Crappie fair using minnows and jigs 

Largemouth Bass are spawning in the shallow water and are moving to the rocky points using top water baits and jigs

White Bass good using live crawfish

Surface temperature: We have had warmer temperatures this last 10 days or so and the water temp is up in the middle 60's to low 70's.

VISIBILTY- With the lack of rain the visibility has gotten better. Very clear from 30 foot down. Fairly clear on the main lake.

GENERAL CONDITIONS - The water level has stabilized for the most part for now. The lake is 25 feet higher than it was a month ago. There is a lot of brush in the lake along the shoreline. Plus, there are several standing trees which is giving a lot of cover for all species of fish. I anticipate by the next report that the lake will be starting down.

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. From what information I can gather- the spawn is mostly over. There are some Kentucky-spotted bass with eggs in them, which means they might still be spawning but for the most part it seems like it is over.

BASS PATTERNS- The biggest change since last report is the top water bite is on. The bass seem to be scattered more with some close to the surface, some in the brush and some still on the old shore line. In my previous report, most of the bass were on the old shoreline in 20 to 30 feet of water. With the spawn over that has changed where the fish are at. So the patterns have changed.

1. TOP WATER LURES- Just about anything top water is working. Zoom Flukes, Zara Spooks, shallow running rebels just to name a few. There is a good top water bite early in the morning and late in the day. The bass are chasing shad off of the main lake points and around those standing trees.

2. Live minnows with a small split shot in 0 to 30 feet of water is producing all species of bass. For the shallow fish a bobber is working well to keep your minnow out of the brush.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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

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

8. Live night crawlers with a small split shot in 20 to 30 feet of water.

WALLEYE- The walleye have really turned on this past 10 days. They are using shallow running stick baits- mostly rogues- in various depths depending on what type of structure you are fishing. The best colors are chartreuse, yellow, bluegill, perch or purple. They are also catching lots of walleye trolling deep diving crank baits and deep diving stick baits during the day. The walleye are shallow during the early morning and afternoon. They are deeper in the day so deeper diving baits are necessary.

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- I have not seen many crappies caught which is unusual for spring. Last year was the best crappie year I have ever seen. I have had a couple reports that the crappie are very deep- in 40 to 55 feet of water. This makes sense to me. Nobody else is fishing that deep for them. They have to be somewhere and they have to eat. So-go figure.

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

SUMMER FISHING SEMINAR - JUNE 5TH 2 TO 4 P.M.
We are holding our Summer Fishing Seminar on June 5th from 2 to 4 p.m. here at Wilderness Trail
There is no charge for the seminar but seating is limited
Call now for your reservation - 870-445-2703

ATTENTION HUNTERS - Doe Permits are now available in the store
The deadline is June 30th - Pick up your application at Wilderness Trail

It has been a great week with temperatures in the mid 80’s to low 70’s at night, almost summer like. The lake temperature has just moved into the 70’s cooling down a few degrees throughout the night. The lake level is still rising an inch or two a day. Crop fields have dried up downstream and the Corp is supposed to start daily generation this week. That will stabilize or even start to drop the lake level. This week the lake is at 676.65, 22+ feet above normal pool. White Bass have been pushing shad to the surface and you never know when they are going to go into a frenzy feed. Keep a top water (Pop R, Spit’N Image, Jr., Chug Bug, etc) tied on an extra pole just in case. Crappie are out of post spawn and have moved to the edge of the tree line in the back of the pockets. The bite is slow but should pick up during the week. Best baits are Swimming Minnows, sword tails or live crappie minnows. Crappie are also showing up on the channel swing bluff walls over the top of the standing trees, which are sitting in 50 to 55 feet of water. Crappie minnows with a split shot is the best technique. Catfish anglers are really having a lot of luck using limb lines with liver, shad and crawdads. Catfish in the 3 to 12 pound range are being caught nightly.

Largemouth bass are doing what they do best – laying in ambush areas and feeding. Top water in the morning (Zara Spooks, Lucky Craft Sammy’s or buzzbaits). During the day jigs, trick worms and brush hogs and on windy days spinnerbaits are best. Whether you are fishing the upper lake, Theodosia arm or lower lake most of the largemouth are in the back of the creeks or in feeder creeks. 

Smallmouth bass are moving to the old flats and back onto the points. Some top water is present in the mornings but the best bite is on Spider Jigs and tube baits, green or brown in color. On bluebird sunny days back out to 30 feet of water and switch to a Mojo rig with finesse worms, meatheads, lizards and baby brush hogs as baits. Watermelon or watermelon red and the new watermelon purple colors work the best under bright sun.

Kentucky bass are close to deep water in the creeks and on the main lake. They are feeding on shad and crawdads but they are not up on the flooded banks – they are holding on the drop offs outside the brush. Best baits have been Zara Spook Jrs and Chug Bugs on the top, Lucky Craft Pointers around the willow trees, and tube baits or Spider jigs on the old shoreline, which is from 22 to 26 feet of water.

The walleye bite is on and their location is from 8 feet of water around the flooded vegetation out to 30 feet of water on the drop offs. Creek arm and main lake points and channel swings are holding numbers of walleye. The bite is a little goofy – would you believe they are hitting white or chartreuse spinnerbaits in the shallows? Suspending Rogues and Lucky Craft Pointer 78’s are also working around the trees and willows. Over the drop offs the trollers are pulling Reef Runners and Hot’N Tots at a trolling speed of 1 to 1 ½ mph, zigzagging between 26 and 30 feet of water. This pattern is holding through the entire lake.

The Professional Walleye Trail will hold their tournament on June 23, 24, 25th. For more information go to www.professionalwalleyetrail.com. There are just a few spots left for the amateurs. Check out the web site if you are interested. The weigh ins will be held at Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock. Plan to join in the fun and festivities and welcome them as the anglers bring in their daily catch.

Trout fishing on the White River has been best on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow, orange and red, wax worms and red worms. Krocodiles, Mepps and Buoyant Spoons have also been working when there is some generation. The fly fishermen have been doing well on olive Woolly Buggers, scuds, sow bugs and San Juan worms. Browns are being caught on Suspending Rogues, Countdowns, and nightcrawlers.