Cotter Trout Dock Weekly Fishing Report

  March 13, 2024

More reports and other videos are on the Cotter Trout Dock Youtube Channel Page.
Below is the Arkansas Game and Fish Fishing Report March 13, 2024.

White River
(updated 3-14-2024) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said the warm weather is here and the fishing is hot on the rivers in the Arkansas Ozarks. Releases from Bull Shoals Dam have been variable this past week, from one unit to over three units (9,000 cfs), while the lake sits 3 feet below power pool at 656.09 feet msl.
“We’ve been offered all types of water levels, fluctuating between low, shallow water to high, deep water — so take a cue from our professionals and get creative out there. Be prepared to change your fishing tactics in the middle of the day as the water rises. Start the day with a white D2/Trout Magnet jig (one-eighth ounce) or a smaller white-bellied lure (Rapala’s glass blue Husky Jerk Minnow is great). Of course, the shrimp/PowerBait combo works almost every time, so a light-colored egg pattern (white or yellow, maybe even pink) and a mini-bite of shrimp will bring a bundle of rainbows in. Worms work very nicely as the water level increases.

“Shiny gold spinners (Blue Foxes) and spoons (Cleos) attracted the rainbows and the heavier ones catch the eye of a brown every once in a while. The brown trout have mostly been biting live baits: minnows, sculpins and shad. Some browns have even been caught on shrimp this week.
“Spring break on the White River near Cotter means lots of young anglers. Seeing families enjoying the great outdoors and being able to spend time together without the everyday hustle and bustle is the best.”

(updated 3-14-2024) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said the rain last week caused the Buffalo River to rise, which caused us to have muddy water until Friday. The water cleared up some on Saturday but was very dirty on Sunday. By Monday the water had some dinginess but was definitely fishable. When the river was muddy the best fishing option for trout was to move up into the mouths of the creeks where the fish were looking for cleaner water, tie up or anchor, and fish using corn. This resulted in some nice limits of trout plus a few other species of fish caught. Monday through Wednesday fishing was decent using Uncommon Bait Neo Pink UV eggs and shrimp or corn. Artificial lures were not effective.
“We will be watching the rain coming in Thursday night and Friday morning to see how it affects the river conditions. This week we received one stocking of more than 800 rainbow trout from the Norfork Hatchery.”

 

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 3-7-2024) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake said Wednesday’s lake level was 656 feet msl. The Army Corps of Engineers has been running some water in the mornings. The water temp is ranging 53-59 degrees. Bass fishing has been up and down with the weather fronts and changing daily. Powerfish if it’s cloudy, rainy and windy covering water with a Rock Crawler, Wiggle Wart or square bill in red/orange variations. Look for windblown shady, ledgy or chunk rock banks and steeper swings and target 5-15 feet.
“I’m going halfway to three-quarters into the creeks. In stained water use a square bill or Chatterbait covering water. You can always catch them on a jig in green pumpkin variations and a PB&J color. Try piles, ledges or wood areas close to shad balls or even close to spawning areas near south-facing pockets protected from the cold north winds. The jig bite can vary from 5-25 feet day to day. A shaky head or Ned rig will get bites on tough days. I feel a lot the fish are still looking up, so I’m still Scoping, and the shad seem to have spread out again, moving back into the bigger creeks arms and mouths of pockets, holding down in the 60-70 feet range, and then they’re spread out up high everywhere. Graph, graph, graph. Drop a small shad, Damiki, Tater Shad or Thump Shad, changing head size according to depth. A swimbait will fool some also. A fluke on high shad balls or a jerkbait in white or shad colors is working for me. Loons and gulls are in the area; you better pay attention. Every day is different. 

White bass are up to spawn 

Not much has changed with the crappie, and the crappie fishing is still pretty good. Crappie are still actively feeding and posting up on brush in the creeks. Still catching a few roamers and also on brush. A one-eighth-ounce jig with a Tater Shad Jr. in Bayou Bleeder color has been the best lately. And, of course, minnows are working well, also.

Del regularly posts new YouTube videos. Visit his YouTube site (Bull Shoals Lake Fishing Report) for more information and tips on fishing Bull Shoals Lake.

