Cotter Trout Dock Weekly Fishing Report

  October 29, 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 29, 2025.

White River

Cotter Area
(updated 10-30-2025) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said Bull Shoals Lake is 4 feet below the targeted power pool of 659 feet msl (at 655.59 feet msl), and releases from the dam are reflecting the lake level with about one unit or less (3,000 cfs) flowing round-the-clock — keeping the trout healthy and preparing for the coming spawn. 

Remember, we are under a 120-day temporary mandate effective Oct. 16 to release all trout caught on the White River from Bull Shoals Dam to Norfork Access. Release them gently so we can maintain the action and fun for which the White River is best known. 

Successful catches this week started with mid-action spinners (Vibrax Blue Foxes were a hit, sliver with a blue blade or standard gold) and spoons (always start with the red-gold Thomas Buoyant). If you prefer bait, the guides are first using redworms; second, shrimp with orange or sunrise egg patterns. Pink-scented worms attracted a fair share of rainbows; they’re healthy, good-sized rainbows with a lot of color, red cheeks and bright pink stripes. 

The browns are not immune to bait now, even leading into the spawn season. Drift a sculpin and you’ll get more attention. Be careful not to disturb the spawning beds (the redds) if you motor through spawning areas around Rim Shoals and downriver from the designated catch-and-release section at the dam.

“We’re being treated with a taste of winter for a few days now after a week of unseasonably warm weather. Expect more seasonable temps this weekend and into next week — colder nights but warming days, more conducive to spending time outdoors. Check the nighttime low temperature rather than the daytime highs. We look forward to seeing you and sharing fishing stories.”

 

Calico Rock Area
(updated 10-30-2025) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said, “Over the last week we have seen depths as low as 3.5 feet and as high as 6 feet.  On Monday and Tuesday, the low was 3.5 feet and high was 4 feet.  During the lower water levels, artificial lures proved to be very effective. Thompson Colorado quarter-ounce spoons in nickel/gold and gold/copper worked well, along with the Rapala Countdown CD7 in brown trout color. We saw some nice 15-inch-plus rainbows with the largest being a beautiful 27-inch 7.25-pound hooked jaw male. 

“Additionally, we saw several nice 20-inch-plus brown trout being caught. In addition to the trout biting, we are seeing a lot of smallmouth bass being caught using the same lures. Fall is here with the cool mornings so dress in layers.”

 

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 10-30-2025) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake said Wednesday that the lake level is 655 feet msl; the surface water temperature is about 69 degrees. Shad area starting to get grouped up. Crawfish are starting to get active on the bank. A SPRO Rock Crawler on chunk rock and ledges and bushes in the wind is working. We’re powerfishing covering water wind/clouds. Use a spinnerbait, square bill or Chatterbait if there’s wind/stained banks in back with shad. If it’s flat and the sun comes out, get off the bank and try a shaky head on secondaries with trees and brushpiles. There are always fish to be caught on a  jig, such as a Jewel half-ounce jig.  Try green pumpkin and brown with orange variants.
On the bluff ends, bluff swings and long runout points along the channel, try pulling off ledges. Stay around 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. Try a drop shot for bluebird, post-frontal suspended fish out on the points and bluffs. A smaller 2.8 Tater Shad, dead-sticked, or shake a minnow if they are up active. A half-ounce Jewel Shad Spoon is working great in those schools if they ignore your minnow. Fall junk fishing is here, make the best of it and “Fish the conditions.”

(updated 10-30-2025) Southernwalleye Guide Service said the walleye fishing has been fair this week. As water temps come down, it should only get better. The walleye are 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 15-50 feet of water by snap-jigging a jig and half of a crawler or by drop-shotting a live crawler. Also try a ⅜-ounce to 1-ounce white or chrome jigging spoon or a No. 7 Rapala-type ice jig in the same colors (the Jigging Rapala has been working well by vertical fishing them in 35-45 feet depths).

When trolling, try a size 5 or 7 Flicker Shad or size 9 Flicker Minnow, trolling in 15-40 feet of water at 1.7 mph seems to be a good speed at this time to get a reaction bite. Fishing a 110+1-style jerkbait in 10-15 feet of water on main lake and secondary points has started to pick up a little since the water temperature dropped and should only get better.

(updated 10-30-2025) 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.