White River
(updated 6-15-2023) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525)
said, “Our mild June temperatures have added to the
fun and perfected the dynamic trout fishing on the
White River near Cotter; the quality and quantity of
trout satisfied anglers of all ages.”
Bull Shoals Dam is holding steady, averaging one unit
(3,000 cfs) most of the morning and early afternoon.
Late afternoon releases increase the flow –
9,000-13,000 cfs – to supply rising power demand. Bull
Shoals Lake is at 661.41 feet msl and continuing to
drop slowly despite the recent rains.
The favorite technique this week was, by far, fishing
artificial baits. The Vibrax Blue Fox
three-sixteenth-ounce spinner, gold or rainbow, led
the pack, followed by a white or yellow-bodied Rooster
Tail. Keep it light at one-sixth ounce for the most
part.
The water level is right for some jig fishing if
you're floating in a jon boat: olive and brown/orange
jigs were the most productive, but the white and
bubblegum pink jig caught some attention, too.
“We're still reeling in browns, some days upward of
nine for a single angler. That slimy, little sculpin
attracts the browns like no other bait, but you could
try to best a sculpin with a bigger jerkbait (a No. 7
Rapala gold-and-black Countdown?) or a fat, air-blown
nightcrawler especially during the late-afternoon
water rises.
“Have fun in the chase. Come to the river and catch a
trout or two with us.”
(updated 6-15-2023) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins
Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said the rain the last
few days have been a welcome sight to many people.
Luckily the rain hasn’t affected the White River in
Calico Rock. “Over the last week we have seen Bulls
Shoals Dam increase generation during the afternoon
and decrease again in the evening. As a result, at
Calico Rock, we are seeing water rising in the morning
and dropping later in the mornings and into the
afternoon.”
Norfork Dam’s generators aren’t working and they are
releasing water from the spill gates with a flow
reaching about 4,200 cfs during the day. Water levels
are averaging 4.5-6 feet. With the lower water levels,
fishing has been great.
Drift-fishing with silver-colored inline spinners with
orange UV glow eggs and shrimp continue to work great.
Quarter-ounce Thomas Colorado Spoons in nickel/gold or
copper/gold have been very effective for rainbows.
Additionally, rainbow CD7 Rapala Countdowns and
Purpledescent colored Shad Rap lures worked well.
Drift-fishing with sculpins has resulted in some very
nice 16-inch-plus rainbows and some 18-inch-plus brown
trout.
With the lower water be careful to read the water.
Many obstructions are now exposed or just under the
water. In the Calico Rock area, a rule of thumb is the
big rocks are on the bluff side of the river and the
gravel bars are on the opposite side of the river.
This week we had one stocking of trout by the AGFC
using its pontoon raft to stock 4,800 trout between
Calico Rock and Sylamore Creek.
(updated 6-15-2023) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service at Cotter said that during the past week, that
had several rain events that combined for 1½ inches in
Cotter, warm temperatures and moderate winds. The lake
level at Bull Shoals fell 0.4 foot to rest at 0.5 foot
below power pool of 662 feet msl. This is 34.5feet
below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake
fell 0.4 foot to rest at 0.3 foot below power pool and
14.3 feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake
fell 0.5 foot to rest at 0.1 foot below power pool or
8.7 feet below the top of flood pool. The White has
had no wadable water and lower flows. Norfork Lake
fell 0.2 foot to rest at 0.5 foot above power pool of
556.75 feet msl and 22.7 feet below the top of flood
pool. The Norfork has had wadable water every day. All
of the lakes are at or near power pool. Expect lower
flows in the coming days. On the Norfork, all turbines
at the dam are inoperable for the foreseeable future.
Minimum release is being made through the siphon at
continuous flows of 185 cfs; additional flows are made
through the flood gates.
On the White, the hot spot has been Rim Shoals. The
White has enjoyed lower flows that have fished 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. John says his favorite has been a
Sunday Special (size 14) with a ruby midge dropper
(size 18).
Norfork Lake fell 0.2 foot to rest at 0.5 foot above
power pool of 556.75 feet msl and 22.7 feet below the
top of flood pool. The Norfork has had wadable water
every day. All of the lakes are at or near power pool.
Expect lower flows in the coming days. On the Norfork,
all turbines at the dam are inoperable for the
foreseeable future. Minimum release is being made
through the siphon at continuous flows of 185 cfs;
additional flows are made through the flood gates.
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 said, “A week ago I hurt myself on a guide
trip. At the end of a successful trip, I was pushing
my boat off the bank so that I could run it up on my
trailer and head home. I had put it up on the bank to
unload my clients and secure the boat while I backed
the trailer into the river. I had run it up too far
and it was difficult to push it into the water. I
redoubled my efforts and injured my back. I made it
home. Luckily my neighbors, Brian and Amy, put my boat
cover on for me.
“The thing that I don’t understand is how I injured
myself that bad. I go the gym three days a week and do
an intense elliptical work out followed by a full
weight machine circuit. I concentrate on strengthening
my back and body core with crunches and side lifts. At
home, I do a lot of yard work to include cutting my
large lawn with a push mower and turning the garden. I
have been spreading homemade compost on our garden and
7 cubic yards of mulch. All of this was done without
so much as a sore back and then I go fishing and
really hurt myself. Fishing is supposed to be fun!
“I sat around the house hoping it would get better.
That plan did not work. I finally went to MedExpress.
They checked me out, gave me a prescription for some
painkillers and muscle relaxers and told me everything
would be OK in two to four weeks.
“Fly-fishing guides are independent contractors. We
work for ourselves. If we don’t work, we don’t get
paid. We have to pay for our medical care and any
retirement funds. Fortunately I am eligible for VA for
my health care, which covered my trip to MedExpress.
