During the past week, we have had several rain events (combined
for a total of three quarters of an inch here in Cotter), warm temperatures and
moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals rose six tenths of a foot to rest
at one tenth of a foot below seasonal power pool of 662 feet. This is thirty
three and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock rose
a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot above seasonal power pool and thirteen
and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell seven tenths
of a foot to rest at two tenths of a foot below seasonal power pool and eight
and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had little
generation this week with wadable water most days. Norfork Lake rose two tenths
of a foot to rest at two and seven tenths feet below seasonal power pool of
556.75 feet and twenty six feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we
had no wadable water.
Seasonal power pool has been reset for the lakes in the White
River system. All of the lakes on this system are currently at or below
seasonable power pool and we should encounter lower levels of generation, on
our tailwaters, with limited wadable water.
On the White, the bite has been erratic. We have had a lot of low
wadable water that has fished well. 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 pink San Juan worm with a ruby midge
(#18) suspended below it).
Our sulphur hatch provides some of our best dry fly fishing of the year. I have observed a few sulphurs on the White and have had reports of hatches on the Norfork. This is a big mayfly, about a fourteen. Before the hatch I fish pheasant tail nymphs. When I see top water activity but no insects, I fish with a partridge and orange. When I see trout taking adults from the top, I switch over to a sulphur parachute.
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 warm weather, the smallmouths are active. My favorite fly is a Clouser
minnow. 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 cleared somewhat and has fished better lately. 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 fly
has been the green butt.
Dry Run Creek will be very busy, with summer vacation, in full
swing. It is cleared some and fished well. There is another phase of the
project to repair the Norfork National Fish Hatchery now going on. Access to
the creek is not impaired. 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 with Blue Ribbon Guides in
Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.
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