John Berry Fishing Report 12/06/2007

[John Berry]

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 12/06/2007

Despite a major rain event, the lake levels on the White River system have continued to drop. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam, however, rose three tenths of a foot to rest at five and four tenths of a foot below power pool at 654.00 feet. Up stream, Table Rock Lake has fallen four tenths of a foot to settle at four and four tenths feet below power pool. Beaver Lake has fallen five tenths of a foot to rest at seven and four tenths of a foot below pool. The pattern on the White River has been for very little generation with long periods of no generation. This has created some difficult water to boat on. On the other hand there have been some excellent wading opportunities on the White River. We had a few windy days where there were lake wind advisories. Norfork Lake has fallen two tenths of a foot to rest five and six tenths feet below power pool of 552.00 feet. The pattern on the Norfolk has been for several short pulses of generation daily. The level of generation has been a bit higher than the previous week’s. This has created some excellent wading conditions. The forecast is for cooler weather and sunny skies. With the existing conditions, we should have a lot of low water on both rivers.

On the Norfork, the dissolved oxygen levels have improved a bit. The dissolved oxygen level was around three tenths parts per million. The state standard is six parts per million. On the White River, the dissolved oxygen has declined. It has averaged five tenths part per million. The oxygen level is at the critical stage on the Norfork. Once the water has traveled a bit down stream and runs over rocks and riffles, it picks up oxygen. Great care should be taken to prevent stressing the trout particularly near the dam where the dissolved oxygen will be the lowest. Fish should be quickly landed and carefully revived before release.

The low water on the White River has made for some excellent fishing. Wildcat Shoals has been fishing very well. The deeper holes have been fishing well with zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver beads and in brown with copper wire and copper beads both in size eighteen. Other effective flies have been olive scuds, sowbugs, trout crack and Y2Ks. In the lower end of the shoals soft hackles like the partridge and orange and green butts have been the go to flies.

The section from Cotter to Rim Shoals has been very productive. Rim Shoals has been a particular hot spot. The hot fly has been the olive scud in sizes sixteen and eighteen. There has been a fairly predictable blue wing olive hatch most afternoons which can create some spectacular top water action. Other good flies for this section would be zebra midges in brown and black, red San Juan worms, Y2Ks, and sow bugs.

The real story on the White River has been the ability to fish some of the very productive shoals down stream that have not been wadable for some time. Places like Buffalo Shoals have been quite wadable and fishing quite well. To reach this shoal, you will need to boat up stream from the Buffalo City access. Hot flies have been olive scuds, zebra midges, prince nymphs and San Juan worms. Another such spot is Steamboat Shoals which is located between the confluence of the White and Norfork Rivers and Red’s Landing. It is accessible only by boat and you must consider both generation from the White and Norfork River when planning a trip there.

The Norfork has been fishing a bit better. The lower water on the White River has drawn a lot of the wading traffic from the Norfork and eased the overcrowded conditions from earlier in the year. The hot flies have been zebra midges in black and brown, Norfork bead heads, olive scuds, trout crack, and San Juan worms. It should be noted that, in general, the flies should be a size or two smaller on the Norfork. I also find that smaller tippet sizes like 6X or 7X are required for success.

Dry Run Creek is fishing very well. The higher oxygen content of the water has kept the resident fish comfortable and drawn other trout seeking acceptable conditions. In addition there are still some spawning browns in the creek. The hot flies here are sow bugs in size fourteen, egg patterns, San Juan worms and olive woolly buggers. I generally fish heavier tippets here, at least 4X to ensure that the kids land the fish they hook. Always carry a big net and a camera.

Practice water safety and always check conditions before you leave home.

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