From Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

White River

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said generation has been sporadic, with four generators on Monday and no generators running Tuesday. Trout are biting fairly well on Power Bait, shrimp and small artificial lures. Most of the trout being caught are rainbows, but a few large browns have been caught.

Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said fishing has been excellent this week using corn. Fishing pressure has been low with only two generators running during the day.

Guide Davy Wotton said erratic generation coupled with low temperatures have made fishing tricky, but the bite is generally good if you figure out how to work with rising and falling water levels. Trout generally prefer a more settled water level, but may well bite well on a rise depending on the current. There have been plenty of options for wade and drift fishing. Wade fishing has been best with nymphs, wet flies and streamers. During low water, look for riffles and other areas where water is flowing. Midges and BWOs in sizes 18 to 20 are working. Otherwise, white tail, prism and shimmer midges, coupled with sowbugs or olive scuds have done well. When drift fishing, find faster water and use San Juan worms, dynamite and prism worms in red, claret, and tan. Worms are a good bet coupled with eggs in areas where two flies are legal.

Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said from Buffalo City to Reds Landing, the water has been pretty stained. Fishing has been hard, unless you fish the bottom with Power Bait or redworms. When the water clears, the artificial bite has been excellent. Olive woolly worms have worked well for fly-anglers. Countdown Rapalas and White River Zig Jigs have been the ticket for spin-fishermen.

Buffalo River

Just Fishing Guides said the river level at Hwy. 7 is 3.70 feet, 19 cfs. Water temperatures throughout the system are 50 degrees. Levels are very low in the upper river, but fishing is still good. Smallmouth are still feeding heavily for the winter slowdown. Fish slow and deliberate in the deeper holes and hit the shallows as the sun heats up the water. Crayfish and minnow patterns such as Gitzits, Crazy Dads, Shenk’s Minnow and Clouser Minnows should be your main flies.

Crooked Creek

Just Fishing Guides said the river level is 10.83 feet, 65 cfs, 2 feet below the low-water bridge at Kelly’s Access, and the water temperature is 50 degrees. Levels are very low, but fishing is still good. Smallmouth are still feeding up for winter slowdown. Fish slow and deliberate in the deeper holes and hit the shallow, faster water as the sun heats the water. Crayfish and minnow patterns such as Gitzits, Crazy Dads, Shenk’s Minnow and Clouser Minnows should be your main flies.

Bull Shoals Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 651.58 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 654 MSL).

Mike Worley’s Guide Service said bass are biting fairly well on jigs and tubes fished in 10-30 feet of water around bluff ends. Wiggle Wart crankbaits in natural colors are catching large smallmouth bass on bluff wall transitions. Be sure to down size your line and slow your retrieve. Some really nice walleyes are being caught on live bait and jigging spoons on the outside of main lake brush piles and drop offs. Water temps are in the upper 50s and suspending stick baits can catch some really good size walleyes and striped bass. Crappie are hit-and-miss, and biting better when we have a few days of stable weather.

Bull Shoals Tailwater

Ken Richards at Just Fishing Guides said the lake level is 651 feet and generation has been low to moderate. Fishing is good throughout the system with streamers and nymphs. There is still some activity with dries, especially in the afternoon with midges and cricket patterns. Hare’s ears, Copper Johns, Princes and Pheasant tails are the best nymphs. Don’t forget egg patterns and San Juan worms.