Two One Hundred Fish Days In A Row

[John Berry]

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.

[Dumb to fishing]

Amazing!!!! And all i was thinking this weekend was getting ready for deer season. Look what i missed out on.

[Terry Beeson]

I was at the farm this weekend and left my gear at home because of Ike thinking it would be a wash for the weekend. I had planned on heading to Rim Saturday morning. Just goes to show you...

[kux99]

I was there on the White River this past weekend staying at the Rainbow Drive Resort, threatened by Hurricane Ike. We got there on Thursday Sept. 11 afternoon and the water was high. Some of the guys fished from the shore and caught a few rainbows. Later on that evening, three guys caught three very nice Browns, a 20, 22, and 24 inch brown all on a small gold countdown rapala.

Friday was very nice. Sunny and moderate wind conditions. Low water. All the guys were catching a lot of fish one after another with powerbait and power worms. Me on the other hand am very against the powerbait and soft plastics. I was very thrilled to see the water low for me to be able to wade. I caught many many bows on san juans, hares ears, pheasant tails, and wooly buggers. The bows were hammering the bugger. I would cast downstream and strip in slowly. Sometimes they would hit once the bugger fell on the water. It was great. Saturday, I thoguht for sure it was going to rain the whole time. We had the couple sprinkles here and there, but altogether, it was perfect. Cloudy conditions and moderate wind. The fish were still hungry and still I caught them all on the same above. All in all, I caught over 80 fish both days, mainly on the olive bugger.

I cannot wait to go back in May 2009. Hopefully the water stays low so I can wade again on this unbelieveable beautiful trout fisheries. Oh I also saw a nice atleast 20 lb. blue catfish in one of the deep holes just downstream of Rainbow Drive Resort.

[John Berry]

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