(updated 3-7-2024) Southernwalleye Guide Service reports walleyes for the most part are still deep under or around shad 50-60 feet deep on the lower lake section and larger creeks. “We have also started to catch a few smaller spawning male walleyes around known main lake spawning points in 50-60 feet on spoons. Fish are making their way up to spawning areas up in the bigger tributaries (Theodosia and Power Site areas) to the warmer flowing waters. Rapala Ice Jigs and spoons are still the ticket. Jerkbaits and small shad-style crankbaits fished like a jerkbait should be producing soon if the weather stays warm. If trolling, try stick baits slow and shallow during low light periods in 8-14 feet of water — 0.85 to 1.2 mph should produce a few fish. 

 

Norfork Lake
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time outflow report from Norfork Dam, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website. 

(updated 3-14-2024) Steven “Scuba Steve” Street at Blackburn’s Resort and Boat Rental said the lake level is 553.42 feet msl and has dropped half an inch in the last 24 hours with the one operating generator running for about 8 hours starting at 9 a.m. and then shutting it off. There is no effort to drop the lake before the spring rains. The lake level has not varied much all winter. The surface water temperature is 54 degrees on the main lake and 56 in the backs of the creeks. The clarity is good and you can see your lure down about 10 feet on the main lake and 5-6 feet in the creeks. The lake is in a transition period and is wanting to warm up but it is March and the cold fronts just keep coming through. One day it is 80 and the next is in the 50s. I am catching fish in one place one day and they are gone the next. The stripers are ready to move to their spawning banks and the night bite has barely started but should be in full swing by a few days before the full moon which is March 25. The March winds are blowing the baitfish back into the creeks and it depends which way it is blowing. From the south it warms up and from the north it cools down. There are fish coming up shallow in the mornings but it is just because the wind has blown the shad back in the creeks. You cannot count on it and they are mostly bass and carp. It is the same for the night bite for stripers. Very few have moved to their spawning banks but a few are. Mostly they are there because the wind has blown the bait to the bank and not because they are spawning. I am catching fish on main lake brush and also back in the creeks near the shore, but not a lot anywhere. The topwater bite for red meat fish and bass should be in full swing by April 15. Right now you have to work for them. The lake overall is in good condition and at a good level for fishing but it is fair at best. It will get better soon. Some good fish are being caught every day. 

Visit blackburnsresort.com and click on Scuba Steve’s blog for daily updates and more information. 

(updated 3-14-2024) Lou Gabric at Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said Wednesday, “Mission accomplished! I had my daughter fishing with me this morning. Was hoping to have the oldest granddaughter along but she would not wake up. I guess college life for Jordan has set in — stay up all night and sleep all morning.
“I found some striped bass and Keri totally out-fished me this morning. She was casting a half-ounce chrome Kastmaster with white feather trailer and I was casting a 5-inch Sexy Shad Swimbait with a three-eighths-ounce chartreuse jighead. The bait was right on the surface down to maybe 15-20 feet. It was scattered out. The fish were darting through the bait, feeding away. I got quite a few short strikes but no boated fish for me. I should have downsized to a 3.5-inch swimbait. Keri landed two nice striped bass and a really good largemouth bass.
“Keri and I were fishing back in a creek in 30-60 feet of water. Wayne and Jimmy had success casting swimbaits and a Kastmaster. They have had a stretch of bad luck lately with striped bass. They have hooked into quite a few over the last couple of days, but the fish were coming unhooked. They redeemed themselves this morning. Joe was back at finding and catching some really nice walleye, crappie and one striped bass.
“I heard another guest was cleaning some fish, but I have not had a chance to talk with them. Overall, good day for all. The surface water temp was in the mid-50s. The lake level is falling slowly and sits at 553.43 feet msl. Fishing has been pretty good for most species and will only get better and better as the warmer temperature continues. I believe the white bass are spawning, most of the walleye should have spawned and a few others will be still on the beds. Crappie are staging for their spawn, which should happen before long. There are quite a few big slab crappie on or near brush piles back in creeks. The bass are still a little way off for their spawn, but with the early warm weather it might be sooner than normal.
“We have cabins available throughout the spring and summer. Give us a call to make your fishing and/or family vacation plans. Happy fishing and enjoy Norfork Lake.”
Lou posts fishing reports almost every day on Hummingbird Hideaway Resort’s Facebook page.