During the past week, we
have had a trace of rain, a trace of snow, brutally cold temperatures and heavy
winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals fell two tenths of a foot to rest at eight
and seven tenths feet below seasonal power pool of 659 feet. This is forty four
and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell
two tenths of a foot to rest at seven and six tenths feet below seasonal power
pool and twenty three and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver
Lake fell four tenths of a foot to rest at nine and two tenths feet below
seasonal power pool and eighteen and eight tenths feet below the top of flood
pool. On the White, we had a mixed bag with levels of wadable water mixed with
periods of moderate generation. Norfork Lake dropped one and one tenth of a
foot to rest at four and six tenths feet below seasonal power pool of 553.75
feet and thirty and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the
Norfork, we had low levels of generation with much less wadable water.
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 colder weather and a higher demand
for power, we should see less wadable water.
The Catch and Release section
below Bull Shoals Dam is closed from November 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017 to
accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park will be seasonal Catch and
Release for the same period. All brown trout must be immediately released. In
addition, night fishing is prohibited in this area during this period.
On the White, the bite
has been spotty. Some days have been excellent and some poor. The hot spot has
been Wildcat 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 hare and copper nymph (#14)
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 cold weather the smallmouths are
much less 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.
There has been much less
wadable water on the Norfork. 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 an orange egg.
Dry Run Creek has been
less crowded with school back in session. A large number of brown trout have
moved into the creek. 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 there are fewer boats
on the river. 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment