| September 7, 2011 |
| I've been reluctant to write reports recently for several reasons due mostly to increased competition in the guide business from-out-of-staters and weekend warriors etc. I've never been reluctant to help anyone out with information but I've learned the hard way that too much information can come back to bite you. But enough of that. Certain areas of the river have been producing lots of big browns on hoppers, yes hoppers in heavy generation! The bite varies from day to day, some days 5 or 6 and other days 30. These numbers refer to brown trout only. My ratio using hoppers has been consistently 80% browns and 20% bows and/or cutts. Most of the browns are running between 16 and 20 inches but we've caught larger fish including a 25 inch slob. Pounding certain banks with various hopper patterns has been the preferred technique. Who doesn't want to catch quality browns on the surface. Now is definitely the time and the bite should last until sometime after the year's first frost. This is pure excitement you don't want to miss! |
| April 14, 2011 |
| Spring is here, the caddis are hatching and the bite is incredible. High numbers of rainbows and quality browns every single day has been the norm for the last two weeks. My last two clients managed to boat 13 browns from 16-23 inches and about sixty rainbows. The fish are all taking Sunday Specials and the bite is generally best when there are lots of caddis around. It's rare to catch browns like this in these low flows but the caddis really have them feeding. This fishing is very similar to hitting a good day during a shad kill and it's happening literally every day! |
| March14, 2011 |
| Not much in the way of a shad kill this year due to lack of generation but there is still the possibility of a late one, it wasn't that long ago when a bunch came through in April. We are seeing a nice change though. After close to three straight years of high water, we're now seeing more wade fishing opportunities than we've seen in a long time and because of the previous high water and a new brown trout regulation, the river is full of big fish. I had to restock a bunch of my low water flies, much of which we haven't fished in 2-3 years. Very small flies, 18-24's, are producing the better fish most days and you obviously need to fish them on fine tippet, 6x mostly, but we've landed some great fish and lost a few as well. That's to be expected. It's almost like fishing a new river after years of high water nymph rigs and pounding the banks with big streamers so it's quite an exciting time. We are starting to get a fair amount of rain so who knows how long this will last, enjoy it while you can, conditions on these tailwaters can change in the blink of an eye. |
| January 23, 2011 |
| The new year has started out cold but if you could stand the freezing temp.'s the fishing has been great. Streamer fishing has been producing nice browns daily from 18-23 inches and one of our friends, Ben Levin and his brother, caught a giant 32 incher on a medium sized solid black streamer just a couple of weeks ago. This is a true fish of a lifetime, congrats guys. We have finally started to see warmer temp.'s which makes stripping alot easier so now is the time if you're looking to catch some nice brownies. I also had a bang up day yesterday dead drifting shad patterns. I noticed some shad coming through at Bull Shoals Dam a few weeks ago and I'm guessing they are still coming through during periods of heavy generation. We fished from the Narrows to Cotter and caught fish on shad patterns through the entire stretch. The browns were hitting pretty aggressively and my guess is that they are seeing some shad. We ended up with four great browns(18,20,21 & 22 inches) as well as about a half dozen smaller, under 14 inches, browns and about twenty rainbows. I'll take that any day. So, whether you're a die hard streamer stripper or a nymph-o-maniac now is a great time for high percentage chances at trophy browns! |
| November 30, 2010 |
| A great Fall season is winding down and Winter is approaching. This Fall was one of the best I can remember as far as weather is concerned, warm temp.'s made for very comfortable fishing and alot of nice browns to boot. The Norfork has continued to fish very well during periods of generation and is producing quality browns, bows and cutts. The White has been pretty consistent in all water levels and has produced many nice browns. A 27 inch beauty was the best so far this year but there are still opportunities and I've seen several over 10 pounds that I'll be looking to put on the end of someone's line in the next month or so. We're still seeing periods of warm weather and recent high flows during the morning and afternoon make for ideal streamer fishing conditions. Winter is a great time to be here when the weather cooperates because there is very little pressure and the bigger fish always seem to cooperate better when there are only a few boats on miles of river. I love the feeling of being the only fisherman on such a large body of water and big fish are almost always caught during this time. If you want solitude and a chance at a trophy brown, December and January are good months to come fishing. The weather can be iffy but you can bet we'll have some warm days in the mix. |
| October 5, 2010 |
| Fall is upon us and the weather is gorgeous. The fishing ain't too shabby either! We're still getting a few big bows on the surface and the browns are starting to move. Areas holding them will vary from one day to the next but they're eating good when you find them. Water levels have been very favorable for many different techniques, both wading or drifting, we've caught quality fish on streamers, dries and nymph rigs on both the White and the Norfork. I doubt the surface bite will last much longer but this has been one heck of a year for fishing terrestrials. Huge rainbows eating big foam flies is about as good as it gets in my book, other than a huge brown trout on a streamer. Either one, I'll take it and I've seen both in the last week. The opportunity is definitely out there this year. |
| September 26, 2010 |
| The weather has taken a turn toward magnificent and it feels great to be on the river. The terrestrial bite has slowed a bit at BSD but we're still raising some good fish and landing a few, 6 bows between 17 and 21 inches were the prizes of the week and the 21 incher was so FAT it weighed in at 4 pounds. There are lots of big bows still hanging around in that area and I've been fortunate enough to catch a few on the surface. Further downstream, the surface bite is easy, even amateurs are cleaning up, but the fish are much smaller. Nymphing is producing high numbers up and down the river which makes for easy guiding even if you have novices in the boat. The browns are starting to stage in areas below spawning grounds but they have been mostly feeding at night due to low flows and a full, high moon. The next few weeks will provide some opportunities at the brownies and the surface bite will decline with the cooler temp.'s. This has been a year for the books as far as big fish on the top, I can only remember a couple of seasons that could possibly rival 2010. However, we're approaching the Fall and it's time to catch some big browns. The next two months will provide ample opportunities for those of you willing to spend the time to catch them. Good luck and good fishing! |
| September 1, 2010 |
| Lower flows are providing some HOT action on the surface. Hoppers, foam beetles and the like are producing some real quality fish on a daily basis. A 23 inch brown yesterday and countless 18-20 inch bows over the last week have been temporary residents of my net. This is some of the coolest trout fishing you'll ever experience and only the larger fish are taking these large surface meals. Business is a bit slow so now is the time to take advantage of this exciting fishing. Quite honestly, it just doesn't get much better than this and I think it will continue for at least the next few weeks. Don't miss out or you'll regret it. You can check out some pic.'s from the last week on my facebook page or my ad on Worldwide Fishing Guide. Mountain River Fly Shop's blog should also have them posted. I hope you get the chance to experience this event, it's SICK! |
| August 14, 2010 |
| As if the streamer fishing wasn't enough, Rob had a stellar day at Bull Shoals Dam the next day. We started around 8 am fishing 1 generator and fishing nothing but big dries(hoppers, chernobyl ants and some giant foam beetles). We had several fish blow up on different flies but the water kept rising and I was losing confidence in the surface action, and itching to go back to the Norfork with streamers. Before making the move Rob tied on a huge foam bodied diver that he uses for smallies and began stripping it through the middle of the river when a monster Rainbow exploded on it. Unfortunately, the fish came unbuttoned but he managed to catch a few other real nice bows doing something I probably would not have tried. It was really exciting and I'm pumped about the big fish opportunities right now. Streamers, dry flies, big browns, bows and cutts! This is great stuff!!! |
| August 10, 2010 |
| The weather is hot but the fishing is on FIRE! Low water in the mornings has offered non stop action on rainbows from 12-16 inches on the White River with the occasional good brown and the Norfork is just incredible. Low water in the mornings is producing alot of nice rainbows, browns and cutts from 14-20+ inches. I fished the Norfork yesterday with Rob from Birmingham and decided to throw streamers when the water came up in the afternoon and it was a blast. In about four hours of fishing he landed a 5 pound brown, a 6 pound brown, several other smaller browns and cutts and had two other browns hooked that were both over 5 pounds. That was one heck of a day of streamer fishing and the standard high water nymph rigs are producing big fish as well. It's days like these that keep me excited and I had several of them lately. This trend should continue so I'm really excited about getting back out there on Saturday. |
| July 5, 2010 |
| Low water is here and the fishing is on fire. We're now seeing wadeable water most all day on the White providing for extremely high numbers of some really nice bows and some good browns and cutts. The temperatures have also been quite pleasant compared to the 100 degree heat we were experiencing a week ago. The lakes are only a couple of feet above pool so the current trend in generation should continue for a while. Now is a great time to get in on this action and enjoy having a bent rod all day long. |
| June 27, 2010 |
| I have fished the Norfork for the last three days with very mixed results. Friday was a great day. My two clients landed about 40 fish between them, including four browns ranging 19-20 inches, several bows 14-18 inches, a few decent cutts and plenty of smaller fish action. Saturday was painfully slow. We lost four fish in the 16-20 inch range but only landed a dozen or so 12-14 inch bows. The boat traffic had the fish really put down. I did a half day today and the bite was better but still nothing like Friday. Today, we ended up with a couple of 16-17 inch bows and quite a few 12-14 inch bows along with one small brown. The White is now running eight generators around the clock but I haven't fished it in the last three days so I'll report on it next time. Norfork should fish better during the week when traffic is lighter, this weekend was a zoo. It's a little frustrating but it always turns around so I'm looking forward to the next few days. |
| June 15, 2010 |
| Fishing has been a bit spotty over the last week but other than a couple of slow days we're seeing quality fish on almost every outing. The Norfork is still producing alot of quality browns, bows and cutts, especially during the week when fishing pressure is low and Bull Shoals Dam is holding the largest rainbows I've seen in several years, a bunch of 16-20 inchers with the occasional fish over 20. The algae flow has also decreased significantly and the lower stretches are producing very high numbers. I fished Rim Shoals area yesterday and had consistent action almost all day with only minor interference from the moss and algae. The Wildcat Shoals area is also fishing very well offering high numbers and the occasional big fish. Fly selection has been pretty standard for high water, eggs, worms, sunday specials, larger midge patterns, and shad patterns at BSD have been effective. I've been spending most of my time on the Norfork and at BSD because of the quality of fish but other areas are producing much higher numbers. I've always been a quality over quantity guy but I always leave that decision to the client. Either way, there are plenty of fly fishing options in the Ozarks. I've also been hammering the bass(smallies and largemouth) on Crooked Creek on my days off and have heard some good reports about the Buffalo River as well. Good fishing! |
| May 26, 2010 |
| Periods of low water have offered some explosive action on the White. The fish are really keying in on the caddis hatches and Sunday Specials have hooked many nice bows and browns recently. My two clients today probably caught a hundred fish between them all on one fly pattern, CSS's, with the largest being a nice 22 inch male brown. That was the only good brown we caught today but there were lots of nice 14-15 inch bows in the mix and most of them are fat and fighting hard. The periods of generation have been a bit tougher due to the large amount of algae flow but the upper stretches are still pretty good most days. The Norfork has been fishing as good as I've experienced in quite some time in low water and in higher flows. There have been some slow periods but, for the most part the Norfork is on fire! Lots of 16-20 inch browns, football rainbows up to 19 inches and the best cutts I've seen in years; one of my buddies got a 22 incher and I've caught a bunch between 16 and 19 inches. The cutts are also fat, healthy and fighting hard. Midges, eggs, worms and Sunday Specials are pretty much covering the fly selection for me so there is no need to overload your vest with fly boxes. Generation is a bit unpredictable but we're seeing low water until noon or so on both rivers, most days, but I get the feeling that could change at any time. Such is the life of a guide on these waters. I haven't had time to do any smallmouth fishing but I've heard a few good reports recently from Duane Hada, Ben Levin and a couple of other friends. We suffered a bit of a heat wave over the last week with temp.'s in the mid 90's when just two weeks ago our highs were only in the 70's. That was a bit of a shock to the system but we're now seeing more normal temp.'s with lows in the 60's and highs in the 80's. Overall, it's been a pretty good Spring season and Summer should follow suit. The highlight is really the Norfork. It's a wonderful feeling to see that river producing such quality fish again.
