Cotter Trout Dock Weekly Fishing Report

  October 22, 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 22, 2025.

White River

Cotter Area
(updated 10-23-2025) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said Bull Shoals Lake is over 2 feet below the normal conservation pool level and still slowly dropping. Releases from Bull Shoals Dam have been steady averaging one unit (3,000 cfs) during the day, with higher flows in the late evening. Lake level is 656.25 feet msl.

“The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Trout Management Program have approved a temporary emergency regulation for the trout waters on the Bull Shoals tailwater and three other coldwater fisheries in the state. Beginning Oct. 16 and for the next 120 days, anglers are to release all trout caught in the Bull Shoals tailwater from Bull Shoals Dam to the confluence of the Norfork River. There has been a population collapse at the North Fork National Fish Hatchery, and the Jim Hinkle Spring River State Fish Hatchery is only operating at 50 percent level as it recovers from an April flood. Therefore, the AGFC determined current stocking levels cannot be maintained for the foreseeable future, so they have decided this is the best option to maintain the trout population. We’ve always released most all fish caught anyway because we catch more than the keep level. The river is open and we welcome you to come fish. Please feel free to call us if you have questions.

“We are having success with a variety of spoons and heavier-than-normal spinners. Locate any rainbow-colored spoons or Rooster Tails in your tackle box and throw those first. If you prefer bait, the guides are taking out lots of red wiggler worms and backing them up with shrimp and peach, orange or sunrise egg patterns. 

“The German Brown bite continues to be slower than we’d like, but don’t be surprised if you attract one or two with shrimp and PowerBait. They seem to be laying low, anticipating the coming spawn. Be extra careful and gentle when returning the females to the river.

“Cool mornings and beautiful warm afternoons will pull anglers to the river. We look forward to seeing you and sharing fishing stories.”

 

Calico Rock Area
(updated 10-23-2025) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said, “We are starting to see some chilly starts to the day and warming up to pleasant temperatures. Other than lower water Sunday and Monday, we have seen rising water in the morning cresting at around 6 feet late in the morning and dropping for the rest of the day. Water has been a little dingy in the mornings and clearing up throughout the day. 

“With the rising and dingy water, silver inline spinners with Uncommon Baits UV eggs tipped with shrimp has been effective. Switching to artificial lures later in the day has worked well for catching trout.”
Due to the loss of trout at the Norfork National Hatchery, the AGFC implemented temporary (120-day) emergency changes to trout limits effective Oct. 16. In the Calico Rock area, fishermen are allowed to keep two trout with one of the trout over 14 inches. This protects our fishery and allows Norfork Hatchery to recover while Jim Hinkle Spring River Hatchery continue to improve after last April’s flood. 

 

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 10-23-2025) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake said Wednesday that the lake level is still around 656 feet msl; the surface water temperature is about 73 degrees. Bass fishing has still been up and down — they are stubborn after a front. The best idea is 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. Follow the bait and wind.”

“Powerfishing conditions — wind/clouds. Use a spinnerbait, square bill or Chatterbait if there’s wind/stained water around banks and the back of creeks with shad. Flat and the sun comes out, try a shaky head on secondaries with 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 5-15 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 heading in. 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 deadstick or shake a minnow if they are up active, and a half-ounce Jewel Shad Spoon will come in hand. Fall junk fishing has started; make the best of it and ‘Fish the Conditions.’”

(updated 10-23-2025) Southernwalleye Guide Service said the walleye fishing has been fair this week. As water temps come down, it should only get better. The walleye seem to be starting to set up in small schools on main lake and secondary channel swing points. If the sun is high and 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 ⅜-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 in 25-40 feet of water or just above the depth level you locate the shad at. Trolling at 1.7 mph seems to be a good speed at this time to get a reaction bite. The jerkbait fishing in 10-15 feet of water on main lake and secondary points has started to pick up a little since the water temperature has dropped and should only get better.

(updated 10-23-2025) 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- to 25-foot range. The jig bite has been slower as of late, so minnows have been the go-to.