White River
(updated 10-5-2023) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525)
said, “Trout fishing continues to be the primary draw
to the White River in the Arkansas Ozarks, though
hunting season has lots of our folks (including
guides) in the woods instead of on the river. Leaves
more for those of us catching trout — and catching is
the name of the game this week. The Bull Shoals Lake
tailwater continues to offer all-day action for
anglers and satisfies the most zealous of fishers.
“The lake is now 3 feet below the new seasonal power
pool target of 659 and keeps dropping. Power
generation from the dam remains at minimum flows in
the morning followed by much higher releases averaging
4-5 units (12-15,000 cfs) in the afternoon. Waders,
beware. Always be alert to water level changes;
sometimes the water sneaks up on you, sometimes it
rises fast.
“Low water means we all share a sometimes narrow main
channel — boat traffic and waders alike — so please
watch out for, and be courteous to, fellow anglers, be
they in a boat, on the shore or wading nearer the
action in the river.
“The rainbow catch was abundant this past week. The
water is perfect for some jig fishing. D2 Trout Magnet
or Whiter River Zig Jigs are fun to play. Look for
olive, olive/orange, white or brown/orange.
Nightcrawlers and red wigglers bested the bubblegum
pink-scented worm; however, the XFactor shrimp pink
worm played a role in a good share of landed trout,
too. We found less success with the shrimp/PowerBait
combo than usual, but alternating shrimp and worms
over the course of the day proved successful.
“Start thinking about spawn season. Change your egg
patterns or PowerBait choices to orange, white and/or
sunrise colors.
“You'll enjoy your fishing adventures much more if you
come prepared for Arkansas weather extremes. This week
we will begin to see fall temperatures as the lows
creep down toward the 40s and the highs drop to around
70 degrees. Whatever the weather, we know we're
blessed to be here in The Natural State and always
look forward to meeting fellow trout lovers. Stop in
and say ‘Hi.’”
(updated 10-5-2023) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins
Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said they continue to
see water depths under 3 feet in the morning and
rising to about 6 feet (a little plus or minus) by
late morning. The water has had some dinginess in the
morning and clearing later in the day as the water
levels drop. It hasn’t been uncommon for boats to
leave Calico Rock and run upriver a few miles to Red’s
Landing to find cleaner water and fish back to and
through Calico Rock following the dropping water. In
the mornings drift-fishing with a silver inline
spinner with Uncommon Bait Bright Orange UV glow eggs
and shrimp has worked well. Additionally, fishing the
deeper holes with deeper-diving ShadRap size 5 lures
in shad or orange crawdad colors worked. As the water
drops in the afternoon using quarter-ounce Colorado
Spoons with nickel/gold or copper/gold or Buoyant
Rainbow Trout or Brown Trout-colored spoons work well
while fishing the gravel bars. Additionally, Rapala
CD7 Countdowns in either silver or rainbow trout color
have resulted in some nice trout. The rain Wednesday
and Thursday may muddy the water temporarily, but it
shouldn’t last very long. This week we had one
stocking of 550 rainbow trout with additional
stockings upriver at Chessmond Ferry and Red’s
Landing.
(updated 10-5-2023) John Berry, angler and retired
guide/owner Berry Brothers Guide Service at Cotter,
said that during the past week they had no rain (it is
just beginning to rain as I write this), cooler
temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at
Bull Shoals fell 0.6 foot to rest at 2.9 feet below
power pool of 659 feet msl. This is 38.9 feet below
the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake
remained steady at 3.4 feet below power pool and 17.4
feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell at
0.5 foot to rest at 5.1 feet below power pool and 14.8
feet below the top of flood pool. The White has had
had wadable water every morning with heavy flows in
the afternoon during peak power demand. Norfork Lake
rose 0.1 foot to rest at at 0.4 foot below power pool
of 553.75 feet msl and 26.6 feet below the top of
flood pool. The Norfork Tailwater has had wadable
water. All of the lakes are below the top of power
pool. Expect wadable water in the coming days with
heavy flows in the afternoon during peak power demand.
All turbines on the Norfork Dam 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 Bull
Shoals State Park. 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 Eorms,
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).”
John also said, “Last Thursday my wife, Lori, and I
took our weekly fishing trip this time to Rim Shoals.
It was a gorgeous day. Even early on it was bright and
clear without the usual heavy fog. The temperature was
scheduled to hit the mid-80s by mid-afternoon. We
planned to be long gone by then. It was a cool start
but I peeled my light wind shirt off in just a few
minutes after we started. The going was slow for me,
but Lori was catching several trout. After a few hours
the bite really slowed. We decided to head in.
“I started the motor and headed toward the ramp. I
noticed a truck with a utility trailer than contained
a big white tank on it out on the ramp at the water
line. There was a White River john boat pulled up next
to it. I had noticed it earlier in the day and
wondered just what it was doing. I assumed that
someone was having a motor problem.
“When we got to the bank, I recognized the guy in the
trailer, T.L. Lauerman, conservation chair for our
local White River Chapter of Trout Unlimited. I
recognized one of the guys in the boat, Clay Henry,
the retired sportswriter who still writes for Hawgs
Illlustrated. T.L. and I quickly got into a
conversation of what he was doing.
“They were stocking Bonneville cutthroat trout. This
is the continuation of a stocking program that T.L.
had started years ago to introduce a new species of
wild trout to the White and North Fork rivers. The
idea was to add a renewable resource.
