John Berry Fishing Report 1/01/2009

[John Berry]

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 1/01/2009

We have had a significant rain event and some very heavy winds during the past week; the lakes in the White River system are at or below flood pool having risen a bit. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam have fallen two tenths of a foot to rest at three tenths of a foot below power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty one and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake rose one and three tenths of a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot above power pool or fifteen and nine tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose one foot to rest at power pool or nine and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. The pattern on the White was for moderate generation during the week. Norfork Lake has risen nine tenths of a foot to rest at power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty eight feet below the top of flood pool. There has been heavy generation on the Norfork with periods of no generation on most days. Last weekend the Norfork was off for over forty eight hours. This created some truly spectacular wading.

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 been a real hot spot with stacks of fish reported. The hot fly here has been the peach egg and various midge patterns. Be careful on lower flows to avoid redds in the seasonal Catch and Release section. They are clean depressions in the gravel that hold fertilized brown trout eggs. If you walk through them, you will destroy future trophy brown trout. On higher flows, try brightly colored San Juan worms with an egg dropper. There is a bit of trial and error necessary to determine what color San Juan worms the trout want. Try red, cerise, hot pink and fire orange.

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. The lower section has fished well with various soft hackles. The hot flies have been green butts and partridge and orange soft hackles.

The Catch and Release section at Rim Shoals is fishing extremely well. The hot flies on lower water level were Y2Ks, sowbugs and olive scuds. Olive woolly buggers also accounted for a lot of fish. Anglers have also done well on moderate flows. The hot flies for this water were cerise San Juan worms, peach eggs and Y2Ks. If they are running water and you want to wade, make use of the water taxi at Rim Shoals Trout Dock. For a nominal fee they will ferry you to wadable water and pick you up when you are ready to leave.

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 fished poorly the last week. It has received too much pressure. 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.

Dry Run Creek has been fishing well as always. Lately we have had some nice sunny days occasionally that have been perfect for fishing the creek. It is located in a deep valley and is not affected much by winds. Take your youngster there the next time you get a pretty day. The hot fly is the sowbug but also try San Juan worms. I always recommend that you take the biggest net you can lay your hands on (I use my rubber bagged boat net) and a camera. You cannot believe the size of the fish here.

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.

[Ham]

Hey John, have the new size regs gone into effect for Brown Trout?

Trout ate jigs and jerkbaits for me this morning in the Cotter area.

[John Berry]

Beginning today a brown trout has to be 24 inches to be a keeper. I think that bodes well for the brown trout population.