Arkansas Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Bull Shoals 11/19/06

Dam area to Lead Hill: The topwater bite is still there early and late but it is starting taper off as the water cools, it is still a good idea to have your favorite topwater at the ready throughout the day. The best bite right now is on pea gravel and mixed rock and gravel points and flats near deep water from 10’ – 35’ deep. A variety of lures are working in these areas; as always Jewel football and spider jigs in PB&J or green pumpkin / green flash with green pumpkin Chompers’ jig trailers, Mizmo or Chompers’ tubes in green pumpkin or watermelon, mojo rigged green pumpkin finesse worms and French fries and shaky heads with a green pumpkin Zoom Swamp Crawler have all been very effective when worked slowly on the bottom. Spotted bass are starting to follow schools of shad into the creek arms and can be caught on War Eagle Spoons and Chompers’ drop shot worms fished below the schools of bait.

Lead Hill to Power site: Much like the lower end of the lake, there still is a good topwater bite early and late but it is dropping off fast. On windy days your best bet is either a brown or phantom green Storm Wiggle Wart fished parallel to chunk rock banks from 6’ – 10’ deep. Try to run the bait into any wood or rock cover you find on these wind blown banks. Early and late a War Eagle Screaming Eagle spinnerbait in mouse or spot remover has been effective tight to windy mixed rock banks with most bites coming on the first couple of feet in the retrieve. On calm days switch up to a PB&J Eakins’ jig with a green pumpkin Eakins’ craw and concentrate on visible cover on channel swing banks. Make multiple casts to each piece of cover and pay close attention to the bait as it falls as most of the bites are coming as the bait falls through the cover.