White River
(updated 4-21-2022) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525)
said, “What a week on the White! Most every day
started out with the threat of rain and with
unseasonably low temperatures (in my opinion), then
ended on a mostly dry, warmer note and we were treated
to a big array of photos of browns and happy anglers.
Rain doesn't seem to bother the trout.”
The lakes in the White River watershed have been
rising due to recent rains. Bull Shoals Lake is
sitting at 664.43 feet msl, 4 feet above power pool
for this time of year. Water levels have been fairly
consistent at between 5,000 and 10,000 cfs, which
means the trout aren't being spooked by extreme
changes in their environment.
“Our best bait was the Blue Fox spinner, gold,
3/16-ounce or quarter-ounce, but the Thomas Buoyant
red/gold hammered quarter-ounce spoon was a close
second. Try to keep your bait not too far below the
surface of the water (keep your rod tip high).
“Crawdad season is almost here; we're finding a good
supply in ponds and smaller tributaries. Trout love
crawdads, but if you can't get your hands on real
ones, shrimp is a close imitator, and the Rebel
WeeCrawfish (Stream Crawfish color or the
chartreuse/green back) works great, too.
“Rainbows have been moving toward sunrise and orange
PowerBait, and combining that with shrimp or crawdad
tail has been an excellent way to reel in some
great-sized fish. Garlic PowerBait has proved
successful, with either the yellow or white being the
best.
“Stick to sculpins and minnows for the browns –
they're just big meat eaters – and the bigger your
bait, the larger the trout you'll hook.
“We'd love for you to include some trout fishing in
your vacation plans, and Cotter is the Trout Capital
of the U.S. of A. The fishing forecast: good to
spectacular. Come test the waters.”
(updated 4-21-2022) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins
Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said it was another
slow week of fishing. The uncertainty with the weather
and the varying river conditions have kept folks away
from the river. Those who did fish reported
success using Power Eggs and shrimp. When the river
was muddy, they fished the creeks using corn. There
was a report of a lone fisherman who used a gold
Little Cleo Spoon fishing the gravel bars and hooked a
very nice brown trout, but the fish threw the hook
when it jumped out of the water. “Hopefully after the
April showers we will see more stable river conditions
resulting in more consistent fishing,” Dave said.
(updated 4-21-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service said that during the past week they had
several rain events (combined for less than an inch
and a half in Cotter), warmer temperatures and heavy
winds (to include lake wind advisories). At this
writing Tuesday, it is due to rain again tomorrow. The
lake level at Bull Shoals rose 4.7 feet to rest at 5
feet above power pool of 659 feet msl. This is 31 feet
below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake
rose 0.9 foot to rest at 1.7 feet above power pool and
14.3 feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake
rose 1.4 feet to rest at 2.2 feet above power pool or
7.4 feet below the top of flood pool. The White has
had no wadable water. Norfork Lake rose 3.6 feet to
rest at 4.3 feet above power pool of 553.75 feet msl
and 21.9 feet below the top of flood pool. The Norfork
tailwater has had some limited 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.
On the White, the hot spot has been Wildcat 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 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.
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.
John also had an interesting tale about motor failure
on the river, “In December, I had a guide trip just a
few weeks after my cancer surgery. I might have been
pushing it a bit but I was totally over sitting around
the house and was eager to be back on stream. My
doctor thought I was good to go, so I took the trip.
“I met my clients at the usual time at the Rim Shoals
ramp and took some time to rig their rods and launch
my boat. It was cold. My clients wore their waders for
the warmth. I was heavily dressed in fleece and down
and was wearing my knee-high muck boots to keep my
feet dry and warm. The water was at a good level for
fishing, approximately 6,000 cfs (about two full
generators) but promised to rise to about 19,000 cfs
(about six full generators).
“We were fishing double-fly rigs, a size 14 flash back
pheasant tail nymph with a size 18 ruby midge. The hot
fly was the midge and we did very well. I knew that we
would do better on the lower flows but was concerned
about the catch on the higher water.
“Around 11 a.m. I was expecting the water to begin
rising at any moment. I was moving my boat to set up a
drift when I noticed a loss of power. My engine was
running well, but the propeller was not turning. I was
adrift. This is not the kind of situation that a guide
wants to be in, especially with clients in the boat.
