John Berry

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 4/22/2010 During the past week, we have had some minor precipitation and much milder winds. All of the lakes on the White River System continue their fall. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two and three tenths feet to rest at three and two tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty seven and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at power pool or sixteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell two tenths feet to rest at three and six tenths of a foot above power pool or six feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had generation around the clock. Norfork Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at three feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty five feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had moderate generation with a several significant periods of no generation that allowed for some good wading. The Corps of Engineers is aggressively drawing down the lakes and we should return to power pool on the White in one week, providing we receive no substantial rain. There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam, which was closed from November 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 for the brown trout spawn, has now reopened. Remember that there are numerous spawning beds (redds) containing freshly laid and fertilized eggs. Please avoid dragging chains through these areas. The redds will appear as clean depressions in the gravel. The flows from the sluice gates have ceased and the water on the White is cleaner and the volume is also diminished. As a result, fishing has been better in general. On the higher flows we received this week, the key to success was to fish brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink and red) and egg patterns (peach and orange). On water this high, you must use long leader/tippet combinations (ten feet) and a bit of lead. You must tick the bottom. Use a strike indicator and 4X tippet. The most productive area for this technique has been the Catch and Release Section below Bull Shoals Dam (various midge patterns have also been a productive fly in this section). Another hot spot has been The Rim Shoals Catch and Release area. On the more moderate flows we have received this week there was quite a bit of success with prince nymphs fished under an indicator. The caddis are still coming off and several anglers were able to catch some good top water action on slow runs near the bank that were wadable in the reduced flows. If you want to wade on the high flows you can obtain the services of the water taxi at Rim Shoals Trout Dock. For a nominal fee they will ferry you to wadable water and pick you up when you are ready to return. They can provide these services in flows up to 17,000 cubic feet per second. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are both dropping and are beginning to clear. The warm temperatures are beginning to heat them up and the small mouth will become more active when the water temperature reaches fifty five degrees. We have received reliable wadable water every day and this has drawn quite a bit of pressure to the Norfork particularly on the weekends. Fishing conditions during the week have been excellent. We have had some nice caddis and midge hatches that anglers have fished with quite a bit of success. There have been some sulphurs observed but they have been sporadic and the fish have not paid much attention to them. The hot flies have been elk hair caddis, parachute Adams (size 20 -24), green butts and Dan’s turkey tail emergers. On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. On the upper river, try a sowbug dropper and on the lower river try a caddis pupa or a copper John. Dry Run Creek has fished extremely well. The Dry Run Creek improvement project sponsored by the Friends of the Norfork Fish Hatchery has been completed and the improved access continues to draw more and more anglers. This is a major attraction for the Twin Lakes Area. The most productive flies are sowbugs and worm brown San Juan worms. There is very limited casting room and the best technique is to high stick nymphs under an indicator. Use heavy tippet (at least 4X) and carry a large net. Most fish are lost at the net. While you are there, take a tour of the adjacent National Fish Hatchery. Be sure and remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases. The water level on the Spring River is falling and the water is beginning to clear. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and pheasant tail nymphs. The hot spot has been the Dam Three Access area. 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 4/15/2010 During the past week, we have had no precipitation but some very heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories). Most of the lakes on the White River System have fallen. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two and five tenths feet to rest at five and five tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty five and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell eight tenths of a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot below power pool or sixteen and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake remained steady at three and eight tenths of a foot above power pool or five and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had generation around the clock. Norfork Lake fell eight tenths of a foot to rest at three and five tenths of a foot above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty four and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had moderate generation with a few periods of no generation at night. The Corps of Engineers is aggressively drawing down the lakes and we should return to wadable conditions in two weeks providing we receive no further rain. There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers. During the past week we received some additional water flows from the opening of sluice gates at the base of Bull Shoals Dam. This was done in order to make up for the shortfall in water flow due to a few generators being shut down for routine maintenance. The Corps of Engineers had a small window in which to run maximum flows to draw the lake down quickly, because on April 15, 2010, they were required to maintain the river gauge at fourteen feet at Newport, Arkansas. They have been able to let the gauge go as high as twenty six feet during the winter. The flows from the sluice gates created some interesting hydraulic features near the dam and changed the currents in that area. In addition the water coming through the sluice gates was a bit dirtier. The new currents dislodged a bit more weed than normal and the river was stained and had a lot of debris in it for most of the week. As a result, fishing on the White has been slow. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam, which was closed from November 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 for the brown trout spawn, has now reopened. Remember that there are numerous spawning beds (redds) containing freshly laid and fertilized eggs. Please avoid dragging chains through these areas. The redds will appear as clean depressions in the gravel. On the higher flows we received this week, the key to success was to fish brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink and red) and egg patterns (peach and orange). On water this high, you must use long leader/tippet combinations (fourteen feet) and a lot of lead. You must tick the bottom. Use a large strike indicator and 4X tippet. The most productive area for this technique has been the Catch and Release Section below Bull Shoals Dam (sowbugs have also been a productive fly in this section). If you want to wade on the high flows you can obtain the services of the water taxi at Rim Shoals Trout Dock. For a nominal fee they will ferry you to wadable water and pick you up when you are ready to return. They can provide these services in flows up to 17,000 cubic feet per second. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are both dropping and are beginning to clear. The warm temperatures are beginning to heat them up and the small mouth will become more active when the water temperature reaches fifty five degrees. There were no sluice gates used on the Norfork and was cleaner and fished better than the White this past week. The Norfork received moderate to high flows around the clock with a bit of wadable water (at night). On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. On the upper river, try a sowbug dropper and on the lower river try a caddis pupa. Dry Run Creek has fished extremely well. There was a bit of pressure last week from anglers wanting to take advantage of the incredible spring weather. The Dry Run Creek improvement project sponsored by the Friends of the Norfork Fish Hatchery has been completed. The ribbon cutting ceremony was held last week. The project was a major success and the creek is more accessible and fishes better. The hot fly this past week was the sowbug followed by the worm brown San Juan worm. Be sure and take a camera and the biggest net you can lay your hands on. The fish are huge and plentiful. The water level on the Spring River is falling and the water is beginning to clear. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and pheasant tail nymphs. The hot spot has been the Dam Three Access area. 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 4/08/2010 During the past week, we have had yet another significant rain event and very heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose one and eight tenths feet to rest at eight feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty three feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell one and eight tenths 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 rose nine tenths of a foot to rest at three and eight tenths of a foot above power pool or five and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had generation around the clock. Norfork Lake rose two and eight tenths of a foot to rest at four and three tenths of a foot above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty three and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had moderate generation with a few periods of no generation at night. All of the lakes, on the White River system, are now above power pool. The Corps of Engineers is aggressively drawing down the lakes and we should return to wadable conditions in three weeks providing we receive no further rain. There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam, which was closed from November 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 for the brown trout spawn, has now reopened. Remember that there are numerous spawning beds (redds) containing freshly laid and fertilized eggs. Please avoid dragging chains through these areas. The redds will appear as clean depressions in the gravel. On the higher flows we received this week, the key to success was to fish brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink and red) and egg patterns (peach and orange). On water this high, you must use long leader/tippet combinations (fourteen feet) and a lot of lead. You must tick the bottom. Use a large strike indicator and 4X tippet. The most productive area for this technique has been the Catch and Release Section below Bull Shoals Dam (sowbugs have also been a productive fly in this section). We did receive a brief period of very low generation (960 cubic feet per second) that fished particularly well. The hot flies during this unexpected low water were the hares ear soft hackle (size 18) and black zebra midge with silver wire and silver bead. Another hot spot has been White Shoals (below Rim Shoals). The hot fly has been the Y2K and hot pink San Juan worms. To increase hook ups many anglers have been using a dropper. Effective droppers in the last week have been black zebra midges with silver wire and silver bead, caddis pupa and pheasant tail nymphs. If you want to wade on the high flows you can obtain the services of the water taxi at Rim Shoals Trout Dock. For a nominal fee they will ferry you to wadable water and pick you up when you are ready to return. They can provide these services in flows up to 17,000 cubic feet per second. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are both dropping but are still a bit stained. The warm temperatures are beginning to heat them up and the small mouth will become more active when the water temperature reaches fifty five degrees. The Norfork received moderate flow around the clock with a bit of wadable water (at night). On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. On the upper river, try a sowbug dropper and on the lower river try a caddis pupa. Dry Run Creek has fished extremely well. There was a bit of pressure last week from anglers wanting to take advantage of the incredible spring weather. The habitat improvement part of the Dry Run Creek improvement project sponsored by the Friends of the Norfork Fish Hatchery is in progress. Don’t be put off by the sight of heavy equipment in the stream bed. They are busily improving fishing on the creek. The hot fly this past week was the sowbug followed by the worm brown San Juan worm. While you are there, take a few minutes to visit the adjacent National Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure and remove your waders to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases. The water level on the Spring River is high and the water is stained from the recent rains. It is beginning to clear. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and pheasant tail nymphs. The hot spot has been the Dam Three Access area. 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 4/01/2010 During the past week, we have had a significant rain event and very heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories) which has caused all of the lakes in the White river system to continue their rise. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose four and two tenths feet to rest at six and two tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty four and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose five tenths of a foot to rest at two and five tenths feet above power pool or thirteen and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose one and six tenths of a foot to rest at two and nine tenths of a foot above power pool or six and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had generation around the clock. The level of generation has been gradually ramped up. Norfork Lake rose one and five tenths of a foot to rest at one and four tenths of a foot below power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty six and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had round the clock generation at a moderate level. All of the lakes on the White River system are now above power pool. The Corps of Engineers is aggressively drawing down the lakes and we should return to wadable conditions in two to three weeks providing we receive no further rain. There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam, which was closed from November 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 for the brown trout spawn, has now reopened. Remember that there are numerous spawning beds (redds) containing freshly laid and fertilized eggs. Please avoid dragging chains through these areas. The redds will appear as clean depressions in the gravel. On the higher flows we received this week, the key to success was to fish brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink and red) and egg patterns (peach and orange). On water this high, you must use long leader/tippet combinations (fourteen feet) and a lot of lead. You must tick the bottom. Use a large strike indicator and 4X tippet. The most productive area for this technique has been the Catch and Release Section below Bull Shoals Dam (sowbugs have also been a productive fly in this section). Another hot spot has been White Shoals (below Rim Shoals). The hot fly has been the Y2K. To increase hook ups many anglers have been using a dropper. Effective droppers in the last week have been black zebra midges with silver wire and silver bead, caddis pupa and pheasant tail nymphs. If you want to wade on the high flows you can obtain the services of the water taxi at Rim Shoals Trout Dock. For a nominal fee they will ferry you to wadable water and pick you up when you are ready to return. They can provide these services in flows up to 17,000 cubic feet per second. Anglers in the Redds landing have also reported success on the higher flows. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are both dropping and are beginning to clear. The warm temperatures are beginning to warm them up and the small mouth will become more active when the water temperature reaches fifty five degrees. The Norfork received moderate flow around the clock. There was no wadable water. On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. On the upper river try a sowbug dropper and on the lower river try a caddis pupa. Dry Run Creek has fished well. There was a bit of pressure last week from anglers visiting to take advantage of spring break. The habitat improvement part of the Dry Run Creek improvement project sponsored by the Friends of the Norfork Fish Hatchery is in progress. Don’t be put off by the sight of heavy equipment in the stream bed. They are busily improving fishing on the creek. The hot fly this past week was the sowbug followed by the worm brown San Juan worm. There have also been a lot of bank stabilization improvements that allow access to most of the creek without the use of waders. Remember to bring a camera and a really big net. The water level on the Spring River is high and the water is stained from the recent rains. It is beginning to clear. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and pheasant tail nymphs. 