CHET WILL BE MISSED BY JOHN BERRY

This has been a really tough year for me. First I lost my brother, then I lost my father and now I have lost my friend and fishing buddy, Chet. Chester L. Smith passed away last Sunday. He was born in Searcy, Arkansas and earned a Jurist Doctors degree from the University of Arkansas. After passing the Arkansas bar exam, he had a long and distinguished career as a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. After his retirement, he taught at Arkansas State University Mountain Home for several years. He was seventy three years old.

Chet was an avid fly fisher and fly tyer. He was involved in a number of fishing and conservation organizations. He was a life member of the Federation of Fly Fishers and received several awards from that organization. He was a long time member of the North Arkansas Fly Fishers, our local fly fishing club, where he served as president of that organization. He was also a member of the Friends of the Norfork National Fish Hatchery. He was not just a member of these organizations but was actively involved with all of their activities.

Anytime you went to the Federation of Fly Fishers Southern Council Conclave (I will never get used to calling it a Fly Fishing Fair), he would be there working registration or whatever needed to be done. He was always there with the love of his life, his wife, Pat, a force of nature in her own right.

He was very active on the Sowbug Roundup committee. This is a large local fly tying event sponsored by the North Arkansas Fly Fishers. He and Pat were the co-chairmen of the fly tyer committee which invited and selected the various fly tyers that attended the show. I am also a member of the Sowbug Roundup Committee and Chet was always there and always made valuable contributions.

He was quite soft spoken but when he said something everyone listened. We did not always agree but I always sought out and respected opinion. Chet suffered no fools.

He was one of the first people I met when I moved here. We had several mutual friends and belonged to the same organizations. As a result, we attended the same parties meetings and other social events. Whether it was the annual Trout Unlimited banquet, the North Arkansas Fly Fishers Christmas party or a private New Years Eve party, we found ourselves outside discussing fishing, the world’s events or our grand children. He was a great conversationalist and a great listener.

We would fish together from time to time and I know him to be an accomplished angler. In the last few years, he was slowing down and did not enjoy wading any more. We discussed going out in the boat but never made it. I regret that we hadn’t fished together for a few years.

Chet you will be missed. We don’t have many people around her that can make the great contributions that you did. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

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

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT FOR 9/4/15

During the past week, we have had a minor rain event (a quarter inch here in Cotter), warmer temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals fell one and eight tenths feet to rest at twenty three and seven tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 661 feet. This is ten and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell one and eight tenths to rest at one and two tenths feet above seasonal power pool and twelve and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell four tenths of a foot to rest at five and seven tenths feet above seasonal power pool and two and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had high levels of generation with no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell nine tenths of a foot to rest at twelve and eight tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 555.75 feet and eleven and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had limited wadable water every day.

The water level for the top of power pool has been reset for the lakes in the White River system. Due to recent rains, the lakes on this system are well above seasonal power pool and are nearing the top of flood pool. We can expect high levels of generation in the coming months.

On heavy generation, the best way to catch fish is to switch to longer leaders and heavier weight. On the White, the hot spot was the Catch and Release section at 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 hot fluorescent pink or cerise San Juan worm with an orange egg suspended below it).

Conventional wisdom states that hopper fishing begins in late summer. I reject this idea and fish them all year. I favor shorter leaders (seven and a half foot 4X) and a stiff six weight rod to proper deliver these weighty flies. My favorite flies are Dave’s hoppers (#10) and the western pink lady (#8). To increase hook ups I always use a dropper. I am currently using a ruby or root beer midge in size eighteen on a three foot or longer tippet (depending on the depth of the water I am fishing). 

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are navigable. With the warm weather, the smallmouths are active. 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, there is a substantial amount of water leaking around one of the flood gates that was being repaired, when the lake levels began to rise. As a result, the water temperature on the Norfork has risen to near dangerous levels. There has been no observed fish kill but the trout are stressed. Any fish caught should be carefully released. During periods of generation the temperatures are near normal.  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). There have been reliable hatches of small midges (try a size 24 Adams parachute) and caddis (try a size 18 elk hair caddis). There have been daily hatches of sulphurs around noon. The fishing is better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday. My favorite combination has been a grass hopper with a root beer or ruby midge dropper.

There is a major construction project at the Norfork National Fish Hatchery. You can still access Dry Run Creek. It has seen more pressure with school out. It still fished 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). Despite the construction you can still 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 water on the Spring River is navigable. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season is in full swing and can be a nuisance to fishing. 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 is a fly fishing guide for Blue Ribbon Guides in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS BY JOHN BERRY

One of the problems encountered by professional river guides is to manage the expectations of their clients. Many of them expect to catch large numbers of large trout every time they go out with a guide. Why is that?

