FISHING THE HEAT BY JOHN BERRY

The weather has been really hot lately. I checked the temperature, when I was on the river the other day, and it was ninety nine degrees. The fish are still there. Our major trout streams are tailwaters and the water temperature is constantly cool year-round. The trick to fishing now is, to beat the heat.

The best way, to beat the heat, is, to avoid it. Fish in the morning before it heats up. Yesterday I fished with my wife, Lori. We were, on the water at 8:30AM. It was seventy six degrees, with a dense fog on the river. We were catching plenty, of trout, and were quite comfortable. About 10:00AM the fog burned off and it began, to warm up. By 11:00AM it was ninety two degrees and Lori was ready to bail. She went home, to check, on the dogs, but I stayed another hour, caught a few more trout and then decided it was too warm, for me.

Another way, to beat the heat, is to wade. In our perpetually cool trout streams, all you have to do is wade a little deeper when you get warm. If it gets over ninety degrees, I will opt to wet wade. That is, to wade without waders. It can be quite refreshing on a brutally hot day. I always wear long quick drying pants (I have a very fair complexion and do not want to burn) my wading boots to provide sure footing and neoprene booties to keep my feet warm. While this is a great way to stay cool, it won’t do us much good this year. We have had precious little wadable water and the high lake levels do not bode well, for wading the rest, of the year. You can wade fish the Spring River and North Fork of the White.

This means we are going to be fishing, from the boat, and, in the boat, there is nowhere to hide. You are sitting out, in the sun. You can increase your comfort by dressing properly. I prefer loose fitting light colored clothing. I always wear a long sleeved tropical fishing shirt and long pants with a variety of pockets. I want sun protection. I wear wading shoes with low cut socks I used to wear sandals but ended up with some strange patterns on my feet. I also wear a straw cowboy hat. They are not durable. When they start looking ratty I buy a new one and use the old one to cut the grass. Polarized sunglasses are a must. If you have exposed skin, use sunscreen. I recently fished with a friend. He showed up on a brutally hot day dressed in heavy blue jeans and a black polo shirt. He did not finish the day.

To finish the day, you need to stay hydrated. The best thing to drink is water. I always carry several bottles of water in my Yeti and I also have several bottles of water in my boat lockers as backups. I take a lunch break at noon and always seek a shady spot. I serve a lighter but filling lunch of sandwiches, chips, cookies and fresh fruit. Hot weather is not the time for a heavy lunch.

There is fishing in hot weather. Take a few precautions and enjoy it.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT FOR 7/28/2017

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

On the White, the hot spot has been the 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 one day and poorly the next. With school out, it can get a bit crowded. 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.

FIRST TIMERS BY JOHN BERRY

This Monday I guided a couple, Kevin and Mary, from Kansas. They were experienced outdoors people but had never fly fished. I began the day with a short casting lesson. They took to it quickly and a few minutes later I launched my White River Jon boat and we began fishing. 

It was a cool start that morning, with a beginning temperature of sixty nine degrees, but a promise, of a ninety one degree high temperature. There was a heavy fog, on the river, and there were few clouds against a blue sky. The Corps of Engineers was running about 6,000 cubic feet per second or a bit less than two full generators. 

I had rigged them slightly differently. Mary got a beadhead pheasant tail nymph below a cerise San Juan worm with an AAA split shot and a strike indicator set at about eight feet from the bottom fly to the strike indicator. I gave Kevin the same rig except that he got a hot fluorescent pink worm. 

We had only drifted a few hundred yards, when Mary hit her first trout. It put on quite a struggle. When I finally got a good look at it, I quickly realized that it was a big brown. I carefully coached Mary, on how to land the trophy trout. In a few minutes, the brown was in the net. I was amazed. It was a stout twenty four inch hook jawed male. This was the best first trout that I had ever witnessed. Usually, when a new angler hooks something like this early, on the first day, they try to rush the fight and horse the fish in resulting in a lost fish. Mary however took her time and deftly landed it. We took a few photos and lovingly released it. 

She went, on a tear, catching one trout after another. Meanwhile Kevin was fishless, while Mary had landed seven trout. He was casting well and was definitely getting some good drifts. I thought that there had to be some difference, in their presentation. I figured out that they were using different lead flies. Kevin was using a hot fluorescent pink San Juan worm while Mary was fishing, with a cerise San Juan worm. Would having the two anglers fish slightly different shades, of pink, really make a difference? I decided to find out. I switched Kevin over to a cerise San Juan worm with a beadhead pheasant tail nymph dropper so that he was rigged exactly like Mary. 

Half way through the next drift Kevin hit a good trout. This was just the beginning. He went on a tear catching trout after trout. Mary was not idle. She continued her success and even landed a fat twenty inch rainbow. However by the end of the day Kevin had probably landed as many trout as Mary had. We finished the day with about forty trout. It had been a great first day! 

Sometimes the slightest change can make a difference.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT FOR 7/21/17

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

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 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. With school out, it can get a bit crowded. 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.

LOW WATER RETURNS BY JOHN BERRY

If you have checked the river levels for the last few days you have probably noticed that they are much lower. I figure that they are not running much water right now because of flooding downstream. This is a temporary respite from heavy generation. One of the big advantages of living here is that we can take advantage of great conditions.

Last Friday was such a day. The forecast was for a cool morning and a hot afternoon. The sky was sunny, the winds were to be light and variable and there was to be low generation (about 2,500 cubic feet per second or 2/3 of a full generator).

This is a great level to fish, from the boat, at Rim Shoals. The fish are still concentrated in the main channels and you do not have to use heavy weight, long leaders or big strike indicators.

