John Berry

Thank you, I really appreciate it.

I spent the week guiding wounded warriors from Project Healing Waters. I have been involved with several of the fly fishing programs such as Hooked on a Cure and Casting for Recovery. This by far touched me like the others never did. As a Viet Nam veteran, I know a thing or two about being a soldier from an un popular war trying to return to society. They guys were a great bunch and were a pretty tough lot. I saw no whiners, just a bunch of guys that wanted to over come some injuries and go fishing. We spent a couple of days fishing the White but the high point was taking these guys to Dry Run Creek. That is what this place was all about. The smiles on their faces said it all. We had news papers, local television stations and ESPN covering it. Kudos to my fellow guides Davy Wotton, Denis Dunderdale, and Kevin Brantonies. Rim Shoals Trout Dock was a major player as well as Anglers Coffee Cafe, the VFW, Knights of Colombus and the Cotter Chamber of Commerce. If you are not involved, give it a try. I got more out of it than the wounded warriors did.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 10/30/2008 There has been no rain during the past week and the lakes in the White River system continue their decline. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell three and two tenths feet to rest at eighteen and nine tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is twenty two and one tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell three tenths of a foot to rest at power pool or sixteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at seven feet above power pool or two and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White is for heavy generation around the clock. Norfork Lake has fallen one and three tenths of a foot to rest at ten and five tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or seventeen and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern has been to run one generator around the clock. Boating conditions on the White and Norfork have been uniformly good. There has been no safe wading. The White River is currently dropping a bit over three feet per week and the lake is about nineteen feet above power pool. If the lake were to continue dropping at the same rate it should be at power pool in approximately six weeks or the middle of December. Conversely the Norfork is currently dropping a bit over a foot a week and the lake is about ten feet above power pool. If it continues to fall at the same rate it should reach power pool in eight weeks or late December. These are my estimates and are based on no major rain events occurring during this period. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close to all fishing on November 1, 2008 and will remain closed until February 1, 2009 for the brown trout spawn. 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 fishing on the White River has been a really slow during the past week. The dissolved oxygen levels in the upper river has dropped to two parts per million (the state standard is six parts per million). This is a caused by a natural phenomenon, the breakdown of organic matter in the lake, and occurs every year. The lake turnover is in full swing and the river is heavily stained. This year we also have slightly higher than normal water temperatures that may also be affecting the trout feeding patterns. These conditions have had the greatest effect on the upper river from Bull Shoals down to White Hole. The section from Cotter to the bottom of Rim Shoals has fished a bit better than the upper river. This area has a slightly higher dissolved oxygen level than you may encounter up stream below Bull Shoals. The hot flies for this area have been hot pink San Juan worms and brightly colored egg patterns. Crooked Creek continues to fish well. Hot flies have been Clouser minnows and crayfish patterns. The creek is low and clear. The section from Kelly Slab down to Yellville Park as well as the lower section near the confluence with the White River have been fishing particularly well. The Norfork has fished poorly the last week. It is suffering through even lower dissolved oxygen levels than the White. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has suspended stocking operations for the time being. Once dissolved oxygen levels have returned to normal they will continue their stocking program. If you do fish the Norfork, concentrate on fast riffles where the dissolved oxygen may be a bit higher. Do not over play fish. Land them quickly and revive them carefully. Dry Run Creek is fishing well as always. A lot of brown trout have moved up in the creek and it is absolutely choked with fish. There were plenty of large trout in the creek already. The dissolved oxygen level is much higher here than the Norfork and the trout are more comfortable here. The hot flies as always are sow bugs, San Juan worms (worm brown has been the hot color) and egg patterns (peach). There have been few anglers here and it is the perfect time to introduce the young anglers out there to trout fishing. 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.

