During the past week, we
have had a trace of rain, brutally cold then warmer temperatures and very heavy
winds (to include several days of lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull
Shoals fell eight tenths of a foot to rest at nine and five tenths feet below
seasonal power pool of 659 feet. This is forty five and five tenths feet below
the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell three tenths of a foot to rest
at seven and nine tenths feet below seasonal power pool and twenty three and
nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell three tenths of
a foot to rest at nine and five tenths feet below seasonal power pool and
nineteen and one tenth 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 eight tenths of a foot to rest at five and
four tenths feet below seasonal power pool of 553.75 feet and thirty one and
six 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 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 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