Sittin' Here Wishin' That I Could Go Fishin'
A song and video for everyone who loves to fish!
http://youtu.be/6lycoRjPW-U
February 2, 2012 - White River - Submitted by Berry
Brothers Guides - JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 2/02/2012
During the past week, we have had no precipitation, mild temperatures and windy conditions. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose two tenths of a foot to rest at two tenths of a foot over power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty one and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake rose four tenths of a foot to rest at power pool or sixteen feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose one tenths of a foot to rest at power pool or nine and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had heavy generation with no wadable water. Norfork Lake rose one tenth of a foot to rest at power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty eight and feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had heavy generation at the beginning of the week with no wadable water and lighter generation with wadable water later in the week. All of the lakes in the White River System are at or near power pool and we should see wadable water on both rivers in the coming weeks.
The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam was closed to fishing from November 1, 2011 to January 31, 2012 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. It was opened to fishing on February 1, 2012. When you are fishing there you should avoid the use of drag chains to prevent damage to trout redds and the brown trout eggs in them. On low water, you should wade carefully to avoid them. They will appear as clean depressions in the gravel bottom.
There were several days where we had periods of generation in excess of 20,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) on the White. The best technique for this type of water is to fish brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink and red) and egg patterns (orange and peach). The trick is to get the flies down. To sink these flies you must use big split shot (AAA or larger) and long leader/tippet combinations (ten to twelve feet). To help detect takes use a brightly colored strike indicator near the top of the leader. One way to increase strikes is to use a small nymph as a dropper below the worm or egg. Effective flies for droppers have been sowbugs, Y2Ks, red zebra midges or copper Johns.
Another technique that has been particularly effective on the higher water has been to bang the bank with big streamers. Effective patterns have been Zoo Cougars, Sex Dungeons and Butt Monkeys. The key to success has been to use a heavy sink tip (250 grain or heavier). To deliver these heavy flies on heavy sink tip lines, you must use at least an eight weight rod. This is hard work but can produce some excellent trout.
The hot spot was the Catch and Release Section below Bull Shoals Dam on opening day. The brown trout bite was heavy with many nice fish caught. It was very crowded with over twenty boats in the area. The hot flies were egg patterns in peach or orange.
Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are high and stained after our rain. The water temperature is near the point where the Smallmouth will become less active. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.
The heavy generation on the Norfork has limited wade fishing. On lower flows the hot fly has been olive scuds. On higher flows, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange).
Dry Run Creek has been productive. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective. When fishing there, try to keep casting to a minimum, due to the heavy tree cover. The most effective technique is to high stick nymphs. While you are there, take the time to visit the adjacent National Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating.
There have been numerous reports of large rainbows being caught on the Spring River. The water level on the river is high and stained. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is over and we have much less traffic on stream. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been brown woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks.
February 1, 2012 - Greers Ferry Lake - Submitted by Fish Finders
Fish Service - The lake level at greers ferry is at 461.43,that is 0.04 feet above normal pool and falling the temp is 46-49 degrees and rising.
The expected warm rain should really put the river walleye on the move and a lot of males should start showing up soon try hair jigs, jigs with minnows and crank baits.
The hybrid and white bass continue to be good all over the lake as well as some up the rivers, try the claw,spoons ,hairjigs and in-line spinners for your best bet
No-report on catfish.
Crappie are still good around brush piles and in the pole timber ,fished vertical, with jigs and jigs with minnows as well as the Arkansas slab hunter.
No-report on bream
The bass bite is good on the Arkansas claw, wiggle warts jigs , spinnerbaits, and small crank baits in the creeks, the jerk bait bite is really picking up as well.
January 30, 2012 - Millwood Lake - Submitted by Millwood
Lake Guide Service -
Use extreme caution in navigation during high discharge rates at the dam. Trees, logs, vegetation, and debris continue coming down river in the high volume discharge rate of over 20,000 CFS.
As of Monday 30 Jan, the lake level rose dramatically above normal conservation pool and is expected to continue through the week. Current and muddy water has returned, and again has the Largemouth Bass scattered, but bites can be had throughout the afternoon. The Bass for the past several weeks, have shifted to breaks behind points downstream of increased muddy incoming water and current. White bass, Kentucky bass, have scattered on Little River and her oxbows over the past week. Stable temperatures continue to bunch the Crappie tighter and closer in brush piles, but have moved to clearer water locations, out of current and muddy water.
Surface temps rose slightly over the past week, & as of Monday 30 Jan are currently ranging 50ºF early to 55ºF later in the afternoon hours, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location and time of day. Call the USACE for lake level daily updates, Little River current, discharge release, and tail water levels.
Lake level as of Monday 30 Jan, is currently is 261.64 mfsl, and rising, which is now 29.3 inches above normal. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was increased with 13 gates open at 5 feet, for a total discharge of 26,969 CFS. The tailwater level as of Monday, rose over 20 feet to 247.45 mfsl and is continuing to rise w/ the increased lake level and discharge at the dam.
Clarity and visibility as of Monday on main lake worsened; currently ranging approx 1-2 inches in the River depending on location. The oxbow's clarity are better, albeit, with somewhat heavy stain, ranging approx 10-12 inches visibility depending on location. Water temps are stable lake-wide, due to recent warmer daytime highs. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds or thunderstorms.
River Run East facilities are still undergoing maintenance and upgrades, and as such, still closed until mid-July 2012. Paraloma Park is closed for the winter. All other ramps and USACE parks are open. USACE recently completed updates at White Cliffs Camp ground with addition of 6-8 more campsites, and other facility improvements.
To volunteer for one of the cleanup dates or ramp and USACE park information, contact Brooke Kervin at the Millwood Tri-Lakes Project Office. To receive updates or volunteer, call the US Army Corps of Engrs toll-free information line at 888-697-9830.
New regulations for Largemouth Bass have gone into effect as of January 1, 2012. See AGFC Website or recent regulation handbook for details (creel increased to six/person/day, no length restrictions).
The Details:
Largemouth Bass: The best bass bite over the past week, has been pitching jigs, worms, tubes, rattle baits, and soft plastics to stumps, grass, lily pads, and wood laydowns behind points and cuts of the river, in the swirling eddies where current break lines are being used by the Bass with all the incoming rising muddy water and current. The lake level has began rising again from all the recent rain in western Arkansas and se Oklahoma, and we are finding the bass in transition pulling back into swirling eddies and cutbacks, tributaries and points in Little River.
