JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 9/26/2013

During the past week, we have had a rain event (about an inch here in Cotter), cooler temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals fell two tenths of a foot to rest at one and five tenths feet below seasonal power pool of 661 feet. This is thirty five and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at four tenths of a foot below power pool and fourteen and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell three tenths of a foot to rest at one and nine tenths feet below power pool or ten and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had low levels of generation in the morning and heavier generation in the afternoon. There has been some limited wadable water. Norfork Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at one and two tenths feet below power pool of 555.8 feet and twenty five and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had wadable water most mornings and heavy generation in the afternoon. 

The water level for the top of power pool has been reset higher for all of the lakes in the White River system. With all of the lakes in the White River system below power pool and the temperatures moderating, I predict that we will receive more wadable water, in the coming weeks. 

On the White, the hot spot has been Wildcat Shoals. The best time to fish is early morning or late in the afternoon. The hot flies were Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, copper Johns, pink and cerise San Juan worms, gold ribbed hare’s ears and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended eighteen inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise). 

Some anglers have been fishing large streamers on the heavy flows we have been getting later in the day and having success. This requires heavy sink tip lines (250 grain or heavier), heavy rods (eight weights or better) and advanced casting skills. The hot flies have been large articulated streamers in various colors. 

Hopper season is in full swing. These are tempting morsels for large trout. You need a stiff six weight rod and a seven and a half foot 4X leader. My favorite hopper patterns are the western style foam hoppers with rubber legs and a bright quick sight patch on the back. Dave’s hoppers are also a good choice but be sure to dress them with plenty of fly floatant to ensure that they ride high. A small nymph dropper can increase your takes. It is not uncommon to take more trout on the dropper. My favorite dropper flies are beadhead pheasant tails or zebra midges. 

Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are low and gin clear. You will have to drag your boat in spots. Both are receiving a lot of pressure. With summer coming to an end, the smallmouth are still active. The most effective fly has been a tan and brown Clouser minnow. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. 

There has been wadable water on the Norfork and it has fished well. On some days, we have had minor flows from the implementation of minimum flow. The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead). Grasshoppers have produced fish, particularly when used in conjunction with a small nymph dropper (try a size 20 black zebra midge). Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended eighteen inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise). The fishing is much better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday. 

Dry Run Creek has fished well. School is back in session and now is a great time to fish it, particularly during the week when there is no one there. Weekends can get a bit crowded. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective. 

The water level on the Spring River is fishable. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. 

Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers and Dry Run Creek are infected with didymo, an invasive alga. Be sure and thoroughly clean and dry your waders (especially the felt soles on wading boots) before using them in any other water. Many manufacturers are now making rubber soled wading boots that are easier to clean and are not as likely to harbor didymo. 

Fellow guide, Robert Schuler, was severely injured in August and has been unable to work. A group of river guides and friends have banded together to have a benefit for him on Friday October 11, 2013 at Cotter’s Big Spring Park. The event runs from 5:00 PM until 8:00PM and features live music (Monkey Run Boys), chili and a raffle. Contributions may be made to the Robert Schuler Fund at the First Security Bank in Gassville or Mountain Home.

John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.

LORI SPEAKS AT FLY FISHING FAIR
BY JOHN BERRY  

The Southern Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers is having its Fly Fishing Fair next week (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) at the Baxter County Fairgrounds. You may have noticed that they have changed the name of the event to Fly Fishing Fair from the previous name, Conclave. I am not sure that I understand why. I have always enjoyed the concept and have attended each one since 1985. This will be my twenty ninth in a row. At first, I just attended. Then about twenty years ago I began presenting seminars and ten years later I became one of the fly tiers. About the same time, I became a vendor and had a booth for my business, Berry Brothers Guide Service. 

Every since I met my wife, Lori Sloas, she has also been involved in the Fly Fishing Fair. Like me, she just attended at first. Then she also started presented seminars. She never became a fly tier but is a vendor. A few years ago she served as the chair person for the Outreach Committee and was chosen as the Woman of the Year for her efforts. At the fly Fishing Fair, she always likes to hang out with the fly casters, while I am usually inside with the fly tiers. 

