John Berry

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 8/13/2009 We have had a rain event and cooler temperatures. The lakes on the White River system continue their fall. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell one and six tenths feet to rest nine tenths of a foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose eight tenths feet to rest at two feet above power pool or fourteen feet below the top of flood pool. The rise on Table Rock is due to the draw down of Beaver Lake, which fell two and seven tenths of a foot to rest at nine tenths of a foot above power pool or eight and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for round the clock generation. During the night and morning we have been getting significantly lower flows. The flows have been much heavier in the afternoon during peak power demand. This created some excellent conditions for drift fishing and limited wade fishing. Norfork Lake has fallen one and one tenth foot to rest at one and six tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty six and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has declined, which has created some quality wading. The current estimate for all lakes to be at power pool is August 17, 2009. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in conjunction with the Corps of Engineers was scheduled to begin installing fish habitat designed to provide cover for juvenile trout in the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam on or around August 1, 2009. This project has been postponed until August 17, 2009 in order for the lakes to be drawn down. This work will be done at low water levels and is scheduled to take forty five days to complete. It should provide reliable wadable water on the White River during this time. There is some concern that the habitat will create navigational hazards for river boats at low levels of generation. At this time, we do not know how high the new habitat structures will sit in the water. They have begun staging construction materials and have put a construction trailer office on site. It looks like this project should on schedule. The fishing in the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been quite good for the last week. We have had some low flows that lasted through the morning that have fished particularly well. Midge patterns have been the ticket on lower flows. The hot fly has been the black zebra midge with silver wire and silver bead. Later in the day, when we get heavier flows, the most effective technique has been to fish brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot pink and red) and egg patterns (orange) below strike indicators. Use long 4X tippets and large split shot (AAA) to get the flies down to the bottom. The habitat work is to begin on Monday and I do not know how that will affect fishing in this area. Rim Shoals has been red hot this past week. The lower flows have lasted until late afternoon and have been fishing particularly well. The hot fly has been the zebra midge with silver wire and silver bead in size sixteen. The lower flows have also been near perfect for fishing grasshoppers. The trout are certainly looking up and keying in on these large morsels. Try Dave’s hoppers in size 10 or Rainey’s hoppers in size 8. Use a stiff nine foot six weight rod to cast these larger flies. A nine foot leader tippet combination will turn the fly over easily. While the fly is drifting downstream twitch it occasionally to trigger a vicious strike. As the flows increase, the action has moved to the lower section of the area, White Shoals. The hot flies have been San Juan worms in cerise and hot pink. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River have cleared some and are fishing well. The hot flies have been Clouser minnows, Barr’s Meat whistles and large woolly buggers. If we get much rain, these streams muddy and rise quickly. The Norfork River has fished a bit better this week. We have been getting a substantial period of wadable water daily. Generation for the rest of the day was near maximum levels. On low water, small midge patterns have been the ticket. Try black zebra midges, Norfork beadheads in black or olive and Dan’s turkey tail emerger. Soft hackles like the green butt and the partridge and orange have also been effective. Grasshoppers have been producing. The upper river at Quarry Park has fished particularly well. On high water, the most effective tactic is to fish brightly colored San Juan worms or egg patterns under an indicator. Dry Run Creek has fished well this past week. The hot fly, as always, has been the sowbug. Other hot flies have been worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns (orange). The Dry Run Creek enhancement project was dedicated this week. This is a major project designed to enhance the fish holding capacity, increase the access for children and make the creek more accessible for the handicapped. At certain times, the fishing will be adversely affected during this construction. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

I called the Baxter Bulletin (I write a fly fishing column for them) and pointed out that they only presented one side of the issue. They agreed to write a rebuttal. They interviewed me and I referred them to Jim Smith (River Ridge Inn ) and T.L. Lauerman (Wapsi). The article should appear in tomorrow's Baxter Bulletin.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 8/08/2009 We have had a rain event and warmer temperatures. The lakes on the White River system are continuing to fall. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two feet to rest at two and five tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty eight and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose nine tenths feet to rest at one and two tenths feet above power pool or fourteen and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The rise is due to the draw down of Beaver Lake which fell two and two tenths of a foot to rest at three and six tenths feet above power pool or six feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for round the clock generation. During the night and morning we have been getting lower flows. The flows have been much heavier in the afternoon during peak power demand. This created some excellent conditions for drift fishing and limited wade fishing. Norfork Lake has fallen four tenths of a foot to rest at two and seven tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty five and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has declined, which has created some limited wading in the morning. The current estimate for all lakes to be at power pool is August 17, 2009. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in conjunction with the Corps of Engineers was scheduled to begin installing fish habitat designed to provide cover for juvenile trout in the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam on or around August 1, 2009. This project has been postponed until August 17, 2009 in order for the lakes to be drawn down. This work will be done at low water levels and should take about two months to complete. It should provide some wadable water on the White River during this time. There is some concern that the habitat will create navigational hazards for river boats at low levels of generation. At this time, we do not know how high the new habitat structures will sit in the water. If we receive heavy rains in the next few weeks it could jeopardize the ability of the project to be implemented this year. The fishing in the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been quite good for the last week. Early in the day we have had some low flows that have fished particularly well. Midge patterns have been the ticket on lower flows. Later in the day, when we get heavier flows, the most effective technique has been to fish brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot pink and red) and egg patterns (orange) below strike indicators. Use long 4X tippets and large split shot (AAA) to get the flies down to the bottom. Rim Shoals has been red hot this past week. The lower flows have lasted until mid afternoon and have been fishing particularly well. As the flows increase, the action has moved to the lower section of the area, White Shoals. The hot flies have been San Juan worms in cerise and hot pink. This is the one place that has wadable water as long as the flows are below 17,000 cubic feet per second. Stop by Rim Shoals Trout Dock and take advantage of their water taxi. For a nominal fee, they will drop you off at wadable water and pick you up when you are ready to leave. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River have cleared some and are fishing well. The hot flies have been Clouser minnows, Barr’s Meat whistles and large woolly buggers. If we get much rain, these streams muddy and rise quickly. The Norfork River has fished a bit better this week. We have been getting a substantial period of wadable water daily. Generation for the rest of the day was near maximum levels. On low water, small midge patterns have been the ticket. The upper river at Quarry Park has fished particularly well. Try black zebra midges or partridge and Dan’s turkey tail emerger. Grasshoppers have also been producing. On high water, the most effective tactic is to fish brightly colored San Juan worms or egg patterns under an indicator. This past week enforcement officers from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission have been observed at Quarry Park and at the Ackerman access. We appreciate their presence. Dry Run Creek has fished well this past week. The hot fly, as always, has been the sowbug. Other hot flies have been worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns (orange). As the weather heats up this is a great place to cool off. The creek is in a tight valley with a lot of cover. It is always several degrees cooler than the rest of the area. The most effective technique is to high stick nymphs below a strike indicator. There is precious little room to cast. Bring your lunch and make a day of it. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 7/30/2009 We have had several rain events and moderate temperatures (low to mid eighties). The lakes on the White River system are continuing to fall at an increasing rate. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell one and eight tenths feet to rest at four and five tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty six and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell seven tenths feet to rest at two tenths of a foot above power pool or fifteen and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell four tenths of a foot to rest at five and eight tenths feet above power pool or three and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for round the clock generation. During the night and morning we have been getting slightly lower flows. The flows have been heavier in the afternoon during peak power demand. This created some challenging conditions for drift fishing and extremely limited wade fishing. Norfork Lake has fallen one and two tenths of a foot to rest at three and one tenth feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty four and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has declined, which has created some limited wading in the morning. The recent rains have slowed the rate of drop on the lakes. In addition, the Corps of Engineers has decided to draw down Beaver Lake five feet. The current estimate for all lakes to be at power pool is August 17, 2009. