Sep 20 2008
Great weather makes for fun fishing in Twin Lakes Area
The lakes are rising and the temperatures are falling. The wade fishermen on the White River and the North Fork have had a chance to do their thing for a change. The generators on Bull Shoals Dam were shut down for the first time since early June.
The sudden shut down of the generators at Bull Shoals dam was the result of potential flooding downstream but was also responsible for the stranding of many trout in isolated shallow pockets along the river. Hopefully the next shutdowns will be more gradual.
All that has changed and the generators are again running nearly full due to the floodgates being opened on Table Rock Dam this week. The fish at Bull Shoals had just begun to re-adjust to the previous conditions and lower water levels. All this to say that fishing has been tough with few anglers taking to the water during the rainy stretch. What to do? Go Fish! The weather couldn’t be better and fishing is improving.
Some reports have good smallmouth and largemouth bass in 32-40 feet of water over the brush. The short walleye are also at that depth with the keepers in hiding within the flooded timber (good luck!). Nightcrawlers are working well with crawfish simulations such as Gitzit in green colors on Houndawg’s modified Carolina Rig also cashing in.
The important thing is to keep it moving and make it slow. Six colors of lead-core line should keep your bait in the strike zone. Also try the Hot’n Tot or Shad Rap lures if you prefer crankbaits. Bottom bouncers have produced Kentuckys, yellow perch, "bull" bluegill, and short walleye. Six- to 8-pound test line in green color is imperative to fool the better fish in the clear water.
Smallmouth bass have been trying to move onto the flatter, main lake points but are on-again, off-again due to weather changes. Try flukes over 24-28 feet of water. More consistent, fair weather should further encourage this movement.
Norfork Lake is a whole new ballgame. Most of the lake is nearly devoid of oxygen between 30-80 feet. That means that you will not find any fish in that region of the water column. With that said, keep your baits in the 25-foot and shallower range or below 75 feet.
I had two reports of keeper walleye below 80 feet but they were nearly dead and had no fight to them when landed. Stripers are also below 80 feet and are hard to coax into feeding. Much time has been spent with little reward. Most of the stripers that are caught are in the 5-8 pound range with a rare 15-20-pound fish.
The low temperature down there (55-58 degrees) slows down the fish’s metabolism so that they don’t need as much oxygen to survive but it decreases the rate of activity and digestion and therefore the need to eat as often as they normally would at this time of year. Downriggers are a must to present your bait and it must be slow (1.5-1.8 mph) because the cool water slows the fish.
Try swim baits, umbrellas, large Stump Jumper jigs with matching Hyper-Striper tails or the longer stick baits with a slow wobble such as the Bomber Long A and the Norman Razor Minnow. Color is not as important because there is very little light at that depth.
On the brighter side, catfish are doing well on nightcrawlers, cut bait, or shrimp. Trotlines are effective when kept above 25 feet with some impressive catches being reported.
Try surface lures like the Chug Bug or Zara Spook Jr. for Kentucky Bass and White Bass in the back of the coves. They are chasing shad early and late in the day so have your favorite temptation ready when they show up close at hand. Most are small but lots of fun, especially if kids are involved. Increasing numbers of Largemouth Bass are now showing up.
Small crankbaits and Zoom Baby Bushhog lizards in watermelon colors seem to be working toward the points over 20-25 feet of water casting toward shore, and the buck brush. Lure sales at the local bait purveyors have been brisk, considering the lower fishing pressure this year. Lure hunting along the shore should be very productive when the water gets low enough to leave the brush high and dry.
Tip of the week: In the dam area on Norfork, keep your eyes open for stressed and struggling stripers that are still alive. Several in the 20-40 pound class have been netted and taken to the creel. Stripers (Rockfish on the East Coast) are excellent table fare if taken while fresh and kept on ice. Remember to remove all of the red colored flesh to prevent the strong flavor. Good luck and tight lines.