This year she has been invited to be the key note speaker for the Outreach Luncheon. Outreach started out to be a group of events for the ladies at Conclave but it has been open up and all are welcome. The culmination of Outreach is their luncheon, which is the social highlight of the Fly Fishing Fair. There is a great lunch raffle and auction. The funds are used for a variety of respected charities. It is the event that is just fun and is the place to see and be seen. This year’s chair person is Ann Schmuecker who has done an incredible job. Previous key note speakers include Dorothy Schram, Wanda Taylor and Lori Ann Murphy. These ladies all have very impressive fly fishing resumes.  
Lori has been working on hers for over a dozen years and has racked up a wealth of experience.  She has presented seminars for the Federation of Fly Fishers, the Ducks Unlimited Great Outdoors Festival, the Sowbug Round Up, Becoming an Outdoors Woman, Casting for Recovery, Fly Fishing Clubs and corporate groups throughout the region.  Lori was Outreach Chair at the Federation of Fly Fishers Southern Council Conclave in 2005.  She is a member of the North Arkansas Fly Fishers, the Damsel Fly Fishers and is a life member of the Mid South Fly Fishers and the Federation of Fly Fishers.  She was the Federation of Fly Fishers Southern Council's Woman of the year in 2006.

She was featured on the television show, Adventure Guides, on the Versus network (previously known as OLN).  Most recently she was the cover story in Living Well magazine.  She currently teaches fly fishing and casting with me at Arkansas State University Mountain Home.

Lori has a master's degree in counseling and has had extensive experience in Employee Assistance Programs, alcohol and drug counseling and corporate training.  Though she does some freelance consulting for clients like Ranger Boats and is a substitute teacher at Cotter High School her great love is guiding and teaching casting.  Her specialty is introducing ladies and children to the sport.  She does it all in a non-threatening professional way.

She will also be teaching several seminars.  On Thursday she will be presenting Seven Simple Steps to Help You Catch Fish.  This seminar will be held on water and will run from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.   On Friday, it is How to Read Water and Catch Fish from 9:00 a.m. until 9:50 a.m. at the fairgrounds.  On Saturday, the seminar is on Why is He Catching Fish and I'm Not (this one is my favorite).  Later that day Lori will speak at the Outreach luncheon about Fishing Tips to Catch More Fish.  This function is scheduled from 11:00 a.m. till 1:00 p.m. at St. Andrews Episcopal Church.  

If any of Lori's seminars interest you, please attend one or more.  Do not miss the Outreach luncheon. 

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 9/19/2013

During the past week, we have had a minor rain event, warm temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals fell seven tenths of a foot to rest at one and three tenths feet below seasonal power pool of 661 feet. This is thirty five and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at three tenths of a foot below power pool and fourteen and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at one and six tenths feet below power pool or ten and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had low levels of generation in the morning and heavy generation in the afternoon. There has been some limited wadable water. Norfork Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at seven tenths of a foot below power pool of 555.8 feet and twenty four and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had wadable water most mornings and heavy generation in the afternoon. The water level for the top of power pool has been reset higher for all of the lakes in the White River system. With all of the lakes in the White River system below power pool and the temperatures moderating, I predict that we will receive more wadable water, in the coming weeks.

On the White, the hot spot has been Rim Shoals. The best time to fish is early morning or late in the afternoon. The hot flies were Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, copper Johns, pink and cerise San Juan worms, gold ribbed hare’s ears and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended eighteen inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise).

Some anglers have been fishing large streamers on the heavy flows we have been getting later in the day and having success. This requires heavy sink tip lines (250 grain or heavier), heavy rods (eight weights or better) and advanced casting skills. The hot flies have been large articulated streamers in various colors.

Hopper season is in full swing. These are tempting morsels for large trout. You need a stiff six weight rod and a seven and a half foot 4X leader. My favorite hopper patterns are the western style foam hoppers with rubber legs and a bright quick sight patch on the back. Dave’s hoppers are also a good choice but be sure to dress them with plenty of fly floatant to ensure that they ride high. A small nymph dropper can increase your takes. It is not uncommon to take more trout on the dropper. My favorite dropper flies are beadhead pheasant tails or zebra midges.

Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are low and gin clear. You will have to drag your boat in spots. Both are receiving a lot of pressure. With summer coming to an end, the smallmouth are still active. The most effective fly has been a tan and brown Clouser minnow. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.

