During the past week, we have had no rain,
warm temperatures and heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories). The lake
level at Bull Shoals fell six and nine tenths feet to rest at three and six
tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 659 feet. This is thirty two and four
tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell one tenth of
a foot to rest at six tenths of a foot below seasonal power pool and sixteen
and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell nine tenths of
a foot to rest at five and seven tenths feet above seasonal power pool and
three and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had
heavy generation this week with no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell three feet
to rest at one and two tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 553.75 feet and
twenty five 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 above seasonable power pool and we should encounter high levels of
generation, on our tailwaters, with no wadable water.
In an effort to lower the lake levels before
the spring rains, the Corps of Engineers opened conduits. The combined outflow
and generation equal 27,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) or the equivalent of
nine 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 was closed from November 1, 2015 to January 31, 2016 to accommodate
the brown trout spawn. It is now open.
On the White, the hot spot has been the catch
and release section below Bull Shoals Dam. 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 an egg pattern 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 navigable. 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 but clarity
has improved. 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 is off color yet 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 Spring River is fishing well. 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 for Blue
Ribbon Guides in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over
thirty years.
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