From Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

White River

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is clear and high, with generators cranking up at 7 a.m. and running throughout the day. Rainbow trout are biting well on pink trout worms and Power Bait. Brown trout are biting well on white jigs and Rapala crankbaits in the evenings. When the water is high, the brown trout are moving close to the banks.

Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said drift fishing in the morning in the deep holes around moss is your best bet.

Guide Davy Wotton said fishing is good, despite the heat. Generators are coming online early, before 9 a.m. Before the generators begin turning, wade fishing is good. Once the flow starts, fishing from a boat is the only option. Midge, sow bug and scud imitations are working well, as are small dry flies before the sun rises too high. For boat drift fishing, you may experience trashy water until the rise has taken time to clear out. The early rise of water will provide for a good bite, as water levels increase the fish will often shut down until the rise has stabilized. For clean water then choices of flies to use will include prism, white tail and shimmer midge, sizes 14/16, various versions of San Juan worms, GRHE, PTNs, and other generic type nymphs. Some dry fly activity may be good early before sun and heat hits the water surface. Streamer bite has been good again early and late evening once the sun has left the water. Browns are now starting to move upstream and we are finding some zones that hold good numbers of fish.

Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said fish continue to bite very well from Rim Shoals down through Shipps Ferry. As you come down the river to Norfork and Reds the fishing slows considerably. You can still drag Power Baits and catch your limit but the artificial bite slows considerably. Additional generators hit different areas at different times of day, but when that initially happens the bite slows to a snail’s pace. Between the new water and above 100 degree days it’s best to go fishing early and quit before noon.

Buffalo River

Just Fishing Guides said the water levels are: Ponca – 1.34 feet and 3.9 cfs; Pruitt – 3.20 feet and 7.3 cfs; Tyler Bend – 3.47 feet and 40 cfs; Buffalo Point – 2.27 feet and 82 cfs. The entire river is very low and wading or dragging a canoe is the only way to fish. Water temperatures are hitting 90 degrees in the heat of the day. Smaller fish have been the rule. The river flows are very low and care should be taken to not spook fish. Spin fisherman are doing fair bottom bouncing tubes, lizards and brush hawgs in watermelon and green pumpkin. For fly fisherman, try Crazy Dads, Near Nuff Crawdad, Near Nuff Sculpin, Clouser Minnow and Shenks White Streamer on both floating and sink-tip lines.

Crooked Creek

Just Fishing Guides said the gauge at Kelley’s Slab is reading 9.50 ft. and 4.3 cfs. This is very low water and poor floating conditions. Wade fishing is good for fly fishers using Clousers, Near Nuff Sculpins, Zonkers, Sneaky Petes and size 4-6 hopper patterns. Spin fisherman are doing fair using tubes, lizards and baby brush hawgs in watermelon and green pumpkin. Crawdad crankbaits and Tiny Torpedoes are also working well. Try fishing away from the heat of the day. Best bets are early morning and early evening just before dark.

Bull Shoals Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 682.11 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 654 MSL).

Bull Shoals Tailwater

Just Fishing Guides said water releases are I-2 units of generation overnight, then ramping up to 19,000 cfs by noon. Drift fishing is very good now. Nymphing, terrestrials and streamers should all be used. San Juan worms, eggs, scuds, sow bugs, BH Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns, Hare n’ Copper, hoppers, ants, beetles, Zoo Cougars, Woolly Buggers and large articulated streamers are suggested patterns to use.