There has been wadable water on the Norfork and it has fished well. On some days, we have had minor flows from the implementation of minimum flow. The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead). Grasshoppers have produced fish, particularly when used in conjunction with a small nymph dropper (try a size 20 black zebra midge). Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended eighteen inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise). The fishing is much better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday.

Dry Run Creek has fished well. School is back in session and now is a great time to fish it, particularly during the week when there is no one there. Weekends can get a bit crowded. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective. While you are there, be sure and tour the adjacent Norfork National Fish Hatchery. It is the jewel in our angling crown. Be sure to remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases.

The water level on the Spring River is fishable. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season is coming to an end but canoeists can still be a problem. Fish the upper river at the Lassiter Access to avoid them or fish Dam Three late in the afternoon, after they have left the area. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks.

Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers and Dry Run Creek are infected with didymo, an invasive alga. Be sure and thoroughly clean and dry your waders (especially the felt soles on wading boots) before using them in any other water. Many manufacturers are now making rubber soled wading boots that are easier to clean and are not as likely to harbor didymo.

John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.  

  

AN INTERNATIONAL ANGLER ON OUR STREAMS

BY JOHN BERRY

This past weekend I had a two day guide trip with two interesting clients. Stack Scoville is a cardiologist from Nashville, an accomplished fly tier and avid angler. His friend, Paul Little, an Orvis endorsed fly fishing guide from the north of England is a world renown fly tier and is also an avid angler. Paul was in the United States to present a two day fly tying symposium for Stacks fly fishing group, the Hendersonville Fly Fishing Club. The object of the guide trip was to introduce Paul to fly fishing on the White and Norfork Rivers. 

I picked them up at their hotel at 7:30 AM on Saturday and we drove over to Rim Shoals. I rigged their rods with my usual double fly rigs (in this case, a white tail midge below a cerise san Juan worm with a AAA split shot and a strike indicator). They were running about 3,000 CFS (cubic feet per second) or the rough equivalent of almost one full generator. It was sunny and cool with an expected high temperature of 78 degrees. Winds were light and there was little if any fog. We were the only ones there. I launched my White River Jon boat and we motored up stream. 

We were into trout almost immediately. The fishing was hot all morning. We had ten doubles, which is the most that I can ever remember having in one day. Stack gained an early lead but Paul had just about caught up with him by noon. When we sat down at the picnic table for lunch, we had landed well over fifty trout. We decided to do something different in the afternoon. 

Since we had caught plenty of trout, we decided to play around with a different technique in the afternoon. Paul had never fished grasshoppers. Though they have the insects in England, they do not fish them (he said that beetles are the terrestrial of choice). In addition, we had trout rise to hit Paul’s bright pink strike indicator all morning and we figured that the trout were motivated to feed on the top, despite the lack of a hatch of aquatic insects. Paul was eager to try some dry fly action. 

I cut their 4X leaders back to seven and one half feet and tied on foam grasshopper patterns on both of their rods. I usually add a small nymph as a dropper to increase the takes. I avoided it in this situation because we wanted to strictly concentrate on top water action. Paul took to it like a duck to water and landed ten on the hopper. Stack was struggling and though we tried almost a half dozen hopper patterns only managed one on the hopper. We ended the day with well over sixty fish and the catch fairly even divided between the two anglers. We stopped at Dally’s Ozark Angler Fly Shop on the way back to the hotel so that Stack could buy a new reel and fly line and Paul could troll the aisles for new fly tying materials. 

When I do a two day guide trip, I like to change it up and show my clients something very different on the second day. Since we had fished the White from a boat on the first day, I thought that a wade trip on the Norfork would be a nice change of pace. The generation prediction was for the Norfork to be down over night with generation beginning at 1:00 PM. I planned on fishing at the Ackerman Access, which meant that we would get the rise at around 2:00 PM. I formulated a plan to maximize our fishing time on the Norfork. I picked the guys up at 6:00 AM. They already had their waders on as did I. We drove to the access and we were on the water a bit before 6:30 AM. The idea was to fish until the water came up and then walk out and eat lunch. It would be a long tough morning but it held promise. 

The only thing that concerned me was that the Corps of Engineers had instituted a minimum flow regimen on the Norfork a few days earlier and I had not fished it. I was not sure what to expect. The water was a few inches higher but it did not impair our wading and fishing in any way. 

