John Berry Fishing Report 12/25/2008

[John Berry]

FISHING REPORT 12/25/2008

BY JOHN BERRY

We have had some brutally frigid temperatures and heavy winds during the past week; the lakes in the White River system are all below flood pool and continue their steady decline. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam remained steady at one tenth of a foot below power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty one and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell seven tenths of a foot to rest at one and two tenths of a foot below power pool or seventeen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell five tenths feet to rest at one foot below power pool or ten and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for light to heavy generation during the week. Norfork Lake has fallen six tenths of a foot to rest at nine tenths of a foot below power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty eight and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. There has been heavy generation on the Norfork with periods of no generation every day. Last weekend the White and Norfork were both off for over forty eight hours. This created some truly spectacular wading.

We are at power pool at all of the lakes on the White River system. Control over generation passed 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 and an occasional period of no generation. Most generation would occur during peak usage hours. This is generally on week day afternoons. We should experience more wadable water on both rivers.

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.

Up stream the State Park has fished well on the lower flows. The hot fly here has been the peach egg. On higher flows try brightly colored San Juan worms with an egg dropper.

Wildcat Shoals has been a real hot spot during the last week. At low water it has been very productive. Anglers have done well fishing small olive scuds under an indicator. Other productive nymph patterns have been red San Juan worms, Y2Ks and sowbugs. This spot is also some of the best soft hackle water on the White River. Give the partridge and orange or green butt a try here. This is not Catch and Release water. You can fish a dropper here in order to double your chances of hooking a nice trout. You can also occasionally double up or catch a fish on both flies at the same time.

The Catch and Release section at Rim Shoals is fishing extremely well. During the recent low water it was red hot. The hot flies on this water level were sowbugs, olive scuds and brown zebra midges with copper wire and copper beads in size sixteen. Y2Ks and olive woolly buggers also accounted for a lot of fish. Anglers have also done extremely well on the lower flows. The hot flies for this water were cerise San Juan worms, peach eggs and Y2Ks.

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

The Norfork has been fishing extremely well. The most productive times have been on low water. The go to flies have been olive scuds and worm brown San Juan worms. Orange egg patterns have also done very well. On the higher water, try San Juan worms in bright colors (hot pink, cerise and red) with substantial amounts of weight. Concentrate on fishing the banks and grass beds. If you are not in the Catch and Release section try fishing a sowbug or scud as the dropper under a San Juan worm. The dissolved oxygen levels have returned to normal and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has recently stocked thousands of brown and brook trout.

Dry Run Creek has been virtually abandoned during our recent brutal weather. The forecast for the holidays look good for taking your youngster there for a few hours. Bundle them up and take a break from time to time to warm up. The trout feed every day and with no pressure on the creek this is a great time to land a trophy. The hot flies are sowbugs, worm brown San Juan worms and peach eggs. Do not forget to take a big net and a camera.

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.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM JOHN AND LORI!