TIME TO WADE BY JOHN BERRY

As many of you have noticed, there has been quite a bit of wadable water on our rivers lately. The lakes are all well below flood pool and the weather has been relatively mild. Both are conditions that lead to periods of low or no generation. Anglers have been responding to the great wading conditions. I have seen quite a few anglers on the stream lately taking advantage of the prime conditions.

Not every fly fisher prefers to wade. Most of the guides that I know much prefer to fish from a boat. Earlier this week, I was one of ten fly fishing guides that worked for a corporate group from Texas. On the first day, I was the only guide that chose to wade despite low water conditions on the White and Norfork Rivers (The White had been off for over forty eight hours). Both were on the bottom as I say, lower that a snake’s back in a wagon rut.

Why do these guys prefer to guide from a boat? Because it is easier! When you are guiding from a boat, all you have to do is keep your clients on fish, untangle lines and net fish. The clients are close to you and you don’t have to worry about much except for one of them falling out of the boat.

Wade fishing with clients is a very different story. You have to quickly assess their wading ability. If there are any mobility issues, then they should be in the boat. My rule of thumb is to walk as from the access as possible before I start fishing. The client must be able to walk that far. The guide has to be able to make the walk also. I work out at the gym at least three days a week to stay in peak condition just so that I can do this.

When you place your clients on stream, you have to put them in good water where they can catch fish. The problem comes when you have more than one client. If you have multiple clients, they are usually far apart because there are few choice spots that are clustered near other great spots. As a result, you spend a lot of time running from one client to another. If one is tangled, then the other has a trophy on the line and wants a picture.

The casting and fishing skills required for a client are greater on a wade trip. As a result, the guide spends more time coaching or teaching. Finally, you have to keep an eye on your clients at all time, in case they should slip or fall in the water. I always say that it is not a matter of if you fall in but when.

Despite all of this, I actually prefer to wade on a guide trip. I feel very comfortable in the water and for me it is a pleasure. For one thing I don’t have to sit next to an outboard motor droning on continuously. The quiet and solitude of a wade trip is a refreshing change for me. I like the challenge of finding multiple locations for my client to fish and I am constantly searching for new spots. I also like to teach technique. There is nothing as rewarding to me as for a client to pick up a new skill and catch fish using it. 

 

We have some low water now and it is a great time to challenge yourself. It is not as easy as fishing from a boat but it has its own rewards.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 10/31/2014

During the past week, we have had a minor rain event (less than a quarter inch here in Cotter), cool temperatures and heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals rose one tenth of a foot to rest at four and two tenths feet below seasonal power pool of 659 feet. This is forty and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell four tenths of a foot to rest at five and three tenths feet below seasonal power pool and nineteen and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake remained steady at five and three tenths feet below seasonal power pool or fourteen and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had moderate generation in the afternoon and lower generation in the morning with abundant wadable water. Norfork Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at three and three tenths feet below seasonal power pool of 553.7 feet and twenty nine and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had wadable water every day with limited generation in the afternoon.

The water level for the top of power pool has been reset for the lakes in the White River system. All of the lakes on this system are well below seasonal power pool. With temperatures moderating, we should receive more wadable water.

The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close fromNovember 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park will be seasonal Catch and Release for the same period. All brown trout must be immediately released. In addition, night fishing is prohibited in this area during this period.

On the White, the hot spot was the section from Rim Shoals downstream to Ranchette. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers, Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, ruby midges, root beer midges, pink and cerise San Juan worms, and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective (try a flashback beadhead pheasant tail nymph with a ruby midge or red fan tail midge suspended below it).

It is still hopper time! There is a bumper crop of grasshoppers this year and the trout are already keying in on them. I favor shorter leaders (seven and a half foot 3X) and a stiff six weight rod to proper deliver these weighty flies. My favorite flies are Dave’s hoppers and the western pink lady. To increase hook ups I always use a dropper. I am currently using a ruby or root beer midge in size eighteen on a three foot or longer tippet (depending on the depth of the water I am fishing).

The higher flows that we have been getting on some afternoons have been conducive to fishing large streamers. You need a fast sinking sink tip line and an eight weight or better rod. This is a heavy lift that requires casting skills and patience.

