Current

[Dutch]

When we did a lot of fishing in upper Bull Shoals current was important to us.  In order to better have a handle on it we used the generation schedule for Table Rock and contacted the guys at Powersite Dam.  They told us that in general it takes 3 hours for much of a flow change to reach them.  So much of the time it would be 5 hours before we noticed the change depending on how far below Powersite we were fishing.  

Looking at the reverse as in how far up a tributary like James or White one were fishing when or maybe if one could notice current.  I’ve only seen noticeable current 1 time when fishing above Point 15.  I’ve never noticed it in the White.  Do any of you notice it?  Am I not being tuned in enough? 

[Quillback]

Right upstream from the point 25 marker is an inside bend bluff.  I have noticed a bit of current there at times throwing a ned rig.  I have also seen it downstream in the point 23 area when there is wood floating and the wood will move slowly downstream.  

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

2 hours ago, Dutch said:

When we did a lot of fishing in upper Bull Shoals current was important to us.  In order to better have a handle on it we used the generation schedule for Table Rock and contacted the guys at Powersite Dam.  They told us that in general it takes 3 hours for much of a flow change to reach them.  So much of the time it would be 5 hours before we noticed the change depending on how far below Powersite we were fishing.  

Looking at the reverse as in how far up a tributary like James or White one were fishing when or maybe if one could notice current.  I’ve only seen noticeable current 1 time when fishing above Point 15.  I’ve never noticed it in the White.  Do any of you notice it?  Am I not being tuned in enough? 

Only time i notice current up there is when we get rain and the James comes up. I dont think you can notice any current from them opening the dam that far up

[curtisce]

We  were night fishing years ago half way between Cape Fair and Bridgeport. There was no wind but we were moving along the bank at a noticeable rate. 

[bfishn]

Used to spend a lot of time tied up/anchored drifting bait under slip floats, mainly mid-upper White. Really effective way to find and extract fish in the timber. If TR dam was pulling any water, I could drift 2-3 rigs out to 100ft in a matter of minutes. Pickup, move down, re-tie and do another stretch. The current  carried the slip rigs even in opposing wind. It's subtle, but there way more than most folks realize .

[Dutch]

2 hours ago, bfishn said:

Used to spend a lot of time tied up/anchored drifting bait under slip floats, mainly mid-upper White. Really effective way to find and extract fish in the timber. If TR dam was pulling any water, I could drift 2-3 rigs out to 100ft in a matter of minutes. Pickup, move down, re-tie and do another stretch. The current  carried the slip rigs even in opposing wind. It's subtle, but there way more than most folks realize .

I wonder how long it takes for that area to see current after they start generating?  Where I am referencing it is over 45 miles from the dam and water would be coming out of lots of tributaries.

[bfishn]

55 minutes ago, Dutch said:

I wonder how long it takes for that area to see current after they start generating?  Where I am referencing it is over 45 miles from the dam and water would be coming out of lots of tributaries.

Can't say I ever really clocked it. I'd call the automated generation report when I got to the ramp, if TR was generating, I headed for the nearest timbered outside bend and water was moving.

[Dutch]

They are genning practically 24/7 though not a lot.  I’m going in the morning.  I’ll try to pay close attention.

[Dutch]

It was too windy to be able to tell anything. 

[skeeter]

Interesting question.  Yes, I've noticed definite current dozens of times on The Rock and there is an "Eddy Current" where the two Indians empty into the White along the face of "The Wall" at Baxter.  It definitely flows backwards just like you'd find on a River or Stream there and it's not wind, but current.