White
River: Sportsman's
White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the water is clear. Generation
has been on an off schedule, but there is usually low water in
the morning and high water in the afternoons. During times of
low water, slow drifting has been the best fishing method. Little
Cleos, Rooster Tails, trout worms and Power Bait have all produced
fish. In higher water, Rouges, Rapalas and stick bait are all
working well. Woolly buggers, in brown or black patterns, Copper
Johns, Zebra midges, and grasshopper flies are the best methods
for fly fishermen.
Cotter
Trout Dock had no report.
Guide
Davy Wotton said fishing is still great. There have been
lower water levels on the White and Norfork, and the generation
schedule has provided wade and boating options. Dry fly fishing
or dry fly dropper rigs have been working very well with the
right combination. Ants have also been great, along with yellow
and orange hoppers. Streamer fishing has been working well for
browns. Early morning or early evening to dark are the best times
to fish. If you are fishing in lower water levels use combinations
of midges, sowbugs, scuds, worms and soft hackles. The top flies
this week have been: hoppers, ants, Prism, White tail and blood
midge, Sulphur, green butt, Partirdge, Hare's Ear, and San Juan
worms. Zebra style midges, sizes 18 to 22, with small gold, silver
or copper bead heads are also working well. The Bull Shoals D
am area continues to produce better than average catches. Bait
fishermen are doing well with both natural and artificial baits.
Spin fishermen are doing well with many different lures, gold
being favored during high sun periods and silver or copper in
the early and late hours.
White
River (From Buffalo City to Red's Landing): Jim
Brentlinger at Linger's
Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said fishing
has been a little slow but steady. Two to three generators have
been running steady making the White River Zig Jig a good choice.
In deeper holes and runs, use a Countdown Rapala in black/gold/white.
Dragging bright colored Power Baits along the bottom with a regular
river rig will also produce catches.
Buffalo
River: Ken
Richards at Just
Fishing Guides had no report.
(Updated 7/21/2010) John Berry from Berry
Brothers Guides said the water is high and stained. Smallmouths
are active and biting on clouser minnows or crawfish patterns.
Be sure to check the water levels before heading out. Since there
is not a dam, the levels can rise very quickly after any rain
event.
Crooked
Creek: (Updated
7/21/2010) John Berry from Berry
Brothers Guides said the water is high and stained. Smallmouths
are active and biting on clouser minnows or crawfish patterns.
Be sure to check the water levels before heading out. Since there
is not a dam the levels can rise very quickly after any rain
event.
Ken Richards at Just
Fishing Guides had no report.
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's
elevation at 655.84 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool - 654 MSL).
Mike
Worley's Guide Service and Al
Denninger said walleye and bass are biting on crankbaits
trolled deep, jigging spoons fished around brush piles and nightcrawler
rigs during the day. Most are being caught 30 to 50 feet deep.
Bass are also biting well at night on jigs and plastic worms.
Bull Shoals Tailwater
Ken Richards at Just
Fishing Guides had no report.
Lake Norfork
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake's
elevation at 554.09 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April
- 552 MSL, April-Sept. - 554 MSL).
101
Grocery and Bait had no report.
Guide
Steve Olomon said the lake level is at 554.2 feet and the
water temperature is in the upper 80s. Whites and black bass
have been breaking early and late, so be sure to have a top-water
rod on deck. Fishing spoons anywhere from 30 to 60 feet deep
has also boated fish. Stripers and hybrids will be at least 40
feet deep. Bass, whites and walleye are anywhere from 30 to 40
feet deep.
Guide Tom Reynolds of STR
Outfitters said stripers are in their summer pattern and
feeding on crawdads and shad. Most have moved toward the dam,
and are being found in 40 to 80 feet of water. They will bite
on both live bait and spoons. The bite is good in the morning
and evening, and the best spots are the flats and deep water
creeks near the dam.
Norfork Tailwater
Jim
Brentlinger at Linger's
Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185)
said after the generators have been running a couple of hours,
fish the bank line with black/gold/white Countdown Rapalas
or suspending Rattling Rogues. Blue/silver/orange or black/gold/orange
are the best colors for Rogues. Make sure you have barbless
hooks in the catch-and-release zone.
(Updated 7/21/2010) John Berry from Berry
Brothers Guides said there has been a lot of rain over the
past few days and higher temperatures. There have been significant
periods of no generation on the White, with heavy to light generation
in the afternoon. There have also been significant periods of
no generation on the Norfork. This has provided perfect wading
conditions on the Norfork. The water was heavily stained after
the rain but has cleared up now from generation. San Juan worms
have been the bait of choice. In stained water use bright colored
worms, such as hot fluorescent pink and cerise. Red or worm brown
San Juan worms work well once the water has cleared up. There
has been a number of good fish produced at the Catch and Release
section below Bull Shoals Dam. Rim Shoals has also been another
hot spot. Midges were the hot flies. Zebra midges in bla ck with
sliver bead and silver wire, brown with copper wire and copper
bead, red with sliver wire and silver bead and disco midges are
the most productive patterns. Olive woolly buggers and sowbugs
are also working well. It is time to start grasshopper fishing
with the low water and warm temperatures. Fish these towards
heavy structures and the bank. Cast the fly down and twitch every
so often to imitate a struggling insect and you should get some
vicious strikes. At Dry Run Creek, the fishing has been extremely
good. Sowbugs and worm brown San Juan worms have been the most
productive flies. Be sure to carry the biggest net you have and
use a 4X tippet. Remember to clean your boots and waders before
using them in any other water because the White and Norfork Rivers
are infected with didymo, an invasive algae.
