Cotter Trout Dock Weekly Fishing Report
September 9, 2026
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Below is the Arkansas Game and Fish Fishing Report September 9, 2026.
White River
Cotter Area
(updated 9-10-2026) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said Bull Shoals Lake is holding steady at 656.48 feet msl. “The water level continues to be extremely low throughout the day, providing great catches of trout and wonderful wading opportunities. Late in the afternoon, when releases climb to 16,000-plus cfs (about five units or more), floating a wriggling worm near the bank takes precedence.”The rainbows are seeking deeper holes during the morning hour; even this late in the summer, crawdad tails continue to lure them out for a nibble. Shad, soft-shell crawdads and, always, sculpins are to go-to baits for browns. “This low, low water allows us to use so many different lures and baits successfully: jigs, Rooster Tails (orange or rainbow colored), floating No. 5 Rapalas (silver/black or rainbow), red-gold or blue-silver Buoyant spoons. The rainbows always seem to follow a bubblegum pink Berkley Mouse Tail. For our fly guys: Keep the never-fail red-silver midge on hand.
“The summertime heat has followed us into September but the weather folks are promising a break in the heat soon. Come see the works of His hands here in the never-fail beauty of The Natural State of Arkansas.”
Calico Rock Area
(updated 9-10-2026) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said, “This week, we’ve seen the river rising in the mornings and cresting around 7 feet. Depending on when the water starts rising, the guides have either gone downriver to get ahead of the rise or go upriver to get behind the rise. With the deeper water in the mornings, we are seeing a lot of success drift-fishing with two Uncommon Bait Neo Pink eggs and tipping the hook with raw shrimp. If using artificial lures, fish near the banks.”
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 9-3-2026) Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake said Wednesday that this record-setting heat wave may be starting to slow down. The water temperature was 85 degrees, give or take. The bite still hasn’t changed much. “ It’s junk-fishing time of year. The bite has been fair. Powerfishing can be slow; better have wind/clouds/rain/stain. There are definitely some fish up shallow. Look for shallow brush and bushes, anything to flip a Beaver, jig or worm in the backs of creeks with any kind of flow. If it’s the right conditions, you will most likely notice bait fish. “
He suggests using a Toad, buzzbait or Whopper Plopper-style lure on shallow windblown banks and covering water. “Better get up early and beat the nasty heat. The topwater bite has slowed some, but it’s not done. If you’re finding surface activity, try a big Spook. Those fishing have moved to schools and they are fast. The Jewel Shad Spoon is working. Or you can take your favorite minnow to look at them. I’m using a one-eighth-ounce up high or deep with a three-eighth-ounce Tater.“If the conditions are postfrontal, flat water, high pressure and bluebirds it will get really tough. Lots of guys are going at night to beat the heat. I will slow down, downsize and get off the bank, look at deep ledges and brushpiles, and bomb cast with lighter fluorocarbon line. You can try a drop-shot with a Robo in suspended schools, or use a half-ounce Jewel Football Jig in green-pumpkin orange, PB&J or Bass Whacker sitting off of deep points. Traditional bass fishermen are dragging the long points and ledges with big red worms or craw baits in brushpiles and timber tops on bluffs and bluff ends.
“There is a thermocline down around 32 feet. Lots of fish are holding around this depth. It’s that time of year to keep moving, hitting as many spots as possible. Remember: ‘Fish the Conditions!’.”(updated 9-10-2026) Southernwalleye Guide Service said there’s been no significant changes in walleye fishing patterns this week, with the exception of fish moving a little bit deeper on the lower end of the lake, and some good fish are being caught suspended 5 feet off the bottom in 35 feet of water. Summer patterns are still in play. “We are seeing fish closer to the lower end of the lake are a few feet deeper than mid-lake areas.”
Fishing has been fair. The Army Corps of Engineers has been running a little water through the dam in the afternoons, and this has helped the bite pick up a bit more when the water is running. Fish are holding on flatter points with deep water on one side.
Look for fish on the tips of long points as well as the sides that are close to the sharper drop-off. Walleyes seen next to brushpiles still seem to be situated on the offshore side of the brushpiles where deep water is closer.
Main lake and secondary points have been producing fish during the day. Fishing slow has still been the key to picking up better-size fish.
Fish shallower in the early mornings and on cloudy days in 32-34 feet of water, and deeper in 35-40 feet of water if there is little or no wind or cloud cover. Casting
jigging spoons in white, chrome and blue and jigging Rapalas in blue and chrome or Helsinki Shad color, in half-ounce to three-quarter-ounce size, into 30 feet of water and working it back out into 40 feet has been working. Drop-shotting live crawlers around the offshore side of brushpiles in 32-37 feet is also working.
Bottom-bouncing orange, chartreuse or gold No. 3 Colorado deep cup blades or brass or gold willow leaf bladed spinner rigs and crawlers around the sides and tips of point close to channel swings is producing a lot of short fish as well some good 18- to 23-inch walleyes.
If trolling, try shad-style and small banana-style baits like No. 7 Flicker Shads or No. 9 Flicker Minnow in natural colors. Trolling in 35-40 feet of water at speeds of 1.8 to 2.2 mph seems to work best .
(updated 9-10-2026) Crappie 101 Guide Service (870-577-2045) reports that not much has changed of late on the crappie. They are mainly on brush from 20-30 feet in the creeks. Minnows have been best.