White River
(updated 1-26-2023) Cotter Trout Dock (870-435-6525)
said, “We have snow on the ground here in the
northern Arkansas Ozarks. It won't last long, but it
sure is pretty. And wet. Chances are good that the
lake level may rise some; Bull Shoals Lake is
currently at 657.05 feet msl. Yesterday's rain and
snow caused a slight rise – we'll probably see more
in the next few days – but the lake is still almost
2 feet below power pool, so there is a safety net.
The Corps of Engineers and the Southwestern Power
Administration have been varying outflows quite
significantly over the past week, from just under a
unit (2,500 cfs) to 4 units (12,000 cfs), so be very
careful and pay attention to the river conditions if
you choose to wade or anchor fish. Rapid rises can
increase the trout bite but can also increase debris
and may catch you off guard.”
Changing water conditions has made finding the
trout's favorite hiding spots a little more
difficult, but as they move away from spawning
grounds, browns are more than ready to grab a minnow
or sculpin. Most white lures or jigs have also
proven successful, orange bellied stick baits are
always a good bet, too. Any type of yellow or
peach-colored egg pattern was popular with both fly
and spin fishers. Rigged just above the hook, it
mimics the trout eggs after the spawn and has
brought a number of browns up for pictures. Rainbow
trout get a break during the winter to grow, and
they're now eagerly taking worms, both live red
worms and nightcrawlers or molded, scented sunrise
or orange PowerBait.
“Make sure you bundle up for early morning trips to
the river; the temperature can be 5-10 degrees
colder on the river than the thermometer reads. Our
afternoon temps have been very pleasant for January.
Stay warm and keep anglin’.”
(updated 1-26-2023) Dave McCulley, owner of Jenkins
Fishing Service in Calico Rock, said the rain a week
ago Wednesday caused some dinginess in the river but
by Friday the river had cleared. The river has seen
spikes as high as 7 feet and lows of 4 feet.
Drift-fishing with yellow or sunrise Power Eggs with
shrimp worked well catching rainbow trout.
Quarter-ounce gold-colored spoons when the sun if
out, or silver colored spoons when it is cloudy,
also worked well in lower water. Size 7 or 9 Rapala
Countdowns in rainbow trout colors worked well for
some nice 20-inch-plus brown trout. We have also
seen success using jigs. There was one stocking this
week of a 1,000 rainbow trout at the Calico Rock
boat ramp.
“The snowstorm Tuesday evening knocked out power for
many people in the area and as of Thursday many
thousands are still without power. I would like to
give a shout out to the linemen of the various
electric companies working to restore power,” Dave
said.
(updated 1-26-2023) John Berry of Berry Brothers
Guide Service said that during the past week they
had numerous rain events that combined for a
half-inch in Cotter, cold temperatures and heavy
winds. “As I write this I am waiting for 8 inches of
snow to hit here in Cotter. The lake level at Bull
Shoals rose 0.4 foot to rest at 2.1 feet below power
pool of 659 feet msl. This is 38.1 feet below the
top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell
0.1 foot to rest at 0.3 foot below power pool and
16.3 feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake
fell 0.3 foot to rest at 2.2 feet below power pool
or 11.8 feet below the top of flood pool. On the
White, we have had some wadable water and more
moderate flows. Norfork Lake fell 0.2 foot to rest
0.3 foot below power pool of 553.75 feet msl and
26.6 feet below the top of flood pool. On the
Norfork, we have had more wadable water.”
All of the lakes in the White River system are still
at or below power pool. With cooler temperatures,
expect higher flows and less wadable water. Expect
heavy generation during peak power demand.
The catch-and-release section below Bull Shoals Dam
is closed through Jan. 31 to accommodate the brown
trout spawn. The State Park will be seasonal
catch-and-release for the same period. All brown
trout must be immediately released. In addition,
night fishing is prohibited in this area during this
period. This section will reopen next Wednesday!
“On the White, the hot spot has been The Narrows. We
have had some lower flows that have fished well. 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. My favorite has been a cerise
San Juan worm with an orange egg dropper.”
John also said, “Today (at this writing) would be my
late brother Dan’s 70th birthday. He passed away
unexpectedly seven years ago. When we were young Dan
and I shared a bedroom and attended the same public
schools. I went in the Army and he entered the Navy
as a photographer’s mate. I went to Vietnam and he
was clever enough to get a job taking pictures of
the admiral playing golf.
“He took up fly-fishing first and soon introduced me
to the sport. He taught me how to cast a fly rod,
tie flies and fly-fish. We were fishing buddies for
decades. We became known in Memphis as the guys to
introduce others to the sport. As a result, we
decided to start Berry Brothers Guide Service. We
obtained guide licenses, bought liability insurance
and developed a marketing plan. We were soon guiding
others.
“The first thing we noticed was that while I loved
guiding, Dan did not. He thought if he was on the
water, he wanted to fish. I began doing all of the
guiding. We had to come up with an alternate source
of income. We began teaching fly-fishing. We taught
at a local junior college, the Arkansas Game and
Fish Commission and a local sporting goods store.
“To enhance this, we took the Federation of Fly
Fishers Certified Casting Instructor exam from no
less a teacher than Dave Whitlock. We began teaching
fly-casting for a local sporting goods store and
also giving private lessons. This was well received.
“Dan was a great caster and casting instructor but
he was best known as a fly-tyer. He was a commercial
fly-tyer for several years. He was a regular tyer at
the Sowbug Roundup and the Southern Council Conclave
where he tied several midge patterns like Dan’s
turkey tail emerger (my favorite) and chucks
emerger. He was adept at tying very small flies. In
addition, to his tiny midges he tied size 32 (the
smallest hook made) dry flies.
