White River
(updated 6-30-2022) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525)
said, “It might be easy to take for granted the beauty
of our Arkansas Ozarks when we get to live it every
day, but this past week has been so exceptionally
gorgeous that everybody is taking a few extra minutes
to admire the God-given beauty and say a little prayer
of thanks. The July and August heat will sneak in, I'm
sure, but for right now we remain in awe of our
Natural State.”
They report the White River is flowing very fast and
deep through the north-central Arkansas Ozarks, so be
prepared to add weight to your line, go deep and get
ready for a fight because the trout are healthy and
fighting. Bull Shoals Dam is continuing heavy releases
from the lake; four or more generators – 14,000 to
17,000 cfs – has been the daily norm with the lake
level currently at 682.51 feet msl and dropping. It's
not uncommon with round-the-clock heavy releases to
find the rainbow bite has slowed, but it's also not
uncommon to observe the quality of the catch has
improved.
Some say the browns are getting lazy, though; they
don't have to search for food because it's coming
right at them all the time from banks saturated with
the high water. So cast toward the shore to pull them
in: Place your bait right in front of them and flash
it around. If you're using stick baits, lures or
spinners make sure they are bright and carry some
weight. They’ve hooked many browns on worms (plastic
and live) and even nabbed a few with white PowerBait.
“One of our favorite fly guides mentioned that we're
blessed with good dry-fly action most any time on this
river when the sun is shining and warming the
topwater.
“There's a lot of sunshine reflecting off the water,
so don't forget the sun screen, but don't mix your
sunscreen with your bait/tackle. Trout do not like
sunscreen. Keep yourself protected but continue to
lure in the trout.”
(updated 6-30-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service said that during the past week they had no
rain, brutally hot temperatures (to include heat
advisories) and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull
Shoals fell 2.3 feet to rest at 21.1 feet above normal
summer power pool of 661.6 feet msl. This is 11.5 feet
below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake
fell 1 foot to rest at 0.2 foot below power pool and
14.2 feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake
fell 0.6 foot to rest at 6.3 feet above power pool or
2.3 feet below the top of flood pool. The White has
had no wadable water of late. Norfork Lake fell 1.6
feet to rest at 12.5 feet above power pool of 556.4
feet msl and 11.1 feet below the top of flood pool.
The Norfork tailwater has had no wadable water during
the day. The water level for the top of power pool has
been reset higher for all of the lakes in the White
River system. All of the lakes in the White River
system are now well above power pool. With the current
lake levels, expect high water all summer.
On the White, the hot spot has been White Hole. “We
have had much heavier flows and some sulphur hatches.
The hot flies were Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges
(black with silver wire and silver bead or red with
silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, copper
Johns, pink and cerise San Juan worms, gold ribbed
hare’s ears and sowbugs. Double-fly nymph rigs have
been very effective. Try a San Juan worm with an
orange egg,” he said.
Remember that the White and North Fork rivers and Dry
Run Creek are infected with didymo, an invasive alga.
Thoroughly clean and dry your waders (especially the
felt soles on wading boots) before using them in any
other water. Many manufacturers are now making rubber
soled wading boots that are easier to clean and are
not as likely to harbor didymo.
John also says, “Some of our best dry fly-fishing is
provided by the sulphurs, a good-sized mayfly that
comes off every June. These aquatic insects are a
gorgeous yellow-orange color and are generally a size
14, which is a pretty large insect for around here.
This makes them easy to see and identify. They are
coming off now!
“We all like to fish dry flies. This is when the trout
key onto hatching insects. The insects rise to the top
of the water column. There they emerge through the
nymphal husk, break through the surface of the water
and drift downstream until their wings dry and then
fly off. During this process, they are vulnerable to
being eaten by hungry trout. The trout rise to the
surface of the water and sip them.
“Casting a dry fly and imitating this drag-free drift
of the aquatic insects is a challenging way to fish.
It is also rewarding. Casting to rising trout and
watching them take the fly really gets the adrenaline
pumping. The hook set is everything. You have to let
the trout close its mouth before you set the hook. It
is too easy to rush this process and pull the fly from
the fish’s mouth.