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 3/25/2010 During the past week, we have had two significant rain events and very heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories) which have caused all of the lakes in the White river system to rise. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose two and four tenths of a foot to rest at two feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty nine feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose one and six tenths of a foot to rest at two feet above power pool or fourteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose one and six tenths of a foot to rest at one and three tenths of a foot above power pool or eight and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had a long period of no generation followed by a period of heavy generation. Norfork Lake rose one and five tenths of a foot to rest at one and four tenths of a foot below power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty six and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had a long period of no generation followed by a period of moderate generation. All of the lakes on the White River system are now above power pool. The Corps of Engineers is aggressively drawing down the lakes and we should return to wadable conditions in a week or two providing we receive no further rain. There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam, which was closed from November 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 for the brown trout spawn, has now reopened. Remember that there are numerous spawning beds (redds) containing freshly laid and fertilized eggs. Please avoid dragging chains through these areas. Now that we have some wadable water, avoid walking through them. The redds will appear as clean depressions in the gravel. On the higher flows we received later in the week, the key to success was to fish brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink and red) and egg patterns (peach and orange). On water this high, you must use long leader/tippet combinations (fourteen feet) and a lot of lead. You must tick the bottom. Use a large strike indicator and 4X tippet. The most productive area for this technique has been the Catch and Release Section below Bull Shoals Dam. The hot spot has been Roundhouse Shoals in Cotter. There was some great top water action on prolific caddis hatches, on the lower flows. The rhyacophylia caddis is our best hatch of the year. They are plentiful and begin as a righteous size fourteen. Later in the hatch they will decrease to sixteen and then eighteen. The most effective flies are a green elk hair caddis to imitate the adult, a fluttering caddis for the pupa and a green butt for the emerging insect. Fish the fluttering caddis before the hatch and the green butt when you see fish keying in on the top but you see no insects. When you observe fish keying in on hatching insects, switch to the elk hair caddis. Another hot spot has been Rim Shoals. On the low water, it was very productive to fish caddis pupa and green butt soft hackles. There were some pretty nice caddis hatches in the afternoon. On the high flows you can obtain the services of the water taxi at Rim Shoals Trout Dock. For a nominal fee they will ferry you to wadable water and pick you up when you are finished. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are high and muddy. The Norfork received low water last week. On the low flows, the hot flies were olive scuds, sowbugs and black zebra midges with silver wire and silver beads. We have been getting some nice midge hatches every afternoon and anglers have reported success with small hare’s ear soft hackles (size sixteen) and Dan’s turkey tail emerger. Be on the lookout for caddis. On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. Dry Run Creek has fished well. There was a lot of pressure last week from anglers visiting last weeks Sowbug Roundup. The hot fly has been sow bugs in size fourteen. Worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns have also done well. There is precious little casting room down on the creek. The most effective technique is to high stick nymphs in deep fast water. Use at least 4X tippet, so that your youngster has a good chance of landing the bigger fish. Take a large net. The water level on the Spring River is high and the water is stained from the recent rains. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and pheasant tail nymphs. 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 fished up by the dam and it was clear. Further down at Rim it was stained. They are running a bunch of water (five generators) and it should be clear tomorrow.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 3/17/2010 During the past week, we have had two minor rain events and very heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam dropped three tenths of a foot to rest at four tenths of a foot below power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty one and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake remained steady at four tenths of a foot below power pool or sixteen and four tenths of a foot below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell two tenths of a foot to rest at three tenths of a foot below power pool or nine and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had fairly steady levels of low to moderate generation and a several periods of no generation. Norfork Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot below power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty eight and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had several windows of no generation. All of the lakes on the White River system are now below power pool. We are receiving lower levels of generation and wadable water. There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam, which was closed from November 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 for the brown trout spawn, has now reopened. Remember that there are numerous spawning beds (redds) containing freshly laid and fertilized eggs. Please avoid dragging chains through these areas. Now that we have some wadable water, avoid walking through them. The redds will appear as clean depressions in the gravel. The hot spot has been Wildcat Shoals. Several anglers have reported success fishing the caddis hatch. The rhyacophylia caddis is our best hatch of the year. They are plentiful and begin as a righteous size fourteen. Later in the hatch they will decrease to sixteen and then eighteen. The most effective flies are a green elk hair caddis to imitate the adult, a fluttering caddis for the pupa and a green butt for the emerging insect. Fish the fluttering caddis before the hatch and the green butt when you see fish keying in on the top but you see no insects. When you observe fish keying in on hatching insects, switch to the elk hair caddis. Another hot spot has been Rim Shoals. We have had precious little wadable water but it fished well and produced some really fine trout. On the rare lower flows, the hot flies were black zebra midges with silver wire and silver bead and olive scuds. Red San Juan worms also accounted for some good fish. On the higher flows, the hot flies were cerise San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are lower and clearer. The water temperatures (48 degrees) are too cold for the smallmouth to be active. Smallmouth are generally not active when the water temperatures fall below 55 degrees. The Norfork has received low wadable water every day. Now that we are getting some wadable water on the White, we should see reduced pressure here. On the low flows, the hot flies were olive scuds, sowbugs and black zebra midges with silver wire and silver beads. We have been getting some nice midge hatches every afternoon and anglers have reported success with small hare’s ear soft hackles (size sixteen) and Dan’s turkey tail emerger. Be on the lookout for caddis. On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot fly has been sow bugs in size fourteen. Worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns have also done well. There is precious little casting room down on the creek. The most effective technique is to high stick nymphs in deep fast water. Use at least 4X tippet, so that your youngster has a good chance of landing the bigger fish. Take a large net. A small net is not up to the job on the bigger fish. The Spring River has been fishing well. The water level is a bit lower and the water is clearer. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been Y2Ks, olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and cotton candy. 