Cotter Trout Dock Weekly Fishing Report

  August 20, 2025

More reports and other videos are on the Cotter Trout Dock Youtube Channel Page.
Below is the Arkansas Game and Fish Fishing Report August 13, 2025.

White River

Cotter Area

(updated 8-21-2025) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said the White River winds through the Arkansas Ozarks and offers an angler the opportunity to catch more trout than in any other stream in the country. After days of brutal heat, we’re looking forward to a week of cooler temperatures. Bull Shoals Lake is just 11 feet above power pool, so we’re getting close to the goal (661 feet msl). This week we’ve seen lower river levels during morning hours than have been seen for several weeks, just under three units (9,000 cfs). But stay prepared for heavy generation — it comes later in the afternoons.

Small spinners with a Colorado blade were popular this week. Peach-colored egg patterns worked well upstream from Cotter all the way to the state park. Peach and olive jigs played during the morning hours brought a lot of action. As always, drifting red wigglers during high water is the ticket, with worm imitators (red, natural or bubblegum pink) just as successful. Cast toward the bank as you drift downstream and the rainbows and an occasional brown will snap them up. Pack in a black and silver Rapala Countdown (No. 5 and/or 7) for the sheer fun of the catch.

Browns are still biting at sculpins and soft-shell crawdads (keep the Rebel Wee Craw handy). Fly-fishers, pull out your hoppers; the end of August is the best grasshopper crop of the year and the trout are looking for them.

Early morning mist and fog can be hazardous, so be careful on the river. Take it slow and easy until the mist burns off. Come out and spend some time in The Natural State – you’ll be glad you did.

 

Calico Rock Area
(updated 8-21-2025) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said, “Both Bull Shoals Lake and Norfork Lake water levels continue to drop. The last few days we have seen lower water with peaks under 9.5 feet and going as low as 8 feet. With less drastic changes in water levels, the trout are biting more consistently. Drift-fishing with silver inline spinner with a No. 2 hook with two Uncommon Bait UV eggs (neo pink is working best) and tipped with shrimp. 

“With a little lower water, we are starting to see people having more success with artificial lures. Rapala Countdowns in CD7 or CD9 in rainbow trout or black/silver along with Dynamic J-spec in Glimmer Trout have resulted in some nice 20-inch-or-more brown trout. When the water is on the drop, we have seen some success using jigs in dark colors.

“In the last week we received one stocking of 4,800 rainbows using the AGFC stocking raft between Calico Rock and Allison.”

 

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 8-21-2025) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake said Wednesday that the water level dropped has fallen to 13 feet above the normal conservation pool, now sitting at 672 feet msl. Water temperature is about 87 degrees (give or take) with the cooler evenings and shorter days. The dropping pool level is starting to make ramp access and parking easier. Again, though, a shout out to the marinas and volunteers at the courtesy docks who have been doing a great job of accommodating everyone.

Bass fishing is still fair. Best suggestion is to get up early and look to beat hte heat and look for surface activity. Fish topwater with a small popper-style bait or Zara Spoon-style bait in natural colors. Del says he’s a fan of the Lucky Craft Gunfish. Fish around ledges, points, bluffs and swings — the typical summer areas. Largemouth bass are grouped up. Powerfishing shallow in the creeks has been hit or miss with the dropping water. A little rain would help. The baitfish are pulling back toward deeper ditches. You can deep-crank the drains if you find them. Fish the ol’ Big Red Worm, Texas-rigged, around trees and laydowns and 20-25 feet on points. 

There are always fish to be caught on a jig or Jewel half-ounce green pumpkin variant. On long runout points along the channel, try pulling off ledges. It’s that time where a lot of fish are suspended 25-30 feet with the thermocline. 

The shad are spread out from the backs of the creeks to the main lake. Feeding windows seem to be short-lived; better capitalize on it when it starts. Target larger schools offshore from swings and ledges off the bank with a drop-shot for the bluebird, post-frontal suspended fish. Use a smaller 2.8 swimbait or minnow if they are up active and a regular Tater Shad on suspended fish. A half-ounce jigging spoon will come in handy. “Fish the conditions. Summer equals half-day trips.”

(updated 8-21-2025) Southernwalleye Guide Service  said the walleye fishing on the lower end of the lake has been fair this past week. Schools of fish are in the thermocline on gravel main lake points and secondary points. Look for deeper water close by. Lots of small walleye and some limits of legal-size walleye are being caught. If the sun is high, fish just a little deeper and away from the boat. What’s been working is fishing in 28-33 feet of water with spinnerbaits and crawler rigs or working a jig and crawler or half-ounce to 1-ounce white or chrome jigging spoons at those depths.

When trolling, try a size 5 or 7 Flicker Shad or size 9 Flicker Minnow, as well as a half-ounce Hot n Top, in 28-35 feet of water. Trolling at speeds of 2.0 to 2.5 mph seems to be a good speed to get a reaction bite.

(updated 8-21-2025) Crappie 101 Guide Service says fish are still scattered but showing up on brushpiles in the 20-25 feet range. The bite has definitely been on the finicky side. Minnows have been best as of late.

 

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

(updated 8-14-2025) Tom Reynolds says the lake is at 562 feet msl and slowly falling. The lake is scheduled to reach its normal pool level on Sept. 15.
The stripers are stressed due to low oxygen and hot water. The lake water has been in the high 80s, almost 90 degrees, late in the afternoon. The oxygen level is very low for this time of year, and the oxygen will only get worse as the lake is lower and with no rain. Based on history, the stripers will shut down, and the bite will continue to decline unless the oxygen bubble bursts, which usually happens around Labor Day.
The stripers are beginning to shut down; they keep moving to deeper water, but the oxygen is very low for this time of year. “We are in desperate need of rain and cooler weather to get the water temp down.

“The best opportunity for stripers will be the upper section of Norfork, where the river ends and the lake begins. Cool water continues to flow south, but heavy rains would cause the stripers to migrate as the water cools. Right now, you can entice them using very active live bait. They do not seem to be interested in spoons or swimbaits right now.