Check out Fulton's Lodge.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 10/23/2008 We have had a bit of rain (approximately one half inch) and the lakes in the White River continue their decline. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two and eight tenths feet to rest at twenty two and one tenth feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is eighteen and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell eight tenths of a foot to rest at three tenths of a foot above power pool or fifteen and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell four tenths of a foot to rest at seven and five tenths feet above power pool or two and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White is for heavy generation around the clock. Norfork Lake has fallen one and three tenths of a foot to rest at eleven and eight tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or sixteen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern has been to run one generator around the clock. Boating conditions on the White and Norfork have been uniformly good. The White River is currently dropping approximately three feet per week and the lake is about twenty two feet above power pool. If the lake were to continue dropping at the same rate it should be at power pool in approximately seven weeks or the middle of December. Conversely the Norfork is currently dropping a bit over a foot a week and the lake is about twelve feet above power pool. If it continues to fall at the same rate it should reach power pool in twelve weeks or late January. These are my estimates and are based on no major rain events occurring during this period. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close to all fishing on November 1, 2008 and will remain closed until February 1, 2009 for the brown trout spawn. 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 fishing on the White River has been a bit slow during the past week. The dissolved oxygen levels in the upper river has dropped to three parts per million (the state standard is six parts per million). This is a caused by a natural phenomenon, the breakdown of organic matter in the lake, and occurs every year. This year we also have slightly higher than normal water temperatures that may be affecting the trout feeding patterns. These conditions have really affected the section from Bull Shoals down to White Hole. This part of the river is a perpetual hot spot but the fishing here has been very poor of late. The section from Cotter to the bottom of Rim Shoals has fished a bit better than the upper river. This area has a higher dissolved oxygen level than you may encounter up stream below Bull Shoals. Remember that there is some limited safe wading in the vicinity of the second island during high water. Stop by Rim Shoals Trout dock and have them ferry you down there for a nominal fee. Crooked Creek has fished well during the last week. Hot flies have been Clouser minnows and crayfish patterns. The creek is low and clear. The section from Kelly Slab down to Yellville Park as well as the lower section near the confluence with the White River have been hot spots. The Norfork has received an inordinate amount of pressure lately. The lower water levels (less than one full generator) has drawn more anglers here than it can support. This problem has been amplified on the weekends. There has been a bit of wading at Quarry Park below the dam along the parking lot for the ramp during the past week but it looks like the Corps of Engineers will be running a bit more water. If you must fish the Norfork, try and do it during the week when there will not be as much crowding. With the lower dissolved oxygen, the upper river has not fished as well as the lower river. Dry Run Creek is fishing well as always. Young anglers have noted that browns are beginning to move up in the creek. There are plenty of large trout in the creek already. The hot flies as always are sow bugs, San Juan worms and egg patterns (peach would be the best color). Fall is the perfect time to fish the creek as there are more fish there this time of year and the intense fall color makes for some great pictures. Be sure and carry the biggest net you can lay your hands on. Most big fish are lost at the net. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 10/23/2008 We have had a bit of rain (approximately one half inch) and the lakes in the White River continue their decline. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two and eight tenths feet to rest at twenty two and one tenth feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is eighteen and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell eight tenths of a foot to rest at three tenths of a foot above power pool or fifteen and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell four tenths of a foot to rest at seven and five tenths feet above power pool or two and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White is for heavy generation around the clock. Norfork Lake has fallen one and three tenths of a foot to rest at eleven and eight tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or sixteen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern has been to run one generator around the clock. Boating conditions on the White and Norfork have been uniformly good. The White River is currently dropping approximately three feet per week and the lake is about twenty two feet above power pool. If the lake were to continue dropping at the same rate it should be at power pool in approximately seven weeks or the middle of December. Conversely the Norfork is currently dropping a bit over a foot a week and the lake is about twelve feet above power pool. If it continues to fall at the same rate it should reach power pool in twelve weeks or late January. These are my estimates and are based on no major rain events occurring during this period. The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close to all fishing on November 1, 2008 and will remain closed until February 1, 2009 for the brown trout spawn. 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 fishing on the White River has been a bit slow during the past week. The dissolved oxygen levels in the upper river has dropped to three parts per million (the state standard is six parts per million). This is a caused by a natural phenomenon, the breakdown of organic matter in the lake, and occurs every year. This year we also have slightly higher than normal water temperatures that may be affecting the trout feeding patterns. These conditions have really affected the section from Bull Shoals down to White Hole. This part of the river is a perpetual hot spot but the fishing here has been very poor of late. The section from Cotter to the bottom of Rim Shoals has fished a bit better than the upper river. This area has a higher dissolved oxygen level than you may encounter up stream below Bull Shoals. Remember that there is some limited safe wading in the vicinity of the second island during high water. Stop by Rim Shoals Trout dock and have them ferry you down there for a nominal fee. Crooked Creek has fished well during the last week. Hot flies have been Clouser minnows and crayfish patterns. The creek is low and clear. The section from Kelly Slab down to Yellville Park as well as the lower section near the confluence with the White River have been hot spots. The Norfork has received an inordinate amount of pressure lately. The lower water levels (less than one full generator) has drawn more anglers here than it can support. This problem has been amplified on the weekends. There has been a bit of wading at Quarry Park below the dam along the parking lot for the ramp during the past week but it looks like the Corps of Engineers will be running a bit more water. If you must fish the Norfork, try and do it during the week when there will not be as much crowding. With the lower dissolved oxygen, the upper river has not fished as well as the lower river. Dry Run Creek is fishing well as always. Young anglers have noted that browns are beginning to move up in the creek. There are plenty of large trout in the creek already. The hot flies as always are sow bugs, San Juan worms and egg patterns (peach would be the best color). Fall is the perfect time to fish the creek as there are more fish there this time of year and the intense fall color makes for some great pictures. Be sure and carry the biggest net you can lay your hands on. Most big fish are lost at the net. 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.

