PAT SMITH TO BE INDUCTED INTO TROUT HALL OF FAME BY JOHN BERRY

Once again the Trout Nature Center at Arkansas State University Mountain Home is having its Trout Nature Center Banquet to honor its induction of Pat Smith into the Trout Hall Of Fame. Past inductees include Dave Whitlock, Jim Gaston, Bob Benke, Joan Whitlock, Forrest Wood, Elmo Hurst, Tom Schmuecker and Steve Wilson.  

The Trout Nature Center banquet will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2014 at the Sheid Auditorium on the Arkansas State University Campus. The cost is $50.00 per person and the proceeds go to fund the Trout Nature Center. The social hour begins at 6:00 PM and the dinner and auction is at 7:00 PM. Entertainment is provided by Cutthroat Trout. Contact (870) 508-6280 for more information. 

Pat and her husband, Chet, were the first people I met when I moved to the Twin Lakes Area about fourteen years ago. We had mutual friends, Roger and Tracy Maler. All of them were active volunteers in the Southern Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers, the organization that hosts the Conclave, which is now known as the Fly Fishing Fair. I was in the process of growing my guide business and was eager in getting involved with Conclave. 

At the time, Roger was President of the Southern Council and he directed me to Pat Smith who was then the Managing Director. She was a force of nature and had every detail and individual involved committed to memory. Pat made everything come together and work as it should. The festival ran like a Swiss clock. I was quickly signed up to be a fly tyer, seminar presenter and vendor. She directed me throughout the process and made it easy for me. I came to rely on her. My nickname for Pat is “The Source of all Knowledge”. 

As I got more involved with other local fishing and conservation organizations, I found one common theme; Pat Smith was involved in almost all of them. When I first joined the North Arkansas Fly Fishers, she was the Newsletter Editor; she became the Membership Director and is now the Secretary. When I became involved with the Sowbug Roundup, Pat was there and is now Co-Chair of the Fly Tying Committee. When I began attending the Trout Nature Center Banquets, I noticed that Pat was a member of the Trout Task Force and was Chair of all of the Hall of Fame Banquets. When my wife, Lori, got involved with the Damsel Fly Fishers, a local ladies fly fishing group, she noted that Pat was one of the founding members and also served as the Outreach Chair at the Southern Council Conclave. Pat has also been the Secretary of the Friends of the Norfork National Fish Hatchery since the groups founding. She even finds time to volunteer at the Purple Door for Serenity. 

Pat has won several awards from the Federation of Fly Fishers. She was the Southern Council Woman of the year in 1997, 1999 and 2008. She won the National Woman of the Year for 2005. In 1999 it was the Southern Council Excellence Award and the President’s Award in 2008. Pat is definitely an over achiever. 

Pat is not the President or Founder of any organization. She is always the person that makes it work. I look forward to attending this year’s banquet and I am particularly pleased that my friend, Pat, is being honored. I hope to see you there. 

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 4/25/2014

During the past week, we have had a rain event (a half an inch here in Cotter), warmer temperatures and heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals rose six tenths of a foot to rest at one and four tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 659 feet. This is thirty four and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell nine tenths of a foot to rest at seasonal power pool and sixteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell seven tenths of a foot to rest at two tenths of a foot below seasonal power pool or nine and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had no wadable water. Norfork Lake rose three tenths feet to rest at nine tenths of a foot above seasonal power pool of 553.75 feet and twenty five and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had wadable water most days.

The water level for the top of power pool has been reset lower for some of the lakes in the White River system. All of the lakes on this system are at or near power pool.

On the White, the hot spot was Rim Shoals. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers, Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, ruby midges, pink and cerise San Juan worms, and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective (try a cerise or pink San Juan worm with a caddis pattern (prince nymph) suspended below it).

The Corps of Engineers have been running more water and that has been an advantage to streamer fishermen. To do this you need at least an eight weight fly rod, a heavy sink tip fly line and large articulated streamers. The idea is to bang the bank and strip the fly back to the boat. This is heavy work and requires advanced casting skills. Some effective patterns are sex dungeons and circus peanuts.

We have had some spectacular caddis hatches. The trout have not been keying in on them due to the higher flows. This is our best hatch of the year and hopefully we can get some lower water before it is over. Before the hatch, fish green caddis pupa size fourteen or prince nymphs also size fourteen. You will often get more strikes at the end of the drift as the fly rises. When the move to the surface and begin keying in on emergers switch over to a green butt soft hackle size fifteen. When they start taking adult insects off the water’s surface, you should switch to a green elk hair caddis pattern size fourteen.

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are navigable and clear. With the water warming, the smallmouth will soon be active. The most effective flies are Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. 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 a bit better of late. Since it has had the only wadable water, it has been a bit crowded. The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and soft hackles like the green butt. 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). 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 and late afternoon and tapers off midday. Some anglers have been fishing heavy articulated streamers on sink tip lines on the higher flows.

