Cotter Trout Dock Weekly Fishing Report

  March 19, 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 19, 2025.

White River

(updated 3-20-2025) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said, “March is spring break month, and on the White River near Cotter that means lots of young anglers. Families enjoying the great outdoors, spending time together without the everyday hustle and bustle, is the best of times. Memory-making time: fishing for trout in the beauty of The Natural State, early morning chill and mid-afternoon warmth, catching and releasing more than can be kept. Priceless.

“We’ve had a wide variety of water levels this week; Bull Shoals Lake now is at 658.93 feet msl, just a bit down from normal power pool. Generation from the dam has been variable: from minimum flow (700 cfs) to over four units (12,600 cfs). Be prepared to change your fishing tactics as the water level changes. Worms work well on the rise; shiny, flash helps during the drop. When the river is full of sculpins, you know the browns will hit on them, which has been the case this week. Still, keep a variety of baits on hand (i.e., shad and minnows). 

“Action is the key for spring break visitors, and the kids are busy catching with shrimp and bright fluorescent orange eggs. Cutthroats, rainbows and browns all responded to the call. Shiny gold spinners and spoons attracted the rainbows as well. 

“Sending them back to school with some great fish tales. Come on over and experience trout catching with Cotter Trout Dock on the White River in the Arkansas Ozarks. Arkansas hospitality never fails to please.”

(updated 3-20-2025) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said, “Hope everyone is safe after the storms that came in the last week. The storm didn’t cause any significant changes to the river. We have seen levels as low as 4 feet the last few days and high as 7 feet this week. Norfork Dam has been releasing water in the morning, which takes about 5 hours to reach Calico Rock.
“The best fishing has been in the morning before the Norfork water arrives. The biggest challenge has been the wind with gusts to 50 mph on Wednesday. It is a challenge to find a stretch of river to get out of the wind. The fish don’t seem to mind. We are seeing some more rainbows of 14 inches and larger being caught with many different methods. 

“During the low water, artificial lures such as Thompson Colorado quarter-ounce spoons in nickel/gold or Rapala CD7 Countdowns in rainbow or silver have worked well. The always good Uncommon Bait UV Eggs in Neo Pink or Bright Orange with shrimp or red wiggler worms worked well.

“This week, we received one stocking with the AGFC pontoon raft stocking rainbows between Calico Rock and Sylamore Creek.”

 

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 3-13-2025) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake (815-592-4302) said the lake level is 658 feet msl. Water temperature has ranged anywhere from 49-56 degrees depending on the creek. Bass fishing has been a little frustrating with good days followed by pulling your hair out. More fish are moving up. Powerfishing shallow has been favorable with high winds blowing square on the bank. Some fish are up roaming shallow in 5-15 feet. A spinnerbait, Alabama rig and a jerkbait will catch a few in the semi-clear water. Target wind-blown transition banks — yep, not easy with the winds but that’s where they are at. Also targets areas of chunk rock, steeper banks or small ledges close to deep water. A SPRO Crawler, Wiggle Wart, Red Craw or green variations. You can go bright in stained water. The crankbite will slow without wind. There are always fish to be caught on a jig — a Peewee seems to be getting a little more action. Try areas near shad. Once again: warm, little wind, sunny, points drop-offs or ledges or piles, your looking anywhere from 20-40 feet, and way shallower (5-10 feet) in stain or cloudy days. 
The offshore video-gamers are going to have to work — the shad are still spread out and are throughout the water column. Target larger bait balls or any bait you can find up high near the surface and closer to the shore. Some fish are still hovering, wanting to move up. They are moving around — every day is different and every creek will be a little different. If you are targeting shad eaters, it’s been work! A smaller 2.8 swimbait and/or a regular Tater Shad has been working, and try 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.  
For those of you who chase white bass, now is the time!

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 3-20-2025) Southernwalleye Guide Service (501-365-1606) says walleye fishing on the lower end of the lake has still been slow in the daytime this week. Best fishing this past week has been at night under the full moon. Fish are spawning at night and are scattered along chunk rock points with deep water close by and steeper creek channel swings that have shad. Best to fish low-light periods now. 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 the 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. 

We have not seen much up early along the shoreline before daylight, but 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 3-20-2025) Crappie 101 Guide Service (870-577-2045) says to look for crappie in the creeks around brushpiles close to 20-ish feet that are found closer to baitfish. Dead-sticking jigs with a small fry bait or minnows under a bobber has been decent but it seems it changes back and forth from day to day.

 

Norfork Lake
For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time outflow report from Norfork Dam, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

(updated 3-20-2025) Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters (also Facebook.com/stroutfitters or 870-421-1541) says the lake is at normal pool, 573 feet msl, with clear clarity and a water temperature in the 50s. The warm weather has improved fishing for Norfork Lake stripers. They are moving closer to shore as the water warms, bringing the shad into the creeks. The stripers have moved from the main lake to the mid-section of the creeks.
“I have seen stripers in the creeks that drop off into the channel. The bigger stripers have started showing up and are activity feedings on mid-size gizzard shad and threadfin shad. Fish the creeks that have long flats and stained water; Steward Point, Pigeon Creek, Bennetts Bayou, Big Creek and Brushy Creek are areas with the best conditions to hold active stripers.”
Tom Reynolds guides out of Tracy Ferry Marina.