Help!

[Mikey]

I've been reading some of the old fishing reports trying to figure it out. I've never been to the White and my friend has invited me along with his family for a week of trout fishing below bull shoals. Can anyone help me a little, letting me know what flies do best in mid/late feb so I can go ahead and make sure I have them on hand when I get up there?

The guys I'm going with usually live baits or crank baits, I'd just like to show off and catch a few on my fly rod. We'll be up there the week after Valentines. Any tips or suggestions, I need them!

Mikey

[Terry Beeson]

Well, honestly, I have not found a BAD place to fish on the White below BSD. And don't forget to make a trip or two to the Norfork tailwaters.

As for flies, scuds (trout crack), woolies, and soft hackles during low water. High water, I know SJWs, but will leave other suggestions to those that fish high water more.

Places - Don't skip the BS dam area (if it's open by that time) or the park area just downstream, Wildcat Shoals, Cotter area, and Rim Shoals. If in a boat, the area above Rim Shoals to Rim is a nice float. Also, put in at Norfork at the confluence and motor upstream or downstream. If you have time, take the boat down to Calico Rock and fish that area. On the Norfork, just below the dam and the handicap access are both good fishing. From the access, go upstream to the C&R area for some really nice size fish. But below the access is really sweet fishing and eye candy for the soul. If you are going to use a boat, put in at the dam and float downstream below Gene's.

Many of these are as much for the scenary as they are for the fishing. Some really beautiful vistas on several sections of the river.

A trip with one of the guides that frequent this board will be worth a thousand - make that a million - words written on here.

[John Berry]

I would also make sure that I had some Y2Ks and zebra midges. My favorite sections are Rim and roundhouse Shoals.

[Mikey]

Simply amazed at the speediness of the response. Unfortunately I am not a fly tyer (regardless of my avatar, just animated it and thought it looked clever). I want to tie them so I can read these recipes and go for it. The san juan worm I have seen around my area (I think even at Academy sports) and in the White River displays at The Tacklebox and The Woodsman. The Y2K I'm not sure about. Does anyone have a photo or illustration of it so I can see? Also, the Zebra midges...do you prefer winged or no? Bead headed or weightless? I've seen all variations and I want to grab a few of the easiest to use.

Thanks again,

Mikey

[Terry Beeson]

Great avitar by the way. Sorta looks like JB...

Anyway, don't know which way you're coming from, but when you get in the area, make a trip to MOUNTAIN RIVER FLY SHOP in Cotter and they will help you with the flies you need and give you advice on where to fish. Take a look at the website for some of their flies.

Also, Dale Fulton's Blue Ribbon Flies in Mt Home is a good fly shop. Both are "must stops" for me when I'm in the area.

Hey, John... Any tricks to fishing the Y2K? Just drift and swing or strip also?

[Thom]

Fishing report for week of Jan 6th:

This week we had absolutely no generation at all during the days. There were a couple of times when a little water was let out of the lake in the late evening, and then shut off quickly afterwards. Temperatures were very nice this week, so there was not much demand for electricity in regard to heating homes and businesses. The lake level is still 12 feet below power pool and until we get enough rain to bring the lake level up, we probably won't see periods of high water for very long.

The best way to fish for trout on low water for spin fishermen is to use white plastic worms, or the Powerbait artificial wax worms and some yellow Powerbait or corn. Redworms work well also. Artificial lures that seem to work best are the Little Cleo, Buoyant Spoon, and Rooster Tails on 4 or 6 pound green low visibility line. Fly fishermen are bragging about the Y2K bug being the hot fly this past week, as well as your favorite color of wooley buggers... olive, brown, or black. Tan scuds and Rusty nymphs seem to work well also. We sell all of these flies, lures, and bait here in our tackle shop. Happy New Year!

Please remember that fishing on the White River is open year round; there is no closed season! Some of our biggest trout are caught in the winter when we offer 40% off of our cottage rates! We also now have free high speed Internet access in all of our accommodations!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WATER RELEASES FROM BULL SHOALS DAM

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BULL SHOALS LAKE & WHITE RIVER WATER CONDITIONS

Date: 12.30.05, Lake Level: 644.94 msl

Last Week: 644.88 msl (Power Pool is 656 msl)

12/31 ... No generation occurred on this date

Sunny, high 56'

644.94

1/1 ... No generation occurred on this date

Partly Cloudy, high 68'

644.93

1/2 ... No generation occurred on this date

Partly Cloudy, high 62'

644.98

1/3 ... No generation occurred on this date

Partly Cloudy, high 64'

644.96

1/4 ... No generation occurred on this date

Partly Cloudy, high 58'

644.96

1/5 ... No generation occurred on this date

Partly Cloudy, high 57'

644.96

1/6 ... No generation occurred on this date

Partly Cloudy, high 50'

644.94

[RiverRunner]

Norfork has been running around the clock, and Bull Shoals is now at normal (654) level and is running up to 7 units at times. If the rain continues as it has lately I would count on high water just about anywhere, so be prepared to fish from a boat. It would probably be best to stick to highly visible flies such as larger SJ's, eggs, & Y2K's. Also be sure to try a bright 1/80 or 1/100 oz microjig under an indicator. Like Terry says, the river just below Norfork (Bluff Hole) can be quite productive in the Winter.

[shawncat]

Thom,where are you located?Do you have a website?Thinking of coming down soon trying to find a deal.I need to start fishing the White more now that my honey hole[Mccellens] is closed.Kind of got away from the White[bSD] the last few years need to go back where I started.I used to stay at Mar Mars in Bull Shoals till it sold out.They used to have good winter rates also.

[Thom]

Sorry I got a little more on my paste than I intended however:

The info that I posted is from a website owned by Gastons resort 870-431-5202 about 1/4 mi just south of Bull Shoals state park. It is just below the dam and a nice place to stay. You can find further information and a decent archived fishing report on their website http://www.gastons.com/.

Another place that I like is Stetson's which is just above white hole and offers good bank wading both up and down stream from the resort and at white hole if they are not running lots of water.

If you want to get familiar with the area I recommend a book called HOME WATERS by the mid-south fly fishers. It gives lots of information on lodges, accesses and a description of the river. It also has excellent walk in maps of All of the Northern Arkansas, Tennessee, and southern Missouri trout streams including white river, red river, taneycomo etc stretches. It is available at feather craft in St Louis and well worth the money.

If you study the map and chase the stream on the rise you can fish for several hours after the water is released at the dam due to the long winding nature of the White by driving to the next access.

The first time I went to Red River I found walk in accesses marked on the map in the book mentioned above that make my trip.

[shawncat]

Yes I've stayed at Gastons and I'm also familiar with chasing shad down the river on high water.I did'nt know that Feathercraft carried Home Waters.I should seeing how I work less then 1/2 mile from there.Thanks anyway maybe somebody will read this and post a good deal for Feb. or March on the White.