“We generally do this on lower water as it is not
likely that the trout will rise through 6-8 feet of
heavy current to key in on hatching insects. On the
White River, we are currently getting generation of
about 17,000 cfs, or the equivalent of six full
generators. You would think that this is way too much
water to fish dry flies, but there has been some great
dry fly-fishing on grass beds near the bank. I have
had reports of some fantastic dry fishing for large
trout.
“My favorite fly for this is my brother Dan’s sulphur
dry fly. It is a yellow-orange parachute fly. The
parachute is a low floater, which makes it fish well
on the quieter water near the bank as it is looks more
realistic. The parachute wing in white makes it easy
to see. If you cannot see a dry fly, you cannot fish
it. You must see the take in order to properly set the
hook. My rod of choice is my 30-year-old Sage light
line 9-foot 4-weight. It has a sensitive tip to
protect light tippets and it casts dry flies like a
dream.
“I like to fish this fly pretty close to the rising
trout, particularly on heavy water. The water in the
center of the river will be much faster than the flows
near the bank. A long cast will require a lot of
mending to achieve a drag-free drift. It will make it
harder to set the hook with a lot of line out due to
slack in the line.
“There can be dry fly-fishing on high water. Carry the
necessary flies and be ready to fish them.”
(updated 6-30-2022) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins
Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said Bull Shoals Dam
continues to keep all eight generators running, and
Norfork Dam has been running two generators during the
day and dropping down to one generator at night. As a
result we are seeing water levels averaging between
9-10 feet. The water remains clear and cold. Inline
spinners with Power Eggs with shrimp, corn or worms
have worked well this week. With the higher water you
might need to add an extra sinker or larger sinker to
get the bait to the bottom. Sculpin continues to work
well for larger rainbows and brown trout. Spoons
worked well on the shallower shoals with deep-diving
crankbaits in the deeper water. There have been
several 15-inch-plus rainbows caught plus some nice
17-inch-plus brown trout.
On Tuesday there were 747 rainbows stocked at the
Calico Rock boat ramp, and on Wednesday the AGFC used
a pontoon raft to release 6,600 rainbow trout between
Calico Rock to Sylamore Creek. By this weekend those
fish should be acclimated to their new surroundings
and hungry.
“We are seeing a lot more kayaks, rafts and canoes. Be
aware of your surroundings and take care of each other
on the river. If you are in a boat, slow down as you
approach the kayakers, etc. We hope everyone enjoys
the Fourth of July weekend and be safe while
celebrating our nation’s 246th birthday.”
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Thursday, the Army Corps of Engineers reported
the lake’s elevation at 681.97 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: 661.50 feet msl; top flood
elevation is 695.00 feet msl). Total outflow from the
dam at noon Thursday was 17,931 cfs, and releases have
been constant this week. The reported lake elevation
at Table Rock Lake was 916.72 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: 916.58 feet msl; top flood
elevation is 931.0 feet msl), with outflow of 1,455
cfs.
(updated 6-30-2022) Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake
Boat Dock said Wednesday afternoon that the lake has
dropped down to 682 feet msl (23 feet above normal
pool) and limited parking can still be an issue there
so plan ahead. “The lake is really clear towards the
main part; the back of bigger creeks have stain,” he
said.
Surface temperature is about 85 degrees.
He says its best to get up early and go for the
topwater bite. Target windy main lake secondary
points, especially when the Corps of Engineers is
generating water at the dam. Shad is now way out on
the points. Fish around those spots with a topwater,
an LC Gunfish, or wake baits. Then the topwater slows,
and it’s time for a half-ounce flutter spoon or
drop-shot the fish. In 20-40 feet depth over 50-70
feet, and in the channel swings around bluffs and
ledges, use suspenders around many of those spots.
The creek fish have pulled back with the water coming
down. The topwater bite will end when the sun starts
getting high. Del is then hopping a Jewel Special Ops
and football jig in green pumpkin orange, a Ned rig in
green pumpkin variations. Keep the boat out around 30
feet. A lot of fish are on the old shoreline. Also
around the channel swings, standing timber, ledges and
laydowns, try a Beaver/a big worm/an Ole Monster in
green pumpkin, red, red shad or plum. And, as always,
fish the conditions.
