STONEFLIES ON THE WHITE RIVER BY JOHN BERRY

A couple of years ago I was walking on the top island at Rim Shoals moving from one good fishing spot to another, when I looked down at a rock on the shore and spotted the nymphal husk of stonefly. The stonefly is the largest of the aquatic insects that inhabit trout streams. This nymphal husk is the exoskeleton that the insect emerges from when it goes from the nymphal stage to the adult stage during metamorphosis. This nymphal husk was huge. It measured about an inch and a half long. Though stoneflies are important on many of our local trout streams, I had never seen one on the White River. Since I only found one shuck I discounted it as an aberration.

When I first started fishing on the Spring River many years ago, the Entwhistle Spring River Creeper, a local golden stonefly pattern developed by the late Ralph Entwhistle, was the go to fly on the Spring River. I have caught many trout using this fly and I still carry them. When I fished the Eleven Point River with top Eleven Point guide, Brian Sloss, he had my wife, Lori, and I use double stone fly rigs to great effect. When I fished the North Fork of the White River Brian Wise, the best guide on that river, suggested that I use a stonefly nymph with a prince dropper. It should be pointed out that Lori out fished me that day with an olive woolly bugger. I did catch fish on the stonefly nymph.

While I have never actually seen a stonefly hatch around here, despite my spending a lot of time on the water, I have observed some spectacular stonefly hatches out west. My first encounter was on the Metolius River in Central Oregon about twenty five years ago. The stoneflies were abundant and the trout were keying in on them. I was able to land a couple of nice trout on a stonefly dry pattern. It was a thrill seeing a fat fourteen inch rainbow rise to the surface to slurp the huge fly. I ran into them again about ten years later. I was staying in a magnificent log cabin in the Paradise Valley section of the Yellowstone River in Montana. There were adult stoneflies all over the place. Unfortunately the Yellowstone was swollen out of its banks due to a record snowmelt and the trout did not key in on them at all. We ended up fishing the gray drake hatch on Slough Creek. We still had a good time but we were not able to fish the stonefly hatch.

A couple of weeks ago I was again walking the bank of the upper island at Rim Shoals. This time I was guiding two anglers and I was walking between the spots they were fishing scouting out potential places to fish them. As I was passing a tree at the end of the island, I noticed no less than two dozen stonefly nymphal shucks on it. There had been a recent stonefly hatch there at Rim Shoals.

Stoneflies are different from other aquatic insects in trout streams in that their emergence from the nymphal stage to the adult stage takes place on land rather than the water. The nymphs will walk from the water to the shore where they will emerge. As a result, you can find nymphal shucks on plants and rocks, where an emergence has taken place. They return to the water to lay their eggs where they become large tempting targets for hungry trout.

That week I had a conversation with Bill Thorne at Dally’s Ozark Angler, a local fly shop. He said that stoneflies had recently been seen in the Buffalo Shoals section of the White River downstream of Rim Shoals. He even had a large adult stonefly to show me that some angler had brought into the shop.

What does all of this mean to us? It is obvious that we have stoneflies in the White River. I know that the trout have to key in on these big bites. We should key in on these insects ourselves. I for one am going to experiment with fishing with stonefly nymphs and begin carrying the dry flies just in case I run into a hatch. Let me know if you see any out there.

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

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 5/30/2014

During the past week, we have had a minor rain event (about a quarter 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 eight tenths of a foot below seasonal power pool of 662 feet. This is thirty three and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell three tenths of a foot to rest at one and nine tenths feet below seasonal power pool and sixteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell three tenths of a foot to rest at six tenths of a foot below seasonal power pool or nine and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had substantial wadable water. Norfork Lake rose one tenth of a foot to rest at seasonal power pool of 556.8 feet and twenty three and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had wadable water every day.

 

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

On the White, the hot spot was Wildcat 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 caddis hatches are on the wane but with lower water the trout have been keying in on them. The sulphur hatch should begin any day. It normally occurs in May and June. This is our most reliable mayfly hatch of the year. It is a size fourteen or sixteen insect and it is yellowish orange. Before the hatch I fish mayfly nymphs. My favorites are copper Johns and pheasant tails (some guides are already fishing flashback pheasant tails). As the insects begin their emergence I switch over to a partridge and orange or partridge and yellow soft hackle. This is often the most productive tactic. When you observe the adults on the top of the water, switch to a sulphur parachute dry fly.

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are navigable and clear. With the warmer weather, the smallmouths are 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 siphon to accommodate minimum flow on the Norfork River is down for repairs. In an effort to keep the river levels at minimum flow levels the Corps of Engineers have been spilling approximately 200 cubic feet per second. This has caused the water temperatures to warm up to 70 degrees above Dry Run Creek which is too warm for trout to be active. Below Dry Run Creek the water temperature is 57 degrees which is acceptable to trout.

The Norfork River has fished poorly recently. With substantial wadable water on the White, there have been fewer anglers on the Norfork. 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 warmer weather, there has been a lot of action on Dry Run Creek. It has been crowded at times. Remember that there are trout everywhere. 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).

