Spotlight on North Arkansas

AGFC Regional Fishing Reports

AGFC Communications

• White River — Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said, “There is nothing better than a spring day in the Arkansas Ozarks fishing on one of our many rivers or streams or lakes.

We're partial to trout fishing on the White River, but when the Buffalo National River reopens, get ready for some great smallie fishing on water that has been untouched by an angler's line for over a month!

Imagine that — But, turn back to trout fishing because we've had a pretty awesome week. Although the three dams that ultimately affect our fishing here in the north-central area of The Natural State are all busily producing power by running tons of water into the rivers because the lakes are filled with spring rain, we're still netting exquisite trout.”

“Nearer the dams, you'll find your best catch will be casting and trolling in the center of the river, right in the middle of the current. That's because warmer surface water from the lakes hits the rivers when the dams use spillways to increase the amount released, and we know trout like cold water. Keep to the center when spillways are in use. No surprises that the browns continue to chase mid- to large-size sculpins; rainbows will bite at fluorescent yellow or lemon-lime eggs with shrimp. These water conditions beg for big stick baits. There's a nicely producing Olive Green X-Rap with a 3-to 5-foot swimming depth and a flashy white feather, or the number 9 or 11 gold/black Rapala Countdowns should attract a nice

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selection of trout. The 3/8ounce Smithwick suspending Super Gold Rogue or the Foxy Momma 4-inch rogue will tempt a curious brown or cut.”

“So far there aren't any social distancing rules between anglers and trout, so plan your next trip when possible and we'll celebrate on the river.”

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is “green colored.” The water is high, and the gates at the dam are still open. The trout bite picked up, with anglers having good results. Brown trout are going after streamers. Several rainbows were caught as well.

John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said that during the past week they had two rain events (combined for a little less than 2 inches), cooler temperatures and heavy winds (to include wind advisories). The White had heavy generation no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell 0.9 foot to rest at 16.4 feet above seasonal power pool of 553.75 feet msl and 9.8 feet below the top of flood pool. The Norfork tailwater had heavy flows and no wadable water.

The Army Corps of Engineers has opened the spillway gates on Table Rock, Bull Shoals and Norfork dams in an effort to lower the water level on these lakes quicker.

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— Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock said the lake is murky. Surface water temperature is 60 degrees (as of Tuesday afternoon) and the lake is 24 feet above normal conservation pool.

Crappie reports are fair.

Crappie are shallow and spawning, he said, and subsequently hard to find right now. Black bass are all at different stages of the spring — some are postspawn, he said, others are spawning and some are pre-spawn. Your best bet is to fish them with Senkos, floating worms and 2.8 swimbaits. No reports on bream or catfish, Del says.

Walleye are good. “People are starting to catch walleye pretty well,” he offers.

Visit Del’s YouTube page (Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock) for more information and tips on catching the fish in Bull Shoals Lake.

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— Lou Gabric at Hummingbird Hideaway Resort said Norfork Lake fishing has been pretty good. The best bites on the lake are for crappie, large & smallmouth bass, walleye and then striped bass. Hey wait, that is most species in the lake!! Yes, most species are biting and the best bite is early in the morning and late in the afternoon. This is very typical for this time of year, sunrise and sunset are the best time to find active fish.

Two methods of fish are working the best for crappie. (1) Trolling Berkley Flicker Minnows size 7 and size 9. The size 7 get down to about 15 feet and the size 9 goes to about 20 feet. I troll with my trolling motor and travel about 1.2 mph. I fish in coves that have a lot of sunken brush piles. Somedays the fish are scattered out anywhere from 20 feet of water out to 40 feet. (2) Vertical jigging a small spoon or a small grub with a jig head. Find brush in 25 to 35 feet of water and then locate the part of the brush pile the comes up in the water column the highest. I am finding crappie suspended 10 to 25 feet deep. Vertical jig for them or mark your spot with a float, then cast to this spot with a slip float and then slightly twitch the line to keep the grub moving slightly. You can also tip the grub with a live minnow to get more action. Largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass are hanging around close to shore.

With the high water there is a lot of sunken buckbrush 10 to 18 feed deep. The fish are hanging inside the brush. On windy days cast out a spinner bait and work it on top of the brush. You can also use grubs, worms or flukes and cast them to just outside the brush and let them sink to the bottom. I would think that a Ned Rig would work great at this time, just outside of the brush. Many times, when you lift the bait off the bottom there is a fish on.

Right at sunrise and again at sunset there is topwater action for this species. Any topwater bait or a swimbait will work great. Long shallow points, part way back into coves and also on the shallow side of the main lake are great places to try.

The walleye bite has been getting better for me. I have also done very well for walleye before sunrise, in the dark, using my swimbait in similar types of areas as long as there is bait in the area.

The bite for striped and hybrid bass has also been fairly good, but this bite has been inconsistent for me. One day I find the bait and the fish are nearby feeding, then the next day they are gone and I am out looking again. The cool weather frontal systems that we have been having weekly, affect this species the most. I also think the changing surface temperatures due to these frontal systems have a big role on striped bass feeding habits. I have found stripers in 2 different parts of the lake, but very similar types of areas. There have been days when the fish move out to deep water, 50 to 70 feet of water, and suspend from the surface down to 20 or 30 feet. Live bait is working very well, but casting out swimbaits is working the best for me.

Other days I find them close to the shore line, especially long shallow points that have lots of flooded buck brush. The bait moves into the buck brush to hide and the fish follow.”

Photo courtesy of AGFC