With Spring Break, there has been a lot of action on Dry Run Creek. Now would be a great time to fish it. The weather has been perfect on some days and it is more comfortable for young anglers. The hot flies have been sowbugs, Y2Ks and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Use at least 4X tippet and carry the biggest net you can find, in order for your youngster to land these huge fish.

The water level on the Spring River is wadable and clearer. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. 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, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks.

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.

LORI’S CASTING SEMINAR AT ASU BY JOHN BERRY

As many of you know my wife, Lori Sloas, is a gifted instructor that loves to teach fly casting. This month she is scheduled to teach a fly casting seminar at Arkansas State University Mountain Home. We have been teaching a Basic Fly Fishing Class there for the last four years. She has led the fly casting portion of the class at all of the class meetings. Although, I have assisted, particularly with some of the larger classes, she is the principal casting instructor. This seminar will be held on the ASU campus on Saturday, April 26 from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM. There is a nominal fee and you can register by contacting the Continuing Education Department at (870) 508-6280.

Lori has designed this seminar for the beginner novice fly caster. It would benefit a rank beginner or a caster that has struggled with their cast and needs a pro to help them fine tune it. She will concentrate on casting fundamentals and give each student close personal attention. She will evaluate each caster and work to improve any faults. At the end of the seminar, each student will understand what areas can be improved and understand how to do it. This is all done in a comfortable non threatening atmosphere. The class is limited to eight students. If you don’t have your own rod or would prefer to use one of ours, she will provide one to you. We have over a dozen rods and she will bring all of them to the seminar.

I met Lori almost fourteen years ago when I was teaching a fly fishing class for the Mid South Fly Fishers and we have been fishing together since. I must say that she was a quick study and progressed as an angler rapidly. We began teaching together about a year later. At first she observed how my brother and I were teaching casting but was soon helping us with the students. She was an immediate success and was quite popular with the students. She immersed herself in fly casting and worked with professional instructors like Lefty Kreh to refine her cast and instructional techniques. As a result, she has surpassed me in her casting abilities and teaching acumen.

We then began teaching classes at venues like the Ducks Unlimited Great Outdoors Festival, Mississippi County Community College, Home Waters Expo, Becoming an Outdoors Woman and the Sowbug Roundup. She also gives private lessons to clients who want more personal attention or might be uncomfortable in a group setting.

Whenever we attend a fly fishing show, she is outside with the fly casters while I am inside with the fly tyers. She loves the art of fly casting. Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend this seminar as I am scheduled to guide that day. One of the things I love to do in life is watch Lori teach casting. 

If you would like to fine tune your case with a fly casting professional, this is an inexpensive and convenient way to do it.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 4/18/2014

During the past week, we have had a rain event (an inch and a quarter here in Cotter), warmer then cooler temperatures and heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals rose six tenths of a foot to rest at eight tenths of a foot above seasonal power pool of 659 feet. This is thirty five and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake rose three tenths of a foot to rest at nine tenths of a foot above seasonal power pool and fifteen and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell nine tenths of a foot to rest at five tenths of a foot above seasonal power pool or nine and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had some wadable water over the weekend. Norfork Lake rose five tenths of a foot to rest at six tenths of a foot below seasonal power pool of 553.75 feet and twenty five and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had more wadable water than in previous weeks. 

The water level for the top of power pool has been reset lower for some of the lakes in the White River system. All of the lakes on this system are at or near power pool.  

On the White, the hot spot was Rim Shoals. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers, Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, ruby midges, pink and cerise San Juan worms, and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective (try a cerise or pink San Juan worm with a midge pattern (ruby midge) suspended below it).  

The Corps of Engineers have been running much more water and that has been an advantage to streamer fishermen. To do this you need at least an eight weight fly rod, a heavy sink tip fly line and large articulated streamers. The idea is to bang the bank and strip the fly back to the boat. This is heavy work and requires advanced casting skills. Some effective patterns are sex dungeons and circus peanuts.

We have had numerous reports of caddis hatches. Though sparse, the trout have been keying in on them on the lower flows. It is a harbinger of spring and a promise of what is to come. This is our best hatch of the year. Before the hatch, fish green caddis pupa size fourteen or prince nymphs also size fourteen. You will often get more strikes at the end of the drift as the fly rises. When they move to the surface and begin keying in on emergers switch over to a green butt soft hackle size fifteen. When they start taking adult insects off the water’s surface, you should switch to a green elk hair caddis pattern size fourteen. 