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 3/11/2010 During the past week, we have had warmer temperatures, two rain events and heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam remained steady at one tenth of a foot below power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty one and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell three tenths of a foot to rest at four tenths of a foot below power pool or sixteen and four tenths of a foot below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose one tenth of a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot below power pool or nine and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had fairly steady levels of moderate generation and a few periods of no generation. Norfork Lake rose one tenth of a foot to rest at power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty eight feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had several windows of no generation. All of the lakes on the White River system are now at or below power pool. We are receiving lower levels of generation and wadable water. There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam, which was closed from November 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 for the brown trout spawn, has now reopened. Remember that there are numerous spawning beds (redds) containing freshly laid and fertilized eggs. Please avoid dragging chains through these areas. Now that we have some wadable water, avoid walking through them. The redds will appear as clean depressions in the gravel. The hot spot has been the section from White Hole to the Narrows. The lower flows have been perfect for drift fishing this area. The hot flies have been cerise and hot fluorescent San Juan worms. Y2Ks have also accounted for good fish. The dry fishing season has begun. Several anglers have reported seeing caddis hatch on the White River. The rhyacophylia caddis is our best hatch of the year. They are plentiful and begin as a righteous size fourteen. Later in the hatch they will decrease to sixteen and then eighteen. The most effective flies are a green elk hair caddis to imitate the adult, a fluttering caddis for the pupa and a green butt for the emerging insect. Fish the fluttering caddis before the hatch and the green butt when you see fish keying in on the top but you see no insects. When you observe fish keying in on hatching insects, switch to the elk hair caddis. Another hot spot has been Rim Shoals. We have had precious little wadable water but it fished well and produced some really fine trout. On the rare lower flows, the hot flies were black zebra midges with silver wire and silver bead. Red San Juan worms also accounted for some good fish. On the higher flows, the hot flies were cerise San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are a bit high and off color. The water temperatures (48 degrees) are too cold for the smallmouth to be active. Smallmouth are generally not active when the water temperatures fall below 55 degrees. There were anglers that reported success fishing for trout in the mouth of Crooked Creek. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers. The Norfork has received low wadable water every day. It was the only wadable water around and got a bit crowded at times, particularly on the weekends. Now that we are getting some wadable water on the White, we should see reduced pressure here. On the low flows, the hot flies were olive scuds, sowbugs and black zebra midges with silver wire and silver beads. We have been getting some nice midge hatches every afternoon and anglers have reported success with small hare’s ear soft hackles (size sixteen) and Dan’s turkey tail emerger. On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. Long leader tippet combinations and heavy weight have been the secret to success. Work the banks and submerged weed beds. Be on the lookout for caddis. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot fly has been sow bugs in size fourteen. Worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns have also done well. The new boardwalk is scheduled to open on Saturday, March 13. This is the major project of the Friends of the National Fish Hatchery and was done in conjunction with bank stabilization and habitat improvements. Stop by and see what the excitement is all about. I think you will be impressed. The Spring River has been fishing well. The water level is still a bit high and off color. This makes for challenging wading. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been Y2Ks, olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and cotton candy. 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 3/04/2010 During the past week, we have had warmer temperatures and no precipitation. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two tenths of a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot below power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty one and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell nine tenths of a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot below power pool or sixteen and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell three tenths of a foot to rest at two tenths of a foot below power pool or nine and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had fairly steady levels of moderate generation and a few periods of no generation. Norfork Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot below power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty eight and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had several windows of no generation. All of the lakes on the White River system are now below power pool. We have received lower levels of generation and wadable water. It is time to go fishing! There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam, which was closed from November 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 for the brown trout spawn, has now reopened. Remember that there are numerous spawning beds (redds) containing freshly laid and fertilized eggs. Please avoid dragging chains through these areas. Now that we have some wadable water, avoid walking through them. The redds will appear as clean depressions in the gravel. The hot spot has been the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam. Warmer temperatures and reduced levels of generation have pretty much brought the shad kill to a close. The trout will still key on shad patterns, however. On the lower levels the hot flies have been midges (various colors of zebra midges) and Dan’s turkey tail emergers. On higher flows the best bet has been brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (peach and orange). The flows we have received this past week on the White River have fished well. One hot spot was Wildcat Shoals. On the higher flows the most productive flies have been Y2Ks, brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink and red) and egg patterns (peach and orange). On the lower flows the hot flies have been olive woolly buggers, partridge and orange soft hackles and black zebra midges with silver wire and silver bead. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are running fairly clear. The water temperatures (48 degrees) are too cold for the smallmouth to be active. Smallmouth are generally not active when the water temperatures fall below 55 degrees. There were anglers that reported success fishing for trout in the mouth of Crooked Creek. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers. The Norfork has received low wadable water every day. It was the only wadable water around and got a bit crowded at times, particularly on the weekends. Now that we are getting some wadable water on the White, we should see reduced pressure here. On the low flows, the hot flies were olive scuds, sowbugs and black zebra midges with silver wire and silver beads. Other anglers reported success with partridge and orange soft hackles and olive woolly buggers. We have been getting some midge hatches late in the afternoon. Gray midge dry flies in size twenty four have been the key to success. On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. Long leader tippet combinations and heavy weight have been the secret to success. Work the banks and submerged weed beds. Anglers fishing the Norfork last Tuesday reported extremely muddy conditions below Otter Creek. At this time, it appears that construction in the area caused a significant amount of soil to be dumped into Otter Creek. On Wednesday the river was clear. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot fly has been sow bugs in size fourteen. Worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns have also done well. The recent stream improvements made by the Friends of the Norfork Fish Hatchery have had a positive effect on fishing on Dry Run Creek. If you haven’t seen the creek lately, you should go by and check it out. The Spring River has been fishing well. The water level is still a bit high and off color. This makes for challenging wading. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been Y2Ks, olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and cotton candy. 