Flathead catfish pulled out of river systems close to Bull Shoals Lake can easily exceed a weight of 50 pounds (22.7 kg). Thats the reason the speargunning season on Flatheads does not open until July Many species have or are migrating from the back of creek arms to the main creek arms and the main lake. the Reservoir, These successful recruitment years will provide good fishing opportunities now and in future years. Even smaller-sized white bass are not as common in the lake as they used to be. Large males are often found defending their nests, which are usually associated with fallen logs and debris. Their capacity to metabolize many types of food and their tolerance for highly turbid waters make them extremely hardy. Lead Hill looked like the closest place to put in. Striped bass: only 3 striped bass may be included in the aggregate. 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. Water Surface Temp: 66 Water Level (Range): normal 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. There are many resorts, cabins, and campgrounds to choose from on Bull Shoals Lake. Kayaks, canoes, bass boats, pontoons and other fishing boats are welcome on the scenic waters of Bull Shoals Reservoir. At night they come up and cruise the banks at night to feed. PLEASE DO NOT ABANDON TROTLINES OR In 2016, Debra, an Illinois native and New Orleans transplant, purchased her family home overlooking beautiful Bull Shoals Lake. An attractive species of the sunfish family, the longear sunfish has visually appealing blue-green bars along the sides of its body. The fish attractors located on the main lake are great spots to find fish too. Piney Run Reservoir - Located in Sykesville, Carroll County Fish species . It is only a mile or less north of the state line. Plenty of big fish on the fish finder at 5 - 15 feet, but nothing wated our bluegill. Keeping up with the current fishing reports and being able to adapt and find new spots is key to having success here. We once All qualifying tournaments are one day events and have a $70 entry . Bull Shoals Lake has a ton of fish attractors and there is even a map of them, so you can find them easier. Anglers from all over the country eagerly seek out the largemouth bass in spring and fall, when communities tend to remain close to waters surface in banks, rocky points, and clear channels. Including the portion located in Missouri, the lake totals some 45,500 surface acres. If you're headed out to Bull Shoals is the closest lake on the map and was wondering if it would be possible to catch blue catfish out of there. Just 100 grams of its meat can contain 95 calories. It has also been introduced in several water systems as a means to control pest fish. [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). You have successfully joined our subscriber list. The shoreline wood cover usually holds a variety of bass and panfish, especially during the spring. In turbid parts of the lake, walleyes may feed all day. Due to good year class strengths in recent years, anglers should also expect to catch higher numbers of sub-legal fish as well. For many anglers, fishing for suspended bass and panfish 20 feet down over 50 feet of water may seem like a waste of time. 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. On day one the men caught over 100 trout including a dozen +/- 20". I have not had much luck jugging on Bull shoals for Blues or flathead. The longear sunfish is a diurnal feeder and is skilled at finding prey in moving bodies of water. 14oz. Size does not make a perceptible difference in the flavor of Largemouth weighing up to 12-pounds have been caught here. They can be deadly as well as unsightly. After the spawning season in spring, smallmouth bass tend to move into the lakes main water column, where they remain suspended. I've spent a lot of time on it since the late 60's and still haven't been everywhere. I appreciate any info you all can pass on to me. It gets so hot down here in the summer that for many anglers, fishing at night is more enjoyable for the lower air temperatures. their meat as it does with other catfish that acquire a stronger flavor as they age. catfish reproduction in the lakes. The hot calm days warmed the lake surface several degrees in just a couple days and marked the end of most game fish spawning activities in the mid-lake area. I focus solely on bass fishing in the Bull Shoals Lake Interestingly, this is the only species of sunfish with teeth on its tongue! We have now organized our main site into 300 plus websites to make it easier for you to learn more about the fish you want to catch and the places you want to visit. MOYAK Mondays 7!! Striped Bass, Walleye, Catfish, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout & Brown Trout. Ken Minsky of Ken Minksys Loch Leven Guide Service said Bull Shoals is fishing well with mid-lake temperatures in the mid-70s, up several degrees from just a week ago. Spotted Bass, Largemouth Bass, ratio of any freshwater fish in America. Thanks so much all of you guys for your help, Its sure going to make my short trip a lot easier, and hopefully a lot more productive. Whether you're visiting Bull Shoals Lakefor the world renowned bassfishing, or bringing the family for arelaxing weekend of watersports and boatingon the lake, you won't have too much trouble finding a secludedspot on the water. Brown Bullhead, catfish. We facilitate and provide opportunity for all citizens to use, enjoy, and learn about these resources. This unique adaptation helps it feed on other small fish, crayfish, and insects. It, too, is nationally known for its excellent bass fishing. I've had a lot of luck jug fishing about half-way back in Music creek. The spring is the best time to find fish shallower along the shorelines and off the ponts. Check Elk/Bear Permit Application Results, Managing Invasive Species in Your Community. At maturity, a paddlefish can reach a length of 5 feet (152 cm) and weigh up to 60 pounds (27 kg)! It has an average depth of 23 m (75 ft), but is certainly impressive for an artificial lake due to its maximum depth of 64 m (210 ft). I went to tablerock near Cape Fair last weekend and we caught a lot of fish, but it was completely different cover and than what I am used to at Bull Shoals. Another name for the warmouth is strawberry perch as its body is mottled brown, with reddish gill flaps. Nice and quiet in there. On a Tuesday!Bull Shoals Lake! fisherman. is a popular angling destination for catching The tapetum lucidum is highly reflective, causing light to bounce back through the fishs retina. We protect and manage the fish, forest, and wildlife of the state. We fished from about 7 til 1:30 am and got absolutly no bites. Be advised of hunting seasons. Artificial stocking, along with the enhancement and protection of potential spawning sites, has helped restore their populations. The Arkansas resident went bass fishing on Bull Shoals Lake on Feb. 18 with a bait he made. Closer to dusk and dawn, they prefer to stay in open water. Sport fishers catch this massive fish in the conventional way, with rod and reel, or with their bare hands! ** Welcome to Bull Shoals-White River State Park, one of 52 beautiful . February - June is the best time to target these great fishing and great eating fish. Thanks for all your help, Im sure we'll get lost we always do.. i will do the map. Water Type: clear You will fill like you have your own private lake. A variety of wildlife species live within the Hercules Glades including white-tailed deer, raccoons rabbits, squirrels, turkey, quail, songbirds, lizards and snakes. There is also hybrid bass, smallmouth bass spotted bass, stripe bass, and white bass too. Anglers wanting locations of the lake's brush structures can visit the MO Fishing App for smartphones or download coordinates to your sonar unit from MDC's MO Fishing Interactive Map on the website. Best Fishing Trips For this reason, it has the potential to become invasive. It is an opportunistic feeder that favors all types of plants and animals, including smaller fish. 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. We offer real-time climate data, weather forecasts, and alerts, as well as information on the best recreation spots nearby. Bluegill is a secondary fish species and a key part of the food chain in Bull Shoals Lake. This permit allows these anglers to fish the Arkansas portion of this lake without purchasing an Arkansas nonresident fishing permit. Populations of many subspecies have become threatened or extinct due to habitat loss. Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, They are also much lighter in color, with pale bellies. Largemouth Bass, Bull Shoals Lake is an awesome multi-species fishing lake. 