Trout Fishing Report-White River-Arkansas
From Arkansas Game and Fish CommissionJanuary 23, 2008 Edition
White River:
Mountain River Fly Shop said Davy Wotton’s White Tail Super Midges have been tearing up the trout lately, especially for one angler boasting of a 50-fish day. Generation had been moderate, usually some in the mornings, possibly followed by some evening water. But there have been large gaps of low water moving downstream allowing plenty of wading if you time it right. You can usually head downstream to somewhere like Rim, or even lower, to get on the back of the falling evening generation and fish for 4, 6 or even 10 hours before the next burst reaches your spot. Basically it’s hard to have too many midges, though definitely selections in red, pearl green and black are the tickets. Egg patterns, like Unreal Eggs, Veiled Eggs, Y2Ks and Thorne’s Fire Egg are standards at this time of year. San Juans continue to work well in browns, red and pinks. Don’t forget a selection of scuds and sow bugs, some olive and black buggers. The lake still isn’t cold enough for a widespread shad kill yet, but it should be right around the corner. Gaston’s White River Resort said trout anglers have seen many water conditions lately. Anytime between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m., two to four units are generating. Around 9 a.m. until noon, the dam will shut down and the water level drops. However, the trout are still feeding during low water periods. The bulbous bivisible is working well for flyfishermen where creeks run into the river. We also recommend the partridge and orange soft hackle, gold ribbed hares ear, copper john, copper zebra midge, Y2K bug, the sow bug and the draggin’ egg. During high water, try peach or white egg patterns, white and pink micro jigs and San Juan worms. Nightcrawlers are doing well for the bait anglers when the water is low. Yellow Power Bait has also been effective. Some other lures being used are No. 5 silver or gold floating Rapalas and Smithwick blue-backed Rogues. Any minnow shaped lure has potential. Sportsman’s White River Resort said water conditions are normal with generation in the mornings. Trout fishing is good on Rapala Countdowns, jigs, Power Bait, nightcrawlers and redworms. Angler’s White River Resort said the water conditions are normal. Trout fishing has been good on Power Bait and crankbaits. John Berry of Berry Brothers Guides said many anglers are eagerly anticipating the opening of the catch-and- Release area below Bull Shoals Dam on Feb. 1. This section has been closed for the last few months while the brown trout have been spawning and no one has been allowed to fish here during this period. The browns do not feed when they are spawning so they will be hungry. This will be an opportune time to land a good one. The fishing on the White has been good. There have not been many anglers out but those that have fished have done well. The upper river, from Bull Shoals State Park to White Hole, has fished well. On low water, the hot flies have been black/silver and brown/copper zebra midges. On high water brightly colored San Juan worms and egg patterns have been productive. The front side of Roundhouse Shoals has fished particularly well. It seems that the best fishing is either at the top of the shoals or at the bottom. The hot flies in this section have been beadhead pheasant tail nymphs, olive scuds (size 18), partridge and orange soft hackles and green butts. Rim Shoals was fishing quite well. Anglers that motored up to Jenkin’s Creek area by boat did particularly well. On low water, the hot flies in this section were Y2Ks, crapadans, olive scuds (size 18) and Dan’s turkey tail emerger. On high water the hot fly has been the San Juan worm in cerise. Another hot spot has been just down stream from the confluence of the White and Norfork rivers. This area fishes best when there is a bit of generation on the Norfork. Hot flies here have been zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver bead and in brown with copper wire and copper bead. Soft hackles like the partridge and orange and the green butt have also been effective.
Bull Shoals Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 651.96 feet MSL. Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock (870-445-4424) said some anglers are back on the water now that hunting has slowed. Bass are biting well on crankbaits in 5 to 15 feet of water on windy or cloudy days. Hula grubs and Carolina-rigged French fries are working well in 10 to 25 feet of water. Vertical jigging a spoon over old forests and standing timber is working well on Kentucky bass. Walleye are biting fairly well on spoons fished over large flats in 35 to 40 feet of water. Bottom bouncers baited with nightcrawlers are working well on walleye as well. Crappie are biting fairly well around the boat docks on minnows under a slip bobber in 18 to 25 feet of water.
Lake Norfork:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 547.67 feet MSL. Cranfield Junction Bait and Tackle (870-492-5141) said the water is clear and about 4 feet low with temperature in the low 40s. Crappie fishing is fair in shallow water on minnows and jigs. Bass fishing is fair on jerkbaits. Stripers are biting on suspending jerkbaits. 101 Grocery and Bait said the water temperature in the low 40s and clear. Striper fishing has been good with most being caught on live shiners, Rattlin’ Rouges and jigging spoons in 10-90 feet of water (What a range!). The best bite has been early and late in the day with some 15-25 pound fish and a couple of real line-strippers that never made it to the boat. White Bass are biting fairly well. Crappie are fair. Largemouth bass are fair. A few walleye have been caught in 6-20 feet of water on small minnows, shiners and stick baits.
Norfork Tailwater:
Mountain River Fly Shop said crowds have dwindled drastically. Norfork seems to be firing one day and fairly slow the next, but it’s an impossibly alluring spot to fish, particularly on those rare days when you have it to yourself. Davy’s Super Midges have been capturing all the publicity lately, but Davy’s sow bugs and sowscuds have been doing well. Size 16 olive McLellan’s Hunchback scuds are doing very well near the end of the catch-and-release area. Keep some small Parachute Adams, or “midgish” parachutes handy incase the dry fly action ignites. Gene’s Trout Dock (870-499-5381) said water conditions are normal with little generation. Trout fishing is good on Power Bait and corn. Fly-fishing is going strong with black or green woolly buggers. John Berry of Berry Brothers Guides said The Norfork has fished a bit better this week. There have been some reliable midge hatches in the afternoons. Olive-colored Norfork beadheads in size 18 have been working the best lately. When the fish keying are in on the midge emergers in the film, Dan’s turkey tail emergers in size 22 have been excellent. Other productive flies have been Y2Ks, San Juan worms, and olive scuds. Dry Run Creek, as always, has been the place to take the kids fishing. It is in a deep, tight valley and is seldom affected by wind. There have been precious few kids fishing there lately and now is a great time to avoid the crowds. The hot fly is a size 14 sow bug. Also try olive woolly buggers and San Juan worms. Be sure and use at least 4X tippet and pinch down those barbs. Always take a huge net and a camera.