White River

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water clarity is stained with five generators running. Trout are good on jigs, spinners, drift rigs and shrimp.

Berry Brothers Guide Service (870-453-2424) said there has been some wadable water. The hot spot has been Wildcat Shoals. The best time to fish is early morning or late in the afternoon. Midday can be slow. 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 sow bugs. 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).

Buffalo River

Berry Brothers Guide Service said Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are navigable. With spring 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. With spring 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 663.17 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 654 msl).

Mike Worley’s Guide Service said the surface water temperature is in the mid-70s. Water clarity is very clear to slightly stained in the creek arms. Bass fishing has been great this week with smallmouth bass biting in 5 to 20 feet of water on soft plastics like swim baits, crankbaits, lizards and tubes. Largemouth bass are also biting these baits as well as top-water baits like Zara Spooks and Flukes. Walleye fishing has really picked up with good catches in 5 to 30 feet of water on crawler rigs fished on bottom bouncers, split-shot and trolled Carolina rigs. Jigs and jigging spoons fished vertically on brush piles in 20 to 30 feet of water are also working. White bass are still being caught in the backs of the creeks and large coves. With the main channel water being gin clear, look for the better bite to be in the back half of the creeks where the water is slightly stained and use as light of line as you can.