We walked up into the Catch and Release section and quickly rigged their rods. We used a ruby midge below cerise or worm brown San Juan worms, a bit of lead and a strike indicator. As the sun came up, both were into their first trout. The action was pretty much nonstop. When the guys got tired of nymphing we went to dry flies, a small parachute Adams for Paul and a big hopper with a dropper for Stack. Paul caught a bunch on the dry and Stack caught the fish of the day, a stout eighteen inch rainbow on the hopper. 

Mid morning Paul was watching the trout feed and began to wonder, if the soft hackle techniques (he called them spiders) he used on his home waters in Northern England would work here. He took a few minutes to rig up a partridge and orange and small black soft hackle. He was into fish immediately. There were not many people fishing there and we could move around and fish different spots. We literally caught fish everywhere. 

When the water came up at two as predicted, Paul was at sixty five trout and Stack was north of forty. We had caught over a hundred trout including three species, rainbow, cutthroat and brown. Both needed a brook trout to achieve the grand slam. We walked out with the rising water. We drove over to Dry Run Creek and ate lunch on a shaded picnic table on stream. We finished the day walking the creek so Paul could get a feel for our best Catch and Release stream. 

It was a great trip for Paul, our international visitor. He was able to fish our two best trout streams under perfect conditions. He also was able to successfully try a new technique and learn that his favorite techniques from home worked here. Life is good! 

John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years. 

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 9/12/2013

During the past week, we have had no rain, hot then cooler temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals fell two and four tenths feet to rest at six tenths of a foot below seasonal power pool of 661 feet. This is thirty four and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at two tenths of a foot below power pool and fourteen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell six tenths of a foot to rest at one and one tenths feet below power pool or nine and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had heavy generation around the clock early in the week and low levels of generation in the morning and heavy generation in the afternoon later in the week. Norfork Lake fell one and two tenths feet to rest at two tenths of a foot below power pool of 555.8 feet and twenty four and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had wadable water most mornings and heavy generation in the afternoon. The water level for the top of power pool has been reset higher for all of the lakes in the White River system. With all of the lakes in the White River system below power pool and the temperatures moderating, I predict that we will receive more wadable water, in the coming weeks. 

On the White, the hot spot has been Wildcat Shoals. The best time to fish is early morning or late in the afternoon. The hot flies were Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, copper Johns, pink and cerise San Juan worms, gold ribbed hare’s ears and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended eighteen inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise). 

On the higher flows some anglers have been fishing large streamers on the heavy flows we have been getting later in the day and having success. This requires heavy sink tip lines (250 grain or heavier), heavy rods (eight weights or better) and advanced casting skills. The hot flies have been large articulated streamers in various colors. 

Hopper season is in full swing. These are tempting morsels for large trout. You need a stiff six weight rod and a seven and a half foot 4X leader. My favorite hopper patterns are the western style foam hoppers with rubber legs and a bright quick sight patch on the back. Dave’s hoppers are also a good choice but be sure to dress them with plenty of fly floatant to ensure that they ride high. A small nymph dropper can increase your takes. It is not uncommon to take more trout on the dropper. My favorite dropper flies are beadhead pheasant tails or zebra midges. 

Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are low and gin clear. You may have to drag your boat in spots. Both are receiving a lot of pressure. With summer coming to an end, the smallmouth are still active. The most effective fly has been a tan and brown Clouser minnow. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. 

There has been wadable water on the Norfork and it has fished well. The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead). Grasshoppers have produced fish, particularly when used in conjunction with a small nymph dropper (try a size 20 black zebra midge). Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended eighteen inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise). The fishing is much better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday. 

Dry Run Creek has fished well. School is back in session and now is a great time to fish it, particularly during the week. Weekends can get a bit crowded. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective. While you are there, be sure and tour the adjacent Norfork National Fish Hatchery. It is the jewel in our angling crown. Be sure to remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases. 

The water level on the Spring River is fishable. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season is coming to an end but canoeists can still be a problem. Fish the upper river at the Lassiter Access to avoid them or fish Dam Three late in the afternoon, after they have left the area. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. 

Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers and Dry Run Creek are infected with didymo, an invasive alga. Be sure and thoroughly clean and dry your waders (especially the felt soles on wading boots) before using them in any other water. Many manufacturers are now making rubber soled wading boots that are easier to clean and are not as likely to harbor didymo.

