John Berry Fishing Report 11/27/2008

[John Berry]

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 11/27/2008

Though there has been a minor rain event during the past week, the lakes in the White River system continue their speedy decline. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell four feet to rest at three feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty eight feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell four tenths of a foot to rest at two and one tenths of a foot below power pool or eighteen and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell five tenths of a foot to rest at four and nine tenths feet above power pool or four 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 two and one tenth of a foot to rest at five and four tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty two and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. There has been heavy generation on the Norfork around the clock. Boating conditions on the White and Norfork have been uniformly good.

The generation on the White river has slowed a bit to allow for more generation on the Norfork. The White River is currently dropping approximately four feet per week and the lake is about three feet above power pool. If the lake were to continue dropping at the same rate, it should be at power pool this week. The Norfork is dropping almost three feet a week and the lake is about five and a half feet above power pool. If it continues to fall at the same rate, it should reach power pool in two weeks or early December. These are my estimates and are based on no major rain events occurring during this period.

When the lakes reach power pool, control over generation passes from the Corps of Engineers to South West Power Administration. When in power pool generation is based on electrical demand. With mild weather, and a slow economy, we could expect reduced flows if not an occasional period of no generation. Most generation would occur during peak usage hours. This is generally on week day afternoons.

The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam closed to all fishing on November 1, 2008. It 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 generally good. Dissolved oxygen levels have improved the bite significantly. The river is stained from the breakdown of organic material and the water is still a bit warm for this time of year. With the Norfork back on line and running at the maximum, the generation on the White has been ramped down significantly. The fishing on the lower flows has been good.

The river from the state park down to White Hole has been a bit of the hot spot. The go to flies during the past week have been brightly colored San Juan worms. The best color seems to change every day. Be sure and carry a variety of colors that include hot fluorescent pink, cerise, red, and fluorescent orange. I have had a bit of success lately with worm brown. I would recommend double fly rigs in this section with sowbugs, zebra midges and scuds used as droppers. This could greatly increase the chances of a good hook up.

The Catch and Release section at Rim Shoals has fished a bit better but not as well as the upper river. The fishing has been better in the morning. The hot flies for this area have been hot pink or cerise San Juan worms. With the lower flows, it is once again possible to wade below the second island. If you do not have access to a boat, stop by Rim Shoals Trout Dock and take advantage of their water taxi. For a nominal fee they will drop you off at the island and pick you up later in the day.

Crooked Creek has slowed considerably. The water temperature has dipped below fifty five degrees and the Smallmouth have pretty much shut down.

The low wadable water on the Norfork is now a distant memory as they are generating at a high level. The fishing is still good. The go to flies have been San Juan worms in pink, worm brown and red. Orange egg patterns have also done very well. In the higher water, you will have to fish with substantial amounts of weight. Concentrate on fishing the banks and grass beds. If you are not in the Catch and Release section try a two fly rig with a sowbug or scud as the dropper.

Dry Run Creek is still fishing well. During the past week I heard reports of several very large rainbows being caught. The hot flies have been sowbugs, San Juan worms, egg patterns and olive woolly buggers. Be sure and use larger tippet here than you would normally use, as the fish are significantly larger on average than any where else that I know of. I generally use 4X.

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.