-Clint Wilkinson |
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| 5-23-2010 |
| I had some of Terre Haute Indiana's finest Hoosiers aboard last week. Julius,Gordon,Bob,and Jim. We fished Norfork for 2 days and finished up at the White on the last day.
Norfork was not generating when we started the first day, a lot of fish were caught that morning on Midges and Sunday Specials. When we finished lunch, the water had come up and they were generating 2 units.
We fished from the ramp down to the bottom of long hole very well, and were rewarded when Jim hooked a nice brown... he came off after 3 high jumps...we were sad.
Moving on Jim hooked and landed a 16" Cutthroat that gave us quite the battle. He then hooked another brown 17", it was not as big as the one that went airborn for us, but it was a fine consolation. Bob hooked an 18" rainbow and landed it.
We fished the bottom of Long hole on the next day in no generation and did very well.
The White was not generating on the 3rd day, we fished in or near the Narrows and wore them out. I even threw a line in myself, I think in one 20 minute span I had caught fifteen. The caddis hatch is the cause, it was prolific this year and I think it will only get better each spring.
Kevin Brandtonies
FLY FISHING GUIDE |
| April 5, 2010 |
| The shad kill just never really happened. Although I had a few good days drifting shad patterns and catching some nice fish, those days were few and far between. Fishing has been slow for the most part over the past couple of months with the exception of some low water periods which offered non stop action and some nice 18-22 inch fish. The Norfork has really rebounded this year and is holding some big browns and bows as well as some of the biggest cutts I've seen since well before the flood. Fishing pressure can be a problem on the Fork and the fish will get put down so it's best to fish it during the week. The water is inconsistent at this time but the lower flows are fishing better than the heavier flows unless you're pounding streamers for a big boy. Spring has arrived though and alot of exciting things are starting to happen on the local waters. The smallmouth are getting cranked up, caddis and a few mayflies are starting to pop(caught several nice bows on dries at Rim Shoals the other day), streamers are producing some nice browns in certain areas and the crappie fishing on Norfork Lake is really heating up. If you've never fly fished for crappie on Lake Norfork, I highly recommend you give it a try. I've spent some time figuring these guys out and am now offering fly fishing trips for crappie, and these crappie are big, 16 inchers are common. It's a ton of fun and the meal you get is a delicacy. This is very exciting for me because I've gained some confidence in catching them on the fly and it makes for a great combo trip. It's a bit like cast and blast except it's cast for fun and then cast for dinner. It should be good for another month depending on weather and rainfall so come enjoy it while you can, I know I will be . I've had crappie for dinner four nights in a row and I'm still looking forward to tomorrow morning. Thank God for Spring! |
| February 17, 2010 |
| I had a good day of fishing today at Bull Shoals with local, Tom Emerick. The water is still pumping hard and the shad are still coming through at times. We did not see any shad at all come through today but many of the fish we caught had been eating shad(proof of which is on the floor of my boat). It's quite possible that there are some coming through at night. Regardless of all that and judging by today's catch, it seems that more browns are moving into that area to feed. I say this because the five browns we saw today were well proportioned but not pot bellied like many of the rainbows Tom caught. A variety of shad patterns provided enough action to keep things interesting and the quality of fish was good. Tom caught four browns from 16-20 inches and hooked another that was well over the two foot mark. We both got a good look at the fish as it came to within a couple of feet of the surface, rolled, turned and started taking line; two seconds later the hook pulled. It was a bummer for both of us, maybe more for me, he was a good sport about it and I was cussing but we regrouped and went back at it. No more browns after that but a few nice bows and another pleasant day on the White. I still believe that the best is yet to come and at some point in the next month or so we'll probably have days when we are wishing there were not so many darn shad. That's how it works many times, too many or not enough. |
| February 14, 2010 |
| It looks like the shad kill is getting started. I fished below the Dam for a half day today and the action was pretty hot at times. There was some down time but the periods when bursts of shad came through were quite exciting. Alot of nice bows up to 18 inches and a 20 inch brown were the highlight fish but I think there will be many great days of this event in the near future providing chances for the fish we all dream of. The weather is a bit chilly but quite bearable when you have a legitimate chance at a double digit trout. Now is as good of a time as any for you trophy hunters. I hope you can take part in the fun! |
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| February 6, 2010 |
| I fished for a couple of hours today with a friend and the shad have started coming through. A large burst of shad came through today shortly after lunchtime and the trout went on a feeding frenzy. I think this is the first of what is to come over the next few weeks. This is one of the best big fish opportunities you can hope for and the conditions are looking good. Depending on generation from the dam, we should see hot periods below the dam when the shad come through and as long as there aren't too many of the little dead fish around, the trout will be looking for them. That is what you want in this situation; enough shad to get the trout keyed in on them but not so many that they become gorged. I'll be fishing up there most of the day tomorrow and will let you know what happens. Regardless, the next month will offer some great fishing with many opportunities for trophy fish. |
| January 15, 2010 |
| The new year is starting out with some great fishing! We're finally getting relief from the bitter cold that has kept most of us indoors for the last couple of weeks and the high water is still providing consistent action and a host of nice browns. The last couple of days have been quite pleasurable on the river offering comfortable weather and excellent fishing. Pink san juan worms are still producing the most action and the fishing is freakishly consistent. The last two days and several days that I guided before the cold snap had very similar results that would rival any trout fishery in the country. Lots of browns from 15-22 inches, plenty of rainbows up to 18 inches and a beautiful 17 inch cutthroat were the result of the last four days that I've guided. We're still concentrating on the grass beds and catching fish on several different nymphs but the pink worm has been, by far, the hottest fly; and that is the fly that all of the browns have taken. I have not tried fishing any streamers yet but look forward to doing some stripping over the next few days. The forecast for the next week looks really nice and the bite is definitely worth making a trip for some fast and furious action as well as a good chance of tying into some dandy browns! |
| December 16, 2009 |
| Another great day today with the browns! My two clients from Atlanta today landed 14 browns which included three 17 inchers, an 18 incher and a few 15-16 inch fish. They also hauled in about thirty or more rainbows of which a half dozen were in the 15-16 inch range. Feeding patterns remain the same. The fish are still stacked up on the grass beds eating worms and if you know the lanes to position the boat you can really catch alot of nice fish right now. And with all the browns I've caught recently, I really have the feeling of excitement that any cast could produce a giant! Now would be a great time to have a video camera ready to shoot if the reel starts screaming. I'll definitely be doing some fishing for myself over the next few weeks. |
| December 6, 2009 |
| HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! Due to major computer program problems, I've been unable to write reports for quite some time. However, I think the problem has been solved and I'm back up and running. I will report on what's happening now but there is one incident from the past that is certainly worth mentioning. The Fall season was very consistent for numbers of fish but there wasn't alot in the way of sight fishing because of the consistent 2-3 generators that ran 24-7 for most all of Oct. and Nov. One of the few days I was able to wade though, produced one of the largest browns I've ever had a client land. Kurt from Minnesota caught a giant 12-14 pound brown while blind fishing a run during a falling out 2 generators from Bull Shoals Dam the last week of October. The only day that week that we had anything wadeable. It was an epic battle that included two separate long runs into the backing. I'll have the picture on the home page soon but until then, you can check it out on Mtn. River Fly Shop's blog or on my facebook page. As of Dec. 1st, Bull Shoals and Norfork Dams are generating heavy with additional water from flood gates. The releases, however, are not as bad as it sounds. Norfork is equivalent to about 3 generators and Bull Shoals is no more than the actual 8 generators. The recent high water has the fish stacked up on the grass beds and they're feeding heavily on worms as one would expect during the first few weeks of high water flows. This is a great time to be fishing with the exception of the cold weather. The forecast does look good for the next five days and the fishing is definitely worth being a little cold right now. Over the last few days that I've worked we've averaged about 40 fish per day with quite a few browns in the mix. Today was the best of the last three with my two clients landing about 30 rainbows and 12-14 browns in about 5 hours of fishing. The three largest browns were 18, 20 and 22 inches. The worm bite should last for another 3-4 weeks and the fish will probably start moving back out when the worms become harder to find so take advantage now. This is a great time to fish if you want good chances at catching nice browns and have alot of action on the bows. |
| July 31, 2009 |
| It's been a while since I last reported but the river hasn't chaged much since then. Generation is still constant on the White and the Norfork has been generating for most of the daylight hours. Fishing has been really good on ther lower end of the river like Rim Shoals and Buffalo Shoals. The upper end has been fishing well also but more spotty, hot and cold periods. Egg patterns, san juan worms and a variety of nymphs are all working well when the right fly is fished in the right water conditions but things can be tricky at times. Streamers are also getting a few nice browns if you're willing to sacrifice the high numbers. Depending on rainfall, Bull Shoals Dam will be shut down for about half the day each day for a habitat project that will take a month or more to complete. This will offer some great wade fishing opportunities during prime hopper fishing time. I'm headed to the Keys in a couple of days to chase tarpon and permit so I'll post another report when I get back with some saltwater stories. |
| May 8, 2009 |
| Flows have decreased and the fishing has been really great! The best part is that everything is working. Nymphing is producing quality fish in high numbers, streamers are producing some nice rainbows and quite a few big browns and dries are seeing a fair bit of action as well. We got a 19 inch brown on a chernobyl ant yesterday and a 26 inch brown on a white zonker last week. Also, several browns in the 18-22 inch range have seen my net in the last couple of weeks. There are many quality rainbows everywhere on the river right now and these lower flows allow for multiple options as far as techniques are concerned. We've had a fair amount of rain and Missouri has been getting hammered so I don't know how long this will last but it's a heck of a lot of fun right now. Hopefully the lakes will remain at a manageable level and we'll continue to see this action. Enjoy it while you can, the mighty White never stays the same for long. Until next time, long drifts and many fish! |
| April 22, 2009 |
| The weather has finally taken a turn for the best and fishing has been much better. I fished at Bull Shoals Dam today with a couple from Louisiana and they hammered a bunch of nice bows. Nothing huge and no brownies but a bunch of 16-18 inch rainbows gobbled up the standard red san juan worms. Multiple doubles and beautiful weather(warm and light wind) made for a really fun day. Their arms were sore by 3:00 pm and we didn't even start until 10:00 am. The forecast looks good for the next week at least and the fishing should continue to be good. It's nice to have a day when the wind isn't blowing the boat across the river and I'm looking forward to more good days to come. The caddis are hatching like crazy and, if we get some low water, the dry fly bite could be as good as we've seen in years. There are plenty of big fish in the river thanks to all the high water and the lakes are stable for now. This year is shaping up to be more typical than last and the White is going to offer plenty of BIG FISH opportunities. The Norfork has been pretty good as well for numbers but I haven't been able to find any real big fish over there, but it is offering wade fishing options, which is a nice alternetive if the wind is blowing hard. Fish more, work less. |
| April 13, 2009 |
| The fishing has been slow overall for the last few weeks, mainly due to high winds and unwadeable water. The one drawback to being successful in high water is the wind. Boat control is of the utmost importance and when the wind is blowing at a constant 20-30 mph there isn't alot you can do. That's what I've had to deal with for the last month or more. I have had some really good days but that's been when the wind wasn't a problem. Unfortunately, those days have been few and far between. The good news is that we're getting close to the time of year when the wind starts to settle and the fishing forecast looks great. Streamer fishing will produce big fish for more experienced anglers and the nymphing should be great for numbers of fish and the possibility of tying into a good brown. There are alot of big fish in the river right now, you just have to find a way to get them to eat. It looks like we're out of flood danger so the fishing is looking good for the rest of the year. That's all for now. |