The 2-5 pound sized Largemouths over the past week have increased their metabolisms with the warmer day time highs and we have even seen males visiting bedding areas on these warmer days, albeit somewhat premature. The best bet over the past week continues to be on Gene Larew Hog Craws in black, or black & blue colors. Yum Wooly Bugs, or creature baits like Zoom Brush Hogs, Texas rigged, in Black-Blue, and Blackberry, were also catching some 14-17" Bass on cypress trees and knees in 2-5 foot depths. Magnum Tubes are also working around stumps, Cypress trees and knees. Best colors of tubes in clearest water are smoke/black/red flake, black/blue tail, or purple smoke. Best color tube in stained to muddy water conditions are the black/red flake (black neon), or pumpkinseed/chartreuse tail. War Eagle Spinner baits in Aurora, Hot Mouse, or Cole Slaw colors in the clearest water you can find are working well, while slow rolling around any remaining vegetation and lily pad stems.
Pumpkinseed/chartreuse, Black/blue, or Diablo colored StrikeWorks Jigs worked around stumps, laydowns, and in lily pad stems were taking 17-19" size Bass. Salty Rat Tails, Yum Dingers, and Senko-style worms in purple smoke fleck, watermelon/red, or green pumpkin, are taking some nice 14-18" Largemouth Bass and Kentucky Bass.
Rat-L-Traps in Toledo Gold, White Zombie, or Red Shad continue catching some Largemouth Bass in the 16-18" length range. The key to the Rat-L-Trap bite is slowing down the retrieve to a crawl and deflecting off stumps in flats of 5-6' water depth, close to 8-12' drop offs. Bomber Crankbaits in Tennessee Shad or citrus shad, or white colors are catching a few Largemouths back in the oxbows away from muddy current, where the water clarity is much better.
White Bass and Kentuckys: The White Bass have gone deep in the river channel, and all but disappeared with the recent influx of muddy water and increased current. Hurricane Creek, Horseshoe oxbow lake, and White Cliffs areas, for the past several weeks have been very good locations for finding these loosely packed schools of White Bass and have produced very large numbers of schooling Whites and Kentucky Bass. These schooling fish were hitting Rat-L-Traps and Bomber crankbaits up Little River.
Snake Creek tributary off Little River, still has a few Kentucky Bass bunched up out of the muddy current and were hitting lizards and Baby Brush Hogs in blackberry, chartreuse pumpkin, or cherryseed colors.
Crappie: No Report. Still very scattered, muddy water, high current volume, and warmer water temps over the past week have spread out the Crappies horizontally.
Cats: remain very good to excellent this week also, on trot lines, yo-yos, tight lines, along current and break lines in the outer bends of Little River with the increase in current. Blues and Channel Cats were biting best on cut shad & chicken livers, in 12-16 feet of Little River on the outer break lines in current or on minnows and cut shad on the yo-yos tied along the Little River, in 10-15 feet depths.
January 29, 2012 - Norfork - Norfork Lake Fishing Report By Scuba Steve from Blackburns Resort - Lake level is 552.4 and is fairly stable with heavy generation. They seem to want to keep it at 552 which is fine with me. It keeps my brush piles at a perfect depth. Bass and crappie fishing is the best with some top water action during the day in deep water for white bass and hybrids. The fish are mostly part way back in the deeper creeks outside brush during the day and shallower in the evening. Some very good fish are being caught. Spoons, grubs and swim baits are the best. Minnows for crappie just before dark shallow. Boat traffic is very low even with the very nice weather. We are catching good fish every day.
January 26, 2012 - White River - Submitted by Berry
Brothers Guides - JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 1/26/2012
During the past week, we have had a significant rain event cool temperatures and windy conditions (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose six tenths of a foot to rest at power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty one feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at four tenths of a foot below power pool or sixteen and four tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose three tenths of a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot below power pool or nine and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had erratic generation during the week with significant wadable water over the weekend. Norfork Lake rose two tenths of a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot below power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty eight and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had light generation with wadable water every day. We should see continue to see wadable water on both rivers in the coming weeks.
The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close from November 1, 2011 to January 31, 2012 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park from the bottom of the Catch and Release section down to the wing wall will be seasonal brown trout Catch and Release for the same period. It should be noted that opening day is next Wednesday. Trout do not feed when they are spawning and these have not been fished over in three months. It can get a bit crowded on opening day, so be careful out there.
There were several days where we had periods of generation in excess of 15,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) on the White. The best technique for this type of water is to fish brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink and red) and egg patterns (orange and peach). The trick is to get the flies down. To sink these flies you must use big split shot (AAA or larger) and long leader/tippet combinations (ten to twelve feet). To help detect takes use a brightly colored strike indicator near the top of the leader. One way to increase strikes is to use a small nymph as a dropper below the worm or egg. Effective flies for droppers have been sowbugs, Y2Ks, zebra midges or copper Johns.
Another technique that has been particularly effective on the higher water has been to bang the bank with big streamers. Effective patterns have been Zoo Cougars, Sex Dungeons and Butt Monkeys. The key to success has been to use a heavy sink tip (250 grain or heavier). To deliver these heavy flies on heavy sink tip lines, you must use at least an eight weight rod. This is hard work but can produce some excellent trout.
Last weekend we had substantial periods of wadable water on the White River. The fishing was good at popular spots like Wildcat Shoals and Roundhouse Shoals. The hot flies were red zebra midges (size sixteen), copper Johns, Y2Ks and San Juan worms (red). There were some midges hatching and Dan’s turkey tail emerger was the hot fly.
Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are high and stained after our heavy rain. The water temperature is near the point where the Smallmouth will become less active. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.
The Norfork has fished well but has been crowded. If you can, fish during the week to avoid the crowds. On lower water the hot flies have been olive scuds (size 18), Dan’s turkey tail emerger and zebra midges (black and red). There was a good blue wing olive hatch on some afternoons. The key to success was a parachute Adams in size 22 and a perfect drag free drift. Soft hackles like the partridge and orange or the green butt have accounted for a lot of fish. On higher flows, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange).
Dry Run Creek has been productive. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective. Now is a great time to visit. The crowds of summer are gone and there is a chance for a bit of solitude on stream.
There have been numerous reports of huge rainbows being caught on the Spring River. The water level on the river is high and stained. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is over and we have much less traffic on stream. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been brown woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks.
Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers are infected with didymo, an invasive alga. Be sure and thoroughly clean and dry your waders (especially the felt soles on wading boots) before using them in any other water. Many manufacturers are now making rubber soled wading boots that are easier to clean and are not as likely to harbor didymo.