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are stained. With the cooler weather, the smallmouths are still active. The most effective flies are Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. 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.

The Norfork River has fished better recently. With more wadable water on the White, there has been less angling pressure on the Norfork.  The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like ruby midges, root beer midges, zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and soft hackles like the green butt. 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). There have been reliable hatches of small midges (try a size 24 Adams parachute) and caddis (try a size 18 elk hair caddis).The fishing is better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday.

 The siphon at Norfork Dam that was installed to achieve minimum flow has malfunctioned again due to the failure of a sensor on the lake side. It will take three to four weeks to repair it. In the meantime, the powerhouse personnel will run a speed no load operation to achieve minimum flow.

With school back in session and conclave over, there is less fishing pressure on Dry Run Creek. Now would be a great time to fish it. The hot flies have been sowbugs, Y2Ks and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). While you are there take a few minutes to visit the adjacent Norfork national Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure and remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases.

The water level on the Spring River is heavily stained. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season is over and there are fewer boats on the river to interfere with your fishing. 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.

DAVE WHITLOCK SEMINAR NEXT WEEKEND BY JOHN BERRY

There will be a Dave Whitlock fly fishing seminar at the Gaston Visitor’s Center at Bull Shoals State Park on November 1 and 2. The event will begin at 9:00 AM and run until 4:00 PM both days. This event is open to the public and admission is free. The Dave Whitlock seminar is sponsored by our local fly fishing club, the North Arkansas Fly Fishers (NAAF). To me, this is a rare opportunity to spend the day with one of the most influential gurus of the sport at no cost. Anytime you are looking at NAAF and wonder where your donations or dues are going, this is the answer.

When you look at all of the titans of this sport, none has made more of an impact on our fisheries than Dave. He began his love affair with the area in the nineteen fifties when he was one of the first anglers to discover and write about the spectacular trout fishing on the White. He moved here and did some his best writing and research in the area first in Norfork and then in Midway. He has recently retired to his home state of Oklahoma.

We reserve the most respect for teachers, in our sport, and Dave is a consummate teacher. He has always taught through his writing and art but when you get into a class situation there are none better. I attended my first Whitlock seminar over thirty years ago. It was on fly fishing for bass and I still think of it fondly. I learned a lot and still remember it like it happened yesterday.

During this two day seminar, Dave will hold two sessions on fly tying. For those of you who do not know it, he is one of the most innovative fly tyers in the sport. His patterns cover a variety of species and all catch fish. There are two that I carry with me every day. One is Dave’s hopper. It is a spot on imitation of a grass hopper that has been my go to hopper pattern for three decades. The other is the red fox squirrel nymph. This has been a favorite of mine every since my brother introduced it to me over twenty five years ago. It is a great caddis larva pattern.

Dave’s writing has always been a draw to me. I always read his column in Trout magazine, the Trout Unlimited publication. He has written or illustrated several important fly fishing books. One of them, Dave Whitlock’s Guide to Aquatic Trout Foods, is a classic and should be in every fly fisher’s library. One of the things that are scheduled is a book signing on both days.

If you have never seen Dave sign a book, you are in for a treat. He takes a page and illustrates it with a drawing of a trout taking a fly along with his signature and a message to you. If you don’t own a book by Dave, buy one and have him sign it at the seminar. I am sure that he will bring some books with him for sale. He always brings some of his art and flies also. My Dave Whitlock illustrated coffee mug is my favorite and somehow it makes my coffee taste a little bit better.

Dave is an incredible fly fisher. Several years ago I was fishing at Rim Shoals and found Dave there with Flip Pallet filming an episode of the Walker’s Cay Chronicles, which was Flip’s fly fishing television program for many years. They were fishing a hatch in a spot that I had walked by to get to other water for years. I took care to not interfere with the filming but took special care to remember where it was. I now include it in the water that I fish. I put a client in it a couple of days ago and he caught several nice fish there on a soft hackle.

If you want to be entertained and learn something about fly fishing you should attend this seminar. This is the best deal that I have seen in a long time. I am guiding on the first but hope to be there on the second.

