Cotter, Arkansas -- Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said March is living up to its name as the windy month on White River; we sure hope it blows itself out quickly. Bull Shoals Lake is on the rise after Tuesday’s rainstorm. The lake is sitting at 659.22 feet msl. Generation from Bull Shoals Dam has been variable from minimum flow (700 cfs) to over four units (12,600 cfs).

Old fishing adage: You can’t catch one if your line isn’t in the water, so come on over and drop a line (6-pound test, green monofilament is a good start). Jigs have been flying off the shelf, for good reason. The peach/mossy green D2 jig has been catching the eye of a lot of trout. White jigs (most any white bait right now) have hooked a bunch, too.

Local fishing adage: March is the best time to catch a brown. We’ve netted more browns than rainbows some days, and the trout we’re netting are healthy and providing a lot of action. Most were caught with a sculpin, but don’t leave the minnows at home. Shad is a great treat for the browns. It might surprise you to find that a gold Little Cleo hasn’t lost its allure to the browns.

Use a heavier weight to float your baits nearer the bottom in this deeper water after spring rains. Cast near the banks where the trout don’t have to fight the current. We’ve had a lot of success with spoons, in addition to the Cleo, especially the red/bold Thomas Buoyant quarter-ounce Spoon.

We enjoy God’s great outdoors every single day. Join us in the Arkansas Ozarks and experience the beauty of our Natural State.