John Berry

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 12/08/2011 During the past week, we have had rain, snow, sleet, bitter cold temperatures and windy conditions (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose six tenths of a foot to rest at eight tenths of a foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake remained steady at two tenths of a foot above power pool or fifteen and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose five tenths of a foot to rest at power pool or nine and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had erratic generation with significantly less wadable water. Norfork Lake rose nine tenths of a foot to rest at two tenths of a foot below power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty eight and two tenths of a foot below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had little generation with substantial wadable water. The heavy rain we received in November and this past week has raised the lake levels a bit. However they all remain close to power pool and should provide wadable water. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close from November 1, 2011 to January 31, 2012 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park from the bottom of the Catch and Release section down to the wing wall will be seasonal brown trout Catch and Release for the same period. The dissolved oxygen level has risen above the state minimum standard of six parts per million on the White and Norfork Rivers. The best place to fish was the section from Wildcat Shoals down to Buffalo Shoals. On the higher flows we have been receiving, the hot flies were pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and black zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. Y2Ks and beadhead hare’s ears were also responsible for some nice fish. Rim Shoals has been particularly hot. The hot flies have been red zebra midges on low water. On higher water, San Juan worms with Y2K droppers have been the key to success. Remember that Rim Shoals Trout Dock runs a water taxi and will ferry you to wadable water for a nominal fee. The snow and low temperatures have pretty much brought an end to the classic hopper season. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are high and stained. Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows. The water temperature is dropping and is near the point where the Smallmouth will become less 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. The Norfork has fished well. On lower water the hot flies have been red zebra midges (size 18 and smaller), Dan’s turkey tail emerger, hot pink worms and chamois worms. Soft hackles like the partridge and orange or the green butt have accounted for a lot of fish. The new trout habitat project in the Catch and Release section has had a positive effect on the fishing there. On higher flows, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective. The browns are stacked in the creek like a cord of wood. With the colder weather we have had this week; Dry Run Creek has received little pressure. Now is the time to fish there, if you want to enjoy a bit of solitude on stream. Dress your youngsters warmly and take a thermos of hot chocolate. Now is the perfect time to land a big one. The water level on the Spring River is high and stained. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is over and we have much less traffic on stream. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been Bayou Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 12/01/2011 During the past week, we have had cold temperatures and windy conditions (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose four tenths of a foot to rest at two tenths of a foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake rose four tenths of a foot to rest at at two tenths of a foot above power pool or fifteen and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose one and five tenths of a foot to rest at five tenths of a foot below power pool or ten and one tenth of a foot below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had more generation with significantly less wadable water. Norfork Lake rose one and three tenths of a foot to rest at one and one tenth of a foot below power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty nine and one tenth of a foot below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had little generation with substantial wadable water. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close from November 1, 2011 to January 31, 2012 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park from the bottom of the Catch and Release section down to the wing wall will be seasonal Catch and Release for the same period. The dissolved oxygen level has dropped below the state minimum standard of six parts per million on the White and Norfork Rivers. At Bull Shoals and Norfork Dams, the vacuum breakers have been blocked open to allow more oxygen to mix with the water. Trout stocking has been eliminated on the upper Norfork River (above the Ackerman Access). Those fish have been diverted to the lower river. Stocking has also been eliminated on the upper White River (above White Hole) with those fish diverted to the lower White River. If you are fishing on the upper river of either the White or Norfork River, be very careful when handling trout. Land them quickly and revive them fully before releasing them. The best place to fish was the section from Rim Shoals down to Buffalo Shoals. The hot flies were pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and black zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. Y2Ks and beadhead hare’s ears were also responsible for some nice fish. Wildcat Shoals has been particularly hot. The hot flies have been partridge and orange and hare’s ear soft hackles on low water. On higher water, egg patterns with midge droppers have been the key to success. Grasshopper season is still with us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. Many takes occur as soon as the fly hits the water. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. The most effective section of the river for this technique has been the section from Rim Shoals to Buffalo Shoals. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are high and stained. Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and grass hoppers. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. The Norfork has fished well. On lower water the hot flies have been red zebra midges (size 18 and smaller), Dan’s turkey tail emerger, hot pink worms and chamois worms. Soft hackles like the partridge and orange or the green butt have accounted for a lot of fish. On higher flows the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective. The browns are stacked in the creek like a cord of wood. While you are there take a few minutes to tour the adjacent National Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating! Be sure and remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases. The water level on the Spring River is high and stained. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is over and we have much less traffic on stream. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been Bayou Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 11/24/2011 During the past week, we have had a significant rain event (to include local flash flood advisories), cool temperatures and very windy conditions (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose one foot to rest at two tenths of a foot below power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty one and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell four tenths of a foot to rest at at two tenths of a foot below power pool or sixteen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose two tenths of a foot to rest at two feet below power pool or eleven and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had little generation with significant wadable water most days. Norfork Lake rose six tenths of a foot to rest at two and four tenths feet below power pool of 552.00 feet or thirty and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had little generation with substantial wadable water. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close from November 1, 2011 to January 31, 2012 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park from the bottom of the Catch and Release section down to the wing wall will be seasonal Catch and Release for the same period. The dissolved oxygen level has dropped below the state minimum standard of six parts per million on the White and Norfork Rivers. At Bull Shoals and Norfork Dams, the vacuum breakers have been blocked open to allow more oxygen to mix with the water. Trout stocking has been eliminated on the upper Norfork River (above the Ackerman Access). Those fish have been diverted to the lower river. Stocking has also been eliminated on the upper White River (above White Hole) with those fish diverted to the lower White River. If you are fishing on the upper river of either the White or Norfork River, be very careful when handling trout. Land them quickly and revive them fully before releasing them. The big story has been sustained low water on the White River. This is the first time that guides and anglers have seen it this low since the spring flood and there have been substantial changes in the river bed. Many runs have been filled in and gravel bars have disappeared. Navigation on low water is difficult at many locations. Great care should be taken when boating on low water to prevent damage to your boat. The fishing has been challenging on the lower water. The best place to fish was the section from White Hole down to Rim Shoals. The hot flies were pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and green zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. Y2Ks and beadhead hare’s ears were also responsible for some nice fish. Wildcat Shoals has been particularly hot. The hot flies have been partridge and orange and hare’s ear soft hackles. Grasshopper season is still with us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. Many takes occur as soon as the fly hits the water. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. The most effective section of the river for this technique has been the section from Rim Shoals to Buffalo Shoals. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are high and stained. Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and grass hoppers. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. The Norfork has fished well. On lower water the hot flies have been red copper Johns, scuds, red zebra midges (size 20 and smaller), and Dan’s turkey tail emerger. Soft hackles like the partridge and orange or the green butt have accounted for a lot of fish. On higher flows the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective. The browns are stacked in the creek like a cord of wood. Even with the leaves dropped, there is precious little room to cast. The most effective technique is to high stick nymphs with a short line. The water level on the Spring River is higher and stained. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is over and we have much less traffic on stream. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been Bayou Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 11/17/2011 During the past week, we have had a significant rain event, cool temperatures and very windy conditions (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose eight tenths of a foot to rest at one and two tenths feet below power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty two and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell two tenths of a foot 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 rose two tenths of a foot to rest at two and two tenths feet below power pool or eleven and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had little generation with significant wadable water most days. Norfork Lake rose two tenths of a foot to rest at three feet below power pool of 552.00 feet or thirty one feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had little generation with substantial wadable water. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close from November 1, 2011 to January 31, 2012 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park from the bottom of the Catch and Release section down to the wing wall will be seasonal Catch and Release for the same period. The dissolved oxygen level has dropped below the state minimum standard of six parts per million on the White and Norfork Rivers. At Bull Shoals and Norfork Dams, the vacuum breakers have been blocked open to allow more oxygen to mix with the water. Trout stocking has been eliminated on the upper Norfork River (above the Ackerman Access). Those fish have been diverted to the lower river. Stocking has also been eliminated on the upper White River (above White Hole) with those fish diverted to the lower White River. If you are fishing on the upper river of either the White or Norfork River, be very careful when handling trout. Land them quickly and revive them fully before releasing them. The big story has been sustained low water on the White River. This is the first time that guides and anglers have seen it this low since the spring flood and there have been substantial changes in the river bed. Many runs have been filled in and gravel bars have disappeared. Navigation on low water is difficult at many locations. Great care should be taken when boating on low water to prevent damage to your boat. The best place to fish was the section from White Hole down to Rim Shoals. The hot flies were pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and green zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. Y2Ks and beadhead hare’s ears were also responsible for some nice fish. Wildcat Shoals has been particularly hot. The hot flies have been partridge and orange and hare’s ear soft hackles. Grasshopper season is still with us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. Many takes occur as soon as the fly hits the water. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. The most effective section of the river for this technique has been the section from Rim Shoals to Buffalo Shoals. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are low and stained. Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and grass hoppers. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. The Norfork has fished well. On lower water the hot flies have been red copper Johns, scuds, red zebra midges (size 20 and smaller), and Dan’s turkey tail emerger. Soft hackles like the partridge and orange or the green butt have accounted for a lot of fish. On higher flows the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective. The browns are stacked in the creek like a cord of wood. If your favorite spot is taken, remember that there are good fish everywhere. The water level on the Spring River is a bit higher and lightly stained. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is over and we have much less traffic on stream. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been Bayou Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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.

The wind has really been tough this week. I have done better at Wildcat Shoals on falling water than anywhere else this week.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 11/10/2011 During the past week, we have had a significant rain event, cooler temperatures and very windy conditions (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose eight tenths of a foot to rest at two feet below power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty three feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake one and one tenth of a foot to rest at five tenths of a foot above power pool or fifteen and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose one and four tenths feet to rest at two and four tenths feet below power pool or twelve feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had low levels of generation with significant wadable water most days. Norfork Lake fell nine tenths of a foot to rest at three and two tenths of a foot below power pool of 552.00 feet or thirty one and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had light generation with less wadable water. This week they are to perform maintenance on Norfork dam and there should be significant periods of wadable water daily. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close from November 1, 2011 to January 31, 2012 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park from the bottom of the Catch and Release section down to the wing wall will be seasonal Catch and Release for the same period. The dissolved oxygen level has dropped below the state minimum standard of six parts per million on the White and Norfork Rivers. At Bull Shoals and Norfork Dams, the vacuum breakers have been blocked open to allow more oxygen to mix with the water. Trout stocking has been eliminated on the upper Norfork River (above the Ackerman Access). Those fish have been diverted to the lower river. Stocking has also been eliminated on the upper White River (above White Hole) with those fish diverted to the lower White River. If you are fishing on the upper river of either the White or Norfork River, be very careful when handling trout. Land them quickly and revive them fully before releasing them. The big story has been substantial wadable water on the White River. The best place to fish was the section from White Hole down to Cotter. The hot flies were pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and green zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. Y2Ks and beadhead hare’s ears were also responsible for some nice fish. Rim Shoals has also been hot. The hot flies have been pink worms and red zebra midges (size twenty). Grasshopper season is still with us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. Many takes occur as soon as the fly hits the water. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. The most effective section of the river for this technique has been the section from Rim Shoals to Buffalo Shoals. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are low and stained. Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and grass hoppers. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. The Norfork has fished well. On lower water the hot flies have been red copper Johns, scuds, red zebra midges (size 20 and smaller), and Dan’s turkey tail emerger. Soft hackles like the partridge and orange or the green butt have accounted for a lot of fish. On higher flows the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). The browns are stacked in the creek like a cord of wood. Take care when photographing the large trout caught here. Keep them in the net until you are ready to take the picture. Handle them carefully and return them to the water as soon as possible. Carefully revive them before release. The water level on the Spring River is a bit higher and lightly stained. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is finally over and we should have much less traffic on stream. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 11/03/2011 During the past week, we have had cooler temperatures, mostly sunny skies and very windy conditions (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell five tenths of a foot to rest at two and eight tenths feet below power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty three and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell four tenths of a foot to rest at six tenths of a foot below power pool or sixteen and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell one foot to rest at three and eight tenths feet below power pool or thirteen and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had low levels of generation with some wadable water most days. Norfork Lake fell eight tenths of a foot to rest at two and three tenths of a foot below power pool of 552.00 feet or thirty and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had light generation and reliable periods of wadable water every day. All of the lakes on the White River system are below power pool The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close from November 1, 2011 to January 31, 2012 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park from the bottom of the Catch and Release section down to the wing wall will be seasonal Catch and Release for the same period. The dissolved oxygen level has dropped below the state minimum standard of six parts per million on the White and Norfork Rivers. At Bull Shoals and Norfork Dams, the vacuum breakers have been blocked open to allow more oxygen to mix with the water. Trout stocking has been eliminated on the upper Norfork River (above the Ackerman Access). Those fish have been diverted to the lower river. Stocking has also been eliminated on the upper White River (above White Hole) with those fish diverted to the lower White River. If you are fishing on the upper river of either the White or Norfork River, be very careful when handling trout. Land them quickly and revive them fully before releasing them. The big story has been wadable water on the White River. The best place to fish was Wildcat Shoals. The hot flies were pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and green zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. Y2Ks and beadhead hare’s ears were also responsible for some nice fish. Rim Shoals is also hot. Here again the hot flies have been pink worms and green or red copper Johns. Grasshopper season is still with us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. Many takes occur as soon as the fly hits the water. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. The most effective section of the river for this technique has been the section from Rim Shoals to Buffalo Shoals. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are very low and gin clear. Navigation on Crooked Creek is difficult with the low water. Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and grass hoppers. 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. Despite some heavy construction in the Catch and Release section above the Ackerman Access on the Norfork River, fishing has been good. We have had some significant periods of wadable water every day. On lower water the hot flies have been red copper Johns, scuds, red zebra midges (size 20 and smaller), and Dan’s turkey tail emerger. Soft hackles like the partridge and orange or the green butt have accounted for a lot of fish. On higher flows the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). There is precious little room to cast. The most effective technique is to high stick nymphs below a strike indicator. The water level on the Spring River is low and lightly stained. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is finally over and we should have much less traffic on stream. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 10/22/2011 During the past week, we have a rain event, much cooler temperatures, mostly sunny skies and very windy conditions (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell seven tenths of a foot to rest at one and seven tenths feet below power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty two and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake remained steady at power pool or sixteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell eight tenths of a foot to rest at two and three tenths feet below power pool or eleven and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had much lower levels of generation around the clock. There has been some wadable water. Norfork Lake fell seven tenths of a foot to rest at one foot below power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty nine feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had light generation and reliable periods of wadable water every day. All of the lakes on the White River system are at or below power pool. We can expect lower flows and more wadable water. The dissolved oxygen level has dropped below the state minimum standard of six parts per million on the White and Norfork Rivers. At Bull Shoals and Norfork Dams, the vacuum breakers have been blocked open to allow more oxygen to mix with the water. Trout stocking has been eliminated on the upper Norfork River (above the Ackerman Access). Those fish have been diverted to the lower river. Stocking has also been eliminated on the upper White River (above White Hole) with those fish diverted to the lower White River. If you are fishing on the upper river of either the White or Norfork River, be very careful when handling trout. Land them quickly and revive them fully before releasing them. The big story has been several windows of wadable water on the White River. The best place to fish was Rim Shoals. The hot flies were pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and red zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. Y2Ks were also responsible for some nice fish. Wildcat Shoals is also hot. Here again the hot flies have been pink worms and green or red copper Johns. A technique that has been effective has been to bang the bank with large articulated streamers. The hot flies have been Zoo Cougars, Sex Dungeons and Butt Monkeys. The trick to presenting these flies is to use a long fast sinking sink tip (250 grain or heavier). Don’t use a leader. Attach the fly to the line with a three foot 2X fluorocarbon tippet to prevent the fly from riding up. You will need a stiff eight rod to cast this rig. This is hard work but can be very rewarding. Grasshopper season is still with us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. Many takes occur as soon as the fly hits the water. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. The most effective section of the river for this technique has been the section from Rim Shoals to Buffalo Shoals. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are very low and gin clear. Navigation on Crooked Creek is difficult with the low water. Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and grass hoppers. 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 River, we have had some significant periods of wadable water and the fishing has been spectacular. On lower water the hot flies have been red copper Johns, scuds, red zebra midges (size 20 and smaller), and Dan’s turkey tail emerger. Soft hackles like the partridge and orange or the green butt have accounted for a lot of fish. On higher flows the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). The big browns have started moving into the creek and many nice browns are being caught. When photographing the trout, keep them in the water until you are ready to take the picture. Handle them carefully with wet hands and fully revive them before release. The water level on the Spring River is low and lightly stained. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is finally over and we should have much less traffic on stream. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 10/13/2011 During the past week, we have a moderate rain event, cool temperatures and mostly sunny skies. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell one and two tenths feet to rest at a foot below power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty two feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake rose five tenths of a foot to rest at power pool or sixteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell eight tenths of a foot to rest at one and five tenths feet below power pool or eleven and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had much lower levels of generation around the clock. There has been some marginal wadable water. Norfork Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at three tenths of a foot below power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty eight and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had light generation and reliable periods of wadable water every day. All of the lakes on the White River system are at or below power pool. We can expect lower flows and more wadable water. The dissolved oxygen level has dropped below the state minimum standard of six parts per million on the White and Norfork Rivers. At Bull Shoals and Norfork Dams, the vacuum breakers have been blocked open to allow more oxygen to mix with the water. Trout stocking has been eliminated on the upper Norfork River (above the Ackerman Access). Those fish have been diverted to the lower river. Stocking has also been eliminated on the upper White River (above White Hole) with those fish diverted to the lower White River. If you are fishing on the upper river of either the White or Norfork River, be very careful when handling trout. Land them quickly and revive them fully before releasing them. The best place to fish was the section from Wildcat Shoals down to Cotter. The hot flies were pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and red zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. The flows have been much lower. As a result we have been able to use shorter leaders and smaller split shot Rim Shoals is still hot. Here again the hot flies have been pink worms and green or red copper Johns. There is some limited wadable water. Take advantage of the water taxi at Rim Shoals Trout Dock. They will ferry you to wadable water and bring you back for a small fee. Another technique that has been effective has been to bang the bank with large articulated streamers. The hot flies have been Zoo Cougars, Sex Dungeons and Butt Monkeys. The trick to presenting these flies is to use a long fast sinking sink tip (250 grain or heavier). Don’t use a leader. Attach the fly to the line with a three foot 2X fluorocarbon tippet to prevent the fly from riding up. You will need a stiff eight rod to cast this rig. This is hard work but can be very rewarding. Grasshopper season is still with us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. Many takes occur as soon as the fly hits the water. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. The most effective section of the river for this technique has been the section from Rim Shoals to Buffalo Shoals. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are very low and gin clear. Navigation on Crooked Creek is difficult with the low water. Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and grass hoppers. 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 River, we have had some significant periods of wadable water. On lower water the hot flies have been scuds, red zebra midges (size 20 and smaller), and Dan’s turkey tail emerger. Soft hackles like the partridge and orange or the green butt have accounted for a lot of fish. On higher flows the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). The big browns have started moving into the creek and many nice browns have been caught in the past few days. Casting space is very limited. The best technique is to high stick nymphs with a short line. Use at least 4X tippet as the fish are huge. The water level on the Spring River is low and lightly stained. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is finally over and we should have much less traffic on stream. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 9/22/2011 During the past week, we have had several major rain events and cooler temperatures. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell three feet to rest at four feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty seven feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake rose one tenth of a foot to rest at seven tenths of a foot below power pool or sixteen and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose one tenth of a foot to rest at seven tenths of a foot above power pool or eight and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had fairly heavy generation around the clock. There has been no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell one and three tenths of a foot to rest at one and nine tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty six and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had much lighter generation and significant periods of wadable water. The rate of the drop in lake levels on all of the lakes on the White River system was slowed somewhat by major rain events. I predict that we will reach power pool on Bull Shoals, Norfork and Beaver Lakes in approximately one week. Table Rock Lake is already below the top of power pool. We could then expect lower flows and more wadable water. The dissolved oxygen level has dropped below the state minimum standard of six parts per million on the White and Norfork Rivers. At Bull Shoals and Norfork Dams, the vacuum breakers have been blocked open to allow more oxygen to mix with the water. Trout stocking has been eliminated on the upper Norfork River (above the Ackerman Access). Those fish have been diverted to the lower river. Stocking has also been eliminated on the upper White River (above White Hole) with those fish diverted to the lower White River. If you are fishing on the upper river of either the White or Norfork River, be very careful when handling trout. Land them quickly and revive them fully before releasing them. The best place to fish was the section from Rim Shoals down to Buffalo City. The hot flies were pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and red zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. The flows have been fairly constant with little if any fluctuation all day. The key to fishing these flows has been to fish long leader/tippet combinations (twelve feet or longer), very heavy weight (AAA split shot) and a large strike indicator set at the top of the leader. Another technique that has been effective has been to bang the bank with large articulated streamers. The hot flies have been Zoo Cougars, Sex Dungeons and Butt Monkeys. The trick to presenting these flies is to use a long fast sinking sink tip (250 grain or heavier). Don’t use a leader. Attach the fly to the line with a three foot 2X fluorocarbon tippet to prevent the fly from riding up. You will need a stiff eight rod to cast this rig. This is hard work but can be very rewarding. Grasshopper season is still with us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. Many takes occur as soon as the fly hits the water. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. The most effective section of the river for this technique has been the section from Rim Shoals to Buffalo Shoals. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are very low and gin clear. The Buffalo and Crooked Creek received a much needed influx of water from the recent rain and both are navigable. Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and grass hoppers. 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 River, we have had some significant periods of wadable water. On lower water the hot flies have been small black zebra midges (size 20 and smaller) and Dan’s turkey tail emerger. On higher flows the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). The big browns have started moving into the creek and many nice browns have been caught in the past few days. The water level on the Spring River is low and lightly stained. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is finally over and we should have much less traffic on stream. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been Bayou Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 9/15/2011 During the past week, we have had a few showers but no measurable rain and cooler temperatures. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell three and eight tenths feet to rest at seven feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty four feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one foot to rest at eight tenths of a foot below power pool or sixteen and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell six tenths of a foot to rest at six tenths feet above power pool or nine feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had fairly heavy generation around the clock. There has been no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell two and six tenths of a foot to rest at three and two tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty four and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had moderately heavy generation around the clock. There has been no wadable water. The rate of the drop in lake levels on all of the lakes on the White River system has remained steady and barring any major rain events I predict that we will reach power pool on Bull Shoals, Norfork and Beaver Lakes in approximately two weeks. Table Rock Lake is already below the top of power pool. We could then expect lower flows and some wadable water. The dissolved oxygen level has dropped below the state minimum standard of six parts per million on the White and Norfork Rivers. At Bull Shoals and Norfork Dams, the vacuum breakers have been blocked open to allow more oxygen to mix with the water. At Norfork, they are generating at seventy three percent of generator capacity to increase the oxygen level in the water. Trout stocking has been eliminated on the upper Norfork River (above the Ackerman Access). Those fish have been diverted to the lower river. Stocking has also been eliminated on the upper White River (above White Hole) with those fish diverted to the lower White River. If you are fishing on the upper river of either the White or Norfork River, be very careful when handling trout. Land them quickly and revive them fully before releasing them. The best place to fish was the section from Wildcat Shoals down to Cotter. The hot flies were pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and red zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. The flows have been fairly constant with little if any fluctuation all day. The key to fishing these flows has been to fish long leader/tippet combinations (twelve feet or longer), very heavy weight (AAA split shot) and a large strike indicator set at the top of the leader. Another technique that has been effective has been to bang the bank with large articulated streamers. The hot flies have been Zoo Cougars, Sex Dungeons and Butt Monkeys. The trick to presenting these flies is to use a long fast sinking sink tip (250 grain or heavier). Don’t use a leader. Attach the fly to the line with a three foot 2X fluorocarbon tippet to prevent the fly from riding up. You will need a stiff eight rod to cast this rig. This is hard work but can be very rewarding. Grasshopper season is still with us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. Many takes occur as soon as the fly hits the water. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. The most effective section of the river for this technique has been the section from Rim Shoals to Buffalo Shoals. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are very low and gin clear. The Buffalo is still navigable. Crooked Creek is not due to the low water. Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and black zonkers. 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 River, they are running water continuously. The best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). While you are there, take a tour of the adjacent National Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure and remove your waders before entering the hatchery, to prevent the spread of aquatic disease. The water level on the Spring River is very low and clear. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is finally over and we should have much less traffic on stream. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been Bayou Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 9/08/2011 During the past week, we have had no rain and much cooler temperatures. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell four and one tenth feet to rest at ten and eight tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell two tenths of a foot 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 seven tenths of a foot to rest at one and two tenths feet above power pool or eight and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had fairly heavy generation around the clock. There has been no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell two and five tenths of a foot to rest at five and eight tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty two and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had moderately heavy generation around the clock. There has been no wadable water. The rate of the drop in lake levels on all of the lakes on the White River system has increased and barring any major rain events I predict that we will reach power pool on Bull Shoals and Norfork Lakes in approximately three weeks. We could then expect lower flows and some wadable water. The dissolved oxygen level has dropped below the state minimum standard of six parts per million on the White and Norfork Rivers. At Bull Shoals and Norfork Dams, the vacuum breakers have been blocked open to allow more oxygen to mix with the water. At Norfork, they are generating at eighty eight percent of generator capacity to increase the oxygen level in the water. Trout stocking has been eliminated on the upper Norfork River, with those fish diverted to the lower river. The best place to fish was the section from Rim Shoals down to Buffalo Shoals. The hot flies were pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and red zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. The flows have been fairly constant with little fluctuation all day. The key to fishing these flows has been to fish long leader/tippet combinations (twelve feet or longer), very heavy weight (AAA split shot) and a large strike indicator set at the top of the leader. Another technique that has been effective has been to bang the bank with large articulated streamers. The hot flies have been Zoo Cougars, Sex Dungeons and Butt Monkeys. The trick to presenting these flies is to use a long fast sinking sink tip (250 grain or heavier). Don’t use a leader. Attach the fly to the line with a three foot 2X fluorocarbon tippet to prevent the fly from riding up. You will need a stiff eight rod to cast this rig. This is hard work but can be very rewarding. Grasshopper season is still with us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. Many takes occur when the fly hits the water. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. The most effective section of the river for this technique has been the section from Rim Shoals to Buffalo Shoals. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are very low and gin clear. The Buffalo is still navigable but Crooked Creek is not due to the low water. Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and black zonkers. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. The generation pattern has changed significantly on the Norfork River. They are running water continuously. On high water, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Remember that the dissolved oxygen level is very low on the upper river (above the Ackerman Access). Land any fish hooked there quickly and carefully revive them before release. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). With school back in session, there is much less pressure on Dry Run Creek. There is a lot of tree cover that restricts room for casting. The most effective technique is to high stick nymphs. Be sure to carry a big net. The fish are huge. The water level on the Spring River is very low and clear. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is finally over and we should have much less traffic on stream. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been the Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. If you can, plan on attending the White River TU meeting at El Chico’s Restaurant at 6:00 PM on Monday to hear Sheffield Nelson discuss managing risk in the extraction of oil and gas in Arkansas. There will be free finger food and a cash bar. Visit http://www.news.whiterivertu.com for more information. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 9/01/2011 During the past week, we have had no measurable rain event and much hotter temperatures. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell three and four tenths feet to rest at fourteen and nine tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is twenty six and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell three tenths of a foot to rest at four tenths of a foot above power pool or fifteen and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell seven tenths of a foot to rest at one and nine tenths feet above power pool or seven and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had fairly heavy generation around the clock. There has been no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell one and eight tenths of a foot to rest at eight and three tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or nineteen and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had a classic summer generation schedule with light or no generation at night and high generation during times of peak power demand. There has been little if any wadable water. Based on the rate of the drop in lake levels on all of the lakes on the White River system and barring any major rain events I predict that we will reach power pool on Bull Shoals and Norfork Lakes in approximately four weeks. We could then expect lower flows and some wadable water. The dissolved oxygen level has dropped below the state minimum standard of six parts per million on the White and Norfork Rivers. At Bull Shoals and Norfork Dams, the vacuum breakers have been blocked open to allow more oxygen to mix with the water. At Norfork, they are generating at eighty eight percent of generator capacity to increase the oxygen level in the water. Trout stocking has been eliminated on the upper Norfork River, with those fish diverted to the lower river. The best place to fish was the section from Wildcat Hole down to Rim Shoals. The hot flies were pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and red zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. The flows have been fairly constant with little fluctuation all day. The key to fishing these flows has been to fish long leader/tippet combinations (twelve feet or longer), very heavy weight (AAA split shot) and a large strike indicator set at the top of the leader. Another technique that has been effective has been to bang the bank with large articulated streamers. The hot flies have been Zoo Cougars, Sex Dungeons and Butt Monkeys. The trick to presenting these flies is to use a long fast sinking sink tip (250 grain or heavier). Don’t use a leader. Attach the fly to the line with a three foot 2X fluorocarbon tippet to prevent the fly from riding up. You will need a stiff eight rod to cast this rig. This is hard work but can be very rewarding. Grasshopper season is upon us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. Many takes occur when the fly hits the water. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. The most effective section of the river for this technique has been the section from Rim Shoals to Buffalo Shoals. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are very low and gin clear. Navigating Crooked Creek is difficult due to the low water. Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. The generation pattern has changed significantly on the Norfork River. They are turning on the generator earlier, which has resulted in substantially less wadable water. On high water, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Remember that the dissolved oxygen level is very low on the upper river (above the Ackerman Access). Land any fish hooked there quickly and carefully revive them before release. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). While you are there take a tour of the adjacent National Fish Hatchery. It is very interesting. The water level on the Spring River is low and clear. This is a great place to wade fish. However, there are many canoeists this time of year, particularly on the weekends. If you wish to escape them, fish the upper section near the Lassiter Access. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been the Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 8/25/2011 During the past week, we have had a moderate rain event and warmer temperatures. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell three and one tenth feet to rest at eighteen and three tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is twenty two and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at seven tenths of a foot above power pool or fifteen and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell seven tenths of a foot to rest at two and six tenths feet above power pool or seven feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had fairly heavy generation around the clock. There has been no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell one and five tenths of a foot to rest at ten and one tenth feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or seventeen and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had a classic summer generation schedule with light or no generation at night and high generation during times of peak power demand. There has been less wadable water than last week. The best place to fish was the section from Wildcat Shoals down to Cotter. The hot flies were pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and red zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. The flows have been fairly constant with little fluctuation all day. The key to fishing these flows has been to fish long leader/tippet combinations (twelve feet or longer), very heavy weight (AAA split shot) and a large strike indicator set at the top of the leader. Another technique that has been effective has been to bang the bank with large articulated streamers. The hot flies have been Zoo Cougars, Sex Dungeons and Butt Monkeys. The trick to presenting these flies is to use a long fast sinking sink tip (250 grain or heavier). Don’t use a leader. Attach the fly to the line with a three foot 2X fluorocarbon tippet to prevent the fly from riding up. You will need a stiff eight rod to cast this rig. This is hard work but can be very rewarding. Another hot spot has been Rim Shoals. The even flows it has received have been perfect for drifting. Various nymphs like pheasant tails, copper Johns and red zebra midges have accounted for a lot of fish. The most effective fly on the higher flows is a hot fluorescent pink or cerise San Juan worm. Grasshopper season is upon us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. Many takes occur when the fly hits the water. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. The most effective section of the river for this technique has been the section from Rim Shoals to Buffalo Shoals. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are low and gin clear. The water temperature is right on and the small mouth action has been red hot! Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. The generation pattern has changed significantly on the Norfork River. They are turning on the generators earlier, which has resulted in substantially less wadable water. The top flies on lower flows have been green butt and partridge and orange soft hackles. Dan’s turkey tail emerger has also accounted for a lot of fish. On high water, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Some anglers have reported success banging the bank with hopper patterns. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Be sure that you use heavy tippet (4X) because many of the fish here are huge. Fluorocarbon tippet is best as it is much more abrasion resistant and a bit stronger. Carry the biggest net that you can lay you hands on and a camera. The water level on the Spring River is lower but stained. This is a great place to wade fish. However, there are many canoeists this time of year, particularly on the weekends. If you wish to escape them, fish the upper section near the Lassiter Access. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been the Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 had the honor of working with Don Adams on several occassions over the years. Don was the real deal. He was knowledgable, ethical and professional. He will be missed.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 8/20/2011 During the past week, we have had several minor rain events and generally cooler temperatures. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell three and six tenths feet to rest at twenty one and four tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is nineteen and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at eight tenths of a foot above power pool or fifteen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell three tenths of a foot to rest at three and three tenths feet above power pool or six and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had fairly heavy generation around the clock. There has been no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell two and three tenths of a foot to rest at eleven and six tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or sixteen and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had a classic summer generation schedule with light or no generation at night and high generation during times of peak power demand. There has been reliable wadable water early every morning. The rate of drop on the lakes has increased. The best place to fish was the section from Rim Shoals to Buffalo City. On low water the hot flies were pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and red zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. The flows have been fairly constant with little fluctuation all day. The key to fishing the high flows has been to fish long leader/tippet combinations (twelve feet or longer), very heavy weight (AAA split shot) and a large strike indicator set at the top of the leader. Another hot spot has been Wildcat Shoals. The even flows it has received have been perfect for drifting. Various nymphs like pheasant tails, copper Johns and red zebra midges have accounted for a lot of fish. The most effective fly on the higher flows is a hot fluorescent pink or cerise San Juan worm. Grasshopper season is upon us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. Many takes occur when the fly hits the water. