Page 43 - Lady Bass Digital Magazine Classic 2023

Bull Shoals Lake

Lay Of The Land

Bull Shoals Lake impounds the White River for the last time as
water travels toward its mouth on the Mississippi River. Bull Shoals is the lake
farthest downstream in a chain of four artificial lakes that include (from upstream to
downstream) Beaver Lake, Table Rock Lake, and Lake Taney Como. The lake is controlled
by the Army Corps of Engineers and has the primary purpose of flood control. The level of the lake
fluctuates regularly with a normal pool level elevation of 654 feet above sea level, which is locally
known as power pool. However, the lake regularly fluctuates between an elevation of 630 to 680 feet.
The upper part of the lake, below nearby Power Site Dam, is known as the “Pothole”.

The shoreline of the lake is totally undeveloped and protected by a buffer zone (locally called the “take line”) owned, operated, managed,
and controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers. The dam is designed for a maximum elevation of 695 feet (top of the flood pool). Bull Shoals Lake covers 45,000 acres
(182 km²) with a 700-mile (1,120-km) shoreline at power pool to more than 70,000 acres (284 km²) with a 1,000-mile (1,600-km) shoreline at 690 feet. The bottom
of the lake consists of bedrock with very limited vegetation. The shoreline is heavily forested.
Bull Shoals is the boundary between the states of Arkansas and Missouri. Because the impoundment meanders back and forth across state lines, non-residents
who wish to fish here need to purchase licenses from both states to ensure meeting state regulations. Residents of either state can purchase a boundary license.

The state records for Arkansas
Largemouth @ 16 lbs 8 oz
Smallmouth @ 7 lbs 5 oz, and
Spotted bass @ 7 lbs 15 oz

Both the smallmouth and spotted bass records came from Lake Bull Shoals!

Lady Bass Anglers Association 43