| March 23, 2009 |
| Spring has arrived and with it, low water and some fantastic dry fly fishing. The shad bite is, unfortunately, over but there are big caddis coming off daily and the fish are eating them up. Alot of the larger trout are taking them subsurface but we've caught some really nice rainbows(15-18 inches) on the surface. A standard elk hair caddis with a green body and white wing in size 12 and 14 has been getting them on top and my Sunday Special is doing the trick down below. Warm weather, wadeable water and dry fly fishing; what more could you ask for? |
| March 13, 2009 |
| The shad bite seems to be winding down due to lower flows but there are still some shad coming through at times. Heavier flows are producing a great bite on shad patterns and lower flows are fishing well on scuds, sows, midges, caddis nymphs and other nymph varieties as well as streamers, either shad or sculpin imitations. The fish are in great shape and fighting hard. Spring is well on it's way and should soon offer some surface action on caddis and mayfly(March browns) imitations. Due to all the high water we've seen over the last year there are a bunch of big fish in the river so it's getting close to the perfect time for the fair weather fishermen to head to the White. There will also be excellent opportunities to tie into some hogs during periods of heavier generation when the big boys will be looking for shad. There will be a swarm of fly fishers heading this way next weekend for the annual Sowbug Roundup show but the week after that will offer a bit of solitude as well as excellent fishing. So forget the economy, pack your bags and come see us. We'd love to show you some fantastic fly fishing on the mighty White! |
| March 6, 2009 |
| The last two days have provided more great fish on shad patterns. Yesterday we got five browns ranging from 18-23 inches as well as a host of piggy rainbows and today our very first fish was a 20 inch brown. That was the only brown we caught today but we caught a bunch of nice, fat bows including a PIG 19-20 incher. The girth on that fish was incredible, one of the biggest bows I've netted in a while. The generation is decreasing but there is rain in the forecast so we may see another week or so of this hot shad bite. This is the best shad kill we've seen in several years and it may last for a few more weeks. I've had some incredible days lately and I hope you can come experience some of the best fishing the White River has to offer. |
| March 4, 2009 |
| Lower flows made for fewer shad over the last week which made for phenomenal fishing during heavier flows at the Dam. A big burst of shad came through today around lunch time and the fishing got CRAZY for about an hour or so. We caught four browns in the 18-20 inch range and a bunch of fat rainbows. The greatest part of the day was seeing a line of shad floating down the river and watching the trout boil on the surface, and then, of course, catching them on white foam-bodied shad flies(white gurglers). What a treat for my clients on their 26th anniversary! Generation has decreased significantly but the shad bite is still strong. We also have rain in the forecast for the weekend which will hopefully bring the lake up enough for the Dam to continue generating. I hate to see this end it's been so good. Further down stream is also fishing well and offering wading options at times. I've been concentrating guide trips on the shad bite so I haven't done any wade fishing but it is an option. Get in on this shad bite while you can, it will not last long. |
| February 24, 2009 |
| THE SHAD BITE IS ON! ENOUGH SAID, COME NOW! FIRST COME, FIRST HOOKED UP. |
| February 23, 2009 |
| The fishing rebounded unbelievably today. Fewer shad made for some great opportunities today and we took advantage of the situation. My clients for the day had to catch a plane back to New Orleans so we fished for a half day, our last chance for redemption. We redeemed ourselves with a bunch(20-30) of 16-18 inch rainbows and topped things off with a 23 inch brown and a HUGE 29 inch brown(11-12 lbs). The shad bite was ON this morning and should continue for as long as the Dam is generating. The next few weeks will offer plenty of big fish opportunities. |
| February 22, 2009 |
| Cold, wind and about a million shad made for some tough fishing the last couple of days. The good news is that the shad kill is on and it's only a matter of time before we see some unbelievable fishing. The fish at the Dam are eating very well for the first few hours in the morning and then they are stuffed. High numbers of shad available are filling them up pretty quick. At that point it's best to relocate downstream where the shad are fewer in numbers. That's the best advice I have for now but when the shad slow down or stop coming through the fishing will be on fire during periods of generation. The next month or so will, undoubtedly, provide some of the hottest shad kill fishing the White has seen in years. There is no way of knowing which days will be the best but there will be plenty of them over the next month. The fish are fat and they will be looking for shad when the shad become more difficult to find. That is when the big boys get stupid and you're likely to hook up with many big fish in a single day. We should experience several of these days sometime in the next month or so. THESE WILL BE SOME OF THE BEST FISHING DAYS WE'VE SEEN IN AT LEAST FIVE YEARS. I saw it coming; read previous reports; and it's happening. I hope you can make it to the White and enjoy this event. |
| February, 5, 2009 |
| I guided a couple of my regular clients on Sunday and Monday and the fishing was phenomenal. We fished for a couple of hours at the Dam, opening day up there, and left due to the crowd, but not before they each caught several nice bows. The water was dead low and I expected it would stay that way all day. We relocated downstream and fished from the bottom of the state park to the top of cane island. Leland caught a 19 inch brown and Karl caught a 20 inch rainbow in this stretch and they caught a total of well over 100 fish between them. Not bad! The Sunday Special and tungsten midges(black and silver sz. 18) did the trick all day.
On day two we fished above and through the narrows and again had great results. Leland caught a 21 and a 22 inch brown, one on a tungsten midge and the other an egg pattern, and Karl hooked a brown of about 24 inches. He set the hook, the big brown's head came up slightly and broke the surface of the shallow water and he was gone, the hook simply came unbuttoned. Oh well, you can't get 'em all! They also caught alot of good rainbows but not as many as the previous day. We used the same flies as day one and fished above and through both sides of the island. The tungsten midge was the best producer on day one and my sunday special was the fly of choice on day two.
The lakes came up three to four feet due to the recent ice storm and they began generating 5-8 generators a few days ago. We'll probably see moderate generation during the week and lower water on the weekend, at least for the next week or so. Regardless, the fishing is great! The higher flows are pulling shad through which makes for excellent trophy fishing and the low water is providing alot of wade fishing action. The weather is also looking to be very warm over the next five or more days. Another one of those great times to be on the White River. Good fishing! |
| January 21, 2009 |
| The Dams have been shut down for the last few days for a construction issue far downstream. Prior to the shut down heavy generation pulled a good number of shad through and I suspect we'll be seeing more of that within the next week or sooner. I didn't have a chance to fish it due to bitter cold weather but things have warmed up and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens. Based on weather patterns and generation for the last year, I have a strong feeling that we're in for a phenomenal shad kill this year on the White and possibly the Norfork as well. It's been several years since we've had a consistent influx of shad that could be relied upon day in and day out. I think this could be the year. Drastic changes in water levels due to heavy rainfall last Spring and recent record cold temperatures seem to be aligning the planets, so to speak, and conditions seem right for the action we experienced 6 to 8 years ago when shad patterns produced high numbers of big fish on a daily basis for long periods. These conditions are what is needed and it seems to be coming together. The next month or so will tell and I'll report on this as it happens. In the meantime, the fishing is very consistent on this low water and the weather has warmed back up for now. Nymphing the slow water on the White produced about as many as you wanted to catch today with black tungsten midges and that should be the norm if low water continues, but I don't think it will. I'm excited to see what happens with the shad when the generators crank up again. We'll see soon. |
| January 8, 2009 |
| Happy New Year! I was able to get out and do a little fishing on my own today with great results. I put in at Rim Shoals at noon and the water was running at about four generators. I was dead set on throwing streamers, I wanted to try a new Rio fly line, and I was quite surprised with the almost constant action. In four hours of fishing I landed seven browns between 14 and 22 inches and fourteen rainbows between 12 and 17 inches. This is phenomenal for streamer fishing and I can hardly recall a cast that didn't at least produce a bump as well as alot of follows all the way to the boat. Olive sculpin patterns in size 1/0 and a white zonker in size 4 were the only two flies I threw and both produced equally well. I also fished the Norfork yesterday for a couple of hours and the fishing was decent at best. I caught small brookies, a decent cutthroat(14 inches) and some bows up to about 15 inches but the fishing is not what I would have expected based on past years. Scuds, midges and small egg patterns were producers but the White is fishing much better as far as I can tell. Both reservoirs are a touch below pool so light to moderate generation should be the norm on both rivers for the next couple of months. Hopefully 2009 will bring a better economy and more business for all of us as well as more normal water conditions. The great news is that the White is full of nice fish and as of January 1 only one brown over 24 inches is allowed to be harvested. This new regulation should make for even better brown trout fishing within the next year or so. I am excited to see the results. Good luck and I hope to see you out there. |
| December 9, 2008 |
| The lakes are finally down to pool and generation has decreased significantly. One to three generators has been the norm for the last few days and the fish have adjusted well to the change in water level. The fishing is silly good most of the time and there are plenty of big fish around. Needless to say, now is the time to shed those winter blues and take advantage of some amazing fishing. Streamers, nymphs and dries are all producing right now and the trend should continue for quite some time. I would suggest watching the weather forecast and head this way when it's not too cold and windy. December and January are slow months so I have plenty of availability even on very short notice. The conditions right now are what you would expect in the Fall but without low oxygen problems. It just doesn't get much better than this. High numbers and big fish; what more could you ask for. Cheers! |
| November 28, 2008 |
| Happy Holidays everyone. The oxygen levels on the White River have risen and the fishing has greatly improved. I guided a couple of guys from California on the 22nd and 23rd with great results. In two days they landed seven browns over 18 inches including a 23 and 24 inch fish as well as a host of nice bows. Streamers got us a few follows and bites but the standard high water nymph rigs got the true results. Egg patterns and various san juan worms did the trick. I suspect we'll be seeing lower flows from the Dams soon which could offer some wading opportunities within the next few weeks. Regardless of water levels, the fish are cooperating much better than they were a month ago and opportunities for big fish abound. |
| November 5, 2008 |
| The fishing over the last few weeks has slowed down from what it was like, due mostly to low dissolved oxygen, but there is a bright side. Streamer fishing early mornings and late afternoons has been producing quality fish on a pretty reliable basis. I've guided the last ten days in a row and in the last six days my clients have landed 9 browns between 20 and 24 inches as well as a couple of 25-30 inch fish that managed to shake the hook. Dean Wantland and his nephew David from St. Louis caught a 21 and 24 inch brown over the weekend on san juan worms, as well as several nice rainbows from 16-18 inches, but the vast majority of trophy fish we've caught recently have taken olive or white streamers sizes 2 and 4. The low D.O. has alot of fish put down so it's important to target the aggressive fish that aren't affected by the low oxygen levels. Big streamers on full sink lines are the best way to accomplish this and, though not a high numbers style of fishing, can be rewarded with the fish of a lifetime. My friends from the Florida Keys that I tarpon fish with had a really good morning on Monday, landing six browns between 16 and 19 inches as well as several other 14-15 inch bows and browns all on streamers. Yesterday was terribly slow in the morning but they caught a 21 and 20 inch brown and some nice bows late in the afternoon. The oxygen levels should come back up within the next month and the numbers will get better, but until then, I recommend getting out early in the morning at sunrise and pounding the banks with big streamers. You might just hook into the trout you've been dreaming of. Good Luck! |
| October 12, 2008 |