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are low and gin clear. They are so low you may have to drag your boat through certain sections. The water temperature is right on and the small mouth action has been red hot! Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. The action has picked up on the Norfork. With no wadable water on the White, the Norfork has continued to receive substantially more pressure this past week. The fishing in the morning on low water has been surprisingly good. Arrive early to stake a choice spot and always be on the lookout for rising water. The top flies have been green butt and partridge and orange soft hackles. Dan’s turkey tail emerger has also accounted for a lot of fish. On high water, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Some anglers have reported success banging the bank with hopper patterns. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). The creek is located in a tight little valley and is always a bit cooler. This is always a great place to beat the heat. Remember that there is a lot of tree cover and there is precious little room to cast. The best technique is to high stick nymphs with a very short line. The creek is so small you do not have to cast far. Do not forget your camera. Use a flash! The tree cover is so thick you need it to capture the picture of a life time. The water level on the Spring River is lower but stained. This is a great place to wade fish. However, there are many canoeists this time of year, particularly on the weekends. If you wish to escape them, fish the upper section near the Lassiter Access. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been the Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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.

No this has been a curve ball for a lot of us. We were in a traditional summer pattern with little or no generation at night and high generation at periods of high energy demand. The good news is that the rate of drop at Bull Shoals has increased to about a half a foot a day.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 8/11/2011 During the past week, we have had several minor rain events and generally cooler temperatures. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two and nine tenths feet to rest at twenty five feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is sixteen feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell four tenths of a foot 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 four tenths of a foot to rest at three and six tenths feet above power pool or six feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had fairly heavy generation around the clock. There has been no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell one and six tenths of a foot to rest at thirteen and nine tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or fourteen and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had a summer generation schedule with light or no generation at night and high generation during times of peak demand. There has been reliable wadable water early every morning. The rate of drop on the lakes has increased. As we near power pool on Table Rock, we will see an even faster rate of drop on Bull Shoals particularly with the high energy demands brought on by hot weather. The best place to fish was Rim Shoals. On low water the hot flies were pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and red zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. The heavy water has been getting there around one or two o’clock. The key to fishing the high flows has been to fish long leader/tippet combinations (twelve feet or longer), very heavy weight (two or more AAA split shot) and a large strike indicator set at the top of the leader. The go to flies have been brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns in pink or orange. Another hot spot has been Buffalo Shoals. The low flows it has received mid morning have been perfect for drifting. Pheasant tails, copper Johns and red zebra midges have accounted for a lot of fish. The most effective fly on the higher flows is a hot fluorescent pink or cerise San Juan worm. Grasshopper season is upon us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. Many takes occur when the fly hits the water. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are low and gin clear. They are so low you may have to drag your boat through certain sections. The water temperature is right on and the small mouth action has been red hot! Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. The action has picked up on the Norfork. With no wadable water on the White, the Norfork has continued to receive substantially more pressure this past week. On high water, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Some anglers have reported success banging the bank with hopper patterns. On low water, midge patterns and soft hackles have been the key to success. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). With school starting soon, there should be fewer young anglers on the creek during the week. Be sure to use heavy tippet as the trout are large there and carry a big net. A long handled boat net is perfect. While you are there be sure and visit the adjacent national fish hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure and remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases. The water level on the Spring River is lower but stained. This is a great place to wade fish. However, there are many canoeists this time of year, particularly on the weekends. If you wish to escape them, fish the upper section near the Lassiter Access. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been the Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 would recommend the same rod with a Cortland WF 444SL.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 8/04/2011 During the past week, we have had no rain and brutally hot temperatures (to include heat advisories and excessive heat warnings). Temperatures over 100 degrees have been the norm. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two and three tenths feet to rest at twenty seven and nine tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirteen and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell seven 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 fell seven tenths of a foot to rest at four feet above power pool or five and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had a classic summer generation schedule, with light generation at night and high levels of generation during peak power demand. There has been no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell one and seven tenths of a foot to rest at fourteen and seven tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or thirteen and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have also had a summer generation schedule with light or no generation at night and high generation during times of peak demand. There has been reliable wadable water every morning. The rate of drop on the lakes has increased. As we reach power pool on Table Rock, we will see an even faster rate of drop on Bull Shoals particularly with the high energy demands brought on by the unseasonably hot weather. The heat has been unrelenting. The best way to avoid it has been to fish early. Wet wading is a great way to beat the heat. Dress lightly and drink plenty of fluids (water is best). Don’t forget to use plenty of sunscreen. The best place to fish was the section from Rim Shoals down to Ranchette. On low water the hot flies were pheasant tails, copper Johns and prince nymphs in size fourteen or sixteen. The heavy water has been getting there around one or two o’clock. The key to fishing the high flows has been to fish long leader/tippet combinations (twelve feet or longer), very heavy weight (two or more AAA split shot) and a large strike indicator set at the top of the leader. The go to flies have been brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns in pink or orange. Another hot spot has been Wildcat Shoals. The low flows it has received in the morning have been perfect for drifting. Pheasant tails, copper Johns and red zebra midges have accounted for a lot of fish. The most effective fly on the higher flows is a hot fluorescent pink or cerise San Juan worm. Grasshopper season is upon us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. Many takes occur when the fly hits the water. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are very low and gin clear. They are so low you may have to drag your boat through certain sections. The water temperature is right on and the small mouth action has been red hot! Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. The action has picked up on the Norfork. With no wadable water on the White, the Norfork received substantially more pressure this past week. This has been exacerbated by the fact that the low water has occurred in the early morning, when it is cool. On high water, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Some anglers have reported success banging the bank with hopper patterns. On low water, midge patterns and soft hackles have been the key to success. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). The creek is located in a tight little valley and is generally several degrees cooler than the norm. This is a great place to beat the heat. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the first session of the Trout Unlimited summer camp was in full swing and when the campers we not fishing or learning they did a stream clean up. Thank you! Trout Unlimited Education Director, Henry Seay, said that the tubing activities were limited to the lower section of the creek below the waterfall to keep from disturbing any anglers. There will be another summer camp session on the same days next week. The water level on the Spring River is lower but stained. This is a great place to wade fish. However, there are many canoeists this time of year, particularly on the weekends. If you wish to escape them, fish the upper section near the Lassiter Access. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been the Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 7/28/2011 During the past week, we have had no rain and hot temperatures (to include heat advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two feet to rest at thirty and two tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is ten and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one and three tenths feet to rest at two feet above power pool or fourteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell seven tenths of a foot to rest at four and seven tenths feet above power pool or four and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had a classic summer generation schedule, with little generation at night and higher levels of generation during peak power demand. There has been little wadable water. Norfork Lake fell one and six tenths of a foot to rest at sixteen and four tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or eleven and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have also had a summer generation schedule with light or no generation at night and high generation during times of peak demand. There has been reliable wadable water every morning. The rate of drop on the lakes has increased. As we reach power pool on Table Rock, we will see an even faster rate of drop on Bull Shoals particularly with the high energy demands brought on by the unseasonably hot weather. The heat has been unrelenting. The best way to avoid it has been to fish early. Wet wading is a great way to beat the heat. Dress lightly and drink plenty of fluids (water is best). Don’t forget to use plenty of sunscreen. The best place to fish remains the section from Ranchette access down to Buffalo city. On low water the hot flies were pheasant tails, copper Johns and prince nymphs in size fourteen or sixteen. The key to fishing the high flows has been to fish long leader/tippet combinations (twelve feet or longer), very heavy weight (two or more AAA split shot) and a large strike indicator set at the top of the leader. The go to flies have been brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns in pink or orange. Another hot spot has been Rim Shoals. The low flows it has received in the morning have been perfect for drifting. Pheasant tails, copper Johns and red zebra midges have accounted for a lot of fish. The heavy water has been getting there around one or two o’clock. The most effective fly on the higher flows is a hot fluorescent pink or cerise San Juan worm. Grasshopper season is upon us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a nine foot 2X leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. An occasional twitch can generate a vicious take. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers (both in tan). To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are very low and gin clear. They are so low you may have to drag your boat through certain sections. The water temperature is right on and the small mouths action has been red hot! Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. The action has picked up a bit on the Norfork. With significantly less wadable water on the White, the Norfork received substantially more pressure this past week. This has been exacerbated by the fact that the low water has occurred in the early morning, when it is cool. On high water, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Some anglers have reported success banging the bank with hopper patterns. On low water, midge patterns and soft hackles have been the key to success. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). The creek is located in a tight little valley and is generally several degrees cooler than the norm. This is a great place to beat the heat. Most fish are lost at the net. The small net that most anglers carry attached to their vest is not large enough for the big fish that are the norm here. Long handled boat nets are perfect. The water level on the Spring River is lower but stained. This is a great place to wade fish. However, there are many canoeists this time of year, particularly on the weekends. If you wish to escape them, fish the upper section near the Lassiter Access. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been the Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 7/21/2011 During the past week, we have had no rain and brutally hot temperatures (to include heat advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell one and three tenths of a foot to rest at thirty two and two tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is eight and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one and six tenths feet to rest at three and three tenths feet above power pool or twelve and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell seven tenths of a foot to rest at five and four tenths feet above power pool or four and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had a classic summer generation schedule with little or no generation at night and higher levels of generation during peak power demand. We have had a significant amount of wadable water. Norfork Lake fell one and four tenths of a foot to rest at eighteen feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or ten feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have also had a summer generation schedule with light or no generation at night and high generation during times of peak demand with reliable wadable water every morning. The heat has been unrelenting. The best way to avoid it has been to fish early. Wet wading is a great way to beat the heat. Dress lightly and drink plenty of fluids (water is best). Don’t forget to use plenty of sunscreen. The big story remains the wadable water! The best place to fish was the section from Ranchette access down to Buffalo city. On low water the hot flies were pheasant tails, copper Johns and prince nymphs in size fourteen or sixteen. The key to fishing the high flows has been to fish long leader/tippet combinations (twelve feet or longer), very heavy weight (two or more AAA split shot) and a large strike indicator set at the top of the leader. The go to flies have been brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns in pink or orange. Grasshopper season is upon us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt big fish. You need a stout (2X) leader and a stiff rod (a six weight would be perfect). The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. An occasional twitch can generate a vicious take. The most effective patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers. To increase your catch, use a small nymph as a dropper. Effective nymphs would be pheasant tails or copper Johns. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are very low and gin clear. They are so low you may have to drag your boat through certain sections. The water temperature is right on and the small mouths action has been red hot! Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. The action has picked up a bit on the Norfork. The ramp at Quarry Park was severely damaged when the flood gates were opened significantly to relieve the dam and is being repaired. Check the ramp before attempting to launch to ensure that it is usable. With the White fishing well, the Norfork received much less pressure this past week. On high water, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Some anglers have reported success banging the bank with hopper patterns. On low water, midge patterns and soft hackles have been the key to success. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). The creek is located in a tight little valley and is generally several degrees cooler than the norm. This is a great place to beat the heat. While you are there take a few minutes to tour the adjacent National Fish hatchery. It is currently subject to severe budget cuts that could impair its ability to produce trout to stock our rivers. This would have a devastating effect on our fishery. Please contact your congressman or Senator to inform them that the hatchery is important to our fishery. The water level on the Spring River is lower but stained. This is a great place to wade fish. However, there are many canoeists this time of year, particularly on the weekends. If you wish to escape them, fish the upper section near the Lassiter Access. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been the Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 7/14/2011 During the past week, we have had a couple of rain events and blazingly hot temperatures (to include heat advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell one half of a foot to rest at thirty three and one half feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is seven and one half feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one and three tenths feet to rest at four and nine tenths feet above power pool or eleven and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at six and one tenth feet above power pool or three and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had a classic summer generation schedule with little or no generation at night and higher levels of generation during peak power demand. We have had a significant amount of wadable water. Norfork Lake fell one and one tenth of a foot to rest at nineteen and four tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or eight and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have also had a summer generation schedule with light or no generation at night and high generation during times of peak demand with reliable wadable water every morning. When the flood gates were open on the White, numerous warm water species went through the gates and escaped into the river. Several anglers have targeted these fish and have done well catching walleye, white bass and other species below Bull Shoals dam. Remember that there are special regulations for this area. You can harvest these warm water species but you must comply with legal limits, use barbless hooks and you cannot use natural baits or scents. In addition, some anglers were observed fishing in the restricted area near the dam. This is illegal and should be avoided. The big story has been the wadable water! The best place to fish was the upper river from the State park down to Wildcat Shoals area being red hot. On low water the hot flies were midge patterns (the smaller the fly the better). Black zebra midges and Dan’s turkey tail emerger were particularly effective. The key to fishing the high flows has been to fish long leader/tippet combinations (twelve feet or longer), very heavy weight (two or more AAA split shot) and a large strike indicator set at the top of the leader. The go to flies have been brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns in pink or orange. Grasshopper season is upon us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt large fish. You need a stout (2X) leader and a stiff rod. The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. An occasional twitch can generate a vicious take. The best patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are low and clear. They are so low you may have to drag your boat through certain sections. The water temperature is right on and the small mouths action has been red hot! Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. The action has picked up a bit on the Norfork. The ramp at Quarry Park was severely damaged when the flood gates were opened significantly to relieve the dam and is being repaired. Check the ramp before attempting to launch to ensure that it is usable. With the White fishing well, the Norfork received much less pressure this past week. On high water, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Some anglers have reported success banging the bank with hopper patterns. On low water, midge patterns and soft hackles have been the key to success. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). The creek is located in a tight little valley and is generally several degrees cooler than the norm. This is a great place to beat the heat. During the past week there were several local children observed swimming in the creek (with adult supervision) in areas that interfered with other children’s fishing. Remember that this stream is set aside for fishing. If your children must swim, please do it in such a way that it does not interfere with others. Many young anglers travel hundreds of miles to fish there. The water level on the Spring River is lower and clearer. This is a great place to wade fish. However, there are many canoeists there this time of year, particularly on the weekends. If you wish to escape them, fish the upper section near the Lassiter Access. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been the Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 7/07/2011 During the past week, we have had a moderate rain event and warmer temperatures. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell one and three tenths feet to rest at thirty four feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is seven feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one and four tenths feet to rest at six and two tenths feet above power pool or nine and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell six tenths of a foot to rest at six and six tenths feet above power pool or three feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had a classic summer generation with light to moderate generation at night and higher levels of generation during peak power demand with some wadable water. Norfork Lake fell one foot to rest at twenty and five tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or seven and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have also had a summer generation schedule with moderate generation at night and high generation during times of peak demand with reliable wadable water every morning. When the flood gates were open on the White, numerous warm water species went through the gates and escaped into the river. Several anglers have targeted these fish and have done well catching walleye, white bass and other species below Bull Shoals dam. Remember that there are special regulations for this area. You can harvest these warm water species but you must comply with legal limits, use barbless hooks and you cannot use natural baits or scents. In addition, some anglers were observed fishing in the restricted area near the dam. This is illegal and should be avoided. The best place to fish was the upper river from White Hole down to Cotter, with the Wildcat Shoals area being red hot. The key to fishing the high flows has been to fish long leader/tippet combinations (twelve feet or longer), very heavy weight (two or more AAA split shot) and a large strike indicator set at the top of the leader. The go to flies have been brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns in pink or orange. Another hot spot was Rim Shoals. It has received some very fishable water levels in the morning. The hot flies were brightly colored San Juan worms (hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns. To increase the possibility of hook ups consider adding a copper John or zebra midge. If you want to wade, Rim Shoals Trout Dock runs a water taxi and will ferry you to wadable water and bring you back for a moderate fee. Grasshopper season is upon us. They provide us with some of the best and most reliable dry fly fishing of the year. These are large tempting morsels that can tempt large fish. You need a stout (2X) leader and a stiff rod. The trick is to bang the bank and imitate the action of a grasshopper that has fallen into the water and is struggling. An occasional twitch can generate a vicious take. The best patterns are Dave’s hoppers or big western foam hoppers. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are low and clear. The water temperature is right on and the small mouths action has been red hot! Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. The action has picked up a bit on the Norfork. The ramp at Quarry Park was severely damaged when the flood gates were opened significantly to relieve the dam and is being repaired. Check the ramp before attempting to launch to ensure that it is usable. With the White fishing well, the Norfork received much less pressure this past week. On high water, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Some anglers have reported success banging the bank with hopper patterns. On low water, midge patterns and soft hackles have been the key to success. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). The creek is located in a tight little valley and is generally several degrees cooler than the norm. This is a great place to beat the heat. While you are there, take a few minutes to tour the adjacent National Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure and remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases. The water level on the Spring River is lower and clearer. This is a great place to wade fish. However, there are many canoeists there this time of year, particularly on the weekends. If you wish to escape them, fish the upper section near the Lassiter Access. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been the Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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 6/30/2011 During the past week, we have had a rain event and cooler then warmer temperatures. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell one and four tenths feet to rest at thirty five and three tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is five and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell two and two tenths feet to rest at seven and six tenths feet above power pool or eight and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell six 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. On the White, we have had moderate generation all day with no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell one and six tenths feet to rest at twenty one and five tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or six and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had a summer generation schedule with moderate generation at night and high generation during times of peak demand. When the flood gates were open on the White, numerous warm water species went through the gates and escaped into the river. Several anglers have targeted these fish and have done well catching walleye and white bass below Bull Shoals dam. Remember that there are special regulations for this area. You can harvest these warm water species but you must comply with legal limits, use barbless hooks and you cannot use natural baits or scents. Some anglers were observed fishing in the restricted area near the dam. This is illegal and should be avoided. The best place to fish was the upper river from Bull Shoals State Park down to White Hole, with the Cain Island area being red hot. The key to fishing the high flows has been to fish long leader/tippet combinations (twelve feet or longer), very heavy weight (two or more AAA split shot) and a large strike indicator set at the top of the leader. The go to flies have been brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns in pink or orange. There has been some sulphur action reported. The best fly for this hatch would be the sulphur parachute. Another hot spot was Rim Shoals. The hot flies were brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns. To increase the possibility of hook ups consider adding a copper John nymph. If you want to wade, Rim Shoals Trout Dock runs a water taxi and will ferry you to wadable water and bring you back for a moderate fee. The thirteen year Cicadas are hatching. These insects hatch every thirteen years. They are large dark insects that make a loud chirping sound. Many of these insects make their way into the river where they are large tempting morsels for trout to feed on. This provides for some fabulous dry fly fishing. There are good Cicada patterns at the local fly shops or you can use a black Chernobyl ant. Use a stout rod and a heavy leader to turn over the large flies. Work the bank carefully and be prepared for a vicious take. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are low and clear. The water temperature is right on and the small mouths action has been red hot! Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows and crawfish patterns. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly. The action has picked up a bit on the Norfork. With the generators back on line, the water temperature has dropped back to levels comfortable for trout. The ramp at Quarry Park was severely damaged when the flood gates were opened significantly to relieve the dam and is being repaired. Check the ramp before attempting to launch to ensure that it is usable. With the White fishing well, the Norfork received much less pressure this past week. On high water, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange). Some anglers have reported success banging the bank with thirteen year cicada patterns. Others have had success fishing sulphur dry fly patterns. Try size fourteen sulphur parachutes. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). The creek is located in a tight little valley and is generally several degrees cooler than the norm. This is a great place to beat the heat. While you are there, take a few minutes to tour the adjacent National Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure and remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases. The water level on the Spring River is lower and clearer. This is a great place to wade fish. However, there are many canoeists there this time of year, particularly on the weekends. If you wish to escape them, fish the upper section near the Lassiter Access. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been the Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers 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. 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.