JOHN BERRY'S FISHING REPORT 10/24/14

During the past week, we have had no rain, cool temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals remained steady at four and three tenths feet below seasonal power pool of 659 feet. This is forty and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock rose one tenth of a foot to rest at four and nine tenths feet below seasonal power pool and eighteen and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose three tenths of a foot to rest at five and three tenths feet below seasonal power pool or fourteen and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had significant generation in the afternoon and lower generation in the morning with significant wadable water. Norfork Lake rose three tenths of a foot to rest at three and two tenths feet below seasonal power pool of 553.7 feet and twenty nine and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had wadable water every day with limited generation in the afternoon.

The water level for the top of power pool has been reset for the lakes in the White River system. All of the lakes on this system are well below seasonal power pool. With temperatures moderating, we should receive more wadable water.

The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close fromNovember 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park will be seasonal Catch and Release for the same period. All brown trout must be immediately released. In addition, night fishing is prohibited in this area during this period.

On the White, the hot spot was the section from Cotter downstream to Rim Shoals. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers, Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, ruby midges, root beer midges, pink and cerise San Juan worms, and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective (try a flashback beadhead pheasant tail nymph with a ruby midge or red fan tail midge suspended below it).

It is hopper time! There is a bumper crop of grasshoppers this year and the trout are already keying in on them. I favor shorter leaders (seven and a half foot 3X) and a stiff six weight rod to proper deliver these weighty flies. My favorite flies are Dave’s hoppers and the western pink lady. To increase hook ups I always use a dropper. I am currently using a ruby or root beer midge in size eighteen on a three foot or longer tippet (depending on the depth of the water I am fishing).

The higher flows that we have been getting on some afternoons have been conducive to fishing large streamers. You need a fast sinking sink tip line and an eight weight or better rod. This is a heavy lift that requires casting skills and patience.

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are stained. With the cooler weather, the smallmouths are still active. The most effective flies are Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. 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.

The Norfork River has fished better recently. With little wadable water on the White, there has been more angling pressure on the Norfork.  The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like ruby midges, root beer midges, zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and soft hackles like the green butt. 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). There have been reliable hatches of small midges (try a size 24 Adams parachute) and caddis (try a size 18 elk hair caddis).The fishing is better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday.  

With school back in session and conclave over, there is less fishing pressure on Dry Run Creek. Now would be a great time to fish it. The hot flies have been sowbugs, Y2Ks and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). While you are there take a few minutes to visit the adjacent Norfork National Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure and remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases.

The water level on the Spring River is heavily stained. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season is over and there are fewer boats on the river to interfere with your fishing. 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.

UPDATE ON TILLEY THE FISHING DOG BY JOHN BERRY

As many of you know, I lost my beloved English Labrador Retriever, Ellie, about a year and a half ago. For fourteen years, she was my constant companion on stream. She was possibly the ultimate fishing dog. She would sit by my left side and watch me catch fish. She wanted to look at each one. Everything went well until a trout would jump. Then all bets were off. She would launch into the water to retrieve it. She would, of course, occasionally get hooked. She would stand still, while I quickly removed the barbless hook. When I got tired of fishing and sat on a rock she would curl up beside me and take a nap. When she was sick toward the end, we knew that time was short and began a search for a new dog. We wanted the two to bond but that was not in the cards. We picked up Tilley a couple of weeks after Ellie passed.

I wanted a fishing dog just like Ellie but my wife, Lori, wanted a show dog. I figured that Lori would take her to a few shows and then I would have a fishing dog. Things didn’t work out the way I expected. Tilley turned out to be an incredible specimen and a natural competitor. At seventeen months of age, she has earned three AKC (American Kennel Club) obedience titles, Canine Good Citizen, Beginner Novice, and Rally Novice. She has qualified to compete in the 2015 AKC Rally Championships at Purina Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri. She has also competed in AKC conformation and has won a blue ribbon in every show she has attended. She even won a best puppy in show at a competition in Harrison. While she has done well in her age group she has not done well beyond it because she is still filling out and is not expected to fully mature for another five to six months. Lori hopes she will take off at that time. All of the judges and trainers think she will.

