AGFC guidebooks contain an interpretive summary of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's hunting and fishing regulations and covers only the regulations that most commonly affect hunters and anglers. Scuba Shop, Boat & Motor Repairs & Sales, Lodging. reservoir White bass is a temperate game fish that grows to an average length of 12 15 inches (30 38 cm). Welcome to BullShoals.com, your source for all things related to Bull Shoals Lake in the Ozarks. White crappies are similar to black crappies in terms of morphology. Walleye: Fair The best time to search for them is when water temperatures reach an average of 56F (13C) in spring. Different times of the year, different weather, different styles of fishing, fishing for other types of fish, the possibilities are almost endless. Anglers in the lake are allowed to fish up to 5 trout per day. Catfish fry swim in a tight ball, which reforms quickly after a predator takes Once temperatures are agreeable in late spring to early summer, dawn is the best time to search for them as they prefer to feed at this time. It, too, is nationally known for its excellent bass fishing. [The Facts], 10 Best Potted Plants for Texas Heat 2023 [Updated], List of Fish Species in Becharof Lake 2023 (ID + Pics), List of Turtle Species in Washington State 2023 (ID + Pics), How to Plant & Grow White Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton camtschatcensis). Smallmouth Bass, When searching the creek arms to find fish, you may have to search for certain water temperatures, shoreline cover or schooling baitfish to find the better bite on each particular day. Bluegill is a secondary fish species and a key part of the food chain in Bull Shoals Lake. the Reservoir, This fascinating fish can live for as long as 30 years, making it one of the most long-lived freshwater species in North America. When fishing the rocky shorelines, some wind blowing into the shore tends to provide better fishing. Austin Lake GPX 967.00 B Those that are introduced into Bull Shoals Lake are bred in a hatchery or are river-raised. For anglers that are good with their electronics, schooling fish can be found following baitfish from the summer months all the way through winter. Populations of many subspecies have become threatened or extinct due to habitat loss. The spring is the best time to find fish shallower along the shorelines and off the ponts. It is large enough to accommodate creatures that are twice the bass size. fresh water Now formally its own species, it is distinguished by lines of dark-colored spots, which appear as rows just underneath the lateral line on each side of the fishs body. I consider this the multi-species season on Bull Shoals Lake. Another name for the warmouth is strawberry perch as its body is mottled brown, with reddish gill flaps. Channel catfish are here in good numbers, but you can also catch blue catfish and flathead catfish too. These close cousins tend to hybridize into sturdy fish that are commonly known as wipers, whiterock bass, or Cherokee bass. Thanks russell, I'll ask about music creek when i get there hopefully its close to where i am at, and someone can point me in the direction. Fourteen were brown trout, the rest rainbows on day 1. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Fishers are able to effectively catch this game fish with spinnerbaits, plastic worms, crankbaits, and jigs. I use live bait, with 3-5 ft of line, but I must be in the wrong spots. Bull Shoals is a great lake and don't let 1 short trip form an opinion. Water Type: clear Flathead Catfish, 6' dropline and a 4" bluegill. Outdoor Hub, LLC (d/b/a Carbon Media Group), 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. The main lake points and shorelines are good spots to target a variety of bass and other fish too. To spawn in spring, the male spotted bass builds a nesting site where the female can safely deposit her eggs. There are over 1,000 miles of shoreline. The area is characterized by shallow droughty soils and limestone rock outcroppings. Anglers wanting fish to eat are encouraged to harvest spotted bass greater than 12 inches. Best Fishing Trips Its combination of open grassland, forested knobs, steep rocky hillsides, and narrow drainages offers unusual beauty and a measure of solitude within easy reach of wilderness lovers. The property DIRECTLY borders the "Take Line" at Bull Shoals Lake. Hope you catch a lot of fish the remainder of the year. This gives it an advantage as it can feed at night and on smaller fish that are unable to see as adeptly. Due to its pale coloration, its other common names are silver bass or sand bass. Bull Shoals Lake is also home to this prehistoric fish! . Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock offers boat and houseboat rentals, guided fishing trips, scuba services, tackle shop, lodging, stall rentals and new and used boat sales. Bull Shoals Lake offers anglers some good fishing for largemouth bass. especially, they also eat a lot of the introduced Asiatic clam, the undigested shells of Just 100 grams of its meat can contain 95 calories. Crappies are doing well over brush piles at 25 to 35 foot depths in creek arms near major creek arms and the main lake, as well as secondary points in creek arms. . Elite Series tournament was held right here in 2016! Bull Shoals is a great lake and don't let 1 short trip form an opinion. Bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass are proven stocking combination that provides both food and sport-fishing. Bull Shoals Lake is an incredible fishing destination located in the Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas. This lake has a lot of main lake points. fisherman. We facilitate and provide opportunity for all citizens to use, enjoy, and learn about these resources. Helpful Links and Information for Fishermen. Channel Catfish, I would get a map if you try that distance. Fish Reported: Common Carp, I would have gotten to you sooner but my computer went down. Flathead Catfish, Closer to dusk and dawn, they prefer to stay in open water. Eliminating the "under 16-inch" size restriction for the bonus 10 catfish on the Arkansas River. Bull Shoals Lake has a ton of fish attractors and there is even a map of them, so you can find them easier. jig-and-frogs, grubs, and crankbaits. The place is huge. Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, This small species rarely grows to more than 2 pounds (0.9 kg) and 10 inches (25 cm). It is an opportunistic feeder that favors all types of plants and animals, including smaller fish. Pontiac is on the Little North Fork River arm. Some of the creeks will have murkier water while others will be really clear, so there are a lot of variables that come into play on a trip here early in the year. Multiple marinas and boat rental options are conveniently located around the lake. Learn how your comment data is processed. For this reason, it has the potential to become invasive. Blue Catfish, The place is huge. Water Surface Temp: 65 ADVERTISE ON EXPLORE THE OZARKS DIRECTORIES. Bull Shoals Lake Fishing Report. to have the lake 30' above full pool and yet the Corps of Engineers is still holding water back. Bull Shoals Lake is a gigantic lake. Within this site you will find all the information you will need about Bass fishing tournaments in Pennsylvania and Maryland, offering draw tournaments for weekend anglers (individual competition for boaters and non-boaters) on the Tidal Delaware River and the Susquehanna Flats. Water Surface Temp: 66 If you know where these structures are, you'll know where the fish are! Fishing Report for Bull Shoals Lake, Arkansas. There are also lots of Hybrid, Smallmouth, Spotted, Striped (Striper), and White Bass. This region has plenty of places to stay, boat rentalsand restaurants so you can plan a trip here, but dont expect to find bigger towns with tons of stores. There are many resorts, cabins, and campgrounds to choose from on Bull Shoals Lake. Walleye and sauger: minimum 18" Be advised of hunting seasons. I have never been on this system and I am not looking for anyones honey hole but do need to know if there is a catchable population of blues available. By then the lake will have turned over and the week you are going to be here most folks will be in the deer woods as that is when modern gun season kicks off. If it's Pontiac, you would be about 10 miles north of Pot Shoals. World Record Bass Caught - Bull Shoals Lake - Explore the Ozarks World Record Bass Caught By: Jay Kumar, OutdoorChannel.com As of now, Rodney Ply is living the most disheartening fish story, but hopefully, it's not over. The striped bass is an elegantly streamlined fish distinguished by its horizontally-oriented lateral stripes. A forum community dedicated to catfishers and enthusiasts. Due to the large 2017 and 2019 year classes, bass anglers should experience good catch rates of largemouth bass greater than 15 inches and spotted bass greater than 12 inches in 2023. Channel catfish is also rich in vitamins and minerals and has a fairly low concentration of methyl-mercury compared to other predatory freshwater fish. Catfish fishing is good year around, even in the dead of winter. These sustain their populations by spawning in bedrock rivers or spring creeks. Including the portion located in Missouri, the lake totals some 45,500 surface acres. There is also hybrid bass, smallmouth bass spotted bass, stripe bass, and white bass too. Channel & Blue Catfish Arkansas Game & Fish stocks tens of thousands catchable size ( 1/2 to 1.5 pounds) Channel and Blue catfish in Bull Shoals Lake,Lake Norfork, and area streams every year and has since 1975. You have successfully joined our subscriber list. Some fish over 60 pounds are possible here. Me and my fishing partner have had a bad year this year, The water has been down here and we haven't been able to get to our normal holes. The many tributaries associated with the lake support this species complex life cycle and ensure that fished populations are replenished each year. This stunning species is a frequent favorite due to its fantastic colors and nutritional composition. This enormous body of water that borders Missouri and Arkansas offers fantastic fishing year-round. Had engine trouble which set us back a couple hours. Also known as the mudcat or shovelhead cat, the flathead catfish is a widely introduced and often invasive species throughout the US and northern Mexico. They can be deadly as well as unsightly. wont abandon their nests and the fry are most vulnerable. I'm from Kansas/Oklahoma and fish lakes there for blue catfish. Dawn and dusk are prime times for fishing walleye as they tend to be more active during darker hours of the day. Restrictions. Crappie fishing has been very good using jigs and minnows in the spring and fall with anglers utilizing the 171 new fish habitat structures installed by the Missouri Department of Conservation and paid for with a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Fluctuations of river flows and lake water levels have also made it difficult to observe patterns in their spawning behavior. Alligator Gar: See page 10 of the 2023 Fishing Guidebook. It is easily identified by its iridescent blue to purple coloration and dark-shaded bands. MOYAK Mondays 7!! The points can be great places to fish in the spring and fall as fish use these points to transition from the main lake into the creeks to spawn. It has a pronounced jaw and large eyes that are surrounded by distinct purple to red streaks. Although natural reproduction of Channel catfish does As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. In streams, trotlines baited with small sunfish or It is also known as the spoonbill or spoon-billed cat due to its paddle-shaped snout. The male catfish makes a nest in a crevice, small cave, hollow log, etc., and This species doesn't have the growth potential of the other black bass and fish over 15 inches are rare. Warmouth. At night they come up and cruise the banks at night to feed. As stakeholders, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC), and the US Army Corps of Engineers coordinate and emphasize the need for projects that can help sustain game fish communities. Check out the map above to view nearby river levels, or head to the Thats the reason the speargunning season on Flatheads does not open until July Fishing Tackle Bull Shoals Lake is known for its excellent Largemouth Bass fishing, with some weighing up to 12 pounds have been caught. Scuba Shop, Boat & Motor Repairs & Sales, Lodging. The points that lead to deep water quickly are great spots to fish in the summer. Daily limit: Am Planning a trip in September. a mouthful until, in clear water, few survive. Blue catfish are a more aggressive fish Trotlines and set poles are effective in streams. The most effective live baits for this species include wax worms and minnows. As indicated by its common name, the largemouth bass is easy to identify due to its enormous mouth. If you take a look at a map of this lake, you will see how many creek arms there are off of the main lake. September 16th!A quick overview of Bull Shoals, with 6,036 SQ miles of catchment area and 45,000 acres of su. However, Bull Shoals Lake is so deep that most of these creek arms will have plenty of deep water which will also hold fish in the summer and winter months too. This species is annually introduced into the Ozark Lake systems, with individuals entering into the Bull Shoals-White River State Park. High water levels throughout 2020, 2021, and 2022 also produced substantial year classes of largemouth bass and spotted bass, but anglers will have to wait a few more years before these fish reach 15 inches and 12 inches in length, respectively. There are also lots of Hybrid, Smallmouth, Spotted, Striped (Striper), and White Bass. Thanks in advance. For many anglers, fishing for suspended bass and panfish 20 feet down over 50 feet of water may seem like a waste of time. As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lakes elevation at 661.18 feet msl (normal conservation pool 654 msl). I have 6 or 8 days to think on it, I will sure post our results. 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