During the past week, we have had no rain,
cold temperatures and heavy winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals fell three and
nine tenths feet to rest at twenty one and three tenths feet above seasonal
power pool of 659 feet. This is fourteen and seven tenths feet below the top of
flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell three and two tenths feet to rest at
eight tenths of a foot above seasonal power pool and fifteen and two tenths
feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell two tenths of a foot to rest
at eight feet above seasonal power pool and one and six tenths feet below the
top of flood pool. On the White, we had heavy generation this week with no
wadable water. Norfork Lake fell four and four tenths feet foot to rest at ten
and seven tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 553.75 feet and fifteen and
five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had heavy
generation with no wadable water.
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 above seasonable power pool and we should encounter lower
levels of generation, on our tailwaters, with some wadable water, until
flooding clears downstream, when we will encounter high levels of generation.
In an effort to lower the lake levels before
the spring rains, the Corps of Engineers opened eight flood gates. The combined
outflow and generation equal 30,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) or the
equivalent of ten full generators. Similar releases on the Norfork equal 10,000
cfs or the equivalent of three full generators.
The Catch and Release section below Bull
Shoals Dam is closed from November 1, 2015 to January
31, 2016 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 has been Bull
Shoals State Park. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers (#8, #10), Y2Ks
(#14, #12), prince nymphs (#14), zebra midges (black with silver wire and
silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead #16, #18), pheasant tails
(#14), ruby midges (#18), root beer midges (#18), pink and cerise San Juan
worms (#10), and sowbugs (#16). Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective
(my current favorite is a hot fluorescent pink or cerise San Juan worm with a
black midge suspended below it).
The streamer fishing has heated up with the
high water. With the heavy flows, the fish have been pushed to the bank. The
best bet for large trout has been to bang the bank with large articulated
streamers delivered with heavy twenty four to thirty foot sink tips (350 grains
or heavier). You will need an eight or nine weight rod. This is heavy work but
the rewards can be great.
The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek
are high and off color. With the cold weather, the smallmouths are less active.
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 has been off color. The most
productive flies have been small midge patterns (#18, #20, #22) like ruby midges,
root beer midges, zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead)
and soft hackles (#14, #16) like the green butt. Egg patterns have also been
productive. 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
#10). 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. My favorite combination
has been a cerise worm with a Sunday special dropper.
Dry Run Creek has seen less pressure with the
bad weather. It still fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs (#14), Y2Ks
(#12) and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink
and cerise #10). While you are at the creek you should visit the Norfork
National Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure and remove your waders
before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases.
The water on the Spring River is high and off
color. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the
White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season is over and fishing is better. 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 (#10), cerise and hot pink San Juan worms (#10) and Y2Ks (#10).
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.
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