White River
(updated 11-30-2023) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525)
said ’tis the season when most of us are beginning to
turn our thoughts and energies toward Christmas, and
maybe hunkering down some for the colder months.
Family time is anticipated, shopping not quite so
much. Also anticipated is continued terrific trout
catches on the White River; anglers are still finding
plenty of rainbows and browns willing to leave the
comfort of their favorite hidey-holes and come
a-calling’ to the right baits.
Bull Shoals Lake is sitting at 652.27 feet msl, almost
7 feet below power pool. The water level below Bull
Shoals Dam has been at minimum flow — very low and
wade-able — most of every morning, but later daytime
generation arrives in pulses, sometimes pretty high
and for several hours at a time, as the lake continues
to drop after a dry fall. Watch for the river rises in
the late morning and stay ahead of it for the best
fishing.
Remember that the catch-and-release area below Bull
Shoals Dam is closed from Nov. 1-Jan. 31 to preserve
the brown trout spawn; this includes some special
regulations near the State Park, too. The browns are
in mid-spawn now; if you’re able to net one, be
especially careful and return it healthy and fighting
back to the river.
Flashy silver Cleos should work well in this water, as
well as the silver-blue hammered spoons. Orange
PowerBait has been the popular bait for the rainbows
to mimic the eggs from spawning activity. During the
sunny parts of the late morning, dry flies should
perform well with hatches occurring as the weather
warms slightly; orange and yellow egg patterns and the
Y2K have been successful when the clouds return. Catch
a sculpin or two to put on your hook for brown trout
bait and keep a large net handy to ensure not losing
your fish before you can picture it.
Kids will be looking for Christmas vacation adventures
and the river answers that call. PowerBait and shrimp
are reliable baits to help them catch a rainbow or
five. The weatherman promises very mild daytime
temperatures for the next week, so pick up your rod
and reel, get outside and come join us on the river.
Bundle up in the morning and enjoy the excellent
wintertime fishing.
(updated 11-30-2023) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins
Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said this week we have
seen depths between 4.5-5.5 feet during the early
mornings and then dropping to 2.5 feet throughout the
day. With the low water during the day, artificial
lures worked well. Most fishermen have been using
quarter-ounce spoons or Rapala Countdowns. Morning
drift-fishing with Uncommon Bait UV eggs and shrimp
with or without silver spinners worked well. Anglers
also saw success shifting to artificial lures later in
the morning throughout the afternoon. We are tracking
up to three-quarters of an inch of rainfall Thursday.
The rain may cause some dinginess to the water but
those conditions shouldn’t last very long, so we hope
by Saturday the river will have returned to our clear
water. The rest of the days we expect to see partly
sunny to sunny days with lows in the mid-30s to highs
in the upper 50s/low 60s.
(updated 11-30-2023) John Berry, veteran angler and
retired guide/owner in Cotter, said that during the
past week, they had a trace of rain (it is raining as
I write this and we are scheduled to get three
quarters of an inch today), cold temperatures (to
include frost warnings) and moderate winds. The lake
level at Bull Shoals fell 0.4 foot to rest at 6.7 feet
below power pool of 659 feet msl. This is 42.7 feet
below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake
fell 0.1 foot to rest at 5.2 feet below power pool and
19.2 feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake
fell 0.5 foot to rest at 7.6 feet below power pool and
17.2 feet below the top of flood pool. On the White,
we have had much more wadable water with moderate
flows, in the morning. Norfork Lake fell 0.1 foot to
rest at 0.4 foot below power pool of 553.75 feet msl
and 26.7 feet below the top of flood pool. The Norfork
Tailwater has wadable water. All of the lakes are well
below the top of power pool. Expect wadable water in
the coming days. At Norfork Dam, 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 catch-and-release section below Bull Shoals Dam
until Jan. 31 to protect the brown trout spawn. The
State Park will be seasonal catch-and-release for the
same period. All brown trout must be immediately
released. In addition, night fishing is prohibited in
this area during this period.
John said, “On the White, the hot spot has been the
Rim Shoals. 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 size
14 Pheasant Tail with a six 18 ruby Midge Dropper.
John also said, “Last week my wife Lori’s sister,
Terri, and her husband, Larry, came to Cotter for a
pre-Thanksgiving visit. They live in Germantown,
Tennessee (an affluent suburb of Memphis) and are both
avid fly-fishers like Lori and me. On the first day of
their visit, Terri and Larry wade-fished at the
Narrows, while Lori and I fished from the boat at Rim
Shoals.
“After a few hours of fishing, we met at my house and
then went to the White Sands Cafe for a late, hearty
breakfast and to debrief our respective fishing trips
to see how we did, what the hot fly was and how the
conditions were. Terri and Larry said they had caught
12 and 15, respectively. They asked how many we
caught. We said we did not know because we do not
count.
“Most guides and fly-fishers usually count their fish.
Since most fly-fishers fish catch-and-release, there
is no stringer or live well to inventory to determine
how the day’s angling went. If you want to do that you
have to count as you go along.