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 2/25/2010 During the past week, we have had cold temperatures and brutal winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell nine tenths of a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose four tenths 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 one and one tenth of a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot above power pool or nine and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had fairly steady levels of moderate generation. Norfork Lake fell six tenths of a foot to rest at power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty eight feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had several windows of no generation. All of the lakes on the White River system are at or near power pool. We should see lower levels of generation or the possibility of wadable water in the next week. This is still contingent on no further significant precipitation. There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam, which was closed from November 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 for the brown trout spawn, has now reopened. Remember that there are numerous spawning beds (redds) containing freshly laid and fertilized eggs. Please avoid dragging chains through these areas. The redds will appear as clean depressions in the gravel. The hot spot has been the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam. Though we have had brutally cold temperatures and high levels of generation, the perfect conditions for creating a shad kill, there have not been any shad coming through. There may be shad coming through at night. The trout in the upper river are still responding to shad patterns but there is certainly no feeding frenzy taking place. As long as the lake temperatures stay in their present range (around 41 degrees), we may see some more shad come through. Some anglers have reported success from fishing streamers. Concentrate on banging the bank or any heavy structure where fish can escape the current. Your best bet would be to use large articulated streamers like the zoo cougar or leg spreader on heavy (300 grain or heavier) sink tips. You will need at least an eight weight rod to cast this rig. Use a short piece of heavy mono (three feet of 2X fluorocarbon tippet) in lieu of a conventional leader to help get the fly down. This strategy targets big fish, but is a lot of work. I like to carry two rods, one that is rigged for streamers and one that is rigged for nymphs. The moderate flows we have received this past week on the White River have fished well. One hot spot was Rim Shoals, particularly the lower section. The most productive flows have been Y2Ks, brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink and red) and egg patterns (peach and orange). If you want to wade in the flows we have been receiving, remember that Rim Shoals Trout Dock has a river taxi service that will ferry you to wadable water and pick you up for a nominal fee. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are running fairly clear. The water temperatures (48 degrees) are too cold for the smallmouth to be active. Smallmouth are generally not active when the water temperatures fall below 55 degrees. There were anglers that reported success fishing for trout in the mouth of Crooked Creek. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers. The Norfork has received some low water. On the low flows, the hot flies were olive scuds, sowbugs and black zebra midges with silver wire and silver beads. Other anglers reported success with partridge and orange soft hackles and olive woolly buggers. On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. Long leader tippet combinations and heavy weight have been the secret to success. Work the banks and submerged weed beds. Be on the lookout for a shad kill. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot fly has been sow bugs in size fourteen. Worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns have also done well. We have had some warm afternoons that have been perfect for fishing the creek. The newly passed fishing regulations allow the use of multiple fly rigs. Concentrate on the deeper water with a bit of current. Be sure and carry the biggest net that you can lay your hands on. The fish here are huge. The Spring River has been fishing well. The water level is still a bit high and off color. This makes for challenging wading. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been Y2Ks, olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and cotton candy. 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 2/18/2010 During the past week, we have had brutally cold temperatures and a minor snow event. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell one and five tenths of a foot to rest at one foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell 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 remained steady at one and two tenths of a foot above power pool or eight and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had fairly steady levels of heavy generation. Norfork Lake fell two tenths of a foot to rest at six tenths of a foot above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty seven and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had several windows of no generation at night. All of the lakes on the White River system are now near power pool. We could see lower levels of generation or the possibility of wadable water in the next week. This is still contingent on no further significant precipitation. There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam, which was closed from November 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 for the brown trout spawn, has now reopened. Remember that there are numerous spawning beds (redds) containing freshly laid and fertilized eggs. Please avoid dragging chains through these areas. The redds will appear as clean depressions in the gravel. There was an incident this week where an angler was dragging a chain in this area; at the time the Corps of Engineers were running seven generators (way too much water for an angler to use a drag chain). The chain got entangled in some of the newly installed fish habitat. The boat stopped abruptly and the angler was thrown from the boat. Luckily he was promptly rescued by a guide working nearby (Ron Yarbrough). The hot spot has been the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam. There have been some shad coming through. Brutally cold temperatures and high levels of generation are the perfect conditions for creating a shad kill. This generally occurs when the water temperature on the lake is forty two degrees or lower. Threadfin shad are drawn through the dam turbines and create a feeding frenzy in the river below. Be on the lookout for gulls feeding on the shad below the dam. The most effective flies will be white shad patterns. Be sure and have both floating and sinking versions. The hot fly during the past week has been a white marabou jig. The shad have been trickling through a few at a time. This is the best scenario for anglers. If a lot of shad come through at once, the trout gorge on them and quit feeding. Some anglers have reported success from fishing streamers. Concentrate on banging the bank or any heavy structure where fish can escape the current. Your best bet would be to use large articulated streamers like the zoo cougar or leg spreader on heavy (300 grain or heavier) sink tips. You will need at least an eight weight rod to cast this rig. Use a short piece of heavy mono (three feet of 2X fluorocarbon tippet) in lieu of a conventional leader to help get the fly down. This strategy targets big fish, but is a lot of work. I like to carry two rods, one that is rigged for streamers and one that is rigged for nymphs. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are running fairly clear. The water temperatures are too cold for the smallmouth to be active. The Norfork has received some low water, but it occurred at night. On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. Long leader tippet combinations and heavy weight have been the secret to success. Work the banks and submerged weed beds. Be on the lookout for a shad kill. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot fly has been sow bugs in size fourteen. Worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns have also done well. We have had some warm afternoons that have been perfect for fishing the creek. The best technique is to high stick nymphs in heavy deep water. There is precious little room to cast. It is best to use heavy tippet, at least 4X. The newly passed fishing regulations allow the use of multiple fly rigs. This may not be a good idea here, as it will just be easier for young anglers to hook you or themselves. The Spring River has been fishing well. The water level is still a bit high and off color. This makes for challenging wading. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been Y2Ks, olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and cotton candy. 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.

Ham, Don't forget that the Browns spawn successfully on the White and Norfork. The brown stocking is just to supplement what occurs naturally.

I have always done better with Cutts and Brookies on the Norfork. The Brookies ane usually up by the dam and the Cutts are spread through the river.

