On second thought Ill explain how the lake works though- most guys dont even understand that.Tip #1ALL SUBSTANTIAL FLOW IN THE ARKANSAS RIVER IS RUN BY THE TULSA DISTRICT- RAIN IN ARKANSAS DOESNT MEAN SQUAT. So if you wanna know what the flow is gonna do for your derby check the flows at AR River muskogee and at WD Mayo(lock and dam in OK) Tulsa operates their locks and dams under the idea of whatever water they get in they must put out- so if WD Mayo gets 37,000 in your gonna get 37,000 at DardyTip #2THE UPPER LAKE IS DRIVEN BY OZARK! That being from just above shoal bay north.THE LOWER LAKE IS SOMEWHAT DRIVEN BY THE DAM AT BOTTOM OF THE LAKE So if you find fish in the bottom half of the lake look at levels at dardanelle lock and dam(headwater gauge) If you find fish at the top check the OZARK gauge(tailwater of Ozark)Tip #3THE UPPER LAKE WILL HAVE VISIBLE CURRENT at Spadra probably around 20,000 or so. Below that you gotta run near Ozark to see it. As you know sometimes current is good, sometimes it aint. Generally things get positioned more reliably but current fish are smaller than non current fish(cause they aint swimmin all the time)Tip #4FIND BAIT AND THERE ARE FISH THERE. No bait? Get the hell out.Tip #5DRIVE YOUR CAR TO THE END YOU WANNA PRACTICE ON. The wind can eat you up just like at home in Idaho. Make it eaiser. Lake is 40+ miles long.Tip#6WITH INCREASING FLOW THE TOP GETS HIGHER AND THE BOTTOM GETS LOWER- THE LAKE TILTS MORE. Always cracks me up when folks say “they sucked the bottom out! and all my fish left!” That rarely happens if at all- folks just dont understand how the system works. Usually when one end goes down the other does the opposite.Alright- that should help. C.O.D. Jr. III
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