John Berry Fishing Report 7/04/2013

[John Berry]

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 7/04/2013

During the past week, we have had a minor rain event (just a trace here in Cotter), cooler temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals fell one and two tenths feet to rest at two tenths feet below power pool of 661.4 feet. This is thirty three and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at two tenths of a foot above power pool and fourteen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell two feet to rest at two tenths feet below power pool or eight and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had limited wadable water and periods of high levels of generation. Norfork Lake fell two and one tenth feet to rest at three tenths feet above power pool of 556.1 feet or twenty three and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had no wadable water. The water level for the top of power pool has been reset higher for all of the lakes in the White River system. This plus some aggressive generation has brought all of them to a water level at or below power pool. As a result, I expect more wadable water in the future.

On the White, the hot spot has been the section from the State Park down to White hole. The best time to fish is early morning or late in the afternoon. Midday can be slow. The hot flies were prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, copper Johns, pink and cerise San Juan worms, gold ribbed hare’s ears and sowbugs. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended eighteen inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise).

Some anglers have been fishing large streamers on the heavy flows we have been getting and having success. This requires heavy sink tip lines, heavy rods (eight weights or better) and advanced casting skills. The hot flies have been large articulated streamers in various colors.

Hopper season has begun. These are tempting morsels for large trout. You need a stiff six weight rod and a stout seven and a half foot 4X leader. My favorite hopper patterns are the western style foam hoppers with rubber legs and a bright quick sight patch on the back. Dave’s hoppers are also a good choice but be sure to dress them with plenty of fly floatant to ensure that they ride high. A small nymph dropper can increase your takes. It is not uncommon to take more trout on the dropper. My favorite dropper flies are beadhead pheasant tails or zebra midges.

Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are navigable and both are receiving a lot of pressure. With summer here, the smallmouths are active. The most effective fly has been a tan and brown Clouser minnow. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.

There has been no wadable water on the Norfork. The most productive flies have been small (size 20 or smaller) midge patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and Dan’s turkey tail emerger or soft hackles like my green butt or the partridge and orange. There has also been a sparse hatch of very small mayflies; reliable hatches of midges (try a size 22 parachute Adams for both), some smaller caddis (size 18) and the crane flies are still coming off. Grasshoppers have started producing fish, particularly when used in conjunction with a small nymph dropper (try a size 20 black zebra midge). Olive woolly buggers have also accounted for a lot of trout. The fishing is much better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday.

Dry Run Creek has fished well. School is out and there is much more traffic on the stream. You should fish early or late to avoid the crowds. Weekends can get quite crowded. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective. Use at least 4X tippet to increase your chances of landing these big fish. Carefully handle and release all trout. Take the biggest net that you can lay your hands on. Some of these fish are huge.

The water level on the Spring River is fishable. This is a great place to wade fish when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season is in full swing and the canoeists can a problem. Fish the upper river at the Lassiter Access to avoid them. Be sure to 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 with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks.

Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers and Dry Run Creek 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.

John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.