A friend of mine has a Sage RPLXi nine foot nine weight three piece rod with a Tioga Reel and Cortland 444SL line. It has only been fished six times. He is throwing in a nice box of bass bugs. The whole rig is only $350.00. Call John Lancaster at (662) 983-9074.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 2/11/2010 During the past week, we have had brutally cold temperatures and yet more snow. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose one and eight tenths of a foot to rest at two and five tenths of a foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty eight and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose five tenths of a foot to rest at one and four tenths of a foot above power pool or fourteen and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose four tenths of a foot to arrive at one and two tenths of a foot above power pool or eight and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had fairly erratic levels of generation. Norfork Lake rose one foot to rest at one and six tenths of a foot above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty six and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had several windows of no generation at night with one substantial window of wadable water during the day. Despite a lot of precipitation, the lake levels have only risen slightly. We have had more precipitation down stream. We could see lower levels in the next week or two, depending on further wet weather. There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam, which was closed from November 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 for the brown trout spawn, has now reopened. Remember that there are numerous spawning beds (redds) containing freshly laid and fertilized eggs. Please avoid dragging chains through these areas. The redds will appear as clean depressions in the gravel. The hot spot has been the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam. There have been some shad coming through. Brutally cold temperatures and high levels of generation are the perfect conditions for creating a shad kill. This generally occurs when the water temperature on the lake is forty two degrees. Threadfin shad are drawn through the dam turbines and create a feeding frenzy in the river below. Be on the lookout for gulls feeding on the shad below the dam. The most effective flies will be white shad patterns. Be sure and have both floating and sinking versions. The hot fly during the past week has been a white marabou jig. Fishing on the White in general has been excellent. Another productive section has been from White Hole to Wildcat Shoals. Use brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (red, pink and orange). Other effective patterns have been scuds, sowbugs, copper johns and various midge patterns. Some anglers have reported success from fishing streamers. Concentrate on banging the bank or any heavy structure where fish can escape the current. Your best bet would be to use large articulated streamers like the zoo cougar or leg spreader on heavy (300 grain or heavier) sink tips. You will need at least an eight weight rod to cast this rig. Use a short piece of heavy mono (three feet of 2X fluorocarbon tippet) in lieu of a conventional leader to help get the fly down. This strategy targets big fish, but is a lot of work. I like to carry two rods, one that is rigged for streamers and one that is rigged for nymphs. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are running fairly clear. The water temperatures are too cold for the smallmouth to be active. The Norfork has received some low water. On the low flows the hot flies were the sowbug and the black zebra midge with silver wire and silver bead. Dan’s turkey tail emerger has also been productive on lower water. On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. Long leader tippet combinations and heavy weight have been the secret to success. Work the banks and submerged weed beds. Be on the lookout for a shad kill. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot fly has been sow bugs in size fourteen. Worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns have also done well. We have had some warm afternoons that have been perfect for fishing the creek. The recently completed bank stabilization work has made it much easier for youngsters to access. While you are there be sure and 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 diseases. The Spring River has been fishing well. The water level is still a bit high and off color. This makes for challenging wading. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been Y2Ks, olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and cotton candy. 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.

Every year is differant. There are some coming through now. I don't know how long it will last.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 2/04/2010 During the past week, we have had brutally cold temperatures and the remnants of a major snowfall. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell six tenths of a foot to rest at seven tenths of a foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose three 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 two and three tenths of a foot to arrive at eight tenths of a foot above power pool or eight and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had fairly steady levels of generation around the clock. Norfork Lake fell one and four tenths feet to rest at six tenths of a foot above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty seven and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had steady generation with one brief window of wadable water at night. The Corps of Engineers has maintained its aggressive drawdown of the lakes in the White River System. All of the lakes in the White River system are currently less than a foot from power pool. We can expect some lower flows and the possibility of wadable water. As I write this, we have more precipitation coming and it is impossible to predict how this will affect lake levels. There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam, which was closed from November 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 for the brown trout spawn, has now reopened. Due to bitterly cold weather conditions and high water, there were not as many anglers on hand for opening day as usual. The fishing went well. The catch was mostly rainbows. There has been some success on shad patterns but most of the trout were caught with brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns. Fishing on the White in general has been excellent. The hot section has been Rim Shoals. On the steady flows, we have been receiving; use brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (red, pink and orange). Other effective patterns have been scuds, sowbugs, copper johns and various midge patterns. Some anglers have reported success from fishing streamers. Concentrate on banging the bank or any heavy structure where fish can escape the current. Your best bet would be to use large articulated streamers like the zoo cougar or leg spreader on heavy (300 grain or heavier) sink tips. You will need at least an eight weight rod to cast this rig. Use a short piece of heavy mono (three feet of 2X fluorocarbon tippet) in lieu of a conventional leader to help get the fly down. This strategy targets big fish, but is a lot of work. I like to carry two rods, one that is rigged for streamers and one that is rigged for nymphs. When we have high flows like this, trout will seek the comfort provided by feeder creeks to escape the heavy currents. Look in the lower stretches of Jenkins Creek or Crooked Creek to locate trout. Brutally cold temperatures and high levels of generation are the perfect conditions for creating a shad kill. This generally occurs when the water temperature on the lake is forty two degrees. Threadfin shad are drawn through the dam turbines and create a feeding frenzy in the river below. Be on the lookout for gulls feeding on the shad below the dam. The most effective flies will be white shad patterns. Be sure and have both floating and sinking versions. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are running clear. The water temperatures are too cold for the smallmouth to be active. The Norfork has received steady generation. On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. Long leader tippet combinations and heavy weight have been the secret to success. Work the banks and submerged weed beds. Be on the lookout for a shad kill. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot fly has been sow bugs in size fourteen. Worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns have also done well. Work is underway on the boardwalk along the creek that is being constructed by the Friends of the National Fish Hatchery. This will enhance access, particularly for the handicapped anglers. Stop by and take a look. It is pretty terrific. My wife, Lori, and I recently visited and walked the creek. We were impressed with the bank stabilization, which was done in a way that creates a lot of new spots to fish that do not require the youngsters to wear waders. The Spring River has been fishing well. The water level is still a bit high and off color. This makes for challenging wading. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been Y2Ks, olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and cotton candy. 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.

