Cotter Trout Dock Weekly Fishing Report

  April 23, 2025

More reports and other videos are on the Cotter Trout Dock Youtube Channel Page.
Below is the Arkansas Game and Fish Fishing Report April 23, 2025.

White River

Cotter Area

(updated 4-17-2025) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said, “Bull Shoals Lake is sitting well above normal power pool, currently at 672.61 feet msl and leveling out as the Army Corps Of Engineers begins to lower the lake level. Bull Shoals Dam is running between 12,000-18,000 cfs (four to six units) all day. 

Drift-fishing is the name of the game on high water and has provided for some good-sized rainbows and a fair share of browns. Be prepared for a challenge and come with an arsenal of baits as the trout have a lot of room to escape the lure. “The brown bite has been slower this past week — not unexpected — as the trout acclimate to the swifter water. That being said, we’ve still seen a decent number in the 19- to 22-inch range mostly caught with sculpins.

“Stock up on red wrigglers and nightcrawlers — they’re doing very well for us right now, ensuring a good catch of the fatter rainbows. Try, too, some brighter baits in this high water, casting some orange or chartreuse PowerBait toward the bank a little out of the current. Jerkbaits will attract the larger fish: 4½-inch rainbow-hued lures that can stay mid-depth in high water.
“Drifting the White is a great way to spend a gorgeous Ozarks day. Stay safe and come in to share your success stories.”

 

Calico Rock Area
(updated 4-24-2025) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said the river this week remains high, dingy and with water flow above 30,000 cfs at Calico Rock. Fishing is very tough but not impossible. Uncommon Bait UV eggs tipped with shrimp have worked well, but because of the depth an extra weight might be needed to reach the bottom. 

“With the fast current the river is dangerous. Both Bull Shoals and Norfork lakes are several feet above their respective conservation pool levels. I expect it may be some time before we see more ‘normal’ water levels. Be aware of your surroundings and DO NOT throw out an anchor while in the river. If the anchor gets hung up it will pull down the front of the boat.”

 

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 4-24-2025) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake said Wednesday that lake level was on the rise at 672 feet msl. Water temps vary in the low to mid-60s. The bigger creeks have some debris; be careful with floaters as the wind changes direction and the lake rises. Take debris precautions on launch ramps and courtesy docks. 

There is more precipitation in the forecast. The water toward the main lake is gin clear toward the dam, with color still in the creeks. Some fish have moved up to spawn. Lots of fish are cruising the outside bush line still. Powerfishing shallow has been favorable with clouds, rain, wind and stained water. Some fish are up there roaming shallow. Try a spinnerbait, Chatterbait or a square bill in bright colors. Target windblown points and flats near spawning coves/pockets. I’ve been checking the flooded buckbrush. There are always fish to be caught on a jig, a half-ounce Jewel in green pumpking or some variant. 

Once again, warm with little wind and sunny, look at points, drop-offs or lefges, piles, swings — your looking anywhere from 1 foot to 20 feet. Use a Carolina-rigged lizard, and a shaky head, wobble or a Ned rig is coming into play. 

The offshore videogamers have to work now; the shad are still spread out, while some are congregating in the drains. Target larger bait balls or any bait you can find up high near the surface and closer to the shore. If you are targeting shad eaters  it’s been work. A smaller 2.8 swimbait or a regular Tater Shad has been working. They are being finicky if they aren’t actively feeding. 

“Good luck, 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 4-24-2025) Southernwalleye Guide Service says the change in lake level has the fis, and the wind direction, changing positions on a daily basis. The lake has come up over the buckbrush in a lot of areas and is still rising. Fishing in the backs of creeks with stained water has been producing a few fish. Fish over buckbrush with spinnerbaits or a ⅛-ounce jighead with a small swimbait, or a shallow-running jerkbait, such as a Suspending Rattlin’ Rogue will get some bites.

Walleye seemed to be starting to feed a bit better this week. Fish are scattered along chunk rock points with deep water close by and along steeper creek channel swings that have shad. Some walleye are being caught in open water over the flooded trees. Fishing methods are still about the same. 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 right before and after dark with 110-style jerkbaits or 5-inch floating stick baits and retrieved back at extremely slow speeds will get some fish.

If trolling shallow, try to fish low-light periods. Trolling size 7 Flicker Shads at speeds between 1.5-1.7 mph in 7-14 feet along windblown banks will also work. If trolling deep, try deep-diving crank baits with snap weights to get your baits down 40-50 feet and fish over the flooded trees in 80-plus-feet of water at 1.2 to 1.7 mph. 

(updated 4-24-2025) Crappie 101 Guide Service (870-577-2045) says crappie are starting to get on the banks making beds where the water temperatures are more stable. Recent rain and muddy rising water definitely have slowed things down but should really improve this week. Small jigs and minnows have been working.

 

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

(updated 4-24-2025) Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters guides out of Tracy Ferry Marina and reports that the lake went up to almost 570 feet msl this past week due to heavy rain north of us. It is beginning to drop again and is 568 feet and dropping. The creeks remain stained, the main lake is clean and clear. Strong south winds this

past week have turned on the stripers. Stripers have moved to the flats and are feeding heavy, live bait guides are catching some big stripers, my biggest this past Saturday was 30 pounds. The striper was measured, photographed and released. Limits of stripers are now being caught daily.
“The north winds had moved the bait out of the creeks, but the south wind has warmed the creek water and the bait and fish are back. Concentrate on stained water midway back in the creeks, and stay in water depths below 40 feet. 

“The male crappie have moved shallow, 3 feet or less, and are getting ready to spawn.

“Night fishing is doing very well. They are staying 10 feet of water and casting parallel to the bank. The best times have been sunset to 10 p.m., focusing on the lake’s north and east banks. South and west winds warm these banks during the day, attracting stripers looking for bait. The best lures for night fishing are Rogues and swimbaits.