White River
(updated 4-14-2022) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525)
said, “No fair-weather fishers here: This past week
brought several rainy days, and also delivered the
heartiest of fishers to the White River. Water and
weather (mostly windy) conditions combined to create
difficult fishing scenarios, but we witnessed some
great catches by skilled guides and tough visitors.”
They report that Bull Shoals Lake is at 660 feet msl
elevation, but with the recent rains they are
expecting the lake and all the other lakes in the
watershed to rise. Generation over the past week has
been steady, averaging 12,000 cfs, about four units.
Remember though, higher water levels often aid in
growth patterns of trout.
Use heavy weights/sinkers on your line to get your
baits near the bottom in this deeper water and cast
near the banks where the trout don't have to fight the
current. “Sculpins remain the best bait for the
browns; shad continue to bring in some really pretty
ones, too. We've seen some rainbow action with
redworms and spinners, quarter-ounce or
three-eighth-ounce; red-gold seems to be the most
popular color. Give the kids some shrimp and
chartreuse PowerBait and they'll bring a mess of
rainbows to the boat, maybe even one of the golden
rainbow trout. Once in a while we're surprised when a
good-sized brown is found snacking on shrimp.
“There's no better place in our great country to enjoy
God's nature than The Natural State: Arkansas. Hoping
to see you soon!”
(updated 4-14-2022) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins
Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said the uncertainty
of weather over the last week kept most anglers off
the river. “By late last week we started to see the
river level decline to between 9.5 feet and 8.5 feet
and the river flow to drop to around 20,000 cfs. The
people who drift-fish found success using
bright-colored Power Eggs. Bank anglers had success
using Power Eggs or artificial lures such as spoons or
Rooster Tails. The storms Monday night had little
effect on the river, but the storms on Wednesday were
expected to have a bigger effect. Keep an eye on the
river levels and if you go on the water watch for
debris.”
(updated 4-7-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service said that during the past week they had
several rain events that combined for 3 inches in
Cotter), warmer temperatures and heavy winds (to
include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull
Shoals rose 1.2 feet to rest at 1 foot above power
pool of 659 feet. This is 35 feet below the top of
flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake rose 1.8 feet to
rest at 1.3 tenths feet above power pool and 14.7 feet
below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose 1.6 feet
to rest at 1.2 feet above power pool or 8.4 feet below
the top of flood pool. The White had no wadable water.
Norfork Lake rose 1.9 feet to rest at 1.1 feet above
power pool of 553.75 feet msl and 25.1 feet below the
top of flood pool. The Norfork tailwater has had no
wadable water.
All of the lakes in the White River system are now
above power pool. With the current lake levels, we can
expect no wadable water in the near 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. 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 or a girdle bug.
Remember that the White and North Fork 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.
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Thursday, the Army Corps of Engineers reported
the lake’s elevation at 660.70 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: 659.00 feet msl; top flood
elevation is 695.00 feet msl). Total outflow from the
dam is 16,708 cfs. The reported lake elevation at
Table Rock Lake was 916.95 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: 915.00 feet msl; top flood
elevation is 931.0 feet msl).
(updated 4-14-2022) Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake
Boat Dock reported that water temps continue to be
good for bass fishing. Generation at Bull Shoals Dam
has been steady. Shad continue to be spread out; look
for the loons and follow them. Use jerkbaits in the
morning and later try a 2.8 Keitech on a quarter-ounce
ballhead, or swim a grub/darter. Active diving loons
will trigger feeding. 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
leading to spawning areas. Continue through April to
key in on the spots outside of spawning areas, around
south-facing pockets; creeks with stain are doing a
little better. As temps keeping rising, the 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. The lake level is above 660 feet msl.
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 555.85 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 6,220
cfs.