“Originally Trout Unlimited brought in no less than
Dave Whitlock to supervise the first stocking. They
took Bonneville cutthroat trout eggs and put them into
Whitlock Vibert boxes, which are designed to stock
trout eggs into streams and offer them some protection
from predators. They then buried them in gravel runs
in catch-and-release waters to give them more
protection. This was a demanding technique that
required a large number of volunteers and perfect
low-water conditions. TU did this for several years.
“When they began planning this year’s stocking, the
Army Corps of Engineers could not guarantee the low
flows required for this technique. T.L. was determined
to not waste these valuable eggs and came up with
another plan.
“They had the trout eggs hatched in the Norfork
National Fish Hatchery and raised there until they
were 2-3 inches long. They were then taken to the
river in the large white tanks that I saw. The trout
were netted up and transferred to the waiting john
boat. They were then randomly released in the river.
This would give them a better chance to survive than
if they were hatched in the river. Lori and I watched
them work. It was definitely easier than planting the
Whitlock Vibert boxes.
“It sounds to me to be a rational response to the
water conditions. I look forward to fishing for the
Bonneville cutthroats at Rim Shoals.”
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 10-5-2023) Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake
Boat Dock said Wednesday that the lake level 656 feet
msl, or 3 feet below normal pool. The water
temperature is about 77 degrees. “Looks like we are
getting a Little rain and cooler weather. Bass fishing
has been slow to fair. The early morning topwater has
been off. A small walk-the-dog-style bait like a Zara
Spook or Lucky Craft Gunfish will work. If they’re
busting don’t put it away, though, as they can go into
the middle of the day.
“Fall fishing equals junk fishing, covering water with
a Whopper Plopper or buzzbait on days with wind and
clouds. The shad have started their migration towards
the creeks. A lot of shad are still way off the long
points. But they are everywhere right now. Look for
areas where they are bunched up. I have found groups
from the surface down to 60 feet. Graphing can pay
off, 28-34 feet seems to be a consistent depth for the
drop-shot.
“On the points, brush piles, ledges, etc., a big worm,
shaky head worm and Jewel Jig are working. If the shad
are around, you’re probably going to get bit.
Hopefully the Corps will generate some water.”
If you venture into the stained water in the backs,
most days you’re going to have to work for them.
Target areas with shad. Go with a square bill,
Chatterbait, big worm and Beaver-style bait in the
laydowns.
Overall, there’s a lot of roaming suspended schooling
fish 20-35 feet over deep water still. These videogame
fish can be tough to fool; try a Damiki or Hover Rig
with a Tater Shad or drop-shot with a Robo. Fall
fishing can be hit or miss as conditions change.
Walleyes eating a drop-shot again. They started piling
on the points and they seem to be following the shad
again, and folks are still catching a few bottom
bouncing at 28-34 feet. Crappie guys are hopping brush
piles working for them; the crappie are starting to
pile in. Every day is different; be sure to fish the
conditions. “It isn’t easy fishing right now, you're
gonna have to work for them.”
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 10-5-2023) Steven “Scuba Steve” Street at
Blackburn’s Resort said Wednesday night that the lake
level was 553.49 feet msl and had risen 1.6 inches in
the last 24 hours with no discharge from the dam for
several days. The White River at Newport is 3.8 feet
and still low. There has been 1.6 inches of rain so
far on Wednesday as of 6:30 p.m. and it is still
raining.
The fishing is getting better with the summer
thermocline gone for about 10 days and the lake is
clearing and is homogenous down to 40 feet, where the
water gets cold and there is little oxygen, but has
good visibility until you get down to dark water.
Scuba diving conditions are good and fishing is
getting better. Crappie have moved to the main lake on
brush along with Kentucky bass and a few largemouths.
Pea gravel banks are holding a lot of fish, especially
on brush from 18-23 feet. A few keeper walleye are
showing up partway back in Blackburns Creek. Stripers
are moving upstream and back into deeper creeks and
can be caught on spoons. Live minnows on slip floats
for crappie, Kentucky bass and bluegill are the best,
but creature baits on jigheads near the bank are
working for bass. There is some topwater actionboth
early and late partway back in the creeks but are
mostly small bass. “I am finding some white bass on
the main point outside of brush piles. The moon is
waning and the lake is rising and catfishing is
getting better. Use 3-inch live bait for the best
results. Cut bait, hotdogs and other stuff are only
catching small fish.”
Visit blackburnsresort.com and click on Scuba Steve's
blog for a daily report.
Norfork Tailwater
(updated 10-5-2023) John Berry, angler and retired
operator of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter
(870-435-2169), said Norfork Lake rose 0.1 foot to
rest at at 0.4 foot below power pool of 553.75 feet
msl and 26.6 feet below the top of flood pool. The
Norfork Tailwater has had wadable water. All of the
lakes are below the top of power pool. Expect wadable
water in the coming days with heavy flows in the
afternoon during peak power demand. All turbines on
the Norfork Dam 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 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 headed nymph (zebra
midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended
eighteen inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm
(hot fluorescent pink or cerise). My favorite rig has
been a cerise San Juan worms 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 despite a lot of
fishing pressure. School is back in session and
weekdays are not as 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.
Buffalo National River/Crooked Creek
(updated 10-5-2023) John Berry, angler and retired
operator of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter
(870-435-2169), said Crooked Creek and the Buffalo
River are fishing well but are quite low. 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.