“I knew that the water was about to rise and was not
up for an uncontrolled float trip. I pulled out my
paddle and made for the bank (the one my car was
parked on). I was paddling as fast as I could so that
I would reach the bank before my boat drifted into Rim
Shoals. I made it to the bank just upstream from the
walk-in access. I got out of my boat so I could pull
it up further on the bank so the rising water would
not wash it away. It was about this time that I
discovered that the water near the bank was about a
quarter of an inch deeper than my muck boots could
handle.
“I secured the boat and walked up to Rim Shoals Trout
Dock to see if Abram, the manager – recently he lived
across the street from me in Cotter – could help. He
was in Cotter. I called him on my iPhone and explained
my problem. He agreed to meet me at my boat and
assist. I returned to my boat and he arrived a few
minutes later. He towed me to the ramp. I loaded the
boat on my trailer. I talked to my clients and we
agreed to end the day. Luckily they had caught plenty
of fish.
“I took my boat to Tracy (Area Boat and Motor Sales)
and got some bad news. After 17 years of faithful
service, the Honda was kaput. I bought a new one, a
Christmas present from my sister, Ernestine.
“Without assistance from Abram and Ernestine I could
still be out there.”
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Thursday, the Army Corps of Engineers reported
the lake’s elevation at 665.99 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: 659.00 feet msl; top flood
elevation is 695.00 feet msl). Total outflow from the
dam is 4,008 cfs. The reported lake elevation at Table
Rock Lake was 915.93 feet msl (normal conservation
pool: 915.00 feet msl; top flood elevation is 931.0
feet msl), with outflow of 13,014 cfs.
(updated 4-21-2022) Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake
Boat Dock reported bass fishing has been fair.
Generation has been slowed at the dam. Lake level and
unstable weather has made the fishing up and down. The
shad have moved three-quarters of the way back. Go
with jerkbait in the morning and later switch to a 2.8
Keitech on a quarter-ounce bass jighead or swim a grub
or 2.8 swimbait in shad colors. We’re having success
dragging a jig, Carolina rig, shaky head or Ned rig in
green pumpkin variations in 5-20 feet on secondary
points and channel swings leading to spawning areas.
Continue to key in on spawning areas, south-facing
pockets and creeks with stain/runoff. If you find
warm, stained runoff, use bright spinnerbaits,
Chatterbait or square bill. Expect the fish to pull up
eventually. 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 558.69 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: Sept.-April, 553.75 feet msl;
April-Sept. 555.75 feet msl; top flood elevation 580.0
feet msl). Total outflow from Norfork Dam is 1,332
cfs.
(updated 4-21-2022) Steven “Scuba Steve” Street at
Blackburn’s Resort said the lake level is 558.14 feet
msl and is rising slowly with one generator running
for a few hours a day. One generator cannot keep up,
but both can drop the lake. The White River at Newport
is 20.48 feet. “I had a surface water temperature of
61 on the main lake and 57 in the creek that I was
fishing on Tuesday afternoon. The water is stained a
little brownish green but is still a good color for
fishing. The topwater bite is usually in full swing
this time of year but the cold fronts have slowed it
down. It is to get very warm and windy by this weekend
and it should get it going.
“The wind will just not go away but was not bad
(Tuesday) for the first time. It is raining now. Some
crappie have spawned and some are on beds and some are
just staging. They are scattered all over the lake,
but many are back in the creeks shallow. Catfish are
moving back in the creeks and are biting on throw
lines baited with live shiners. Some stripers are in
open water on shad but they are mostly small. The
walleye bite was good but now is only fair on main
lake points. Bass are all over the place and are also
wanting to spawn.
“Overall fishing on Norfork has changed with the
absence of the high numbers of large stripers. The
competition for food is less and more other fish are
on shad in open water than before, even catfish and
walleye. We are in a transition period, but some nice
fish of different species are being caught every day.”
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,
Kastmaster 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 4-21-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Norfork Lake
rose 3.6 feet to rest at 4.3 feet above power pool of
553.75 feet msl and 21.9 feet below the top of flood
pool. The Norfork tailwater has had some limited
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.
There has been little wadable water on the Norfork
during the day and it fished moderately. 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. Weekends can get a
quite crowded during this time of year, but with
school still in session the weekdays are slower. 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.
Remember that the White and North Fork rivers and Dry
Run Creek are infected with didymo, an invasive alga.
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.
Buffalo National River/Crooked Creek
(updated 4-21-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Crooked Creek
and the Buffalo River are high and off color. 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.
