Go north for big bites

White River, area lakes are seeing good action the fall for angling

By Randy Zellers

AGFC Communication

After a warm spell this past week, temperatures are expected to be more fall-like for the next several days. It might be time to get the boat out and head to your favorite fishing spot for some fall fishing.

We’ve had some great reports from North Arkansas this week. read all about it below.

North Arkansas Fishing Reports

— Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said it feels like winter has arrived.

“After a week of cool mornings, warm afternoons, we were greeted with Novemberlike morning temperatures.

Always check the nighttime low temperatures rather than the daytime highs when planning your fishing trip and dress in layers for the lowest temperatures. Then you can easily remove layers as the day warms up.”

Bull Shoals Lake is 8 feet below power pool and still dropping at 651.09 feet msl; daily releases have been at minimum flow or very low flows (less than one unit) during the morning hours, rising to three or four units (9,000 to 12,000 cfs) late in the afternoon to meet power demand.

“We expect earlier releases this week based on the weather forecast and higher river levels can be expected.”

It’s good to know that the air temp doesn’t affect the trout bite. Shore anglers note: Rainbows have been attracted to, and hitting on, pumped up nightcrawlers. If you’re able to float the river and choose to fish a deep hole for a while, drop a hook with shrimp and garlic-scented PowerBait (try orange first) as near to the bottom as possible. Drift-anglers had luck with a No. 5 rainbow and brook trout Rapala Countdowns and with 1/6-ounce Rooster Tails, gold blades and orange bodies, chartreuse/black skirts or pink on pink spinners.

River guides have tried all the tricks in their tackle boxes to get the attention of the browns this week. Turns out the best bites were on small to medium-sized sculpins.

“Be careful out there. Stay warm. And keep anglin’. See you at the river.”

Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said, “We saw another week of low and clear water in the mornings. We then see rising and dingy water until late morning.

Throughout the afternoon the water will start dropping again and the water will clear up.

“We have seen great fishing in the morning with lures such as a quarter-ounce Thompson Colorado spoon in nickel/gold or Rapala Countdowns CD5 in rainbow trout or brown trout colors. In the afternoon, drift-fishing with Uncommon Bait UV eggs (pink or orange) with shrimp worked very well.

“One of the local guides said fly-fishing with eggs has been working great. The weather has cooled off but the fishing remains hot.

“This week we received one stocking of 1,200 rainbow trout at Calico Rock and 1,200 at Chessmond Ferry.”

Bull Shoals Lake — For the Army Corps of Engineers’ real-time outflow report from Bull Shoals Dam, visit the Corps’ Little Rock office website.

Fishing guide Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake (815-5924302) said the lake level is 650 feet msl. Water temp is 72, give or take. “Bass fall junk fishing” has started, he said. “You’re going to have to work for them and keep moving, don’t get hung up on one thing.

See FISH, page A10 FISH

From page A8

Army Corps of Engineers has generation or a front is moving in. Lots of bass are starting to move in with shad. We did get a few more move up shallow with the cooler temps.

“Shad are spread out from the back off the creeks out to the main lake. There are shad sitting high on the surface down to 50 feet; however, topwater has been hit or miss. Try a smaller popper- style or smaller walkthe- dog early. Try a Plopper-style bait covering water; black or white colors are working. A lot of the dirty backs have shad but are just starting to clump up. If we get the right powerfishing conditions, those fish will eat a Chatterbait, white spinnerbait, etc. Go with shad colors.

“If it’s sunny and flat I’m going to check main lake mouths of creeks and pockets, on long points, ledges, piles, drop-offs and bluff ends as well as treetops that are close to deep water and shad is nearby. There are large schools chasing larger shad balls but they are cruising fast. For this, a small Flutter Spoon, a Tater Shad or small, heavy swimbait will fool a few. You better be a good frontlooker — having to hit ’em on the move isn’t easy.

“Overall, smaller baits have helped. It’s fall, the fish can be stubborn. For me a dropshot has been good when it’s tough conditions. So, if you find ’em and get one or two to bite, you might as well go to the next spot.

You can still catch ’em off points and piles with a big worm or small Jewel jig in green pumpkin orange, or a shaky head.

“Welcome to fall fishing: Catch one on the surface down to 50 feet. Fish the conditions.”

Del regularly posts new YouTube videos. Visit his YouTube site (Bull Shoals Lake Fishing Report) for more information and tips on fishing Bull Shoals Lake.

Southernwalleye Guide Service (501-365-1606) says the walleye fishing has been a little tough this week with what seems to be the lake finishing its turnover period. Fish are scattered from 20 feet down to 60 feet.

“The best luck I have had this past week has still been a drop-shot rig and nightcrawler around points with brush or trees close by.

Walleye seem to be moving in and out of different water depths depending on wind and cloud cover. If they are shallow, stay out off in deeper water and cast into them with a jig and crawler or drop-shot rig and work them back to the boat very slowly. If they are deep, go vertical with spoons, Ice Jig or drop-shot rig. Scan points, both sides and tips, by zigzagging in and out of 20-70 feet of water to find fish. You can also use a Carolina rig with ?-ounce egg sinker and No.

2 Aberdeen hook and nightcrawler worked slowly around groups of fish on the deeper sides of deep brushpiles. This will catch some, especially when fishing is slow.

Crappie 101 Guide Service (870-577-2045) says not much has changed except the bite seemed a little better since the cold front.

They are still finding most crappie in creeks and a few on the main lake areas, but there’s not tons. Use a quarter-ounce jig with Tater Baits Tater Shad Jr. or small fry bait and, of course, minnows. If you aren’t getting bit within 5 minutes, keep moving and find more; eventually you will find active ones if you stick with it.