“Once I moved to Cotter to guide full time, we did
not work together as much. He stayed in Memphis and
taught Wounded Warriors at the VA to cast and tie
flies. He had a cabin in Norfork and we got together
to fish as often as we could. Our favorite trip was
to wade fish the Norfork tailwater. I would wade
upstream and fish nymphs and he would fish the ring
of rocks near the access. There were always fish
rising there.
“His loved to fish one of his size 32 dry flies with
a 70-foot cast. I asked him how he could fish that
small of a fly on that long of a cast. There is no
way that he could see the fly. When you are fishing
dry flies you must see the fly to see the take. He
said that he would set the hook when he saw a rise
near where he thought the fly was. He caught fish
doing this! Our last fishing trip was there.
“I miss him and think of him often.”
Bull Shoals Lake
As of Thursday, the Army Corps of Engineers reported
the lake’s elevation at 657,13 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: 659.00 feet msl; top flood
elevation is 695.00 feet msl). Flow on Thursday
midday was 2,502 cfs, and tailwater elevation was
452.60 feet. The reported lake elevation at Table
Rock Lake was 914.64 feet msl (normal conservation
pool: 915.00 feet msl; top flood elevation is 931.0
feet msl).
(updated 1-19-2023) Del Colvin at Bull Shoals Lake
Boat Dock said the Bull Shoals water level 656 feet
msl, or about 2 feet below normal pool. The lake
came up a little. Water temperature Thursday was 48
degrees, give or take. "Fishing is good. Shallow
guys, there are plenty of fish on the bank. If there
are wind and clouds, I’m covering water where the
wind hits square on the bank – hopefully on a point,
chunk rock, steep bank or ledge rock. I’m saying
close to deeper water. A Spro Crawler, Wiggle Wart,
Red Craw or green variations. You’ll have keep
moving to find them, but when you do there’s usually
a few close.
"There are always fish to be caught on a jig. If
it’s flat, try sunny points with brush or ledges
30-40 feet. The winter patterns are working.
Offshore video gaming. Shad are still spread out;
target bigger bait balls and shad becomes the
structure. Creek hollers, 50-90 feet overall depth.
Every day every creek will be different. Watching
the loons and graph time pays off this time of year.
Use a single 2.8 white swimbait or jerkbait or
flutter spoon around those high swimming shad balls.
It’s usually best early or late in the day when shad
are up in the water column. If they are being
finicky, hang a Tater Shad over the side. For
schooling fish, use a Jewel Scope or spin a Jigging
Rap. Jewel Scuba Spoon for the bottom dwellers. Lots
of different species showing up out there in the
middle of the lake. Each day is different, so fish
the conditions."
Del regularly posts new YouTube videos. 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 553.41 feet msl (normal
conservation pool: Sept.-April, 553.75 feet msl;
April-Sept. 556.25 feet msl; top flood elevation
580.0 feet msl). Flow below the dam Thursday morning
was about 6,200 cfs for six hourws before dropping
to 205 cfs.
(updated 1-26-2023) Steven “Scuba Steve” Street at
Blackburn’s Resort said the lake level is 553.45
feet msl and has risen a half-inch in the last 24
hours with one and two generators alternating for
just a few hours. “We officially received 8 inches
of snow, but it did not look like it with it coming
right after the rain and it took a lot before it
started to stick. It was very wet and heavy causing
some power outages. The surface water temperature
was still 47 degrees when I came in Wednesday
evening at dark.
Not much has changed since last week, with clarity
about the same, and I could see my lure down about 4
feet. Both crappie fishing and bass fishing is just
fair but some temperate bass are being caught deep.
Bluegill are starting to bite again, but you have to
work for everything you get. It is not easy, but the
lake is in excellent condition and at a good level.
Spoons are the best overall lure.
For a daily fishing report and lake condition go to
www.blackburnsresort.com and click on Scuba Steve's
Blog.
(updated 1-26-2023) Lou Gabric at Hummingbird
Hideaway Resort had no new reports, but Lou posts
almost daily on his Facebook page with photos and
where the fish are biting and what’s biting. Check
it out.
Norfork Tailwater
(updated 1-26-2023) John Berry of Berry Brothers
Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Norfork
Lake fell 0.2 foot to rest 0.3 foot below power pool
of 553.75 feet msl and 26.6 feet below the top of
flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had more wadable
water. All of the lakes in the White River system
are still at or below power pool. With cooler
temperatures, expect higher flows and less wadable
water. Expect heavy generation during peak power
demand.
There has been more wadable water on the Norfork.
The most productive flies have been small midge
patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver
wire and silver bead). Double-fly nymph rigs have
been very effective. Try a small bead-headed nymph
(zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail)
suspended 18 inches below a brightly colored San
Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise). John
says his favorite rig has been a pheasant tail nymph
size 14 and a ruby midge size 18. The fishing is
much better in the morning and late afternoon and
tapers off midday.
Dry Run Creek has fished a bit better. Weekends can
get a quite crowded. The hot flies have been
sowbugs, various colored San Juan worms (worm brown,
red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and white mop
flies. 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 1-26-2023) John Berry of Berry Brothers
Guide Service in Cotter (870-435-2169) said Crooked
Creek and the Buffalo River are fishing poorly. With
colder temperatures, the smallmouths are much less
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.