| I guided a father and son over the weekend in the Rim Shoals area of the White River. I first guided Stan and Chad about six years ago when Chad was still young enough to fish at Dry Run Creek. We all know what that place can do to a young fly fisherman so the pressure was on. I knew Chad was a good caster so I recommended we start early in the morning with big, nasty streamers on sinking lines, counting on the fact that there would be plenty of browns around staging to spawn. We put the boat in at about 8:00 on the first morning and began fishing at the top of the "catch and release area" casting tight to the banks and stripping fast. Chad's father, Stan, not being as great of a caster was throwing a standard high water nymph rig and Chad was using a fast seven weight with the sinking line. Within the first hour or so Chad caught a 17 and 21 inch brown and Stan caught an 18 inch brown and several rainbows. The streamer fishing slowed after that and we finished out the day with several rainbows and a few small browns on various nymphs. I suggested we start earlier the next morning so we met at 7:00 and started fishing by about 7:30 using the same strategy as day 1. The streamer fishing was a bit slower but Stan was doing well nymphing catching several nice rainbows and another brown that was 17-18 inches. Chad continued to throw the streamer as we fished our way down. We approached the first island and Chad continued to pound the banks when it happened. Chad called out "Clint, this is a big one, yep, this is a big fish." I could tell he was nervous and the fish continued to peel off line so I put the boat in gear to keep the fish from getting into the backing. When water levels are this high you need to keep the boat close to the fish. I reassured Chad that we were going to land the fish and to just calm down and play it out. He did a fantastic job of getting the fish up quick and we landed the largest brown he's ever caught, a gorgeous 26 inch female that was very heavy. The look on Chad's face when he guided that fish into the net is a look I'll never forget and moments like that make this the most rewarding career in the world. Chad couldn't thank me enough but I think I was almost as excited as he was. This is great stuff! Needless to say, the early morning streamer fishing can be very rewarding and the nymphing is still pretty consistent. |
| September 16, 2008 |
| We have experienced low water for the last couple of weeks due to flooding downstream in the Delta caused by the hurricanes, Gustav and Ike, that moved through our area. Gustav dumped between 4 and 10 inches of rain over two days and Ike caused alot of wind damage. Hurricanes in North Arkansas; now I've seen it all! And all in one year. The good news is that the low water gave me the opportunity to put my waders on for the first time in months and guide a few days without having to run the boat. The fishing was almost silly good, as one might expect, and the river is full of rainbows from 14-18 inches and a bunch of big browns. There are also more scuds, sowbugs and sculpins than I've seen in the White in over 10 years. The ditymo(invasive algae) is gone and the coontail moss is thriving; the river substrate is a lush green once again. With new brown trout regulations taking effect in a few months, this river could soon live up to the potential it has for producing monster trout like it did in the past. This river system is one of the finest in the country and I believe we'll see it become much better over the next 2-3 years. The lakes are still high and I expect generation to crank back up for quite some time which will continue to benefit the river and it's inhabitants. This Fall could be one of the best we've seen in many years on the White River. There are still dissolved oxygen problems on the Norfork which I believe will soon be corrected but I'm not allowed to talk about it yet. All I can say is that I'm excited as HELL to see what these rivers produce over the next few years. Fly selection is still pretty much the same but it seems to be more important to change things up regularly. There is so much food in the river that you have to work a bit harder to stay on the fish all day. I've been changing flies around depending on what is happening but the food sources are still the same. Scuds, sowbugs, snails and sculpins are the main menu entree at this time and the worm bite will get better when the water gets high again. Good luck and I'll see ya out there. |
| August 23, 2008 |
| I just got back from South Florida fishing with my wife and we had a blast. We fished the beaches around Goodland, Everglades National Park, Islamorada and the canals of Miami. We caught many different species including snook, redfish, jack crevalle, sea trout, peacock bass, juvenile tarpon and the highlight of the trip; an 80-90 pound adult tarpon I got on a 10 weight. What a thrill! Things are still about the same here. I guided a couple the last two days and had two good days. We fished around Rim Shoals on the first day and the Wildcat Shoals/the Narrows area on day 2. The bite is still quite consistent on various nymphs and streamer fishing has been good for good casters looking for big fish. The weather has also been unbelievable for August. We've had several days recently that never reached 80 degrees. That's almost unheard of this time of year. The water is still high but the fishing is great and with Fall approaching, I'd bet we'll see decreased generation sometime in the next month or so. I am organizing a group trip to go back to South Florida next August and experience the the many different fishing opportunities that area has to offer. Anyone interested in signing up should contact me at 870-404-2942. I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have. I hope you can join us for this unique fishing opportunity. |
| July 26, 2008 |
| More great days this past week. I fished a couple of guys from Little Rock today and had a high numbers day. They boated about 60 fish between the two and, although we only got a few smaller browns, the rainbows were very impressive. Many of the bows were 14 inches or better with the largest being a, guess what, Fat 18 incher. The fish are healthy to say the least and they're growing well. The big browns are here but we might see more big rainbows soon. By saying that I mean more big bows than this river has seen in years. I fished between Rim Shoals and Shoestring shoal today but the river is producing larger fish all over from what I've been experiencing. I've had 2 other 20+ inch browns in the last few days I guided and I'm almost in awe. Past low water years have shown me, from a guiding perspective, that a couple of months without a 20 inch fish is not abnormal. Presently, I'm catching those almost every day out. Fishing is phenomenal and should continue to improve for the future months. Fly selection is not that important and if you're looking for trophy fish and don't mind if you only catch a few fish in a day, streamer fishing will offer the chance of a lifetime for those who don't care for nymphing in this high water. You won't catch as many but if you are looking for "the one", don't hesitate to call and ask. If you are a very experienced caster, I can show you a big fish. Take advantage of this while it lasts, no matter what your skill level. |
| July 20, 2008 |
| I fished one of my regular clients yesterday from Rim Shoals down to Buffalo City and the conditions remain about the same. Alot of 14-16 inch FAT rainbows, a couple of 12-17 inch browns and the last fish of the day; a very FAT 21 inch brown that took him almost into the backing before I chased her down with the boat. The fish put up a great fight and was a wonderful end to another great day on the White. I'm not sure if I've ever caught quality fish like this so consistently and there are very few people taking advantage of the situation. I know the economy is scary at this time but the fishing is fantastic for those of us who know how to fish these high water levels. I strongly encourage anyone interested in catching big trout to come and give this high water a try. I personally guarantee I'll make it worth your time and money. |
| July 16, 2008 |
| I floated the Norfork today and the fishing was about what I expected. Nothing huge, but alot of action and several nice fish. I had almost forgotten what wading was like and I enjoyed the outing. The river seems to be in good condition and there are plenty of fish but it has changed qite a bit. Many areas of the river are filled in with deposited gravel from the flood but the scuds, sowbugs and other food sources for the trout are plentiful. The gravel deposits will settle in after some time and a better channel will be formed. The best thing is that productive wade fishing is another option as long as this generation pattern continues. Today was a relaxed, fun-filled, fish catching bonanza and I didn't have to listen to the boat motor all day. I love high water fishing but today was a nice break from the stresses of pulling the perfect drift all day. This is the beauty of having two tailwaters within 20 minutes. Options are endless and I hope you have the opportunity to take advantage of this scenario while it lasts. Until next time, good fishing! |
| July 14, 2008 |
| Not much has changed on the White River. Bull Shoals Dam is still running all eight generators around the clock and fishing is very consistent. The Norfork Dam, however, has been on a consistent pattern of generating only from 1:00 or 2:00 pm until 8:00 or 9:00 pm which allows for wade fishing most of the day. I've only fished it once for a couple of hours about a week ago and did quite well. I will be floating the Norfork tomorrow and will post a more detailed report about the fishing and condition and/or changes of the river. This will be my first time to see the entire stretch of the Norfork on low water since the flooding occurred so I'm excited! I'll let you know how it looks. |
| June 27, 2008 |
| Things haven't changed much since my last report. The water is still high and fishing remains consistent. The fish are fat, healthy and hard fighting everywhere I've fished and I've been all over, from the Dam to Buffalo City. I haven't fished Norfork much lately but the White has been great! Buffalo Shoals is fishing as good as I've seen in 10 years. I've caught a bunch of 18-22 inch browns there over the last two to three weeks and alot of fat rainbows ranging anywhere from 12-17 inches. Many of the fish are as wide as they are long so they are eating very well. A number of fish have regurgitated after being netted because they were so full and it's given me a chance to look at the naturals they're eating. It's pretty much a buffet. Scuds, sowbugs, worms, midge and caddis larva are mostly what I've found so as usual, fly selection is not as important as presentation and location. Knowing where the fish are and getting a fly to them is the key. If you can do that you'll be rewarded, occasionally with a big brown! |
| June 9, 2008 |
| I fished Buffalo Shoals again today and had another good day. The water was about the same as last report and my clients caught alot of nice fish. Seven browns between 12 and 17 inches as well as a bunch of nice rainbows ranging in size from 10-17 inches. Most of the fish are still very fat, healthy and fighting hard. Fly selection is still the same, egg patterns, various worms and the "Sunday Special" are all working well. The fishing was consistent for most of the day and the action only slowed down a little in the afternoon. The fishing right now is well worth the high price of fuel. Until next time, good fishing! |
| June 7, 2008 |
| Water conditions remain about the same as last report and the fishing is still really good on most days. I've had a few slow days since my last report but I'm still getting quite a few nice browns almost daily. I fished the Buffalo Shoals area today with only one client in the boat. He landed fifteen to twenty nice rainbows up to 17 inches and four browns, the largest being a healthy 21 inch male and a fat 17 inch female. Worms, egg patterns and the "Clint's Sunday Special(CSS)" were the flies of choice which has been pretty much the norm since the high water began. I can't foresee conditions changing much over the next few months and the fish will continue to grow larger and larger. Wading is not much of an option if you want to maximize production and a knowledgeable guide is a necessity in these water conditions. But if you want to catch trophy browns and hard fighting fat rainbows, the next few months will provide great opportunities. The area is suffering a bit because of the high water and high gas prices but fishing opportunities right now and in the months to come will be well worth the extra expense. I hope to see you soon. |
| May 19, 2008 |
| I guided a couple of friends for a half day today between Wildcat Shoals and the Narrows area of the White. We had a good few hours catching several nice rainbows from 12-16 inches and got a 21 inch brown. We caught a few on san juan worms but the vast majority of their fish, including the big brown, were caught on the "CSS". There are caddis coming off at times as well as some mayflies which makes that pattern a good choice. We're in for a great year of fishing! |
| May17, 2008 |
| I had the last couple of days off and enjoyed relaxing at home watching the birds we have visiting our many feeders. I guided a couple of guys on Friday in the Buffalo Shoals area on the White. They caught a bunch of hard fighting 12-16 inch bows, at least 40 each, and a couple of small browns. The fishing was almost silly at times, hooking up on every cast, and although they didn't catch any big browns we had a blast! Water conditions remain about the same since my last report and the fishing is also pretty consistent. There are also quite a few wade fishing opportunities on both rivers at this time if you know where to be and when. Wading is not necessarily the most productive method but for those who want to enjoy the feel of nature while they fish there are plenty of places to wade. I don't expect this to last long as the generation will increase as temperatures warm up. Many sections of Crooked Creek are also fishing well for smallmouth. There are unlimited fishing opportunities right now no matter what your interests may be. Feel free to call with questions. 870-404-2942 or 870-404-9475 |
| May 15, 2008 |
| Another great couple of days on the river. I fished the White yesterday and boated 4 browns between 18-20 inches along with several nice rainbows from 14-19 inches. Today we caught several nice bows and a 20 inch brown but overall, the bite was slow. The water fluctuated alot and we had to work for our fish. CSS's, egg's and worms are working well on both rivers and that's what I've been fishing along with occasional shad patterns below the Bull Shoals Dam. Fishing is as good now as it's been in a few years and will only get better over the next several months. |
| May 12, 2008 |