Due to the length of the healing of my injuries I had
to cancel some booked guide trips. I referred my
clients to my fellow guides. I hope for a quick
recovery so I can get back to work.
“The treatment is working, and last Saturday I was
able to help teach at a casting seminar we held at
Arkansas State University-Mountain Home. My wife,
Lori, was the lead instructor and I taught the Belgian
cast, the reach cast and the roll cast. I took it easy
and was careful not to injure myself. I am feeling
better every day.
“Now I have two problems. One is that I looked at the
generation on the White River and noted that the lake
levels had reached power pool and was at a very
fishable level. The Norfork Tailwater has been on the
bottom for days and was quite wadable. This makes me
want to go fishing. My other problem is that I can see
my grass growing through my windows when I look
outside. I need to be patient and wait until I am
better able to do these things without messing up my
back more.
“Be careful out there. It is the little things that
hurt you.”
Bull Shoals Lake
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time outflow
report from Bull Shoals Dam, visit the Corps’ Little
Rock office website.
(updated 6-15-2023) Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake
Boat Dock said Wednesday that lake level is steady at
661 feet, 2 feet above the normal pool. Water
temperature is about 80 degrees. “Bass activity seems
to be in the 10-25 feet depth. I’m spending lots of
time graphing offshore, checking summer spots, swings,
points, bluff ends, brush piles, drops and ledges.
Most fish still seem to be suspended looking up with
the steady generation.”
Look in large creeks early. With cloudy days and warm,
windy rainwater, Del suggests powerfishing
Chatterbait, spinnerbaits or Rat-L-Trap-style baits.
Try on the swing banks or in or around the bluegill
spawning flats, pockets, bushes – cover water. There’s
a big Texas-rigged redworm bite in some of the
shallower brush piles close to deep water.
When it’s sunny, flat and calm a drop-shot is tough to
beat in tough conditions or with suspended fish. Try
points cracking a tube or stroking a Jewel half-ounce
Special Ops football jig in green pumpkin orange.
Perch colors, too, fished in the 10-20 feet range.
On sunny days with clear water, use natural colors and
small profile baits. Look at ledges, keep the boat off
the fish. Start early with a topwater, and as it slows
a small 2.8 McMinnow is working. Once the sun gets up,
drop-shot a Robo Worm. Don’t be surprised if you find
a few walleye on those points in 15-20 feet. The shad
are broke up high in the water column mostly over deep
water. Early morning topwater has slowed up a bit, but
bomb casts and look around for activity, as they are
schooled up. Try a Lucky Craft Gunfish, white popper,
or Spook Jr. topwater as well as a flutter spoon or
Jewel Scope Spin on schoolers early in the morning or,
if it’s cloudy, all day.
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
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time outflow
report from Norfork Dam, visit the Corps’ Little Rock
office website.
(updated 6-15-2023) Steven “Scuba Steve” Street at
Blackburn’s Resort said the lake level was 557.05 feet
msl and had dropped an inch in the last 24 hours by
late Wednesday evening. The generators are still
inoperable but they opened sluice gates equivalent to
about 1⅔ generators for about nine hours. The White
River at Newport is 7.68 feet, indicating there is not
much water being let out anywhere. There is no effort
to drop the area lakes. The surface water temperature
was 82 degrees and the main lake is clear with the
creeks being stained a little green but very clear
near the shore. There is a thermocline at 16-17 feet
with cold water at 20 feet.
Spearfishing season opens Thursday and the conditions
look good. Bass are coming shallow to feed on crawdads
in the evening and a few are coming up early morning
on shad. Stripers are going deeper and seem to like 60
feet but are in 60-90 feet of water. You have to get
down to them and a three-quarter ounce spoon is your
best bet. Some walleye are with them. Bass fry are in
brush looking for cover and walleye and bass are
following them. Crappie are starting to hang around
brush in 18-25 feet of water and bluegill are
shallower. Cast a 1/16th-ounce jig on light, clear
line past the brush and let it sink into it. The water
is too clear to sit on top of the brush and fish with
live bait and a slip float. If you do, set your depth
3 feet deeper than you can see your bait.
The lake overall is in excellent condition for
swimming, boating and fishing and is at a good level.
Visit blackburnsresort.com and click on Scuba Steve's
blog for a daily report.
(updated 6-15-2023) Lou Gabric at Hummingbird Hideaway
Resort posts almost daily on his Facebook page with
photos and where the fish are biting and what’s
biting. Check it out.
Norfork Tailwater
(updated 6-15-2023) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Norfork Lake
fell 0.2 foot to rest at 0.5 foot above power pool of
556.75 feet msl and 22.7 feet below the top of flood
pool. The Norfork has had wadable water every day. All
of the lakes are at or near power pool. Expect lower
flows in the coming days. On the Norfork, all turbines
at the dam are inoperable for the foreseeable future.
Minimum release is being made through the siphon at
continuous flows of 185 cfs; additional flows are made
through the flood gates.
There has been wadable water, on the Norfork. The most
productive flies have been small midge patterns like
Zebra Midges (black or red with silver wire and silver
bead). Double-fly nymph rigs have been very effective.
Try a small bead-head nymph (Zebra Midge, Copper John
or Pheasant Tail) suspended 18 inches below a brightly
colored San Juan Worm (hot fluorescent pink or
cerise). John says his favorite rig has been a cerise
San Juan Worm and a ruby midge. The fishing is better
in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off
midday.
Dry Run Creek has fished a bit better. Weekends can
get a 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.
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 6-15-2023) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Crooked Creek
and the Buffalo River are fishing better. With warmer
water, 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.
