Hogs On The Fly April Fly Fishing Report

[Hogs on the Fly]

Spring has certainly sprung here in the Ozarks! A relatively mild winter is now behind us and warmer weather and beautiful skies have arrived.

Like years past, northern Arkansas did not quite escape the wrath of Mother Nature's fury wrapped in heavy rains during the mid to latter part of February. As of 2/28, both Bull Shoals Dam and the Norfork tailwater significantly increased flows, orchestrated by the COE, to relieve the the high lake levels. Since that time, the flows have remained high around the clock. Given the circumstances, this is not such a bad thing. Recent traditions of similar conditions resulted in months of moderate flows as the lakes only slowly returned to power pool. Conversely, the heavy and around the clock releases have dropped the lakes much quicker... almost a foot per day at Bull Shoals Dam. This equates to flows in the 20-25K cfs range on the White while the Norfork is releasing approximately 9K cfs by way of one generator and multiple open flood gates. Based upon these releases, the COE predicts a return to power pool by mid April.

The next inevitable topic is the fishing or lack thereof. During the rainy season this time of year most people assume that the bite is non-existent. That's not quite the case although the degree of difficulty with techniques and logistics play a big factor in success.

Up until this point our annual caddis hatch was just beginning to reach full throttle on the lower flows and sunny afternoon skies. The bug activity remains but vastly spread out as the flows eliminate large hatches in one stretch of river. The exception is to find those inlets and shallow flats where fish are still rising. Floating the drift boat through these sections with the occasional anchor drop can be quite productive.

Streamer fishing is most productive on higher flows as we are currently experiencing but the bright and sunny skies usually deter the big brown bite. There are always exceptions to the rule. Due to the early algae the is suspended in the river, the water clarity is reduced and allows for a better approach to an unsuspecting trophy brown. Not being able to differentiate food sources from other debris in the water column makes it difficult for trout to determine what is a legitimate meal. However, ripping a large streamer through the water along the banks can sometimes motivate and trigger a response that may have been obsolete under the same conditions with gin clear water.

Inevitably the flows will return to "normal" given the current flows and absence of major rain events. A big benefit of high water periods is that our fish have an opportunity to grow at an accelerated rate with very little fishing pressure to deal with. Sometimes the best chance at larger than average fish comes off the heel of a high water stint.

Consider planning an April trip to our home waters. I have some weekend dates left and prime week day availability as well. Should you plan on a walk and wade strategy, don't hesitate to give me a call as I'd be happy to direct you in the right direction. For the near future, I can be found on the lakes chasing crappie while it's good!

For daily reports and more information about my guide service, river reports, and local business information, please visit this site regularly or if you would like to discuss booking dates, or group trips, send Larry an email to larry@hogsonthefly.com or call 870.321.2792.

If you are considering planning a trip here in the Ozarks, don't hesitate to call for conditions and reccomendations.