John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.

PHASES OF FLY FISHING

BY JOHN BERRY

From the very start of my love for fly fishing, I went through several phases. Each one was distinct from the others.

At first, I just wanted to catch a fish. It didn’t really matter what or where. Towards this end, I took fly casting lessons so that I eventually had a respectable looking cast where I could control about twenty five feet of line. I realized that I had to master a couple of knots so that I could become more independent. Otherwise I had to fish close to my brother, Dan, in case I lost a fly. I also had to learn to rig my own fly rod. My gear was all borrowed and not always reliable. The technique, of choice, in this phase, was to fish a woolly bugger. It was fairly simple and effective. I fished them constantly and eventually got good enough to catch a limit of trout on every fishing trip.

My next phase was that I wanted to catch a lot of fish. I embraced the concept of Catch and Release. I bought my first good rod, an eight foot five weight Sage and a nice set of Simms waders. I learned new techniques like fishing dry flies, soft hackles and nymphs. I attended seminars presented by Dave Whitlock, Gary Borger and Lefty Kreh. I read every book on fly fishing that I could land my hands on.  I traveled out west. I fished in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Oregon. I even fished the Smokey Mountains. I spent every free weekend on the White or Norfork River. I would literally fish all day long. I would begin at sunrise and fish till dark no matter what the weather. I took up fly tying and filled all of my fly boxes. I was always on the lookout for the secret pattern that was guaranteed to catch fish. I was driven!

 My next phase was that I wanted to catch large fish. I bought some really big rods, seven and eight weights with floating and sink tip lines. I attended seminars presented by Trey Combs on fishing for steelhead and Chico Fernandez on salt water fly fishing. I traveled to Oregon and fished for steelhead on the Umpqua and Deschutes Rivers. I went to Florida and waded back bays looking for redfish, snook and sea trout. Closer to home, I began fishing for big browns at night. I even fished over spawning browns. I must admit that I regret doing that and discontinued the practice over two decades ago. Here again I would fish long hours in dicey weather. I finally got it all out of my system. 

Now I am in the final phase of fly fishing. I just want to catch a fish! For me it is the process of going fishing. I just like to be on stream. I must say that I now prefer fishing dry flies to rising trout. Big fish still excite me but I am not nearly as driven to catch them as I once was. Numbers are not as important as they once were. In fact, after I have caught ten or twelve trout, I will frequently quit fishing and sit on a large rock or log and watch my wife, Lori, fish. I get just as excited when she catches one as when I land one. I choose my days to fish more carefully. I want pleasant conditions and a bit of isolation, if I can get it. When my old yellow lab, Ellie, was still alive, we would often sit together on the bank and just enjoy being there. Now that my new puppy, Tilley, is starting to get bigger, I have a future of fishing with her by my side. 

No matter which phase you are currently in, you will eventually end up just wanting to catch a fish. 

John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 9/05/2013

During the past week, we have had a minor rain event (2/10 of an inch in Cotter), cooler temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals fell three and four tenths feet to rest at one and eight tenths feet above power pool of 661 feet. This is thirty two and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot below power pool and fourteen and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at five tenths of a foot below power pool or nine and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had heavy generation around the clock. Norfork Lake fell two and one tenth feet to rest at one foot above power pool of 555.8 feet and twenty three and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had heavy generation all day. The water level for the top of power pool has been reset higher for all of the lakes in the White River system. With Beaver and Table Rock Lakes below power pool and Bull Shoals and Norfork near power pool and dropping fast, I predict that both will be at power pool in a few days and we should return to wadable water then. 

On the White, the hot spot has been Rim Shoals. The best time to fish is early morning or late in the afternoon. The hot flies were Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, copper Johns, pink and cerise San Juan worms, gold ribbed hare’s ears and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended eighteen inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise).

On the higher flows some anglers have been fishing large streamers on the heavy flows we have been getting later in the day and having success. This requires heavy sink tip lines (250 grain), heavy rods (eight weights or better) and advanced casting skills. The hot flies have been large articulated streamers in various colors.

Hopper season is in full swing. These are tempting morsels for large trout. You need a stiff six weight rod and a seven and a half foot 4X leader. My favorite hopper patterns are the western style foam hoppers with rubber legs and a bright quick sight patch on the back. Dave’s hoppers are also a good choice but be sure to dress them with plenty of fly floatant to ensure that they ride high. A small nymph dropper can increase your takes. It is not uncommon to take more trout on the dropper. My favorite dropper flies are beadhead pheasant tails or zebra midges.

Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are still navigable and gin clear. Both are receiving a lot of pressure. With summer coming to an end, the smallmouth are still active. The most effective fly has been a tan and brown Clouser minnow. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.

There has been no wadable water on the Norfork but it has fished well. The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead). Grasshoppers have produced fish, particularly when used in conjunction with a small nymph dropper (try a size 20 black zebra midge). Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended eighteen inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise). The fishing is much better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday.

Dry Run Creek has fished well. School is back in session and now is a great time to fish it, particularly during the week. Weekends can get a bit crowded. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective. Be sure and carry a large net, as most fish are lost at the net.

The water level on the Spring River is fishable. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season is coming to an end but canoeists can still be a problem. Fish the upper river at the Lassiter Access to avoid them or fish Dam Three late in the afternoon, after they have left the area. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks.

Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers and Dry Run Creek are infected with didymo, an invasive alga. Be sure and thoroughly clean and dry your waders (especially the felt soles on wading boots) before using them in any other water. Many manufacturers are now making rubber soled wading boots that are easier to clean and are not as likely to harbor didymo.

John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.

DOUBLE HOOKUPS

Double hookups are when both of the anglers in a boat have a trout on at the same time. Doubles don’t happen all that often and are exciting whenever they occur because the anglers share fishing success at the same time. It is usually a sign that the bite is on. They present a guide’s dilemma. How do you land both fish without losing one or more? I position myself in the boat between the two anglers and carefully monitor both trout. When one is ready to come in, I quickly net and release it and then move on to the other fish. By the way, I once was fishing with three anglers in the boat and had a triple hook up (I was able to net all three). 

There is a usually undesirable variation on the double that I call an Arkansas double. This generally occurs when one angler has a fish on that is very active and swims into the other angler’s line and becomes entangled. As a result, both anglers are connected to the same trout. Landing a trout in this situation can be very tricky because it can go in any direction and both anglers must act in unison to bring the trout in. In addition, both lines are hopelessly tangled. It generally takes several minutes to get both anglers line back in action. 

A couple of weeks ago I had a variation of doubles that was totally new to me. We had a double where both trout became entangled in each other’s lines. I was fishing a nice couple, Thomas and his wife Jennifer. It was Jennifer’s first fly fishing trip and Thomas was relatively new to the sport. We began the day with a casting lesson and then I quickly rigged up a couple of rods to best handle the water conditions. It was a cool morning and they were running around 6,500 cubic feet per second or the approximate equivalent of two full generators. 

I rigged both rods with a cerise San Juan worm and a nymph under a strike indicator and a split shot. On one rod, the nymph was a red zebra midge and the other rod had a Y2K. We began fishing and it was quickly apparent that the Y2K was to be the hot fly, after we landed three trout on it. I always say that one fish is a fluke, two is a coincidence and three is a trend. I switched the zebra midge out for another Y2K and we were soon into a bunch of trout. We had our first double a short time later. After some well deserved high fives, we were back on the drift. 

Mid way through the morning Jennifer hooked a good one. I grabbed my boat net and was positioning myself to net her fish when Thomas hooked up. I moved past her and got between the two anglers. I was carefully monitoring the two trout when I saw Jennifer’s fish swim toward Thomas’s. Before I knew it, they were tangled. This was a challenge. I had two inexperienced anglers, two active trout and two tangled lines. I resolved to land both fish. 

Thomas’s trout was ready first. I stretched out my long handled boat net and deftly scooped it up. I noticed that the two lines were not that tangled. I carefully removed the fly from the trout and held the fly hook point up. I did this in case Jennifer’s trout took a sudden run. I did not want to be impaled with the hook nor have the two lines get tangled worse. Though all flies were barbless, I did not want to bleed over this situation. I lifted the fly up and carefully reached out with my net to land the other trout. It came in easily and I rested the net against my knee and the side of the boat. With both hands free I was able to untangle the lines and then unhook and the release the trout. It was over in no time. 

We returned to fishing and I breathed a sigh of relief. I had somehow landed both trout and was able to prevent a major tangle. Life is good! 

John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.