The COE allegedly put that out there per some guides I have talked too. The COE has been known to change their decisions and lake level may drop out sooner than that.
I have very limited dates between here and the end of the month to ply the waters of the White though.
that part will not change
52) Lizard Fish ( First of my Destin trip fish. I caught this guy slow rolling a sabiki rig.
I had HIGH hopes for the Destin trip and it worked out, but not at all like I expected.
im Sorry about the terrible pic. Glare, Sunglasses, and trying to return the fish quickly was a terrible combo
51) Brook Trout. ( Salvelinus fontinalis) The Hardest part of the White River Slam. I’m a little better dialed in on them now and as long as they keep doing the annual stockings, I’ll keep catching them.
50) Bowfin (Amia calva) aka Choupique and Bowfun and Swamp Musky and a dozen other names. Great Fish! Destroys Lures and Shatters Dreams.
This is the fish that I drug @Johnsfollyto Texas to pursue. John caught several. I was a failure. Maybe John can add a link to that thread.
1/2 way to 100, but the road gets steeper as you go
49) Freshwater Drum (Aplodinotus grunniens ) this fish has a lot of common names. I grew up thinking it was named Gaspergoo. Which we frequently shortened to Goo or Gasper.
I love them, often bite really hard and PULL.
This is that most elusive Drum, the Current River Drum. It took me years to catch one despite throwing at dozens of them. They can get spooky in clear water apparently.
48) Rainbow Darrer (Etheostoma caeruleum) I swear the males are a stunning fish. I apparently only catch females or maybe the males are much prettier during the spawn.
I'd love to fish it again, but it will likely be 2022 at the earliest. I'd certainly loved to be "guided" and I would have loved to fish Big Alkali and Merritt. I did do a lot of prep work and talked to the Fisheries guys to try to pick my lakes to fish. I am very willing to try whatever, but man I want to fish Duck Lake again. That frog bite was Awesome.
47) Bleeding Shiner (Luxilus zonatus)
pretty easy to catch in the right location , pretty impossible if not. Very similar to Dusky Striper and Cardinal Shiners.
46) Central Stoneroller (Campostoma anomalum)
you can fish thru a group of 1000 and only find one that you can catch. I wasn’t willing to try for an hour to get a second one
TBF, most of the ones I caught have been too small to do much with, but I also rarely catch more than a couple. IF and when I go further north to a Good perch lake, I will try to eat a few of them.
45)) White Tailed Shiner (Cyprinella galactura) I saw this fish swimming around off and on for a couple of years before I caught one.
I am still trying to catch one of the Big Ones.
44) Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) illegally or accidentally introduced into Bull Shoals and now established in the White River via spillway releases. A very pretty perch that is supposed to be delicious ; I still have not eaten any.
42) Bigeye Shiner (Notropis boops)
the notropis family is maddening as far as identification goes. Very successful group of species that use similar water.
will take a small fly