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in conjunction with the Corps of Engineers was scheduled to begin installing fish habitat designed to provide cover for juvenile trout in the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam on or around August 1, 2009. This project has been postponed until August 17, 2009 in order for the lakes to be drawn down. This work will be done at low water levels and should take about two months to complete. It should provide some wadable water on the White River during this time. There is some concern that the habitat will create navigational hazards for river boats at low levels of generation. At this time, we do not know how high the new habitat structures will sit in the water. If we receive heavy rains in the next few weeks it could jeopardize the ability of the project to be implemented this year. The fishing in the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been a bit spotty for the last week. Some days have been excellent and some have been slow. The most effective technique has been to fish brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot pink and red) and egg patterns (orange) below strike indicators. Use long 4X tippets and large split shot (AAA) to get the flies down to the bottom. Several anglers were caught fishing with bait and barbed hooks here in the last week. This is illegal and we applaud the enforcement agents from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for protecting this area. Rim Shoals has fished well this past week. The lower flows have been fishing particularly well. As the flows increase, the action has moved to the lower section of the area, White Shoals. The hot flies have been San Juan worms in cerise and hot pink. This is the one place that has wadable water as long as the flows are below 17,000 cubic feet per second. Stop by Rim Shoals Trout Dock and take advantage of their water taxi. For a nominal fee, they will drop you off at wadable water and pick you up when you are ready to leave. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River have run high and off color since the recent rains. Give it a few days to clear. The Norfork River has fished a bit better this week. There were a few days with a substantial period of wadable water. Generation for the rest of the day was near maximum levels. On low water, small midge patterns have been the ticket. Try black zebra midges or partridge and orange soft hackles. Grasshoppers have also been producing. On high water, the most effective tactic is to fish brightly colored San Juan worms or egg patterns under an indicator. If you are not in the Catch and Release section, consider using a size fourteen black zebra midge as a dropper. Dry Run Creek has fished well this past week. The hot fly, as always, has been the sowbug. Other hot flies have been worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns (orange). If your favorite spot is occupied, just walk up and down the creek until you locate a good spot. There are fish everywhere. While you are there, take a few minutes and tour the National Fish hatchery. It is fascinating. There are also restroom facilities and a soft drink machine there. Be sure to remove your waders before entering the hatchery grounds to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 7/23/2009 We have had two significant rain events and unseasonably cool temperatures (the high was 71 degrees one day). The lakes on the White River system are continuing to fall but at an ever decreasing rate. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell one and two tenths feet to rest at six and three tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty four and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell six tenths feet to rest at nine tenths of a foot above power pool or fifteen and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at six and two tenths feet above power pool or three and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for round the clock generation. During the night and morning we have been getting slightly lower flows. The flows have been heavier in the afternoon during peak power demand. This created some challenging conditions for drift fishing and very limited wade fishing. Norfork Lake has fallen one and one tenth foot to rest at four and three tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty three and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has declined, which has created some limited wading in the morning. The recent rains have slowed my prediction for wadable water. My best guess is that there will be wadable water in two weeks. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in conjunction with the Corps of Engineers is scheduled to begin installing fish habitat designed to provide cover for juvenile trout in the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam on or around August 1, 2009. This work will be done at low water levels and should take about two months to complete. It should provide some wadable water on the White River during this time. There is some concern that the habitat will create navigational hazards for river boats at low levels of generation. At this time, we do not know how high the new habitat structures will sit in the water. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has fished well this past week. There were a few days when the White was muddied from runoff caused by the recent rains. The best place to always find clear water is directly below Bull Shoals dam. The flows have been a bit lower this week due to higher water levels down stream. On these flows, the hot flies have been brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot pink and red) and egg patterns (orange). The section from White Hole to Cotter has been fishing well this week. The most effective technique has been to bang the bank with large streamers. The hot flies have been Kelly Gallop zoo cougars and other similar oversized streamers. The secret is to get the fly down. With the heavier flows, you must use heavy full sinking or sink tip lines. To cast these huge flies and heavy lines, most anglers are using eight weight or larger rods. Another effective technique has been to bang the bank with grass hoppers. The secret is to get the fly close to the bank and to achieve a perfect drag free float. Twitch the fly occasionally to initiate violent takes. Rim Shoals has fished well this past week. The lower flows have been fishing particularly well. As the flows increase, the action has moved to the lower section of the area, White Shoals. The hot flies on lower flows have been black zebra midges with silver wire and silver beads. On higher flows the hot flies have been San Juan worms in cerise and hot pink. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River have run high and off color since the recent rains. Give it a few days to clear. The Norfork River has been a bit slow this week. There has been a bit of wadable water early. Generation for the rest of the day is near maximum levels. On low water, small midge patterns have been the ticket. Try black zebra midges or Dan’s turkey tail emergers. Grasshoppers have also been producing. On high water, the most effective tactic is to fish brightly colored San Juan worms or egg patterns under an indicator. If you are not in the Catch and Release section, consider using a size fourteen black zebra midge as a dropper. Dry Run Creek has fished well this past week. The hot fly, as always, has been the sowbug. Other hot flies have been worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns. There is a lot of overhead cover from trees on the creek which allows very little room for casting. The best technique is to high stick nymphs under a strike indicator. Be sure and use heavy tippet (4X or larger) in order to land some of the larger fish. Carry the biggest net you can lay your hands on. A long handled boat net is best. Do not forget the camera! Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 7/16/2009 We have had a few rain events and warmer temperatures (low to mid nineties). The lakes on the White River system are continuing to fall but at a decreasing rate. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two and seven tenths feet to rest at seven and five tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty three and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell two tenths feet to rest at one and five tenths feet above power pool or fourteen and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at six and seven tenths feet above power pool or two and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for round the clock generation. During the night and morning we have been getting slightly lower flows. The flows have been much heavier in the afternoon during peak power demand. This created some challenging conditions for drift fishing and very limited wade fishing. Norfork Lake has fallen one and three tenths feet to rest at five and four tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty two and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has declined, which has created some limited wading in the morning. I predict wadable water in two weeks on the White and a week later on the Norfork. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in conjunction with the Corps of Engineers is scheduled to begin installing fish habitat designed to provide cover for juvenile trout in the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam around August 1, 2009. This work will be done at low water levels and should take about two months to complete. It should provide some wadable water on the White River during this time. There is some concern that the habitat will create navigational hazards for river boats at low levels of generation (6,000 CFS or lower). The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been a mixed bag this past week. While some days have been excellent, others have been a bit slow. On the higher flows we have been getting, the ticket to success has been to fish brightly colored flies under an indicator. The hot patterns have been hot pink or red San Juan worms and orange egg patterns. With the water this high, you need to use long leader/tippet combinations (twelve to fourteen feet). Don’t forget to fish with plenty of lead (AAA splitshot) and a heavily weighted fly. Use heavy tippet (4X) to handle the additional weight. This rig is not going to be easy to cast. Open up your loop and try to keep it away from your head. Concentrate along the banks and over any sunken islands or weed beds. The section from White Hole to Cotter has been fishing well this week. The most effective technique has been to bang the bank with large streamers. The hot flies have been Kelly Gallop zoo cougars and other similar oversized streamers. The secret is to get the fly down. With the heavier flows, you must use heavy full sinking or sink tip lines. To cast these huge flies and heavy lines, most anglers are using eight weight or larger rods. Other productive flies for this section have been brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns fished under an indicator. Rim Shoals has fished well this past week. The best fishing was in the morning when the water was lower. The hot flies have been hot pink or cerise San Juan worms and orange eggs. The heavier flows have been reaching there around one to two o’clock, when it is best to add longer tippets and more weight. Heavily weighted flies are a plus. If you must wade, there is usually a bit of wadable water as long as the generation is less than 17,000 cubic feet per second. Contact Rim Shoals Trout Dock to arrange a water taxi to shuttle you to wadable water and pick you up when you are ready to go. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River have fished well early in the week week, particularly on Clouser minnows, Barr’s meat whistles and crawfish patterns. Rains later in the week raised and muddied the water. Give it a few days to clear. The Norfork River has been a bit slow this week. There has been a bit of wadable water early. Generation for the rest of the day is near maximum levels. On high water the most effective tactic is to fish brightly colored San Juan worms or egg patterns under an indicator. If you are not in the Catch and Release section, consider using a size fourteen black zebra midge as a dropper. The dissolved oxygen level on the Norfork dropped below the state standard of six parts per million. They are opening the vents on the generators and are able to get the dissolved levels up to the state standard during generation. Care should be taken when handling fish in the upper river when there is no generation. Dry Run Creek has been a bit crowded this week with families on vacation. This is a great place to beat the heat on a steamy afternoon. It is always cool on the creek. The hot fly as always is sowbugs. Brown San Juan worms and egg patterns have also been productive. Do not forget the camera. Make sure that it has a flash. There is so much tree cover on the creek that light conditions are low. Bring the biggest net you can find. This week I watched a Dad lose his son’s twenty four inch trophy rainbow trying to land him in a tiny catch and release net (I did offer him my big boat net). Handle trout carefully and release them quickly. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