White River Trout Unlimited has scheduled a Cabin Fever Fund-Raiser for Saturday, February 25th here in Mountain Home. This party will be a great way to celebrate impending spring weather and raise money for the chapter’s many projects! Visit their website for more details. www.whiterivertu.com.
January 25, 2012 - Greers Ferry Lake - Submitted by Fish Finders
Fish Service - The lake level at greers ferry lake is at 460.72 and rising it is 0.31 feet below pool.
The hybrids and whites have been good before the rain with some even being caught way up the rivers,thinking it is spring time, and in the main lake , try using the Arkansas claw, spoons, swim baits and in-line spinners as well as hair jigs with grubs, find the bait and the fish will be close by
The bass fishing has been good on wiggle warts ,spinner baits, and the Arkansas claw, some have been caught shallow on jigs and plastics.
No report on bream
Crappie are biting pretty well before the rain as well on jigs tipped with minnows and the Arkansas slab, the new crappie catching tool.
No-report on catfish
The walleye are staging around and under docks, bridge pilings, mouths of creeks and even some are up river close to deep water, crank baits , hair jigs , spoons , rogues and bream are working as well as jigs tipped with minnows
January 24, 2012 - Norfork - Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Tim Partin 101 Grocery and Bait.
http://www.101groceryandbait.com
Lake Norfork has some good blue gill fishing with worms around 20' deep along the bluffs. Crappie fishing has been fair. Bass fishing is good. Stripers are hitting live bait.
January 23, 2012 - Millwood Lake - Submitted by Millwood
Lake Guide Service - As of Monday 23 Jan, the lake level continues dropping slowly back to normal conservation pool and is expected to continue through the week. Current and muddy water had the Largemouth Bass scattered over the past couple weeks, but bites can be had throughout the afternoon. The Bass for the past several weeks, have shifted to breaks behind points downstream of increased muddy incoming water and current. White bass, Kentucky bass, have scattered on Little River and her oxbows over the past week. Stable temperatures continue to bunch the Crappie tighter and closer in brush piles, but have moved to clearer water locations, out of current and muddy water.
Surface temps rose slightly over the past week, & as of Monday 23 Jan are currently ranging 50ºF early to 55ºF later in the afternoon hours, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location and time of day. Call the USACE for lake level daily updates, Little River current, discharge release, and tail water levels.
Lake level as of Monday 23 Jan, is currently is 259.86 mfsl, and falling, which is now 8 inches above normal. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of today was decreased with 4 gates open at 1 foot, for a total discharge of 1,560 CFS. The tailwater level as of Monday, has dropped to 227.63 mfsl and is continuing to fall w/ the reduced lake level and discharge at the dam.
Clarity and visibility as of Monday on main lake is improving; currently ranging approx 8-12 inches in the River depending on location. The oxbow's clarity are better, albeit, with somewhat heavy stain, ranging approx 20-24 inches visibility depending on location. Water temps are stable lake-wide, due to recent warmer daytime highs. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds or thunderstorms.
The USACE began releasing to normal conservation pool of 259.2 mfsl late last week. River Run East facilities are still undergoing maintenance and upgrades, and as such, still closed until mid-July 2012. Paraloma Park is closed for the winter. All other ramps and USACE parks are open. USACE recently completed updates at White Cliffs Camp ground with addition of 6-8 more campsites, and other facility improvements.
To volunteer for one of the cleanup dates or ramp and USACE park information, contact Brooke Kervin at the Millwood Tri-Lakes Project Office. To receive updates or volunteer, call the US Army Corps of Engrs toll-free information line at 888-697-9830.
New regulations for Largemouth Bass have gone into effect as of January 1, 2012. See AGFC Website or recent regulation handbook for details (creel increased to six/person/day, no length restrictions).
The Details:
Largemouth Bass: The best bass bite over the past week, has been pitching soft plastics to stumps, grass, lily pads, and wood laydowns behind points and cuts of the river, in the swirling eddies where current break lines are being used by the Bass with all the incoming rising muddy water and current. The lake level has began dropping back to normal conservation pool, and we are finding the bass in transition pulling back out to major creek tributaries and junctions with Little River.
The 3-6 pound sized Largemouths over the past week have improved with the warmer day time highs. The best bet over the past week continues to be on Gene Larew Hog Craws in black, or black & blue, and pumpkinseed or green pumpkin colors. Yum Wooly Bugs, or creature baits like Zoom Brush Hogs, Texas rigged, in Watermelon-Red, Black-Blue, and Killer Craw, were also catching some 14-17" Bass on cypress trees and knees in 4-6 foot depths. Magnum Tubes are also working around stumps, Cypress trees and knees. Best colors of tubes in clearest water are smoke/black/red flake, black/blue tail, or purple smoke. Best color tube in stained to muddy water conditions are the black/red flake (black neon), or pumpkinseed/chartreuse tail. War Eagle Spinner baits in Aurora, Hot Mouse, or Cole Slaw colors in the clearest water you can find are working well, while slow rolling around any remaining vegetation and lily pad stems.
Pumpkinseed/chartreuse or Diablo colored StrikeWorks Jigs worked around stumps, laydowns, and in lily pad stems were taking 17-19" size Bass. Salty Rat Tails, Yum Dingers, and Senko-style worms in purple smoke fleck, watermelon/red, or green pumpkin, are taking some nice 14-18" Largemouth Bass and Kentucky Bass.
Rat-L-Traps in Toledo Gold, White Zombie, or Red Shad are taking some Largemouth Bass in the 16-18" length range. The key to the Rat-L-Trap bite is slowing down the retrieve to a crawl and deflecting off stumps in flats of 5-6' water depth, close to 8-12' drop offs.
White Bass and Kentuckys: The White Bass have gone deep in the river channel, and all but disappeared with the recent influx of muddy water and increased current. Hurricane Creek, Horseshoe oxbow lake, and White Cliffs areas, for the past several weeks have been very good locations for finding these loosely packed schools of White Bass and have produced very large numbers of schooling Whites and Kentucky Bass. These schooling fish were hitting Rat-L-Traps and Bomber crankbaits up Little River.
Snake Creek tributary off Little River, still has a few Kentucky Bass bunched up out of the muddy current and were hitting lizards and Baby Brush Hogs in blackberry, chartreuse pumpkin, or cherryseed colors.
Crappie: No Report. Still very scattered, and warmer water temps over the past week have spread out the Crappies horizontally.
Cats: remain very good to excellent this week also, on trot lines, yo-yos, tight lines, along current and break lines in the outer bends of Little River with the increase in current. Blues and Channel Cats were biting best on cut shad & chicken livers, in 12-16 feet of Little River on the outer break lines in current or on minnows and cut shad on the yo-yos tied along the Little River, in 10-15 feet depths.