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. Thanks in advance. Redear Sunfish, Black Crappie, This species is annually introduced into the Ozark Lake systems, with individuals entering into the Bull Shoals-White River State Park. Crappie: 10" minimum, On the lake and its tributaries: Ozark, Taney, Christian, and Douglas Different times of the year, different weather, different styles of fishing, fishing for other types of fish, the possibilities are almost endless. occur in Bull Shoals and Norfork, it is severely limited by predation of bass on young The Bull Shoals Lake Navigation App provides advanced features of a Marine Chartplotter including adjusting water level offset and custom depth shading. The area is characterized by shallow droughty soils and limestone rock outcroppings. The striped bass is an elegantly streamlined fish distinguished by its horizontally-oriented lateral stripes. As of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lakes elevation at 661.18 feet msl (normal conservation pool 654 msl). Our catfish section is huge with information on the best live baits, lures, where to catch them and how to catch them. successful even in the clear, bass-heavy waters of the Arkansas Ozarks. To catch cats in the Bull you need a depth finder. They also search for shelter along the lakes edges, among the fronds of submerged plants and in the shade of lakeside trees. Because of the engine trouble we stayed close to Theodosia Park, fished the east side along a shole shelve, had 40 feet of water, we settled in 20 feet and marked plenty of bait fish. I almost always put in around Spring Creek, or Pontiac. Go fishing! 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. In recent years, white bass populations in Bull Shoals Lake have considerably decreased in number due to less successful spawning events. Large brown trout have been fished out of the Bull Shoals Lake system in recent years. black bass good using spinnerbaits, jigs, soft plastics and topwater lures in the early morning; white bass good using white Rooster Tails and swimming minnows; crappie good on minnows and jigs; walleye fair using jerkbaits, crankbaits, nightcrawlers, and minnows; all other species slow. There are a lot of other species of fish in this lake. This lake has a lot of main lake points. Walleye, Brown Trout, Boat Rentals, Houseboat Rentals, Marina Services, Large Tackle & Watersport Equipment Store, Fishing Guides, P.A.D.I. Saltwater Fishing. In streams, trotlines baited with small sunfish or Bluegill, 6' dropline and a 4" bluegill. Other times of the year, fish will move into water 30 to 40 feet deep. A 60 pound Blue catfish caught on 8-pound test line was a world record for Bull Shoals Lake Bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass are proven stocking combination that provides both food and sport-fishing. Fishing Tackle The best way to keep a dream alive - is to keep sleeping. Is Bull Shoals Lake good fishing? As with the Channel and Blue catfishes, the males prepare the nest, constantly fan the We are close to Theodosia and Pontiac Marinas. Fishing Tackle Best Fishing Trips He knows the tricks and patience it takes to catch big fish. In the late spring, summer, and fall, minnows and nightcrawlers rigged on bottom-bouncers, and crankbaits slowly trolled along flats and points at or just above the depth of the thermocline catch good numbers of fish. They are tolerant of turbid water and are usually found in areas with a low or absent current. Come join the discussion about safety, gear, tackle, noodling, tips, tricks, reviews, reports, accessories, classifieds, and more! White bass is a temperate game fish that grows to an average length of 12 15 inches (30 38 cm). Pot shoals and the net pen culture site is about 10 mile run from pontiac and is pretty easy to get to. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Take a guided trip on Bull Shoals Lake. But if you get a map you can find holes that will have cats. Bull Shoals Lake Fishing Report. and bottom bouncing. There are good numbers of them in the lake as well as some big fish too. that line class for many years. It has a pronounced jaw and large eyes that are surrounded by distinct purple to red streaks. The place is huge. In Lake Norfork, 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. There are no length limits for white bass, yellow bass, or their hybrids. Bull Shoals is virtually an untapped Walleye fishery. Channel catfish are here in good numbers, but you can also catch blue catfish and flathead catfish too. Many anglers will fish the bottom when targeting rocky points, however, in the summer and fall months, you can find a lot of fish suspended just off the points in deeper water just away from the points. Flathead Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Flatheads inhabit pools in streams and are found throughout the lakes. . 