During the past week, we have had a rain event (a quarter inch
here in Cotter), brutally hot temperatures (to include heat advisories) and
moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals fell five tenths of a foot to
rest at eight tenths of a foot above seasonal power pool of 661 feet. This is
thirty four and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table
Rock fell three tenths of a foot to rest at one and three tenths feet below
seasonal power pool and fifteen and three tenths feet below the top of flood
pool. Beaver Lake fell eight tenths of a foot to rest at three and one tenth
feet below seasonal power pool and eleven and seven tenths feet below the top
of flood pool. On the White, we had heavy generation in the afternoon this week
with more wadable water in the morning. Norfork Lake rose one tenth of a foot
to rest at three and feet below seasonal power pool of 555.75 feet and twenty
seven and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had
reliable wadable water every morning, when it was a bit cooler.
Seasonal power pool has been reset for the lakes in the White
River system. All of the lakes on this system are at or near seasonable power
pool. With summer here we should expect more generation in the afternoon to
supply power for the increased demand for air conditioning.
On the White, the bite has been excellent. The hot spot has been
Rim Shoals. We have had more wadable water. 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 red San Juan worm with a ruby midge
(#18) suspended below it).
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) on bigger water. 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 hot weather, the smallmouths are still 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 fished better on the lower water this week. 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. My favorite fly has been the green butt.
Dry Run Creek has been very busy, with summer vacation, in full
swing. It has 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 in full swing and there are a lot of boats on the river. You should fish
during the week, if you can. 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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