Phil, Great report and a great story. Next time you are in the area take me along so that Don can show me where the big browns are.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 1/28/2010 During the past week, we have had colder temperatures, quite a bit of precipitation and very high winds that included lake wind advisories. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose six tenths of a foot to rest at one and three tenths of a foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty nine and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose two and eight tenths feet foot to rest at six tenths feet above power pool or fifteen and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell two and seven tenths of a foot to arrive at three and one tenth feet above power pool or six and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had steady levels of generation around the clock. Norfork Lake rose one and seven tenths feet to rest at two feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty six feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had steady generation and no wadable water. The Corps of Engineers has maintained its aggressive drawdown of the lakes in the White River System. As I write this, we have more precipitation coming and it is impossible to predict when the lake levels will return to power pool at this time. There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers. The fishing in the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam closed on November 1, 2009 for the brown trout spawn. It will remain closed until January 31, 2010. The section from the bottom of this Catch and Release section downstream to the wing wall at the State Park is seasonal Catch and Release for the same time period. It will open on Monday! Fishing on the White has been excellent. The hot section has been from White Hole to Wildcat Shoals. On steady flows, we have been receiving; use brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (red, pink and orange). Other effective patterns have been scuds, sowbugs, copper johns and various midge patterns. You will need a long leader/tippet combination with a lot of lead (at least an AAA split shot placed eighteen inches from the fly). Use at least 4X tippet and a large strike indicator to float this rig. It will be difficult to cast so open up the loop to prevent tangles. Some anglers have reported success from fishing streamers. Concentrate on banging the bank or any heavy structure where fish might escape the current. Your best bet would be to use large articulated streamers like the zoo cougar or leg spreader on heavy (300 grain or heavier) sink tips. You will need at least an eight weight rod to cast this rig. Use a short piece of heavy mono (three feet of 2X fluorocarbon tippet) in lieu of a conventional leader to help get the fly down. This strategy targets big fish, but is a lot of work. I like to carry two rods, one that is rigged for streamers and one that is rigged for nymphs. When we have high flows like this, trout will seek the comfort provided by feeder creeks to escape the heavy currents. Look in the lower stretches of Jenkins Creek or Crooked Creek to locate trout. Brutally cold temperatures and high levels of generation are the perfect conditions for creating a shad kill. This generally occurs when the water temperature on the lake is forty two degrees. Threadfin shad are drawn through the dam turbines and create a feeding frenzy in the river below. Be on the lookout for gulls feeding on the shad below the dam. The most effective flies will be white shad patterns. Be sure and have both floating and sinking versions. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are running clear. The water temperatures are too cold for the smallmouth to be active. The Norfork has received steady generation. On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. Long leader tippet combinations and heavy weight have been the secret to success. Work the banks and submerged weed beds. Be on the lookout for a shad kill. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot fly has been sow bugs in size fourteen. Worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns have also done well. Work is underway on the boardwalk along the creek that is being constructed by the Friends of the National Fish Hatchery. This will enhance access, particularly for the handicapped anglers. Stop by and take a look. It is pretty terrific. While you are there take a tour of the adjacent National Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating. Be sure and remove your waders before entering to prevent the transfer of aquatic diseases. The Spring River has been fishing well. The water level is high and off color. This makes for challenging wading. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been Y2Ks, olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and cotton candy. 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 1/21/2010 During the past week, we have had much milder temperatures and some rain. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell four and three tenths of a foot to rest at seven tenths of a foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose two tenths of a foot to rest at two and eight tenths feet below power pool or eighteen and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell one and one tenth of a foot to arrive at five and eight tenths feet above power pool or three and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had much lower levels of generation around the clock. Norfork Lake fell two feet to rest at three tenths of a foot above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty seven and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have much lower levels of generation and some wadable water. It is essentially at power pool. The Corps of Engineers has maintained its aggressive drawdown of the lakes in the White River System. With both Bull Shoals and Table Rock at or below power pool it has now begun to draw down Beaver Lake. At this time, I predict that all lakes on the White river system will be at or below power pool in one week, assuming no further rain events. There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers. The fishing in the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam closed on November 1, 2009 for the brown trout spawn. It will remain closed until January 31, 2010. The section from the bottom of this Catch and Release section downstream to the wing wall at the State Park is seasonal Catch and Release for the same time period. Fishing on the White has been excellent. On the lower flows (about half of last week’s flows) we have been receiving; use brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (red, pink and orange). Other effective patterns have been scuds, sowbugs, copper johns and various midge patterns. You will need a long leader/tippet combination with a lot of lead (at least an AAA split shot placed eighteen inches from the fly). Use at least 4X tippet and a large strike indicator to float this rig. It will be difficult to cast so open up the loop to prevent tangles. Some anglers have reported success from fishing streamers. Concentrate on banging the bank or any heavy structure where fish might escape the current. Your best bet would be to use large articulated streamers like the zoo cougar or leg spreader on heavy (300 grain or heavier) sink tips. You will need at least an eight weight rod to cast this rig. Use a short piece of heavy mono (three feet of 2X fluorocarbon tippet) in lieu of a conventional leader to help get the fly down. This strategy targets big fish, but is a lot of work. I like to carry two rods, one that is rigged for streamers and one that is rigged for nymphs. When we have high flows like this, trout will seek the comfort provided by feeder creeks to escape the heavy currents. Look in the lower stretches of Jenkins Creek or Crooked Creek to locate trout. While the temperatures we have had lately have been mild, winter is not over yet. Brutally cold temperatures and high levels of generation are the perfect conditions for creating a shad kill. This generally occurs when the water temperature on the lake is forty two degrees. Threadfin shad are drawn through the dam turbines and create a feeding frenzy in the river below. Be on the lookout for gulls feeding on the shad below the dam. The most effective flies will be white shad patterns. Be sure and have both floating and sinking versions. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are running clear. The water temperatures are too cold for the smallmouth to be active. With the Norfork back at power pool, we have received much lower flows and a bit of wadable water. On low flows the hot flies were olive scuds, partridge and orange soft hackles and red San Juan worms. On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. Long leader tippet combinations and heavy weight have been the secret to success. Work the banks and submerged weed beds. Be on the lookout for a shad kill. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot fly has been sow bugs in size fourteen. Worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns have also done well. Work has begun on the boardwalk along the creek that is being constructed by the Friends of the National Fish Hatchery. This will enhance access, particularly for the handicapped anglers. Stop by and take a look. It is pretty terrific. The Spring River has been fishing well. The water level is perfect for wading and the water has cleared substantially. The hot flies have been Y2Ks, olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and cotton candy. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. 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 1/14/2010 During the past week, we have had brutally cold conditions and high winds, which have evolved into much milder weather. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell four and eight tenths of a foot to rest at five feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty six feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell nine tenths of a foot to rest at three feet below power pool or nineteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell three tenths of a foot to arrive at six and nine tenths feet above power pool or two and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had high levels of generation around the clock and no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell three and three tenths feet to rest at two and three tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty five and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had round the clock near maximum generation and no wadable water. The Corps of Engineers has maintained its aggressive drawdown of the lakes in the White River System. At this time, I predict that Norfork Lake will return to power pool in one week and Bull Shoals in two weeks. With the brutally cold conditions we have had, boat launch ramps can ice over. Exercise extreme care when launching your boat and avoid icy ramps all together. There will be significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers. The fishing in the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam closed on November 1, 2009 for the brown trout spawn. It will remain closed until January 31, 2010. The section from the bottom of this Catch and Release section downstream to the wing wall at the State Park is seasonal Catch and Release for the same time period. The White has received very stead flows of approximately 22,600 cubic feet per second or the equivalent of seven full generators. The lack of fluctuation has allowed for reliable fishing. On the higher flows we have been receiving, use brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (red, pink and orange). Other effective patterns have been scuds, sowbugs, copper johns and various midge patterns. You will need a fourteen foot leader combination with a lot of lead (at least an AAA split shot placed eighteen inches from the fly). Use at least 4X tippet and a large strike indicator to float this rig. It will be difficult to cast so open up the loop to prevent tangles. Another effective strategy is to fish streamers. Concentrate on banging the bank or any heavy structure where fish might escape the current. Your best bet would be to use large articulated streamers like the zoo cougar on heavy (300 grain or heavier) sink tips. You will need at least an eight weight rod to cast this rig. Use a short piece of heavy mono (three feet of 2X fluorocarbon tippet) in lieu of a conventional leader to help get the fly down. This strategy targets big fish, but is a lot of work. I like to carry two rods, one that is rigged for streamers and one that is rigged for nymphs. When we have high flows like this, trout will seek the comfort provided by feeder creeks to escape the heavy currents. Look in the lower stretches of Jenkins Creek or Crooked Creek to locate trout. The brutally cold temperatures and high levels of generation we have been experiencing are the perfect conditions for creating a shad kill. This generally occurs when the water temperature on the lake is forty two degrees. Threadfin shad are drawn through the dam turbines and create a feeding frenzy in the river below. Be on the lookout for gulls feeding on the shad below the dam. The most effective flies will be white shad patterns. Be sure and have both floating and sinking versions. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are running clear. The water temperatures are too cold for the smallmouth to be active. The flows on the Norfork have held steady at approximately 6,600 cubic feet per second or the equivalent of two full generators. On the high flows we are receiving, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. Long leader tippet combinations and heavy weight have been the secret to success. Work the banks and submerged weed beds. Be on the lookout for a shad kill. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot fly has been sow bugs in size fourteen. Worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns have also done well. The weather has improved a bit and now is the perfect time to take your youngster to Dry Run. Be sure and take the biggest net you can lay your hands on and don’t forget the camera. Carefully revive all trout and return them to the creek as quickly as possibly. The Spring River has been fishing well. The water level is perfect for wading and the water has cleared substantially. The hot flies have been Y2Ks, olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and cotton candy. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. 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 1/07/2010 During the past week, we have had a couple of snow events, brutally colder conditions and high winds, which have produced some dangerous wind chill conditions. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two and nine tenths of a foot to rest at nine and eight tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty one and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose six tenths of a foot to rest at two and at one tenth of a foot below power pool or eighteen and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake remained steady 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 much higher levels of generation around the clock and no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell two and two tenths feet to rest at five and six tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty two and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had round the clock near maximum generation and no wadable water. The down stream flooding has cleared a bit and the Corps of Engineers has returned to its aggressive drawdown of the lakes in the White River System. At this time, I predict that Norfork Lake will return to power pool in two weeks and Bull Shoals in three weeks. With the brutally cold conditions we have been having, boat launch ramps can ice over. Exercise extreme care when launching your boat and avoid icy ramps all together. There will be significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple fly streamers. The fishing in the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam closed on November 1, 2009 for the brown trout spawn. It will remain closed until January 31, 2010. The section from the bottom of this Catch and Release section downstream to the wing wall at the State Park is seasonal Catch and Release for the same time period. On the higher flows we have been receiving, use brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (red, pink and orange). You will need a fourteen foot leader combination with a lot of lead (at least an AAA split shot placed eighteen inches from the fly). Use at least 4X tippet and a large strike indicator to float this rig. It will be difficult to cast so open up the loop to prevent tangles. Another effective strategy is to fish streamers. Concentrate on banging the bank or any heavy structure where fish might escape the current. Your best bet would be to use large articulated streamers like the zoo cougar on heavy (300 grain or heavier) sink tips. You will need at least an eight weight rod to cast this rig. Use a short piece of heavy mono (three feet of 2X fluorocarbon tippet) in lieu of a conventional leader to help get the fly down. This strategy targets big fish, but is a lot of work. I like to carry two rods, one that is rigged for streamers and one that is rigged for nymphs. The brutally cold temperatures and high levels of generation we have been experiencing are the perfect conditions for creating a shad kill. This generally occurs when the water temperature on the lake is forty two degrees. Threadfin shad are drawn through the dam turbines and create a feeding frenzy in the river below. Be on the lookout for gulls feeding on the shad below the dam. The most effective flies will be white shad patterns. Be sure and have both floating and sinking versions. Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are running clear. The water temperatures are too cold for the smallmouth to be active. On higher flows we are receiving on the Norfork, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. Long leader tippet combinations and heavy weight have been the secret to success. Work the banks and submerged weed beds. Be on the lookout for a shad kill. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot fly has been sow bugs in size fourteen. Worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns have also done well. The few young anglers that have braved the cold have been rewarded. Bundle up the youngsters, take frequent warm up breaks and don’t forget a thermos bottle full of hot cocoa. The Spring River has been fishing well. The flows are up a bit and the water is stained. The hot flies have been Y2Ks, olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and cotton candy. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. 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.

Newbie, Everything depends on the water level at that time. We have had two high water years in a row but we might have lower water then. I would bring my waders and stay flexible in case you need to fish from a boat. Check out my weekly fishing report to monitor conditions.

Minimum flow has not been implemented. My understanding is that it will be a couple of years to make the necessary modifications to the dam. I fished the Norfork at low water a couple of weeks ago and noted quite a few changes in the Catch and Release section. New gravel bars and new holes. It was like fishing it for the first time.

I truly hate to hear this. This is where I always went when I fished the little red.