Watch for weather changes
Don Schnable
April 30, 2013
Bull Shoals - Freshwater Fishing Report
Subject: SCHNABLE...BULL SHOALS fishing and Lake conditions
The lake has risen several feet and is up to 659.30 at the time of this writing. We have had several inches of rain over the last week and we wont get any new projections on the lake level until Monday. By the way, you can now download an app to check on all of the lake levels, projections and river flow at 'usace little rock' on the app store for your phone. See above.
The lake is extremely clear at this end of the lake still. The Theodosia arm is pretty murky in most places from what we are being told. The water is in the upper 50's to low 60's on the very surface but just a few inches under the water it gets cold and drops back down to mid to lower 50's. So, Its not warming up much yet. However, the bluegills and perch moved into the bank in very shallow water. Also, there is reports of spawning beds around the bank. So the water temp is finally getting right for that.
Fishing hasn't changed much yet. The main thing I am hearing is the baits need to be work very slow most of the time. If you are having trouble catching fish then slow or bait down or actually stop it and let it sit. This doesn't work with every bait the suspending stick baits, the floating plastics and stuff like that you can. Still getting conflicting reports on the walleye. I thing everything else is starting to get into spawn mode. That's it for now. Until next time.
BASS -
Spring patterns working now.
- Carolina rigging a lizard in 5 to 15 feet of water. With the water being clear the natural colors should work better.
- The hula grub, gitzit, tube jig, salt craw, all types of plastic baits can catch fish. These can be worked in 5 to 20 feet of water depending on where the fish are that day.
- Crawfish colored crank baits are catching fish on windy banks. Cloudy days also seem to help the shallow patterns
- Spinner baits on cloudy windy banks. Mostly natural colors in clear water and bright colors in dingy water
- Stick baits such as the rebel, rogue, x-rap, are starting to catch some fish. I dot think we are going to have a shad kill this year so this pattern might not be as effective as normal.
- the old jig-n-frog combinations seem to be catching bass in 5 to 25 feet of water. The trailer can be a variety of things such as any type of plastics.
- live minnows on a simple split shot rig in 5 to 20 feet of water.
- slow retrieve of any type of artificial minnow bait.
Winter patterns still working
- Alabama rigs- this bait works well in cold water rigged with some type of plastic minnow pattern bait.
- White Twin spins on the bluffs - this also simulates and dying shad and may not be as effective as colder years.
- Swimming a black jig-n-eel. I am not sure why this works or what it simulates but the old timers use to throw this a lot back in the day in the winter.
- Spooning in 10 to 50 feet of water under the shad balls. This works better on a bright sunny no wind day.
WHITE BASS -
- casting anything that looks like a shad or minnow. Working it 5 to 30 feet deep back in the creeks. Very slow retrieval. Spoons, jigs, road runners, shad raps, white plastic baits, etc.
- jigging a spoon will also catch white bass in 20 to 30 foot deep water.
Walleye -
- Stick baits such as the X-rap, rogue, rebel in shallow water at night or close to dark. Minnows colors seem to be the best.
Crappie -
- Small minnows around brush piles
- small 1/16 ,1/32, 1/64 oz jigs around the brush piles.
Target Species:
General
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