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Additional White River Area Information
Davy Wotton's Web Site | White River Home Page | White River Lodging Directory
Davy Wotton's
White River & North Fork River Fly Fishing Report
Updated about once per month, or as conditions change.
Current Report: October, 2006
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Hello Fly Fishers!
Fall is just about my personal favorite time here on the river systems.
The heat and humidity are gone, the large trophy fish are more in a mood to take your
flies and for the best part there is way less traffic out there on the river at this time.
Close down of access. For those of you who have used the private access
at Mclellands on the Norfork river. As of January first this will be closed.
I will not go into the reasons for this other than one being the issue of possible law
suits against the owners in the event of an accident or injury to those who use it. Such
is the ridiculous state of the legal system. There comes a point when you have to take
responsibility for your own actions !!!
There are some of us here involved in trying to come to some arrangement there, it may be
possible that the AGFC will provide a access, at this time l am not in a position to let
you know one way or the other.
The recent heavy rains did mess the river up below Crooked creek and the run off from the
Buffalo more or less shut down the White from there on down, as l write the water is
clearing up well.
Generations. For the Norfork river. Most day you will see some, can be
from a low one to full bore two units. As a rule most days there will be some low water
there.
For the White. At this time, most days they will start early with one and
wind that up as the day goes along. As always you need to check in for the current status.
870 431 5311. There is a new reply system in place at this time, and you should have no
problem as in the past to obtain up to date information.
Fishing. Plenty of fish in both rivers at this time. Due to the run off l
have not fished below the confluence this past week, from BSD down and the Norfork l have.
Bull Shoals Dam
There is a large number of fish in that zone at this time, Many fish in the 12 to 14 ins
and many well over that. Typically here as always. low water and up to one unit on you
will see a great deal of surface activity to small midge. If they up the flow rates as a
rule that will kill the surface activity. Small midge dry, emerger and pupa for the lower
water levels. Sowbugs/scuds and larger pupa as the water levels rise there. Some of the
trophy Browns are moving in and within the next few weeks there will be many more. If they
are running higher water flows then go with some larger streamers, close to the
shorelines. Many persons do not bother with the dam when there is higher water flows
running. Up to around 3 to 4 you can still fish from the shorelines, backcasting will be a
problem, but you can still get way out with roll casts and work in a down stream mode with
streamers. Many of those big fish will be within 10 ft of the bank.
From the dam down to Cotter, plenty of Bows in those zones and here again
many big fish are moving up stream at this time.
Trophy Browns do tend to loose some caution at this time, and many will be caught through
the day time periods.
Cotter to Rim. Same here plenty of fish in the zones. Rim Shoals at this
time is fishing real well and l have had with clients many recently with fish numbers in
the 60 plus.
Fish not so fussy, it is more of a question of getting your presentations right and also
not persisting in fishing in the same spot for too long, which is a all to common mistake
that many make here.
Midge, Hares ear, PTN, scuds and sows. There are on some days hatches of small caddis so
take some of those along with you.
Rim is a known location for many trophy browns at this time, so always pays to give some
larger flies a swim there.
Saying that we have had a number of fish over 19 this week taking regular nymphs.
From Rim down to Buffalo Shoals, expect to find here good numbers of Bows
and same also here many of the trophy fish will be moving up stream. Buffalo Shoals is one
of my favorite zone to fish at this time. It does hold many good fish at this time. Best
here if you have low water that allows you to wade fish the holding zones of those fish.
From there on down to the Confluence. This are can be good or slow, many
fish do get harvested in this zone, but you may find some good fishing in the Shipps ferry
access. You need low water to wade fish here by the way.
From the confluence down to Calico and then to Sylamore. You will find
hot spots and slow ones, which is often typical for this 60 miles of the river. Most of
this you will need a boat for access. Low water here always pays to moor the boat and wade
fish. Steamboat Shoals is always good holding water and often good fishing can be found at
Redds Landing and Calico. There you need again low water to wade access.
Norfork
Fished that twice this past 5 days. Plenty of fish here at this time, and typically you
will also now see many of the larger fish, Browns and Bows, moving in from the White to
ward to dam end of the river.
Low water here, then midge pupa, sows and scuds, PTN hares ear San Juan worms and eggs.
Again always worth to fish some larger flies here. Wooly buggers in olive, white, black
and brown.
As yet no sign of any early shad coming through the dams, but it can happen any day that
they have the gates open. I have seen in past years some great fishing if that takes
places, you never know, so make sure you have some white flies with you, marabou and shad
imitations.
OK, guys, look forward to a great month fishing the rivers.
For those of you who do catch a trophy fish 20 inches plus, then please forward a picture
to me at my e-mail address.---davyfly@ozarkmountains.com.
Tight lines for now, Davy.About
Davy Wotton
Davy has been making his living as a full time fly fisher in one capacity or another for
over 30 years. He has written many articles for all of the fly fishing magazines, created
several unique flies and fly tying materials which he developed into a full scale
manufacturing operation in his native country of Wales, and is a much-sought speaker
around America at fly fishing functions and shows. Over the years Davy has fished in over
40 countries around the world but his choice for base of operation is right here on the
White River. Davy operates his American International Schools of Fly Fishing in Flippin,
Arkansas.
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