“I know of one guide who records every trout caught on
a clicker that he carries on the stream. He posts the
daily total to a calendar and combines the daily total
for an annual total. His records go back for years. I
am impressed with his dedication to recording his
fishing life. Another guide I know does a similar
daily count on a clicker. He records the fish hooked
but not brought to the net. To him a hook up is clear
notification that he is doing his job.
“I don’t count because it is just a number. I am more
interested in enjoying where I am and what I am doing.
I want to concentrate on netting a good fish or watch
an eagle snatch a trout from the surface of the river,
rather than trying to keep up with the count of fish
caught and by whom they were caught. At the end of the
day, everyone in the boat knows how well they did
without being given the official tally. Some clients
even keep up with their count.
“Before I was a guide, I was a CPA. I spent 25 years
living my day hunched over a computer working with
numbers. I was burned out and I needed a change. I had
been guiding part time and was ready to see if I could
make a living guiding. Instead of working with
numbers, I would be working with trout. I have never
regretted that decision.
“Now that I am retired and fishing on my own again,
counting trout just reminds me that my wife, Lori, has
out-fished me yet again. As to the clicker, that is
just another piece of gear that I have to keep up
with.
“Counting is a personal decision. If you want to
count, that is your decision and I respect it.”
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 11-30-2023) Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake
Boat Dock said Wednesday the lake level is still at
652 feet msl, 7 feet below normal pool. Water
temperature has dropped to 61 degrees. “Bass fishing
has been work! Be sure to fish the conditions. These
colder days have the deep bite starting to set up a
little better.”
He says it’s a mixed bag, you can catch them a bunch
of different ways day to day. Powerfish if it’s cloudy
and windy. “I’m going with a Chatterbait, spinnerbait
or square bill in the warmed stained water. Use a red
Rock Crawler when you target windy, steep transition
banks. A buzzbait or Whopper Plopper, too. But if it’s
sunny and flat and a bluebird day, pull the Robo
drop-shot back out.
“Some of the late summer areas always hold some fish.
Or target shad. Graph, graph, graph! Graphing can pay
off. Get around bait and then fish whatever is
available on brush piles, points, ledges, swings, etc.
Try a Beaver or Texas Cowboy on a wobble, a shaky head
worm in green pumpkin and a Jewel Jig in green pumpkin
orange with red highlights. They seem to be holding on
ledges shallow.
“If it’s cloudy or they’re in the 15-20 feet range
while not munching shad, on most days you’re going to
have to work for them.
“There are mega schools of fish grouping up
demolishing shad, but videogame fish can be tough to
fool. Try a small shad swimbait, a Damiki or Hover Rig
with a Tater Shad. The Jewel Scuba Spoon is kicking
butt! The Rapala Ice Jig is working for me if the shad
are on the bottom. Every day is different; fish the
conditions. Walleye are in the deep trees and humps at
50-60 feet. Some are on the outsides of the deep shad.
Crappie are picking up and anglers are hopping brush
piles working for them. Stay off of them and try a
crappie minnow under a float.
“Be safe. Happy Thanksgiving!”
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 11-30-2023) Steven “Scuba Steve” Street at
Blackburn’s Resort and Boat Rental said the lake level
is 553.31 feet msl and dropping slowly with only
minimum flow. Both generators are still inoperable.
“We are very dry but there is rain in the forecast but
they are backing off on that. The White River at
Newport is 2.54 feet and very low, indicating not much
water is being released into the White River
anywhere.”
The surface water is 58 degrees and stable for a
couple of weeks.” It was a very nice and warm day
Wednesday with light winds and the fishing is starting
to get better, especially the largemouth bass fishing.
I went to the same place where I went the day before
where I caught nothing and caught some very nice
largemouth bass and a few crappie. A few walleye are
biting at dusk on shadowy banks and some temperate
bass are in open water on shad but it is hard to find
them feeding.
“It looks to me like things are getting better as far
as bass and crappie fishing are concerned, but it
could stand a little improvement. Things are changing
and you have to be out there every day to know what is
happening. Overall, the lake is in good condition and
at a good level for fishing, and I am happy to report
it is getting better finally.”
Visit blackburnsresort.com and click on Scuba Steve’s
blog for daily updates.
Norfork Tailwater
(updated 11-30-2023) John Berry, angler and retired
operator of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter
(870-435-2169), said Norfork Lake fell 0.1 foot to
rest at 0.4 foot below power pool of 553.75 feet msl
and 26.7 feet below the top of flood pool. All of the
lakes are well below the top of power pool. Expect
wadable water in the coming days. At Norfork Dam, 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.
There has been wadable water on the Norfork Tailwater.
One day it fished well and the next day fished poorly.
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 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. Be sure and carry a large net, as most fish
are lost at the net.
Buffalo National River/Crooked Creek
(updated 11-30-2023) John Berry, angler and retired
operator of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter
(870-435-2169), said Crooked Creek and the Buffalo
River are not fishing as well and water levels are
low. With colder temperatures, the smallmouths are
less 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.
