Ark. Trophy Trout report 11/27

[Gabe Cross]

I'm still alive, despite my recent lack of reports. Sickness, work, and decent fishing have all taken up my time as of late (I know: excuses). Anyway, like I always say: "If you need a report (or any info) right away, just call or email me." Since my last report, fishing has remained relatively similar: low water means slower fishing, high water equals lots of fish. The only place I'm fishing now is the Norfork. It has been a great year for oxygen (relative to other years) over there, but oxygen has been low enough that they haven't stocked much. This means most fish (especially near the dam) are running very nice size (quality over quantity). Still, with this year's better water, the fishing has been fickle and tough at times. Instead of reiterating my recent trips, I will talk a little bit about how to catch some trout on our rivers when things get tough. Both lakes are very low right now, so looking down the road, we need lots of rain if we're going to have a shad kill this upcoming winter/spring. Norfork is running water every day at various points, and some days they run all day with the water fluctuating between one and two units. The White is running very little except on cold mornings and evenings, for short periods. I heard the fishing is decent to poor over there, depending on who you talk to and what they think "decent"means.

As I've tried stressing, fall fishing is very tough and you often must use techniques and flies geared towards the specific conditions. The first thing someone will notice when looking at the Norfork right now when the water is low is how green it is. This abnormal color (the water is crystal clear most of the year) is a result of a deep algae-bloom in Lake Norfork. Although the river isn't as pretty to look at, I feel that the bigger fish feel more secure when this occurs. Now midges (very small insects that look like mesquitoes) hatch every day of the year that the water is low, but during fall and winter times, it really means something. When "midge activity" is happening you will see pupa/schucks on the water, fish will be boiling near the surface, and some trout will be sipping the adult bugs off the surface. This is easiest to read in slower water. Now most anglers feel that they should fish on or near the surface, and in some cases this is true, but for every rise/slurp you see, there are at least a100 fish near the bottom gorging on pupa and larva. The best time to fish a pupa pattern near the surface (either dropping it or below a small indicator) is when it looks like rain with all the dimples on the surface (usually in calm conditions before dark)...otherwise, a deep presentation will almost always catch more fish. Since water clarity is low, I like to use two flies this time of year in slow water...one (a sow bug or scud) to get the fly down and attract attention, and then a small pupa fly (#18 or #20) below to "match the hatch". I put the midge dropper about 8-10 inches from the point fly in most cases. Now I hate fishing this way with light tippett, but it really makes a huge difference in the numbers of fish you will catch. Hopefully this helps, and I will try and be more descriptive in my future reports in explaining how things are done. I feel that I must produce action all day as a guide, if possible, and this can only happen through countless days on these ever-changing rivers. Little changes will make a big impact when the fishing is tough, and this crede has turned many "hopeless" days into very productive ones.

Look for water to continue on Norfork until the lakes turn over, with your best bet on low water being the White. Even though the catch and release area below Bull Shoals Dam is closed until Febuary, the State Park below it has special regulations for the winter that result in more and bigger fish than normal. Big browns move through there on their way to the dam, so you never know what you'll hook. Once the lakes do turn over (mid December is my guess), a gradual improvement will happen and the "normal" bite will be back by January. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and I'll try and do a better job of keeping you informed.

Gabe

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