THINGS ARE GETTING BACK TO NORMAL BY JOHN BERRY

We have had a tough spring this year on our trout streams. We have had some of the heaviest spring rains that I can remember. At the beginning of the year all, of the lakes, in the White River system, were well below the top of power pool. We were enjoying wadable water on both the White and Norfork Rivers. Now, after the heavy rains we received, which resulted in flooding, on the Norfork and White Rivers, the lake levels are at or near the top of flood pool.

During the flooding water was held back in the lakes. Once the flooding downstream had receded, the Corps of Engineers opened the flood gates on all, of the dams, on the White River System, in order to lower the lakes a bit, to prevent them from failing. During the flooding the conditions were not safe. There was a lot of debris floating down stream and most, if not all, of the launch ramps were closed. When the flood gates were open some of the ramps were open and the rivers were not as perilous but the water level was so high that it was difficult to fish. 

I did not fish during the flooding but I fished the White and Norfork during the heavy water levels brought on by the flood gates. It was tough and I am glad it is over. Long leaders and heavy weight were the rule of the day. We caught trout but there were no easy days. 

In the past week, conditions have improved, on both rivers. The flood gates have been closed, on all of the dams, and the water levels, on our rivers, are lower. The ramps are all open, the rivers are all navigable and fishing has improved. To top it off there is even a little wadable water. I guided both rivers this week and did well. 

On Monday, I fished the White, at Rim Shoals. I was pleased, to see the river, at a very productive level. The water was running at about 8,800 cubic feet per second. This is the rough equivalent, of just under three full generators. There was enough water for me to easily navigate the water with my conventional outboard powered by a propeller. At this water level, the fishing was much easier. We could use leaders that were shorter. Even more important, we could use less lead. This made the casting much easier. We caught plenty of trout and enjoyed the day. 

The next day we fished the Norfork. My clients were staying at a cabin on the river. I checked the prediction and noted that we would have a brief window of wadable water early, in the morning. We were, on the river, at 7:30 AM. It was, on the bottom, and still stained, from the flooding earlier, in the year. We found the river to be greatly changed. Places that used to be bedrock were graveled in. Spots that were previously gravel bottomed were now bedrock. I must say that my wading staff was indispensable, as I navigated through this new environment. 

The fishing was pretty good. We managed to land a sixteen inch brook trout. This is the largest brook that one of my clients has ever landed. I caught a nineteen incher, on my own, but that was twenty years ago. Since then my best has been a fourteen. The water came up and we launched my boat. We floated the Norfork. The going was slow but we still managed to land a fat twenty four inch brown. The cutthroat eluded us so we did not get the grand slam. All in all, it was a good day, with two trophies landed. 

If you have not been out you should try it. Things are back to normal.