1,050 miles of shoreline, Bull Shoals lake is the largest lake in Arkansasand one of the most popular lakes in Arkansas! The most effective live baits for this species include wax worms and minnows. Grass Carp, Spring is the best time to fish for this species because they move to the shallows to spawn. Fishing Techniques There are a lot of catfish in Bull Shoals Lake. I'm from Kansas/Oklahoma and fish lakes there for blue catfish. For anglers that are good with their electronics, schooling fish can be found following baitfish from the summer months all the way through winter. Because of their aggressiveness, they are Snoflo is the ultimate platform for outdoor enthusiasts and climate-conscious individuals. Learn how your comment data is processed. We had dead bluegill may have done better on live bait.. ohh well it was still a good trip, and next time i will check out the main section of the lake. South Fork Of Little Red River At Clinton, Big Piney Creek At Highway 164 Near Dover. In early spring, this fish can be found in schools close to the coast, where it seeks shelter in rock formations, fallen logs, and weeds. That means a good flow into the river and thus into that arm of the lake. Bull Shoals-White River ParkCache (GC1C7BG) was created by Arkansas State Parks on 5/7/2008. A handful of them are state fish of several US states, including Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Scuba Shop, Boat & Motor Repairs & Sales, Lodging. Abundant in many lake systems across the US, it is now a popular sporting fish. since we have a difficult time perfecting culture methods for this species and If you want to target even bigger catfish, try fishing for blue catfish or flathead catfish. to have the lake 30' above full pool and yet the Corps of Engineers is still holding water back. Ultimate Fishing Site is the largest fishing tips and tourism website on the net. I consider this the multi-species season on Bull Shoals Lake. The rest of the year, larger bluegills tend to remain in deeper waters. Black bass, white bass, crappie, and other species flourish. It is now Its quite common to come across individuals that are 15 17 inches (38 43 cm) long as their populations are stable. The Pontiac, Spring Creek, and Theodsia Accesses are in Ozark County and located off of Highways W, HH, and 160, respectively. In 1996 Diane Lacefield of Mountain Home speargunned a 68 Its favorite treats include annelid worms, frogs, small fish, and insects. Spotted Bass, Most of the time the cats I catch on the lake during the day time are in 30 to 50 ft of water with some as deep as 70 to 90 ft down. Read more about us here. Smallmouth Bass, Eliminating the "under 16-inch" size restriction for the bonus 10 catfish on the Arkansas River. interactive map Enjoyed reading your comments guys. Freshwater Fishing The lake is also starting to form a slight thermocline at the usual 25- to 35-foot level as indicated in a temperature drop from 65 degrees to 59 degrees, respectively. Fishers are able to effectively catch this game fish with spinnerbaits, plastic worms, crankbaits, and jigs. Only large white bass are able to feed on other fish, however, as smaller ones prefer copepods, daphnia, and water fleas. This is an uncrowded destination, making it a wonderful placeto get away from it all. Watch on. Channel catfish are omnivorous generally feeding along the bottom. The most effective means of fishing for Channel and Blue catfish in the And my boat is a 1448 Lowe w a 15hp honda, I am wondering if i should just spend the night north of potiac. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Flatheads and Largemouth bass have the greatest gape (open mouth size) to body size Welcome to BullShoals.com, your source for all things related to Bull Shoals Lake in the Ozarks. Special, area-specific regulations can be found here. During temperate months, be prepared for biting insects, poison ivy and high temperatures. Bull Shoals Lake is deep, so plan on fishing deeper water to consistently catch fish here. Some fish over 60 pounds are possible here. Big channel catfish over 20 pounds can be caught in the lake. Restrictions. There are also lots of Hybrid, Smallmouth, Spotted, Striped (Striper), and White Bass. Use 6 to 8 pound test line and youll get a lot more bites and still have enough strength to get some of the bigger fish into the boat. Huge walleye, catfish and many other types of fish can also be found in Bull Shoals Lake. eggs, and defend the young aggressively. Spotted bass is quite similar to smallmouth and was once even considered its subspecies or hybrid. This gives it an advantage as it can feed at night and on smaller fish that are unable to see as adeptly. I am planning to put in around Pontiac.. not sure where pot shoals sis.. as i said i will put in near ponriac on the east side of the lake, where are pot shoals from that point. hey Doug, I havn't heard of ponriac. Which make me want to be down in the area Russell suggested Music Creek. To red streaks, Montana, and Wyoming sunfish has visually appealing blue-green bars along the shorelines and off ponts., bass boats, pontoons and other species of the state line will do the map to.! 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