John Berry Fishing Report 5/15/2008

[John Berry]

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 5/15/2008

We have had two rain events and the reservoir levels on the White River have changed very little. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam has remained steady at thirty nine and six tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is one and four tenths of a foot below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose two tenths of a foot to rest at fourteen and six tenths feet above power pool or one and four tenths of a foot below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell rose one tenth of a foot to settle at eight and four tenths feet above power pool or one and two tenths of a foot below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White has been to run around the clock with higher flows during the day and lower flows at night. Norfork Lake has fallen two tenths of a foot to rest at twenty six and one tenth feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or one and nine tenths of a foot below the top of flood pool. The pattern has been to run two generators with substantial periods of no generation. There have been a few wading opportunities on the Norfork River during the night and morning but none on the White. On the higher water, boating conditions have been excellent.

The fishing on the White has been red hot during the past week. The flows during the past week have been quite a bit lower than previous weeks and the trout have been on the feed.

The upper river from the Catch and Release section at the base of Bull Shoals dam to Cane Island Shoals has been fishing very well. The hot flies here have been brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns.

The big hot spot this week has been Rim Shoals. The lower pattern has been for the rising water hit here mid day and that has been the best time to fish here. On the lower water, midge nymphs in a bit larger size than you would use for wade fishing (size 14 and 16) have been the ticket. Caddis pupa, copper johns, olive scuds and zebra midges have also been quite productive. On the rising water the hot flies have been brightly colored San Juan worms. Cerise and hot fluorescent pink have been the most productive for me. Egg patterns have also been very productive. Just up stream, in the Red Bud area, anglers were doing well fishing the banks with white marabou jigs.

On the Norfork, there have been some nice periods of low water during daylight hours that have allowed for some excellent wading conditions. The fishing was excellent. There are a lot of scuds in the water and scud patterns have been deadly. The catch and release section has fished well. The section down stream from the Ackerman access has also fished particularly well. Woolly Buggers and partridge and orange soft hackles have accounted for a lot of trout. Up at Quarry Park, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission biologists report that several walleye have come through the flood gates during the previous flooding and they are stacked near the confluence of Dry run Creek and the Norfork. They are asking that anglers help catch and remove these tasty predators before they do too much damage. There are other warm water predators like striped bass and needle nose gar that need to be caught and removed from Arkansas’ premier blue ribbon trout stream.

As always, Dry Run Creek is fishing very well. The best flies this past week have been sowbugs, olive woolly buggers and San Juan worms. Be sure and rig your youngster with heavy tippet (at least 4X) so that they have a better chance at landing one of these monsters. Most fish are lost at the net. Do yourself a favor and carry the biggest net that you can find to aid in landing the big trout there.

While you are there, take a tour of the National Fish hatchery. It is educational and informative. There is now a machine that dispenses trout food so that you can feed them your self. Be sure that you remove your waders before entering the hatchery in order to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases like whirling disease.

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.