It is for children under sixteen years of age and the handicapped. It is incredible. I was guiding there a couple of years a go and my client, a ten year old boy on his first fly fishing excursion, landed a sixteen pound brown.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 10/16/2008 We have had a bit of rain and the lakes in the White River continue their decline. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell three and one tenth feet to rest at twenty four and nine tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is sixteen and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at one and one tenth feet above power pool or fourteen and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell two tenths of a foot to rest at seven and nine tenths feet above power pool or one and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White is for heavy generation around the clock. Norfork Lake has fallen nine tenths of a foot to rest at thirteen and one tenth feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or fourteen and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern has been to run one generator around the clock. There have been some limited wading opportunities on the Norfork. Boating conditions on the White have been uniformly good. The White River is currently dropping approximately three feet per week and the lake is about twenty five feet above power pool. If the lake were to continue dropping at the same rate it should be at power pool in eight weeks or the middle of December. Conversely the Norfork is currently dropping approximately one foot per week and the lake is about thirteen feet above power pool. If it continues to fall at the same rate it would reach power pool in thirteen weeks or late January. When the lakes fall from flood pool to power pool the control over generation passes from the Corps of Engineers to the South West Power Administration (SWPA). Once in power pool SWPA manages generation based on power needs. Under these conditions we should encounter lower water conditions and some reliable wading. The Catch and release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close to all fishing on November 1, 2008 and will remain closed until February 1, 2009 for the brown trout spawn. 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 upper river below Bull Shoals Dam down to Cane Island has not been fishing as well of late. The lower dissolved oxygen combined with higher water temperatures have contributed to the slow fishing there. This is despite the large concentration of good fish there. The Cotter area from the new bridge down to the bottom of Roundhouse Shoals has been fishing a bit better than the upper river. This section has a higher dissolved oxygen level than you may encounter up stream below Bull Shoals Dam. In addition to fishing San Juan worms and midge patterns, be sure and try sow bugs in this area. As this is not catch and release, you can use droppers here. My favorite method is to rig a San Juan worm in the usual way and then attach a foot and a half section of 5X tippet to the bend of the hook and then tie a small nymph to the tippet. My favorite nymphs for this technique are small scuds and sow bugs. Rim Shoals has not been fishing as well as it did last week. The hot fly has been the San Juan worm in hot pink and cerise. Remember that there is some limited safe wading in the vicinity of the second island during high water. Stop by Rim Shoals Trout dock and have them ferry you down there for a nominal fee. Crooked Creek has fished well during the last week. Hot flies have been Clouser minnows and crayfish patterns. The creek is low and clear. The section above the Snow access, as well as the lower creek near the confluence with the White River, have been hot spots. The fishing on the Norfork has been spotty. The flows during the day have been light. The hot flies have been San Juan worms in hot pink and brightly colored eggs. There has been a bit of wading at Quarry Park below the dam along the parking lot for the ramp but with the lower dissolved oxygen the upper river has not fished as well as the lower river. Dry Run Creek is fishing well as always. With the brown trout spawn approaching, some of the browns are beginning to move up in the creek. There are plenty of large trout in the creek already. The hot flies are sow bugs, San Juan worms and egg patterns (peach would be the best color). With school back in session there is hardly anyone there. It is a great time to take your children or grand children there. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

The oxygen level on the upper river is down to three parts per million. I would suggest fishing below Cotter where the oxygen levels are at six parts per million. The hot fly has been hot flourescent pink.

