White River

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is clear and low with light generation in the morning and heavier generation in the afternoons. Trout fishing is good, especially with PowerBait; try yellow or pink. Pink trout worms, Rooster Tails and Little Cleos are working.

Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185)) had this report for Buffalo City to Red’s Landing: Low water is back with us again. Once in a while, more water comes in but it slows the fishing automatically. When you find fish, stay with them; it may be a while before you find another active group of fish. Bottom baits like Power Bait, Blue Fox spinners in gold No. 3 or No. 2, or the White River Zig Jigs in ginger or olive with ginger. Be safe out there in the heat. It can hurt you before you know it. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated!

Buffalo River

Just Fishing Guides said as of Wednesday, the river was low and slowly falling. Ponca was very low at 1.44 feet, Pruitt was very low at 3.25 feet, Tyler Bend was low at 3.25 feet and Buffalo Point was low at 2.53 feet. Water temperature was averaging in the upper 70s. The river level is extremely low for floating; the water is clear. Most of the Ozark streams are about 20 percent of their normal flows for this time of year. River levels are historically low this year and floating involves too much dragging. If you’re willing to hike, you can reach long pools that are full of fish! Clousers, Shenk’s Streamer, KC’s Ozark Slider and Crazy Dads are all working well. Also, try large hopper and dragon fly patterns on top. Whit’s Hopper and Whitlock’s Gorilla Dragonfly are cool patterns to try, as well as Sneaky Pete’s, Gurglers in white or chartreuse, and Boogle Bullets. The top-water bite with flies is really going gangbusters. Spotted bass are holding near woody debris. Smallmouth bass are in the deeper channels. Sunfish have been caught with about anything that hits the water. Small poppers, woolly buggers, spiders, beetles and hoppers are raking in the sunfish. Sometimes it is hard not to catch them. Spin fishing has picked up fish with white or gray Flukes, 4-inch Zoom lizards in watermelon red and tube baits in green pumpkinseed. Crank baits, buzzbaits and spinners have worked well also.

Crooked Creek

Just Fishing Guides said the gauge at Kelley’s Slab was reading 9.71 feet Wednesday. River levels are historically low this year and floating involves too much dragging. If you’re willing to hike, you can reach long pools that are full of fish! Clousers, Shenks Streamer, KC’s Ozark Slider and Crazy Dads are all working well. Also, try large hopper and dragon fly patterns on top. Whit’s Hopper and Whitlock’s Gorilla Dragonfly are cool patterns to try, as well as Sneaky Pete’s, Gurglers in white or chartreuse, and Boogle Bullets. The top-water bite with flies is really going gangbusters. Spotted bass are holding near woody debris. Smallmouth bass are in the deeper channels. Sunfish have been caught with about anything that hits the water. Small poppers, woolly buggers, spiders, beetles and hoppers are raking in the sunfish. Sometimes it is hard not to catch them. Spin fishing has picked up fish with white or gray Flukes, 4-inch Zoom lizards in watermelon red and tube baits in green pumpkinseed. Crank baits, buzzbaits and spinners have worked well also.

Bull Shoals Lake

As of Tuesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 652.2 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 654 msl).

Mike Worley’s Guide Service said rain and cooler weather finally arrived in the last few days. Walleye and white bass fishing has improved with some good catches in the 25-inch to 40-inch range on jigging spoons, trolling crank baits or stickbaits on lead-core line and night crawler rigs fished on bottom bouncers. Black bass have been active at night and early morning, biting on tube jigs, jig and trailer, plastic worms and spinner baits in 5-25 feet of water. Catfish are biting on night crawlers and cut bait in 5-25 feet.

Bull Shoals Tailwater

Just Fishing Guides said water releases have been once per day in the afternoon/evening for four-six hours at 2,000-7,000 cfs. Low, clear water with high, bright and calm winds are presenting fly-fishers some challenging conditions. Lengthening your leaders to 12+ feet and going to 7X tippet with size 18 flies will definitely improve your success. Also, use as small an indicator as possible in neutral colors like white, black or olive. Zebra-style midges in black, olive and gray are three of the better colors to try lately. Scuds, size 16, in olive, tan or gray have been working at times as well. All the tailwaters are fishing well. Plenty of low-water opportunities have wade fishers rejoicing (except at Bull Shoals). Mornings are better than afternoons, with late evening coming in second. Heavier flows are the norm in the afternoon as the weather heats up. Bead-head nymphs such as pheasant tails and hare’s ears are producing well. Hopper season is here! Be sure to have foam or deer hair hoppers in your arsenal. Be ready to use various sizes and colors of grasshoppers to find what the trout are keying in on. Early terrestrials like beetles and ants are getting some top-water action. Be sure to have some sulphur and light Cahill dries in your fly box. Try a hopper/dropper combo to maximize your chances of hook-ups or, if possible, a double-nymph rig. Doubles are very possible.