Cotter Trout Dock Weekly Fishing Report

  October 9, 2024

More reports and other videos are on the Cotter Trout Dock Youtube Channel Page.
Below is the Arkansas Game and Fish Fishing Report October 9, 2024.

White River

(updated 10-10-2024) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said daily water releases from Bull Shoals Dam into the teeming White River tailwater have been variable throughout the last week: minimum flow during the early morning followed by high generation (up to four units or 12,000 cfs) in the evening before dropping back to minimum flows the next day. Bull Shoals Lake is almost 8 feet below seasonal power pool of 659 feet msl elevation, currently sitting at 651.71 feet msl.

Can an angler really get tired of catching fish? We’ve heard tales that some say their casting arms are worn out, reeling in over 50 rainbows in a 4-hour morning trip. Maybe … but I like to keep trying anyway! If you prefer bait, the guides have found red wiggler worms to be the ticket. Backing them up with shrimp and orange or sunrise egg patterns adds to the count. For a little more challenge, but still producing a nice creel count, anglers have been casting spinners (pink bodied Rooster Tails are champ).

Spoons are another great choice in this lower water. The gold Cleo is moving into first place again after a few years of obscurity.

The brown bite remains fickle; your best bet is to get your hands on fresh river minnows or varied sizes of sculpins and dangle them near the bottom. It’s easy to see all that we have to be thankful for as we look around the hills and waterways here in the Ozarks. Respect the gifts we’ve been given and enjoy all The Natural State has to offer.

(updated 10-10-2024) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said, “This week we’ve seen water rising and becoming dingy early in the morning, cresting around midday and clearing throughout the afternoon. Fishing has been steady using Uncommon Bait UV Neo Pink eggs with shrimp. When possible, boats have been going downriver in the mornings to get ahead of the rise and are fishing using lures such as the Thompson Colorado quarter-ounce spoon in nickel/gold or Rapala CD5 Countdowns in brown trout colors.

“In the afternoon, boats head upriver to catch the dropping and clearer water fishing with Uncommon Bait UV Neo Pink or UV Bright Orange eggs with shrimp. The fish see the ultraviolet eggs better.

“This week the AGFC used the pontoon stocking raft to stock 4,000 rainbows between Calico Rock and the Sylamore Creek area.”

 

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 10-10-2024) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake (815-592-4302) said the lake level is 651 feet msl, and the water temperature is 74 degrees “give or take.”

Del says, “Fall junk fishing has started. Bass fishing has been fair, typical for this time of year. Water seems to be turning over. Fishing can be pretty good when they move up during the low light or the Corps of Engineers has generation or a front is moving in. Lots of bass are still set up on late summer areas and patterns. It takes a while for this drink to cool down.”

Shad are spread out from the back off the creeks out to the main lake. There are shad sitting high on the surface down to 50 feet; however, topwater has been hit or miss. Use a smaller popper or smaller walk-the-dog early. Match the hatch.
A lot of the dirty backwaters have shad but are bubbling moss and dirty or turning over. “If we get the right powerfishing conditions, those fish will eat a Chatterbait, square bill. crankbait. I’ll use a buzzbait or Plopper all day if it’s windy, using shad colors. If it’s sunny and flat I’m going to check the main lake, the mouths of creeks, on long points, ledges, piles, drop-offs and bluff ends, or treetops that are close to deep water and shad is nearby. There are large schools chasing shad balls but they are cruising fast. For this, you need a Flutter Spoon, Tater Shad or small, heavy swimbait that will fool a few. You’d better be a good front-looker — having to hit ’em on the move isn’t easy.
“Overall, smaller baits have helped. It’s fall and the fish can be stubborn. For me, a drop-shot has been good when it’s tough conditions. So if you find them and get one or two to bite, you might as well go to the next spot. You can still catch them off points and piles with a big worm or small Jewel Jig in green pumpkin variants, PB&J, or a tube or a shaky head.
“Welcome to fall fishing. Catch one on the surface down to 50 feet. 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 10-10-2024) Southernwalleye Guide Service (501-365-1606) say the walleye fishing has been a little better this week. Fishing patterns are still the same as the last two weeks, just a little deeper. “I have been catching a few trolling at around 40 feet on various types of crankbaits. However, the best luck I have had lately has still been a drop-shot rig and nightcrawler or a Robo Worm around points with brush or trees close by. Walleye seem to be moving deeper. Scan points on both sides and tips by zigzagging in 40-55 feet to find fish. You can still just use a Carolina rig with half-ounce egg sinker and No. 2 Aberdeen hook and nightcrawler worked slowly around groups of fish on the deeper sides of brushpiles. This will also get you some fish, especially when fishing is slow. Spooning with a 1-ounce white spoon or any type of glide minnow or Ice Jig in water off main lake points or secondary points in 40-55 feet will also get you some fish.

Water temperature is running around 71 degrees early in the morning and with the water cooling off there should be a late evening jerkbait bite about the start up soon.

(updated 10-10-2024) Crappie 101 Guide Service (870-577-2045) says they are still finding crappie scattered on brush in the creeks, and the bite seems to be changing daily. Some days are pretty tough with so much bait in the vicinity. Main lake has been hit and miss when you can find them on brush. Minnows have been best lately, but they’re still catching a few on jigs on certain days. A one-eighth-ounce jig has been their choice when they throw one. Better quality still seems to be on the deeper brushpiles, when you can find them.