January 23, 2012 - Norfork - Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters.
http://www.stroutfitters.com
The warm weather has continued to keep the shad shallow in 50' or less. The stripers have never gone into their full winter patterns. There are reports of major top water periods mid-day around the 6A area. Look for the bait and you will see stripers. They are feeding on very small shad so keep your baits on the small side. One good thing about the warm weather and water, we should not have a major shad kill this year. Once the weather begins to warm up I expect a great spring season. The stripers are in good shape and will be feeding heavy getting ready for their spring run.
Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Lou Gabric of Hummingbird Hideaway Resort.
http://www.hummingbird-hideaway.com/
The black bass and crappie bite on Norfork Lake has been outstanding. It appears that the high water years have increased the population of bass and crappie and has also increased the size of the fish. This winter I have caught more big bass and big crappie on a routine basis then I have in prior years. I landed this nice 6.05 pound largemouth with a white 3 inch Berkley's paddletail grub (similar to a swimming minnow). I was using a 1/4 chartreuse jig head on the grub and casting the bait toward the shore line, then working it slowly back to the boat along the bottom. Striper fishing has been another story. It appears they have moved out to the main lake in deep water chasing shad. I think all the various fronts, cold, warm then more cold and warm fronts have gotten the stripers confused.
Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Steve Olomon of Steve's Guide Service.
http://www.fishingwithsteve.com/
The lake level is 551.2 and the water temp is in the upper 40's. Look for fish along the bluffs and on the end of the bluffs. Throw a suspending jerk bait, jig or a grub on a 1/4 oz.jig head. If you mark fish 30-50ft. drop a jigging spoon. Keep an eye on your graph for balls of bait and fish will be close by. Check the coves too. If there is some wind blowing throw a crank bait or a spinner bait along the banks with the wind on them.
January 20, 2012 - Norfork - Norfork Lake Fishing Report By Scuba Steve from Blackburns Resort - Lake level is 551.6 and dropping very slowly with some generation in the mornings and evenings. Main lake is clear down about 7-feet and some creeks are stained. The lake in general is in excellent condition with some big fish being caught. Surface temperature has risen a little to about 47 in the mornings to near 50 on sunny days in the evening.
Crappie are biting in the pigeon and east pigeon creeks on minnows, jigs and spoons. They are near or on brush about 17-feet down during the day and come shallow to about 7-feet in the evening. Bass are in deeper water 1/2 way back in the creeks near brush and shad and can be caught on smaller swim baits, grubs and spoons. Some walleye are with the bigger bass near the bottom and can be caught horizontally jigging spoons. That is all I am fishing for.
Scuba Steve from Blackburns Resort with some nice crappie
January 19, 2012 - White River - Submitted by Berry
Brothers Guides - JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 1/19/2012
During the past week, we have had colder temperatures and windy conditions (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell five tenths of a foot to rest at six tenths of a foot below power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty one and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at three tenths of a foot below power pool or sixteen and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell two tenths of a foot to rest at four tenths of a foot below power pool or ten feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had erratic generation during the week with significant wadable water over the three day weekend. Norfork Lake fell three tenths of a foot to rest at three tenths of a foot below power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty eight and three tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had light generation with wadable water every day. We should see more wadable water on both rivers in the coming weeks.
The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close from November 1, 2011 to January 31, 2012 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park from the bottom of the Catch and Release section down to the wing wall will be seasonal brown trout Catch and Release for the same period
There were several days where we had generation in excess of 20,000 cubic feet per second (CFS) on the White. The best technique for this type of water is to fish brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink and red) and egg patterns (orange and peach). The trick is to get the flies down. To sink these flies you must use big split shot (AAA or larger) and long leader/tippet combinations (ten to twelve feet). To help detect takes use a brightly colored strike indicator near the top of the leader. One way to increase strikes is to use a small nymph as a dropper below the worm or egg. Effective flies for droppers have been sowbugs, Y2Ks, zebra midges or copper Johns.
Another technique that has been particularly effective on the higher water has been to bang the bank with big streamers. Effective patterns have been Zoo Cougars, Sex Dungeons and Butt Monkeys. The key to success has been to use a heavy sink tip (250 grain or heavier). To deliver these heavy flies on heavy sink tip lines, you must use at least an eight weight rod. This is hard work but can produce some excellent trout.
Last weekend we had substantial periods of wadable water on the White River. The fishing was good at popular spots like Wildcat shoals and Rim Shoals. The hot flies were red zebra midges (size sixteen), copper Johns and San Juan worms (red). There were some midges hatching and Dan’s turkey tail emerger was the hot fly.
Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are low and clear. The water temperature is near the point where the Smallmouth will become less active. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.
The Norfork has fished well but has been crowded. If you can, fish during the week to avoid the crowds. On lower water the hot flies have been olive scuds (size 18), Dan’s turkey tail emerger and zebra midges (black and red). There was a good blue wing olive hatch on some afternoons. The key to success was a parachute Adams in size 22 and a perfect drag free drift. Soft hackles like the partridge and orange or the green butt have accounted for a lot of fish. On higher flows, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange).
Dry Run Creek has been productive. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective. While you are there take a tour of the adjacent National Fish Hatchery. It is fascinating and educational. Be sure and remove your waders before entering to prevent the spread of aquatic diseases.
There have been numerous reports of huge rainbows being caught on the Spring River. The water level on the river is low and lightly stained. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is over and we have much less traffic on stream. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been brown woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks.
Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers are infected with didymo, an invasive alga. Be sure and thoroughly clean and dry your waders (especially the felt soles on wading boots) before using them in any other water. Many manufacturers are now making rubber soled wading boots that are easier to clean and are not as likely to harbor didymo.
White River Trout Unlimited has scheduled a Cabin Fever Fund-Raiser for Saturday, February 25th here in Mountain Home. This party will be a great way to celebrate impending spring weather and raise money for the chapter’s many projects! Visit their website for more details. www.whiterivertu.com.
January 18, 2012 - Greers Ferry Lake - Submitted by Fish Finders
Fish Service - The water level at greers ferry lake is at 461.13 and falling , it is 0.10 above normal pool of 461.03.
The hybrids and white bass fishing continues to be good on the claw,small and big in-line spinners, the knock-oofs and spoons, even some top water baits working in water from 10 feet out to 70, watch your electronics and for the birds feeding.
The bass are eating the claw as well,and can be caught on football heads,c-rigs and jigs and spinnerbaits also
No-report on catfish
Crappie are biting on the claw also swam through them, and pn jigs tipped with a minnow, in water 15-25 feet deep over 60-80 feet.
