At the time of writing this report we still have a high water situation on both the White and Norfolk rivers. The White has had a consistent flow of 6 to 8 units and the Norfork 2 units.

Wade fishing during this time is not really an option unless you can access some open areas and fish within the short zones that this permits.

There is no doubt that high water does cause potential visitors to the area to not come due to zero wade access. However, the fishing can still be very good during high waters, but there will be days that fishing is slow, and number of fish caught will be low. On the bright side high water flows are a great asset to the fishery in general for many reasons, which I’ll share here.

Fish grow very fast at this time, more water provides for more resources for food sources to live. Water vegetation will grow well, and that is home to many invertebrate’s such as the scuds, sowbugs, caddis larva, mayfly nymphs and so on.

Not to mention the food sources that are more so available from the bank side, high water flushes out earthworms, other terrestrial bugs, even mice are subject to being washed out and trout will eat those for sure. Fish will also move up into the now flooded creeks, and here again they will find both a comfort zone and food. Plenty of sunfish for the Trophy Browns to gobble up, and other fish species that are found there!

High water also reduces the numbers of fish that are harvested for many reasons, there is far less fishing pressure on the water. Many methods such as setting the boat at anchor over a known hot spot are not really a option when high flows exist, in fact in can be very dangerous to do that, at least in main river flows. That again reduces harvest numbers. Fish will survive for a greater period of time for that very reason.

Stocked trout will become more spread out through the river system, which is not so much the case when low water conditions are present.

Overall long term low water is not good for the ecology of the river in general, about the only down side to high water is from the fisherman’s point of view.

Ok, I do not have enough space here to write all that l could but l am going to give you some pointers how to deal with fishing high water. I can only assume that you will have access to fish from a boat.

Trout have no problem with dealing with fast water flow rates, but what they will do is to find a comfort zone, behind structure, in zones of low flow rate, shoreline, backwater and so on.

These are the places to concentrate your fishing. If you know intimately known structure zones , that is a good plus.

Forget the 3 and 4 wt outfits. I would be myself looking to use anything above a 6wt, more in the 7 to 8 wt class. For the reasons that you will be using lines such as sink tips to ultra fast sinker full lines. In so far as indicator fishing is concerned, you will normally have to add weight to get the fly down to counteract both water speed and depth. If you are fishing the backwater creeks, then ok, you may lesson the line wt rod ratio to some extent.

In so far as fishing into and along shore lines you will have to determine the best options for fishing, fishing into a tangled jungle of brush may not be a good choice due to hang ups. Look for zones that are running along rock structure, even open flooded grass and over and behind flooded islands are good places to check out. Any place that you can see a slack water difference from the main river flow, look for seams where two water influences some together, they will be a comfort zone for fish in these places.

In the case of sunk line fishing techniques you have to be able to control the speed that your fly swims, often the fish will hit within the first few yards of retrieve, after that they may well not choose to follow the fly out into heavy water flows. If for example I am fishing into slower, and shallow shorelines l will probably choose to use a short head sink tip around 3 to 5 ips or a intermediate, just enough to bet the fly down, but not so it hangs up. You want to have the boat drift speed controlled so as when the fly is cast you can strip the fly back with a small amount of downstream drift. If the fly is directly swung away and downstream too fast, that is not so effective as a rule. If l am fishing deeper water zones then l will go to full fast sinking line techniques, anything from 4 to 7ips. Same applies here, the fly must not be dragged down stream too fast. If you are fishing with a guide and he really knows his business he will watch what is going on and correct the boat accordingly to maintain that you fly is fishing productively. Or it is generally a waste of time.

Flies to use can be wooly buggers, streamers of different types, bait fish patterns and so on.

Leader lengths are important. I do not mess around with tapered leaders. I simply cut a length from a bulk spool of nylon, l like the P-line or Maxima, 6 to 10lb, either way is very cost effective and the fish will not care either. Leader length from the fly line around 6 to 8 for sink tip and intermediate, 4/5 feet for fast sinkers, if it is much longer the fly will not get down fast enough unless you use a fly with additional weight, bead heads, lead , lead heads etc.

It is all down to you, first being able to get the fly down and then being able to control the speed and downward direction when fishing it.

Indicator fishing also has to be rigged to suit the water you are fishing. If it is deep fast water then, period if that fly does not get down to the fish, you are not going to catch much.

Here are my tips to help you deal with this situation.

Fly line in the 6/7 wt class.-It is easier to deal with the added weight you will need.

Use fluor carbon leaders/tippet.- It sinks around 4 times faster than regular mono and will enable to fly to get down faster.

Strike indicators– You are not fishing shallow water zones and likely going to spook fish. You need a indicator that will not be pulled down by the addition of weight and a Flo leader that will cause that to happen. If a fish nails the fly in fast water you should easily be able to see the take.

I attach the indicator right close to the end of the fly line. A 6/7 wt line has a greater degree of bouncy at the tip than a 3 to 5 wt. That and the correct indicator should do the trick.

Unless you know it, you have to figure out the average depth of water you are fishing. If the fly does not get down then the chances of catching fish are considerably lessened. The surface of the water moves a great deal faster than at the bed of the river and your floating fly line will cause the fly often to be pulled along too fast, unless you have sufficient weight added, it acts in a way like a anchor, and slows the whole deal down, you have to compensate for that also with mending the fly line.

If for example to water is 10ft depth and you have a rig that is so weighted that the fly will be suspended in a more or less dead straight drop from the indicator, then you have to allow for that, and the only way you can is to increase the leader/tippet length. Which is also related to the weight factor of fly or addition to the line above it.

I cannot give you a 100% accurate formula for that as there are many variables that l would have to know. Water speed, bottom structure and so on. The only way for you to figure it is this.

If for example you are fishing in 10ft of water with a fluoro carbon leader of 9 ft in length.

To a 4x termination. Add to this a further 5 ft of 4 or 5x FC tippet.

If the fly has no weight , pinch on between 8 to 12 ins from the fly 2 size BB. Now run a drift from point A to B. Did you hang up or not.

Go back again and add a further BB and repeat, A to B. did you hang up or not. I am looking for a sign that my fly is close to the bottom and the only way l know that is the fly is getting hung up or is showing signs of moss attached to the hook, or l know the zone so well l know how to rig up to deal with it. Increasing the overall length of leader/tippet is also a way to deal with this, but you may find dealing with a long leader is not a easy option for you.

It is a trial and error deal.

Flies to use, are many, jigs, San Juan worms, scuds, sows, eggs, bead head nymphs, prince, are all good choices.

Hope the above gives you guys a better insight in how to deal with high water flows.

Good fishing for the month and see you on the river,
Tight lines for now,
Davy Wotton

About Davy Wotton
Davy has been making his living as a full time fly fisher in one capacity or another for over 30 years. He has written many articles for all of the fly fishing magazines, created several unique flies and fly tying materials which he developed into a full scale manufacturing operation in his native country of Wales, and is a much-sought speaker around America at fly fishing functions and shows. Over the years Davy has fished in over 40 countries around the world but his choice for base of operation is right here on the White River. Davy operates his American International Schools of Fly Fishing in Flippin, Arkansas.