It’s a fishing day

Bull Shoals Lake fishing conditions · Arkansas

Now until 7 pmWalleye

The bite peaks at 59.

Frost Advisory until Sunday 9 am
Log a trip here
Right now: 55 for walleye, marginal · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 553 pm
  2. 59
  3. 55
  4. 556 pm
  5. 41
  6. 41
  7. 419 pm
  8. 45
  9. 45
  10. 45Sun
  11. 41
  12. 41
  13. 413 am
  14. 41
  15. 41
  16. 456 am
  17. 41
  18. 41
  19. 419 am
  20. 41
  21. 45
  22. 5512 pm
  23. 51
  24. 41
  25. 413 pm
  26. 41
  27. 45
  28. 416 pm
  29. 41
  30. 41
  31. 419 pm
  32. 41
  33. 45
  34. 45Mon
  35. 41
  36. 41
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
0 mph

From the

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:08 pm

Sky
Partly Sunny

No rain expected

Air
59°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Arkansas regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

59MarginalNow until 7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

18" minimum · 4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No walleye under 18"; 4 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Beaver and Bull Shoals

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Nov–Apr, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

47Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No largemouth or smallmouth under 15" (spotted bass 12" on Bull Shoals); 6 black bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Beaver and Bull Shoals

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

47Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No smallmouth or largemouth under 15"; 6 black bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Beaver and Bull Shoals

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

47Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Striped bass bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Arkansas statewide: 6 striped and hybrid bass a day combined, no minimum. Beaver allows 3 with a 20" minimum on striped bass; Ouachita allows 3 striped bass.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Arkansas

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on striped bass

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

47Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

10" minimum · 15 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No crappie under 10"; 15 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Beaver and Bull Shoals

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

47Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Arkansas treats common carp as a rough fish. Its statewide length and daily limits do not include carp.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Arkansas

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.19 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:08 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:40 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:40 pm–4:40 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:00 pm–12:00 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:50 am–6:50 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Arkansas Game & Fish has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

A huge, clear White River reservoir in the Arkansas Ozarks — trophy largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass, walleye, striped bass, and crappie, with a celebrated trout tailwater below the dam.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Norfork River22 mi · ArkansasBest now until 7 pmFrost Advisory
65Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Bull Shoals Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Bull Shoals Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Bull Shoals Lake?

Bull Shoals Lake is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Striped Bass, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Bull Shoals Lake?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Bull Shoals Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Bull Shoals Lake have?

Bull Shoals Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Bull Shoals Lake?

state agency regulations apply at Bull Shoals Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Bull Shoals Lake tidal water?

No. Bull Shoals Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.