Tilley’s success is no accident. Lori took special care when choosing her. She wanted a good bloodline that had championship potential and no health issues. She visited the kennel before she chose a puppy to meet the male and female dogs that produced the litter. Once we had Tilley in our possession, she took it to our Veterinarian to have her checked out. Lori began training Tilley immediately. She worked with top notch trainers on a weekly basis and reinforced the training with daily training sessions. Rather than using professional handlers, Lori learned how to show Tilley herself. It has all paid off!

The problem is that I do not have a fishing dog yet. I fear that I will have to wait until Tilley retires from the ring. Ellie began as a show dog but had a fairly short career. Tilley is doing so well that I think she will compete for a long time. It may be just as well the traits that make her a great show dog; exuberance and enthusiasm do not translate well to the stream. She is not nearly calm enough to be a fishing dog. Hopefully she will mature in temperament as she fills out.

I look forward to fishing with her.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 10/17/2014

During the past week, we have had several rain events (an inch and a half here in Cotter), cooler temperatures and heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals rose two tenths of a foot to rest at four and three tenths feet below seasonal power pool of 659 feet. This is forty and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock rose one and nine tenths feet to rest at six and nine tenths feet below seasonal power pool and nineteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose one and nine tenths feet to rest at five and six tenths feet below seasonal power pool or fifteen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had significant generation in the afternoon and lower generation in the morning with no wadable water over the weekend. Norfork Lake rose one and one tenth feet to rest at three and five tenths feet below seasonal power pool of 553.7 feet and twenty nine and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had wadable water every day with limited generation in the afternoon.

The water level for the top of power pool has been reset for the lakes in the White River system. All of the lakes on this system are well below seasonal power pool. With temperatures moderating, we should receive more wadable water.

The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close from November 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park will be seasonal Catch and Release for the same period. All brown trout must be immediately released. In addition, night fishing is prohibited in this area during this period.

On the White, the hot spot was Rim Shoals. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers, Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, ruby midges, root beer midges, pink and cerise San Juan worms, and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective (try a flashback beadhead pheasant tail nymph with a ruby midge or red fan tail midge suspended below it).

It is hopper time! There is a bumper crop of grasshoppers this year and the trout are already keying in on them. I favor shorter leaders (seven and a half foot 3X) and a stiff six weight rod to proper deliver these weighty flies. My favorite flies are Dave’s hoppers and the western pink lady. To increase hook ups I always use a dropper. I am currently using a ruby or root beer midge in size eighteen on a three foot or longer tippet (depending on the depth of the water I am fishing).

The higher flows that we have been getting on some afternoons have been conducive to fishing large streamers. You need a fast sinking sink tip line and an eight weight or better rod. This is a heavy lift that requires casting skills and patience.

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are stained. With the cooler weather, the smallmouths are still active. The most effective flies are Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. 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.

The Norfork River has fished better recently. With little wadable water on the White, there has been more angling pressure on the Norfork.  The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like ruby midges, root beer midges, zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and soft hackles like the green butt. 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). There have been reliable hatches of small midges (try a size 24 Adams parachute) and caddis (try a size 18 elk hair caddis).The fishing is better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday.  

With school back in session and conclave over, there is less fishing pressure on Dry Run Creek. Now would be a great time to fish it. The hot flies have been sowbugs, Y2Ks and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). While you are there take a few minutes to visit the adjacent Norfork national Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure and remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases.

The water level on the Spring River is stained and higher. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season is over and there are fewer boats on the river to interfere with your fishing. 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.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is making repairs to the Dam at the State Fish Hatchery at the Dam Three Access. During this process water may be diverted from the main channel to the north channel that runs alongside the parking lot resulting in a rise in the water level there of up to two feet. The access will remain open to the public although the parking may be limited to the lot on the North side of the railroad tracks during busy times. All users are requested to exercise extreme care when in the area.

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.

THE ARKANSAS DOUBLE BY JOHN BERRY

Most of us know what a double is. That is when two anglers in a boat or wading for that matter both hook up fish at the same time. It is shared success and a cause for celebration. It usually results in high fives, fist bumps or a yahoo. Catching them two at a time is a great way to get the body count up. My personal record, as a guide, is eleven doubles in one day. That is twenty two fish! Once, when guiding three anglers, we had a triple. Doubles are the kind of problem that you don’t mind encountering. When your biggest challenge is figuring out which fish of the two is ready to come in first, you are having a good day!

