AGFC Bull Shoals creel survey results

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Bull Shoals Lake Creel Survey Results

 

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission recently completed a year-long creel survey on Bull Shoals Lake to learn more about how anglers use the fishery. From 2024 to 2025, creel clerks interviewed 423 groups representing 708 anglers. The results paint an encouraging picture of one of Arkansas's premier fishing destinations. The vast majority of anglers on Bull Shoals are Arkansans, with 85% coming from within the state, mostly from counties near the lake. Missouri made up the bulk of out-of-state visitors. Altogether, anglers generated an estimated $5.49 million in fishing trip-related spending, highlighting the lake's importance to the local economy.

Black bass were by far the most popular target species, making up 60% of the fishing effort. Bass anglers caught fish at an average rate of 0.91 fish per hour, an improvement over the previous creel survey conducted from 2004 to 2007. Anglers released 90% of what they caught, demonstrating that bass fishing on Bull Shoals is largely catch-and-release oriented. Crappie came in as the second most targeted species at 14% of the total effort, with anglers catching 1.58 fish per hour. Harvested crappie ranged from 10 to 16 inches, and a quarter of legal-sized fish were voluntarily released. Walleye accounted for 11% of the effort, with a catch rate of 0.37 fish per hour. Most Walleye were harvested, with kept fish ranging from 18 to 25 inches. Catch rates for black bass and crappie were generally highest in spring and summer, while Walleye catch rates peaked during summer and fall. Overall, harvest rates remain sustainable, and biologists see no cause for concern about the health of the Bull Shoals Lake fishery.

One of the more interesting findings involved forward-facing sonar, which 47% of interviewed groups had equipped on their boats. For bass anglers, sonar users caught more fish per hour than non-users, but harvest rates stayed equally low for both groups, showing that catch-and-release values hold strong regardless of the technology. Walleye anglers using sonar also caught fish at higher rates, but again, harvest rates and fish sizes were nearly identical between the two groups. The biggest difference showed up in the crappie fishery, where sonar users caught fish at nearly ten times the rate of non-users and harvested at four times the rate. While that gap is worth watching, harvest rates for sonar users remain modest overall, and the average size of harvested crappie was consistent between both groups, suggesting the technology is not leading to selective harvest of larger fish.

The survey also found that AGFC habitat work is making a difference. Among anglers who knew about the AGFC-constructed brush-pile locations, 72% used them, and nearly half of those anglers reported better catch rates while fishing around the structures. Thank you to every angler who took the time to visit with our creel clerks. Your feedback plays a direct role in helping us manage and protect the outstanding fishery at Bull Shoals Lake.