White River
(updated 4-28-2022) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525)
said, “April ended on a high note for trout anglers in
Cotter. The catch has been especially good this past
week for browns. Most were not officially ‘trophies’
but there were many that fell just an inch or two
short of the 24 inches required to earn a
catch-and-release pin. The bait of choice was, again,
sculpins but sometimes a few crawdads were added to
the mix and helped bring a brown to the boat.”
The water level over the past few days has been pretty
steady at just about one unit (3,300 cfs) to three
units (9,000 cfs), so anglers were able to drift for
trout or find their favorite fishing hole and drop a
line there. The lake level is rising – 667.63 feet msl
as of this writing – so expect an increase in
generation sometime soon. You can hook your share of
rainbows with a pink worm, sometimes tipped with white
PowerBait. A rise in the water level due to increases
in generation washes worms (red wigglers mostly) into
the river, so baiting your hook with a real worm will
add to your creel, too. Tie on something with lots of
gold flash if using stick baits (Berkley Hit Stick in
gold/black), and spoons and spinners with blue and
silver blades have also proven successful. The
low-water times have also been great for our
fly-fishers with many wading opportunities opening up.
Can't miss with a silver/red midge. The river level
can change fast, so keep an eye on the water level if
wade fishing.
“We've been battling some strong winds the last week
or two, but don't give in. I think it's just nature
trying to push winter out of the way. Looks like the
area is in for some moderate temperatures and some
welcome sunshine, but don't stow the rain gear quite
yet. Whatever the weather, we'll catch some trout. See
you there.”
(updated 4-28-2022) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins
Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said, “Mother Nature
is throwing us a lot of curve balls this year. Just
when the river conditions and fishing get good after
one storm, another storm blows through. Late last week
the fishing was good. There was a lot of success
resulting in some nice-sized brown trout and rainbow
trout using artificial lures such as spoons, Rapala
Countdowns and crankbaits. Sunrise Power Eggs with a
piece of shrimp also were successful.
The rain Sunday night didn’t affect the river at
Calico Rock until Tuesday morning. The Buffalo River
(30 miles upriver from Calico Rock) got up to 18 feet,
which dumped a lot of muddy water and debris. Boating
was like playing the old video game Frogger, as you
had to keep dodging the debris.
With the river muddy on Tuesday and Wednesday, the
best fishing was moving into the creeks where the
water was cleaner. Wednesday the Norfork Hatchery
stocked over 1,300 rainbow trout at the Calico Rock
boat ramp and more trout at the Chessmond Ferry boat
ramp.
(updated 4-28-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service said that during the past week they had
several rain events that combined for 1¾ inches in
Cotter, warmer temperatures and heavy winds (to
include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull
Shoals rose 3.1 feet to rest at 8.1 feet above power
pool of 659 feet msl. This is 27.9 feet below the top
of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake remained
steady at 1.7 feet above power pool and 14.3 feet
below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose 4.2 feet
to rest at 6.4 feet above power pool or 3.2 feet below
the top of flood pool. The White had no wadable water.
Norfork Lake rose 2.3 feet to rest at 6.6 feet above
power pool of 553.75 feet msl and 19.6 feet below the
top of flood pool. The Norfork has had more wadable
water. All of the lakes in the White River system are
now above power pool. With the current lake levels, we
can expect some wadable water on the Norfork.
On the White, the hot spot has been 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 an orange egg with a size 18
purple zebra midge or a girdle bug.
Remember that the White River, Norfork Dam tailwater
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.
John also says, “I am a fly-fishing guide. I also
write about and teach fly-fishing. From time to time I
am asked to do something outside my comfort zone.
Recently I was asked to take some nice people on an
eco-tour. I agreed and then thought, ‘What is an
eco-tour?’ I thought about it for a while. Where do I
go? What do I say? Is it just a boat ride?
“I also thought that it would have to be easier than a
guide trip. I don’t have to give any casting lessons,
untangle bird nests or replace lost flies. Since there
is no fishing, I am not very likely to get impaled
with a good-sized hook. I don’t even have to produce
trout.
My client was a friend of Lori’s and is one of the top
dog handlers in the United States. She wanted to
entertain her brother and his wife, who were in town
on vacation. They were from Wisconsin and were staying
in their trailer at White River Camp Grounds across
the river from Cotter.
“We met at the Rim Shoals ramp. I got there early and
launched my White River johnboat. The weather was
perfect. It was sunny with an expected high of 66
degrees and moderate winds. They were running around
12,500 cfs, or about four full generators. This was
plenty of water for me to go anywhere I wanted to go
without worrying about hitting any rocks.
“I loaded all three of them in my boat and headed
upstream. We passed several nice homes and a lot of
beautiful scenery. We had not gone far when we saw a
bald eagle. We went further and saw another. This time
it flew right over the boat. It was as close as I have
ever been to an eagle in the wild. As we came into
Cotter, we saw great blue heron hunting near the
shore.
