From Arkansas Fish & Game Commission

White River

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water varies daily. Rainbow trout fishing is very good on Power Bait Trout Worms. Brown trout are biting well on Rogues and Rapalas. When fly-fishing in low water, try nymphs, zebra midges and red midges.

Randy Oliver at www.randyoliverguide.com (901-832-1903) said fish are biting fair on corn and nightcrawlers. Water levels have been low most of the week. Fish are holding in the deeper holes.

Guide Davy Wotton said fishing continues to be first class at this time. Generation levels have been moderate with some high water spikes for limited periods. Plenty of options for both wade and boat fishing for the entire length of the White River. Temperatures have dropped low during the early morning hours. Anglers may find the bite slow until the sun rises and temperatures increase, after which the bite has been very good indeed. Water clarity has been good, with plenty of options to sight fish for trophy browns, all be it they may be way more wary as overhead light levels increase. Early and late evening hours are giving anglers the best options to catch at this time. Dry fly fishing may be on and off but still worth fishing, you may experience many fish rising to the fly but not committing to take. Often the best option here is to fish a dry dropper option with midge, sowbugs or scuds suspended. Streamer fishing again may result in many follows and fish turning away, this is often due to high levels of water clarity. If this is the case, then opt to fish dead drift nymph tactics close to the river bed. Flies this week that have produced large numbers of fish include, whitetail, shimmer, prism and zebra style midges. Sowbugs in grey, tan, scuds on tan and olive/gray. Soft hackles have also been worth while fishing in riffle and well agitated water zones. If fishing slow moving water zones marabou jigs and streamers bounced on and off the river bed can be deadly at times. Browns are staged at many zones in the system at this time and moving steadily up stream at this time. Water clarity being as clear as it is at this time will give you plenty of opportunity to sigh fish many of these fish, all be it they may well be very spooky in shallow water zones. High water increases from low water may see colored and dirty water conditions which will after a period of time flush through. Best bet is either to move way downstream of the rise or motor upstream above it. All in all given current lake levels, don’t expect to see long periods of high generations for the White.

Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said the lower water levels have made fly fishing a very viable way to catch a lot of fish. Fish every place you can find a “run” or “shoot” made possible by water running around islands, gravel bars or root wads with woolly buggers and let it swing through the area that would naturally hold fish. In between those wading places just cast 90 degrees to the boat and strip it back in. Sinking line works the best. Also try White River Zig Jigs in the same places as they will produce as well. (Updated 9/29/2010)

Buffalo River

No report.

Crooked Creek

No report.

Bull Shoals Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 653.71 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 654 MSL).

Mike Worley’s Guide Service said walleye are biting nightcrawler rigs 35-feet deep on main lake and creek points. Walleye and bass are biting jigging spoons fished under shad. The best bite is half way back in the larger creek. Bass can also be found shallow and are biting shad-colored crank baits. Water temperatures has cooled down to 73 degrees and many of the larger shad are moving into the deeper creeks.

Bull Shoals Tailwater

No report.