No-report on bream.
The walleye are still on the move , with some already up river waiting on just the right time to move on up and lay their eggs, and the rest of the river fish are en-route , to the areas, and the lake fish will be starting to bite better as well.
January 16, 2012 - Norfork - Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Tim Partin 101 Grocery and Bait.
http://www.101groceryandbait.com
Norfork Lake fishing has been good crappie are hitting minnows and small plastic baits from 10'-20' deep. Bass fishing has been good using flukes and jerk baits. Stripers are hitting shiners and jigging spoons. White bass fishing has been slow.
January 16, 2012 - Millwood Lake - Submitted by Millwood
Lake Guide Service - As of Monday 16 Jan, the lake level began dropping slowly back to normal conservation pool and is expected to continue through the week. Current and muddy water had the Largemouth Bass scattered over the past couple weeks, but bites can be had throughout the afternoon. The Bass for the past several weeks, have shifted to breaks behind points downstream of increased muddy incoming water and current. White bass, Kentucky bass, have scattered on Little River and her oxbows over the past week. Stable temperatures continue to bunch the Crappie tighter and closer in brush piles, but have moved to clearer water locations, out of current and muddy water.
Surface temps rose slightly over the past week, & as of Monday 16 Jan are currently ranging 52ºF early to 55ºF later in the afternoon hours, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location and time of day. Call the USACE for lake level daily updates, Little River current, discharge release, and tail water levels.
Lake level as of Monday 16 Jan, is currently is 260.51 mfsl, and falling, which is now 15.7 inches above normal. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Friday was increased with 13 gates open at 1 foot, for a increase in total discharge to 8,818 CFS. The tailwater level as of Monday, has increased to 236.63 mfsl and is rising w/increased discharge at the dam.
Use extreme caution during navigation. There is a considerable amount of current with debris in Little River due to the incoming muddy water and release rate at the dam. Clarity and visibility as of Monday on main lake is improving; visibility was reduced from increased current, incoming rain, thunderstorms and wind over the past few weeks, currently ranging approx 5-8 inches in the River depending on location. The oxbow's clarity are better, with heavy stain, ranging approx 18-20 inches visibility depending on location. Water temps are dropping lake-wide, due to recent back to back cold fronts. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds or thunderstorms.
Currently, as of Monday 16 Jan, four-foot drawdown ended. The lake has been held 2 feet above normal conservation pool for approximately 30 days. The USACE began releasing to normal conservation pool of 259.2 mfsl late last week. River Run East facilities are still undergoing maintenance and upgrades, and as such, still closed until mid-July 2012. Paraloma Park is closed for the winter. All other ramps and USACE parks are open. USACE recently completed updates at White Cliffs Camp ground with addition of 6-8 more campsites, and other facility improvements.
To volunteer for one of the cleanup dates or ramp and USACE park information, contact Brooke Kervin at the Millwood Tri-Lakes Project Office. To receive updates or volunteer, call the US Army Corps of Engrs toll-free information line at 888-697-9830.
New regulations for Largemouth Bass have gone into effect as of January 1, 2012. See AGFC Website or recent regulation handbook for details (creel increased to six/person/day, no length restrictions).
The Details:
Largemouth Bass: The best bass bite over the past week, has been pitching soft plastics to stumps, grass, lily pads, and wood laydowns behind points and cuts of the river, in the swirling eddies where current break lines are being used by the Bass with all the incoming rising muddy water and current. The lake level has began dropping back to normal conservation pool, and we are finding the bass in transition pulling back out to major creek tributaries and junctions with Little River.
The 2-5 pound sized Largemouths over the past week have been good with the warmer day time highs. The best bet over the past week continues to be on Gene Larew Hog Craws in black, or black & blue, and June Bug colors. Yum Wooly Bugs, or creature baits like Zoom Brush Hogs Texas rigged, in Watermelon-Red, Black-Blue, and Killer Craw, were also catching some 14-17" Bass on cypress trees and knees in 8-12 foot depths. Magnum Tubes are also working around stumps and cypress trees and knees. Best colors of tubes in clearest water are smoke/black/red flake or purple smoke. Best color tube in stained to muddy water conditions are the black/red flake (black neon), black/blue tail, or pumpkinseed/chartreuse tail. War Eagle Spinner baits in Aurora, Hot Mouse, or Cole Slaw colors in the clearest water you can find are working well, while slow rolling around any remaining vegetation and lily pad stems.
Pumpkinseed/chartreuse or Diablo colored StrikeWorks Jigs worked around stumps, laydowns, and in lily pad stems were taking 17-19" size Bass. Salty Rat Tails, Yum Dingers, and Senko-style worms in purple smoke fleck, watermelon/red, or green pumpkin, are taking some nice 14-18" Largemouth Bass and Kentucky Bass.
Rat-L-Traps in Toledo Gold, Citrus Zombie, or Sexy Zombie were taking some Largemouth Bass in the 12-16" length range. The key to the Rat-L-Trap bite is slowing down the retrieve to a crawl and deflecting off stumps in flats of 6-8' water depth, close to 10-12' depths.
White Bass and Kentuckys: The White Bass have gone deep in the river channel, and all but disappeared with the recent influx of muddy water and increased current. Hurricane Creek, Horseshoe oxbow lake, and White Cliffs areas, for the past several weeks have been very good locations for finding these loosely packed schools of White Bass and have produced very large numbers of schooling Whites and Kentucky Bass. These schooling fish were hitting Rat-L-Traps and Bomber crankbaits up Little River, running shad & occasionally surface breaking during the day.
Snake Creek tributary off Little River, still has a few Kentucky Bass bunched up out of the muddy current and were hitting lizards and Baby Brush Hogs in blackberry, chartreuse pumpkin, or cherryseed colors.
Crappie: No Report. Still very scattered, and warmer water temps over the past week have spread out the Crappies horizontally.
Cats: remain very good to excellent this week also, on trot lines, yo-yos, tight lines, along current and break lines in the outer bends of Little River with the increase in current. Blues and Channel Cats were biting on cut shad, blood bait, hot dogs, & chicken livers, in 14-18 feet of Little River on the outer break lines in current or on minnows and cut shad on the yo-yos tied along the Little River, in 9-12 feet depths.
January 12, 2012 - Norfork - Norfork Lake Fishing Report By Scuba Steve from Blackburns Resort - Lake level is 551.9 and dropping slowly with some generation. Surface temperature just dropped to under 50 with the two days of cold weather. Warm weather is coming for the weekend. Creeks are stained from the recent rains and you can see down about 7-ft. on the main lake. Fishing for big crappie and bass has been excellent in both the morning and evening. Crappie are moving in shallow at sunset are are biting fast until dark. They are on brush all the rest of the day. Bass and white bass are 1/2 way back in the creeks near brush and stripers are deeper moving in and out of the creeks. Grubs, swim baits and spoons are all catching fish.
