JOHN BERRY FLY FISHING REPORT 02/05/2016

During the past week, we have had a rain event (less than a half inch here in Cotter), cold temperatures and heavy winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals fell four and eight tenths feet to rest at sixteen and five tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 659 feet. This is nineteen and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell one foot to rest at two tenths of a foot below seasonal power pool and sixteen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell six tenths of a foot to rest at seven and two tenths feet above seasonal power pool and two and two 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 and three tenths feet foot to rest at seven and four tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 553.75 feet and eighteen and eight 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 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 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 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.