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are navigable and clear. With the cool temperatures, the smallmouth are still inactive. 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 not fished well of late. This is possibly due to cold water temperatures on the lake. The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and soft hackles like the green butt. 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). There have been reliable hatches of small midges and very small caddis (try a size 24 Adams parachute).The fishing is better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday. Some anglers have been fishing heavy articulated streamers on sink tip lines on the higher flows.  

With Spring Break, there has been a lot of action on Dry Run Creek. Now would be a great time to fish it. The weather has been perfect on some days and it is more comfortable for young anglers. The hot flies have been sowbugs, Y2Ks and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). While you are there be sure and take a tour of the adjacent Norfork National Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure to remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases. 

The water level on the Spring River is wadable and clearer. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. 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, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. 

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.

CASTING CLASS ON APRIL 26, 2014 AT ASUMH WITH LORI SLOAS

Lori Sloas has scheduled a casting class on April 26, 2014, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Arkansas State University Mountain Home campus, for beginner/novice fly casters to identify problems and offer "fixes".

The cost of the class is $25.00 per person and class limit is 8.   If you are interested, please contact the Community Education Department at ASUMH at 508-6280 to register.  You can bring your own rod or use one of Lori’s.

BEGINNING FLY FISHING SCHOOL STARTING MAY 1ST, 2014

The next beginning fly fishing school that John Berry and his wife, Lori Sloas will teach at Arkansas State University Mountain Home will be May 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd.  This class covers:  gear selection/equipment, fly casting, entomology, reading water, knots and water safety.

Anyone interested can register by contacting ASUMH at 508-6280.

No equipment is required.  You will be able to use John and Lori's rods.  The cost of the class is $75.00.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 4/11/2014

During the past week, we have had several rain events (for a combined total of less than an inch here in Cotter), warmer temperatures and heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals rose two tenths of a foot to rest at two tenths of a foot above seasonal power pool of 659 feet. This is thirty five and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake rose six tenths of a foot to rest at six tenths of a foot above seasonal power pool and fifteen and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose nine tenths of a foot to rest at one and four tenths of a foot above seasonal power pool or eight and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had no wadable water. Norfork Lake remained steady at one tenth of a foot below seasonal power pool of 553.75 feet and twenty six and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had no wadable water.

The water level for the top of power pool has been reset lower for some of the lakes in the White River system. All of the lakes on this system are at or near power pool.

The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam was closed from November 1, 2013 to January 31, 2014 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park was seasonal Catch and Release for the same period. There are numerous redds around the area. Please use care, when wading, to avoid disturbing them.

On the White, the hot spot was Rim Shoals. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers, Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, ruby midges, pink and cerise San Juan worms, and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective (try a cerise or pink San Juan worm with a midge pattern (ruby midge) suspended below it).

The Corps of Engineers have been running much more water and that has been an advantage to streamer fishermen. To do this you need at least an eight weight fly rod, a heavy sink tip fly line and large articulated streamers. The idea is to bang the bank and strip the fly back to the boat. This is heavy work and requires advanced casting skills. Some effective patterns are sex dungeons and circus peanuts.

We have had numerous reports of caddis hatches. Though sparse, the trout did not key in on them mostly due to the high volume of water. It is a harbinger of spring and a promise of what is to come. This is our best hatch of the year. Before the hatch, fish green caddis pupa size fourteen. You will often get more strikes at the end of the drift as the fly rises. When the move to the surface and begin keying in on emergers switch over to a green butt soft hackle size fifteen. When they start taking adult insects off the water’s surface, you should switch to a green elk hair caddis pattern size fourteen.

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are navigable and clear. With the cool temperatures, the smallmouth are still inactive. 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 Norfork has not fished well of late. This is possibly due to cold water temperatures on the lake. The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and soft hackles like the green butt. 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). There have been reliable hatches of small midges and very small caddis (try a size 24 Adams parachute).The fishing is better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday. Some anglers have been fishing heavy articulated streamers on sink tip lines on the higher flows.

With Spring Break, there has been a lot of action on Dry Run Creek. Now would be a great time to fish it. The weather has warmed substantially and it is more comfortable for young anglers. The hot flies have been sowbugs, Y2Ks and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). While you are there be sure and take a tour of the adjacent Norfork National Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure to remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases.

The water level on the Spring River is wadable and clearer. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. 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, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks.

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 in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years. 

PLANNING SOWBUG

BY JOHN BERRY

For those of you that attended the Sowbug Roundup, it was yet another flawless gathering of fly tyers that has become the best fly tying event in the southeastern United States. The truly miraculous thing was that it went off without a hitch or any drama. The North Arkansas Fly Fishers, the sponsoring group and our local fly fishing club, just makes it look easy. The truth of the matter is that this show doesn’t just happen. It is meticulously planned and carefully orchestrated. 