Thank you for your kind words. If you ever come my way give me a shout. I always do seminars and tie at Conclave and Sowbug.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 7/09/2009 We have had a little rain (a tenth of an inch) and slightly cooler temperatures (mid eighties to low nineties). The lakes on the White River system are continuing to fall at an increasing rate. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell three feet to rest at ten and two tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake held steady at one and seven tenths feet above power pool or fourteen and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell four tenths of a foot to rest at seven and two tenths feet above power pool or two and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for round the clock generation. During the night and morning we have been getting slightly lower flows. The flows have been much heavier in the afternoon during peak power demand. This created some challenging conditions for drift fishing and very limited wade fishing. Norfork Lake has fallen two feet to rest at six and nine tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty one and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has increased substantially, which has virtually eliminated wading. With the more aggressive generation we have been getting, I predict wadable water in three weeks on the White and a few days later on the Norfork. This is all dependent on the dry weather conditions continuing. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. July Fourth is the unofficial beginning of hopper season. The most exciting dry fly fishing of the year is supplied by grasshoppers. They are a big bite and can move big fish. With a fly this big, you need to shorten your leader/tippet to about nine feet and use pretty heavy tippet (3X or 4X) to turn it over. Use the big western foam patterns because they float like corks and don’t have to be dressed. Dave’s hoppers and stimulators are also a good choice. With the high water we have been getting lately, concentrate along the banks. Make sure you get a perfect drag free drift. The best presentation is to let the fly land with a splash to imitate a grasshopper falling into the water. From time to time twitch the fly to imitate the insect struggling. This can trigger a vicious strike. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been a mixed bag this past week. While some days have been excellent, others have been a bit slow. On the higher flows we have been getting, the ticket to success has been to fish brightly colored flies under an indicator. The hot patterns have been hot pink or red San Juan worms and orange egg patterns. With the water this high, you need to use long leader/tippet combinations (twelve to fourteen feet). Don’t forget to fish with plenty of lead (AAA splitshot) and a heavily weighted fly. Use heavy tippet (4X) to handle the additional weight. This rig is not going to be easy to cast. Open up your loop and try to keep it away from your head. Concentrate along the banks and over any sunken islands or weed beds. Rim Shoals has fished well this past week. The best fishing was in the morning when the water was lower. The hot flies have been hot pink San Juan worms and orange eggs. The heavier flows have been reaching there around one to two o’clock, when it is best to add longer tippets and more weight. Heavily weighted flies are a plus. If you must wade, there is usually a bit of wadable water as long as the generation is less than 17,000 cubic feet per second. Contact Rim Shoals Trout Dock to arrange a water taxi to shuttle you to wadable water and pick you up when you are ready to go. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River have fished well this week, particularly on Clouser minnows, Barr’s meat whistles and crawfish patterns. The water is low and clear. This is a reliable place to do a little wade fishing. The Norfork River has received much less pressure this week. The only wadable water has been from midnight to six in the morning. Generation for the rest of the day is near maximum levels. On high water the most effective tactic is to fish brightly colored San Juan worms or egg patterns under an indicator. Another effective technique is to bang the bank with large streamers. The hot flies have been Kelly Gallop zoo cougars and other similar oversized streamers. The secret is to get the fly down. With the heavier flows, you must use heavy full sinking or sink tip lines. To cast these huge flies and heavy lines, most anglers are using eight weight or larger rods. Dry Run Creek was very busy over the Fourth of July weekend. It is less crowded now especially during the week and, strangely enough, late in the afternoon on weekends (after four o’clock). The main food source on the creek is sowbugs. Other productive flies are San Juan worms, Y2Ks and woolly buggers. Be very careful when handling these fish. Wet your hands beforehand and be as quick as possible. Leave the fish in the net until you are ready to take any pictures. Carefully revive the trout afterwards. The longer the fight, the longer it will take to revive the trout. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 7/04/2009 We have had precious little rain and slightly cooler temperatures (low nineties). The lakes on the White River system continue their fall. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two and four tenths feet to rest at thirteen and two tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is twenty seven and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose one tenth of a foot to rest at one and seven tenths feet above power pool or fourteen and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at seven and six tenths feet above power pool or two feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for round the clock generation. During the night and morning we have been getting slightly lower flows. The flows have been much heavier in the afternoon during peak power demand. This created some challenging conditions for drift fishing and very limited wade fishing. Norfork Lake has fallen one and six tenths feet to rest at eight and nine tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or nineteen and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has increased substantially, which has severely limited wading. With the more aggressive generation, I predict wadable water in less than five weeks. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been a mixed bag this past week. While some days have been excellent, others have been a bit slow. On the higher flows we have been getting, the ticket to success has been to fish brightly colored flies under an indicator. The hot patterns have been hot pink or red San Juan worms and orange egg patterns. With the water this high, you need to use long tippet/ leader combinations (twelve to fourteen feet). Don’t forget to fish with plenty of lead, I use AAA splitshot and a heavily weighted fly. I also use heavy tippet (4X) to handle the additional weight. This rig is not going to be easy to cast. Open up your loop and try to keep it away from your head. Concentrate along the banks and over any sunken islands or weed beds. The sulphurs are greatly diminished. We are still seeing a few in the afternoon but their significance to the trout is about over for the year. The section from White Hole to Cotter has been very popular for float trips. The preferred technique in this section is to bang the bank with large streamers. The hot flies have been Kelly Gallop zoo cougars and other similar oversized streamers. The secret is to get the fly down. With the heavier flows, you must use heavy full sinking or sink tip lines. To cast these huge flies and heavy lines, most anglers are using eight weight or larger rods. Rim Shoals has fished particularly well this past week. The water has been lower in the morning and the hot flies have been black zebra midges with silver wire and silver bead. The most productive size has been fourteen to sixteen. The heavier flows have been reaching here around one to two o’clock, when it is best to switch to brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns. If you must wade, there is usually a bit of wadable water as long as the generation is less than 17,000 cubic feet per second. Contact Rim Shoals Trout Dock to arrange a water taxi to shuttle you to wadable water and pick you up when you are ready to go. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River have fished extremely well this week, particularly on Clouser minnows, Barr’s meat whistles and crawfish patterns. The water has reached a much safer level and has cleared substantially. This is a reliable place to do a little wade fishing. The Norfork River has received much less pressure this week. The wadable water in the morning is a thing of the past. There is some low water at night. If you choose to fish at night, please be very careful and carefully plan your escape. The water can rise at any time. Once generation begins around seven or eight o’clock drift fishing from a boat is the only option. Employ classic high water tactics. Fish brightly colored San Juan worms or egg patterns under an indicator with plenty of weight. Dry Run Creek has been busy this past week. School is out and the traffic on the creek has increased significantly. It is less crowded during the week and, strangely enough, late in the afternoon (after four o’clock). I expect a lot of young anglers over the Fourth of July weekend. The main food source on the creek is sowbugs. After a rain, worm patterns are particularly effective. Other productive flies are Y2Ks and woolly buggers. Work a short line as there is a lot of tree cover. Don’t forget to carry the camera and the biggest net you can lay your hands on. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home.

