Fishing Report 2/11/2007

[John Berry]

I appologize for not posting a fishing report of late. My wife Lori was featured on a new fishing show with John Wilson, Adventure Guides on Versus. As a result we spent several days pre fishing on the Norfork in high water and bitter cold temperatures. Of course, when it came time to film the director decided that he wanted to film Lori and her client Cheryl wade fishing. This required a change of venue to the Spring River. During the prefishing we caught a bunch of fish on red sanjuan worms drifted over weed beds.

However yesterday we finally got to fish the Norfork on low water. It was wonderful. We waded far into the Catch and Release area and fished our way out. It was cold and overcast. We did not catch a lot of fish maybe fifteen between us. The smallest was fourteen but the average was seventeen. They were all very fat, well colored and fought like wild Comanches. Lori hooked a twenty seven monster but he broke off taking most of her leader with him. We caught fish on copper midges, olive scuds and Dan's turkey Quill emerger. All size twenty or twenty two. It was nice to be out of a boat for a change!

[BuschTrout22]

John, excellent report!

Do you think that this will lead to the generators not running?

[John Berry]

Now that they are at pool they should not run as much. Generation would be based on electrical need rather than flood control. Keep in mind that it is raining here (Cotter, AR) now and if we get a heavy rain the whole process starts over again. Also note that with the ecological crisis at Norfork Overlook Estates (huge amounts of silt washing into the river every time it rains)any rain turns the river into a mud hole.

[taxidermist]

Brookies don't handle the rubidity from silt run off well.

I don't know but I would watch that close and report any kill.

[BuschTrout22]

Thanks John. I still need to tie on some flies, I leave in two weeks for Gene's..

Im pretty psyched about getting down there, and fishing.

[John Berry]

Good luck! There are still a bunch of trophy trout in that river.

[WebFreeman]

John, do you know when the episode will air?

[Terry Beeson]

Hey, JB... If you happen by the Norfork with all this rain, give us an update on how much mud is still coming off Overlook... I've got to get down there and take a look myself. Arkansas Wildlife Federation wants an "update" article on the situation.

[RiverRunner]

I was also wondering if all of the slimy green moss that is covering a lot of the rocks & river bottom is a new thing or not. I don't remember it from my last trip there (in 2002). I was pleased to see a lot of scuds in the river however, & the fish I caught were beautiful.

[John Berry]

At this point I am in my warm dry house writing a couple of articles. If I venture out I will post a river condition report. I would be willing to bet money that it muds up. Nothing has been done to fix the problem since the lawsuit was filed. ADEQ has been trying to move the hearing up because the conditions on site are deterioting.