“As we went under the historic R. M. Ruthven Bridge
(1930) and Cotter Railroad Bridge (1905), we noticed a
colony of cliff swallows had built their unusual mud
nests on the bottom of the Ruthven Bridge. They were
actively working the water, keying in on hatching
aquatic insects.
“When we returned to Rim Shoals, we observed a huge
hatch of caddis flies. This is our most important
aquatic insect of the year. They were fairly large and
quite active. Unfortunately the Army Corps of
Engineers was running a lot of water and the trout
were not keying in on them. However, the purple
martins were everywhere, taking them from the surface
of the water with gusto.
“We finished the day after a 2-hour cruise that had
noted a lot of wildlife. My clients had really enjoyed
themselves. It is something I would like to do again.”
Bull Shoals Lake
|As of Thursday, the Army Corps of Engineers reported
the lake’s elevation at 668.23 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: 659.00 feet msl; top flood
elevation is 695.00 feet msl). Total outflow from the
dam is 4,722 cfs. The reported lake elevation at Table
Rock Lake was 916.54 feet msl (normal conservation
pool: 915.00 feet msl; top flood elevation is 931.0
feet msl), with outflow of 13,001 cfs.
(updated 4-28-2022) Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake
Boat Dock reported similar finishing patterns this
week. Bass fishing has been fair. Generation has been
slowed again at the dam. Lake level and unstable
weather has made the fishing up and down for a few
weeks. The shad have moved and are spread out. Use a
2.8 Keitech on a quarter-ounce ball head or swim a
grub or 2.8 swimbait in shad colors. “We’ve been
dragging a Jewel Football Jig and Carolina rig, shaky
head or Ned rig in green pumpkin variations in 5-20
feet on secondary points and channel swings and in
areas leading to spawning areas. Continue to key in on
spawning area and south-facing pockets. A big wave of
fish have moved into the bushes. Consider a
Beaver/Senko/small jig around those. After a big rain,
fish the creeks with stain/runoff. If you find warm
and dirty water, use a bright spinnerbait, Chatterbait
or square bill. The bite hasn’t been typical of year’s
past with these cooler temperatures, so fish the
conditions. The level is up to 667 feet, or 8 feet
over normal pool. Temperature is 58 degrees, give or
take.
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 560.99 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 at 10 a.m.
was 20 cfs, though daily flows have reached 6,000
during periods each day this week.
(updated 4-28-2022) Steven “Scuba Steve” Street at
Blackburn’s Resort said Wednesday the lake level is
560.69 feet msl and has risen 3½ inches in the last 24
hours with 5 hours of variable generation. The surface
water temperature is about 63 degrees on both the main
lake and back in the creeks. The lake is clearing with
the low generation and is very clear near the shore.
There is no brown left in the water. Walleye, white
bass and stripers have all spawned and are showing up
on shad for a good topwater bite most mornings just
before or at sunrise in windblown creeks. They move
out a little deeper after they go down, and you can
switch to a jig, grub or creature bait on a jig head.
“I am using a three-sixteenth-ounce white with a
redeye head and 2½-inch white jig, grub or a lizard or
crawdad green in color and setting in about 30 feet of
water and casting to the shore and retrieving slowly
just off the bottom. Do not drag the lure. I like a
paddle-tail grub sometimes but the 2½-inch Bobby
Garland Blue Ice Swimmer also works well. The paddle
tail is very small and gets bit off a lot but gets a
lot of bites.
“Sight-fishing for bass on beds is also working with a
Gitzit or football jig. Many bass are on beds now with
an optimum water temperature for spawn. I have seen no
bass fry yet, but there could be some.
“The crappie have strung out the spawn again this year
with the constantly rising water and are in various
stages with some finished, some in the creeks spawning
near wood, and some still on main lake brush full of
eggs. A lot of fish have moved in under docks in just
the last couple of days in about 15 feet of water, as
have several walleye.
“The walleye bite is as good as I have seen it in
several years, with more over 18 inches than in the
past. Some are even showing up on shad and hitting
topwater lures. If you try a small popper during the
day behind the buckbrush, you will catch a variety of
fish. Use a clear Zara Spook on sunny days for
topwater and a bone-colored one on cloudy days. The
clear one sparkles in the sunlight and is very
effective. Get out early, take the middle of the day
off and go out again about 5 p.m. and fish until after
sunset. Fishing overall is fair-good and the lake is
in excellent condition and getting clearer.”
Catfishing is also getting better and several are
coming in of all three varieties. Live shiners and
perch are working on throw lines perpendicular to the
bank and off docks on rods and reels. 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 4-28-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Norfork Lake
rose 2.3 feet to rest at 6.6 feet above power pool of
553.75 feet msl and 19.6 feet below the top of flood
pool. The Norfork has had more wadable water. All of
the lakes in the White River system are now above
power pool. With the current lake levels, we can
expect some wadable water on the Norfork.
There has been more 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 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.
Remember that the White River, Norfork Dam tailwater
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.
Buffalo National River/Crooked Creek
(updated 4-28-2022) 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.
