JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT FOR JULY 1, 2016

During the past week, we have had rain (about a half inch here in Cotter), hot temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals fell two feet to rest at nine tenths of a foot above seasonal power pool of 661.67 feet. This is thirty four and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell five tenths of a foot to rest at one and five tenths feet below seasonal power pool and fifteen and a half feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at one and seven tenths feet below seasonal power pool and ten and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had more generation this week with no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell six tenths of a foot to rest at five tenths of a foot tenth below seasonal power pool of 556.42 feet and twenty four feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had no wadable water. In an effort to get the lake level down on Norfork the Corps of Engineers ha s opened a sluice gate during daylight hours. The increased flow is equal to about one full generator.

Seasonal power pool has been reset for the lakes in the White River system. All of the lakes on this system are currently below seasonable power pool. With summer here we should expect more generation in the afternoon to supply more power for the increased demand for air conditioning.

On the White, the bite has been erratic. Some days it fished well others not so good. We have had less 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 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 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 and 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 with Blue Ribbon Guides in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.