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Additional White River Area Information
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Davy Wotton's
White River & North Fork River Fly Fishing Report
Updated about once per month, or as conditions change.
Current Report: May, 2007
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Hello Fly Fishers!
Time fly's and we are in to May already, with 80 plus days.
More or less the heavy early season caddis hatches are gone, but you may still see some of
the smaller species around that will of course bring about the interest of the fish.
We will see this month the hatches of sulphurs and PMD, given the right climatic
conditions on the day.
There is no doubt that chironomids are a very important food base for the fish here in
both rivers right through the systems. Typically Bull shoals dam zone does see the bulk of
surface feeders to midge at a low water level, saying that same also will apply both at
Norfork and zones way down from Bull Shoals Dam.
In the case of BSD and the Norfork at low water levels, here midge patters as a rule need
to be small, at least in the size 18s or less, both pupa and emergers, in various colors,
primarily, black, red, claret, olive/gray, with and without beachheads various.
It is a mistake to assume that a bead head fly is always the answer as it really is not.
Remember that a bead head Zebra midge will sink, and at times it will do so below the zone
of vision of the surface feeding fish. Here a un- weighted fly will often way our score a
weighted version.
Remember here also that the choice of mono used will also determine your fly depth,
regular mono will sink slow, fluro carbon will sink 4 times faster, so take that also into
account when choosing your set up for the fishing. As both fly weight/mono used do matter
when depth is more critical.
In that case of fishing higher water zones or when fishing faster water, then up the size
of the flies, look for hook sizes from 12 to 16. The fly will get down faster and present
to the fish something they can see.
The way things are here at this time, with the exceptions of high water, you can more or
less fish the entire system with chironomid imitations.
Sadly the rock snot problem we have here at BSD is still very evident at this time, and
when we do have generation it will scour the crap from the river bed and some what mess
the river up downstream until the flow of water does flush it down stream, so you may well
encounter that if you are fishing down stream from the dam when high water is rising. Only
option is to move way down below it or jump back up stream above the trash.
The high temps days have of course raised the water temps through the system, and
certainly in the upper levels did have some adverse effects to the fish. Last week a
monster Brown of 32lbs, was found at the Wildcat zone in a distressed condition, the fish
did die. Granted it may well have been from old age, who knows.
Again one more reason why we need minimum flow here for the rivers.
Hopefully after the events of last week we will see water release on a more consistent
basis to avoid this problem.
The warmer temps we have at this time will on the plus side get the trophy Browns to feed
more so during the late evening and into the dark hours, so well worth from now on hanging
out to fish late, or schedule some fishing during the diminished light hours.
Certainly this week we have seen some nice Browns in the 2 to 6 LB class.
What to expect this coming month. Given the warmer water conditions through the system you
will find the fish more active to look for food on the surface, so dries, emergers, soft
hackles and wets will be good choices.
Subsurface methods with flies in the order of sowbugs, scuds, chironomids, hares ears,
Ptails, woolly buggers.
As of now generations have been zero or moderate for the White, and for the Norfork, on
and off each day.
I might add here that the generation reports have not been accurate, l cannot give you the
reason why for this other than at this time do not assume that it is 100% correct. I was
myself at the Norfork river last week when the report stated zero generation, they were
running two at full blast.
Hopefully they will get this sorted out before too long.
If we see some changes here l will add further to this months report.
Tight lines.
Davy.
American International Schools of Fly FishingAbout 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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