There is a Catch and Release section on the White River a bit up stream from there that requires barbless hooks. It will be clearly marked. Look out for the signs. It has been proposed to be eliminated next year.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 6/25/2009 We have had no rain and unseasonably hot weather (high nineties). Most of the lakes on the White river system have fallen. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell eight tenths of a foot to rest at fifteen and six tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is twenty five and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose one tenth of a foot to rest at one and six tenths feet above power pool or fourteen and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell four tenths of a foot to rest at eight and one tenth feet above power pool or one and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for round the clock generation of varied flows (3,000 CFS to 12,000 CFS). During the night and morning we have been getting lower flows. The flows have been much heavier in the afternoon during peak power demand. This created some challenging conditions for drift fishing and some limited wade fishing. Norfork Lake has fallen two tenths of a foot to rest at ten and five tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or seventeen and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has been limited, which has created some excellent wading. The flows are heavier in the afternoon during peak power demand. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. It has been dangerously hot this last week. If possible, fish early in the morning to avoid the heat. If you must fish during the heat of the day, wear loose fitting, light colored clothing and drink plenty of fluids (water is best). Wear a broad brimmed hat and do not forget the sun screen. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been productive this past week. With the moderate flows we have been getting, anglers reported success on midge larva patterns. The most effective were zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver beads and red with silver wire and silver beads. The best sizes were sixteens and fourteens. Copper Johns and pheasant tails have also been quite productive. On higher flows, the hot patterns have been hot pink San Juan worms and egg patterns. The sulphurs are still in the upper river. They were sighted from the Dam to the Narrows in numbers but were thinning a bit in the Rim Shoals to Cotter area. This is our major mayfly hatch of the year. They are yellow/orange insects. The hatch generally begins with size fourteen and ends next month with size eighteens. The best way to fish them is with copper John or pheasant tail nymphs before the hatch begins, when the nymphs are more active. When the nymphs rise to the surface and begin to emerge, switch to partridge and orange or pheasant tail soft hackles. When the trout begin keying in on the adults, switch to sulphur parachute dry flies. With the higher flows we have been getting the best action has been on the copper John or pheasant tail nymphs. The section from White Hole to Cotter has been very popular for float trips. The preferred technique in this section is to bang the bank with large streamers. The hot flies have been Kelly Gallop zoo cougars and other similar oversized streamers. The secret is to get the fly down. Most anglers use heavy full sinking or sink tip lines. To cast these huge flies and heavy lines most anglers are using eight weight or larger rods. Rim Shoals has fished particularly well this past week. The sulphur hatch is still coming off on most days, but is diminished. The trout have not keyed in on the adults but have been very active on the nymphs. The best fly for this situation has been the copper John before, during and after the hatches. With the higher flows we have been getting here in the afternoon, the hot flies have been the hot pink San Juan worm and Y2K. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River have fished extremely well this week, particularly on Clouser minnows. The water has reached a much safer level and has cleared substantially. The Norfork River has received a lot of pressure this week. There has been some great wadable water every morning and a lot of anglers have been taking advantage of it. The most productive flies have been small black zebra midges, Norfork beadheads and red micro San Juan worms. On higher water, fish brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns. Olive woolly buggers accounted for several nice trout. Remember that the water rise happens very fast here. At the earliest hint of rising water, get out. Hopefully, you can exit the river on the side where your car is parked. Dry Run Creek has particularly well this past week. The hot fly has been the sowbug. Use heavy tippet (4X) and work a short line. This is a great place to escape the heat. The creek is in a tight little valley with lots of tree cover and deceptively cold water. It is always several degrees cooler than any place else around here. It is even cooler, if you are wet wading. Do not forget the camera. This is where your youngster can land the big one. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home.

