LORI AND I ON DRY RUN CREEK BY JOHN BERRY

As many of you know, my wife, Lori, is also a fly fishing guide. Last week she had a job guiding two boys, on Dry Run Creek. I was not working that day and I figured that I would go along. I really like to fish with her and this was a great opportunity for us to share time on stream. Dry Run Creek is a real workout for guides and two clients makes for a busy day. It seems like one client is tangled at the same time that the other has a trophy trout, on the line. You can achieve the most success, on the creek, if you are able to guide one on one. That way the client gets your undivided attention and can be more effective.

We began the day at 8:30 AM. I generally like to begin sooner, so that we can begin fishing, in one of the more productive spots. Lori and I believe that our client is always right and we begin when they want. A fellow guide had beaten us there and had staked out a hot spot. We walked past him to another choice spot and noted that it was available and loaded with trout. Lori was guiding James and I had Larson. Grand Pa, Grand Ma, Mom and Dad rounded out the group.

Lori and I were fishing about fifty feet apart and we could clearly see each other. Larson was the first to hook one up. It turned out to be a fat twenty four inch rainbow. This was his first trout ever and his first time fishing with a fly rod. I was impressed as was he. We continued fishing and he picked up a twenty two incher and then a twenty three, both rainbows. We continued fishing and he picked up about thirty trout that included a sixteen inch brown and two eleven inch brook trout. All we needed was a cutthroat to get the grand slam. It was not to be.

Toward the end of the day, he hooked one last trout. This one was the largest yet. It was a long struggle but it finally surrendered, to the het. It turned out to be a fat twenty six inch rainbow. I was careless, when removing the hook, and forgot that trout that big have sharp teeth. I noticed blood, on my glove, and noted that I had an inch long gash, on my left thumb. Luckily it quit bleeding rather quickly.

Meanwhile Lori and James were doing well. They had caught several trout the largest was a nice twenty three inch brown. I looked down stream and noticed that they were into another trout. This one seemed different. Grand Pa, Grand Ma, Mom and Dad were on the bank nearby mesmerized by the struggle. Then I saw the trout break the surface. It was huge. I told Larson and he wanted, to go check it out. We cranked up the fly line and worked our way downstream. We arrived just in time to see Lori scoop up a twenty eight inch, twelve pound, brown trout after a ten minute struggle. She was brightly colored with an impressive girth. It was the biggest brown that Lori had ever been able to put a client on. We took several minutes to photograph and then carefully release the trout.

It was noon and the boys were worn out. It was a good time to pull the plug and end the day, on a high note. Both had caught some trophy trout and everyone was pleased. Lori and I had enjoyed ourselves. We celebrated a great day by going to Whispering Woods for Lunch.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 9/22/2017

During the past week, we have had rain (about a half inch here in Cotter), warm temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals dropped three and three tenths feet to rest at one and two tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 661 feet. This is thirty two and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell three tenths of a foot to rest at five tenths of a foot below seasonal power pool and fourteen and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake dropped a foot to rest at two and two tenths feet above seasonal power pool and six and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had no wadable water with heavy generation. Norfork Lake fell one and nine tenths feet to rest at one and two tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 555.75 feet and twenty three feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had moderate generation and no wadable water.

Seasonal power pool has been reset for the lakes in the White River system. All of the lakes in the White River System are now below the top of flood pool. We should expect a lot of generation, with limited wadable water in the near future. At the current rate of drop, I predict that we will reach power pool in one week.

Hopper season is here. Many guides are banging the bank with grasshopper patterns. Add a nymph dropper (ruby midge) to increase takes. If the grasshopper is hit or sinks, set the hook. My favorite grasshopper pattern is a western pink lady.

On the White, the hot spot has been the narrows. 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 Y2K (#10) with a hare and copper nymph (#16) suspended below it). Use lots of lead and long leaders to get your flies down.

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are low and clear. With the warmer weather the smallmouths are more 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.

On the Norfork, the water is stained. It fishes well one day and poorly the next. Navigate this stream with caution as things have changed a bit during the recent flooding. There has been major gravel recruitment at the bottom of Mill Pond and the dock hole. 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). The fishing is better in the morning. My favorite rig has been a cerise San Juan worm with a pheasant tail dropper (#10).

Dry Run Creek is stained but still fishing 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 on and there many 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.

TIME FOR OUR FLY FISHING CLASS BY JOHN BERRY

When I checked the water releases this morning, I noted that the Bull Shoals Lake was five and a half feet from power pool and the lake was dropping four feet a week. Even when you consider that Beaver Lake is three and a half feet from power pool (it drops fast and has to pass through Table Rock and Bull Shoals Lakes) and Norfork Lake has three and a half feet to go and is dropping two feet per week, we are close to wadable water.

