(updated 9-15-2022) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525)
said, “If you're waiting for perfect weather to go
fishing, now's the time to fish the White River in the
Arkansas Ozarks. If you're waiting for a catch of fat
rainbows, now's the time to fish the White River in
the Arkansas Ozarks. Actually, there's never a bad
time to fish the White River in Cotter; it's always
beautiful and the catch is always more than ample.”
Bull Shoals Lake is below its power pool of 661 feet
msl elevation, currently recorded at 659.53. The river
flow is below one unit (1,000-2,000 cfs) followed by
heavier generation late in the afternoon, returning to
lower flows before dawn. Prime time for waders and
bank fishers. Live red wigglers or red San Juan worms
on a number 18 hook drifting a foot or two above the
river bed will attract a good share of rainbows. A
RoosterTail with a glittery, light yellow body and a
mossy green/brown skirt is the spinning bait to look
for--either 1/6 or 1/4 ounce. Consider gold blades for
sunny days, silver for overcast skies.
The catch has been plentiful and healthy – quick bites
on Berkley pink worms, sometimes tipped with shrimp
(salting the shrimp might keep your bait in place
longer.) You'll want to keep several colors of
PowerBait on hand – yellow, orange, pink and sunrise
are good to have. Orange PowerBait worked best for us
over the last few days.
(updated 9-15-2022) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins
Fishing Service in Calico Rock, says that this last
week we have seen varied water levels. Last Friday
through Monday the water would crest at approximately
5 feet and drop as low as 3 feet. Tuesday and
Wednesday we saw the return of water levels cresting
at 6 to 7 feet in the morning and dropping throughout
the day to 4 feet. The water has some dinginess in the
morning, but by noon the water clears. With the low
water, throwing ¼ ounce spoons, rooster tails, Blue
Fox or Rapala Countdowns were very effective. Throwing
spoons this week we saw a beautiful 19 inch brown
trout and a nice 19 inch rainbow caught this
week. Drift fishing with in-line spinners with
Power Eggs and shrimp worked well. We have not had any
trout stockings this week at the Calico Rock boat
ramp.
(updated 9-15-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service said that during the past week, the hot spot
on the White River has been the Rim Shoals. The White
River has had some marginal wadable water. We have had
lower flows in the morning that have been fished very
well. 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 pheasant tail nymph
with a ruby midge dropper.
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Thursday, the Army Corps of Engineers reported
the lake’s elevation at 659.36 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: 661.00 feet msl; top flood
elevation is 695.00 feet msl). Total outflow from the
dam Thursday morning was 2,812 cfs. The reported lake
elevation at Table Rock Lake was 911.61 feet msl
(normal conservation pool: 917.00 feet msl; top flood
elevation is 931.0 feet msl), with outflow of 1,247
cfs.
(updated 9-1-2022) Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake Boat
Dock said Wednesday that the lake is almost back to
normal water level. The constant generating has
stopped. Water temperature is 84 degrees, give or take
a degree. The typical summer patterns are working. The
cooler nights have the shad starting to move. There
are always shallow fish, especially with recent rains.
Target channel swings, points and ledges close to deep
water. Whopper Plopper, buzzbaits and topwater Lucky
Craft Gunfish are working early in the day. When the
topwater bite slows, use a half-ounce flutter spoon in
a shad pattern and a small swimbait. Then move to a
Mooneye Tater shad or drop-shot a Jewel Spoon.
Most of the shad are suspended at 30-35 feet. Almost
all species are present. A lot of fish have moved up
into the brush piles and are coming into play with
lowering water levels. The creek fish have pulled back
with the water coming down. The morning topwater bite
will slow down when the sun starts getting high. Move
out with a Jewel Special Ops Football Jig in green
pumpkin-orange variations and keep the boat out around
40 feet. Fishing is good around channel swings,
standing timber, ledges and laydowns. Use Beaver or a
Big Worm Ole Monster in green-pumpkin red or red shad
plum. Fish the conditions.
Del regularly posts new YouTube videos. Visit his
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 554.66 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: Sept.-April, 553.75 feet msl;
April-Sept. 556.25 feet msl; top flood elevation 580.0
feet msl). Total outflow from Norfork Dam Thursday
morning was 205 cfs.
(updated 9-15-2022) Steven “Scuba Steve” Street at
Blackburn’s Resort said the lake level is 554.69 as of
Wednesday morning and is the same as it was at this
time yesterday with very little generation. The White
River at Newport is 4.78 feet and very low. The
surface water temperature is 81 degrees and the
visibility is a little less than it was at this time
last week, but is still a good color for fishing and
scuba diving. The fish that had been on brush piles in
27-30 feet of water are still there but more shallow
now. They were near the bottom but are now at 20-25
feet. The crappie are above the brush, schooled and
roaming looking for baitfish which are all over the
brush. Crappie, black bass, walleye and big bluegill
are all in the same brush but at various depths. Small
spoons, jigs, grubs tipped with live minnows and slip
floats on minnows are all working for the crappie and
bluegill and 1/4 and 3/8th ounce spoons for the bass
and walleye. A few stripers are being caught on larger
spoons on shad in open water. Catfishing is fair on
jugs and throw lines part way back in the creek on
live bluegill and getting better with the waning moon
and stable water levels. Work main lake points and
just around them on steep river channel banks on the
outside. There seems to be less fish as you go back
into the creeks and the visibility diminishes quickly
on the creek sides. The combination of weather and
fishing is about as good as it gets and there is no
rain in the forecast for the next week. We are getting
dry again.
For a daily fishing report and lake condition go to
www.blackburnsresort.com and click on Scuba Steve's
Blog.
(updated 9-15-2022) Lou Gabric at Hummingbird Hideaway
Resort said, “It was a very good morning of fishing on
Norfork Lake. Joe, a current guest headed to the area,
and I have been catching walleye and went looking for
striped bass as well. Joe found the walleye in 27 to
32 feet of water. He caught them by trolling Flicker
Minnows, as well as vertical jigging a purple monkey
Tater Shad. The striped bass should start to scatter
out of the dam area anytime now. I started out the
morning by graphing areas that the stripers have shown
up in the past. In the 3rd area, I marked some fish in
30 feet of water that looked like walleye and spots. I
jigged for a short time with no takers. I moved around
on this main lake point and finally on the inside of
the point I found some big arcs. The fish were feeding
in 38 to 50 feet of water and they were all over the
place. I caught my fish using several different baits
and colors. I was vertical jigging Tater Shads. The
best color of Tater Shad this morning for me was the
glimmer shad. I also was vertical jigging a 3/4 ounce
white with a chartreuse Binks spoon. I ended up
landing 4 stripers and hybrids and 3 others came
unhooked during the battle. They caught fish off the
bottom, as well as near the surface as the fish were
chasing and hammering the bait before it got to the
surface. The surface lake temperature this morning was
near 80 degrees and the lake level is falling slowly.
The current lake level sits at 554.66 ft msl. The main
lake is mainly clear to slightly stained with the
creeks and coves a little more stained.” Lou posts
nearly daily on his Facebook page with photos and
where the fish are biting and what’s biting. Check it
out.
Norfork Tailwater
(updated 9-15-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Norfork Lake
fell 0.7 foot to rest at one foot below power pool of
555.75 feet msl and 25.3 feet below the top of flood
pool. There has been more wadable water on the Norfork
in the morning and it has fished a bit better. 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 moderately. School is back in
session and the creek is not as busy. Weekends can get
quite crowded. The hot flies have been sowbugs,
various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot
fluorescent pink and cerise) and white mop flies.
Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective.
Be sure and carry a large net, as most fish are lost
at the net.
Remember that the White River, Norfork tailwater 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 9-15-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Crooked Creek
and the Buffalo River are low. With cooler
temperatures, the smallmouths are more 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.
