Pothole... Heating Up?

[ozark trout fisher]

Yea they used to on the lower end but the stripers kept eating them. Used to be they took trips in pontoons at night and fished close to the dam face deep for big rainbows, I remember. I don't think they stock them anymore.

According to the AGFC website, 30,000 rainbows are stocked every March in the lower sections of Bull Shoals Lake.

[Phil Lilley]

Wow... I'd think they'd be primarily striper bait but what do I know

[Sam]

As a side note, the "perch" we have around here don't go dormant in the winter- they just slow down and key in on smaller baits.

Rob, I'm sure that's right. In the lakes, though, I think "perch" go deep in the winter and it'd be real hard to target them with tiny lures. I know I never catch them in the winter, and I take it as a sure sign of SPRING when I catch the first "perch" up near the bank.

Hey, this thread got me thinking about the amazing variety of fish in upper Bull Shoals (and all our local lakes) and wondering how many different species I've caught there. Here's all the ones I can think of, and any additions or corrections would be appreciated. Sometimes I'm not too sharp on species' names.

Largemouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

Spotted (Kentucky) Bass

White Bass (I've never caught a Striped Bass, that I know of)

Walleye

Black Crappie

White Crappie

Rainbow Trout (I've never caught a Brown Trout there, yet)

Bluegill

Green Sunfish (Black Perch)

Bluegill/Green Sunfish hybrid

Rock Bass (Goggleye)

Yellow Perch

Various small Sunfish (I don't know the different species of those)

Channel Catfish

Flathead Catfish

Blue Catfish

Black Suckers

Yellow Suckers

Redhorse Suckers

Buffalo

Drum

Carp

Bowfin

Gar (I think there are a couple of different gars)

That's an amazing 16 species of "game fish" plus 2 more that are in B.S. but I haven't caught, plus the suckers I enjoy grabbing in the spring, plus the little sunfish and 4 species of "junk fish". That's without even trying to list baitfish - shad, chubs, and so forth. Have I left any species out?

[Phil Lilley]

Striped Bass

[Sam]

Striped Bass

Yes, at times I've caught some white bass-size fish, mixed in with the white bass, that I thought were probably small Stripers or maybe hybrids. Until I catch a full-size Striper, though, I won't say I've caught one out of Bull Shoals.

Wishing everyone here a Merry Christmas, and a Happy, Healthy, and Safe New Year (hopefully filled with good things for our families and some great fishing trips)!

- Sam

[Forsythian]

Merry Christmas to everyone!

If I get a chance I'll run by Shadowrock park today and see if the ramp is open yet... I'll post back here what I see. Last week the water level was fine for launching on the Forsyth side, but the city had not yet opened the park.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Have I left any species out?

Punkinseed comes to mind and although I haven't caught any out of BS, the Ozark Bass should be in there. I suppose there might be a Meanmourh or two.

Merry Christmas all!

[taxidermist]

Yes Arkansas still stocks around 30,000 bows from the net pens in the Pot Hoals area.

At one time when Mark Oliver was the bio in charge he stocked Browns and lakers, he was also the key person on stocking stripers.. Bull Shoals boat dock use to run pontoon trips nightly for bows... One good spot for Bos is the Jimmy Creek Arm were the three caves are, under lights. problem is the caves are underwater right now.

[Forsythian]

Shadowrock is open folks... good free launch on the Forsyth side.

[Predator1]

STRIPERS WILL EAT AS MANY RAINBOWS AS POSSIBLE.....Lake Lanier in North Georgia used to be a great RAINBOW Fishing lake. When STRIPERS were introduced to the Lake, the STRIPERS ATE all the Rainbows for breakfast, lunch and dinner and SNACKS. Now there are STRIPERS CAUGHT IN THE 50 - 60lb range all the time. If you want BIG STRIPERs. Feed them Rainbows.

I am going deer hunting.