White River

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said generators have been running heavy in the afternoon but are steady at one in the morning. Fishing for rainbows has been good but there haven’t been many browns caught. White River rigs and small spoons have been the lures of choice this week.

Berry Brothers Guide Service (870-453-2424) said the hot spot has been Rim Shoals. The best time to fish is early morning or late in the afternoon. The hot flies were prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, copper Johns, pink and cerise San Juan worms, gold ribbed hare’s ears and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended 18 inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise). Hopper season has begun. These are tempting morsels for large trout. You need a stiff 6-weight rod and a stout 7½-foot 4X leader. My favorite hopper patterns are the western style foam hoppers with rubber legs and a bright quick sight patch on the back. Dave’s hoppers are also a good choice but be sure to dress them with plenty of fly floatant to ensure that they ride high. A small nymph dropper can increase your takes. It is not uncommon to take more trout on the dropper. My favorite dropper flies are beadhead pheasant tails or zebra midges.

Buffalo River

Berry Brothers Guide Service said Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are navigable and both are receiving a lot of pressure. With summer here, the smallmouths are active. The most effective fly has been a tan and brown Clouser minnow. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.

Crooked Creek

Berry Brothers Guide Service said Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are navigable and both are receiving a lot of pressure. With summer here, the smallmouths are active. The most effective fly has been a tan and brown Clouser minnow. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.

Bull Shoals Lake

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 660.09 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 654 msl).

Mike Worley’s Guide Service said the lake level is at 660 feet and water temperatures range from 85-87 degrees. We have had a few cooler days and rain this week and fishing has been pretty good. Bass are biting topwater lures early in the morning and soft plastics and live bait during the day. Crayfish and nightcrawlers fished on split-shot rigs are working well on brush piles, points and drop-offs in 15-40 feet of water. Walleye are biting crawler rigs trolled on bottom bouncers and crankbaits in 25-40 feet of water. The water is still very clear in most areas and the better fish seem to be holding in and near the thermocline on main lake points and flats. Jigging spoons are catching walleye, bass and crappie on brush piles and bluff ends in about 30-40 feet of water. Some nice size bluegills have also been caught in 25 feet of water.