| Moderate to heavy generation continues and the fish are still growing at amazing rates. The size average is increasing and I've been catching alot of nice browns and rainbows. Rainbows and browns from 16-20 inches are being caught daily on both rivers and almost all of them are very FAT and fighting like smallmouth. I fished the White today from the dam down to Gaston's with a couple from Oklahoma. He was mid level angler and his wife completely unfamiliar with high water fly fishing. Oddly enough, she landed a 20 inch brown and lost a 20+ inch brown and rainbow. They both caught several other rainbows between 13 and 18 inches. As I mentioned, all were very strong and had fat bellies. The greateast thing about this scenario is that it's only the beginning. The high water will continue throughout the Summer and, most likely until Fall. The fish will continue to grow and not nearly as many will be removed from the rivers. Fishing will be tough for those not intimately familiar with these waters but the guides are loving it. I still get excited about large, hard fighting trout and I've seen a bunch of those in the last few weeks. I predict that by the end of the year these rivers will hold more big fish than we've seen in the last 10 years. The next six or eight weeks will offer the best opportunities until September as it seems that the water is being held back for the time being to relieve people much further downstream and maximize profit for sale of electricity at a later date when demand is higher. June will be a great month to fish here if you want to take advantage of both rivers. I would expect to see eight generators around the clock on the White which will make Norfork the easier choice for most of July and August. Regardless, we have a great year of fishing ahead of us and hope you can be a part of the experience. |
| May 7, 2008 |
| Over the last three days, we've had the pleasure of fishing with one of the nicest and most generous groups anyone could ever ask for. The group of 8 people arrived from New Orleans on Saturday and fished with us Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. We fished two days on the Norfork and the last day on the White. The fishing was very good overall averaging 10-20 fish landed per person per day, along with the many misses and LDR's of course. Everyone caught quality fish and the high water is definitely growing the fish quickly. My boat landed two 24 inch browns, one that weighed around eight pounds(the fish was so fat it looked like a freak of nature) and the other was quite healthy but not obese. We also caught several rainbows between 16 and 19 inches over the three days of fishing. We did hook one brown that jumped out of the water right in front of the boat that looked to be a 10+ pound fish. Unfortunately, that one ended up breaking off about the time it hit the backing and we were heart broken for a moment. However, we recovered quickly and it made for a wonderful last day story about the big one that got away. To say the fishing is "HOT" is an understatement. If you like catching big fish this is the year to come fish these rivers. I LOVE HIGH WATER! |
| May 4, 2008 |
| Conditions remain the same. 2 gen.'s at Norfork and 8 at Bull Shoals but the level is more like 1 1/2 on the Fork and 6-7 at Bull. The fishing has been great and some great fish are being caught. One of my clients today landed a 24 inch brown that was so fat it weighed in at 8 pounds. The fish of a lifetime for most fly fishers and things will only get better. High water is the time to catch the big ones. I hope everyone can come enjoy the hot action. See you soon. |
| May 3, 2008 |
| Things have settled down a bit and we're finally seeing some sunshine again. Generation is heavy from both dams on most days but occasional backing off of the water is occurring at times due to more flooding much further downstream. The fishing has been great on the less windy days. The Norfork and White are both producing some really big fish and should continue to do so for at least the next year. The lakes are still very high and we will probably see heavy flows for most of the year. Wade fishing will not be much of an option during heavier flows but the rivers will continue to produce larger and larger fish. High water is a blessing for the trout and nothing to be scared of. Guides are necessary and the fishing is well worth the cost of a good guide. Drift control is imperative and you must know the areas to fish in various water levels. Both rivers will have more big fish in them over the next several months than we've seen in years. I hope you can come catch one! |
| April 23, 2008 |
| I fished the Norfork today and had some great moments. The water ran consistently at 2 generators all day and the fishing was really good from about 10:00am to 3:00pm. My client, Ron, caught about 20 fish during that time with the largest being about 19 inches. All were rainbows with the exception of 3 small cutts. The generation schedule is unpredictable now due to the extremely high lake levels and flooding much further downstream. We could see much lower generation levels in the near future if rainfall is not extreme. On the other hand, we could see massive releases again if we get alot of rain soon. Regardless, no one can predict the course of mother nature and the fishing is pretty darn good right now. The fish are not seeing as many worms now as they were when the flooding was occurring and we caught the majority of the fish today on the always reliable CSS(Clint's Sunday Special). Scud, sowbug and other nymph patterns will work in these high water conditions if you know where to fish them. There are alot of caddis coming off on the White so the CSS will be productive there as well. I didn't see any caddis today on Norfork but there were plenty of midges. The Norfork is a different river since the massive releases of the flood gates but the fish are there and very catchable. You might even hook into a walleye or striper. I'll post again soon. |
| April 20, 2008 |
| Both Dams are generating moderate to heavy flows at this time and the flood gates are closed. The fishing has been pretty good on both rivers and the fish are growing quickly. The lakes are still very high and we're definitely looking at a high water year. This is certainly not a bad thing considering how fishing has been and how fast the fish are growing. San juan worms in various sizes and colors are your best bet as the fish have been feasting on all of the worms washed in from the rain and high water. There are still alot of midges and caddis hatching so larger versions of either may produce fish at times as well. |
| April 12, 2008 |
| Bull Shoals Dam opened flood gates earlier today around noon but water releases are not at dangerous levels. Norfork has significantly reduced flows to fishable levels. There is, obviously, no wade fishing in the near future but the fish are here and they're eating well. Non windy days will produce some nice fish and I'm looking forward to seeing the results of the high water year ahead of us. The results will be lots of big fish, maybe even new records. Could we see a new world record brown trout this year? It is possible with these conditions. Except for the wind, we had no problems catching fish today. You'll have to work a little harder to catch 'em but the rewards can be great. You've always got the chance for something huge in these water conditions. Don't let the high water spoil your trip. |
| April 10, 2008 |
| We received alot of rain again over the last 24 hours and the Norfork Dam had no choice, it seems, other than to open the flood gates. I drove down to the Norfork around 11:00 am and what I saw was amazing, to say the least. Resorts and homes were flooded, docks taken out and many evacuated. The river was reportedly running at 77,000 cfs, about 70,000 more than maximum power producing generation. Bull Shoals Dam has about 6 feet to go before it reaches comparable levels of the Norfork in relation to the Dams and flood gates and they are now generating all 8 units. Hopefully, Bull Shoals can avoid opening flood gates but it's hard to say at this point. There is no more rain in the forecast so I don't think the current situation will last long and when it's all said and done there will undoubtedly be a bunch of big, fat trout in the rivers. High water is always a Godsend for our trout and this is the motherlode. I'll post reports almost daily until conditions change. |
| April 2, 2008 |
| Water conditions haven't changed much since my last report. Norfork is still running both generators around the clock and Bull Shoals is running two light generators. The water is being held back at this time because of flooding around Batesville and Newport. I don't know what will be going on in a couple of months but things are great right now. The quality of fish has already improved due to all of the recent water and we will probably have a high water year ahead of us. This will require a guide or use of a boat to be successful but the fishing can be great in high water and you'd be amazed at how many more big fish you'll catch. The numbers usually aren't as high in higher water levels but the average size of the fish you catch increases greatly. As for now, I'll be out there catching fish and I'll let you know when conditions change. Due to cancellations, there is availability for guides over the next few weeks so now is a good time if you want to take advantage of the great fishing we're experiencing right now. Don't hesitate to call. Until next time. |
| March 30, 2008 |
| Fishing has been very good on both rivers lately. The flooding has receeded some and light generation from the Bull Shoals Dam has been quite consistent for the last 8 or 10 days. Fishing has been good on the White river, at least for the first 20 miles, and right below the dam has produced some big ones lately. The fish have eaten very well due to all of the high water and the majority of them are very fat. Norfork is also fishing well on most days and high water conditions always produce big fish. I've heard rumors of flood gates being opened soon at Bull Shoals Dam but I can't confirm at this time. This is not necessarily a bad thing. If you can find spots to catch fish in 8 generators, you can find spots in "10 or 12 generators". Don't be scared to come fish because the water is too high. There are several good fly fishing guides on the river these days and they'll find a way to catch fish. Regardless, it's great for the fish. It's early enough in the year that temperature is not an issue and food will be plentiful. The trout will grow like they're on steroids. I'll post another report when water conditions change. |
| March 24, 2008 |
| Danielle and I fished below Bull Shoals Dam for a couple of hours today and had a ball. They were running 2 generators but it was light water, more like 1 generator. I caught a couple of nice fish on a surface shad imitation but they didn't seem very interested in the shad overall. Danielle caught about 6 to my 2 before I decided it was time to change. We both caught fish on san juan worms, tungsten midges and the trusty sunday special. I caught one rainbow that was about 19 inches and extremely thick(over 3 pounds) but most of the fish were 14 to 16 inches and only one brown. We'll be fishing the Norfork tomorrow afternoon and I'll try to post another report soon after. |
| March 23, 2008 |
| The flooding has receeded and the Dams are generating again. There are still flooding issues downstream but the Norfork and several miles below Bull Shoals should live up to my expectations of great fishing. I'll be out there tomorrow and will post a report in the next couple of days. |
| March 18, 2008 |
| The Dams have been shut down due to flooding downstream. We are in the middle of a downpour and flood warnings have been issued. It will probably be a few days or a week before we see any more generation from the Dams so the fish will be looking for shad when they finally crank up the generators again. I would guess that after a week or so we're going to experience some awesome fishing. As for now we'll watch the trees rolling down the river. I'll be in touch when conditions change. |
| March 16, 2008 |
| Full generation from both of the Dams has been the norm the last few days. Shad are coming through both of the Dams at times but fishing is tough. Most of the fish I've caught over the last few days have been gorged with shad. I fished at Bull Shoals Dam today and there were thousands of shad passing by on my way up to start my first drift. We did manage to catch some nice 15-19 inch bows and a 17 inch brown in the first couple of hours, all of which were bulging at the belly. After that it was over. After lunch we landed one fish and had maybe 3-4 bites. The fish are fat and happy! The good news is that the best of the shad kill fishing is yet to come. When these morsels finally stop coming through the fishing will be on! I would expect this to happen when they decrease the generation, especially at Bull Shoals. I don't know when that will be but I have open days over the next few weeks so don't hesitate to call. This could be the opportunity for that big brown you've been dreaming about. I'll keep you posted on the water conditions. |
| February 27, 2008 |
| There have been shad coming through Bull Shoals Dam for quite some time during heavier generation. The fishing varies from day to day but we've caught some nice browns and bows at times. The Atlanta Fly Fishing Club joined us again this year for their annual trip and almost everyone caught 20 inch or bigger fish during their three fishing days including a monster 28 inch brown caught by Don Davis out of Jimmy T.'s boat. The fishing was somewhat slow as high water fishing can be, especially when there are a bunch of dead shad around, but everyone caught some nice fish. The water was turned off yesterday at 3:00 pm and is still shut down at this time. I heard a rumor that there was a drowning which is the only sense I can make out of this sudden shut down of the generators. Two days ago I was fishing four units below Bull Shoals Dam when thousands of shad came through. I assume the generation will begin again soon and that is when the fishing could be fantastic. The fish, at least within a few miles of the Dam, have seen and eaten alot of shad and will be looking for them when generation begins again. I fished the Norfork yesterday during low water and the fishing was very good. The wind was gusting up to 40 mph yesterday morning when I was supposed to meet my two clients and both dams were generating heavy. I called off the day until I found out that Norfork Dam ceased generation at 9 am. We arrived at Norfork at about 1:00 pm and fished until 5:30 pm. They caught about 20 fish each from 12 to 15 inches and one brown that was 19 inches on midges and scuds. Today I fished the same two clients on the White around the Narrows and had a 150+ fish day. "Clint's Sunday Special" as well as my tungsten beaded black midges caught the majority of the fish today and we hooked into a couple of nice browns on white streamers. I'm assuming generation will crank up again soon, at least on the White, and there should be some action packed fishing over the next few weeks. I'll keep you posted. Good fishing! |