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.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is making repairs to the Dam at the State Fish Hatchery at the Dam Three Access. During this process water may be diverted from the main channel to the north channel that runs alongside the parking lot resulting in a rise in the water level there of up to two feet. The access will remain open to the public although the parking may be limited to the lot on the North side of the railroad tracks during busy times. All users are requested to exercise extreme care when in the area.

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.

CLINT'S SUNDAY SPECIAL - Dennis's Fly Tie of the Week

THE SULPHURS ARE COMING BY JOHN BERRY

Now that our spring caddis is on the wane, it is time for our sulphur mayfly hatch to begin. This is our most reliable mayfly hatch and it is eagerly anticipated by area dry fly enthusiasts. This is a size fourteen or sixteen yellow orange insect. The caddis hatch was late arriving this year possibly due to the brutally cold winter and cool spring. I would not be surprised to see the sulphurs later this year. They should already be here. I have not seen them yet nor have any of the other fly fishing guides that I have talked to.

 I fish all phases of the hatch. Before the hatch begins the sulphur nymphs will be more active and the trout will key in on them as they will be abundant. My favorite sulphur mayfly nymphs are copper Johns or pheasant tails in size fourteen or sixteen. I fish them under a strike indicator with a bit of lead eighteen inches above the fly. I often fish two fly rigs. I suspend a pheasant tail below a copper John or vice versa. The trick is to achieve a perfect drag free drift. At the end of the drift allow the fly to rise. This imitates the hatching mayfly and will often trigger a strike.

When you see rises on the surface of the water but no insects, you know that the emergence has begun. It is time to switch soft hackles that will act like an emerging insect. When the mayflies are emerging from the nymphal shuck and breaking through the surface tension of the water, they are very vulnerable and the trout will key in on them. My favorite sulphur emergers are partridge and orange or partridge and yellow soft hackles. The most effective way to fish them is to use a twelve foot leader tippet combination ending in 5X tippet. Stand facing downstream and cast down at a forty five degree angle to the bank. I give the fly a good strip to sink it into the film, where the insects are emerging. I let the fly swing in the current. When a fish hits the fly I feel the take I set the hook. I slowly work downstream.

When I observe the trout taking adult insects from the surface of the water, I switch over to dry flies. I fish them on a leader tippet combination like I do dry flies. I tie on the fly and carefully dress it with fly floatant to water proof it. I cast the fly so that it will gently land eighteen inches above a feeding trout and let it travel downstream in a perfect drag free float. When the trout rises to the surface and takes the fly, I wait a moment for the trout to close its mouth and go down in the current before I set the hook. The tendency is the set the hook too soon and pull the fly from the fish’s mouth. I generally lose the first couple of trout because the adrenalin is pumping, when I see the take on the surface.

 I have often had great success fishing the nymphs or soft hackles during a full blown hatch with lots of rising fish.

 Now is the time to prepare for the hatch. Make sure that you have plenty of flies and fly floatant. I hope to see you out there.

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

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 5/23/2014

During the past week, we have had a minor rain event (about a quarter inch here in Cotter), warmer temperatures and heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals fell two and two tenths of a foot to rest at one foot below seasonal power pool of 662 feet. This is thirty four feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at one and six tenths feet below seasonal power pool and sixteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose five tenths of a foot to rest at three tenths of a foot below seasonal power pool or eight and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had substantial wadable water. Norfork Lake rose one and two tenths feet to rest at one tenths of a foot below seasonal power pool of 556.8 feet and twenty three and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had wadable water every day.

The water level for the top of power pool has been reset higher for the lakes in the White River system. All of the lakes on this system are below seasonal power pool.

On the White, the hot spot was Cotter. 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 caddis hatches are on the wane but with lower water the trout have been keying in on them. The sulphur hatch should begin any day. It normally occurs in May and June. This is our most reliable mayfly hatch of the year. It is a size fourteen or sixteen insect and it is yellowish orange. Before the hatch I fish mayfly nymphs. My favorites are copper Johns and pheasant tails (some guides are already fishing flashback pheasant tails). As the insects begin their emergence I switch over to a partridge ans orange or partridge and yellow soft hackle. This is often the most productive tactic. When you observ the adults on the top of the water switch to a sulphur parachute dry fly.

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are navigable and clear. With the warmer weather, the smallmouths are 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 poorly of late. At the time I am writing this the siphon to accommodate minimum flow has been off for three days and the flows are very low. With substantial wadable water on the White, there have been fewer anglers on the Norfork. 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 warmer weather, 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.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is making repairs to the Dam at the State Fish Hatchery at the Dam Three Access. During this process water may be diverted from the main channel to the north channel that runs alongside the parking lot resulting in a rise in the water level there of up to two feet. The access will remain open to the public although the parking may be limited to the lot on the North side of the railroad tracks during busy times. All users are requested to exercise extreme care when in the area.

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.