January 12, 2012 - White River - Submitted by Berry
Brothers Guides - JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 1/12/2012
During the past week, we have had rain, warm then colder temperatures and windy conditions (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam rose one tenth of a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot below power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty one and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake remained steady at two tenths of a foot below power pool or sixteen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at two tenths of a foot below power pool or nine and eight tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had erratic generation with wadable water most days. Norfork Lake rose six tenths of a foot to rest at power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty eight feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had light generation with wadable water every day. We should see more wadable water on both rivers.
The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close from November 1, 2011 to January 31, 2012 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park from the bottom of the Catch and Release section down to the wing wall will be seasonal brown trout Catch and Release for the same period
There were several days where we had generation in excess of 10,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) on the White. The best technique for this type of water is to fish brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink and red) and egg patterns (orange and peach). The trick is to get the flies down. To sink these flies you must use big split shot (AAA or larger) and long leader/tippet combinations (ten to twelve feet). To help detect takes use a brightly colored strike indicator near the top of the leader. One way to increase strikes is to use a small nymph as a dropper below the worm or egg. Effective flies for droppers have been sowbugs, Y2Ks, zebra midges or copper Johns.
Another technique that has been particularly effective on the higher water has been to bang the bank with big streamers. Effective patterns have been Zoo Cougars, Sex Dungeons and Butt Monkeys. The key to success has been to use a heavy sink tip (250 grain or heavier). To deliver these heavy flies on heavy sink tip lines, you must use at least an eight weight rod. This is hard work but can produce some excellent trout.
The best place to fish was the section from Wildcat down Rim Shoals. On the lower flows we have been receiving, the hot flies were soft hackles like the partridge and orange and the green butt. Y2Ks and beadhead hare’s ears were also responsible for some nice fish. Wildcat Shoals has been particularly hot.
Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are high and stained. Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows. The water temperature is near the point where the Smallmouth will become less active. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.
The Norfork has fished well but has been crowded. If you can, fish during the week to avoid the crowds. On lower water the hot flies have been olive scuds (size 18), Dan’s turkey tail emerger and zebra midges (black and red). Soft hackles like the partridge and orange or the green butt have accounted for a lot of fish. The new trout habitat project in the Catch and Release section has had a positive effect on the fishing there. On higher flows, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange).
Dry Run Creek has been productive. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective. There have been some new habitat improvements on the creek across the road from the Hatchery funded in part by the TU settlement from the Norfork Overlook Estates lawsuit. It looks good and should fish well.
There have been numerous reports of huge rainbows being caught on the Spring River. The water level on the river is a bit high and stained. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is over and we have much less traffic on stream. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been brown woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks.
January 11, 2012 - Greers Ferry Lake - Submitted by Fish Finders
Fish Service - The water level at greers ferry lake is at 461.82 and rising it is 0.79 feet above normal pool and the tem is at 46-49 degrees.
The hybrid and white bass bite continues to be good in the shad, look for birds and shad on your graph and drop the new claw bait, spoons, in line spinners or hair jigs for best results, the fish will be anywhere from the surface down to 70 feet.
The crappie are eating ,suspended in 15-30 feet of water in the pole timber and over and around brush pile, use jigs tipped with minnows.
No –report on catfish
The bass fishing is good out deep with football heads, and c-rigs, up shallow use spinner baits and small crank baits.
No-report on bream.
The walleye are reall scattered out and hard to find as they are on the move toward and up the rivers to spawn and the lake walleye are just plain scattered as well , the fishing should improve as the water gets settled out.
January 9, 2012 - Millwood Lake - Submitted by Millwood
Lake Guide Service - As of Monday 09 Jan, the lake level is stabilized this week, but release of excess water above normal conservation pool is expected mid to late week. Current and muddy water had the Largemouth Bass scattered over the past couple weeks, but bites can be had from mid morning through mid-afternoon. The Bass for the past several weeks, have shifted to breaks behind points downstream of increased muddy incoming water and current. White bass, Kentucky bass, have scattered on Little River and her oxbows over the past week. Stable temperatures continue to bunch the Crappie tighter and closer in brush piles, but have moved to clearer water locations, out of current and muddy water.
Surface temps remained constant over the past week, as of Monday 09 Jan are currently ranging 50ºF early to 53ºF later in the afternoon hours, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location and time of day. Call the USACE for lake level daily updates, Little River current, discharge release, and tail water levels.
Lake level as of Monday 09 Jan, is currently is 260.99 mfsl, and falling, which is now 21.5 inches above normal. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was reduced with only 3 gates open at 1 foot, for a decrease in total discharge to 1,242 CFS. The tailwater level as of Monday, is 227.08 mfsl and is now falling.
Use extreme caution during navigation. There is a considerable amount of current with debris in Little River due to the incoming muddy water and release rate at the dam. Clarity and visibility as of Monday on main lake is improving; visibility was reduced from increased current, incoming rain, thunderstorms and wind over the past few weeks, currently ranging approx 5-8 inches in the River depending on location. The oxbow's clarity are better, with heavy stain, ranging approx 18-20 inches visibility depending on location. Water temps are dropping lake-wide, due to recent back to back cold fronts. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds or thunderstorms.
Currently, as of Monday 09 Jan, the final of three, successive, four-foot drawdowns has ended. The lake has been held 2 feet above normal conservation pool for approximately 30 days. We expect the USACE to begin releasing to normal conservation pool of 259.2 mfsl this week. River Run East facilities are still undergoing maintenance and upgrades, and as such, still closed until mid-July 2012. Paraloma Park is closed for the winter. All other ramps and USACE parks are open. USACE recently completed updates at White Cliffs Camp ground with addition of 6-8 more campsites, and other facility improvements.
To volunteer for one of the cleanup dates or ramp and USACE park information, contact Brooke Kervin at the Millwood Tri-Lakes Project Office. To receive updates or volunteer, call the US Army Corps of Engrs toll-free information line at 888-697-9830.
New regulations for Largemouth Bass have gone into effect as of January 1, 2012. See AGFC Website or recent regulation handbook for details.
The Details:
Largemouth Bass: The best bass bite over the last few weeks, has been pitching soft plastics to stumps, grass, lily pads, and wood laydowns behind points and cuts of the river, in the swirling eddies where current break lines are being used by the Bass with all the incoming rising muddy water and current. The lake level stabilized over the past last week, and we expect a slow fall to begin back to normal conservation pool this week.