Use sowbugs size fourteen and 4X tippet.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 10/09/2008 Despite a night of rain, the lakes in the White River system have continued their decline. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two and seven tenths feet to rest at twenty eight feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirteen feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell four tenths of a foot to rest at one and six tenths feet above power pool or fourteen and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at eight and one tenth feet above power pool or one and one half feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White is for heavy generation around the clock. Norfork Lake has fallen nine tenths of a foot to rest at fourteen feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or fourteen feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern has been to run one generator most of the day and to turn it off for a couple of hours at night. There have been limited wading opportunities on the Norfork. Boating conditions on the White have been uniformly good. The Catch and release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close to all fishing on November 1, 2008 and will remain closed until February 1, 2009 for the brown trout spawn. 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. Some anglers have reported that the brown trout in the area are starting to “color up” in preparation for the spawn. Due to low dissolved oxygen levels (below three parts per million) on the upper sections of the White and Norfork Rivers, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has suspended stocking in these areas. There will be no stocking for the time being above Cotter on the White and above Roses trout dock on the Norfork. The affected trout will be held at the state trout hatchery until the oxygen levels are acceptable. They will then be stocked in the affected sections. The upper river below Bull Shoals Dam down to Cane Island has been producing well despite constant pressure from local anglers and visitors to the state park located in the middle of this section. While a lot of anglers have been doing well banging the bank with big streamers like kiwi muddlers and Jim Mengle’s Ozark sculpin, the top technique for this level of water is to fish brightly colored San Juan worms under a strike indicator. Hot colors have been red, cerise and hot pink. Other effective flies have been black zebra midges in size fourteen and egg patterns in peach and pink. One hot spot has been the Cotter area from the new bridge down to the bottom of Roundhouse Shoals. This section does not get as much pressure as you may encounter up stream below Bull Shoals Dam. In addition to fishing San Juan worms and midge patterns, be sure and try sow bugs in this area. As this is not catch and release, you can use droppers here. My favorite method is to rig a San Juan worm in the usual way and then attach a foot and a half section of 5X tippet to the bend of the hook and then tie a small nymph to the tippet. My favorite nymphs for this technique are small scuds, sow bugs or copper johns. Rim Shoals has been fishing extremely well. The hot fly has been the San Juan worm in hot pink and cerise. This section has not received as much pressure of late and has been producing some large trout. Remember that there is some limited safe wading in the vicinity of the second island during high water. Stop by Rim Shoals Trout dock and have them ferry you down there for a nominal fee. Crooked Creek has fished well during the last week. Hot flies have been Clouser minnows and crayfish patterns. Successful anglers have been fishing early in the morning. This is a great alternative for anglers that are tired of being in the boat and would prefer to wade. The section below the Snow access, as well as the lower creek near the confluence with the White River, have been hot spots. The fishing on the Norfork has been good. The flows during the day have been moderate. The hot flies have been San Juan worms in hot pink and brightly colored eggs. There has been a bit of wading at Quarry Park below the dam along the parking lot for the ramp. There are new signs posted around the mouth of Dry Run Creek that severely limit fishing there. Dry Run Creek is fishing well as always. With the brown trout spawn approaching, some of the browns are beginning to move up in the creek. There are plenty of large trout in the creek already. The hot flies are sow bugs, San Juan worms and egg patterns (peach would be the best color). Be sure to carry the biggest net you can lay your hands on and bring a camera. This is where memories are made. 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.

Sorry you missed it Terry. I think you would have enjoyed the non-stop action.