I asked my wife, Lori, if she would join me, for a morning on the river. She quickly agreed. She had been very busy with our new puppy, Ghillie, and had not fished on her own (not guiding) much recently. We arrived at Rim Shoals at 9:30AMand took a couple of my client rods and quickly changed them for the water conditions. We stripped off the heavy AAA split shot and put on a lighter BB shot. We adjusted the strike indicator for shallower water. Lori kept the Y2K and hare and copper fly on her rod. I kept the Pheasant tail nymph and tied on a ruby midge dropper.

We began catching trout immediately. It was evident; from the start that the ruby was out fishing all, of the other flies, three or four, to one. We stopped fishing, for a while, so that Lori could rerig her rod to swap out the hare and copper dropper for a ruby midge dropper. This is standard procedure for us. We always begin fishing together with different rigs, so that we can quickly determine what is working. It only took us two drifts to key in, on the ruby midge.

We had been doing OK but now we were on fire. We were catching trout after trout. I didn’t keep up with the number of trout caught but did note that we had seven doubles in our two hours of fishing. About 11:30AM Lori decided to return home, to check on the puppy. She had caught plenty of trout. I stayed and fished, on my own, for another hour and probably picked up another dozen trout. It had been one, of my best days ever, on the river. To be able to share it with Lori made it special.

We had caught some perfect conditions and moved to take advantage. When you get an opportunity like, this take it!

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT FOR 7/14/2017

During the past week, we have had no rain here in Cotter, warmer temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals dropped one tenth of a foot to rest at twenty six and seven tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 661.1 feet. This is six and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell four tenths of a foot to rest at three and six tenths feet above seasonal power pool and ten feet and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell two tenths of a foot to rest at six and seven tenths feet above seasonal power pool and one and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had wadable water with moderate generation. Norfork Lake fell three tenths of a foot to rest at seventeen and five tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 556 feet and six and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had a bit more 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.

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 higher. 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. With school out it can get a bit crowded. 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.

FAST WATER RESCUE BY JOHN BERRY

This week I was guiding a local gentleman and his visiting son in law, on the White River at Rim Shoals. We had a pretty good morning and we stopped fishing, for lunch, at a picnic table, under a shade tree, at the Rim Shoals ramp. It was a surprisingly pleasant day, with unseasonably cool temperatures, partly cloudy skies and light winds. The water was a bit high at around 9,500 cubic feet per second (CFS) or the rough equivalent of three full generators with a promise of more to come soon.

As we walked to the shaded picnic tables, I noticed two kayaks, on the bank near the ramp.  There were a couple of older guys (younger than me) were rigging there rods. They were wearing waders and I surmised that were preparing, to fish, from their kayaks. I discussed with my clients that it seemed to me like a lot of water, to fish from a kayak. When Lori and I fish, from a kayak, we don’t actually fish from the kayak itself but use the boat, to access wadable water. With this much generation there is no wadable water.

As we sat there eating lunch, I made a couple of observations, as they loaded the kayaks and launched them. First they had some cheapo personal flotation devices (PFDs), also called life jackets, which they did not put on but put in the back, of their kayaks. Second one of the anglers looked like he had never been in a kayak before.

I was concerned that anyone would get into a kayak, without a PFD. I read, in this publication, that there was a kayak related fatality last week, where the kayaker drowned. He was sitting, on his PFD and was not wearing it. I was also concerned that anyone would get, into a kayak, with this much flow without the most rudimentary instruction. My wife, Lori, and I have both taken canoe and kayak white water classes. That has not kept me from flipping my boat a couple of times in the past few years. I was wearing my PFD and got wet but was not injured. Lori has never flipped but always wears her PFD.

We finished our lunch and headed downstream, to fish. About a half mile from the ramp, I spotted an angler, in a kayak, trying to get control over an upside down kayak. Upstream, from him, I noticed an angler, on the bank. I pulled the boat along side of the angler wrestling with the two kayaks and asked, if I could help. He said that he was all right and asked that I pick up his buddy and link them up. I would have been impossible for him, to get the boats upstream, to his buddy in that current. The angler upstream would have to bushwhack through some heave brush in order to link up with his boat.

I carefully worked my way over to the stranded kayaker. As he got into my boat, he said “Hi I’m Gordon”. I looked up. I knew this guy. He is related to my Son in Law. I have guided him on several occasions. He had shaved his mustache and I did not recognize him at the access. We quickly caught up and I learned that he had lost a $700.00 Winston fly rod in his mishap. That is an expensive lesson. There were a few more items that escaped from the kayak, when it over turned. He had been lucky to make it to the bank and have his buddy secure his boat.

I linked him up with his buddy and told him to wear his PFD. We went back to fishing. After a while we saw them return to the water and began working their way downstream. They were wearing their PFDs.

Kayaks are a great way to enjoy our lakes and streams but can be dangerous. Take a while to learn how to safely handle them and always wear a PFD. I do!

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT FOR 6/20/2017

During the past week, we have had a rain event, warmer temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals dropped eight tenths of a foot to rest at twenty seven feet above seasonal power pool of 661.5 feet. This is six and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell one and two tenths feet to rest at four and five tenths feet above seasonal power pool and nine and five tenths feet above the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at six and five tenths feet above seasonal power pool and two and one tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had no wadable water with moderate generation. Norfork Lake fell seven tenths of a foot to rest at sixteen and five tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 556.25 feet and seven and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had limited 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.

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 cerise San Juan worm with a bead head pheasant tail nymph (#14) suspended below it). Use lots of lead and long leaders to get your flies down

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are navigable. 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. With school out it can get a bit crowded. 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 off color. 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.