Cotter Trout Dock Weekly Fishing Report

  July 3, 2024

More reports and other videos are on the Cotter Trout Dock Youtube Channel Page.
Below is the Arkansas Game and Fish Fishing Report July 3, 2024.

White River

(updated 7-3-2024) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said, “Nothing like the freedom of spending Independence Day on the White River! We are grateful for the blessings bestowed on our nation and hope you are able to celebrate the Fourth with family and friends.

“Early mornings on the White River in Cotter are refreshingly cool and offset the afternoon heat regardless of how high the thermometer climbs. Spirits are renewed and balance replaces chaos. Add to that some terrific trout fishing and you’ve found yourself in a pretty good place.”

Bull Shoals Lake elevation measured 660.96 feet msl with releases now at minimum flow (700 cfs) in the morning before rising to 12,000 cfs (four generators) in late afternoon. 

Browns will be hiding in the deep holes and always looking for sculpins and crawdad tails. The rainbows are hitting gold spinners and pink PowerBait mouse tails (bubblegum pink worms topped with white egg patterns). “We always suggest keeping a cup of nightcrawlers or red wigglers for the afternoon rise; play them close to the banks just a foot or so below the surface. Keep your line light and tight in the low water — you’ll lose less bait and will feel the bite quicker.

“Come visit our Natural State of Arkansas. We look forward to seeing you.”

(updated 7-5-2024) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said, “This week we have seen a varied generation from both Bull Shoals and Norfork dams. We have seen levels as high as 9 feet or more and as low as under 4 feet. During periods of higher water, silver inline spinners with corn worked well. We’ve also seen success using worms or shrimp with Uncommon Baits UV Eggs.
“On Tuesday we saw reduced flow and lower water. Fishing was great with the lower water and artificial lures such as quarter-ounce Thompson Colorado Spoons or Rapala Countdown CD7s in rainbow trout colors or silver/black worked well.
“Norfork Lake remains about 3 feet above the top of power pool level. During the work day they have been able to use the generators with flows above 5,000 cfs. Bull Shoals Lake is about a foot below the top of the power pool. On Tuesday we saw reduced flow through the night and morning with increased flow starting Tuesday afternoon. As a result, on Wednesday we saw dingier water in Calico Rock in the morning with water clearing later in the morning and afternoon.
“The heat has been brutal. Drink plenty of water and keep a cooling towel handy to dip in the water.
“On June 27 the AGFC stocking raft stocked over 3,000 rainbow trout between Norfork and Calico Rock. In addition, Red Landing received 800 rainbows, Chessmond Ferry received 1,000 rainbows and Calico Rock received 1,000 rainbows. On July 3 the stocking raft ran from Calico Rock to Round Bottom Access stocking over 4,000 rainbows.” 

 

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 7-5-2024) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake (815-592-4302) said Thursday night that lake level has fallen to around 660 feet msl, now a foot below the listed summertime conservation pool. The Army Corps of Engineers has continued running some big water through the dam. Water temperature is around 85 degrees, give or take. 

Bass are set up on summer areas and patterns. Shad are spread out from the back off the creek out to the main lake. Check deeper water points, ledges, drop-offs and channel swings and saddles. “Get up early, or if it’s cloudy, rainy and windy hit the surface with topwater. Smaller sizes are working best for me, a Zara Spook, Pop-R, Lucky Craft Gunfish, wake baits in shad patterns. As the sun gets up, try a 2.8 swimbait, especially if there’s wind, or a Flutter Spoon. That will keep the bite going.
“Once the sun gets up, a lot the fish will move out over deep water. You can follow them out there — try a drop-shot, Robo Worm or shad-shape worm or Tater Shad. 

“If we get rain, I’ll powerfish covering water. Try a buzzbait if it’s windy and cloudy, or a frog/toad if it’s sunny, over submerged flooded bushes. You can still catch them on points with a small Jewel Peewee Jig in green pumpkin orange or a tube or a shaky head in 10-20 feet early, then 25-30 feet. Keep the boat out for deep long casts.

“There’s a lot of activity in the 15 feet range. You can also go up there with a big worm, a Beaver or Salt Craw early or late. Shallower brush piles closer to deep water in less than 25-30 feet are holding some fish.

“Overall summer patterns are here. Suspended fish in large groups are roaming; if you can find ’em with the front looker, you can get right in a hurry. Fish the conditions.

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 7-5-2024) Southernwalleye Guide Service (501-365-1606) says walleye have slowed down but are still being caught. “We’re pulling nightcrawler harnesses in 25-30 feet with 2-ounce bottom bouncers on primary and secondary points with gold or orange blades with orange bead patterns. Also, just a No. 4 split shot and No. 2 Aberdeen hook and nightcrawler, work slowly around groups of fish, will catch some. More small fish in the 16- to 17-inch size are being caught than legal-size (18 or more inches) fish.

Spooning with a three-quarter-ounce white spoon in deeper water off main lake points in 40-50 feet will also get some fish. 

“Here’s hoping the lake will stabilize soon and fishing will improve around the thermocline.” 

(updated 7-5-2024) Crappie 101 Guide Service (870-577-2045) says crappie seem to be moving deeper and are definitely pickier, as the jig bite has slowed down a lot. Minnows and 4-pound line help, but they are still finicky. Just keep moving until you find fish that will cooperate.

 

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

(updated 6-20-2024) Lou Gabric at Hummingbird Hideaway Resort (870-492-5113)

said Wednesday, “I started out fishing around 4 a.m. this morning. My first spot was a bust even though I brought in some bait by dropping my green light. Very few fish showed up, so I moved to a main lake point in 100 feet or more of water. Dropped my green light again and the bait showed up. There were some small fry on the surface, but the bigger-sized bait were 15-25 feet down. It wasn’t long until I started seeing a few big arcs cruising under the bait 30-50 feet down. I landed my first striper about 15 minutes after arriving and then it started to get a little light out, but the bait stuck around and a few more fish showed up. I got to land another two stripers by about 5:15.
“By then it was getting light enough that other fishermen started showing up. I had caught three nice stripers and all swam away easily so I decided to look around and fish some new spots for possibly my outing tomorrow. I found one area back in a small creek that was holding a few fish. I fished for them a brief time, but they seemed to be just window shopping. I did manage to catch a couple of nice largemouth by casting out my Kastmaster and letting it sink about 4 seconds. They wanted a steady slow retrieval today. For the striped bass I was using a Tater Bait Tater Shad in a copper rose color pattern. It has been working well for me lately. I headed back to the resort early since I needed to get back and wait for the delivery of a new refrigerator for one of our cabins.
“The lake surface temp was about 83 degrees this morning on the main lake. The water level is fairly stable and sits at 560.65 feet msl. There is a thermocline formed around 25 feet deep. The water is clear on the main lake and slightly stained in the creeks.

“Come make some everlasting memories on Norfork Lake in the Arkansas Ozark.”

Lou posts fishing reports nearly every day to his blog on the Hummingbird Hideaway Resort webpage.