Trout Fishing Report-White River-Arkansas
February 17, 2010 Edition
White River:
John Berry from Berry Brothers Guide Service said generation has been around the clock, providing no wadable water. The lack of fluctuation has allowed for reliable fishing from a drift boat. Use brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (red, pink and orange). Other effective patterns have been scuds, sow bugs, copper johns and various midge patterns. You will need a 14 foot leader combined with a lot of lead (at least an AAA split shot placed 18 inches from the fly). Use at least 4X tippet and a large strike indicator to float this rig. Another effective strategy is to fish streamers. Concentrate on banging the bank or any heavy structure where fish might escape the current. Your best bet would be to use large articulated streamers like the zoo cougar on heavy sink tip line. This strategy targets big fish, but is a lot of work. When we have high flows like this, trout will seek the comfort provided by feeder creeks to escape the heavy currents. Look in the lower stretches of Jenkins Creek or Crooked Creek to locate trout. The brutally cold temperatures and high levels of generation we have been experiencing are the perfect conditions for creating a shad kill. Threadfin shad are drawn through the dam turbines and create a feeding frenzy in the river below. Be on the lookout for gulls feeding on the shad below the dam. The most effective flies will be white shad patterns. Be sure and have both floating and sinking versions. (Last updated 2-3-2010)
Sportsman’s White River Resort (870-453-2424) said six to seven generators are running constantly. Trout are fair on live minnows, white jigs and pink worms.
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said Bull Shoals is running around the clock with seven units. Drift-fishing nymphs for numbers of fish or streamer fishing for fewer but larger are the two most popular techniques. For high water nymph rigs, use split shot and large indicators and adjust your indicator to maintain the proper depth. Use San Juan worms, scuds, copper Johns and egg patterns. Streamer fishing with integrated shooting taper sinking lines with 3-4 foot 0x-2x leaders and large flies is producing large fish. Try dead-drifting shad patterns with a twitching action near the dam or pound the banks with sculpin patterns further downriver. Fly patterns for streamer fishing should include circus peanuts, zoo cougars, fathead minnows, Arkansas beadheads, Davy's shads, white zonkers and woolly buggers.
AGFC Fisheries Division staff stocked 33,868 yearling brown trout and 18,906 catchable rainbow trout in January.
White River (From Shipp’s Ferry to Red’s Landing):
Jim Brentlinger at Linger's Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185) said the Buffalo River is still 2 feet above normal. Add that to seven generators on Bull Shoals and two on Norfork and the river is full. There have been some nice brown trout being taken on Rapalas and Rattling Rogues fished near the deeper banks. Rapalas in Black/Gold/White in No. 7 or 9 will work. Power Baits with a lot of weight to keep it on the bottom will produce fish as well.
Buffalo River:
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said the water is too high for fishing pretty much through the entire river.
Crooked Creek:
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said the water level is 13.71 feet, about 11/2 feet over the low-water bridge at Kelly's Slab. The creek is too high for fishing.
Bull Shoals Lake:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 655.33 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 654 MSL).
AGFC Fisheries Division staff stocked 50,000 yearling black crappie in January.
Lake Norfork:
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 552.71 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool: Sept.-April – 552 MSL, April-Sept. – 554 MSL).
101 Grocery and Bait said cold weather has kept some anglers off the water, but fishing has been good for those who have managed to get out. Live bait and jigging spoons are catching fish well. The surface water temp is in the mid-30s depending on the area of the lake you are in. (Last updated 2-3-2010)
Norfork Tailwater:
John Berry from Berry Brothers Guide Service said generation has been around the clock, with no wadable water. Brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go-to flies. Long leader tippet combinations and heavy weight have been the secret to success. Work the banks and submerged weed beds. Be on the lookout for a shad kill. Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot fly has been a sow bug in size 14. Worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns also have done well. The weather has improved a bit and now is the perfect time to take your youngster to Dry Run. (Last updated 2-3-2010)
Zachary Hoyt at Just Fishing Guides said heavy generation this week has made fishing challenging. High-water techniques from a boat are the only option. Drifting nymphs under a large indicator or fishing streamers with a fast sink-tip or full sinking line are two of the better techniques. Keep an eye out for shad to start coming through the generators and fish white streamers, either under an indicator or with various retrieves on a floating or fast sinking line. For safety, always wear your life jacket during high water and maintain control of your boat at all times. (Last updated 2-3-2010)
AGFC Fisheries Division staff stocked 2,100 catchable rainbow trout in January.