John Berry Fishing Report 10/16/2008

[John Berry]

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.

[txspecks04]

I had never heard of Dry Run Creek before so I went ahead and did a quick search to learn a bit about it. I looked at a few different sites and it seems as though this Creek can only be fished by kids and handicapped people...is this true? Looks like a nice creek and I would like to get out there, but I don't have any kids or any real handicaps...

[John Berry]

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.

[Don Allenbaugh]

If anyone is in the area it would be well worth your while to take a walk along the shore. There is a nice path and you can observe some extremely nice rainbows, cuts, brooks, and browns in a natural habitat. It strokes the fishing fires within you.