas, my old favorite, the Golden Rule Fly Shop, will
not be there. However all of the local fly shops will
be well represented. I will have a booth where I will
be tying my signature fly, the Green Butt.
“I have been associated with the Sowbug Roundup for
over 20 years. First I did seminars, then I started
tying flies, later I became a vendor and now I am the
chairman of the fly-tying contest. I believe it is the
best thing we do. Stop by and let me tie you a fly.”
(updated 3-24-2022) White River Trout Club
(870-453-2424) says the river flow is relatively
stable. Trout are good. Cloudy days are better on
midges and jigs around the bank. Four to five
generators have been running at the dam.
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Thursday, the Army Corps of Engineers reported
the lake’s elevation at 659.17 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: 659.00 feet msl; top flood
elevation is 695.00 feet msl). Total outflow from the
dam is 11,032 cfs. The reported lake elevation at
Table Rock Lake was 914.31 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: 915.00 feet msl; top flood
elevation is 931.0 feet msl).
(updated 3-24-2022) Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake
Boat Dock said warmer temps have been good for bass
fishing. Generation has been steady. The deep bite is
going away. Shad are moving into the creeks if you’re
going to do it. Graph to look for shad and look for
loons. Fish a 2.8 Keitech on a quarter-ounce ballhead,
or swim a grub/darter. Active diving loons will
trigger feeding. Jerkbait, Damiki Moon Eye and Rapala
Jigging Rap will work. As more fish move up and leave
the shad, crawfish are on the menu. Dragging a jig,
shaky head, Ned rig in green pumpkin variations in
5-20 feet on secondary points or in channel swings.
Fish in the spots leading to spawning areas. Over the
next couple of weeks, key in on areas outside of
spawning areas, around south-facing pockets; creeks
with stain are doing a little better. Temps rise and
fish are seeing red. Rock Crawlers or Wiggle Warts on
windy or steeper ledges and nasty rock transitions
with stained water and wind. If you find warm, stained
runoff, use a bright spinnerbait, Chatterbait or
square bill.
White bass and walleye are spawning. Fish the
conditions.
Visit 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 553.54 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: Sept.-April, 553.75 feet msl;
April-Sept. 555.75 feet msl; top flood elevation 580.0
feet msl). Total outflow from Norfork Dam is 6,266
cfs.
(updated 3-24-2022) Lou Gabric at Hummingbird Hideaway
Resort said Norfork Lake has had some fishing ups and
downs due to the ever-changing weather patterns. But
overall, the bite continues to be good for most
species. Yes, you do have to look for bait to find the
species that follow the bait fish, but typically once
you find the bait the fish will not be far away. The
bait moves from very shallow water out to deep water,
then the cycle begins again.
Striped and hybrid bass are being found all over the
lake. “(Wednesday) I found them in the back of a
medium-size cove where the strong southwest wind was
blowing straight in. There were big schools of bait at
the mouth of the cove, but once I passed the points of
the cove, I found that the bait was scattered out. The
fish were in 15-25 feet of water feeding on shad. The
fun part of this area was that the largemouth, spotted
and white bass were all feeding heavily on the
surface. I also located a few scattered out
striped/hybrid bass in 60 feet of water just outside
of the main river channel. The bait was scattered out
so, of course the fish were scattered out as well. I
am catching the shallower stripers either by casting
out a small 3.5-inch paddle tail swimbait or a
Kastmaster with a feather trailer. I have been
catching all species on these two baits when I find
them in relatively shallow water. The deeper stripers
I have been vertical jigging a 3-inch plastic jig but
you can vertical jig a spoon.|
“As stated above the bass are getting very energetic.
Topwater action is starting and will only get better
as the water temperature continues to warm. This will
happen when the cool fronts stop and we start getting
some stable weather. Crankbaits, swimbaits, spinners,
A-rigs, and topwater baits are all working at this
time. After a rain head back into creeks that have
some flowing water, you will find some nice bass.
“Crappie have started to school on tops of brush and
are starting to roam back into their spawning areas.
This is the time when I start trolling Berkley Flicker
Minnows in size 7 and 9. Find a cove that has a lot of
brushpiles and start trolling throughout the cove. You
will pick up some really nice fish. There will still
be some crappie in the brush, typically on the tops of
the brush. Use a small plastic jig. Live bait drifted
over the brush is also working great.
“This is a great time of year to catch most species in
Norfork Lake.”
The surface water temperature this morning was close
to 53 degrees. The water level is rising slowly due
the rain last weekend. The current level is 553.38.
The water is stained due to the rain, but is a great
fishing color.
“I post almost daily on Facebook. If you want more
frequent information please visit and like Hummingbird
Hideaway Resort’s Facebook page.
“Happy Fishing and enjoy Norfork Lake.”
(updated 3-24-2022) Steven “Scuba Steve” Street at
Blackburn’s Resort says the lake level is 553.37 feet
msl and has risen about 2.5 inches in the last 24
hours with generation about three-quarters of the
time. The White River at Newport is 19 feet and
rising. “We are approaching the power pool of 553.75
feet msl, where the Corps of Engineers take over
generation control again. We received about 2.5 inches
of rain here at Blackburn’s in the last three days,
but it is over now and another cold front is here with
highs near 50 for a couple of days and then warm-up
later this weekend and very warm early next week.
“It has been very windy and making it hard to fish.
The water on both the main lake and in the creeks is
stained and you can see your lure down only a couple
of feet. The surface water temperature remains in the
low to mid-50s depending on where you are. Overall
fishing is just fair with the bass bite being the best
followed by crappie. Most walleye have spawned and
have moved to the main lake points in water less than
20 feet, and the bite is picking up nicely. White bass
have moved to the backs of major creeks in big bays
and the topwater bite for them and bass will start
soon and get into full swing by April 15. Bass are
both on main lake and back in the creeks near the
bank, but I have seen none on beds yet (but the
stained water makes it hard to see them).
“It was very clear near the bank, but not as of
yesterday. It will clear rapidly now unless we get
another big rain. Male crappie are in the backs of
creeks on any wood and are staging to make nests. If
you work the bank with a jig, you can catch singles.
The warm weather next week will make a lot of changes.
The night bite for stripers is nearly over with just a
few being caught on the bank at and after dark. This
is an exciting time.”
For a daily fishing report and lake condition go to
www.blackburnsresort.com and click on Scuba Steve's
Blog.
Norfork Tailwater
(updated 3-24-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Norfork Lake
fell 0.4 foot to rest at 0.8 foot below power pool of
553.75 feet msl and 27 feet below the top of flood
pool. The Norfork tailwater had wadable water every
day. All of the lakes in the White River system are
now below power pool. With the current lake levels,
expect more wadable water in the future.
There has been wadable water on the Norfork during the
day and it fished poorly. 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 particularly well. Spring
break is here and the creek can get busy during the
week. Weekends can get a quite 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.
Carry a large net, as most fish are lost at the net.
Buffalo National River/Crooked Creek
(updated 3-24-2022) 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.