| January 28, 2008 |
| Weather has been very cold lately with a few nice days here and there. I've gotten reports from a few bass fishermen of dying shad on Bull Shoals Lake and it looks as if they might be coming through during heavier generation periods. I drove up to the Dam today after 5 generators were shut down to look for signs of shad that may have come through. Although I didn't see any shad near the banks, the gulls were all over the gravel bars as if they were cleaning up the remaining shad after generation ceased. When the water falls out there are usually shad left trapped on the gravel bars, islands etc. Anyway, we've definitely had cold enough weather and I imagine we'll be seeing shad during periods of generation, the harder they run it the more shad should come through. Generation has been light for the most part but there were 5 generators today for about 4 hours in the morning and a couple of other times in the last week. Weekdays should offer the best chances for heavier generation. Norfork has been running for a couple of hours early in the morning during the week. It seems to fish good on the days they run it and slower when they do not which again means weekdays are best at this time. February is a great time to be here if you're lucky enough to get in on a good shad kill and I have some days available for this month. However, mid March through mid May is my favorite time period and, in my opinion, the most consistent from day to day. Low water, high numbers of quality fish and still very good opportunities for a big fish are the norm at that time. I'll be following up with reports on the situation with the shad now that the fishing is getting cranked up again. ALSO, I'VE HAD A FEW PROBLEMS WITH MY E-MAIL SO IF YOU SEND ME AN E-MAIL AND DO NOT GET A RESPONSE PLEASE CALL MY CELL PHONE (870)404-2942. Good fishing until next time! |
| December 4, 2007 |
| Happy Holidays everyone! Sorry for the delay in posting a report but the last two months have been crazy busy. We've had a very consistent Fall this year as far as the fishing goes with only a few slow days on either river. As most of you know, low oxygen is always a problem this time of year and can really effect the fishing at times. The Norfork had great days and slow days but the White remained pretty consistent throughout the Fall season. Things have now slowed down and it's a great time to come fish, weather permitting. It will remain slow until February so if you get the chance to come fish you can have the river to yourself on most days. Egg patterns, scuds, midges and worms are all producing and there are a few baetis coming off from time to time. Good fishing. |
| Sept. 11, 2007 |
| Hoppers, beetles, big ants! The terrestrial bite is on fire on the White. Light generation and the abundance of terrestrials has the fish looking up for their meals. The Georgia Women Fly Fishers were here last week and many experienced some of this exciting action. They fished with us for three days and everyone caught alot of fish including browns, cutts, brooks and bows. A 20 inch brown caught by Susan(last fish of last day) and a 18 inch rainbow caught by Lynn were two of the braggers. Thanks GWFF! The Norfork also fished very well for us providing a full day of wade fishing for a variety of species. Various scud and midge nymphs were the ticket there. Generation has been light to moderate on both rivers offering wade or drift fishing opportunities. For those with experience fishing dries, the C@R area below Bull Shoals Dam is providing fairly cosistent big fish action on hoppers, ants, beetles and the like. A 21 inch brown fell for a size 6 dragonfly yesterday and numerous 18 to 20 inch bows and a few cutts are eating the big terrestrials up there right now. The weather has also cooled off substantially so this is a fantastic time to make plans to come enjoy what these rivers have to offer. Enjoy the surface action while you can, it's a blast! |
| August 6, 2007 |
| Fishing has been quite good on both rivers. Summer temp.'s are cause for a good bit of high water but wade fishing is still possible at times. The high water, however, produces big fish so we're getting the best of both worlds at this time. I suspect that current generation patterns will remain pretty much the same through most of September. I've fished mostly on the White River lately with great results. Low water is producing high numbers of 12-14 inch rainbows with the occasional larger rainbow or brown. Higher water has been producing some really nice browns and 12-18 inch rainbows. Worms and various bead head nymphs are the flies I've been fishing in higher water periods and midges and other smaller nymphs in low water periods. I fished the Norfork yesterday with 3 beginner fly fishers and had a great day of wade fishing. They caught 15-20 fish each including a 17 and 20 inch brown. Various midge and scud patterns were the ticket and the two browns were both caught on scuds. Other than the heat, now is a great time to fish here no matter what your interest or skill level. Until next time, good fishing. |
| July 7, 2007 |
| Summer is definitely here and so is everything that goes with it; hot temp.'s and high water are the norm at this time. It seems for many others this is a bad thing and I completely disagree. High water on the White River is a blessing. It provides the best opportunities to catch trophy fish and I've been catching alot of nice bows and browns. Two browns over 20 inches today and a bunch of nice rainbows. These heavy flows should last for a while and continue to fish well. San juan worms and various beadhead nymphs are getting the job done when fished along the banks and over grass beds and gravel bars. This is exciting fishing and you have the chance at a really big fish at any time. I haven't fished Norfork lately but I'll let you know the next time I'm there. As for now, the high water on the White is providing plenty of action and the constant feeling that the next cast could catch the fish of a lifetime. |
| June 5, 2007 |
| The fishing isn't quite as good as it was a month ago but it's still pretty consistent. Generation is still pretty light on both rivers offering both wade and drift fishing opportunities. I haven't fished the Norfork in a couple of weeks but the White has been fishing pretty good the last few days. There are a good number of mayflies coming off and the fish are showing interest in them at times, even during 1 or 2 generators. The weather is still nice with highs in the mid 80's. I'll be fishing the Norfork sometime in the next week and I'll let you know how it's fishing. Until next time, Good Luck. |
| April 29, 2007 |
| The fishing is "CRAZY GOOD". That's the best description I can come up with. Dead low water on both rivers is providing non-stop action on almost anything you care to throw at them. Caddis, midges, craneflies and even a few mayflies are coming off daily, very thick at times. Dries, nymphs and emergers of numerous sorts are all catching fish and we've experienced 100 fish per person days a few times recently. The crowds have not been too bad either. I've fished many areas on both rivers lately and had the fish to ourselves on several occasions during the week. It's a great time to experience some of the best fishing these rivers have to offer. Until next time, "Good Fishing". |
| April 7, 2007 |
| Generation is somewhat unpredictable, as usual, but the lakes are right around pool and generation is light. The White and Norfork are both fishing quite well on most days. The low water and falling water is fishing much better than the rising water. The caddis are coming off daily and dries are working well at times, but the caddis pupa imitations are producing the most action. Scuds and midges are working well at times but we've caught some really nice browns and rainbows dead drifting caddis pupa imitations. Norfork, Rim Shoals, the Narrows and Buffalo Shoals have provided great action for the last 3 or 4 weeks. Conditions should remain similar for a while if we don't see any heavy rainfall that cause the lakes to rise. The public meeting for regulation changes is scheduled for May 14-15. If you can't make it please take the time to write a letter describing what you'd like to see in the future for regulations on the White and Norfork Rivers. Send it to my address so that I can submit them at the May meeting. 336 Stephanie Gassville, AR 72635. This is the most important letter you may ever write so please take the extra 20 minutes to put a pen to paper. Thanks in advance and I'll see you out there. |
| March 23, 2007 |
| Fishing has been pretty good for the most part on both rivers. I've been on the Norfork and just about every stretch of the White at some point in the last couple of weeks. The water has been low on most days but is unpredictable, as usual. Just when you think there is cosistency, something changes. No generation all day yesterday on the White and seven generators today. Go figure. The caddis are really popping during low water periods from just a few miles below the Dam all the way down to Buffalo City and probably further. Big green bodied white winged caddis as thick as I've ever seen are coming off and the fish are gobbling them. This is an awesome time for the dry fly enthusiast. And if you just want to catch a boat load of fish, various tungsten beaded caddis pupa make catching fish easy during the hatches. Although it's hard to say what we'll see as far as generation, the high water at Bull shoals Dam is still producing some big fish on shad patterns if you are up there when the water rises. Regardless of what your interests are, there is great fishing to be had and the next few weeks will probabaly offer some of the best dry fly fishing anyone could ask for. |
| March 13, 2007 |
| I fished at Bull Shoals Dam a couple of times recently and the fish are biting pretty well. The size average is a little down from what I'm used to seeing up there but at least they're biting. The Norfork is also fishing good but I don't recommend fishing over there on the weekends. Spring Break is starting and weekends will be very crowded. I guided a guy from Chicago on the upper end of Norfork on Thursday and he hooked into one of the biggest rainbows I've seen in a long time. The fish took a size 18 black and silver zebra midge and jumped out of the water on the run. Unfortunately, it broke off but it's better to have hooked and lost than to never have hooked at all. Midges and scuds are the ticket on the Fork in low water and red and orange san juan worms when they're generating. I spent the afternoon at Buffalo City today and we hammered 'em. Black tungsten midges in size 14-18 were the best producers but we caught fish on just about everything. This area is producing alot of nice, hard fighting winter hold over rainbows that have been in the river long enough that it's difficult to distinguish whether or not some could be wild fish. This is a great area to fish right now if you have boat access. Enjoy the nice weather and the good fishing. |
| March 7, 2007 |
| As I predicted, the low water is providing HOT action. The Norfork Dam was shut down all day today and the fishing was great. No monsters, but the three guys I guided today caught over 100 fish wading the upper end of the Norfork. All of the fish are strong and hard fighting averaging 12 to 14 inches. They did catch some 16 to 17 inch browns and rainbows that fought as hard as I've ever seen and an 18 inch cutt that battled like a five pounder. Scuds, midges, sowbugs and san juan worms all worked but the midge bite was the best. Black and silver zebras in size 16-20 worked well all day. Conditions should remain pretty much the same as long as the weather holds. Until next time, Good Fishing! |
| March 6, 2007 |
| It appears that the heavy generation has finally ended. Bull Shoals was shut down most of the day yesterday and today and Norfork has been shut down most of the day today. This trend of little or no generation should continue as long as we have mild weather and no heavy rains. The fishing should be great on both rivers after this long high water period. At least the next month should be a great time to be here. As for the high water, I fished Norfork yesterday and the 2 guys landed almost 60 fish and hooked up with about 80. Quite a nice change considering it's been pretty tough over there on most days over the last few weeks. Red and flourescent orange san juan worms did the trick, providing for consistent action all day. I've already seen some caddis coming off in the last couple of days which should allow good dry fly action in low water. I had a cancellation for March 9 and 10 and have other days availabe in March and April. Now looks like the time for some exciting wade fishing. Scuds, sowbugs, midges, worms and caddis will cover most of what the fish are seeing at this time. Good luck and I hope to see you soon. |
| February 26, 2007 |
| It seems that the bad weather is over for now and the fishing will hopefully change for the better. The Atlanta club fished with us over the weekend and fishing was mediocre. The fish were finicky and conditions were poor. High winds and high water aren't a good combination. But, everyone caught fish, including a few really nice ones, and had a great time. The good news is that I guided three women from Texas today and the bite was on. We fished Rim Shoals in the morning and Buffalo City in the afternoon. They hooted and hollered everytime they hooked up. Red and pink san juan worms fished along the banks, over grass beds and downstream of islands and boulders was working like a charm. They all stayed hooked up most of the day so this was a really fun day after the last week. There are stii going to be great things to come out of the shad kill at Bull Shoals. I know there are a ton of big fish up there and conditions will change eventually. Once the shad thin out we should see periods of fish looking for them during generation. That's when we'll hook some monsters up there. I'll keep you posted. |
| February 17, 2007 |
