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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: August, 2006
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Hello Fly Fishers!
August, typically gives us hot calm weather days, and those are
not conducive over all for good trout fishing. So you may have to pick and choose times of
the day that are best to fish, which are as a rule early and late on.
Water temps may well rise rapidly during the day, and more or less the fish will shut down
from having a interest to feed, till the sun has moved off the water surface.
Generation at Bull shoals have been starting up at around 8am, sometimes a little later
and then shutting down around 11 to 12pm on average. Flow rates have varies from 1 unit on
all day to as much as a full 7 at times.
Norfork, most day there will be water run, some days 1 unit other a full 2.
Given these schedules then you may well have high water flows below the confluence during
the day time periods. But there are plenty of fish out there below this zone.
Needless to say you need to check in on a regular basis to establish flows. There is now
by the way a new system installed for generation information, and you should not have to
wait as long as you did in the past for a up date there for both rivers.
August often referred too as the dog days, so far as fishing is concerned, and that is
often very true. If l was going to pick the best optimum times to fish, it will be evening
and into dark time.
And early morning, at which time the water temps have cooled during the night, or the new
water has reduced the overall temperature.
However there are some options out there during the day time periods. And they are to look
for well oxygenated water, and that you will find typically below the shoals and riffles.
Fish may also be found in the deeper pools and slower zones, comfort zones of you like.
So far as wade fishing these are your options. If you are afloat then you have two options
here. The first is to move around on the river to look for fish holding zones or, if you
know how to run with rising water, stay a little in front of that push, as that will often
get the fish moving to feed, particularly if they have had a long spell stuck in slower
water zones. .
This past week l tracked 70 miles on the White river and all of the Norfork river. During
those floats, particularly on the White we noticed many of the larger Browns starting to
group to gather, in some cases monsters. August is one of those times, that if you are
prepared to fish during the dark hours you may well nail a very big fish.
The deal is to know the location of those guys and stick with them in that zone. They will
move around looking for food during those times.
But you also have to wade with care as creating a great deal of noise will spook them, so
also shining flashlights.
Best bet here is to fish either dry line or a intermediate with larger streamers, wooly
buggers work well and so also large muddler type flies, black over all the preferred
color. But at times olive and White may do as well, you never know.
Whilst at Shipps ferry access last week, l also found a dead Bow, that measured 33 ins
length and 20 ins girth, estimated weight of that fish would be at least 16lb and likely
way more. She had been dead at least two days and was in a partial emaciated condition. I
would guess she died of old age. Just goes to prove that there are some monsters Bows out
there also, other than the Browns.
Seems also this year to be a larger number of better Cutthroats in the 12 to 15 ins size
range, darn pretty fish they are for sure.
Fishing. Remember fish may some what be reluctant to feed during the day, and have no
interest to chase a stripped fly. Also in given know zones they may have been hammered by
other anglers before you arrived there.
My advice to you is this. Fish way smaller flies, and fish those with dead drift
techniques. drop down to 5 x or less. Average size of nymphs in the 14 to 16 hook size and
may be smaller if you are fishing with midge imitations, which is what l have been using
out there at this time, along with small soft hackles in very shallow fast water runs,
that can collect many fish, if you can avoid from spooking them out .
If you are fishing zones out side of the trophy zones fish a double rig with say a small
Elk hair caddis with a nymph suspended below. The caddis is less likely to spook the fish
over the use of a indicator at such times. If you do use indicators then try to avoid the
hi vis ones as they will stick out like a sore thumb at this time, with the bright
overhead light. As rule you will be fishing at close range, and ideally at a upstream or
across angle to the fish. Fishing down stream in shallow water is not a good choice, the
fish can see you a mile away as you are above them.
You may also find as dusk sets in fish will rise to the surface, here again small caddis
flies, dry midge should catch you fish. When fishing the faster deeper runs, then give a
dry hopper a cast, as this may also bring a fish to the fly. Soft hackles can also be
killer at this time.
Norfork, does not as a rule have the higher temps that the upper White tends to have
during the day. But here again go with smaller flies and light tippet set up for low water
fishing. High water fishing will differ. Here weight and leader length is the deal. You
have to get the fly down to the fish.
My choice for flies this month will include.
Hares ear nymph
Pheasant tails
Sow bugs
Scuds
Midge pupa, with and without bead heads.
San Juan worms
Soft hackles, various.
Woolly buggers, various.
Muddlers, Black and standard gold.
Rabbit strip/zonker style streamers for night time fishing
Elk hair caddis
Hoppers
Dry fly various such as ants, midge and mayfly, 16 to 18 hook size.
OK, guys that is about all for this month. I am off to Montana for 2 weeks, and l look
forward to my return for the September fishing as usual.
By that time the big boys will really start to get going.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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