The construction only affected the very lower end. it is complete and should not affect the creek. You should use sowbus, San Juan worms and Y2Ks.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 6/20/2009 We have had several rain events (it seems never ending) and we have had a mixed bag on the White River system. Some of the lakes have risen and Bull Shoals fell. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell eight tenths of a foot to rest at sixteen and four tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is twenty four and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose five tenths of a foot to rest at one and five tenths feet above power pool or fourteen and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose five tenths of a foot to rest at eight and five tenths feet above power pool or one and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for round the clock generation of erratic flows (3,000 CFS to 12,000 CFS). There were a few significant periods of no generation. This created some challenging conditions for drift fishing and some limited but excellent wading. Norfork Lake has risen four tenths of a foot to rest at ten and seven tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or seventeen and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has been limited, which has created some excellent wading. The Corps of Engineers has been holding back water to relieve flooding down stream. When that flooding abates, we can expect a significant period of high generation on both rivers. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been red hot this past week. There have been some spectacular sulphur hatches particularly during the periods of no generation. Anglers reported success with sulphur parachutes and comparaduns during the hatch and copper Johns and pheasant tails before and after the hatch. The sulphurs have been accompanied by some spectacular midge hatches. The best fly for emerging midges is Dan’s turkey tail emerger. With the moderate flows we have been getting, anglers reported success on midge larva patterns. The most effective were zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver beads and red with silver wire and silver beads. The best sizes were sixteens and fourteens. On higher flows, the hot patterns have been pheasant tails, hot pink San Juan worms and egg patterns. The sulphurs are still concentrated in the upper river. They were sighted from the Dam to the Narrows in numbers but were thinning a bit in the Rim Shoals to Cotter area. This is our major mayfly hatch of the year. They are yellow/orange insects. The hatch generally begins with size fourteen and ends next month with size eighteens. The best way to fish them is with copper John or pheasant tail nymphs before the hatch begins, when the nymphs are more active. When the nymphs rise to the surface and begin to emerge, switch to partridge and orange or pheasant tail soft hackles. When the trout begin keying in on the adults, switch to sulphur parachute dry flies. There has been some spectacular top water action, particularly on the unexpected low water. The Narrows is still fishing extremely well. There have been some prolific sulphur hatches here especially in the afternoon. Though there has been some limited dry fly fishing, the most productive technique has been to swing soft hackles when the trout are keying in on the emerging sulphurs or copper Johns before and after the hatch. The most productive flies for this situation have been partridge and orange and pheasant tail soft hackles. Other effective flies have been the olive woolly bugger. Rim Shoals has fished particularly well this past week. The sulphur hatch is still coming off on most days, but is diminished. The trout have not keyed in on the adults but have been very active on the emergers. The best fly for this situation has been the partridge and orange soft hackle. The most productive way to fish the hatch however has been to fish copper John nymphs before during and after the hatches. With the higher flows we have been getting here in the afternoon, the hot flies have been the hot pink San Juan worm and Y2K. Crooked Creek fished extremely well early in the week, particularly on Clouser minnows. The recent rains have muddied the creek a bit and it will take a few days to clear. The Norfork River has received a lot of pressure this week. There has been some great wadable water every morning and a lot of anglers have been taking advantage of it. The most productive flies have been small black zebra midges, Norfork beadheads and red micro San Juan worms. On higher water, fish brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns. Olive woolly buggers accounted for several nice trout. It should be noted that there was an angler rescue and a drowning on the Norfork this week. The Norfork is deceptively safe looking on low water. It can become a raging torrent on rising water. Closely monitor water levels at all times and get out at the first hint of rising water. Dry Run Creek has been red hot with several trophy trout being caught. The hot fly has been the sowbug with the red San Juan running a close second. Use heavy tippet (4X) and work a short line. There is precious little room to cast. The key to success is to carry a long handled net with a huge bag. Please take plenty of time to carefully revive the trout before releasing them and always handle them with wet hands. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 6/11/2009 Despite a recent rain event, the lakes in the White River system have begun to fall, though all remain above power pool. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell six tenths of a foot to rest at seventeen and two tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is twenty three and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake has fallen one tenth of a foot to rest at one foot above power pool or fifteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell three tenths of a foot to rest at eight feet above power pool or one and six tenths of a foot below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for round the clock generation of moderate flows. There was one significant period of no generation. This created some excellent conditions for drift fishing and some limited but excellent wading. Norfork Lake has fallen one tenth of a foot to rest at ten and three tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or seventeen and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has been very limited, which has created some excellent wading. The Corps of Engineers has been holding back water to relieve flooding down stream. When that flooding abates, we can expect a significant period of high generation on both rivers. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been fishing extremely well this past week. There have been some significant sulphur hatches particularly during the period of no generation we recently had. Anglers reported success with sulphur parachutes and partridge and orange soft hackles during the hatch and copper Johns and pheasant tails before and after the hatch. With the constant flows we have been getting, anglers reported success on midge larva patterns. The most effective were zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver beads and red with silver wire and silver beads. The best sizes were sixteens and fourteens. Other hot patterns have been pheasant tails and egg patterns. This past week the sulphur hatches moved up stream. They were sighted from the Dam to the Narrows in numbers but were thinning a bit in the Rim Shoals to Cotter area. This is our major mayfly hatch of the year. They are yellow/orange insects. The hatch generally begins with size fourteen and ends next month with size eighteens. The best way to fish them is with copper john or pheasant tail nymphs before the hatch begins, when the nymphs are more active. When the nymphs rise to the surface and begin to emerge, switch to partridge and orange or pheasant tail soft hackles. When the trout begin keying in on the adults, switch to sulphur parachute dry flies. The best fishing has been on the nymphs and emerging insects. The Narrows has fished extremely well. There have been some prolific sulphur hatches here especially in the afternoon. Though there has been some limited dry fly fishing, the most productive technique has been to swing soft hackles when the trout are keying in on the emerging sulphurs. The most productive flies for this situation have been partridge and orange and pheasant tail soft hackles. Other effective flies have been the olive woolly bugger. Rim Shoals has fished particularly well this past week. The sulphur hatch is still coming off on most days, but is diminished. The trout have not keyed in on the adults but have been very active on the emergers. The best fly for this situation has been the partridge and orange soft hackle. The most productive way to fish the hatch however has been to fish copper John nymphs before during and after the hatches. With the slightly higher flows we have been getting take advantage of the Water Taxi. For a nominal fee the folks at Rim Shoals Trout Dock will ferry you to wadable water and pick you up when you are ready to go. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are beginning to clear. There has been some nice smallmouth caught on Clouser minnows. The Norfork River fished a bit better this past week. There were a few less people on it and some nice fish were caught. The most productive flies have been small black zebra midges, Norfork beadheads and red micro San Juan worms. On higher water fish brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns. Olive woolly buggers accounted for several nice trout. Dry Run Creek is fishing well as always. As the creek receives more pressure from vacationing families, remember that there are fish everywhere. To avoid the crowds, fish early or late or better yet during the week. The hot fly has been the sowbug with the red San Juan running a close second. Use heavy tippet (4X) and work a short line. There is precious little room to cast. While you are there take a few minutes to visit the adjacent National Fish Hatchery. Be sure and remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases. Do not forget the camera. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 6/04/2009 This past week we had a few sunny days and a bit of rain. The lakes in the White River system have continued their rise and all remain above power pool. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose three tenths of a foot to rest at seventeen and eight tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is twenty three and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake has fallen two tenths of a foot to rest at one and one tenth feet above power pool or fourteen and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell one and three tenths of a foot to rest at eight and three tenths of a foot above power pool or the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for round the clock generation of moderate flows with a few significant periods of no generation. This created some excellent conditions for drift fishing and some limited but excellent wading. Norfork Lake has risen one and four tenths feet to rest at ten and four tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or seventeen and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has been very limited, which has created some excellent wading. The Corps of Engineers has been holding back water to relieve flooding down stream. When that flooding abates, we can expect a significant period of high generation. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been fishing extremely well this past week. With the lower flows we have been getting, anglers reported success on midge larva patterns. The most effective were zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver beads and red with silver wire and silver beads. The best sizes were sixteens and fourteens. Other hot patterns have been pheasant tails and egg patterns. During the recent periods of no generation, anglers have done very well on partridge and orange soft hackles and green butts. There have been some decent midge hatches. The best fly for the midge hatches have been Dan’s turkey tail emerger. This past week the sulphur hatches have not been quite as prolific as last week. This is our major mayfly hatch of the year. They are yellow/orange insects. The hatch generally begins with size fourteen and ends next month with size eighteens. The best way to fish them is with copper john or pheasant tail nymphs before the hatch begins, when the nymphs are more active. When the nymphs rise to the surface and begin to emerge, switch to partridge and orange or pheasant tail soft hackles. When the trout begin keying in on the adults, switch to sulphur parachute dry flies. The best fishing has been on the nymphs and emerging insects. The water flows have not been as suitable for the adults. Wildcat Shoals has fished extremely well. There have been some prolific sulphur hatches here especially in the late afternoon. Though there has been some limited dry fly fishing, the most productive technique has been to swing soft hackles when the trout are keying in on the emerging sulphurs. The most productive flies for this situation have been partridge and orange and pheasant tail soft hackles. Rim Shoals has fished particularly well this past week. The sulphur hatch is still coming off on most days, but is diminished. The trout have not keyed in on the adults but have been very active on the emergers. The best fly for this situation has been the partridge and orange soft hackle. The most productive way to fish the hatch however has been to fish copper John nymphs before during and after the hatches. The nymphs have been very active and the trout have been keying in on them. Anglers have also reported success with pheasant tails and dark gold ribbed hare’s ears. The best sizes have been fourteen and sixteen. There have also been some caddis and midge hatches in the afternoon. The best flies for these hatches have been small green butts and Dan’s turkey tail emergers. Try both in size eighteen. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are beginning to clear but are still a bit high. The overall quality of fishing on the Norfork River remains poor. There has been little generation on it. The Norfork has been the only reliable source of wadable water on most days and has been pounded relentlessly. If you want to avoid the crowds, fish very early. The most productive flies have been small black zebra midges, Norfork beadheads and red micro San Juan worms. On higher water fish brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns. Dry Run Creek is fishing well. School is out and there is more pressure on the creek as families begin to take vacations. This is a great and inexpensive way to entertain kids. To avoid the crowds fish early or late. The weekends will be busier than during the week. The hot fly is the sowbug. Always use heavy tippet (at least 4X) and carry the biggest net you can lay your hands on. Be extremely careful when handling trout. Use wet hands and return them to the water quickly. Carefully revive trout before releasing them Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 5/28/2009 This past week the seemingly never ending rain returned. The lakes in the White River system have continued their rise and all remain above power pool. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose one and eight tenths feet to rest at seventeen and five tenths of a foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is twenty three and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake has fallen five tenths of a foot to rest at one and three tenths feet above power pool or fourteen and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose eight tenths of a foot to rest at nine and six tenths of a foot above power pool or the top of flood pool (if it rises any more, they may be required to open the flood gates). The pattern on the White was for round the clock generation of moderate flows with a few significant periods of no generation. This created some excellent conditions for drift fishing and some limited but excellent wading. Norfork Lake has remained steady at nine feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or nineteen feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has been very limited, which has created some excellent wading. The Corps of Engineers has been holding back water to relieve flooding down stream. When that flooding abates, we can expect a significant period of high generation. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been fishing extremely well this past week. With the lower flows we have been getting, anglers reported success on midge patterns. The most effective were zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver beads and red with silver wire and silver beads. The best sizes were sixteens and fourteens. Other hot patterns have been pheasant tails and egg patterns. During the recent period of no generation, anglers have done very well on partridge and orange soft hackles and green butts. This past week we had some decent sulphur hatches. There were several prolific hatches and in some instances the trout were keying in on the adults. This is our major mayfly hatch of the year. They are yellow/orange insects. The hatch generally begins with size fourteen and ends next month with size eighteens. The best way to fish them is with copper john or pheasant tail nymphs before the hatch begins, when the nymphs are more active. When the nymphs rise to the surface and begin to emerge, switch to partridge and orange or pheasant tail soft hackles. When the trout begin keying in on the adults, switch to sulphur parachute dry flies. A light Cahill would be a good substitute. Be sure and apply a fly floatant to the dry fly before you begin fishing it. Round House Shoals has been a real hot spot. There have been some prolific sulphur hatches here especially in the late afternoon on no generation. Though there has been some quality dry fly fishing, the most productive technique has been to swing soft hackles when the trout are keying in on the emerging sulphurs. Rim Shoals has fished particularly well this past week. The sulphur hatch has been coming off in the afternoon especially on days with periods of no generation. The trout have not keyed in on the adults but have been very active on the emergers. The best fly for this situation has been the partridge and orange soft hackle. The most productive way to fish the hatch however has been to fish copper John nymphs before during and after the hatches. The nymphs have been very active and the trout have been keying in on them. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are muddy, a bit high and not fishing particularly well. The White River below these streams is stained. The overall quality of fishing on the Norfork River remains poor. There has been little generation on it recently and it has been pounded with near constant pressure. This past holiday weekend was no exception. There was even a jet ski. The Norfork is predominately a midge stream and the key to success is small flies. Midge larva patterns like zebra midges and Norfork beadheads in sizes eighteen and twenty are go to flies. If there is any top water activity, try traditional favorites like Chuck’s emerger or Dan’s turkey tail emergers in sizes eighteen to twenty two. The sulphurs have been spotted here but the hatches have been sporadic. On high water, try brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns. Dry Run Creek got a bit crowded over the past holiday weekend but plenty of great fish were caught. The hot fly was the sowbug. The creek can occasionally get a bit stained especially as the result of heavy rain. It can still fish well, if you use brightly colored San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Always use heavy tippet (at least 4X) and carry the biggest net you can lay your hands on. Be extremely careful when handling trout. Use wet hands and return them to the water quickly. Carefully revive trout before releasing them Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

Thank you for the kind comments. I try to let folks know what is happening. As far as lures go, I can only tell you what I am finding I find small rapalas especially with trout coloration. There are usually little Cleos in gold and Mepps spinners in gold.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 5/21/2009 This past week we have finally gotten a respite from the rain and we even had several beautiful sunny days with light winds. Some of the lakes in the White River system have continued their rise and all remain above power pool. We have had a couple of very windy days, complete with lake wind advisories. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose three and three tenths feet to rest at fifteen and seven tenths of a foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is twenty five and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake has fallen one and two tenths of a foot to rest at one and eight tenths feet above power pool or fourteen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose four tenths of a foot to rest at eight and eight tenths of a foot above power pool or eight tenths of a foot below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for round the clock generation of moderate flows. This created some excellent conditions for drift fishing and then some limited wading. Norfork Lake has risen three and seven tenths of a foot to rest at nine feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or nineteen feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has been very limited, which has created some excellent wading. The Corps of Engineers has been holding back water to relieve flooding down stream. When that flooding abates, we can expect some much higher levels of generation. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been fishing extremely well this past week. With the lower flows we have been getting, anglers reported success on midge patterns. The most effective were zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver beads and red with silver wire and silver beads. The best sizes were sixteens and fourteens. Other hot patterns have been pheasant tails and egg patterns. Wildcat Shoals has been another hotspot. Anglers have reported great success on low flows. The hot flies have been soft hackles. Try green butts, partridge and orange soft hackles and partridge and green soft hackles. Anglers have also done well with black zebra midges and olive woolly buggers. Rim Shoals has fished extremely well this past week. The hot flies were black zebra midges, prince nymphs and pheasant tail nymphs. Other successful flies have been brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink, and red), egg patterns, and Y2Ks. Some anglers have reported success stripping olive woolly buggers in deeper runs. The best way to do this is with a fast sinking sink tip or a full sinking line. This past week some sulphurs were observed coming off. This is our major mayfly hatch of the year. They are yellow or orange insects. The hatch generally begins with size fourteen and ends next month with size eighteens. The best way to fish them is with copper john or pheasant tail nymphs before the hatch begins, when the nymphs are more active. When the nymphs rise to the surface and begin to emerge, switch to partridge and orange or partridge and yellow soft hackles. When the trout begin keying in on the adults, switch to sulphur parachute dry flies. Be sure and apply a fly floatant to the dry fly before you begin fishing it. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are starting to clear. With lower flows the bass fishing should start picking up. Try Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns and concentrate on working structure like rock shelves and fallen trees. The overall quality of fishing on the Norfork River remains poor. There has been little generation on it recently and it has been pounded with near constant pressure. This river receives more fishing pressure per river mile than any other trout stream in Arkansas. You can escape some of the crowd by fishing during the week or by fishing very early or late. You should expect some very heavy pressure this holiday weekend. On lower flows concentrate on midge nymph patterns like the black zebra midge or Norfork bead head in size eighteen or twenty. Midge emergers like Dan’s turkey tail emerger are also effective. On higher flows brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns are the go to flies. Be on the look out for a good sulphur hatch here also. Dry Run Creek continues to fish well. The hot fly is the sowbug and the San Juan worm in red. I expect there to be a lot of young anglers and their parents on the creek this holiday weekend. Don’t worry, if it seems crowded, there are fish everywhere. The secret to success is to work a short line and use heavy tippet (at least 4X). Bring the biggest net you can lay your hands on and carry a camera. Don’t forget to take a tour of the adjacent National Fish hatchery. Be sure to remove your waders before entering to prevent the transfer of aquatic diseases. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

I concur with Yakfly. Currently Crooked creek is running high and muddy. You need to decide the day of the trip based on conditions.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 5/14/2009 This past week we have had one major rain event after another and most of the lakes in the White River system have risen significantly and all are above power pool. We have also had several very windy days complete with lake wind advisories. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose four and two tenths feet to rest at twelve and four tenths of a foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is twenty eight and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake has fallen five tenths of a foot to rest at three feet above power pool or thirteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose one and six tenths of a foot to rest at eight and four tenths of a foot above power pool or one and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White early in the week was for round the clock generation of moderate flows. Later in the week, we had a significant period of no generation. This created some excellent conditions for drift fishing and then some excellent conditions for wading. Norfork Lake has risen six tenths of a foot to rest at five and three tenths of a foot above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty two and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has been very limited, which has created some excellent wading. The Corps of Engineers has been holding back water to relieve flooding down stream. When that flooding abates, we can expect some much higher levels of generation. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been fishing extremely well this past week. With the lower flows we have been getting, anglers reported success on midge patterns. The most effective were zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver beads and red with silver wire and silver beads. The best sizes were sixteens and fourteens. Other hot patterns have been pheasant tails and egg patterns. On no generation the hot flies have been emergers and soft hackles. The most productive patterns have been partridge and orange soft hackles and green butts. This is a popular fishing spot for locals and visitors alike. As a result this area gets a significant amount of fishing pressure. It is imperative that boating and wading courtesy be observed. Wildcat Shoals has been another hotspot. Anglers have reported great success on low water. The hot flies have been soft hackles. Try green butts, partridge and orange soft hackles and partridge and green soft hackles. Anglers have also reported success with black zebra midges with silver wire and silver beads and olive woolly buggers. Rim Shoals has fished well this past week. There are still some caddis coming off but they are significantly smaller. They are currently best imitated with a bright green elk hair caddis in size eighteen. This requires an accurate cast and a good drift. This has been tricky with some of the extremely windy days we have had lately. Another way to fish the hatch is by concentrating on the emergers. The most effective fly for this is the green butt. Other successful flies have been pheasant tail nymphs and zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver beads. Some anglers have reported success stripping olive woolly buggers in deeper runs. The seemingly never ending rains have left Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River high and muddy. It will take a while for it to clear. The White River below these streams has been severely stained and is running a bit higher than the upper river. The overall quality of fishing on the Norfork River remains poor. There has been little generation on it recently and it has been pounded with near constant pressure. This river receives more fishing pressure per river mile than any other stream in Arkansas. You can escape some of the crowd by fishing during the week or by fishing very early or late. My favorite time is Sunday afternoon just as the last SUV is pulling out of the parking lot. A number of anglers have been wading up to McClellan’s. This is a long way and it is inherently dangerous. If they unexpectedly turn on the water, it is a long treacherous wade out. If you are fishing Quarry Park the hot fly has been the sowbug. On the lower river, zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver bead (size 18) and red micro worms (size 18) have been the go to flies. There are still a few caddis out. Here again the flies are quite a bit smaller. Go with size eighteen elk hair caddis. Dry Run Creek continues to fish well. The hot fly is the sowbug and the San Juan worm in red. Concentrate on fishing deeper, faster water. There are big fish everywhere and it is important that you key in on fish located in feeding lies (areas where trout specifically go to feed). Always carry a camera and a big net. Please be careful when landing and releasing the fish. Wet your hands before handling fish and return them to the water as quickly as possible. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

I am a guide in the Mountain Home area and would be glad to talk with you.

You are on the cusp of a magic journey. I would start with casting lessons. I would then hire a guide to spend the day just showing me how to wade, rig a rod and fish. Pick up a copy of Home Waters and join the local fly fishing club. Good luck!

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 5/07/2009 Last week we have had near constant rain events and all of the lakes in the White River system have risen significantly and all are above power pool. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose three and six tenths feet to rest at eight and two tenths of a foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty two and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake has risen two and five tenths feet to rest at three and five tenths feet above power pool or twelve and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose five and eight tenths of a foot to rest at six and eight tenths of a foot above power pool or two and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for round the clock generation of moderate flows. This has created some excellent conditions for drift fishing. Norfork Lake has risen two and two tenths of a foot to rest at four and seven tenths of a foot above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty three and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has been very limited, which has created some excellent wading. The Corps of Engineers has been holding back water to relieve flooding down stream. When that flooding abates, we can expect some much higher levels of generation. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has been a bit spotty this past week. One day has been excellent and the next is very slow. With the lower flows we have been getting, anglers reported success on midge patterns. The most effective were zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver beads and red with silver wire and silver beads. The best sizes were sixteens and fourteens. Other hot patterns have been pheasant tails and egg patterns. This is a popular fishing spot for locals and visitors alike. As a result this area gets a significant amount of fishing pressure. It is imperative that boating courtesy be observed. Wildcat Shoals has been another hotspot. Anglers have reported great success on the lower flows. The hot flies have been soft hackles. Try green butts, partridge and orange soft hackles and partridge and green soft hackles. An olive woolly bugger on a sink tip has also been quite effective. This section has not received as much pressure as others and is a great place to seek a bit of solitude. Rim Shoals has fished well this past week. There are still some caddis coming off and there is some top water activity near the banks. This requires an accurate cast and a good drift. Several anglers have had great success with green caddis larva ticked along the bottom under an indicator. Other successful flies have been pheasant tail nymphs and zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver beads. Some anglers have reported success stripping olive woolly buggers against the bank. With the lower flows we have been receiving, there are several good spots to wade. To access them, take advantage of the water taxi service at Rim Shoals Trout Dock. They will take you there and pick you up for a nominal fee. The seemingly never ending rains have left Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River high and muddy. It will take a while for it to clear. The White River below these streams has been severely stained. The fishing on the Norfork River remains slow. There has been little generation on it recently and it has been pounded with near constant pressure. This river receives more fishing pressure per river mile than any other stream in Arkansas. If you want to achieve success under these conditions, you must realize that this is a very technical fishery. The trout have seen it all. Your fly selection must be right on. In general, the insects are smaller here. Your presentation must be flawless. You need to concentrate on a perfect drag free drift. Smaller tippets (6X or smaller) are required. If you are fishing Quarry Park the hot fly has been the sowbug. On the lower river, zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver bead (size 18) and red micro worms (size 18) have been the go to flies. There are still a few caddis out. Here again the presentation of your elk hair caddis must be flawless. Dry Run Creek continues to fish well. There is little room to cast here so you should keep your line short. The hot fly is the sowbug and the San Juan worm in red. Though there are several spots to fish from the bank, your youngster can fish more productive water if they are wearing waders. Always carry a camera and a big net. Please be careful when landing and releasing the fish. Always wet your hands before handling fish and return them to the water as quickly as possible. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 4/30/2009 Last week we have had several rain events and some lakes in the White River system have risen and all are above power pool. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose two and one tenth feet to rest at four and six tenths of a foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty six and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake has been aggressively drawn down and fell one and eight tenths feet to rest at one foot above power pool or fifteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose one tenth of a foot to rest at one foot above power pool or eight and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for round the clock generation of moderate flows. This has created some excellent conditions for drift fishing. Norfork Lake has risen seven tenths of a foot to rest at two and five tenths of a foot above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty five and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has been very limited which has created some excellent wading. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam has remained red hot this past week. There were numerous quality fish, both rainbows and browns, caught. The best fishing was on the higher water and the most productive flies were San Juan worms in hot fluorescent pink and red and egg patterns in orange and peach. On moderate generation, anglers reported substantial success on midge patterns. The most effective were zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver beads and red with silver wire and silver beads. The best sizes were sixteens and fourteens. As a result of the adjacent State Park and good fishing, this area gets a significant amount of fishing pressure. The best runs can get congested. It is imperative that boating courtesy be observed. Please be patient with others and try to give all anglers as much room as possible. Wildcat Shoals has been another hotspot. Anglers have reported great success when fishing moderate flows. The hot fly has been an egg pattern in orange and hot fluorescent pink San Juan worms. This section does not get as much pressure as others and is a great place to seek a bit of solitude. Rim Shoals has fished much better this past week. On higher flows, the hot flies have been San Juan worms in hot fluorescent pink and cerise. There are some caddis coming off. There is some top water activity near the banks. This requires an accurate cast and a good drift. Several anglers have had great success with green caddis larva ticked along the bottom under an indicator. The best flows have been in the morning when the levels have been a bit lower than the afternoon. There has not been much pressure here and there is plenty of water to fish. Fishing on Crooked Creek has improved as water temperatures climbed to fifty eight degrees. However, our recent rain events have muddied up the creek and it will take several days to clear. The fishing on the Norfork has been slow. It has been wadable on most days and the pressure has been extremely heavy. The upper river, at Quarry Park has fished a bit better than the lower river. The Norfork has not fished well on high water recently. If you must fish higher water, the hot fly has been a hot pink or cerise San Juan worm. On lower water, the hot flies have been sowbugs, black zebra midges and olive woolly buggers. There have been some good midge hatches in the afternoons on lower water. The hot midge fly has been Dan’s turkey tail emerger. Long 6X tippets are the key to success. There have also been caddis hatches in the afternoons but they have been sporadic. Here again the most effective fly for this hatch has been the caddis emerger. The hot pattern has been the green butt. Once again several anglers are walking upstream from the Ackerman access to McClellan’s. If they turn on the water this is a long treacherous walk out and is dangerous. Dry Run Creek has fished well during the past week. The hot fly has been the sowbug. San Juan worms and woolly buggers have accounted for some nice fish. Carry a big net with a long handle. Most trout are lost at the net. Please handle the fish carefully and release them as soon as possible. While you are there, take advantage of the adjacent National Fish Hatch and take a tour. It is fascinating. Be sure and remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases. We had two boating accidents last weekend. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt. Both were attributed to inexperience. Our rivers can be dangerous. If you are new to boating, I suggest that you obtain boating instruction from an experienced river guide. It could save your life. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 4/22/2009 Last week we have had several rain events and the lakes in the White River system have risen and are above power pool. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose two feet to rest at two and five tenths of a foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty eight and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose one foot to rest at two and eight tenths of a foot above power pool or thirteen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell two tenths of a foot to rest at nine tenths of a foot above power pool or eight and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for a significant amount of generation with a couple of brief periods of no generation and one fourteen hour period of no generation. Norfork Lake has risen one and six tenths of a foot to rest at one and eight tenths of a foot above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty six and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Generation on the Norfork has been very limited which has created some excellent wading. Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam was red hot this past week. There were numerous quality fish, both rainbows and browns, caught. The absolute best fishing was on the higher water. The most productive flies were San Juan worms in hot fluorescent pink and red and egg patterns in orange and peach. Other flies that were amazingly effective were shad patterns. Though the shad kill was over months ago, an occasional shad is drawn through the generators and the trout keyed in on them during periods of fairly heavy generation. On moderate generation several anglers reported substantial success on midge patterns. The most effective were zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver beads and in red with silver wire and silver beads. The best sizes were sixteens and fourteens. We got one afternoon of low water and the fishing was spectacular. There was a good caddis hatch. The trout keyed in on the emergers rather than the adults and the action was non stop. The green butt soft hackle was particularly effective before and during the hatch. Wildcat Shoals has been another hotspot. Anglers have reported great success when fishing moderate flows. The hot fly has been an egg pattern in orange. Rim Shoals has fished much better this past week. On higher flows, the hot flies have been San Juan worms in hot fluorescent pink and Y2Ks. During the recent period of low generation, the action was hot and heavy. During the caddis hatch, the action was non-stop on caddis emergers. There were several anglers that reported success fishing elkhair caddis. The most effective size was fourteen and the best color was green. There were also several trout taken on fluttering caddis nymphs and red San Juan worms. Fishing on Crooked Creek has improved as water temperatures climbed to fifty eight degrees. However, our recent rain events have muddied up the creek and it will take several days to clear. The fishing on the Norfork has been slow. It has been wadable on most days and the pressure has been extremely heavy. It has not fished well on high water recently. If you must fish higher water, the hot fly has been a hot pink or cerise San Juan worm. On lower water, the hot flies have been sowbugs, black zebra midges and olive woolly buggers. There have been some good midge hatches in the afternoons on lower water. The hot midge fly has been Dan’s turkey tail emerger. Long 6X tippets are the key to success. There have also been caddis hatches in the afternoons but they have been sporadic. Here again the most effective fly for this hatch has been the caddis emerger. Some anglers have had limited success with partridge and orange soft hackles, particularly smaller ones (size eighteen). Dry Run Creek has fished well during the past week. The hot fly has been the sowbug. San Juan worms and woolly buggers have accounted for some nice fish. There is little room to cast so be sure and work as short a line as possible. The fish are huge, so you should use stout tippets (4X) to improve your chances of landing one. Carry a big net with a long handle. Most trout are lost at the net. Please handle the fish carefully and release them as soon as possible. Remember that, if you are a disabled adult fishing here, you are limited to fishing from the wheelchair accessible ramp. It is very difficult to land fish here. I would recommend having a companion down on the creek to aid in releasing fish. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.