Night Fishing and help with reading CFS flows

[JestersHK]

Ok gang,  We are a week out and I'm trying to study and get my homework done...

I just read through the 5 pager tacked up top on minimum flow and all that.  Looking at the current generation pattern it looks like they have been shutting down to min flows at night so I'm hoping thats good news for us guys that are nocturnal and wanting to try and work some brownies over during the other half of the day next weekend.  680cfs seems the average?  That to me sounds like where we want to be at for wading?  Whats max CFS before wading would be a bad idea?  I guess it depends how far downstream too.  Just trying to playbook it here.

My question is I've only fished a few areas on the white and I'm looking for recommendations on where to start out at.  We did wade fish by the Dam one day with @WoundedOne and @Johnsfolly and BH, and I think I have enough bearings in that area I would consider hitting it at night time. Are there any other areas we should check out as well?  Any other accesses which might be more friendly to a bunch of non natives wandering around at night in the water?  I'm thinking gravel bottom versus sliding all over bedrock and shoals with big holes behind them...

Hoping to get down Thursday early enough to scout in daylight, but may head to the Dam to start out with if that doesn't pan out.  Also do we get any warning when generation kicks on?  As much as my heart and underoos could live with out a horn going off in the dead of night like on Taney I def want to be safe and prefer to keep said underoos dry...

Any help or info is appreciated fellas!

[WoundedOne]

I am going to be your sidekick on this adventure. There was a few guys wading below cotter boat ramp @ this years jig fest that really caught my attention in the evening hours. Bring a extra jerk bait rod for me!!!

[snagged in outlet 3]

Takes a couple hours for the water to run out after they shut it down.  It's not a light switch.  I've had water come on without a horn and once generation has begun flow can increase without a horn. 

The White and Norfork are not friendly to wading during any amount of generation other than picking around the edges.  I would not go anywhere during generation that I couldn't just back out of easily. 

[liphunter]

I envy you guys. Sounds like a lot of fun. Hope the weather is kind to you all. 

[netboy]

You should be good to wade below the dam at minimum flow which is 7mw. Anything higher will be tough wading and dangerous this time of year. They usually blow the horn when they start generating during daylight hours, but they don't always blow when they bump the generation up a bit. I've never fished anywhere on the White or Norfork at night so I can't say what happens when they decide to increase generation.

Here is a link to Steve Dally's website that shows the estimated water rise times for various access points on the White. From what I have seen the fallout times are considerably slower.

https://ozarkflyfisherjournal.wordpress.com/2017/07/12/dallys-fly-fishing-report-71217/

Hope this helps and be careful.

[WoundedOne]

Download this app it helps a bunch

dally's ozark fly fisher

[JestersHK]

Awesome info guys.  Will def be careful and we'll be using buddy right next to us system for sure as we learn new water.

Mike we'll get ya all set up.  Got plenty of jerkbaits too. I'll bring a few extra headlamps too.  

I poked around the boat launch at cotter before too with BH, but didn't Wade out much.  Water was up that day.

[Johnsfolly]

2 minutes ago, JestersHK said:

Awesome info guys.  Will def be careful and we'll be using buddy right next to us system for sure as we learn new water.

Mike we'll get ya all set up.  Got plenty of jerkbaits too. I'll bring a few extra headlamps too.  

I poked around the boat launch at cotter before too with BH, but didn't Wade out much.  Water was up that day.

I will likely be up for one night of jerk bait fishing.

[JestersHK]

You know what happened last time lol.  

I'll be taking it easy on this trip.  No marathon nights if I'm gonna be in a boat all day the next day.  That is unless there's a red hot bite then all bets are off lol

[Johnsfolly]

If the water isn't trashy, below the lodge may not be bad. Some deeper water and large rocks that could hold a brown or two.