White
River: Mountain
River Fly Shop had no report.
John Berry from Berry
Brothers Guide Service said the White has
seen light but steady generation around the clock with
slightly higher flows in the afternoons. There has
been precious little wadable water. The only thing
preventing high levels of generation around the clock
is flooding downstream. As soon as it clears, we will
see a lot of high water. The Catch-and-release section
below Bull Shoals Dam will be closed until January
31, 2010. The section from the bottom of the catch-and-release
section downstream to the wing wall at the State Park
is seasonal catch-and-release for the same time. The
stretch from Bull Shoals State Park to the Narrows
has fished well. The moderate flows we have received
have been perfect for drift fishing. The hot flies
have been San Juan worms and Y2Ks. Two-fly rigs (San
Juan worm and egg) have done particularly well in this
area. Small mayfly nymphs like pheasant tails and copper
johns and midge patterns have also been effective.
Rim Shoals has been red hot for another week. The go-to
flies have been Y2Ks and cerise San Juan worms. On
windy days, try fishing grasshoppers. Use 4X tippet
and large flies. Let the fly land with a splash and
twitch it occasionally to imitate a struggling grasshopper.
The best patterns have been Dave’s hoppers and
Rainey’s hoppers. If you encounter high water,
Rim Shoals Trout Dock maintains a water taxi and will
ferry you to wadable water for a nominal fee.
Sportsman’s
White River Resort (870-453-2424) said the
water is high and murky. Trout are biting fairly well
on Power bait. Brown trout are slow, but rainbows are
biting fairly well.
Jim Brentlinger at Linger's
Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185)
said Rim Shoals is where the action is. One-hundred
to 200-fish days have been common. The fly rod with
sow bugs, scuds, San Juan worms (hot pink) and pink
1/8-ounce jigs have generated a lot of action. White
River Zig Jigs on 4-lb. line and spinning rods have
been awesome.
White
River (From Buffalo City to Red’s Landing): Jim Brentlinger at Linger's
Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185)
said as you come down from Buffalo City, the fishing
is not quite as furious but still no problems putting
a lot of fish in the boat. Six to 8 percent of the
daily catches have been brown trout with several in
the 18- to 20-inch range.
Crooked
Creek: John Berry of Berry
Brothers Guide Service said Crooked Creek
and the Buffalo River are running high and muddy.
Bull
Shoals Lake: As
of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports
the lake’s elevation at 678.48 feet MSL (Normal
conservation pool – 654 MSL).
Lake
Norfork: As
of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports
the lake’s elevation at 570.60 feet MSL (Normal
conservation pool: Sept.-April – 552 MSL, April-Sept. – 554
MSL).
101
Grocery and Bait said fishing has been good for
the most part. The surface temperature is in the low
60s. There is some stained water near the newly flooded
brush that has been good for largemouth bass. Kentucky
and smallmouth bass are being caught more often in
the deeper water. Crappie fishing has been fair using
minnows and small rubber baits with a very light jig
and a slow presentation. Catfishing is good on nightcrawlers
and live minnows. Walleye fishing has been slow. Striper
fishing has been slow. White bass fishing has been
fair on top-water baits.
Norfork
Tailwater: Jim Brentlinger at Linger's
Guide Service and Fishing Lodge (870-499-5185)
the tailwater is very muddy because of Otter Creek
flooding during the last rain. There won’t be
much good fishing until the stained water is flushed
out.
John Berry from Berry
Brothers Guide Service said there have been
significant periods of no generation every day with
moderate generation in the afternoon. This has created
some great wading conditions daily. The North Fork
River has continued to receive quite a bit of pressure
due to round the clock generation on the White but
has still fished well. Midge patterns have been the
go-to flies on the lower flows. The most productive
patterns were black zebra midges with silver wire and
silver beads, black Norfork midges and Dan’s
turkey tail emergers. Other effective flies have been
olive woolly buggers and soft hackles (partridge and
orange soft hackles and green butts). On higher flows,
hot fluorescent pink San Juan worms and orange egg
patterns have been the most effective way to fish.
Dry Run Creek has fished well. Some big browns have
moved into the creek to spawn. The hot fly, as always,
has been the sow bug. The most effective technique
to use on Dry Run creek is to high stick nymphs under
an indicator. There is precious little room to cast.
Have the youngster you are fishing with set the hook
quickly and fight the fish on the reel. Be sure and
use at least 4X tippet to have a chance at landing
some of the bigger fish. Carry the biggest net you
can lay your hands on as most fish are lost at the
net.
Ken Richards at Just
Fishing Guides had no report.