| Things have been going pretty well and then, today happened. 25 to 30 mile per hour winds and freezing temp.'s forced us off the river after landing only 2 fish in almost 2 hours of fishing. Conditions were absolutely miserable and the fish were tight lipped during the few instances where we actually got a decent drift. We got some wadeable water finally last week and the fishing on the Norfork was terrific. Heavy rains then brought the lakes back up 3 to 4 feet over pool. Now, we are again seeing heavy generation around the clock which will likely continue until the lakes are drawn down somewhere close to pool. This is certainly not a bad thing with the exception of high winds. A good drift is imperative when fishing high water and it's almost impossible to achieve when the wind is howling. There are still shad coming through at Bull Shoals Dam and I believe we will start seeing some at Norfork as well. A bass fishing buddy of mine reported seeing high numbers of dead shad in some areas of Lake Norfork. Shad patterns and worms are still the ticket as far as fly selection and scuds and midges were doing the trick when the Norfork was shut down last week. We still haven't seen the best of what is to come out of the shad kill this year and I know the next month will provide some fantastic fishing when the water and weather cooperate. I'll post another report when conditions change. |
| February 9, 2007 |
| I guided two guys from Memphis today and started fishing below Bull Shoals Dam at about 8:30 am. The fishing there is still spotty because most of the fish are gorged with shad. In two hours of fishing we only boated three fish but one was a 26 inch brown that weighed over 8 pounds. The others were 17 and 19 inch rainbows which were also stuffed with shad. All three were caught on shad patterns. We relocated to Rim Shoals at about 11:00 am and fished there until about 4:30 pm. Each client caught about 15 or 20 fish each ranging in size from 12-15 inches. These fish were caught on red and pink san juan worms. I'll post another report within the week. |
| February 7, 2007 |
| I've spent the last three days filming a tv show called Adventure Guides that will air on OLN in April. Talk about pressure! I have a new respect for fishing shows. It was alot of fun , however, and a great opportunity. There are still plenty of shad coming through at Bull Shoals and alot of the fish up there are stuffed. The bite is spotty but there are alot of big fish up there and new ones moving up for the shad I'm sure. The next few weeks will offer the best opportunity for something really big if you are willing to spend the day up there. There are slow periods but if you want a trophy now is the time to be fishing up there with shad patterns. The Norfork is still very consistent producing high numbers of 12-14 inch fish and quite a few nice, 18-20 inch fish. They still aren't responding to shad patterns but various san juan worms are doing the trick. My daughter and I went to Rim Shoals today for a couple of hours to see if the fish further down river would respond to shad patterns. After 20 minutes of hitting some prime fish holding areas I switched to a pink san juan worm. I fished the same areas and caught fifteen 12-15 inch bows in about an hour. The water is high but the fishing is great no matter what you're looking for, numbers or size. |
| Decmber 20, 2006 |
| Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone. I fished three clients from Oklahoma on Sunday and Monday. We covered a lot of territory in those two days fishing above the Narrows, Tucker Shoal, Redbud Shoal and at Bull Shoals State Park with pretty good results everywhere. A couple of big ones were hooked that broke off and several other nice fish(16 inchers) were landed. Otherwise, just a bunch of hard fighting 12-14 inchers. Various tungsten midges and other nymphs as well as worms and egg patterns were all effective. The weather is still quite nice and there are still wade fishing opportunities on the White. Bull Shoals is running in the mornings and evenings and Norfork is generating around the clock. Good luck and I hope to see you next year. |
| December 9, 2006 |
| I fished the Norfork yesterday with a client from Memphis. The temperature was about 20 when we got started and for a while I thought my fingers and toes might fall off. However, his fingers were obviously more tolerable of the cold and the fish were cooperating quite well. He landed about 20 fish in a couple of hours when I noticed that the water was starting to drop a bit. The fishing slowed down some but not much and an hour or so later the water was off and dropping fast. He picked up a few more fish on large tungsten zebra midges and size 14 scud patterns but the fishing continued to slow down. By the time 3:00 pm rolled around the bite had almost vanished and we decided to call it. I haven't fished the Norfork in quite some time because of the low oxygen and it is probably still low judging from the results of yesterday's fishing. The fish readily took a pink san juan worm the entire time until I noticed that the water was off and I switched to the big zebra. As the water got lower the bite got slower which can sometimes indicate low dissolved oxygen content. Anyway, he caught a couple of chunky 17-18 inch browns and several rainbows from 14-16 inches as well as a bunch of smaller fish. Overall, a pretty good day. If nothing else, the Fork seems to be fishing pretty darn good on high water and they're generating just about every day so it's not a bad choice right now. Until next time, enjoy the warmer temp.'s we're seeing now. Today feels like a summer day compared to yesterday. Good Luck! |
| November 27, 2006 |
| Things have finally slowed down a bit but the fishing is still quite consistent. This has been one of the best Fall seasons ever for BIG fish. Three 28 inchers and a host of 20 to 25 inch fish have met my net over the last couple of months. Other than a couple of slow periods due mostly to some really foul weather, the fishing has been and remains consistent. We're now seeing very little or no generation from the Bull Shoals Dam and daily generation from the Norfork Dam. This could be in part due to the low oxygen at Norfork which made the front page of the Baxter Bulletin a few weeks ago. About 80 fish were collected which apparently died because of the low dissolved oxygen content that occurs this time of year on the Norfork tailwater. Because of this I've spent most of my time on the White for the last month and a half and the water has been great. Rarely has there been too much water to wade and almost always enough water to get the boat around without a struggle. Fly selection has been pretty much the same as far as nymphing goes. Although I rarely use egg patterns other than this time of year they have been working quite well. I'm sure this is mostly due to the fairly consistent low water. The browns actively spawn without extreme changes in water levels so the fish are seeing and eating plenty of eggs. I've also had great luck with very small sculpin patterns and various dries. We're still seeing hatches of caddis, blue winged olives and midges which the fish are still taking on the surface at times. Ive also had a bit of action on some big foam bodied dries and hoppers recently. It looks like we've got some really cold weather coming in the next few days so get out there while it's still gorgeous. Good luck and I'll see you on the river. |
| Sept. 29, 2006 |
| We have been blessed with early Fall weather recently and the fishing has been great. We're seeing little generation from either dam providing plenty of wade fishing opportunities. Light water on the White has also given me the opportunity to fish clients from the boat at times, making it quite simple for beginners to catch a ton of fish. Fishing on the Norfork certainly hasn't been affected by the recent runoff issues. The last several trips I've had on the Norfork in low water have resulted in high numbers of 12 to 15 inch fish as well as a few really big fish up to 22 inches. And on the White, after the storms we had on the 22nd and morning of the 23rd, I fished the afternoon of the 23rd down at Rim Shoals(24 miles below dam) with three beginning fly fishermen and caught about 70 fish between them in less than four hours. The water was a bit merky but don't let that frighten you. The fishing is often times better when the water is stained due to the high contents of somewhat foreign food washed in from tributaries. The fish are also less spooky and this is a great time to fish for big browns. I can recall many trophy browns being caught over the years after a good rain. This Fall should be what visiting fly fishers dream of, low water, pleasant weather and big browns. I can't imagine seeing much generation and there are still alot of big fish in many areas of the rivers. Fly selection shouldn't change much due to the year round food sources(scuds, sowbugs, midges, annelids etc.) and you'll likely see caddis hatches as well as some terrestrials such as hoppers. I'll try to report back around mid November when I have some time off. Until then, good fishing. |
| Sept. 13, 2006 |
| The cooler weather has moved in and the fishing is still quite good. There hasn't been much generation lately making for excellent wade fishing opportunities. I had 3 people on Saturday and fished a couple of different areas. We got started at Rim shoals around 8:30 and began catching fish immediately. The water was falling from the 2 generators they ran the night before. Two of the guys were fishing larger tugsten beaded caddis pupa(size 12 @ 14) and the other a black tungsten beaded midge larva(size 14). We fished from Redbud shoal down to the bottom of Rim shoal and the three had caught about 25 fish each by noon. Mostly 12-14 inch rainbows, but plenty of action. This area has been great for producing numbers if that is what you're after. The Norfork was running 1 generator and went up to 2 generators at about 11:00 am. After a brief discussion about going after some bigger fish we decided to move to Norfork. I put in at the confluence and motored up into the catch and release area. There are a few spots I like there when the water is rising from one to two generators. Again, they started catching fish immediately on brown, pink and orange worms. They each caught several nicer fish(18 inchers) including a few hard fighting brownies. The action was consistent until about 4:00 at which time the bite slowed drastically. We fished for another hour but only picked up a few more rainbows. This was a typical day for three fairly experienced anglers familiar with nymphing techniques. Barring any unforeseen gulley washers, we should have mostly low water throughout this Fall season. Good fishing and I'll see you on the river. |
| July 25, 2006 |
| Hello again. It's been a while since my last report so here is the scoop. The Spring fishing was phenomenal. Plenty of low water and very high numbers of fish. We're now seeing periods of moderate generation on both rivers. We're experiencing some slow periods but the bite has been good for the most part. The exciting news is the numbers of big browns I'm seeing. It's as if they came out of nowhere. I've been jumping around fishing many different areas on both rivers and there are browns from 3 to 12 pounds almost everywhere I look. It will be interesting to see what happens this Fall when they begin to spawn. With these high numbers and the continued low water, we could have a very successful spawn this year. Fly selection hasn't changed much; midges, scuds, sowbugs and such in low water and various colors and sizes of worms during periods of generation. It's not so much the fly as how and where to fish in certain water conditions. This is the area where people get confused. I constantly hear people asking "what are they biting on?" Well, I might tell you that I fished at Norfork and caught a hundred fish on scuds and/or midges. This might be helpful info but if you're not in the right place presenting the fly the way it is supposed to be presented then you may as well be fishing in my back yard. It's really amazing what you pick up from fishing every day for years. Things such as where to fish depending on which direction the wind is coming from or what to do in two generators as opposed to four generators. These variables are generally much more important than what fly to use. I'll be speaking in Kansas City August 14 and Dallas in September if you're interested in learning more about what to use where and when in what water conditions etc. etc. Good fishing! |
| April 27, 2006 |
| Hello again. The last month has been extremely busy and it's a good thing, as the fishing has been fantastic. Low water has become the norm for the most part so wade fishing is the ticket. This is a great time for the dry fly guy. Midges and caddis are thick daily along with some craneflies and a few mayflies in some areas. The nymph fishing, however, is unbeatable as usual. Midges, scuds, sowbugs, caddis pupa, worms and a few others have all been producing well for me over the last few weeks. I've mainly fished four areas: Norfork, Rim Shoals, the Narrows and above to Dale Fulton's and Bull Shoals Dam. Olive, grey and rust colored scuds in sizes 14 and 16 along with black, olive and dark brown zebra midges in sizes 18 and 20 are producing both numbers and size in all of these areas. Dead drift these patterns under a small indicator in the riffles or the slow deeper pools. A good standard depth for almost anywhere is 16-18 inches on the midges and 2-3 feet on the scuds and sowbugs. Bead head caddis pupa have also been very effective throughout the Rim Shoals area as well as dries and emergers. Depending on the individual, our catch has ranged from 15 to 50 fish per person per day with alot of nice ones up to 23 inches in the last few weeks. I'll get back with more info when things slow down a bit. Good luck! |
| March 27, 2006 |
| Saturday March 25- I fished the Norfork today with three guys from Birmingham who had never been to the area before. After the great days I've had over there recently everyone was excited. The fishing, however, was a bit of a disappointment. Apparently, Game and Fish has stocked a ton of tiny, 5 to 7 inch fish of all 4 species. I haven't found out any details on this yet but there are enough of these tiny fish that it was very difficult to get away from them. They all caught a bunch of fish but the size average was way down. They did manage to catch a few 14 - 15 inch fish later in the day but they certainly didn't get to experience what that river is normally like. This was a nuissance but it is actually a good thing. These smaller fish will make up for the lack of shad this year as most of them will soon fall prey to the larger fish in the river. Things should be back to normal over there very soon and we'll have some really fat trout-stuffed trout. Zebra midges in sizes 18-22 were again the fly of choice.