There was some incredible fishing in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav. I was involved with a speaking engagement for a fly fishing club in Northern Kentucky and missed the most of the action. My wife Lori had been able to tap into it and she was able to enjoy some of the best wade fishing available this year. When I heard that Hurricane Ike was headed our way, I decided to take advantage of any low water that we might be presented with. Both of these ferocious storms caused a significant amount of flooding down stream. In an effort to mitigate this flooding, the Corps of Engineers had curtailed generation on both Bull Shoals and Norfork Dams. The situation created some of the first reliable low water in six months. The trout had not seen much of anything but brightly colored San Juan worms in months. With the fish more concentrated in the lower water, anglers able to wade to their favorite holes and fish that had never been effectively fished over in months; it was a prescription for great fishing. On Friday morning, I noticed that the White had been off since midnight. I discussed the possibility of fishing with Lori and she said that she had a proposal to put out but she would be finished by lunch. I started getting our gear together. About that time Justin, a doctor from Oklahoma City, called and asked if I was available to guide on Saturday. We booked the day. Around Noon, Lori and I loaded our yellow lab, Ellie, and headed for Rim Shoals. When we got there, the water was still a bit high and dropping. We chose to walk Menokah’s trail to trail head two. We carefully crossed the river and began fishing along the island. I caught a fish on my first cast, an omen of the things to come. Lori did not take very long to get in the game. What ensued was one of the best days of fishing I have ever had. We caught one after another. Ellie was going crazy trying to keep up with the action. She got so fatigued from keeping up with the action, that she ended up lying on the bank too tired to chase another fish. Lori and I were worn out and sunset was quickly approaching. We had caught over fifty trout a piece (our first hundred fish day in a long time) and needed no more. I had managed to land a fat twenty inch rainbow and Lori had coaxed in a couple of eighteen inchers. We were preparing to cross the river to head back to the parking lot when we ran into our friend, Don Allenbaugh, and his dog, Buddy. He was just landing his hundredth trout of the day and graciously offered to ferry us across in his boat. We quickly accepted. When we got home we crashed. I reluctantly left my leather chair to get my gear ready for the next day. I met Justin and his buddy, Aaron, at 7:30 the next morning. We loaded their gear into my ancient Volvo and headed for Rim Shoals. There was only one other car in the parking lot and the river was down. We crossed over to the island and walked down to where Lori and I fished the day before. This was Aaron’s first fly fishing trip, so I spent a bit more time with him. He was a quick learner and was soon catching fish hand over fist. He was nymphing with an olive scud which was really working well. He landed an eighteen inch rainbow and then a twenty incher. The only break in the action was for photographs. Justin was doing even better landing one fish after another including an eighteen inch bow and an eighteen inch brown. At lunch, they both had over twenty five fish a piece. I asked if they wanted to try another spot or stay there. They were very resistant to the idea of leaving fishing like that. We went back across and continued the incredible fishing. We tried several spots and changed over to olive woolly buggers for a while. It made no difference. We caught fish every where. We tried San Juan worms for a while and hooked some huge fish but were unable to get them in. By now it was 6:00 PM and I looked around. The sky was growing ominously dark and it began sprinkling. My clients had caught well over fifty fish each (my second hundred fish day in a row) and it was time to go. My guys hated to quit (I think they would have fished for twenty four hours), but I sensed the bad weather coming our way. We walked out and took off our waders. We loaded our gear and as we left the parking lot it began raining. I dropped them off at their car and the bottom fell out. The rain was coming down in sheets. We had timed it to perfection. I went home and Lori had supper waiting. It had been two tiring yet rewarding days. I am ready for a couple more just like them. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 9/11/2008 Gustav blew into town and left a lot of rain. The White River rose significantly. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose two and seven tenths feet to rest at twenty seven and three tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirteen and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose two and two tenths of a foot to rest at three and nine tenths feet above power pool or twelve and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose nine tenths of a foot to rest at seven feet above power pool or two and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern early in the week was for no or little generation. Later in the week, there were fairly low levels of generation. Norfork Lake has risen four tenths of a foot to rest at fourteen and seven tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or thirteen and three tenths of a foot below the top of flood pool. The pattern has been to run one generator during the day and to turn it off at night. There have been some excellent wading conditions on the White and Norfork during the last week. We caught the edge of hurricane Gustav and received a substantial amount of rain. There was greater rainfall to the south of us which resulted in flooding down stream. In an attempt to mitigate the damage, the Corps of Engineers curtailed generation for a significant period of time. As I write this there is yet another hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico (Ike), which could have the same effect on our weather. We will have to wait and see. The lower water resulted in some of the most spectacular fishing I have seen in some time. This can only cause higher lake levels for a longer period of time. The upper river from Bull Shoals Dam, through the State Park down to Cane Island Shoals was a real hot spot. On the lower water, smaller nymphs like zebra midges, sowbugs, and scuds have been the go to flies. Soft hackles like partridge and orange and green butts would also be effective. Remember to down size to 6X tippet for the lower flows. With the lighter tippets use a fly rod with a sensitive tip and don’t forget to adjust the drag on your reel for the lighter tippets. The section from Wildcat Shoals to the Narrows was another hot spot. Not only were there reports of hundred fish days but there were also several trophy fish landed in the area. The low levels resulted in some spectacular fishing on nymphs like the black zebra midge size eighteen and olive scud size sixteen. Soft hackles like the partridge and orange, green butt and the hare’s ear soft hackle have been killer in the broken water below the shoals. In deeper water, olive woolly buggers have been very effective. The top spot during the past week was possibly Rim Shoals. There were also reports of hundred fish days and trophy catches in this section. The hot flies here were black zebra midges size fourteen, olive scuds size sixteen and Y2Ks. In the deeper runs olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash have accounted for a lot of fish. The heavy rains muddied up and raised the water levels on Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River making fishing difficult. The White River below the confluence of these two streams was high and muddy also. The Norfork is fishing extremely well on the low water. The hot spot has been Quarry Park just below the dam. Hot flies have been sowbugs, San Juan worms and zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead and brown with copper wire and copper beads) all in smaller size eighteen or twenty. The Ackerman access was also fishing well on the same flies. Dry Run Creek fished well this week. There have been few people there. With the end of summer, there are few campers at Quarry Park. The hot fly remains the sowbug in size fourteen with the worm brown San Juan worm a close second. I like to use fluorocarbon tippet here for its greater strength and abrasion resistance. Don’t forget the camera. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

I always suspected that I was a trout bum. Now it has been confirmed.

