HOT SPOTS
GREERS FERRY The hybrid and white bass fishing is excellent all over the lake at different times, with schooling fish and fish biting on structure as well. Use in-line spinners, topwater baits, spoons and swimbaits for the best catching.
BULL SHOALS TAILWATER With the water at minimum flow or just above, leave the bigger baits in the tackle box and pull out the trusty spoons: gold Cleos and hammered red-andgold spoons. Try your KastMasters or even dust off the old-timers’ favorite: the SuperDuper. Hang a No. 4 Flat fish while anchoring over a deep hole and just wait for the action. Consistent water levels will allow the trout to settle down into some normal feeding habits, so early morning and early evening may be the best times for easy catches.
BEAVER TAILWATER For the wading fisherman, this is good as many areas are accessible. Be aware of the offhour generations as water levels will rise quickly. Trout are still in the feeding mode after the spawn. Many nice-sized rainbows have been caught as well as the occasional brown. Midges, scuds, San Juans, Peach micro egg patterns, Hare’s ears and nymphs are working well.
LAKE CATHERINE The rainbow trout season has started with the Game and Fish Commission stocking 1,525 trout below the dam. Rainbows have been absent in the lake for months and this influx of fish always jumpstarts the fall fishing below Carpenter Dam. Bank fishermen can use wax or meal worms fished just off the bottom with a marshmallow floater. Redworms and nightcrawlers also work well when using this same technique. Live bait presentations give anglers the best opportunity to catch trout, as artificial lures are often ignored by finicky trout.