Another year is about to pass, unreal how time flies as we get
older. Taking all things into consideration it was again a great year out there on the
rivers, and many fine fish were caught. The new 24 ins size limit for Brown trout has seen
percentage wise more fish in the mid ranges of 15 to 22 ins.
We also saw due to great water levels at Bull Shoals dam some superb
Rainbows, my personal best there being 7lb 2oz, many more were caught way above 20 ins
during the year.
As predicted the COE started to run high water with flood gates also
open on both rivers, this was due to high lakes levels and the need to get those down to
pool before further heavy rain falls. The prediction is we should see the lakes down to
pool sometime mid January, assuming we do not see further heavy rain falls, you never know
this time of the year.
There for at this time fishing will be more so a high water issue
with little opportunity to wade fish from the normal points of access, Not the case if you
float the river and use that means to access given zones you can wade, all be it l would
suggest you are better off to drift fish.
Best options are to fish over flooded grass and shallower zones off
and around islands and grass banks that are a little off the main stream flows of the
river.
Typical set ups will be Dynamite and San Juan worms, eggs, jigs and
other bright colored flies at times. Do not dismiss using small fly patterns such as
sowbugs, white tail midge and generic fly patterns such as GRHE, Montana, bitch creek, and
larger stone fly bugs, often as not the Browns will take these for terrestrial beetles
that have been washed out from the decaying timber along the river shore lines, you will
be surprised at the results.
Streamer fishing over flooded grass beds may also be a good bet as
well as working along shorlines.
You will need to adjust your leader length and weight from the
indicator to suit the average depth of water you are fishing over, One good tip here is to
use as little weight as you can get away with when fishing over grass beds. You want the
fly to fish just a little above the grass and not in it.
I will keep you posted as soon as we see a change here from high
water to lower water flows.
The dry run creek project continues to move along. The FNNFH chose
one of the contractors who made a bid to build the new handicap boardwalk, as l write this
is being constructed, this should be completed in a few weeks. Early spring the AGFC will
return to complete the instream habitat work that Dave Whitlock designed.
Our hatchery manager Mr. Ken Boyles is to retire at the end of the
year after some 30 years service with the USFW. Ken has served as hatchery manager at
Norfork for the past 15 years, before that he also worked at Mammoth springs and Greer's
Ferry, both USFW hatcheries here in Arkansas.
The Friends of the hatchery arranged for a retirement party for Ken
on the 17th of Dec, which was well attended by USFW personal, COE, AGFC and many friends
that have a high regard for Kens work and friendship.
We will await the appointment of our new hatchery manager, to say
the least we will miss Ken. We wish him a very happy life after his retirement, he
deserves it..
As a matter of interest here l calculated that Ken must have seen
something like 30, million fish pass through the hatchery while he was there, unreal.
It remains only for me to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a
Prosperous New Year, and many tight lines to all.
From myself, Gary and Mary Cooley who provide the site for the
reports.
Davy.