I took a client, an Army Major just back from Iraq, over to the Norfork for a half day yesterday. We caught a nice period of low water in the morning. I was pleasantly surprised to find very few anglers in the Catch and Release Section. We were able to move around and fish all the choice spots. He landed around thirty and missed the grand slam by not catching the brook. It was all black zebra midges size eighteen. When the water came up, we headed out and noticed an angler trying to cross the river. He had waited too long and could not make it. We advised him to not attempt the crossing. Eventually a boat came by and ferried him across. When you notice the water rising, get out!

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 9/04/2008 Gustav has brought us plenty of rain this week. The White River continues to fall. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two and six tenths feet to rest at twenty four and six tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is sixteen and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at one and seven tenths feet above power pool or fourteen and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell four tenths of a foot to rest at six and one tenths feet above power pool or three and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White has been to run all eight generators around the clock with slightly higher flows in the afternoon. Gustav dumped a lot of rain on the area and the Corps of Engineers turned off the generators. Norfork Lake has fallen one foot to rest at fourteen and three tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or thirteen and seven tenths of a foot below the top of flood pool. The pattern has been to run one generator around the clock. The Corps has also turned off the Norfork, for how long? As I write this, it is raining and there is no generation at Bull Shoals or Norfork Dam. The forecast is for us to receive five or more inches of rain. We have already received three. There are flash flood warnings in the area. How will this affect lake levels? I would think that the lake levels will rise and that it will take longer to get them down to wadable levels. How long will the lower levels last? It depends on how much flooding there is down stream. My recommendation is to go fishing now and enjoy. I would think that the rivers are muddy, so I will head up stream. The sudden drop in water level has stranded literally thousands of trout along the banks of the river. Most were small browns and rainbows. This is unfortunate but a reality of life. The upper river from Bull Shoals Dam, through the State Park down to Cane Island Shoals has been a perpetual hot spot for months and the past week has not been different. On high water the hot flies remain brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns. The most productive colors have been red, cerise, hot pink and fire orange. On lower water try black zebra midges, scuds and sow bugs. Soft hackles like green butts should also be effective. Remember to down size to 6X tippet for the lower flows. The Narrows has remained hot during the past week. On high water, the key to success has been to fish a brightly colored San Juan worm with a nymph on a dropper. The most popular nymphs have been zebra midges, trout crack, sowbugs, scuds, and bead head hares ears. On lower water try the same nymphs in size eighteen. Olive woolly buggers have been killer in slightly deeper water. Another hot spot has been the Rim Shoals Catch and Release section. I have done well with brightly colored San Juan worms, the hot colors have been cerise, hot pink and red. I have noted several anglers take advantage of Gary Flipin’s water taxi to deliver them to the bottom of the second island for some wade fishing and pick them up later. Check by Rim Shoals Trout Dock to take advantage of the service. The Norfork is fishing a bit better this week particularly on the low water. The hot spot has been Quarry Park just below the dam. Hot flies have been sowbugs, San Juan worms and zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead and brown with copper wire and copper beads) all in smaller sizes (eighteen or twenty). On higher flows, the same midges in size fourteen have been effective in this area. Dry Run Creek continues to receive little pressure. School is back in session. No one is there during the week. The weekends are seeing more traffic. The hot fly is a gray sowbug size fourteen and small worm brown San Juan worms. Be sure and take your camera. This is the place to capture the memory of a life time. I would suggest that you make sure that the camera has a flash. The creek has a lot of tree cover and there are low light conditions. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

The lower generation levels have been fishing very well. Eight units can vary a lot. I guided at Rim Shoals yesterday and we boated over fifty trout. The water was down a bit when we arrived and slowly rose all day. Perfect high water conditions.

It seems like there is no end in sight. In spite of the high water, we are catching fish. I had a fifty fish day with a couple of clients yesterday. Like every one else I miss the wading. My wife, Lori, and I are going to Crooked Creek today just to feel the water lapping at our legs and to let our lab go swimming.Last year was a better hopper year because the water was lower. I have caught fish on hoppers this year but not like last year.