Sunday March 26- The guys had to head back to Birmingham early so we only had a half day to fish. I decided to take them to Rim Shoals to maximize fishing time. We put the boat in and motored up to Redbud shoal where we got out to wade. Only two of the guys were fishing today while the other took pictures. This worked out really well. I started them out with a size 16 black and silver tungsten zebra midge and a size 14 nymph(copper tungsten bead on a scud hook with rabbit dubbing). They both started out catching some nice 12-14 inch rainbows. After about an hour the midge pattern stopped working but the other bug, which one of the guys appropriately named "Clint's Sunday Special", was still slaying them. After changing both of them to this fly, they continued catching fish until about 11:00 when things slowed down. Since we only had about 30 minutes before they had to leave, we got in the boat and hit a couple of quick spots with the "Clint's Sunday Special" and a pink size 16 worm. They each caught a couple more fish and it was time to go. This was a really good half day. They each caught 20-25 fish each which ranged from 12 to 17 inches. They both seemed tickled with this and it was really good for just a half day but I hope they get a chance to come back and see what the Norfork is really like.
Good luck out there and I'll be back soon. |
| March22, 2006 |
| I started out at Bull Shoals again on the morning of the 16th hoping to repeat the previous day. It didn't happen. The bite was much slower although they were able to pick up a few fish on small scuds. What a difference a day makes. This is why it's a good idea to have at least two or three days to fish. We stuck it out up there and managed to make a decent day out of it. Size 16 olive scuds were definitely the fly of choice and they picked up a few fish on size 18 and 20 black and silver zebra midges.
On the 17th I headed back over to the Norfork. We got a late start due to a dead battery and the water was still falling out when we put the boat in around 10:00 am. We began fishing size 18 black and silver zebra midges in the slow deep water just below Gene's trout resort. The fish were cooperating immediately and within the first hour one of the guys had landed a beautiful 21 inch brown, an 18 inch brown, a 19 inch rainbow and several smaller fish. We fished my usual stretch down to the bottom of the "long hole" and they produced fish in every spot. Scuds and beaded midges in sizes 14 -20 were used in the slower deeper water and worms and unweighted midge patterns dropped off of a weighted fly were used in the riffles. This was another really good day on the Norfork. High numbers of nice fish.
On the 18th and 19th I guided in the same location fishing the upper end of the Norfork. I used all the same fly patterns and fished the same areas. Saturday was a bit tougher and Sunday was about the same but we're still talking 15 to 25 fish per person and some really nice ones. On Sunday, one of my clients from Oklahoma hooked into a brown that was well over 20 inches. It looked to be around 23-24 inches. That was the fifth brown over 20 inches in five days of guiding and that was the only one we didn't get pictures of.That is phenomenal fishing anywhere in the country.
We're still seeing very little generation due to the low lake levels. The bite is actually becoming more consistent and I haven't had any really slow days since February. I'll be back with another report at the end of the month. |
| March 19, 2006 |
| Greetings everyone. Sorry it's been so long but here is an update of how things have gone over the last couple of weeks. I guided a husband and wife couple from Alabama for two days , March 14th and 15th. We started out at Rim Shoals on the morning of the 14th. The water was low and the bite was on from the start. A size 16 black tungsten beaded midge larva pattern and a size 14 copper tungsten beaded nymph(copper tungsten bead and natural rabbit on a scud hook) were the only two flies required. The couple caught about 40 fish between the two of them by the time we decided to relocate at about 1:00 pm. We relocated to just above "the narrows" and had lunch. We began wading the slow water just below Dale Fulton's lodge and they were again catching fish immediately. We continued to use the same flies, though I downsized them a bit. I waded them downstream a total of about 300 yards covering the water quite slowly. The afternoon ended up being about like the morning. There were about 40 - 50 fish swimming around that in that pool with a sore lip when we called it a day at 5:00 pm.
We started the next morning in the trophy area below Bull Shoals Dam. They were running two generators earlier in the morning but they were shut down when we got there and the water was falling out. This was one of those unusual situations that you sometimes run into when you fish on a daily basis. Mike, rigged with a size 18 zebra midge began catching browns on virtually every cast. I've fished this area several times recently and have seen very few browns. He landed 6-8 browns before he ever even caught a rainbow, or anything else for that matter. I was almost in awe when I realized that Brenda, his wife, wasn't enjoying the same success. I spent the rest of the morning assisting her and she managed to catch 6 or 8 nice fish and had a great time learning how to fish some really tough water. Her new knowledge would pay off BIG that afternoon. Meanwhile, Mike managed to catch somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 fish including a 21 and a 23 inch brown. This happens rarely in this area. 20 fish is great up there for a full day of fishing; 40 in half a day is almost unheard of. From there we packed it up and headed to Norfork. After eating lunch at the cafe we launched my boat at the State Park and floated down river. There was no generation. We floated down to the bottom of the long hole and began fishing in the shoal above McClellan's. We fished a mix of flies including scuds, sowbugs worms and various midge patterns. After catching quite a few fish I dropped a small red san juan worm off of the zebra midge that Brenda was fishing. She immediately caught a few rainbows on the worm and then she stuck something big. After some nervous instruction and a 200 yard sprint to the boat and back for a net she was able to enjoy the biggest fish I've ever seen caught in this particular area. It was a massive 24 inch hen brown. What a couple of days! This is what keeps you coming back. I'll be posting a report for my trips from March 16th through today after I get a good night's sleep. Until Then! |
| Jan. 19, 2006 |
| I fished the lower end of the "Trophy Area" on the Norfork today. The wind was gusting up to 30 mph and if you lifted your head just enough, the hat was gone. Note to self: buy one of those hat keeper things. Battling the breeze was rough at times but the fish were cooperating and there wasn't another fisherman in sight. I managed to catch about a dozen fish in an hour and a half or so and turned several others. Nothing huge, but some really chunky 13-16 inch rainbows and one cutthroat that was almost 18 inches. Definitely worth being out there on a 70 degree day in January, don't you think. I caught a couple of bows on a size 16 olive scud but midges seemed to be the preferred menu item. Size 24 WD-40's and "Clint's Emerger" as well as a size 20 tungsten Zebra midge was all it took. I fished the zebra in the slower, deeper water and the others in the riffles. Generation is still pretty much the same, light generation early and late and some days no generation at all. Excellent time to be here if this weather we're having holds up. Highs from mid 50's to mid 60's, wadeable water all day and no one else on the river is pretty nice, especially when the fish are cooperating well. See you out there! |
| Jan. 3, 2005 |
| I went out again this afternoon and fished the Norfork, again fishing a few different spots within the first mile and a half of the dam. I started at 2:30 and fished until 4:45. The fishing was extremely tough and various midges were the only producers. I ended up with four rainbows, two browns, two small cutts, a nice 14 inch brookie and one really nice 17 inch cutt. Not too bad for a little over two hours of fishing but I had to work for everyone. If you were a split second too late on the hook set, the fish was gone. This is a great example of how paying attention can really make the difference between having a decent day or getting skunked. When the fish are feeding aggressively you can afford to miss a few but when there as tight lipped as they were today, you've got to work a little harder and concentrate to be productive. Simply put, you can still catch nice fish on the slow days. Until next time. |
| Jan. 2, 2005 |
| I guided two of my regular customers on the Norfork yesterday. We fished several different spots along the first mile and a half below the dam. The fishing was good but not great and the wind blew really hard the entire time. However, they managed to have a pretty decent three hours of fishing using various midge patterns in sizes 18 to 24, olive and brown scuds in sizes 14 and 16 and olive and tan sowbugs in size 16. Generation is still very minimal with only occasional periods of light generation early mornings, late afternoons and possibly some at night. Fishing will vary from day to day but now is an excellent time to be here. There are plenty of big fish in both rivers at this time, plenty of wading opportunities and very few fishermen. The weather has also been great for this time of year and it looks like it will continue to be pleasant for at least the next week.
After recovering from a bit of a stomach bug last night, I awoke feeling weak but better. After getting a couple of meals in my belly, I decide to head to Rim Shoals to fish for a couple of hours with a friend. We began fishing in the slow water across from Gary Flippin's boat dock and both hooked up with a pair of small rainbows on the first cast. The wind was again blowing extremely hard so we decided to move down to the island which was a bit more protected from the gusts. We fished both sides of the river with various midge patterns in sizes 18 and 20, brown san juan worms in size 16 and a copper scud in size 16. Most of the fish were small, but fun and there was only one other wader in site. To top it off, I managed to spot a big rainbow occasionally open his mouth. After 3 different flies and numerous casts, the big bow finally fell for a size 18 black zebra midge. After one hell of a fight I was finally able to land the fish; a gorgeous 23 inch male rainbow that didn't have a blemish on him. That made for a fantastic two hours of fishing. Until next time fish hard and I hope to see you on the river. |
| 12/27/05 |
| Greetings fellow fly fishermen and Happy Holidays to everyone. I will post a full report within the next week, but for now the water is low, the fishing has been great and there are virtually no people on the river, especially during the week. I've finally completed my website and will be sending an email soon to let everyone know. Until then, the next month is an excellent time to head this way, if you have the opportunity. This is the only time of year when you can enjoy complete solitude on these rivers. Hope to see you soon. |
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