John Berry Fishing Eport 11/25/2009

[John Berry]

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 11/25/2009

During the past week, we have a minor rain event and continued cooler conditions. The lake levels on the White River system continue their rise, at a much slower rate. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose four tenths of a foot to rest at twenty six and eight tenths of a foot above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is fourteen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell two tenths of a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot below power pool or sixteen and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at eight and one tenth feet above power pool or one and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had light but steady generation around the clock with slightly higher flows in the afternoon. There has been precious little wadable water. Norfork Lake rose one tenth of a foot to rest at eighteen and nine tenths feet above power pool of 552.00 feet or nine and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. There have been significant periods of no generation every day with moderate generation the rest of the day. This has created some great wading conditions. This is the lull before the storm. The lakes have accumulated a significant amount of water. The only thing preventing high levels of generation around the clock is flooding down stream. As soon as it clears, we will see a lot of high water. We expect to start seeing higher flows beginning December 1, 2009.

Remember that there is a new size limit on Brown trout. All browns less than twenty four inches must be released immediately no matter where they are caught on the White and Norfork Rivers. Only one brown trout may be kept in the daily limit of five trout.

The fishing in the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam closed on November 1, 2009 for the brown trout spawn. It will remain closed until January 31, 2010. 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 Arkansas Game and Fish Commission recently stocked about one thousand “golden trout” from Bull Shoals Dam down to Buffalo City. These are not a separate species but a color variation in rainbow trout. They were purchased from a commercial hatchery in Missouri to make up for a short fall in stocking this year. These fish are edible and the regulations for harvesting rainbow trout apply to them. They are bright yellow with a faint pink stripe and a snow white belly. They are very easy to see in the river.

The stretch from Bull Shoals State Park down to Wildcat Shoals has fished very well. The moderate flows we have received this past week have been perfect for drift fishing. The hot flies have been San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Two fly rigs (San Juan worm and egg) have done particularly well in this area. Small midge patterns (black zebra midges with silver wire and silver bead) and soft hackles have also been effective.

Rim Shoals is still fishing well. The go to flies have been Y2Ks and cerise San Juan worms. It has fished much better in the morning than the afternoon. If you want to access some wadable water, Rim Shoals Trout Dock maintains a water taxi and will ferry you to wadable water for a nominal fee.

Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River have cleared a bit. The water below Crooked Creek has cleared up but is still not fishing too well.

With the upcoming holiday, fishing pressure has abated some what. Midge patterns have been the go to flies on the lower flows. The most productive patterns were black zebra midges with silver wire and silver beads, olive Norfork midges and Dan’s turkey tail emergers. Other effective flies have been olive woolly buggers and soft hackles (partridge and orange soft hackles and green butts). On the higher flows, hot fluorescent pink San Juan worms and orange egg patterns have been the most effective way to fish. There are some spawning rainbows in the Catch and Release section. You should avoid fishing for them to allow them to reproduce naturally. We could use some more wild rainbows. Also avoid walking through the redds (spawning beds). They will appear as light colored depressions in the gravel.

Now is the perfect time to fish Dry Run Creek. There are few people in the area over the holiday weekend and there are some big browns that have begun moving up into the creek to spawn. The hot fly, as always, has been the sowbug. San Juan worms and Y2Ks have also been productive. There is precious little room to cast with the tree cover in this tight creek valley. High sticking nymphs is the most effective technique. Carry your camera and the biggest net you can lay your hands on. Most big fish are lost at the net.

Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers are infected with didymo, an invasive alga. Be sure and thoroughly clean and dry your waders (especially the felt soles on wading boots) before using them in any other water. Many manufacturers are now making rubber soled wading boots that are easier to clean and are not as likely to harbor didymo.

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.