The 2-5 pound sized Largemouths are fair; best bet this week continues to be on Gene Larew Hog Craws in black, or black & blue, and June Bug. Yum Wooly Bugs, or creature baits like Zoom Brush Hogs Texas rigged, in Watermelon-Red, Black-Blue, and Killer Craw, were also catching some 14-17" Bass on cypress trees and knees in 8-12 foot depths. Pumpkinseed/chartreuse or Diablo colors StrikeWorks Jigs worked around stumps, laydowns, and in lily pad stems were taking 17-19" size Bass. Ring-worms in black with Fire Tail, or pumpkinseed w/ chartreuse tail, are taking some nice 15-19" Largemouth Bass and Kentucky Bass.
War Eagle Spinnerbaits are continuing to get a few good reactions in the dead lily pad stems away from current. The best colors working over the past few weeks continue to be Cole Slaw, Hot Mouse, or white and chartreuse. If you are able to find clearer water in the oxbows, Rat-L-Traps in Red Shad, Toledo Gold, or Smokey Joe were taking some Largemouth Bass in the 12-16" length range.
White Bass and Kentuckys: The White Bass have gone deep in the river channel, and all but disappeared with the recent influx of muddy water and increased current. Hurricane Creek, Horseshoe oxbow lake, and White Cliffs areas, for the past several weeks have been very good locations for finding these loosely packed schools of White Bass and have produced very large numbers of schooling Whites and Kentucky Bass. These schooling fish were hitting Rat-L-Traps and Bomber crankbaits up Little River, running shad & occasionally surface breaking during the day. Snake Creek still has a few Kentucky Bass bunched up out of the muddy current and were hitting lizards and Baby Brush Hogs in black neon, chartreuse pumpkin, or scumpernong colors.
Crappie: No Report. Scattered.
Cats: remain very good to excellent on trot lines, yo-yos, tight lines, along current and break lines in the outer bends of Little River with the increase in current. Blues and Channel Cats were biting on cut shad, blood bait, hot dogs, & chicken livers, in 14-18 feet of Little River on the outer break lines in current or on minnows and cut shad on the yo-yos tied along the Little River, in 9-12 feet depths.
January 5, 2012 - White River - Submitted by Berry
Brothers Guides - JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 1/05/2012
During the past week, we have had no rain, cold then warmer temperatures and windy conditions (to include lake wind advisories). The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell five tenths of a foot to rest at two tenths of a foot below power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty one and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell four tenths of a foot to rest at two tenths of a foot below power pool or sixteen and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell one tenth of a foot to rest at one tenth of a foot below power pool or nine and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the White, we have had heavier generation with little wadable water. Norfork Lake fell nine tenths of a foot to rest at six tenths of a foot below power pool of 552.00 feet or twenty eight and six tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we have had increased generation with wadable water on most days. There has been substantial generation on the White and Norfork to draw the lakes to levels below power pool.
The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close from November 1, 2011 to January 31, 2012 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The State Park from the bottom of the Catch and Release section down to the wing wall will be seasonal brown trout Catch and Release for the same period
There were several days where we had generation in excess of 20,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) on the White. The best technique for this type of water is to fish brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink and red) and egg patterns (orange and peach). The trick is to get the flies down. To sink these flies you must use big split shot (AAA or larger) and long leader/tippet combinations (ten to twelve feet). To help detect takes use a brightly colored strike indicator near the top of the leader. One way to increase strikes is to use a small nymph as a dropper below the worm or egg. Effective flies for droppers have been sowbugs, Y2Ks, zebra midges or copper Johns.
Another technique that has been particularly effective on the higher water has been to bang the bank with big streamers. Effective patterns have been Zoo Cougars, Sex Dungeons and Butt Monkeys. The key to success has been to use a heavy sink tip (250 grain or heavier). To deliver these heavy flies on heavy sink tip lines, you must use at least an eight weight rod. This is hard work but can produce some excellent trout.
The best place to fish was the section from White Hole to down to Cotter. On the higher flows we have been receiving, the hot flies were hot fluorescent pink San Juan worms with copper Johns and black zebra midges in size fourteen or sixteen as droppers. Y2Ks and beadhead hare’s ears were also responsible for some nice fish. Wildcat Shoals has been particularly hot. The hot flies have been San Juan worms with Y2K droppers.
Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are high and stained. Several anglers have reported success with Clouser minnows. The water temperature is near the point where the Smallmouth will become less active. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.
The Norfork has fished well. On lower water the hot flies have been olive scuds (size 18), Dan’s turkey tail emerger, hot fluorescent pink worms and chamois worms. Soft hackles like the partridge and orange or the green butt have accounted for a lot of fish. The new trout habitat project in the Catch and Release section has had a positive effect on the fishing there. On higher flows, the best technique has been to drift brightly colored San Juan worms (red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise) and egg patterns (pink and orange).
Dry Run Creek has been productive. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective. There are few anglers there at this time of year. It is an excellent time to take your youngster there. Be sure to dress warmly and take occasional breaks to warm up. Take a camera, the fish are huge here.
There have been numerous reports of huge rainbows being caught on the Spring River. The water level on the river is a bit high and stained. This is a great place to wade fish. Canoe season is over and we have much less traffic on stream. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot spot has been Dam Three Access. The hot flies have been brown woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks.
January 3, 2012 - Millwood Lake - Submitted by Millwood
Lake Guide Service - Use extreme caution during navigation on Millwood Lake due to high release discharge rates over 4,000 cubic feet per second. Limb and tree debris, floaters, and vegetation, ripped loose with the high water and discharge, are in the high current volume.
As of Monday 02 Jan, the lake level is now falling this week from all the recent rains in SE Oklahoma and western Arkansas. Current and muddy water have the Largemouth Bass scattered, but a few good bites can be had from mid morning through mid-afternoon. The Bass for the past several weeks, have shifted to breaks behind points downstream of increased muddy incoming water and current. White bass, Kentucky bass, have scattered on Little River and her oxbows over the past week. Stable temperatures continue to bunch the Crappie tighter and closer in brush piles, but have moved to clearer water locations, out of current and muddy water.
Surface temps remained constant over the past week, as of Monday 02 Jan are currently ranging 47ºF early to 50ºF later in the afternoon hours, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location and time of day. Call the USACE for lake level daily updates, Little River current, discharge release, and tail water levels.