Yesterday I attended the last meeting of the 2014 Sowbug Committee and the first meeting of the 2015 Sowbug Committee. It was the same meeting. Terry Briggs, the 2014 chairman, started the meeting. He called on each subcommittee chairman for an overview of their area responsibility, an analysis of what went well and to discuss any areas for improvement. All were encouraged to offer constructive criticism. 

We went over the revenue and expenses and compared them to the previous years (from 1998 forward) and discussed trends, changes and possible changes for 2015. The show is still growing. Based on how other fly fishing shows have declined in recent years, there is some concern among the committee that we should tweak the festival to keep it growing. At the same time, there is a respect for the past and a commitment to continue some of the great traditions that have made the festival a major success for almost two decades. 

We discussed the vendors and how to draw new ones as space becomes available. There was quite a discussion on how to best use the space and optimize it for future festivals. We continue to add to our base group of fly tyers and are always looking for new tyers. 

We talked about the seminars and how to bring in some new talent. One idea is for my wife, Lori, to teach fly casting every day instead of having multiple classes on one day. One seminar that will remain unchanged is mine on How to Fish the White and Norfork Rivers. We also talked about how to soundproof the seminar room. 

There was quite a bit of talk about the Friday night tyers dinner. We want to make it more inclusive by bringing in the general public. That means finding a new venue and the possibility of having an open bar. There was a bit of talk about having a small auction of premium items at the dinner. 

I talked about the success of our first fly tying contest and plans for growing the event in the future. The plan is to market it more effectively on YouTube, Face book and the North Arkansas Fly Fishers website. There is also some interest in adding new fly categories to the contest. 

Near the end of the meeting Mike Tipton took over chairing the meeting to schedule the meetings for the 2015 festival. We will meet every month to plan and coordinate the next festival. 

Success is no accident. It is the result of a lot of work and this group is ready for the challenge. They want to keep the festival fresh and current while maintaining a respect for the traditions of the past. I think that the Sowbug Roundup will improve with age. If you attended this year’s festival and have a suggestion, please contact me. 

John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.

GREEN BUTT SOFT HACKLE FLY TIE OF THE WEEK

Thanks, Dennis, for the video and thanks, John, for creating the Green Butt Soft Hackle!

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 4/04/2014

During the past week, we have had rain, warmer temperatures and heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals remained one tenth of a foot to rest at seasonal power pool of 659 feet. This is thirty six feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake remained steady at seasonal power pool and sixteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose five tenths of a foot to rest at five tenths of a foot above seasonal power pool or nine and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had some wadable water. Norfork Lake remained steady at one tenth of a foot below seasonal power pool of 553.75 feet and twenty six and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had more wadable water.

The water level for the top of power pool has been reset lower for some of the lakes in the White River system. All of the lakes on this system are at or near power pool.

The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam was closed from November 1, 2013 to January 31, 2014 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park was seasonal Catch and Release for the same period. There are numerous redds around the area. Please use care, when wading, to avoid disturbing them.

On the White, the hot spot was the section from Cotter down to Rim Shoals. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers, Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, ruby midges, pink and cerise San Juan worms, and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective (try a cerise or pink San Juan worm with a midge pattern (ruby midge) suspended below it).

The Corps of Engineers have been running a bit more water and that has been an advantage to streamer fishermen. To do this you need at least an eight weight fly rod, a heavy sink tip fly line and large articulated streamers. The idea is to bang the bank and strip the fly back to the boat. This is heavy work and requires advanced casting skills. Some effective patterns are sex dungeons and circus peanuts.

We have had a few reports of caddis hatches. Though sparse, the trout did key in on them, it is a harbinger of spring and a promise of what is to come. This is our best hatch of the year. Before the hatch, fish green caddis pupa size fourteen. You will often get more strikes at the end of the drift as the fly rises. When the move to the surface and begin keying in on emergers switch over to a green butt soft hackle size fifteen. When they start taking adult insects off the water’s surface, you should switch to a green elk hair caddis pattern size fourteen.

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are navigable and clear. With the cool temperatures, the smallmouth are inactive. 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 Norfork has not fished well of late. This is possibly due to cold water temperatures on the lake. The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and soft hackles like the green butt. 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). There have been reliable hatches of small midges and very small caddis (try a size 24 Adams parachute).The fishing is better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday. Some anglers have been fishing heavy articulated streamers on sink tip lines on the higher flows.

With Spring Break, there has been a lot of action on Dry Run Creek. Now would be a great time to fish it. The weather has warmed substantially and it is more comfortable for young anglers. The hot flies have been sowbugs, Y2Ks and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). While you are there be sure and take a tour of the adjacent Norfork National Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure to remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases.

The water level on the Spring River is wadable and clearer. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. 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, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks.

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 in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.