Cotter Trout Dock Weekly Fishing Report

  November 27, 2024

More reports and other videos are on the Cotter Trout Dock Youtube Channel Page.
Below is the Arkansas Game and Fish Fishing Report November 27, 2024.

White River

(updated 11-28-2024) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said Thanksgiving is here, Christmas is right around the corner! While many folks are turning their thoughts toward the holidays and hunkering down for the colder months, our anglers are still finding plenty of rainbows and browns willing to leave the comfort of their favorite hidey-holes. 

Bull Shoals Lake level is now 659.71 feet msl. The White River water level below Bull Shoals Dam has averaged one unit (3,000cfs) most of the week, but we’re beginning to see some early pulses of up to four units (12,000cfs). Watch for rises later in the morning and stay ahead of it for the best fishing.

Flashy gold Cleos should work well in this water, as well as the silver-blue hammered spoons. Orange PowerBait has been the popular bait for the rainbows because it mimics the eggs from spawning activity. Mid-afternoon sunshine brings very fishable hatches; time to tie on your favorite dry flies. Orange and yellow egg patterns and the faithful San Juan Worm have been successful when the clouds return, especially during those aforementioned rises. Catch a sculpin or two to put on your hook for brown trout bait.

The weatherman promises cold mornings but milder daytime temperatures for the next week so pick up your rod and reel, get outside and come join us on the river. Take advantage of school fall break and bring the kids. Bundle up in the morning and enjoy the excellent late fall fishing. Happy Thanksgiving.

(updated 11-28-2024) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said the water released from Norfork Dam continues to be dirty, resulting in poor fishing conditions on the White River around Calico Rock. Some of the older guides say they have never seen the river stay this dirty for this long.

 

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 11-28-2024) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake (815-592-4302) said the lake level is 659 feet msl and the water temperature is about 61 degrees. There are fish that moved up shallow. Powerfish by targeting stained water with Chatterbait, spinnerbaits or square bill up skinny. If there’s wood, flip a Jewel Jig or Beaver-style bait in the wood. Most of the creeks are stained. If the water is clear, you’re going to have to back out a bit, probably close to shad balls.

Some of the glide baits are working on the right days. The fish seem to be bouncing from shad ball to shad ball. In the creeks the shad are starting to group up. Most are out over the old creek channel, while some are getting pushed onto the flats. There are shad sitting high on the surface down to 60 feet. 

For the guys chasing shad, a small half-ounce Flutter Spoon or Jewel Scuba Spoon or Rapala Jigging Rap is good. If the shad are on the bottom, use a Tater Shad or small, heavy swimbait on the suspended ones.
Loons are showing up. You better be good at the front-looker; having to hit them on the move isn’t easy. Lots of different species are schooling and capitalizing on the shad. Overall, smaller baits have helped. As the lake cools off, we will get more fish moving up shallow. There are fish to be had on the main lake. Check long points, ledges, piles, drop-offs and bluff ends that are close to deep water. If it’s cloudy and windy, the Wiggle Wart, Rock Crawler or a crankbait are getting some attention on steeper, wind-blown banks. 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 11-28-2024) Southernwalleye Guide Service (501-365-1606) says the walleye fishing patterns are shifting more toward wintertime positions. The fish are following the shad. Searching for baitfish and good water clarity will be key to locating them. Channel swings midway back in creeks are a good place to start looking as well as long points at the end of channel swings to find a few walleye. The best fishing method right now is spoon fishing or Ice jigs. Vary the sizes of lures as the shads schools vary in size of shads in the schools. 

(updated 11-28-2024) Crappie 101 Guide Service (870-577-2045) says crappie are still scattered and seem to be doing better after the dirty water had set in recently. We’re still finding them in brushpiles mainly, and most seem to be 20-25 feet deep. Minnows have been bait of choice lately and also Tater Baits Small Fry on an eighth-ounce. Move around piles until you find the ones that cooperate.