John Berry Fishing Report 4/15/2010

[John Berry]

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 4/15/2010

During the past week, we have had no precipitation but some very heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories). Most of the lakes on the White River System have fallen. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell two and five tenths feet to rest at five and five tenths feet above power pool of 654.00 feet. This is thirty five and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Up stream, Table Rock Lake fell eight 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 remained steady at three and eight tenths of a foot above power pool or five and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had generation around the clock. Norfork Lake fell eight tenths of a foot to rest at three and five tenths of a foot above power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty four and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had moderate generation with a few periods of no generation at night. The Corps of Engineers is aggressively drawing down the lakes and we should return to wadable conditions in two weeks providing we receive no further rain.

There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless. Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers.

During the past week we received some additional water flows from the opening of sluice gates at the base of Bull Shoals Dam. This was done in order to make up for the shortfall in water flow due to a few generators being shut down for routine maintenance. The Corps of Engineers had a small window in which to run maximum flows to draw the lake down quickly, because on April 15, 2010, they were required to maintain the river gauge at fourteen feet at Newport, Arkansas. They have been able to let the gauge go as high as twenty six feet during the winter.

The flows from the sluice gates created some interesting hydraulic features near the dam and changed the currents in that area. In addition the water coming through the sluice gates was a bit dirtier. The new currents dislodged a bit more weed than normal and the river was stained and had a lot of debris in it for most of the week. As a result, fishing on the White has been slow.

The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam, which was closed from November 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 for the brown trout spawn, has now reopened. Remember that there are numerous spawning beds (redds) containing freshly laid and fertilized eggs. Please avoid dragging chains through these areas. The redds will appear as clean depressions in the gravel.

On the higher flows we received this week, the key to success was to fish brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink and red) and egg patterns (peach and orange). On water this high, you must use long leader/tippet combinations (fourteen feet) and a lot of lead. You must tick the bottom. Use a large strike indicator and 4X tippet. The most productive area for this technique has been the Catch and Release Section below Bull Shoals Dam (sowbugs have also been a productive fly in this section).

If you want to wade on the high flows you can obtain the services 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 return. They can provide these services in flows up to 17,000 cubic feet per second.

Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are both dropping and are beginning to clear. The warm temperatures are beginning to heat them up and the small mouth will become more active when the water temperature reaches fifty five degrees.

There were no sluice gates used on the Norfork and was cleaner and fished better than the White this past week. The Norfork received moderate to high flows around the clock with a bit of wadable water (at night). On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. On the upper river, try a sowbug dropper and on the lower river try a caddis pupa.

Dry Run Creek has fished extremely well. There was a bit of pressure last week from anglers wanting to take advantage of the incredible spring weather. The Dry Run Creek improvement project sponsored by the Friends of the Norfork Fish Hatchery has been completed. The ribbon cutting ceremony was held last week. The project was a major success and the creek is more accessible and fishes better. The hot fly this past week was the sowbug followed by the worm brown San Juan worm. Be sure and take a camera and the biggest net you can lay your hands on. The fish are huge and plentiful.

The water level on the Spring River is falling and the water is beginning to clear. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and pheasant tail nymphs. The hot spot has been the Dam Three Access area.

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.