Bull Shoals lake fishing report from Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock

Bull Shoals Lake Fishing Report & Fishing News
by Ricky Eastwold and Crew, Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock

- Bull Shoals Lake Fishing Report -

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2009 FISH "CATCHING" picture page

December 26th - Sunday Hello everybody! I know its been two months since the last report. I was gone most of November on my annual bow hunting trip. Yes it was successful in Illinois and Kansas. Anyway, the fishing was great in November when I was gone, especially around Thanksgiving when the lake stabilized. It rose almost 20 feet again this fall. It was up to 680 at one time. For those of you that know the marina here it was almost up to the first picnic table area. That's the 3rd time in a year and a half! The good news is that usually helps the fishing in the future. As of today, its back down around the 666 level. It rose several inches over the last few days due to a couple inches of rain. According to the Corps, it should continue to fall and is expect to be back to normal by January 10th depending on how much rain we get. Fishing has slowed down a lot over the last couple of weeks due to water temp and the cold temps we have had. There has not been a lot of people fishing over the last few weeks. Temps have been below 40 for the most part with the wind chill below freezing. So, not much fishing.

The water temp is 45 to 50 degrees depending on where u take it. It is colder then normal for this time of year. I have also been told that the lake has turned over in the last few weeks. That also will change the fishing patterns.

The following patterns are also worth a try when the water temp is this cold.

-- Spooning - The first is the basic vertical jigging . Look for schools of fish on depth finder and drop spoon into them or under them. Jig up and down hoping to attract there attention. This pattern was working back in the creek channels in 50 to 65 feet of water. Second, cast your spoon into the bank and slowly work back to the boat varying your retrieve. This could work in 10 to 50 feet of water. The water temp is virtually the same in from top to bottom so fish could be anywhere right now. There are probably where the feed is so look for shad balls.

-- Live crawfish or night crawlers - Split shot these in 45 -55 feet of water varying your depth until you find the fish. This is catching bass, bluegill and some walleye.

-- Jig n frog , n salt craw, n 4 inch worm - what ever your preference. This is catching Smallmouth bass in 15 to 25 feet of water on the gravel and chunk rock banks where crawfish hang out.

- Plastics such as grubs, hula grubs, tube jigs - work these slow along the bottom simulating a crawling crawfish. I would also try different depths until you find where the fish are. Anywhere from 15 to 55 feet.

-- Twin spins on the bluffs. This pattern always turned on when the water got cold. Throw and twin spin on the bluffs and let it free fall forever. Work it very - very slowly back to the boat while pulling over the standing timber. White or shad is usually the best pattern.

WALLEYE- The walleye fishing was fantastic in November. The walleye were extremely deep.

- spooning off the main lake points in 85 to 95 feet of water. yes- I said 85 to 95 feet of water. No - I have no idea why they where that deep but they were. LOL - The lake was 25 to 30 feet high so they might have been hanging on the old brush line. I don't really know- they are walleye!!

- spilt shot a night crawler - this pattern is working but catching lots of smaller sunfish and bluegills. If you are catching these fish that is good because that is what the walleye are feeding on and that's where you need to be fishing for them. They are anywhere from 15 to 55 feet of water. I have been getting varying reports on depths.

- trolling - either flat trolling, bottom bouncing or down rigging.

CRAPPIE - Not much change- They are catching them in brush piles and standing timber in 25 to 35 feet around the lake on small minnows and small jigs.

White River:

NOTHING EVER CHANGES ON THE RIVER EXCEPT THE WATER LEVEL!!! THE FISHING IS ALWAYS GREAT!!

The river fishing has been great!! Check out the 2009 picture page for photos of some big ones caught over the last couple of weeks. Nothing new on the patterns. --- Worms, night crawlers, power baits, salmon eggs, Count down Rapalas, spoons, rooster tails, jigs and just about any other type of trout bait or pattern you have heard of.

Come visit our expanded bait and Tackle department and good luck and good fishing to you all.

Good luck and good fishing, and please come and see us at Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock for all your fishing needs…Thank you!

FISHING -- INFORMATION -- FISHING

WATER TEMP GRAPH - 04-24-09

WATER TEMP GRAPH 05-24-09

WATER TEMP COMPARISON FOR APRIL - 08 TO 09 WATER TEMP

TYSON FOODS EMPLOYEE TOURNAMENT RESULTS - 2009

DAN GALUSHA CRAPPIE ARTICLE ON BULL SHOALS LAKE

WATER TEMP GRAPH - 06-26-09

PREFERRED OXYGEN RANGE FOR FISH

LENGTH TO WEIGHT CONVERSION CHART FOR - WALLEYE - CRAPPIE - LARGEMOUTH BASS

WATER TEMP GRAPH - 07-08-09