I have posted this report a little late. The next report from John will be posted when I recieve it.
There has been very little rain during the past week leaving the lake levels virtually unchanged. BullShoalsLake is about three and three quarters of a foot above pool of 652.00 feet. At the same time, NorforkLake rests at a bit less than three feet above pool of 554.00 feet. Up stream both Beaver and Table Rock are about one foot over pool. There has been very little generation at Bull Shoals (mainly in the afternoons) during the last week and even less at Norfork. With the forecast for a scorching hot summer, it can only be assumed that they are holding back water for then. While there has been enough water for float fishing, there have been some excellent wading opportunities. On the White River, fishing has been excellent. Large fish are moving up from the lower river to escape rising water temperatures. The catch and release area near Bull Shoals dam continues to be a hot spot. There are probably more large fish caught here than any other place on the river. That said it is a tough place to fish. The water is skinny and gin clear. It lacks some of the larger hatches we get down stream. You need to concentrate on small midge emergers or soft hackles and long thin tippets. Down stream at the state park the fish are a bit smaller but more willing to hit standard nymphs like sow bugs and hare ears or even streamers like the ever popular woolly bugger. Wildcat Shoals has been fishing well. In the shoals, nymphs like the sow bugs, copper johns, and zebra midges have been working. Lower down, soft hackles like the partridge and green and partridge and orange have been producing fish particularly when fished together using a dropper. Olive woolly buggers have also been effective in this area. The Cotter area has been red hot. Float fishing right in front of Big SpringPark with bead head sowbugs size 16 has resulted in thirty and forty fish days. Round House Shoals has had some incredible action on the Sulphurs in the afternoon. Either fish with a sulphur parachute size fourteen or a partridge and orange soft hackle to cash in on this fly fishing bonanza. There is an incredible amount of public access here and all of it is quite wadable at low water. Rim Shoals has been fishing well and has had some great top water fishing for the Sulphurs. Early in the day fish nymphs like the zebra size 18. Around noon switch over to copper johns size 16 or pheasant tails of the same size. Later in the afternoon when you observe the cliff swallows working the surface of the river switch to partridge and orange soft hackles. When the trout start keying in on the adult may flies go to the sulphur parachute. Buffalo Shoals has also been productive. It does not get as much pressure as it is only accessible by boat. There has been a bank stabilization project going on in the catch and release section of the Norfork. There has been some heavy equipment observed in the river and some siltation has occurred. This is a privately funded project and all the required permits have been acquired. Great care has been taken to protect as much existing vegetation as possible and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission professionals were brought in to facilitate some fish structure that was added to the channel on the right side of Cooks island. This will ultimately result in better fishing and it is being done right. When navigating that area in high water, be careful to avoid the new structure. Fishing has been good in the morning on size 18 zebra midges and size 20 Norfork bead heads. The afternoon has presented some great top water activity on caddis. Some sulphurs have been observed but there have been no significant hatches yet. Some large fish have been caught on the small nymphs as well as San Juan worms and egg patterns. Soft hackles have also been working. Try the partridge and orange or partridge and green. With the coming Memorial Day weekend, I would expect a lot of pressure on Dry Run Creek. Remember that there are fish literally throughout the entire stream not just at the popular spots. Move around, and I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
Practice water safety and always check conditions before leaving home.
John is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas that has twenty five years experience fishing these waters.
