Cotter, Arkansas -- Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525) said spring break has sprung and the fishing community is welcoming visiting families to the beautiful Arkansas Ozarks for memory-making trout fishing. It’s brown trout season on the White River downstream from Bull Shoals Dam. Our anglers are pulling in more browns than rainbows this past week and the guides are going all-out to continue the catching fever.

No secret to what been tempting the browns: sculpins, shad and minnows. We’ve seen several trophy browns caught with the mighty sculpin and returned to their home waters this week. Get a quick picture before the release to serve as bragging rights and re-bait for your next catch. Handle with care.

Adria Brennan brought in a beautiful, 30-inch brown trout with the help of guide Doug Knight while fishing the White River out of Cotter Trout Dock recently. The folks at Cotter Trout Dock say the brown trout season is in full swing downstream from Bull Shoals Dam, with their anglers pulling in more browns than rainbows this past week.

Blue and Silver spoons are favored by the rainbows this week, along with a brown-skirted Rooster Tail. Try Sunrise or Orange power bait or pink/white Berkley mousetail worms if throwing spoons isn’t your style. Combining any of those with shrimp or crawdad tail has been an excellent way to reel in some great-sized fish.

Bull Shoals Lake is below desired power pool level at 655.48 feet msl. The lake is rising slowly from the rain and runoff this week but generation from Bull Shoals Dam has remained mostly at minimum flow.

Come visit the Arkansas Ozarks and share a great time each and every day enjoying and employing God’s great outdoors.

Calico Rock Area

(updated 3-12-2026) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said the rains last Friday created a muddy river early this week. On Monday and Tuesda, drift-fishing was difficult. By Tuesday the brown trout bite was good using a Rapala Countdown CD7 in silver/black, Dynamic J-Spec Holofoil Silver and Dynamic HD silver/black.

“We were seeing many 20-inch-plus brown trout. By Wednesday the river cleared enough that drift-fishing with silver inline spinners, Uncommon Baits Neo Pink UV eggs and shrimp worked well. Overall, we are seeing better-than-average fish being caught after a winter of little fishing pressure.”

This week Jim Hinkle Spring River State Hatchery stocked 1,200 rainbows at the Calico Rock boat ramp, with additional stockings at Chessmond Ferry and Reds Landing.