Del has a new YouTube video up. Visit his YouTube site
(Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock) for more information and
tips on fishing Bull Shoals Lake.
Norfork Lake
As of Thursday, the Army Corps of Engineers reported
the lake’s elevation at 568.02 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: Sept.-April, 553.75 feet msl;
April-Sept. 556.25 feet msl; top flood elevation 580.0
feet msl). Total outflow from Norfork Dam at noon
Thursday was 5,815 cfs, releases over the past 36
hours have ranged from 2,858 to 5,818 cfs.
(updated 6-30-2022) Steven “Scuba Steve” Street at
Blackburn’s Resort said Wednesday morning that the
lake level was 568.35 feet msl and had dropped 2.5
inches in the last 24 hours with one generator running
since Tuesday night. The White River at Newport is
13.93 feet and the Army Corps of Engineers has been
keeping it around 14 feet for several weeks. The level
had dropped a little less than 5 feet since its high
on June 5. Surface water temperature is 85 degrees and
has dropped a couple of degrees with the cooler
weather. The water looks clear from the surface but
gets cloudy after about 12 feet with a mudline down to
the thermocline at about 20 feet. The water is cold at
25 feet and is clear again there.
The stripers are going deep and looking for the oxygen
bubble and are on the bottom from 60-80 feet and are
hitting the jigging spoon dropped on their head. Some
walleye are with them, but several more walleye are on
main lake points and around them in 20-26 feet of
water also near the bottom. Trollers are dragging
crankbaits bumping bottom in 20 feet of water. There
are still some bass coming up in the early mornings
but are mostly small. And several Kentucky bass are in
16-20 feet partway back in the creeks biting creature
baits and plastic worms in the late evening with some
smallmouth with them.
Some crappie are in the backs of creeks on wood in 25
feet of water and several more are under docks in the
shade and some big bluegill are with them. Catfish are
slow with the dropping water level but some are being
caught on jugs drop-shotted and baited with live
bluegill in about 20 feet just outside the buckbrush.
“The water is dropping too fast for limb lines. I am
seeing some schools of white bass just inside main
lake points at 20 feet suspended, but they are not
very big. The lake is still high, but almost all of
the debris has stuck to the shore and the lake in
general is in good condition for boating, swimming and
fishing.”
For a daily fishing report and lake condition go to
www.blackburnsresort.com and click on Scuba Steve's
Blog.
Norfork Tailwater
(updated 6-30-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Norfork Lake
fell 1.6 feet to rest at 12.5 feet above power pool of
556.4 feet msl and 11.1 feet below the top of flood
pool. There has been no wadable water on the Norfork
and it fished poorly. The most productive flies have
been small midge patterns like zebra midges (black or
red with silver wire and silver bead). Grasshoppers
have produced fish, particularly when used in
conjunction with a small nymph dropper (try a size 20
black zebra midge). Double fly nymph rigs have been
very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra
midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended
eighteen inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm
(hot fluorescent pink or cerise). The fishing is much
better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers
off midday.
Dry Run Creek has fished moderately. School is out and
the creek is busy. Weekends can get a quite crowded.
The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored
San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink
and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very
effective. Carry a large net, as most fish are lost at
the net.
Remember that the White and North Fork rivers and Dry
Run Creek are infected with didymo, an invasive alga.
Thoroughly clean and dry your waders (especially the
felt soles on wading boots) before using them in any
other water. Many manufacturers are now making rubber
soled wading boots that are easier to clean and are
not as likely to harbor didymo.
Buffalo National River/Crooked Creek
(updated 6-30-2022) John Berry of Berry Brothers Guide
Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Crooked Creek
and the Buffalo River are low. With warmer
temperatures, the smallmouths are active. The most
effective fly has been a tan and brown Clouser minnow.
Carefully check the water level before entering
Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams
on these streams. They both have large drainages and
are prone to flooding during and following any rain
event. The water can rise very quickly.
