White River

(Updated 11-06-2013) Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is clear, but is full of moss. Two to three generators are running. Rainbow trout are excellent on drift rigs, small spoons and spinners. Brown trout were slow last week.

(Updated 11-06-2013) Berry Brothers Guide Service (870-453-2424) said on the White, we have had low levels of generation in the morning and heavier generation in the afternoon. There has been no wadable water. The catch-and-release section below Bull Shoals Dam is closed until Jan. 31, 2014. The state park area is catch-and-release only for the same period. Night fishing also is prohibited in this area during this period. The hot spot has been the section below the state park. The best time to fish is early morning or late in the afternoon. The hot flies were Y2Ks, 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 pheasant tail suspended eighteen inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise). Some anglers have been fishing large streamers on the heavy flows and having success. This requires heavy sink tip lines and heavy rods. The hot flies have been large articulated streamers in various colors.

Buffalo River

(Updated 11-06-2013) Berry Brothers Guide Service (Updated 11-06-2013) Berry Brothers Guide Service said the Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are extremely low. The smallmouth are less 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. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.

Crooked Creek

(Updated 11-06-2013) Berry Brothers Guide Service (Updated 11-06-2013) Berry Brothers Guide Service said the Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are extremely low. The smallmouth are less 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. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.

Bull Shoals

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 657.45 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 654 msl).

(Updated 11-6-2013) Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock said the lake is turning over as it usually does this time of year. The water temperature is around 70 degrees on the surface and in the low 60s all the way down to 45 to 50 feet. The thermocline was around 45 feet and moving down. Topwater lures are working fairly well for bass over 10 feet of water. Mustard- or watermelon-colored soft-plastic tubes are working fairly well in the middle of the day in 10 to 15 feet of water. On cloudy days, a spinnerbait in natural colors is working well on windy banks. No report on white bass. Walleye are fair on nightcrawlers bottom-bouncing rigs and split-shot rigs in 30 to 40 feet of water. Crappie are fair on small minnows and 1/16- through 1/64-oz. jigs around brush piles.