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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: January, 2006
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Hello Fly Fishers!
Happy New Year to all, and pray for some rain fall.
For those of you who like to wade fish, you have plenty of that right now, so far as the
White river is concerned. More or less there is no generation on the river, and my
understanding is that this will be the case for some time.
Couple that with the zero input of water from the creeks along the river,and the Buffalo
river that is at a all time low, that also compounds the lower levels of the White, below
that confluence.
But the weather has been great, most days at this time in the 50 to 60 f range, some days
the winds has not been too kind but overall great fishing conditions to say the least.
Norfork river does have some generation from day to day, for short periods of time.
Ok, the deal is this. Unless you know well how to navigate the river, you may choose not
to chance a float. There are some area's that will allow you to get around, to some
extent, but you may well be confined to the slower deeper sections that are close to the
boat ramps. Or use the boat to get you to shorelines that are not easy to get to by wading
directly across stream, up or down. That is if you can get the boat off the trailer at the
ramp to start with.
Your best options are to head more in a upstream direction, at least you will be able to
get back down again. There are some area's that have very large section's of shallow
gravel bars, and again l will tell you that you will be wise not to go downstream of
those. Pulling a boat up stream for any distance is no fun. And you may have persons with
you that cannot deal with that scenario.
Twice this past week, l have seen some unfortunate individuals in this situation.
Make sure you have plenty of gas and a spare prop !!!, that's a given.
OK, for the fishing. The low water has of course confined many fish in small zones of the
river. In some cases there are 100s of them. I have fished every day with clients since
the 25th and have covered some 50 miles of the river in that time.
Good feeding periods have been from around 8am to 12 then from 3.30 to 5pm Seek water
zones that do have a reasonable flow, both shallow and deeper runs.
Fish in low water will be wary, aim to fish with more upstream presentations. The fish are
hungry at this time as reduce water flow also reduces food sources being moved around.
Generally fish with smaller flies, 12 to 16 hook size, more natural looking bugs, sows,
scuds, soft hackle, GRHE, Pheasant tail various, midge pupa, bloodworm, and small wet fly
patterns. Small San Juan worms may also do the trick. If you are not in a trophy zone
double up with two flies, about 1 ft spaced apart. If you use beadheads various, you
should not have to add weight. Use 5/6x, and long tippet sections, 4ft or more in some
cases. There has also been late on the White some very good midge feeding activity, here
go for emergers and un-weighted midge pupa, black, red and olive shades, size 18 to 22.
Small streamers may also work well at this time, but remember that you may well catch a
few then it will go dead on you, after they have wised up, as you will be fishing across
and down for the best part.
Upstream dead drift with ,more natural flies, will reduce this scenario, provided you do
not create too much surface disturbance.
As l said in a previous report if you are faced with very slow moving water look at that
as if it were a lake fishing scenario.
Long leader/tippet sections with such flies as soft hackles, small chironomid, blood worm
type flies. Cast them out and retrieve them very slow indeed, no indicator as that will
create surface disturbance and spook the fish. Simply watch the fly line/leader zone for
the take, sometimes that will be very small others they will take the fly hard. Use here
fluorocarbon tippet material, you want the flies to get down, and stay there, You may have
to add a small amount of weight in depth more than 3 feet.
You may find also that micro jigs will also work here, and small streamers, wooly bugger
type stuff.
You never know what a fish will do at times, but as a rule there is some reasoning to the
best way to catch them.
Avoid areas that many others are or have fished, unless the fish have had a settle down
period.
Also change flies on a regular basis if you are not getting any response, it does not take
long for the fish in a confined zone to have seen your offering and have no interest.
Fish by different techniques, dead drift, working flies very slowly, and even dry fly may
work at such times, Adams, small midge, BWO and flies of that nature.
OK, guys, that's about all l can give you as of now, If there is a change then l will let
you know.
Tight lines for 2006, and wishes for that fish of a lifetime.
Davy Wotton. APGAIAbout
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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