OPENING DAY THIS WEEKEND BY JOHN BERRY

This Sunday, February 1, 2015 is opening day. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been closed from November 1, 2014 through January 31, 2015 to help protect the annual brown trout spawn that occurs there. During the spawn, the brown trout do not feed. Therefore these big fish are concentrated in one area, have not been fished over in three months and have not fed in that time. This sounds like the best time of the year to land a big brown.

This information is widely shared and there are a lot of anglers that are interested, in fishing, on opening day. If past years can be an indicator, it can get a bit crowded. If there is no generation, there will be a lot of anglers jockeying for position. I was talking to a fellow angler a few years ago that had arrived there a minute or two after midnight, to ensure that he got the spot that he wanted. That is dedication. The best advice that I can give you is, to not dawdle over that third cup of coffee before you head to the river. A lot of anglers do not like to fish in congested situations and will wait a few days for the crowds to thin out.

If they are running water, the situation can be just as crowded. I call these situations, anything that floats days, because it seems to draw a great variety of watercraft. We have the usual White River Jon boats, drift boats and the occasional camouflaged duck hunting boats. There always seems to be a few anglers that show up with their bass boats. It doesn’t seem to matter that these watercraft are not designed to be used in a tight stream. I have seen a bass boat tear out a transom on the ever present rocks in the White River. The thing that bothers me is that a bass boat moving back upstream as fast as possible can throw up a pretty big wake. My Jon boat is not designed to operate in such conditions and I can be tossed around a bit. Despite all of this there are usually several nice browns that are caught on opening day.

Fly choices are generally simple. Since this is following a spawn there are a lot of trout eggs in the water. I generally fish a double fly rig with an egg pattern on top with a midge dropper. My most productive midge pattern for the past few months has been a ruby midge (size 18). When fishing opening day with my wife, Lori, she prefers to bang the bank with big streamers. Whatever fly you choose, remember to carry a big net.

Be aware that there will be a large number of redds, where the browns have laid and fertilized their eggs. They will appear as clean depressions in the water. It is important that you avoid wading or dragging a chain through them to prevent damaging the eggs. They will be vulnerable to damage for about ninety days.

I have not fished below the dam in over three months and I look forward to returning there.

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