Arkansas Fishing Report – March 15, 2012
White River
Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is clear and normal with two generators running. Trout are good on midges, nymphs woolly buggers and streamers in swift current. Rainbows are hitting anything – spinners, spoons, PowerBait and PowerWorms.
Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said rain has muddied the water, with two to four generators running most days.
Guide Davy Wotton said there should be some early caddis hatches soon with the warm weather. Generation levels are generally low with a few high water spikes, which have generated some shad through the dams. Best options are at this time drift fishing combinations of caddis larva and rock worms, sow bugs, white tail and prism midges in black and red. Wade fisherman, more or less as above, for the Norfork during low water then you will have to reduce the size of the midge from 16s to 22s at times, same also for Bull Shoals dam when generation is shut down.
Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge(870-499-5185) said Buffalo City to Reds Landing water levels have been low for the last 10 days. We are not getting any flow from the Buffalo. Fishing has been very good in the low-water conditions. Rapalas in the deeper holes and Zig Jigs everywhere else. The wind has been an issue for a week making it very difficult to work jigs properly.
Buffalo River
Just Fishing Guides said the river levels are 5/12 feet and 1,330 cfs at Ponca; 9.14 feet and 2,880 cfs at Pruitt; 11.87 feet and 8,330 cfs at Tyler Bend, and 9.22 feet and 6,790 cfs at Buffalo Point. Water temperatures range from 50-57 degrees, right at the point where fishing (catching) starts getting better for smallmouth bass. That is not saying that you can’t catch them in cooler water; it just gets tougher. Make sure you are fishing the deep holes and shallower waters on warm, sunny days. Some good fish have been caught. With the warmer temperatures continuing and a warm rain, fishing should really pick up. Fish slow and deep with soft plastics or crawdad pattern flies.
Crooked Creek
Just Fishing Guides said the gauge at Kelly’s Slab is reading 13.13 ft and 1,850 cfs. Water temperatures have been averaging 55 degrees.
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 654.03 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 654 MSL).
Mike Worley’s Guide Service
said walleye and bass are in shallow water and biting on Alabama rigs, stick baits, spinner baits, crankbaits and jigs. Crappie are biting on minnows and jigs fished about 6 feet deep over brush piles, and should be moving to the spawning banks soon. Try casting smoke or blue thunder 2-inch Swimming Minnows on 1/16-ounce jigheads on windy gravel banks in the creeks. White bass are biting in the late afternoon in the back of the creeks in less than 10 feet on white jigs, Rooster Tails and small crankbaits.
Bull Shoals Tailwater
Just Fishing Guides said the lake level is 653.6 feet, 0.4 feet below the top of conservation pool. Generation has been around the clock with 1-2 units (3,000 cfs and spikes to 7,000 cfs) during the week and no generation sometimes during the weekend. Caddis patterns are the preferred flies now. Suggested patterns include Prince nymph, Zugbug, Hare ’n’ Copper (olive), BH Z-Wing caddis (olive), partridge and peacock soft hackle, graphic caddis and elk hair caddis, all in size 14.