They have been running eight generators twenty four hours a day since June the eighth. I think the chances for low water are not good.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 8/28/2008 In spite of a minor rain event, the reservoir levels on the White River continue to fall. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two feet to rest at twenty seven and two tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirteen and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell seven tenths of a foot to rest at one and eight tenths feet above power pool or fourteen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell three tenths of a foot to rest at six and five tenths feet above power pool or three and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White has been to run all eight generators around the clock with slightly higher flows in the afternoon. While these flows made for excellent boating, there have been few safe wading opportunities on the White. Norfork Lake has fallen eight tenths of a foot to rest at fifteen and three tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or eleven and nine tenths of a foot below the top of flood pool. The pattern has been to run one generator around the clock. There have been no wading opportunities and limited boating opportunities. The water flows on the White and Norfork have both been significantly reduced during the past few days. It has been several months since the floods we had this spring, and we have not made significant progress in lower the lake levels at Bull Shoals and Norfork Dams. It seems like we could make more progress if we ran more water as we were a few weeks ago. If we are going to run lower water levels, why not turn off the dams for a few hours? When you do run water, do so at a higher level. Coordinate generation on the two dams so that the same amount of water is sent down stream. By doing this we could have some wadable water. Throw us a bone guys! The upper river from Bull Shoals Dam, through the State Park down to Cane Island Shoals has been a perpetual hot spot for months and the past week has not been different. Some anglers, while reporting great fishing, say that the constant fishing pressure has made the fish more selective. The hot flies remain brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns. If you are not doing well with one color, do not hesitate to change to a different color or pattern. The most productive colors have been red, cerise, hot pink and fire orange. The section from the Narrows down to Wildcat Shoals has remained hot during the past week particularly the section around the Narrows. The key to success has been to fish a brightly colored San Juan worm with a nymph on a dropper. The most popular nymphs have been zebra midges, trout crack, sowbugs, scuds, and bead head hares ears. Another hot spot has been the Rim Shoals Catch and Release section. In addition to the brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns, the hot technique has been to bang the bank with big streamers on sink tip or full sinking lines. Effective streamers have been kiwi muddlers, Jim Mengle’s Ozark Sculpin, wool head sculpins and woolly buggers. Vary your retrieve to determine the most productive speed. With the lower flows we have had this week; several anglers took advantage of Gary Flipin’s water taxi. For a nominal fee Gary will ferry you to the bottom of the second island and pick you up when you are ready to go. The Norfork has had lower flows this week also. They were too high to wade and too low for easy navigation. The Norfork is more difficult, in general, to navigate than the White. Great care should be taken when running up or down stream. There are several spots that can be treacherous. Dry Run Creek has received little pressure in the past week. School is back in session and no one is there during the week. The weekends are seeing a bit more traffic. The hot fly is a gray sowbug size fourteen. There is a sizable population of them on the creek. Other productive flies are small San Juan worms in worm brown and olive woolly buggers. While guiding some youngsters on the creek a couple of weeks ago, I ran into Dave and Emily Whitlock. They were working on the plans to enhance fishing there. This is a project of the Friends of the Norfork Fish Hatchery and will make a great fishery even better. Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over twenty five years.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 8/21/2008 In spite of a major rain event, the reservoir levels on the White River continue to fall, albeit slowly. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell one and eight tenths of a foot to rest at twenty nine and two tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is eleven and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell seven 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 fell five tenths of a foot to rest at six and eight tenths feet above power pool or two and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White has been to run all eight generators around the clock with slightly higher flows in the afternoon. While these flows made for excellent boating, there have been few safe wading opportunities on the White. Norfork Lake has fallen one and four tenths of a foot to rest at sixteen and one tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or eleven and nine tenths of a foot below the top of flood pool. The pattern has been to run two generators with occasional brief periods of no generation at night. This made for some limited wading conditions at night. We have had some unseasonably cool temperatures this past week. On several occasions the cool temperatures have combined with high humidity to produce a dense fog on the river. In certain instances it lasted most of the day and severely limited visibility. If you encounter conditions like these, be sure and slow down and keep a look out for other boaters and navigational hazards. During the heavy rain we received during the past week, the river got muddy from run-off coming in from side creeks and other tributaries. This adversely impacted fishing and washed a lot of trash that on occasion created navigation hazards. When this occurs, the best strategy is to move upstream until you encounter clear water. Sometimes this will necessitate going all the way to the dam. The upper river from Bull Shoals Dam, through the State Park down to Cane Island Shoals has been a perpetual hot spot for months. The better fishing is in the morning when the water flows are generally a bit lower. The hot tactic for this area has been to bang the banks with streamers fished with sink tip or full sinking lines. Some guides recommend a fast retrieve while others suggest a slow one. The best bet is to vary your retrieve until you figure out what the trout want. Sculpin and baitfish patterns are the ticket for this technique. Fishing brightly colored San Juan worms under a strike indicator has also accounted for a lot of good fish. The section from the Narrows down to Wildcat Shoals has been red hot during the past week. Anglers have reported success on a variety of nymphs. The key to success has been to fish a brightly colored San Juan worm with a nymph on a dropper. The color of choice for the worm has been hot pink. The most popular nymphs have been zebra midges, trout crack, sowbugs, scuds, and bead head hares ears. Remember if you move into a Catch and Release section it is illegal to fish droppers there. Another hot spot has been the Rim Shoals Catch and Release section. The hot technique for this section has been to fish brightly colored San Juan worms on long leaders (twelve to fifteen feet) with a large strike indicator and a lot of lead. The top producing colors have been red, cerise and hot pink. The Norfork is still not fishing as well as the White has recently. There has just been too much boat traffic. There has been some night fishing wading opportunities this past week. Be very careful and be ready to react to rising water. On high water the best strategy has been to fish brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns. Dry Run Creek has looked abandoned. Kids are back in school and there is very little traffic there particularly during the week. Poaching continues to be a problem with adults frequently seen fishing there. If you see any illegal activity, call the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s poaching hotline 1 800-482-9262. If your cell phone cannot get a signal down on the creek (I know mine cannot), go over to the adjacent Federal trout hatchery and they will gladly let you use their land line. 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.

