How to Catch a Walleye in White River, Arkansas
The best stretches of Arkansas' White River to catch walleye are locations where the water is clean and clear and the bottom is gravel. There is also good walleye fishing in the headwaters and tailwaters of the several dam-created lakes on the White River. Walleye like cold water, and hydroelectric dams pull cold water from deep within the lakes and then discharge them into the tailwaters. The headwaters are especially good for walleye fishing around March, during the spawning season. In general, walleye fishing in the White River is best from spawning season through October.
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Instructions
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Research the area of the White River you want to fish in for walleye. Walleye like cool, clear water and rivers with sand or gravel bottoms. Good walleye fishing areas will have both quiet pools and riffles. Additionally walleye do not like to be in bright sunlight.
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Hire a fishing guide familiar with the White River. Fishing guides often have invaluable knowledge of a waterway, which will save you the time of having to wander blindly, trying to find the perfect spot.
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Ask personnel at bait and tackle shops for advice on areas of the White River they feel are good for walleye fishing. However, be prepared to get half information or no information as fishermen, fearing their favorite spot will get overfished, are usually reluctant to share such knowledge.
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Check fishing reports for an area you are interested in fishing to see if walleye are being caught. Lakes, tackle shops and guides will often list fishing reports on their websites for their area for the convenience of their customers and also to attract fishermen to their location.
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Choose your bait. Walleye love minnows, but they also like worms, small crayfish and various insects. Minnow lures work good in the White River riffles.
If you are using minnows, hook it through the lips, from the bottom up and add some split shot weights 12 inches or so up the line. Cast your line slightly upstream and across from you and allow the minnow and split show to sink near the bottom. Slowly reel in, pausing every now and then. A walleye hit will not be the sudden dramatic strike like that of a bass, but rather a sudden feeling of weight on your line.
If you are using lures, walleye usually hit them when they are reeled in with a slow and steady action. Sometimes, causing the lure to jerk like a dying fish by reeling, pausing, waiting and then reeling again will attract a walleye to hit your lure.
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Fish the White River headwaters and tailwaters around the end of February through March when the walleyes are beginning to spawn and head out from the lakes to the rivers.
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Fish on a cloudy day or at night. Walleye do not like bright sunlight.
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Know the limits for walleye in your area. The state limit is six but may differ, depending on the region of Arkansas you are fishing in.
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Tips & Warnings
Be alert when fishing tailwaters behind the dams on the White River for signs of discharging waters. These dam discharges can cause the waters to rise suddenly and dramatically.
References
- Photo Credit walleye image by Elena Vdovina from Fotolia.com