Lake level as of Monday 02 Jan, is currently is 260.66 mfsl, and falling, which is now 17.5 inches above normal. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was all 13 gates open at 1 foot, for an decrease in total discharge to 4,476 CFS. The tailwater level as of Monday, is 227.47 mfsl and is now falling.
Use extreme caution during navigation. There is a tremendous amount of current with debris in Little River due to the incoming muddy water and increase in release rate at the dam. Clarity and visibility as of Monday on main lake is poor and muddy; visibility was reduced from increased current, incoming rain, thunderstorms and wind over the past few weeks, currently ranging approx 2-5 inches in the River depending on location. The oxbow's clarity are better, with heavy stain, ranging approx 12-20 inches visibility depending on location. Water temps are dropping lake-wide, due to recent back to back cold fronts. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds or thunderstorms.
Currently, as of Monday 02 Jan, the final of three, successive, four-foot drawdowns has ended. The lake will be held 2 feet above normal conservation pool for approximately 30 days, then released to normal conservation pool of 259.2 mfsl. River Run East facilities are still undergoing maintenance and upgrades, and as such, still closed until mid-July 2012. Paraloma Park is closed for the winter. All other ramps and USACE parks are open. USACE recently completed updates at White Cliffs Camp ground with addition of 6-8 more campsites, and other facility improvements.
Use extreme caution during high water discharge rates because a tremendous amount of current, debris, limbs, logs, and floating vegetation mats are coming down river in the fast current. To volunteer for one of the cleanup dates or ramp and USACE park information, contact Brooke Kervin at the Millwood Tri-Lakes Project Office. To receive updates or volunteer, call the US Army Corps of Engrs toll-free information line at 888-697-9830.
New regulations for Largemouth Bass regulations have gone into effect as of January 1, 2012. See AGFC Website or recent regulation handbook for details.
The Details:
Largemouth Bass: The best bass bite over the last few weeks, has been pitching soft plastics to stumps, grass, lily pads, and wood laydowns behind points and cuts of the river, in the swirling eddies where current break lines are being used by the Bass with all the incoming rising muddy water and current. The lake level dropped over the past last week, evidently with the Red River cresting in the past few days, and continues a slow fall.
The keeper sized Largemouths are fair; from around 2.5 and up to around 5 pounds each, best bet this week are Gene Larew Hog Craws in black, or black & blue, and June Bug. Yum Wooly Bugs, Texas rigged, in Watermelon-Red, Black-Blue-Shadow, and Peanut Butter & Jelly, were also catching some 14-17" Bass on cypress trees and knees in 8-12 foot depths. Pumpkinseed/chartreuse StrikeWorks Jigs worked around stumps, laydowns, and in lily pad stems were taking 17-19" size Bass. 5" Ring-worms in black with Fire Tail or pumpkinseed, are taking some nice 15-19" Largemouth Bass and Kentucky Bass.
War Eagle Spinnerbaits are beginning to get a few good reactions in the dead / dying lily pad stems away from current. The best colors working over the past few weeks continue to be Cole Slaw, or white and chartreuse. If you are able to find clearer water in the oxbows, Rat-L-Traps in Red Shad, Toledo Gold, or Smokey Joe were taking some juvenile Largemouth Bass in the 13-15" range.
White Bass and Kentuckys: disappeared with the recent influx of muddy water and increased current. Hurricane Creek, Horseshoe oxbow lake, and White Cliffs areas, for the past several weeks have been very good locations for finding these loosely packed schools of White Bass and have produced very large numbers of schooling Whites and Kentucky Bass. These schooling fish were hitting Rat-L-Traps and Bomber crankbaits up Little River, running shad & occasionally surface breaking during the day. Snake Creek still has a few Kentucky Bass bunched up out of the muddy current and were hitting 4" mini-lizards in chartreuse pumpkin color.
Crappie: remain scattered with the increase of current and muddy water. Crappie seemed to have moved to clearer water in backs of the oxbows on deep cypress trees. Crappie were near planted brush piles along Little River between 12-14 feet deep but have moved out of the current and muddy water in search of clarity and depth. These Crappie were biting good on jigging tiny hair jigs and also hitting minnows, in the clearest water you can locate best from around 10am till early afternoon. Additionally, Southern Pro Crappie tubes, small Rocket Shads, and Blakemore Roadrunners were working over the past several weeks. Cordell smoke grubs on light lead head jigs, Blakemore Roadrunners, and Chuck'NSpins continue working, by vertical jigging in 15-16 feet depths brush piles and along old creek channels and ditches.
Cats: remain good on trot lines, yo-yos, tight lines, along current and break lines in the outer bends of Little River with the increase in current. Blues and Channel Cats were biting Catfish Charlie, cut shad, & chicken livers, in 12-15 feet of Little River on the outer break lines in current or on minnows and cut shad on the yo-yos tied along the Little River, in 10-15 feet depths.
January 2, 2012 - Norfork - Norfork Lake Fishing Report By Scuba Steve from Blackburns Resort - Big walleye out of Blackburn's Resort - Caught on New Years Eve On A Spoon.
January 2, 2012 - Norfork - Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Lou Gabric of Hummingbird Hideaway Resort.
http://www.hummingbird-hideaway.com/
Crappie anglers have been doing well. Live bait is working the best, but small grubs tipped with a minnow is also working well. The fish are still on the brush in shallow water early and late in the day and go to deeper brush in mid day. You can also find them at all depths. From 6 - 10 feet down over the brush as well as closer to the shore line. They can also be found directly inside of the brush pile. Find brush in 20 - 40 feet of water and start fishing at different depths until you find them. I found bass in 25 - 35 feet of water suspended 10 - 20 feet down. Striper bites came 40 feet down in 70 feet of water off of a bluff line
Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters.
http://www.stroutfitters.com/
The stripers are in their winter pattern and are in 60 to 100' of water around shad in the mid lake area. Stripers are off mid-lake bluff walls and main lake creeks. There are large schools of feeding on small shad. I had baits set at 24 to 36' and all the different depths were bit. Float creek and Crystal Cove have been the best spots in the afternoon. Shiners have been the best bait.
Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Steve Olomon of Steve's Guide Service.
http://www.fishingwithsteve.com/
Norfork Lake is at normal pool of 552 and the water temp is 50-52. Look for stripers suspended in 30-50ft. down during the day. Look along bluffs and creek channels. Early and late in the day some are moving up along the bank chasing shad. For the suspended fish drop a jigging spoon and throw a stick bait for the fish up on the bank. Throw a vibratail grub on a 1/4 oz. jig head to the bank and work it slow back to the boat also look for fish 35ft.deep on the bottom and drop a jigging spoon. Throw wiggle warts along the banks if the wind is blowing.