Reports?

[HYDE]

anyone heard or got any bull shoals reports? gonna try to get the boat out and run it awhile saturday and thought while i was out i would wet a line or two thinking about putting in at etiher Forsythe or beaver creek?

[Jason Essary]

Wondering the same thing....Drove past powersite today, freaky shallow. Dont know how deep the shoal is below the bridge, but I dont think I would try it in a bass boat. Current might push you down and you might not make it back to the ramp. from swan to dam was quiet. Clear and calm, no current.

Would love to hear some reports. Working a job within 5 minutes of shadow rock park for the next 5 to 6 weeks. Was wanting to do some walleye fishing but have never really been, especially with it this shallow.

Tips or reports would be wonderful...???

[Sam]

Jason, I don't have any fresh reports - just a general tip from past years.

Starting this time of year and continuing into spring and early summer, I've had some good walleye trips along that straight stretch including Barker Hole to the next bend downstream, and a little beyond. That area has some deep pockets and big boulders on the bottom, and walleyes lay in there during the day. My method is to slow-troll a 1/8 oz. chartreuse or orange Roadrunner tipped with half a nightcrawler at about 1 mph with the trolling motor. Let a lot of line out, and let the lure bump the bottom - you'll get hung up on rocks some. If you find a pocket holding fish, then stop and cast the same rig to them.

Walleyes show up real well on the scope, and lots of times I'll see 1 or 2 just off the bottom as the boat passes over, and when my lure gets to that spot I'll get a hook-up. The problem now may be that the water's so low - the pockets holding fish among the rocks there are usually 17'-20' deep. There won't be that much water now, so the fish may be further downstream to find that depth. If that's the case, I'd go downstream a little more - past the bend where the lake turns to the east toward Beaver Creek. In that area, there are numerous little rocky coves on the south (west) side, and off the mouths of those coves there are deeper rocky pockets. That's where I'd look for 'em.

I hope this helps.

[Paco]

When to K-Dock 2/14/11, got on water about 2 PM, air temp 58, water temp 39, went down and fished notch across Barn Hollow (West Facing bank),water warmed up to 40.8, fished 200 yards above and below notch, trolled grubs and rouges from 14 feet to 32 feet, had One 15 LM to boat off rouge, had 1 hit on grub. saw parts of Bull I haven't seen in several years (several good crappie beds). Now would be a good time for a guy to get out with GPS, Lake Map, and a Camera.

[ozarkstripers.com]

Wondering the same thing....Drove past powersite today, freaky shallow. Dont know how deep the shoal is below the bridge, but I dont think I would try it in a bass boat. Current might push you down and you might not make it back to the ramp. from swan to dam was quiet. Clear and calm, no current.

Would love to hear some reports. Working a job within 5 minutes of shadow rock park for the next 5 to 6 weeks. Was wanting to do some walleye fishing but have never really been, especially with it this shallow.

Tips or reports would be wonderful...???

[ozarkstripers.com]

fished forseyth twice this week. Caught two small males last night..caught three small males and one keeper three nights ago not much going on yet. water temp was 47.5 last night. Talked to a guy at ramp and he had caught white bass down towards sandflats...

[Jason Essary]

ozarks,

I am not familiar with water down from the bridge at shadow rock. Any suggestions on where to put in and fish in that are? figure they might stack up downstream with the low water but im lost as to where to go.

[ozarkstripers.com]

water is good enough to put in at shadow park but was real shallow up to the dam when they were not generating. I have shared the same results as sam mentioned above but i usually fish after dark and throw or slow troll rogues. The walleye should be on the move this time of year and slow trolling rogues is the best way to find them if you are patient enough the bite will come. I would put in at the bridge then go down stream for a mile till you find deeper water (the deepest we found up to the darn was 9 feet and that was right at the dam when they were not generating). Once you do then begin trolling the rogues on a long line behind the boat at the edge of the deeper water. Weave back and forth from shallower to deeper until you find the fish. once you hook up then go back to the place and cast the rogues towards the bank and work real slow. This time of year we see some good schools and usually pick up another fish or two from the same area. If you dont or they quit hitting in that area head back down stream trolling until you find another group.. patient is the key. I usually troll this time of year the same speed as the current then speed up a little as the water warms up. Another tip...use 20 pound test fire line. It is thin enough not to bother fish but will hold up to the snags you will get plus it will handle the big eyes. Do not ignore any eddies you find..... hit them hard....Good luck let us know how you do.

[ozarkstripers.com]

One of my favorite tactics when they are running water is to take some large minnows (slicks work best if you can trap them) and go hunt the eddies. Size of eddie doesnt matter but pull up from downstream side and toss the minnow into the eddie with nothing but a hook or a small split shot. Stay as far away from the eddie as you can cast. treat it as you would fishing a good top water bight. Let the minnow swim freely as long as he stays in the eddie. Works great. If it happens to be after a big rain then I will also try the same with a big nightcrawler. Have had some awesome trips doing this and you never know what you have til its in the boat.....

[ozarkstripers.com]

remember the small males are usually the easiest to catch but if after fishing an area really good and that is all your catching then pack up and head down about a mile to look for the bigger females.. repeat til you find them. They are very hungry right now and if you find them you will catch them.