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Additional White River Area Information
Davy Wotton's Web Site | White River Home Page | White River Lodging Directory
Davy Wotton's
White River & North Fork River Fly Fishing Report
Updated about once per month, or as conditions change.
Current Report: June, 2005
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Hello Fly Fishers!
Hot humid days, some balmy stormy weather and overall good lower water flow rates for the
White river, same also for the Norfork.
You may well find that when generation does take place after a zero off, that the rivers
may contain a good deal of trashy water, that of course makes for difficult fishing at
those times, after a good period of time that will mostly clear out. The fish also may
object to that and switch off feeding.
Clear blue skies and low water are not the most conducive for good fishing, particularly
during the mid day to early evening periods. Overcome that one by fishing early and late.
Look for the zones that contain plenty of bottom structure, rock or moss beds and also
those zones that provide for both good agitated water, that will provide for higher O2
levels and a comfort zone for the fish.
Low water gives a great opportunity during the day to scout the river looking for the
holding zones of the trophy Browns and Bows that are here. l have seen a number of Browns
that are easily in the 10 to 15lb mark and a number way over that, for sure one particular
fish we know of is in the 25 lb or more class.
These are areas that you may wish to concentrate on fishing early morning and late into
dark. The odds are these fish will at those times be on the hunt for food, get the right
fly there and you may well hook one.
At Bull shoals dam there are at this time a good number of trophy Bows anything from 2 to
7 lb. Like l have said many times before these fish, when the water is shut down, are very
spooky. Avoid wading around looking for them, and do not continue to cast at will as they
will soon wise you up. Far better to pick your spot and make a few casts now and again and
give the water and fish a rest period. Few fly fishers realize those mistakes, that well
result in you having a zero day in that zone of the river.
The fish there are not so fussy on the fly you use as long as it is a good overall
imitation of a sowbug or scud in the 16 to 18 hook size, and if any surface activity takes
place, then that will almost certainly be due to midges.
Here again small flies, 18 to 22 will work most of the time if you have perfect dead drift
and no drag, no matter how small. Couple of evenings ago after water was shut down the
fish began to feed well on the surface. We nailed a bunch of them using both Adams dry and
various small midge emergers, to 6x.
Use long leaders here, add your 6 x tippet to the regular leader for at least 3 ft or
more. If you use a indicator then make it micro size, at all costs you must try to
eliminate anything that lets the fish know you are there !!!
To a large extent that will apply during the day periods when the sun is high and clear
skies, fish can see awful well at such times. Go small and fine and you should be able to
nail some fish in those difficult times. On both the White and Norfork rivers.
Crashing and splashing fly lines, careless wading and boat maneuvers are not going to help
you at such times.
Most evenings just before or after sunset there has been good surface activity. These fish
can be caught using small soft hackles, wet flies and dries in the 14 to 16 hook size,
dead drift or with very slow retrieves of the fly and pauses. Look for the zones that fish
are more concentrated in, some of these fish may well be better than average fish,
particularly Browns in the 15 to 18ins range, with some good cutthroats also to be found.
Best l have seen this past week is a 4.4lb Cutt and a 6 lb Bow.
Taking the White river in general, then generics such as hare ear, Pheasant tails, scuds,
sows, prince will catch the majority of fish dead drift indicator style.
Soft hackles fished in shallow moving water zones are a good bet . Deeper water zones then
various streamers are worth fishing on a floater or a intermediate line.
If you are in a zone and doing no good, then either change your methods of fishing or
move. You may have well wised the fish up. in these low water times.
I personally will choose to fish in areas that others are not.
The Norfork has been fishing well during generation shut off, but may well become a tuff
calll when the water is back on. Here again fish with caution and avoid to let the fish
know you are there. Sowbug and scuds always a good bet here on this river as well as many
other small nymph patterns. Last week we had a killer day using size 18 gold rib hares ear
nymph. Any surface activity here will be the result of midges, Here again small midge
emergers and dry fly are best choice.
I was told to day of a 10.5 Bow that was caught by the road bridge on the Norfrok, it is
no longer there sad to say. Gonna be a trophy wall mount l guess.
Same also for a 11lb Brown caught at the White hole.
OK, guys thats about it for now. Remember that the lakes can also give you some great
sport with the fly rod, early and later evenings, bass and sunfish are plentiful there.
And smallmouth fishing on the creeks is always worth a trip.
Any questions drop me a e-mail and l can put you up to date with the fishing as it is at
that time.
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.
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Additional
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