fishing report 12-3-12

Fishing Report 12-03-12

 

River Levels

 

Arkansas

cfs                        feet

King’s River                                    23                        2.57                        Grandview Bridge

Crooked Creek                         27                        9.51                        Kelly’s Access

Buffalo River                                    5.1                        1.61                        Ponca

7.0                        3.50                        Pruitt

57                        3.51                        Tyler Bend

74                        2.71                        Buffalo Point

War Eagle Creek                        16                        0.74                        near Huntsville

 

Missouri

 

Little Sugar Creek                        26                        2.60                        near Pineville

Big Sugar Creek                        2.2                        2.92                        near Powell

Elk River                                    105                        2.66                        near Tiff City

Indian Creek                                    45                        1.26                        near Lanagan

James River                                    140                        2.41                        near Galena

Bryant Creek                                    173                        3.38                        near Tecumseh

 

Oklahoma

 

Illinois            River                                    164                        4.75                        near Tahlequah

 

These are all warm water streams where we fish for smallmouth bass and sunfish. The water levels (feet) are not necessarily the true water depth, only the gauge reading. The rivers and streams are near their seasonal averages. Be prepared to walk and drag your boat quite a bit. With the warm weather the last week, Water temperatures are in the upper 40’s in the morning to near 60 degrees in the afternoon. Get ready to fish slow and deep for smallmouth or set your sights on cold-water trout.

 

Trout Tailwaters

 

White River – Beaver Lake level is 1109.69 and normal pool is 1120.4. Water releases have been in the morning for 2-4 hours at 2,000 cfs. Most days there are no water releases. Fishing Wednesday was excellent with high numbers of fish caught. Olive or gray scuds, gray or olive zebra midges, peach and yellow eggs and olive wooly buggers are all working well. For spin fisherman, olive marabou jigs and black over gold and shad colored Rapalas are catching good numbers of fish as well. Generation has been off most days but expect increases with the colder weather. Cover the water to find concentrations of active fish. Table Rock Lake is at 906.0 so there are wading opportunities well below the Hwy. 62 Bridge. The lower tailwater below Bertrand Access has been fishing slowly lately.

 

White River – Bull Shoals Lake level is 646.5 and normal pool is 654. Water releases have been averaging 2,000 with highs to 6,000 cfs. Generation has been a soft 1-2 unit around the clock although there have been a couple of days (this last weekend) without water releases. This is allowing wade fishing in certain areas as well as good drift fishing. With periods of generation streamer addicts are having fun throwing larger patterns looking for the big bite. During periods of non- generation, wade fishermen are having fun as well fishing a variety of their favorite presentations. Recommended flies this winter season includes; soft hackles, scud, sow bug, midge, micro caddis, blue wing olive and medium to large streamers. Remember the area above the state park is closed until February 1 to protect spawning browns.

 

North Fork River – Norfork Lake level is 541.9 and normal pool is 552. Water releases have been about 1,000-5,500 cfs several times per day. As winter gets closer and low dissolved oxygen in the lake, releases will be several per day with shorter times. Some days there have been brief pulses of generation and on other days generation is starting late morning with 1 unit. There have been periods of low water everyday for wading anglers. The hot flies lately have been the Squirrely Tuckass and olive zebra midges. Mid-morning and late afternoon/early evening is when the fish are keying on midges. Fish a size 8 streamer the rest of the day. Olive, rusty brown and natural tan colors are all working for the streamers. Have a selection of scud, sow bug, worm and egg flies as well.

 

Little Red River – Greers Ferry Lake level is 454.1 and normal pool is 461.44. Water releases have been very low with several days with no generation. Only two days in the last week has seen water releases at 3,000 cfs. Lots of smaller browns are being caught along with rainbows with smaller streamers. Bigger browns have been tough.