It looks like we will be facing low lake levels and greatly reduced generation, in about two weeks. Could wadable water be far behind? Of course, all of this depends on no major rain events and the same high levels of generation that we are now experiencing. It has been a long time, since we have had wadable water and I am eagerly looking forward, to it. There are many anglers like myself who prefer to wade and there are many who do not have a boat or access to one and therefore their only fishing opportunities are through wade fishing. One thing is for certain; lower water is easier to fish and generates more interest, in fishing, in general. 

For those of you that have never fly fished or have not had much success, now is the time, to consider a fly fishing class. It will be much easier, to apply what you have learned, to fishing lower water. As many of you know, my wife, Lori, and I have been teaching a fly fishing class, for the last eight years, at Arkansas State University Mountain Home (ASU). During that time we have literally taught hundreds of people to fly fish. 

Lori and I are both fly fishing guides, with four decades, of combined experience. I have been teaching fly fishing for almost thirty years and Lori began teaching with me, when we got married fifteen years ago. She concentrates on teaching fly casting. I must say that she is a natural. She spent several sessions with Lefty Kreh when she was getting started and it has really paid off. I can honestly say that she is a better fly caster than I am. I do assist her in the casting portion of the classes. I concentrate on the classroom portion of the classes. Things like tying knots, rigging, equipment, water safety, fly selection and reading water are based on my years of fishing and guiding. Lori assists, in this. 

This fall’s class is scheduled for October 12, 19, 26 and November 2 from 6:00 PM till 8:00 PM at the ASU Mountain Home campus. There is a nominal fee. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, then register online athttps://asumh.edu/services/community-education.html. If you are computer challenged, like me or do not have a computer then contact Sarah Sikes to register over the phone at (870) 508-6105. 

Lori and I hope to see you there.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 9/15/2017

During the past week, we have had rain (just a trace here in Cotter), cool temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals dropped three and eight tenths feet to rest at four and five tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 661 feet. This is twenty nine and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell one tenth of a foot to rest at two tenths of a foot below seasonal power pool and fourteen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake dropped a foot to rest at three and two tenths feet above seasonal power pool and five and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had no wadable water with heavy generation. Norfork Lake fell two and one tenths feet to rest at three and one tenth feet above seasonal power pool of 555.75 feet and twenty one and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had moderate generation and no wadable water.

Seasonal power pool has been reset for the lakes in the White River system. All of the lakes in the White River System are now below the top of flood pool. We should expect a lot of generation, with limited wadable water in the near future. At the current rate of drop, I predict that we will reach power pool in two weeks.

Hopper season is here. Many guides are banging the bank with grasshopper patterns. Add a nymph dropper (ruby midge) to increase takes. If the grasshopper is hit or sinks, set the hook. My favorite grasshopper pattern is a western pink lady.

On the White, the hot spot has been Rim Shoals. 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 Y2K (#10) with a pheasant tail (#10) suspended below it). Use lots of lead and long leaders to get your flies down.

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are low and clear. With the warmer weather the smallmouths are more 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.

On the Norfork, the water is stained. It fishes well one day and poorly the next. Navigate this stream with caution as things have changed a bit during the recent flooding. There has been major gravel recruitment at the bottom of Mill Pond and the dock hole. 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). The fishing is better in the morning. My favorite rig has been a cerise San Juan worm with a pheasant tail dropper (#10). 

Dry Run Creek is stained but still fishing 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 on and there many 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.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 9/1/2017

During the past week, we have had a rain event (just a trace here in Cotter), unseasonably cool temperatures and heavy winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals dropped two and nine tenths feet to rest at twelve and one tenth feet above seasonal power pool of 661 feet. This is twenty one and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock dropped three tenths of a foot to rest at four tenths of a foot below seasonal power pool and fourteen and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake dropped seven tenths of a foot to rest at five and one tenth feet above seasonal power pool and three and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had no wadable water with heavy generation. Norfork Lake fell one and eight tenths feet to rest at seven and three tenth feet above seasonal power pool of 555.75 feet and sixteen and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had no wadable water.

Seasonal power pool has been reset for the lakes in the White River system. All of the lakes in the White River System are now below the top of flood pool. We should expect a lot of generation, with limited wadable water in the near future.

Hopper season is here. Many guides are banging the bank with grasshopper patterns. Add a nymph dropper (ruby midge) to increase takes. If the grasshopper is hit or sinks, set the hook. My favorite grasshopper pattern is a western pink lady.

On the White, the hot spot has been Rim Shoals. 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 bead head pheasant tail nymph (#14) with a ruby midge suspended below it). Use lots of lead and long leaders to get your flies down.

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are low and clear. With the warmer weather the smallmouths are more 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.

On the Norfork, the water is stained. It fishes well one day and poorly the next. Navigate this stream with caution as things have changed a bit during the recent flooding. There has been major gravel recruitment at the bottom of Mill Pond and the dock hole. 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). The fishing is better in the morning. My favorite rig has been a cerise San Juan worm with a ruby midge dropper. 

Dry Run Creek is fishing 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 better. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season is on and there many 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.