Bull Shoals

As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 659.01 feet msl (normal conservation pool – 654 msl).

Mike Worley’s Guide Service said surface water temperatures are in the 40s. Walleye are starting to move to the rocky main lake points and a few are being caught on suspending stickbaits, Alabama rigs and jigs. A warm rain should get the bite going after the cold winter we have had.

White River (Bull Shoals Tailwater)

Newland’s Resort below Bull Shoals said the water conditions are trending toward the higher side, with 4-5 generators running all day. Popular baits have been shad, yellow Power Bait, and Little Cleo gold spoons. Be sure to visit the Projected Water flow page and live web cam at Newland’s web site.

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said fly-fishing has been working well on low water. Sow bugs, zebra midges, San Juan worms and red/pink worms have worked well. Little Cleos, Buoyant Spoons and white jigs are working well. Rapalas and Rogues are catching some good brown trout lately.

Berry Brothers Guide Service (870-453-2424) said the hot spot was been the section from Wildcat Shoals down to Cotter. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers, Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, ruby midges, pink and cerise San Juan worms, and sowbugs. Double-fly nymph rigs have been very effective (try a cerise or pink San Juan worm with a midge pattern suspended below it). The Corps of Engineers have been running a bit more water than they did the previous week; that has been an advantage to streamer fishermen. To do this you need at least an 8-weight fly rod, a heavy sink-tip fly line and large articulated streamers. The idea is to bang the bank and strip the fly back to the boat. This is heavy work and requires advanced casting skills. Some effective patterns are sex dungeons and circus peanuts. We have had numerous reports of caddis hatches. Though sparse, the trout did key in on them, it is a harbinger of spring and a promise of what is to come. Before the hatch, fish green caddis pupa (size 14). You will often get more strikes at the end of the drift as the fly rises. When they move to the surface and trout start keying on emergers, switch over to a green butt soft hackle (size 15). When they start taking adult insects off the water’s surface, you should switch to a green elk hair caddis (size 14).