White River
(updated 8-17-2023) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525)
said the White River watershed has seen some rain this
week, usually less than predicted in the Cotter area
and mostly much appreciated. The last couple of days
have been heaven-sent perfect: very mild temperatures,
low humidity, mostly sunny but with just the right
amount of overcast skies to keep the angling action up
to speed.
River clarity remained very good and trout catching
has been fairly phenomenal. Water levels continue to
fluctuate as they have over the last month with very
low water levels in the morning hours, much higher
generation in the late afternoon. Bull Shoals Lake has
risen just a little, sitting slightly below power pool
at 660.04 feet msl.
“Please be thoughtful of other fishers and boaters
when the main channel narrows due to low water.
Regardless of experience or technique, we all love the
allure of catching trout, so share the space.”
The rainbow catches were mostly made with sunrise or
pink PowerBait tipped with shrimp on a size 8 bronze
Aberdeen or bait holder hook. (Bronze hooks decrease
harm to the trout.) Another favored bait for a great
catch has been fresh soft-shell crawdads — when
drifted mid-depth you'll likely increase your catch
count. Not surprising, dangling a redworm or a
nightcrawler near the bank during rises in the water
level will bring success, too. Tie on a heavier spoon
or a favorite jerkbait when the rise levels off. Seems
like this low water is pretty good for some jig
fishing. Find a White River Zig Jig or a Trout Magnet
D2 jig, salmon colored or tri-olive, ⅛- to 1/16-ounce
and use some of that wrist action for a few good
fights.
Reminder: It's late summer, so hopper season is upon
us; keep watch for the time to pull out your hopper
flies and make your way to the river. The river
provides even more of an escape now than at any other
time. First-day-of-school prep is behind us, summer is
winding down and life is good. Come share it with us.
(updated 8-17-2023) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins
Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said river conditions
have been mixed this week with all the rain and
different water releases. The rain last week muddied
the river Thursday, clearing enough to be fishable
Friday. The rain Sunday morning briefly muddied the
river but cleared up by the afternoon. This Wednesday
Norfork Dam opened three floodgates, causing the river
to be muddy and rise over 7 feet Wednesday morning.
When the river wasn’t muddy, fishing was good. Using
Uncommon Baits UV glow eggs (orange or green firefly)
and shrimp with or without an inline spinner worked
best. With the dirty water, artificial lures have not
been very effective. The cooler weather has been nice
but by this weekend the temperatures will be back up
in the 90s. This week the Jim Hinkle Spring River
Hatchery stocked over 700 rainbow trout at the Calico
Rock boat ramp; some of the stocked trout looked to be
fat and over 15 inches.
(updated 8-17-2023) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service at Cotter said that during the past week they
have had numerous rain events that combined for 4.5
inches in Cotter, hot temperatures (to include heat
advisories) and moderate winds (to include lake wind
advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals rose 1.6
feet to rest at 1 foot below power pool of 661 feet
msl. This is 35 feet below the top of flood pool.
Upstream, Table Rock Lake rose 1.2 feet to rest at 2.7
feet below power pool and 16.7 feet below the top of
flood pool. Beaver Lake fell 0.1 foot to rest at 3.9
feet below power pool and 12.5 feet below the top of
flood pool. The White has had wadable water every day
with moderate flows in the afternoon during peak power
demand. Norfork Lake rose 0.9 foot to rest at 2.3 feet
over power pool of 555.75 feet msl and 23 feet below
the top of flood pool. The Norfork Tailwater has had
wadable water. All the lakes in the White River system
are very near power pool. Expect lower flows in the
coming days. On the Norfork, all turbines are
inoperable for the foreseeable future. Minimum release
is being made through the siphon at continuous flows
of 185 cfs and additional flows are made through the
flood gates.
John said, “On the White, the hot spot has been The
Narrows. We have had 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. My favorite has been a
Pheasant Tail (size 14) with a ruby Midge Dropper
(size 18).
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.
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 8-17-2023) Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake
Boat Dock said Tuesday that the lake level is steady
at 660 feet msl. “We needed that rain,” he said.
“Water temp cooled to 83 degrees, give or take. Get up
early, especially when it’s hot, and hopefully you’ll
get a chance at a little topwater action. Topwater has
slowed this week, but don’t rule it out. Look for
surface activity along shallow areas close to deep
water. The shad are starting the transition. Graph
time pays off. The bass are schooled up still. If
you’re around them they will show themselves. Spots
are deeper. I’m still hanging in that 20-30 feet range
and up and covering water.
“If they are busting, try a small walk-the-dog like a
Lucky Craft Gunfish or Sammy if you can get it in
there while they’re up. The main lake and mouths of
large creeks are holding fish. Also halfway back into
the creeks early if you’re planning to fish runoff or
stained water in the back, make sure the conditions
are right after a rain cloud, etc. You can catch them
on a shad square bill, buzzbait or Plopper on the
flats and remaining bushes. Pick up a Jewel Jig Bass
Whacker in green pumpkin orange or a big red worm or
green pumpkin shaky head in any of the laydowns, brush
piles and drop-offs, and cover water. Look at temps
back there before you start. Be sure to fish the
conditions. Sunny and clear, stay out and use finesse
in natural colors and small profile baits. Look at
ledges, keep your boat off the fish. These fish have
been pressured. A drop-shot has been my go-to bait
matched with a Robo Worm on brush piles, bluffs,
standing timber, off ledges and points, especially if
they are generating. Fish in 35-40 feet. You're gonna
have to cat-and-mouse ’em most days. Tater Shad or
Scuba Spoon in shad colors will also work on the
deeper suspenders. Most action will happen if you are
around the shad.
