White River

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is clear and high with six to seven generators running around the clock. Trout are biting well, but angling is limited to boat fishing only. Fly fishing with copper johns and San Juan worms is working well, as is fishing with a grasshopper pattern on the surface. Red or pink trout worms are working well for bait anglers. Spin fishermen are doing well with silver or gold Lil Cleos and Buoyant Spoons. Green, red or brown Rooster Tails are working well, as are white ¼-ounce marabou jigs.

Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said five to eight generators are running this week. Countdown Rapalas in black/silver and black/gold size 7 and 9 fished over the drop offs have work well.

Guide Davy Wotton said the lower temperatures haven’t hindered fishing, and the action is still good. Generation may slack off with the cooler weather and less power demand. Hoppers and hopper/dropper combinations are still catching many trophy browns as well as some better than average rainbows and cutthroats. If you find fish are moving to your larger dries then reduce the fly size, even ants and crickets will do well. Streamer fishing has its ups and downs, some days the bite is good others very slow. Nymph fishing is probably the most productive way for numbers of fish, and occasionally a big brown with take a small nymph. Given water conditions are generally clear then fish will easily see smaller flies, sizes 12 to 16 fished at depth. Combinations of midge, GRHE, PTNs, worms, sow bugs and scuds are all well worth fishing. You may have to reduce leader/tippets to 4x or less for the smaller flies, 5x being overall best.

Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said water levels remain relatively high but consistent. Trout are continuing to hit Countdown Rapalas in sizes 7 and 9 cast toward the bank or any place where there is a seam or fast water meeting slack water. Power Bait is working well dragged on the bottom, but most of the fish caught on Power Bait have been small.

Buffalo River

Just Fishing Guides said the water levels are: Ponca – 1.31 feet and 1.9 cfs; Pruitt – 3.12 feet and 2.2 cfs; Tyler Bend – 3.47 feet and 40 cfs; Buffalo Point – 2.23 feet and 69 cfs. The entire river is very low and wading or dragging a canoe is the only way to fish except in the Buffalo Point area and below. Water temperatures are ranging from 68-79 degrees. Smaller fish have been the rule. The river flows are very low and care should be taken to not spook fish. Spin fisherman are doing good bottom bouncing tubes, lizards and brush hogs in watermelon/red and green pumpkinseed. For fly anglers, try crazy dads, rabbit tail sliders, woolly buggers and Clouser minnows on both floating and sink-tip lines.

Crooked Creek

Just Fishing Guides said the gauge at Kelly’s Slab is reading 9.3 ft. and 4.3 cfs. The creek is really low for floating but fishing is excellent for wading. Spin fishing with soft plastics and 1/16-oz. jigs will consistently catch good numbers of fish. Topwater lures are working well also and some days will catch just as many as bottom bouncing plastics. 4-inch lizards, 3-inch tubes and brush hogs in watermelon, watermelon/red and green pumpkin colors along with Tiny Torpedoes and small buzzbaits are working. Flies to use include Clousers, zonkers, crazy dads, near nuff sculpins, poppers, sliders and hopper patterns.

Bull Shoals Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 661.36 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 654 MSL).

Mike Worley’s Guide Service said jigging spoons have caught a mixed bag of fish from 25 to 42 feet deep. Shad Raps trolled on leadcore line and crawler harnesses fished behind a slowly trolled bottom bouncer have done well on walleye, bluegills and catfish. White bass are holding a little deeper at 40 feet, while the walleye are staying around 28 to 32 feet deep.

Bull Shoals Tailwater

Just Fishing Guides said water releases are continuous at 16,500 cfs. Drift fishing has been very good with sink-tips and medium-sized streamers with good numbers of rainbows and browns. Hopper patterns are doing very well also, as has nymphing with scud, sow bug, caddis and worm patterns. Minnow crankbaits in black/gold and black/blue are working along with brown trout colored jointed minnows. In-line spinners like Rooster Tails and Mepp’s are also picking up fish.