Cotter Trout Dock Weekly Fishing Report

  March 5, 2025

More reports and other videos are on the Cotter Trout Dock Youtube Channel Page.
Below is the Arkansas Game and Fish Fishing Report March 5, 2025.

White River

(updated 3-6-2025) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said March is living up to its name as the windy month; we sure hope it blows itself out quickly. Bull Shoals Lake is on the rise after Tuesday’s rainstorm. The lake is sitting at 659.22 feet msl. Generation from Bull Shoals Dam has been variable from minimum flow (700 cfs) to over four units (12,600 cfs).

Old fishing adage: You can’t catch one if your line isn’t in the water, so come on over and drop a line (6-pound test, green monofilament is a good start). Jigs have been flying off the shelf, for good reason. The peach/mossy green D2 jig has been catching the eye of a lot of trout. White jigs (most any white bait right now) have hooked a bunch, too.

Local fishing adage: March is the best time to catch a brown. “We’ve netted more browns than rainbows some days, and the trout we’re netting are healthy and providing a lot of action. Most were caught with a sculpin, but don’t leave the minnows at home. Shad is a great treat for the browns. It might surprise you to find that a gold Little Cleo hasn’t lost its allure to the browns.

“Use a heavier weight to float your baits nearer the bottom in this deeper water after spring rains. Cast near the banks where the trout don’t have to fight the current. We’ve had a lot of success with spoons, in addition to the Cleo, especially the red/bold Thomas Buoyant quarter-ounce Spoon.
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Ozarks and experience the beauty of our Natural State.”

(updated 3-6-2025) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said fishing last weekend was great. “We saw depths as low as 4.5 feet to around 6.5 feet. Drift-fishing with Uncommon Baits Ultraviolet Eggs tipped with shrimp or corn worked best for rainbow trout. Others saw success with a mix of orange and white Power Eggs with shrimp. Rapala Countdowns in CD5 and CD7 in rainbow trout or black and silver colors worked well. Additionally, Thompson Colorado quarter-ounce Spoons in nickel/gold worked well with the lower water. 

The rain Tuesday had minimal effect on the water in Calico Rock as of Wednesday afternoon. “I expect on Thursday we will see some dingy water, but the dirty water should clear up by this weekend. Other than a slight chance of rain on Saturday we should see some sunny days with mild temperatures into next week. Perfect weather to get out on the river and catch trout.”

 

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 3-6-2025) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake (815-592-4302) said the lake level is normal at 659 feet msl. Water temperature is ranging 44-50 depends “depending on the creek,” Del says. 

“There are more fish that have moved up staging in late winter, early spring areas. The powerfishing shallow should continue to improve. Some fish are up there roaming shallow. A jerkbait will catch a few in the semi-clear water. Target transition banks, chunk rock, steeper banks and small ledges close to deep water. In the wind! A SPRO Crawler or Wiggle Wart in red craw or green variations seems to be a bit better for me if we get some wind. The crank bite will be slow without it.

“There are always fish to be caught on a jig. Try a little slower presentation. Once again, with warm days and a little wind and sunny, try points, drop-offs or ledges, piles. You’re looking anywhere from 20-40 feet; way shallower (5-10 feet) in stain or clouds.
“The offshore video-gamers are going to have to work. The shad seem to have spread out. Target larger bait balls or any bait you can find up high near the surface and closer to the shore. It’s still winter — most fish are still hovering wanting to move up. They are moving around and every day is different and every creek will be a little different. Shouldn’t be long. 

“As always, graph time can pay off this time of year. If you are targeting shad eaters, a smaller 2.8 swimbait McMinnow or a regular Tater Shad has been working, and use a jerkbait around those high-swimming shad and shad balls early or late in the day when shad are up in the water column. They are being finicky if they aren’t actively feeding.
“Have fun, be safe and ‘Fish the conditions.’”

Del regularly posts new YouTube videos. Visit his YouTube site (Bull Shoals Fishing Report) for more information and tips on fishing Bull Shoals Lake.

(updated 3-6-2025) Southernwalleye Guide Service (501-365-1606) says with this week’s past weather, walleye fishing on the lower end of the lake has been unpredictable at best. Fish are in prespawn/spawn mode and are scattered along creek channels that have shad. Best to fish low light periods at this time. Cloudy and windy days help the daytime fishing a lot. Fishing 4-15 feet of water with jerkbaits or fishing 4 feet out to 30 feet of water with jig and minnow, jig and plastics, or Ice Jigs — worked slowly back to the boat on points with deep water on at least one side — will produce fish. Fishing same structure after dark with 110-style jerkbaits or 5-inch floating stick baits and retrieved back at extremely slow speeds will get some bites. 

As the water in the creeks starts to warm a little bit more, right before daylight in the morning will also be another opportunity to catch some using the same methods.

If trolling, try to fish low light periods. Trolling 5-inch stick baits at slow speeds as low as .85 mph in 7-14 feet along windblown banks will also work.

(updated 3-6-2025) Crappie 101 Guide Service (870-577-2045) says crappie are in the creeks not too far from the shad. Look for brush, 20-30 feet, and dead-stick a jig above them or minnows on a slip bobber. They are definitely moving piles regularly, so they can show up overnight.