Скачать или смотреть April 30, 2025 Arkansas Trout Fishing Report

Pictures taken April 23, 2025 thru April 30, 2025.
More Reports at http://www.cottertroutdock.com/arkans...
Our website is : http://www.cottertroutdock.com

Bull Shoals Lake is 14 feet above power pool and slowly rising. Even so, dam releases recently decreased from an average of nearly 20,000 cfs to 15,000 cfs, equivalent to five generators/units. The flow has remained fairly constant, which is good news; steady water releases cause less stress to the trout than frequent changes to the generation amounts. We can expect continued high water as the Corps manages the water from the sky. It's been a rainy April.

The Cotter catch has been high quality this week: 16- to 20-inch rainbows weren't out of reach, and the keepers (under 14 inches) were healthy and fat. Seems you couldn't go wrong with a suspending Smithwick rogue Jr. or the 4-1/2 inch, 3/8 ounce Violet Cream rogue. The No. 7 Countdowns of almost any color (gold/black, brown or brook trout, rainbow, silver/black) are flying off the shelf, which shouts, "Rapalas are catching!"

To fill your creel with keeper rainbows, downsize your hooks (size 8 or 6) and try a tiny piece of shrimp with a bubblegum pink worm. Make it a mousetail–white egg pattern on the pink worm–for a more sure catch.

Rising water? Always turn to live worms first. The browns have been nibbling shad and sculpins.

Come enjoy an Ozark spring day and you'll be hooked. See you on the river!