Arkansas Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Bull Shoals 03/14/07

Dam area to Lead Hill: Fish are starting to stage in the lower end of Bull Shoals. Look for groups of fish to be on points in the mouths of spawning coves. These fish can be caught in a variety of ways depending on the weather conditions; on windy or cloudy days the fish will move shallow and can be caught on either jerkbaits or Storm Wiggle Warts and on calm days a Jewel Pro Spider jig is your best bet. Smithwick Rouges in clown or chrome / black or Lucky Craft Pointers in chartreuse shad or Nishiki will work on these points when the fish move shallow, throw toward the bank and work the bait back with a fairly steady retrieve. Brown craw or phantom green craw Wiggle Warts will work on windy days; parallel banks 6’-8’ deep with a stop and go retrieve to be successful. Jewel Pro Spider Jigs in PB&J or brown / purple flash with a green pumpkin Chompers jig trailer worked slowing along the bottom on these same points will produce fish.

Lead Hill to Power site: The upper end of Bull Shoals has turned on with the warmer air and water temperatures. Storm Wiggle Warts, Lucky Craft Pointers and Jewel Eakins jigs are all producing fish in a variety of locations. On windy days look for steep chunk or mixed rock banks and position your boat 8’ deep and make parallel casts crewing up the bottom with a stop and go retrieve. For the Lucky Craft pointer look for spawning pockets and work the inside and outside of points leading to the spawning areas, work the bait with more of a stop and go retrieve allowing the bait to pause for only a couple of seconds. Bluff ends and channel swing banks are producing fish on brown and Missouri craw Eakins jigs with green pumpkin Eakins craws. Look for any wood or rock cover to hold most of the fish.