I was guiding on the White River the other day and was struggling but still catching some nice trout. As is my habit, I asked a fellow guide and friend how he was doing. The idea is twofold. This is how I gather a lot of the information I use to write my fishing report and it frequently points me toward a more successful technique or fly than I am using. I will also tell other anglers and guides how I am doing and what technique or fly I am using. We are all in this together.

On this occasion, the other guide remarked that he was having little success fishing Hoppers. I indicated that I had tried them with no success but that I had changed over to San Juan worms and egg patterns (spaghetti and meatballs) and was picking up some much better fish. He related that the problem was that the lodge owner had given glowing reports to his clients about the great hopper fishing, on the White River, this time of the year. He was not able to meet their expectations.

Creating inflated expectations is often our own fault. If you look at any or all of our websites and all you see are photographs of big fish. If you read most fishing reports, you see glowing accounts of record catches of huge trout. Magazine articles are slanted the same way.

I try to be realistic when writing my fishing reports and if the fishing is slow, on a particular stream, I will say so. At the same time I am criticized by my fellow guides or lodge owners for writing it. They say that I am responsible for them losing business due to negative reports. I feel that, if I do not report actual conditions, then my reports are useless.

Reality is that we have constantly changing conditions on our streams. There are changes in wadability, water levels, water temperature, oxygen levels and spawning activity, to name a few. Due to these changes, the fishing is sometimes good and sometimes not so good. There is no one fishing technique that works all of the time (if there were, I would only fish that way all of the time). In addition, you are frequently limited by your client’s skill level or overall level of conditioning. Can they make the cast required by the technique selected? Can they handle wading in heavy water?

Part of success, on stream, is managing your client’s expectations. I always begin the day by asking my clients what their goal is for the trip. I carefully explain the fishing conditions and give them a realistic expectation of what to expect during the day’s fishing. I develop a strategy based on conditions, goals and my client’s abilities and modify it during the day as required.

Approach any fishing trip with realistic expectations and enjoy being on stream. You will be surprised at how well everything works out.

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

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 8/28/2015

During the past week, we have had a minor rain event (a trace here in Cotter), cooler temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals fell two feet to rest at twenty four and five tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 661 feet. This is nine and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell a foot to rest at three feet above seasonal power pool and eleven feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell two tenths of a foot to rest at six and one tenth feet above seasonal power pool and two and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had high levels of generation with no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell one foot to rest at thirteen and seven tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 555.75 feet and ten and five 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 for the lakes in the White River system. Due to recent rains, the lakes on this system are well above seasonal power pool and are nearing the top of flood pool. We can expect high levels of generation in the coming months.

On heavy generation, the best way to catch fish is to switch to longer leaders and heavier weight. On the White, the hot spot was the Catch and Release section at 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 hot fluorescent pink or cerise San Juan worm with an orange egg suspended below it).

Conventional wisdom states that hopper fishing begins in late summer. I reject this idea and fish them all year. I favor shorter leaders (seven and a half foot 4X) and a stiff six weight rod to proper deliver these weighty flies. My favorite flies are Dave’s hoppers (#10) and the western pink lady (#8). To increase hook ups I always use a dropper. I am currently using a ruby or root beer midge in size eighteen on a three foot or longer tippet (depending on the depth of the water I am fishing). 

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are navigable. With the warm weather, the smallmouths are active. 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, there is a substantial amount of water leaking around one of the flood gates that was being repaired, when the lake levels began to rise. As a result, the water temperature on the Norfork has risen to near dangerous levels. There has been no observed fish kill but the trout are stressed. Any fish caught should be carefully released. During periods of generation the temperatures are near normal.  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). There have been reliable hatches of small midges (try a size 24 Adams parachute) and caddis (try a size 18 elk hair caddis). There have been daily hatches of sulphurs aroundnoon. The fishing is better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday. My favorite combination has been a grass hopper with a root beer or ruby midge dropper.

There is a major construction project at the Norfork National Fish Hatchery. You can still access Dry Run Creek. It has seen more pressure with school out. It still fished 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). Despite the construction you can still 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 water on the Spring River is navigable. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season is in full swing and can be a nuisance to fishing. 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 is a fly fishing guide for Blue Ribbon Guides in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.