There was a first edition, a second edition and a reprinting of the second edition with minimal updates. This is a major rewrite incorporating a lot of new material, new artwork, more rivers and some new features like hatch charts. If you have a previous edition, you will definately want to get the new one.

The new Home Waters book is out an I will be signing copies at Anglers Coffee Cafe in Mountain Home, Arkansas on Saturday, August 30, at 2:00PM. The Home Waters book is a guide to fly fishing in Arkansas and Missouri. This is the third edition and if you own an older copy you will want to buy this one. Several chapters have been totally rewritten and there is a lot of new material, new art work and color photographs. Profits go to the Education and Conservation programs of the Mid South Fly Fishers.I hope to see you there.

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 8/14/2008 We have had a week with a substantial rain event and much cooler temperatures. The reservoir levels on the White River continue to fall. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell one and seven tenths of a foot to rest at thirty one feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is ten feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell one and eight tenths of a foot to rest at three and two tenths feet above power pool or twelve and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake remained steady at seven and three tenths feet above power pool or two and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White has been to run all eight generators around the clock with high flows both day and night. While these flows made for excellent boating, there have been few safe wading opportunities on the White. Norfork Lake has fallen one and eight tenths of a foot to rest at seventeen and five tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or ten and one half of a foot below the top of flood pool. The pattern has been to run two generators with occasional brief periods of no generation at night. This made for some limited wading conditions at night. The cooler temperatures have certainly made for some pleasant fishing conditions and a welcome change from the horrendous heat of the previous week. The upper river from Bull Shoals Dam, through the State Park down to Cane Island Shoals has been a perpetual hot spot for months. The better fishing is in the morning when the water flows are generally a bit lower. The hot tactic for this area has been to bang the banks with streamers fished with sink tip or full sinking lines. Some guides recommend a fast retrieve while others suggest a slow one. The best bet is to vary your retrieve until you figure out what the trout want. Sculpin and baitfish patterns are the ticket for this technique. My favorite has been Jim Mengle’s Ozark Sculpin. Another hot spot has been the Rim Shoals Catch and Release section. The hot technique for this section has been to fish brightly colored San Juan worms on long leaders (twelve to fifteen feet) with a large strike indicator and a lot of lead. This is a tricky rig to cast. Make sure that you have removed all slack from the line before you begin your cast and open up your loop to keep the line from becoming tangled. Keep your back cast high to avoid hitting your self in the head. With the amounts of lead being used this could really hurt (this is the voice of experience). The top producing colors have been red, cerise and hot pink. The Buffalo Shoals section has been yet another hot spot. There is a lot of incredible structure in this area and it holds a lot of fish. The top producing flies have been sowbugs, scuds and brightly colored San Juan worms. The Norfork is not fishing as well as it has recently. It is experiencing increased boat traffic. They are still catching warm water species there. In fact, there was a very large Striped Bass caught near the mouth of Dry Run Creek today. It is important that when these warm water species are caught that they be removed. These fish are predators and could have a negative impact on the fishing on the Norfork. This past week has been a great week to take a youngster to Dry Run Creek. There were fewer people fishing there and the temperatures were much milder. When you do take a child there, remember that they get to fish not you. They need to cast, hook and fight the fish. You need to limit your participation to coaching, netting and taking photographs. Of course it is alright to rig the rod and untangle knots. Just make sure that you are not the one fishing. The hot flies this past week have been San Juan worms (red and brown), sowbugs and olive woolly buggers. Be sure to take the biggest net that you can find and make sure to bring the camera. Remember that the creek is over grown with large trees and you frequently will need a flash with your camera because of the low light conditions. This is a very special place. 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.