During the past week, we have had a couple of rain events (a
combined total of two and a quarter inches here in Cotter), brutally hot
temperatures (to include heat advisories) and moderate winds. The lake level at
Bull Shoals rose five tenths of a foot to rest at five tenths of a foot below
seasonal power pool of 661 feet. This is thirty four and five tenths feet below
the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell three tenths of a foot to rest
at two and three tenths feet below seasonal power pool and sixteen and three
tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell four tenths of a foot
to rest at two and eight tenths feet below seasonal power pool and twelve and
four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had heavy generation
in the afternoon this week with wadable water most mornings. Norfork Lake rose
two tenths of a foot to rest at two and seven tenths feet below seasonal power
pool of 555.75 feet and twenty six and nine 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 below 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 and has
not been as crowded with wadable water on the White. 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 not fished as well but is still yielding some trophy trout. 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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