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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: Thursday, May 7, 2008
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Hello Fly Fishers!
To say the least we have suffered some awful climatic conditions here in Arkansas, first
the tornadoes and then the horrendous floods, both of which have caused many of our
residents to lose property and possessions. It goes without saying that for those of us
fortunate not to have suffered loss we extend our sympathy and thought to those who have.
There is no doubt that the floods we have experienced here and the national media
broadcasts have very much reduced the tourist activity we would normally see here fishing
our rivers. Granted at the time when the floods gates were opened up on both the Norfork
and White rivers, fishing was not an option unless you were with a very experienced guide.
It was simple madness to rent boats at such times also, as l know at least 4 incidents
that rent boats were sunk, fortunately no lives were lost. Some of our trout docks did
refuse to rent boats during that time, others not, which l fail to understand, however.
On a brighter side lets take a look at how the fishing has been. I have been guiding on
the White river more or less a day or so after the first flood situation that took place,
and l have to say overall the fishing was and has continued to be as good as you can get,
all be it some days catch rates were slower, but then 20 plus fish in high dirty water
situations are by any means good numbers.
I did in fact fish customers at Bull shoals dam when all 17 flood gates were open plus the
8 generator gates, and we caught fish, and some real good ones at that.
Norfork river was not so much an option to fish due to the back up of water from the White
river and the subsequent opening of the floods gates.
Since the flood gates have been shut down fishing has been very good on the Norfork, all
be it the result of 80,000 cfs has changed the river in many ways. We have lost much of
the structure along the shore lines. The trees and foliage that were once established on
the islands in the river are gone or are laid flat and there has been a great deal of
change so far as how the wash off from the degraded shorelines has built up new substrate
levels in the river channels. All is not lost here by far as the result was also the
Norfork had a flush out that should in the long run improve overall the fishery both for
habitat and the fish.
From this point on, and provided we do not see any further heavy rainfall l would say the
COE has the situation well under control. Norfork is currently running its two gates open
with periodic times that generation is shut down. Bull Shoals is running from 2 to 8 gates
open with variable levels of CFS which may be very low to high. Each day will differ,
either way it is very fishable water both on the Norfork and from Bull Shoals down to the
Buffalo river with good clean clear water. Below the Norfork and White river confluence
you may well find the water colored, but it is fishable. l guided some clients there
Monday and we did real well. It will take some time before the wash off from the degraded
bank side structure ceases, and this may well be the case if high water flows are present
on the White river.
Fishing. So how have we been catching fish? Wade fishing has been limited
but not out of the question. Trout as a rule will seek slower water zones close to the
shore lines. In many cases many of the larger trophy Brown trout have been caught very
close to flooded grass banks as they seek the abundance of worms that are flushed out.
The vast majority of fish we have been catching are within 20 ft of shorelines, be it with
nymphs, streamers and many other fly patterns. Bull Shoals dam has offered plenty of
opportunity for that now that the flood gates are shut down. We fished a low water flow at
BSD Sunday and scored a great day fishing sow bugs and dynamite worms. Granted fishing
from a boat does offer a greater degree of fishable water out there at this time.
High water fishing while afloat at least with the fly rod is challenging at times no
doubt, but all is not lost if you apply some basic strategy. Which amounts to this. You
must use sufficient weight to get the fly running close to the river bed, and that may be
as little as one number one shot to as much as a AAA, or more. Both depth and water speed
determine this.
Make sure you used an indicator that will support the weight and nit drag down during the
drag free drift. Distance is not important when fishing high water, something in the
region of 20 to 30 ft works most of the time.
If you are not able to asses the depth it is way better to have the system set up way over
depth than not, as a example if fishing 6 ft of water distance from indicator to fly can
be as much as 10 or 12ft.
Use a rod that will carry at least a 6 wt line, 5 wts are well ok if fishing shallow water
and lower flow rates. Simply with heavy rigs 5 wts will handicap you, worse if there are
adverse winds at that time. Long rods in the region of 10ft are way easier to fish with
than short rods in the 9ft or less range.
Often as not it is not needed to fish light tippets 5/6 x. I will frequently use 4 or even
3x when fishing at depth and when dealing with high water speeds. Hook sets should be fast
as due to the distance from indicator to fly fish will have ample opportunity to eject
your fly if you do not set the hook fast.
Choice of flies for fishing deep high water can be options of jigs, San Juan worms, eggs
and flies that exhibit good color and can be seen.
Lower water flows, move more toward larger nymphs such as sowbugs and scuds in sizes 12
and 14. Chironomids in sizes 12 to 14, San Juan worms.
Fishing into or over shallow water zones reduce down to 4 or 5x, use just enough weight to
get the fly down to depth, too much weight will cause you to hang up and that is not a
good choice here. Often as not when l fish slower water over flooded grass l will use no
weight when fishing worm flies.
Fishing streamers. Bait fish will seek comfort zones, which will be slow
slack water zones, the mouth of a creek or other influence away from the main current of
the river. These are many of the zones that trophy Browns frequent as they know those bait
fish will be there. Sculpins love worms and they will also be found close to shorelines
and over flooded grass, here again they are zones to look for and fish over for that once
in a lifetime fish.
Streamers may be fished using dry lines, sink tips, intermediate and full sink lines, it
all amounts to both depth and speed of water to determine this choice.
Wooly buggers in olive, white and black are good choices along with bait fish patterns, l
might add here that you also have a good chance to nail a good fish with bass type hair
bugs. Large trout will eat frogs and mice and large fished surface dry fly patterns can
produce a great fish at times, as l well know for experience, you never know until you try
it.
Hatches at this time. Sad to say due to the high water and floods we did
not see the great White river caddis emergence we all love to fish. There may be some
caddis around all be it few and far between. More or less at this time any surface food
base will be midges, here again fish will often be found rising in the slower back water
eddy zones particularly early morning after the previous nights midge emergence. May be
some presence of BWO also at that time.
Hopefully we will see before too long some evidence of the sulphurs and also toward the
end of the month some stone fly emergence, but that is as a rule a very early morning
activity.
Overall guys expect this. We will see high water flows for some time due
to high water levels in the lakes, which will take some time to reduce.
Trout in the system will grow well and be in peak condition. There is great opportunity to
catch trophy Browns at this time and way better than average Bows, along with Cutt throat
and Brooks, particularly at the dam zone on Norfork river.
If you have concerns about renting boats or fishing high water, my advice would be to hire
a competent guide, as a good guide will enable you to take advantage of the fishing
conditions at that time and know the best options so far as where to fish.
If l am able to help you further with your choices , Q and A, while we have the current
conditions, you are most welcome to contact me at my email address.
davyfly@ozarkmountains.com
At the end of the day despite higher water flows we have great fishing here, of that there
is no doubt.
Look forward to see you on the river.
Davy Wotton
American International Schools of Fly FishingAbout 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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