From Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

White River

Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is clear, but generators have begun running, stirring up leaf litter and other debris. Trout fishing is excellent on Power Bait. Brown trout are biting well on sculpins and sculpin-imitating flies.

Jim Brentlinger at Linger’s Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said fishing has been very consistent due to the low water, and the fishing has been fantastic. White River Zig Jigs in the low water have been excellent. Ginger or ginger/orange 1/8-ounce jigs are working the best in low water. When the water rises go to a black/gold/white Countdown Rapala.

Buffalo River

Just Fishing Guides said water levels are as follows: Highway 7 Access – 4.53 feet and 98 cfs, which is low; Highway 65 Access –5.12 feet and 630 cfs, which is good; Highway 14 Access – 3.84 feet and 560 cfs, which is good. All water temperatures are in the upper 40s to low 50s. Fishing is slow to moderate. You should fish your baits slow and on the bottom. Best bets for flies will be patterns that hug the bottom such as crawdad and darter/sculpin imitations.

Crooked Creek

No report.

Bull Shoals Lake

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 647.28 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 654 MSL).

Mike Worley’s Guide Service said the unusually warm weather has really helped the bite on Bull Shoals. Bass fishing has been good with many keeper-sized largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass biting on everything from suspending stick baits to jigs. Walleye are being caught on suspending stick baits and white bass are moving into the back of the major creek arms and are biting on white or smoke colored grubs in shallow water. Crappie are staging along bluff banks in the creek arms and can be caught on jig-and-minnow combinations and small crankbaits. Look for the warmest water you can find, the coves that are facing south are warming to 47-55 degrees when the south wind is blowing. Try to find water that has some color to it, as these areas warm fastest and are holding shad and game fish. Work your stick baits according to the water temperature (a slow jerk with as long of a pause as you can stand in the colder clearer water, and a more aggressive snap and pause in the warmer water).

Bull Shoals Tailwater

Just Fishing Guides said generation has been off since 11 a.m., Feb. 16. Sow bug and midge patterns are working well in the upper catch-and-release area. Caddis, scud and medium sized streamer patterns are producing good numbers in the middle section from White Hole to Rim Shoals. Suggested patterns include: Yong special and zebra midge, sizes 18-22 in gray. Olive Z-wing caddis and prince nymph, sizes 14-16, tailwater sow bug, sizes 14-18 in tan and gray, humpback scud, sizes 14-16 in tan, gray and olive, and woolly buggers, slumpbusters, sparrow and lead eye gongas, sizes 8-12 in tan and olive.