Cotter Trout Dock Weekly Fishing Report

  October 15, 2025

More reports and other videos are on the Cotter Trout Dock Youtube Channel Page.
Below is the Arkansas Game and Fish Fishing Report October 15, 2025.

White River

Cotter Area
(updated 10-16-2025) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said Bull Shoals Lake is a foot and a half below power pool, offering steady releases over the last five days averaging 3,000 to 4,000 cfs with spikes up to three units (12,000 cfs) in the evening. Trout catching remains good to very good with mostly sunshine forecast for the next week — perfect fall days predicted. Cool mornings and warmer afternoons will pull anglers to the river where nature will flaunt some gorgeous autumn colors throughout the Cotter area.

Rainbows have been feisty and hefty, paying most attention to flashy baits; silver/black Rapala CD5s and 7s are a good bet. Thomas Buoyant Hammered Spoons (especially blue/silver) continue to cause a stir. Can’t beat the white PowerBait topping a pink worm if you’re drifting over the shoals. Jigs continue to entice a rainbow or two; find the right color combination for the day and you’ll be busy netting a bunch. The mossy green/peach D2 is winning this week.

The brown bite has been a little challenging with the onset of the annual spawn, but we’re still seeing some action with sculpin and shrimp.

“Come visit Cotter; catch some rainbows and enjoy the beauty of our Natural State.”

 

Calico Rock Area
(updated 10-16-2025) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said, “The weather has been beautiful, with cool mornings with fog on the river and warm days. We are seeing some amazing days of fishing also with plenty of rainbows being caught. The last few days, we’ve seen water rising to around 6.5 feet and cresting in late morning before dropping the rest of the day and reaching as low as 4.5 feet overnight.

“Fishing has been great in the morning if you can catch the rise and stay just ahead of it going downriver. In the afternoon, moving upriver has produced better fishing. We are seeing a lot of trout being caught, with some guide trips catching over 60-70 fish during a full-day guide trip. In the mornings, drift-fishing with silver inline spinners with Uncommon Bait Neo Pink UV eggs and shrimp has worked best. In the afternoon, quarter-ounce Thompson Colorado Spoons in nickel/gold have worked very well, as has Rapala Countdowns CD7 in rainbow trout colors or silver.
“We received one stocking of 1,000 rainbows from the Jim Hinkle Spring River Hatchery. The Norfork National Fish Hatchery lost a lot of trout due to poor water conditions, and I’m not sure how it will affect future stockings. I’m sure it will take Norfork Hatchery some time to recover.”

 

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 10-16-2025) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake said Wednesday that the lake level is still around 657 feet msl; the surface water temperature is about 74 degrees, a 3-degree drop from a week ago. Bass fishing has still been up and down — one day good, and the next day they are stubborn as the lake is turning over and will put some of those fish in a funk. The shad are moving into the creeks. It’s best to get up early to look for surface activity. If there are shad balls high toward the surface, you might find some breaking. Topwater is still hit or miss. I’m going to get up early for lowlight and cover water. Whopper Plopper and buzzbait on the bank, a toad and a Spook-style bait if it’s sunny. Fish the conditions, follow the bait and wind.

“Bass are really getting grouped up. If you’re lucky you might get more than one up there. Powerfishing conditions — wind/clouds: a spinnerbait, square bill or Chatterbait if there’s wind/stained water toward backs of creeks with shad. The shad are heading that way.

“If the sun comes out, try a shaky head in trees and brushpiles. There are always fish to be caught on a jig, like a Jewel half-ounce PeeWee. Try green pumpkin orange variants. On the bluff ends, bluff swings, long runout points along the channel, try pulling off ledges. Start at 15 feet early, then out to 30-35 feet.

“The shad are spread out from the backs of the creeks to the main lake and mouths of creeks. Look for larger groups of shad close to structure. Feeding windows seem to be short-lived. So keep moving. Try a drop-shot for bluebird, post-frontal suspended fish out on the points and bluffs. A smaller 2.8 Tater Shad or shake a minnow if they are up active, and a half-ounce Skinny Minner Spoon will come in hand. Fall junk fishing has started; make the best of it and ‘Fish the Conditions.’”

(updated 10-16-2025) Southernwalleye Guide Service said the walleye have been in a negative to neutral feeding mood again this week due to the lake’s changing conditions. The walleye seem to be scattering out and following the bait instead of holding on spots for any amount of time. If the sun is high and the wind is light, fish away from the boat’s shadow. Try fishing in 15-40 feet of water by snap-jigging a jig and half of a crawler, or drop-shotting a live crawler. Also using a three-quarter-ounce to 1-ounce white or chrome jigging spoon, or a Rapala-type Ice Jig in the same colors.

When trolling, try a size 5 or 7 Flicker Shad or size 9 Flicker Minnow. Trolling is best in 25-40 feet of water or just above the depth level where you locate the shad. Trolling at 1.7 to 2.0 mph seems to be a good speed at this time to get a reaction bite. Jerkbait fishing in 10-15 feet of water on the main lake and secondary points should start picking up next week or so, depending on the water temperature.

(updated 10-16-2025) Crappie 101 Guide Service says not much has changed, as the crappie are still hanging on brush in creeks for the most part in that 15-25 feet range. The jig bite has been slower as of late, so minnows have been the go-to.