Arkansas Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Bull Shoals 02/26/06:

Dam area to Lead Hill: A couple of patterns are shaping up in the lower end of Bull Shoals; there is a good deep bite for Kentuckies on both spoons and drop shot rigged finesse worms and Smallmouth are being caught on Jewel 5/16 oz. spider jigs and small tubes. For the deep bite look for schools of shad on points and bluff ends suspended in 30’ – 60’ of water. The jig bite is also deep from 20’ – 40’ on mixed rock and gravel points and swings work either the jig or the tube on the bottom and pay close attention to any rock pile or wood cover you come across.

Lead Hill to Power site: Largemouth continue to be the story above Lead Hill, most of the action is taking place on Rouges and Pointers fished on windy, flat mixed rock banks and points with isolated brush, laydowns or trees. On sunny days chrome / black, American shad or Nishiki are top producers while on cloudy days chartreuse shad and Table Rock shad will work better. Make multiple casts at each piece of cover and allow the bait to pause for 5 – 10 seconds between jerks.

Lake - Bull Shoals 02/27/06:

Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas, compiled by Rick Culver Wilderness Trails 870 4452703 www.wildernessrail.com submitted by Spring Creek Enterprises as a community service.

February 27, 2006

The snow is gone – it was pretty, but let’s hope in stays away. Temperature and oxygen levels were run during mid-week in the lower lake area. The results were the temperature on the surface was 46.4 with 45.7 from 10 feet to 90 feet of water. The oxygen level, which must be 4.0 PPM to support fish was 12.8 PPM at 10 feet to 11.4 PPM at 100 feet, more than enough oxygen to support a healthy fishery.

Where are the game fish? With spring just around the corner and sun getting higher in the sky warming the northern banks, I would start working water from 20 feet to the bank for bass, crappie and walleye that are moving into the warmer water. Lake level this week is at 644.08, which puts us just over 10 feet below normal pool. We sure need some spring rains.

Largemouth bass have moved up closer to the banks in the upper lake and in the Theodosia arm. Some largemouth are close enough to catch on spinnerbaits, but suspending rogues are the key baits. The rest of the lake is still a touch on the slow side with largemouth holding on the bluffs and main lake points. When the wind is up, throw crankbaits or rogues, otherwise fish jigs and tubes in brown colors.

Smallmouth bass started showing up on secondary points in the creek arms this week. There are not big numbers but the quality is great, two to four pounds has been the norm. Spider jigs, tubes and grubs are working well along with Wiggle Warts and jerk baits on breezy days. Start your day by fishing the 35 foot depth and then move in from there.

Kentucky bass are still with the shad and catching one off the bank is rare. Look for the balls of shad in the main lake cuts, cliff wall ends and creek channel swings. Spoons and drop shot rigs are still your best bet except along the bluff walls with pole tress where the Kentuckys will bite grubs, tubes and Spider jigs fished through the trees. We are supposed to get a warm up this next week and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the shad start to make a move out of the deeper water. If they do move the Kentuckys will move with them.

Walleye unfortunately are not cooperating since the week of snow and freezing temperatures. We can mark the walleye in 45 to 48 feet of water off points and flats but they just are not biting. They should move if the shad move. Until then drop shiners on a jig head or spoons down to them and hope for a bite. We will report any changes next week.

Fishing for trout on the White River has been good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow, white and pink. With generation the Buoyant Spoons, Little Cleos, and white Marabou jigs are the bait of choice. There have been some shad coming through the dam this past week.

We are not having a shad kill, but the shad are so deep they are getting sucked in. If you see shad, throw the white Marabou jig. The fly fishermen have done well with little generation on olive Woolly Bugger, scuds and sow bugs.

The Brown trout are being caught on Countdowns, Shad Raps, Jointed Rapalas, suspending rogues and sculpins.

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