White River

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is clear and low with little generation. Trout fishing is excellent, especially with PowerBait; try yellow or pink. Go with small spinners and spoons – Rooster Tails, Little Cleos or Copper Johns. In higher water, try Rogues and Rapalas. For fly anglers, scuds, sow bugs, zebra midges and grasshoppers are working..

Jim Brentlinger at Linger’had this report for Buffalo City to Red’s Landing: Water level has remained very low with only small amounts of generation. Catching fish has been spotty at best and the overall quality of the fish you catch is not too good. Most all of your fish will be small and they will be caught in deeper holes when the water is low. Power Baits and Zig Jigs have been working the best. When you find an area that is holding fish, don’t be quick to leave; it might be a while until you find another one.

Buffalo River

Just Fishing Guides said as of Wednesday, the river was low and getting lower. Ponca was very low at 1.46 feet, Pruitt was very low at 3.28 feet, Tyler Bend was low at 3.47 feet and Buffalo Point was low at 2.77 feet. Water temperature was averaging in the upper 70s. The river level is extremely low for floating; the water is clear. Warm-water streams and rivers have been fishing very well (although HOT!) lately with both quantity and quality fish being caught. Fly-fishing has been good with Bogle Bugs in white, Tequeely streamers, woolly buggers and Clouser minnows. The top-water bite with flies is really going gangbusters. Spotted bass are holding near woody debris. Smallmouth 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. Crankbaits, buzz baits and spinners have worked well also.

Crooked Creek

Just Fishing Guides said the gauge at Kelley’s Slab was reading 9.72 feet Wednesday, a good level for wade fishing. Warm-water streams and rivers have been fishing very well (although HOT!) lately with both quantity and quality fish being caught. Fly-fishing has been good with Bogle Bugs in white, Tequeely streamers, woolly buggers and Clouser minnows. The top-water bite with flies is really going gangbusters. Spotted bass are holding near woody debris. Smallmouth 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. Crankbaits, buzz baits and spinners have worked well also.

Bull Shoals Lake

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 653.7 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 654 msl).

Mike Worley’s Guide Service said the water temperature is 78-81 degrees. Walleye are biting well on jigging spoons, night crawlers and crankbaits fished 20 to 30 feet deep. Bottom bouncers with a half or full night crawler on a spinner rig or plain hook is probably the most productive way to catch walleyes throughout the day from mid-morning till sunset. Jigging spoons are working well on main lake points, drop-offs and brushpiles in the mornings, and under schools of shad throughout the day. Bass fishing is also good in 5-25 feet using night crawlers or crayfish on a split-shot rig on points and around brushpiles. Carolina- or Texas-rigged soft-plastic lizards or worms on brushpiles, as well as tube baits fished on a jighead, are working well. Crappie fishing is good on jigs fished shallow overbrush piles (5-15 feet) starting shallow in the early morning and working deeper as the sun gets up with a slip bobber on light line. I have seen good limits of crappie being cleaned by noon in the Diamond City to Tucker Hollow area the last couple of weeks.

Bull Shoals Tailwater

Just Fishing Guides said mornings are better than afternoons. 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. 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. Water releases have been all over the place but mainly in the afternoon for four-six hours, 1,500-6,000 cfs.