Cotter Trout Dock Weekly Fishing Report

  October 23, 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 23, 2024.

White River

(updated 10-24-2024) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said the White River below Bull Shoals Dam has seen minimum flows for most of each day for the last month and longer; higher releases usually occur late in the afternoon and evening, dropping again by early morning. Bull Shoals Lake is over 9 feet below power pool, sitting at 650.93 feet msl, so we expect the releases to remain low. Mother Nature is blessing us with nicely moderate temperatures, but early mornings are chilly enough to require a couple of layers.

The rainbow fishing continues to be successful with PowerBait luring in lots of trout for both the wade/bank anglers as well as the boaters. It’s autumn – time to switch to yellow and sunrise for your egg pattern flies or PowerBait. Moss green jigs with a little peach thrown in are worth a shot to change up your fishing technique and keep the curious trout interested. D2s, Zig Jigs or Marabou jigs will all cause a stir.

The annual spawn is heating up, so be gentle when returning the females to the river. Stock up on shiny, flashy baits and lots of jiggle for use during the spawning months. We have seen fewer browns and cutthroats this past week, but those we’ve been able to bring to the boat have taken sculpins rather than stick baits. They’re preserving

energy and beefing up for the spawn.

“Fall colors are a little muted this year, but when the sugar maples begin to change they really pop! Come on over to the White River and see for yourself. Welcome to the Ozarks.”

(updated 10-24-2024) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said, “Based on energy demand, we have seen inconsistent water levels throughout the week. Late last week we saw depths as high as over 6 feet to some days never getting over 4 feet during the night. One day we saw water at 2 feet and never got over 3 feet. This Wednesday was our first day where we received enough water to reach 5 feet, but it also caused us to receive dingy water. For the bulk of the week, using ⅙- or quarter-ounce Thompson Colorado spoons in nickel/gold worked well. We also had success with Rapala Countdowns CD5 in both brown trout and rainbow trout colors. Drift-fishing with Uncommon Bait UV eggs with shrimp produced some nice limits of rainbows. 

“For the next week, we are going to see cool mornings and some beautiful days. Great time to take advantage of the weather before cooler weather arrives.”

On Tuesday the AGFC stocked 1,000 rainbow trout at the Calico Rock boat ramp and another 1,000 at the Chessmond Ferry boat ramp. The next day, the AGFC used the pontoon raft to stock 3,100 rainbow between Calico Rock and Guion.

 

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 10-24-2024) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake (815-592-4302) said lake level is at 650 feet msl. The water temperature is hovering around 69 degrees, give or take. Fall junk fishing for black bass is underway. “You’re going to have to work for them and keep moving; don’t get hung up on one thing. Water seems to be turning over still. Fishing can be better when they move up during the lowlight or the Army Corps of Engineers starts generating or a front is moving in. We need some rain.

“Lots of bass are starting to move in on the shad. We did get a few more move up shallow with the cooler temps. Shad are spread out from the back off the creeks out to the mouths of the main lake. There are shad sitting high on the surface down to 50 feet; however, topwater fishing has been hit or miss. A smaller popper or smaller walk-the-dog early is best early. Try a Plopper-style bait in black or white covering water black or white. A lot of the dirty backs have shad but are just starting to clump up. If we get the right powerfishing conditions, those fish will eat a Chatterbait, white spinnerbait, etc., in shad colors. If its sunny and flat, I’m going to check the mouths of creeks and pockets, and on long points, ledges, piles, drop-offs and bluff ends as well as treetops that are close to deep water and with shad nearby.
“There are very large schools of bass chasing larger shad balls if you can stumble into them, but they are cruising fast. For this a small Flutter Spoon, Tater Shad or small, heavy swimbait will fool a few. You better be a good front-looker — having to hit them on the move isn’t easy. Overall, smaller baits have helped. It’s fall, 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 next spot. You can still catch them off points and piles with a big worm or small Jewel Jig in green pumpkin orange, or a shaky head. 

“So, 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 10-24-2024) Southernwalleye Guide Service (501-365-1606) says the walleye fishing has been slow this week. Fish have been reluctant to chase a bait and fishing slow has been the key to catching a few walleye. Fish are scattered from 20 feet down to 60 feet. 

“The best luck I have had has still been a drop-shot rig and nightcrawler around points with brush or trees close by. Walleye seem to be moving in and out of different water depths depending on wind and cloud cover. If they are shallow, stay out in deeper water and cast into them with a jig and crawler or drop-shot rig and work them back to the boat very slowly. If they are deep, go vertical with spoons, Ice Jig or drop-shot rig. Scan points, both sides and tips, by zigzagging in and out of 20-70 feet of water to find fish. You can also use a Carolina rig with ½-ounce egg sinker and No. 2 Aberdeen hook and nightcrawler worked slowly around groups of fish on the deeper sides of deep brushpiles. 

(updated 10-24-2024) Crappie 101 Guide Service (870-577-2045) says crappie are still mainly pretty scattered on brush in creeks. We’re Finding a few on the main lake but it’s tough going. Catching a few on jigs depending on the day, but still mainly minnows.