“Them danged walleyes are eating the drop-shot again
in the deeper piles, around 32-40 feet. It’s always a
pleasant surprise bass fishing. Crappie guys are
saying it’s pretty random. Lots of running and gunning
piles. Here today, gone tomorrow.”
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 8-17-2023) Steven “Scuba Steve” Street at
Blackburn’s Resort said the lake level was 556.77 feet
msl as of 5 p.m. Wednesday and had dropped 3 inches in
the last 24 hours with sluice gates open to an
equivalent of 1¼ generators for two days. Both
generators remain inoperable and have been for several
weeks. The surface water temperature is 84 degrees and
dropping slowly with the cooler temperatures and
shorter days. The thermocline is at 27 feet with clear
water down to 25 feet and a small mudline down to the
cold water at 30 feet. “I have seen no evidence of an
algae bloom,” he said.
Several fish of different species are in the 27-32
feet range and suspended at different depths, mostly
on main lake points in and around brush piles, with
bluegill being the shallowest followed by crappie and
then bass, with catfish and walleye being near the
bottom. A jigging spoon is working the best dropped
vertical, tapping bottom and snapping the lure up 5-6
feet and allowing it to drop on slack line. Some small
hybrids and white bass are together also and can be
caught the same way. Trollers are catching a few fish
but are traveling a long way to get them.
Catfishing has slowed with the dropping water, but
some are still being caught on jugs and trotlines with
live bait. Some crappie have moved to the brush, but
not a lot. Most are still in open water on shad. A
live minnow on a slip float, set about 5-6 feet below
where you can see your bait, is working the best. Some
larger stripers and walleye are still deep in 50-60
feet of water and can also be caught on the spoon.
School started Tuesday and boat traffic is way down
and the lake is in good condition for fishing. Bass
are still biting on the Gene Larew Salt Craw after
dark on the black light, but this is also winding
down. After Labor Day when the lake clears again,
fishing should improve greatly, especially crappie.
Visit blackburnsresort.com and click on Scuba Steve's
blog for a daily report.
Norfork Tailwater
(updated 8-17-2023) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Norfork Lake
rose 0.9 foot to rest at 2.3 feet over power pool of
555.75 feet msl and 23 feet below the top of flood
pool. The Norfork Tailwater has had wadable water. All
the lakes in the White River system are very near
power pool. Expect lower flows in the coming days. On
the Norfork, all turbines are inoperable for the
foreseeable future. Minimum release is being made
through the siphon at continuous flows of 185 cfs and
additional flows are made through the flood gates.
The most productive flies on the Norfork Tailwater
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 while tapering off
at midday.
Dry Run Creek has fished a bit better despite a lot of
fishing pressure. School is out and it can get a quite
crowded, particularly on weekends. 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.
Remember that the White and Norfork 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 added, “Last weekend was my last as a working
guide. I retired this Wednesday after 30 years on the
river. As luck would have it, I ended up with two
great clients, Carmon Heilman and his son, Rudi. We
spent the first day on Dry Run Creek. It was a
Saturday and school would begin soon. I knew that
there would be a bunch of young anglers. We got there
early and wadered up. I always prefer that my clients
wear waders so that we can go to a few spots that
cannot be effectively fished without them.
Rudi was pretty new to fly-fishing, so I was doing a
bit of teaching. He was a quick learner, was totally
committed to fishing and he was a natural. We caught a
few nice trout around 21 inches long — very nice fish,
but my goal for the day was to land a trophy. At
lunch, we had three fish. I determined we had to
switch up our tactics. I began searching for trout. I
found some nice spots that held some good fish.
“At this time, I looked around and saw a lot of kids
fishing with spinning tackle. There was a lot of
fishing pressure. I went as far away as I could and
found a great spot that required that we wade. I saw
some big rainbows. We cast my usual flies’ worms,
eggs, Sowbugs and Mop Flies. I started to think that
these guys have seen all of this stuff.
“I pulled out my late brother Dan’s fly box with its
impressive selection of his flies. This is the box I
go to when stumped. The fishing was slow and I needed
to find something these picky monsters would take. I
tried a gold ribbed Hare’s Ear. It produced a nice
20-inch rainbow. Several minutes passed and we changed
to a size 10 Red Fox Squirrel Nymph (a Dave Whitlock
pattern). The first cast resulted in a 20-incher
followed by a 21 on the next cast. We were finally
onto something.
“Rudi was catching quality trout after trout. Then he
hooked a big one. This was the trout we had waited
for. It was a thick, brightly colored 24-inch rainbow.
By this time, Rudi had become comfortable fighting big
fish. He took his time and fought the ’bow flawlessly.
It finally surrendered to the net. I breathed a sigh
of relief. I had met my goal. Throughout this
fisherama Carmon was coaching, cheering on and
recording the action on video and photos. He took some
great shots and then we lovingly released the big
rainbow that brought us a great memory. I cut off the
fly and put it in Rudy’s hat. It was time to retire
that fly. It had done its job.
“We fished our way out and picked up another two
spectacular trout. We ended the day with 18 trout. The
largest was 24 inches and the smallest was 17. Rudy
had honed his skills and was now ready to join the
ranks of fly-fishers.
“Life is good!”
Buffalo National River/Crooked Creek
(updated 8-17-2023) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Crooked Creek
and the Buffalo River are fishing well. With warmer
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.
