Crappie excellent using minnows and jigs in 2 to 8 feet of water

Largemouth Bass good using soft plastic baits at the end of the lake

White Bass good using live crawfish

Lake Level: currently 670.57 and rising. Expected to crest at 676.3 on May 14th as of right now based on previous rainfall and lake levels.
Surface temperature: mostly in the low to mid 60’s depending on where you go.
VISIBILITY- Very poor in the back of the creeks, poor to fair in the creek arms, clear on the main lake.

The lake has risen 19 feet in the last few weeks. We experienced 11 inches of rain in a 36-hour period last week. It jumped 10-12 feet in 4 days.

However, the bass fishing has been excellent, even with the lake rising. It is some of the best I have seen since the mid 90’s. The water level has not affected the catching much. It has just affected where they are. It seems that the most catchable fish are still on the old shoreline around 20 to 30 feet of water. There are still some fish shallow but they are hard to get to unless you are throwing some type of bait that runs on the surface, or runs just below the surface. With the lake high, there is a lot of brush to get tangled in if you use baits that don’t stay shallow or on the surface.

THE SPAWN- It should be one of the best ever since the water is up in the brush. I know the high water causes a lot of problems but there is a silver lining in that dark cloud. The best information I can gather is that the Smallmouth are done, the Largemouth are somewhere in the middle and the Spots are just starting. Of course this will vary on whom you talk to. This opinion is based on the fish being cleaned and if they still have eggs.

BASS PATTERNS- The biggest change since the water went up is where they are located. They moved mostly deeper.

These are the 3 top patterns right now.

Carolina rigging a lizard. This is working mostly for Largemouth and Spotted bass. They are mostly using the green colors with a 2 to 4 foot drop. They are using these in 25 to 35 feet of water mostly on the steeper chunk rock banks and channel swings.

Crawfish or green colored tube tubes dragged on the gravel flats is producing some good Smallmouth Bass. These fish are mostly in 20 to 35 feet of water on the gravel rounded points and flats.

Live minnows with a small split shot in 20 to 35 feet of water is producing all species of bass.

These patterns are also starting to produce results.

Other plastic baits such as meatheads, French fry worms, and 4 inch worms. The basic green or brown colors will work. These are Carolina rigged with a 2 to 4 foot drop jut like the lizards pattern above.

Top water flukes- shad colored around the brush in shallow water.

Wacky rigged bubble gum plastic worms with no weight in shallow water

Spinner baits- These were working very well when the water was rising and the color was brown. They have slowed down a little bit.

WALLEYE- They are ONLY biting at night right now. I have seen some nice stringers and one 11 pounder. I haven’t seen many caught in the day or talked to anybody that is catching them in the day. They are only catching them in the middle of the night trolling perch colored crank baits in 20 to 30 feet of water off of the gravel main lake points. Everything that has been tried in the day has not worked.

WHITE BASS- There has been a few caught here and there. There have also been the sporadic sightings of the classic white bass surfacing back in the creeks over the last few weeks. However, there has not been the classic white bass run of the past. I would expect to be able to see people catch them at night under the lights any time now.

CRAPPIE- Same deal on the crappie. There are very few being reported or being caught. I have never seen the crappie fishing any good in the 32 years I have been here when the lake is moving up or down. I don’t know where they go or what they do. They still have to eat but I haven’t seen many being caught. Of course, not many people show off their crappie and the guides are catching bass too easy to be crappie fishing. So- we will see what happens when the lake stabilizes.

CATFISH- The catfish are doing well on jug lines, trot lines and limb lines. We have seen several good catches and stringers. Most of the fish are in shallow water and being caught on the same bait- perch, dead shad, liver, stink bait, etc.

White River- Fishing has been good. All of our guides are reporting good catches and activity. Same baits as always- worms, salmon eggs, power bait, night crawlers, corn, for live bait. Rapalas, spoons, spinners for artificial.

The top ranked walleye pro anglers will be in Bull Shoals this June for the PWT tournament. You can fish with them to learn more about where and how to catch Bull Shoals walleye. The PWT is a Pro-Am.
Call 218-824-2542 for information or pick up an entry form at Wilderness Trail

May 3, 2004
We now have more than enough water for the spawn so the rain can stop anytime. Cold fronts and more rain was the weather pattern this last week and the lake level is now up to 670.19, which is 16 feet over normal pool. One problem we have is that one day the lake will rise, then the Corp generates water out and lake drops; one foot up, ½ foot down, one foot up, ½ foot down – this is like a bouncing ball and the game fish are completely confused – "do we go in, do we go out". Lake temperature is in the upper 60’s and the largemouth bass should be in full spawn. With the amount of trees and brush in the lake it is very hard to see or get to any beds.

Crappie are in the back of the pockets around and under the buck brush making beds for spawn. At this time you can sight fish for them with chartreuse or white crappie jigs and crappie tubes. Take a lot of baits with you, the bushes will eat them up.

White Bass spawn is over and top water frenzy feeding has started in the creeks and pockets. Pop R’s, roadrunners and small spoons are your best baits at this time.

Largemouth bass love the high water and structure, so if you are looking for them, fish the flooded bushes and trees. Some techniques are spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, flukes or Sinko’s, Spider Jigs and Texas rigged worms. Take all your 8 pound line off and switch over to 12 pound test if you want to get the bass out of the brush. Smallmouth bass are in front of the flooded shoreline in about 18 to 28 feet of water. They are using the old banks as feeding grounds. Tubes, Spider Jigs and flukes work well during the day. In the early morning and before sun down some top water has started. Pull out the Spooks, Pop R’s and Lucky Craft Pointers for some good action.

Kentucky Bass are located in the brush and out on the points. Some Kentuckys are spawning and others are feeding on the points. Best baits are centipedes, lizards, finesse worms and brush hogs fished in 18 to 28 feet of water on a Mojo or Carolina rig. Keep your eyes open for the Kentuckys pushing up the shad. Throw Pop R’s, flukes or Lucky Craft Pointer 78’s into the feeders.

Walleye have picked up this last week on the secondary points in the creeks and over the flats. Not a lot of big walleye are being caught but that’s normal with the spawn being over and the high water in the lake. Nightcrawler split shot rigs and harnesses are working the best over 20 to 28 feet of water. The bigger walleye are being caught at night along the old chunk rock banks on Suspended Rogues in the Clown color. Keep your boat in about 18 feet of water and cast parallel to the bank.

Don’t miss the opportunity to fish with the PWT pros – there are still a few amateur spots left for their June tournament. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about the walleye fishing on Bull Shoals Lake. Under the Pro-Am format amateurs get to ride with them to their spots, fish with their tackle and weigh the walleye they catch together under the boat-weight format. For more information contact Wilderness Trail.