While a double is definitely a good thing, its evil twin, the Arkansas double, is not. This is when both anglers are hooked up on the same fish. It generally happens when one angler connects with a fish and it swims into the other line. The angler with the fish on can usually steer the fish in and keep it out of the way of the other angler’s line but not always. Some trout are wild and unpredictable. The danger here is that, with two anglers connected to the trout, the fish will be lost. The other problem is that the two lines will be hopelessly tangled at the end of the struggle. Most experienced anglers will pull their line in, when there is a major struggle going on, to avoid trouble.

The other way that this can occur is when the angler with no fish carelessly casts into the other anglers line. This is a rookie mistake and should be avoided at all costs. Don’t cast into another line particularly when there is a fish struggling on it. It usually takes several minutes to untangle two fishing lines and that is time, when the anglers are not catching fish.

My wife, Lori, and I had a close encounter the other day. We were fishing together and during the drift I hung the bottom with my fly. As I announced this, I started up the motor on my White River Jon boat so that I could run up stream and back my fly out of the rock that had captured it. This is standard operating procedure in my boat and I can free the fly about ninety percent of the time. It is quicker to free a fly than replace a lost one.

About the time I started the motor, Lori hooked a good rainbow. I had my fly rod in my right hand and the tiller to my Mercury outboard motor in my left. I slowly moved upstream and tried to keep my line out of harm’s way as the boat slowly inched forward. Lori was pretty busy trying to control the big trout. He had a mind of its own and made several erratic runs toward my line. I was pretty much helpless until I managed to free my fly. I quickly pulled my line into the boat and hit the kill switch on my motor allowing us to drift downstream in a more natural manner. With my hands free, I was finally able to net her fish, a fine fat twenty one inch male rainbow. The whole struggle took a few minutes and we must have looked like a couple of monkeys trying to eat a coconut!

I was not so lucky this week when I was guiding two anglers from St Louis. We caught plenty of fish and even had several doubles. The problem is that we also had two Arkansas doubles. I blame them on the hot erratic fish that we encountered on stream. In each case, their lines were so irreparably tangled that it took me ten minutes each time, to completely rerig them. Luckily we did not lose any flies.

Doubles can be a good thing or a bad one. Take care to avoid an Arkansas double. The best thing to do is watch your line when your fishing partner is hooked up and keep it from harm’s way when necessary.

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

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 10/10/2014

During the past week, we have had a rain event (a half inch here in Cotter), warmer temperatures and heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals fell five tenths of a foot to rest at four and five tenths feet below seasonal power pool of 659 feet. This is forty and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell four tenths of a foot to rest at six and nine tenths feet below seasonal power pool and twenty and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at seven and five tenths feet below seasonal power pool or seventeen and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had significant generation in the afternoon and lower generation in the morning with a lot of wadable water over the weekend. Norfork Lake fell three tenth of a foot to rest at four and six tenths feet below seasonal power pool of 553.7 feet and thirty and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had wadable water every day with limited generation in the afternoon.

The water level for the top of power pool has been reset for the lakes in the White River system. All of the lakes on this system are well below seasonal power pool. With temperatures moderating, we should receive more wadable water.

On the White, the hot spot was Wildcat Shoals. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers, Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, ruby midges, pink and cerise San Juan worms, and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective (try a flashback beadhead pheasant tail nymph with a ruby midge or red fan tail midge suspended below it).

It is hopper time! There is a bumper crop of grasshoppers this year and the trout are already keying in on them. I favor shorter leaders (seven and a half foot 3X) and a stiff six weight rod to proper deliver these weighty flies. My favorite flies are Dave’s hoppers and the western pink lady. To increase hook ups I always use a dropper. I am currently using a ruby midge in size eighteen on a three foot or longer tippet (depending on the depth of the water I am fishing).

The higher flows that we have been getting on some afternoons have been conducive to fishing large streamers. You need a fast sinking sink tip line and an eight weight or better rod. This is a heavy lift that requires casting skills and patience.

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are clear and low. With the cooler weather, the smallmouths are still active. The most effective flies are Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. 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.

