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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, 2006
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Hello Fly Fishers!
This past month has seen many variables with the weather, rainy
days, cold days, and hot humid days. And in some ways that has also had a bearing on how
the fishing has been.
Water temps will rise during the days when we have a low water scenario and that will as a
rule slow the catch rate down.
Water release at Bull shoals Dam is now getting in to some king of schedule, as of now we
are having flows from around 12pm to 10 pm, or something within those times, levels of
water may also be something in the order of a couple of feet to 5 or 6 depending on how
many gates are open at that time. Either way the river down stream needs a flush of clean
cold water.
Norfork, at this time runs most day for given periods, and that may also be 1 or 2 units
open.
Bottom line is be prepared for a water rise, and check out before you fish what has taken
place the previous times before you fish and what is running at that time.
So, how has the fishing been this past month? So far as l am concerned overall pretty dam
good. l have been out there more or less every day. There are some zones that may see
fewer fish at this time due to harvesting, but over all things are good.
BSD, low water here still provides some great midge fishing for risers early on in the
morning, if the sun gets high in a clear sky then things will slow down around 11am.
The warmer water temps down stream are now moving fish into the trophy zone and below,
which is typical for this time of the year when they run water, trout do prefer a cold
water influence.
Stacks of Bows and Cutts there at this time, and this past few days fishing there we have
seen some of the Brookies show up. There are a number of trophy Browns there at this time,
but they may well be reluctant to feed during the day time periods.
You may also see some small emergence of PMD early morning.
As a general rule go with chiromomids, 18 to 24 hook size. Use bead head versions for deep
fishing lower levels of the water column and un-weighted versions for emergers and surface
feeders. Small dries will also work well at this time.
Those fish can be very picky at times both to color and size of fly you use, so ring the
changes . Last week l started off the guys with black pupa, fish showed little interest,
went to red and 14 fish landed in no time.
Scuds and sow bugs also are a good bet at this time, and so also mini soft hackles if you
have some surface agitation from the wind.
If they run water then that is more or less a boat deal if it is much above a good one
gate open.
Moving down the river. This time of the year does start to see more traffic on the river,
so be prepared for that from Gastons down to Cotter. during regular guide trip hours, 7 to
3.30pm.
I have fished Rim Shoals trophy zone 3 times the past 4 days, and it is fishing well,
plenty of fish there at this time. You may have run off from the previous day's generation
but that should be falling out well around 8am onwards for the day, unless they run water
early on, then expect a rise.
Midge, sows, scuds and soft hackles working well, also dries early on and if you get a
good overcast day fish should be well on to chironomids, possibly some sulphurs early and
late in the day. Dusk to dark is well worth fishing there at this time.
Below Rim, no easy wade access, till you get to Ranchette and then Buffalo Shoals. Fished
that recently on low water. Good fishing overall. Look for the moving water seams for best
results. Generic nymphs, soft hackles, wets and dry fly doing well, small elk hair caddis
and also PMD, cahill dry, size 14/16.
You may find the zone from Buffalo down to the confluence not so productive at this time.
Warm water from the Buffalo does not help in this region at this time.
From Norfork down, wade access is very limited and you may have to deal with high water
from both White and Norfork River combined. Best bet here is to run a boat on the river.
Same also down to Calico and beyond. The chances are also from Norfork down that the river
is a trashy mess at this time.
Norfork, kind of been up and down at this time, l have not fished there myself for 3
weeks, but l do have good reliable reports. Some days are good others are real slow. That
may also have something to do with the generation schedules at this time, but things can
change day to day there.
Ok, what to expect overall this coming month. Check out generation schedules. A rise of
water very likely will be trashy much below the state park on the White, so try to avoid
being in front of that. Unless you are way down river, then you should have clean water as
the water falls out from the rise down. Look for zones that have good flow rates and
agitated water during days of heat and clear sky. In the slower zones look for areas that
have good moss beds as they provide cover for fish during climatic conditions of this
nature. Best times will be for fishing early till around 2 pm, then back again to ward
dusk to dark time. For you night owls this is a good time to go after that trophy Brown.
Hatches this month, expect the usual chironomid activity, some may fly such as sulphurs
and possibly some of the very small caddis. Other than that the majority of fish will be
looking for food base on the river bed, scuds, sows,caddis larva,snails, along with
crawdads and sculpins. In some zones river worms.
Any dramatic changes l will let you know.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
White River Area Information
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