From Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

White River

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said two to 6 generators are running. Rainbow trout are biting well on shrimp drifted in the current. Brown trout are spawning in the no fishing zone near the dam.

Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said two generators are running most of the day. This has made drift fishing with corn downriver from Norfork tailwater the hot place to be this week. Some nice rainbows and browns have been caught.

Guide Davy Wotton said temperatures are dropping. The Bull Shoals Dam Zone is now closed to fishing for the spawn, and the area below the dam zone to the State Park now is catch-and-release only. Most brown trout are in spawning zones, digging redds and spawning. Please leave these fish alone so they can have a successful spawn for the health of the fishery. The best options during lower water flows are midge patterns in sizes 14 to 20 if fish are seen feeding on the surface. White-tail, prism, shimmer and zebra midges are the go-to flies. Sow bugs and scuds in gray, gray/olive and orange have produced during overcast conditions. Afternoons have been good for fishing both soft hackles in the riffle zones and small streamers in deeper water. When drift fishing moderate generations, combinations of midge, prism and San Juan worms have been very good, if fishing colored water and when overhead light is diminished then you may need to add hi-vis flies such as eggs and worms.

Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said the water levels have remained constant and we have had no extra flow from the Buffalo River. The end result is that the fish have been and are biting very steady with more brown trout coming every day. Some people are having 100-fish days on White River Zig Jigs in ginger or green/ginger and black/gold/white no. 7 or 9 Countdown Rapalas.

Buffalo River

Just Fishing Guides said the river level at Highway 65 is 3.7 feet and flows of 27 cfs. Temperatures are in the low 50s. Not very much floating is possible, but walking and wading to fish the deeper holes can be good. Tube baits and other soft plastics are working for spin-fishing. Crawdad and minnow patterns will work for fly-fishing. Slow down your presentations for both types of fishing.

Crooked Creek

Just Fishing Guides said the creek level is at 10.8 feet and the flow is 110 cfs at Kelly’s Access. Much of the lower creek is dry where the creek flows underground. Fish the deeper holes with baits that mimic the naturals, minnows and crawdads. Slow down your presentation as the water is cooling fast. The best time is late afternoon when the sun heats up the water.

Bull Shoals Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 650.98 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 654 MSL).

Mike Worley’s Guide Service said the best walleye bite lately has been on jigging spoons on drop offs about 36-40 feet deep back in the creek channels. The main problem right now is turnover-related. The warm-up has caused the turnover to stall. Next week’s forecast calls for much colder weather, which hopefully will get it rolling again and get the fish biting. On cloudy, windy days the fish are biting crankbaits and jerk baits in shallow water back in the creek channels with a few keeper size walleyes mixed in. The fish seem to be really scattered right now from about 10-40 feet deep, with lots of shad moving back into the creek arms where the water is more stable.

Bull Shoals Tailwater

Ken Richards at Just Fishing Guides said generation is around the clock with 1-2 units. Some wade fishing is available in certain areas, but drift fishing is a better option. The trophy area below the dam is closed. A variety of tactics are working, including nymphing, swinging soft hackles and stripping streamers. Brown trout are in various stages of spawning, so be on the lookout for redds and don’t wade through them. Suggested patterns include: humpback scud, BH simple sow, pheasant tail, copper john, BH caddis, partridge/yellow, partridge/orange, partridge/peacock, San Juan worm, zebra midge, woolly bugger, zoo cougar, KC’s barred sculpin, sparrow and .56er.