The Norfork River has fished better recently. With little wadable water on the White, there has been more angling pressure on the Norfork.  The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like ruby midges, zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and soft hackles like the green butt. 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). There have been reliable hatches of small midges (try a size 24 Adams parachute) and caddis (try a size 18 elk hair caddis).The fishing is better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday.  

With school back in session and conclave over, there is less fishing pressure on Dry Run Creek. Now would be a great time to fish it. The hot flies have been sowbugs, Y2Ks and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). While you are there take a few minutes to visit the adjacent Norfork National Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure and remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases.

The water level on the Spring River is a low and clear. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season is over and there are fewer boats on the river to interfere with your fishing. 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.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is making repairs to the Dam at the State Fish Hatchery at the Dam Three Access. During this process water may be diverted from the main channel to the north channel that runs alongside the parking lot resulting in a rise in the water level there of up to two feet. The access will remain open to the public although the parking may be limited to the lot on the North side of the railroad tracks during busy times. All users are requested to exercise extreme care when in the area.

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.

GREAT CLIENTS AND GREAT FISHING GO HAND IN HAND BY DENNIS SCHULE

October is always a great time to fish the White and Norfork Rivers in Arkansas.  We usually have great weather and the fish don't see the hoards of fishermen like they do during the summer.  October first and second was no exception. 

My business partner and fellow guide, John Berry, and I had the privilege of guiding five good friends and exceptional fly fishermen from the St Louis Missouri area for those two days.  The group was staying at the River Ridge Inn in Norfork and that is where we met the group on Wednesday morning at 7:30AM.  

After brief introductions we loaded up their gear and headed for the river.  Due to the projected water conditions for the day we decided to head down river a few miles on the White. 

 

I had Jay and Frank in my boat and John had Kris, Scott and Steve in his boat.  John will fish three anglers in boat but I only fish two because I use oars while drifting and there is no place for a third angler. 

Once we arrived at the landing, I launched my boat and Jay and  Frank and I were off in search of fish.  John had one less experienced fly fisherman with him so he stayed in a grassy area and gave a brief casting lesson.  I explained to Jay and Frank how we were going to fish and since they were both experienced anglers they had no problem adapting to the fishing.  

It wasn't long and we were into fish -- nice rainbows and a lot of them.  I wasn't happy with the size of the fish so, we decided to head down river to a different location.  Once there, Frank landed a nice rainbow.  We took a photo and returned the fish to the water immediately.

We continued to fish this area and caught a lot of fish, most of which were rainbows.  Then Jay hooked into what appeared to be a nice fish.  I said it was probably a brown since it was staying down and not jumping.  Sure enough, Jay got the fish close to the boat, I netted it and it was a nice fat brown trout.

Shortly after catching the nice brown trout, Jay once again landed a nice fat rainbow.  The fishing continued with both Jay and Frank landing numerous fish.

After lunch, Jay and Frank wanted to do something other than nymph fish.  I told them the conditions appeared to be right for throwing hopper/dropper rigs and they were eager to give it a try.  I set up their rods and maneuvered the boat closer to shore and began to drift using the oars.  After numerous strikes by some rainbows, Jay hooked into a really nice fish.  The fish hit the hopper and immediately took the fly to the bottom and was heading upstream.  Jay did a fantastic job fighting the fish and I was able to net a big brown trout for him.  We measured the fish and it was right at 20", a beautiful brown.  We took a quick photo and put the fish back in the water.  After a short resuscitation, the big brown gave a big kick and headed for the bottom.

On day two we decided to wade fish the Norfork in the morning and then head back to the White in the afternoon.  Everyone caught fish on the Norfork, however no big fish were taken.  The highlight of the morning on the Norfork was me losing my footing while crossing back across the river.  The next thing I knew I was face down in the water with a surge of cold water filling my waders.  John was already contemplating his next article which I'm sure would include this incident but I beat him to the punch.

The afternoon on the White River was really good.  In just a few short hours we landed nearly 20 fish despite the very windy conditions.  

Overall, this was one of those very enjoyable guide trips that every guide looks forward to -- great guys, very good fishermen and lots of fish,  with a few BIG fish thrown in just to provide those extra memories.

Thanks to the guys from St Louis.