Rainbows have been feisty and hefty, paying most attention to flashy baits; silver/black Rapala CD5s and 7s are a good bet. Thomas Buoyant Hammered Spoons (especially blue/silver) continue to cause a stir. Can’t beat the white PowerBait topping a pink worm if you’re drifting over the shoals. Jigs continue to entice a rainbow or two; find the right color combination for the day and you’ll be busy netting a bunch. The mossy green/peach D2 is winning this week.

The brown bite has been a little challenging with the onset of the annual spawn, but we’re still seeing some action with sculpin and shrimp.

“Come visit Cotter; catch some rainbows and enjoy the beauty of our Natural State.”

Calico Rock Area

(updated 10-16-2025) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said, “The weather has been beautiful, with cool mornings with fog on the river and warm days. We are seeing some amazing days of fishing also with plenty of rainbows being caught. The last few days, we’ve seen water rising to around 6.5 feet and cresting in late morning before dropping the rest of the day and reaching as low as 4.5 feet overnight.

“Fishing has been great in the morning if you can catch the rise and stay just ahead of it going downriver. In the afternoon, moving upriver has produced better fishing. We are seeing a lot of trout being caught, with some guide trips catching over 60-70 fish during a full-day guide trip. In the mornings, drift-fishing with silver inline spinners with Uncommon Bait Neo Pink UV eggs and shrimp has worked best. In the afternoon, quarter-ounce Thompson Colorado Spoons in nickel/gold have worked very well, as has Rapala Countdowns CD7 in rainbow trout colors or silver.

“We received one stocking of 1,000 rainbows from the Jim Hinkle Spring River Hatchery. The Norfork National Fish Hatchery lost a lot of trout due to poor water conditions, and I’m not sure how it will affect future stockings. I’m sure it will take Norfork Hatchery some time to recover.”