Cotter Trout Dock Weekly Fishing Report

  October 30, 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 30, 2024.

White River

(updated 10-31-2024) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said November fishing on the White River waters around Cotter in the Arkansas Ozarks can often be a little chilly, but “we’ll take our chances. The autumn ambience of the river is more peaceful than usual, providing a feeling of timelessness — an opportunity to catch your breath before the hectic holiday season. You might not see another angler for a while, but you’ll always see some rainbows and very likely a few browns and a cutthroat or two.”

Bull Shoals Lake is almost 9 feet below its desired elevation for the season (659 feet msl is the target), currently sitting at 650.66 msl. That means most days the river is running minimum flow (700 cfs), just navigable for experienced johnboat pilots, comfortable for wade or bank fishing. Be careful if wading later in the afternoons — we see heavy generation (up to five units, 15,000 cfs) from the dam to satisfy power demands.

“Adding some garlic-scented egg patterns to your bait mix will bring more bites. We’ve had success this week with orange and brown/peach flashy baits: Rooster Tails, spoons and the D2 jigs. The gold/orange Cleos and Blue Foxes with orange/red bells attract a following, and worms are always a good bet during the rise due to increased generation.

“Sculpins are always a must for browns; river minnows are moving in fast.

“When planning your winter fishing trip, assume that your day will start at the lowest temperature from the night before and several degrees colder on the water. Layer up and you’ll enjoy your trip a whole lot more. Enjoy our Natural State.”

(updated 10-31-2024) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said the White River in Calico Rock continues to be as low as 2 feet as high as 5 feet. The very low water has limited how far up and down the river to fish. Fishing in the low-water conditions has made fishing with copper or gold-colored spoons (either a quarter ounce or one-sixth ounce) effective. We are also seeing success with Rapala Countdown CD5 in silver and rainbow trout colors. Additionally, quarter-ounce black and yellow Panther Martins with a gold blade worked well as the trout moved up onto the gravel bars to feed. Drift-fishing with Uncommon Bait UV Neo Pink eggs with a piece of shrimp or worm continues to be effective on both the gravel bars and deeper holes. Fishing with sculpins has been slow, but when the browns or rainbows bite, the trout tend to be larger (15 or more inches).

 

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 10-31-2024) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake (815-592-4302) said lake level remains about 650 feet msl. Water temperature is 68 degrees give or take.
“If you’re going bass fishing, 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 Corps (of Engineers starts generation or a front is moving in.
“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 and the main lake. There are shad sitting high on the surface down to 50 feet; however, topwater fishing has been hit or miss. Try a Plopper early, covering water. Black or white colors are working. 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., typical shad colors.
“If it’s sunny and flat I’m going to check the mouths of creeks and pockets as well as look on or around long points, ledges, piles, drop-offs and bluff ends, plus treetops that are close to deep water and shad is 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. As the lake cools off, if turnover ever finishes, we will get more fish moving up shallow and those crawfish eaters will start cooperating. Dust off the Wiggle Wart, Rock Crawler and crankbaits, especially on those windy, cloudy days. On sunny days, go with a Jewel Jig in green pumpkin orange. 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 10-31-2024) Southernwalleye Guide Service (501-365-1606) says the walleye fishing patterns are still about the same as last 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 15 feet down to 60 feet.
“The best luck I have had this past week 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 off 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 on 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 No. 1 or 2 egg sinker and No. 2 Aberdeen hook and nightcrawler worked very slowly around groups of fish on the deeper sides of deep brushpiles.
Some trollers have been picking up a few fish by flatline trolling shad-style baits in 15 feet of water in the early mornings and late evenings. 

(updated 10-31-2024) Crappie 101 Guide Service (870-577-2045) says crappie are still mainly pretty scattered on brush in creeks. We’re finding a few on main lake but it’s tough going. We’re catching a few on jigs, depending on the day, but still mainly on minnows.