1St Time On Bull Shoals

[HardHead]

My buddy and I will be fishing Bull Shoals out of Isabella March 27-30. We frequent Table Rock and have been trout fishing on the White many, many times. Decided its time to give gorgeous Bull Shoals a shot. Any and all seasonal info/tips anyone could provide would be greatly appreciated. At heart, I'm a jig fisherman. I am hoping for staging fish and water in the low to mid 50's by the time we arrive - a bit worried that might be a pipe dream with as cold as it has been.

I am having trouble finding current lake conditions, if anyone could provide me with a reliable link I would appreciate it. Barring that, guess I'll just keep watching Pete Weener and assume the conditions are quite similar.

One specific question I was hoping to get answered - how bad is the shad kill on the lake right now and what are some of the best locations to try and get away from it. Its my experience at TRL that during a kill thats about the only thing the bass will eat. Ive had to run way up the James River just to get away from it and get some bites. Assuming I prob want to run north on Bull Shoals as well if I run into the same prob.

[Bullshoalscat]

Fishing a Tournament out of Theodosia 3/8 will post how we did after the T. Pretty good shad kill going on now in the Theodosia arm I'm told.

[Fishin Hodge]

Prior to the snow storm, the skinny water areas I have been in were 42 - 44 degrees. That might have taken a hit with the sleet we took a beating with over the weekend and the melt of all that snow is probably gonna delay most of the warming that might have occurred this week otherwise. The fish I have been able to catch have already made a move toward staging. Barring another big cold snap, I'd say you'll get to see 50 degree water in places by the end of the month and the fishing should be pretty decent.

I wouldn't leave my wiggle warts at home about that time if I were going to be fishing up in the creeks.

I have been on the mid lake from Peel up to K-Dock, here and there/now and then, over the past month and have yet to see a real hard shad kill which is kind of suprising as cold as its been.