(updated 4-14-2022) Steven “Scuba Steve” Street at
Blackburn’s Resort said that on Wednesday the lake
level was 554.53 feet msl and had risen 1 inch in the
last 24 hours with no generation since 1 a.m. “It is
11 a.m. on Wednesday now and it is raining hard. They
always seem to quit when it rains but the level has
been very stable for a few weeks and a lot of water
has been released into the White River. The surface
water temperature is 57-58 degrees and every time it
rises, a new cold front comes through cooling it
again. The water clarity is stained a little brownish
green but is a good color for fishing. You can see
your lure down about 3 feet in the Blackburns Creek
area but more clear further downstream. Clearer water
is not what you should be looking for now but the
highest water temperature.
“I have still been catching crappie off main lake
brush in about 18 feet of water and they should have
been gone by now back into the creeks spawning. It
just has been slow warming up. The topwater bite for
temperate bass and black bass is getting better and
better every day and they are coming up most mornings.
Spittin Image is best for black bass and Zara Spooks
for temperate ones. Get a good rod with some backbone
so you can walk the dog effectively and practice. It
will also call them up if they are not too deep. The
Whopper Plopper does not require any skill to retrieve
properly but also works.
“Some big bass are in the creeks now staging for
spawn, but I am not seeing many doing it. Several fish
are being caught every day with bass and crappie being
the best, and it should just get better as the weather
warms. The crappie are being caught casting a jig or
grub past the brush and letting it sink into it. They
are hitting on the drop. Some male crappie are on any
wood back in the creeks shallow making nests.”
For a daily fishing report and lake condition go to
www.blackburnsresort.com and click on Scuba Steve's
Blog.
(updated 4-14-2022) Lou Gabric at Hummingbird Hideaway
Resort said, “At this time the best bites on the lake
are for largemouth bass and white bass. Crappie,
walleye and striped bass are improving each day, and
if we can get some stable weather, the bites for these
species should take off.
“There has been some good topwater action for
largemouth, spotted and white bass over the last
couple of weeks. You can find topwater action most
mornings and an hour or so before sunset. The best
areas have been back in larger coves and creeks,
typically anywhere from 8 feet out to 25 feet of
water. On occasion I have found fish blowing up in the
deeper parts of the coves in 40 or more feet of water.
Of course, you need to the find the coves that have
bait in them. These coves have typically been in the
areas where the wind has been blowing into. As of
late, we have had a lot of wind to push the bait all
the way to the backs of the coves. Various baits have
been working: topwater lures such as a Zara Spook,
Kastmasters and smaller swimbaits with paddle tails.
Even if you don’t see any topwater action in the
coves, cast the banks with a suspending jerkbait and
you will pick up some nice largemouth and a few
crappie and walleye.
“Striped bass has been one of the hardest fish for me
to locate consistently. When you find them, they will
be in the same coves as the other species feeding on
shad. They have been scattered out due to the rise in
the lake level a couple of weeks ago, compounded by
the hard and fast drawdown of the lake to evacuate the
excess water. The lake is currently fairly stable now,
and with some consistent warmer weather the striped
bass bite will explode.
“The crappie bite has been fairly good. This species
can be found in brush in 15-25 feet of water. Jigging
soft plastics has been working the best. The fish are
typically suspended over the tops of the brush 8-15
feet down. Some of the crappie have started to move
back into the coves, but not all. The frequent cold
fronts keep pushing them away from the shallow water.
Here again with some consistent warm weather the
crappie will move to banks to start their spawn.
“The surface water temperature (Wednesday) morning was
56-58 degrees. The water level is rising slowly due to
the storm we are currently having. The current level
is 554.69 feet msl. The water is stained 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.”
Norfork Tailwater
(updated 4-7-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Norfork Lake
rose 1.9 feet to rest at 1.1 feet above power pool of
553.75 feet msl and 25.1 feet below the top of flood
pool. The Norfork tailwater has had no wadable water.
There has been no 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
eighteen 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. 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 4-7-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Crooked Creek
and the Buffalo River are still navigable. With warmer
temperatures, the smallmouths could soon become
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.
