Mid-August Newsletter
Scorching weather and hot fishing persist, and the action promises to get even better over the next month
I’m sorry for the delay in getting out this month’s newsletter, but I have a good excuse: I’ve been working a bunch of days out of each week; keeping myself and my clients busy as bees. Although the afternoons have been a bit uncomfortable due to the hot and humid weather, those who can hack it are experiencing all-day action on both low and high water.
Because Table Rock, Bull Shoals and Norfork Lakes are all at or below normal seasonal levels, release patterns have been steady on all of these waterways for quite awhile. This means that the fish are very comfortable feeding throughout the day. Early morning [in the fog] has been the toughest time to fish, but once the sun hits the water, the action is getting hot and heavy. Taneycomo is loaded with very nice rainbows, and decent numbers of big browns are starting to make their way up river for the annual spawn. Although this event will not really get started until early October, these fish will stage in the lower stretches of the trophy area for weeks to months prior to “doing the deed”. Fishing from Point Royale down to Fall Creek definitely can pay big dividends for those interested in targeting trophy-sized browns. The water is low most nights through mid-day, but around noon, flows are increasing quickly as the demand for the dam’s power starts to spike.
The White River and Norfork Tailwater are also fishing extremely well while offering up a diverse range of water conditions. Waders are enjoying low water on the ‘Fork until early afternoon, but the White has been less consistent. Over there, expect flows in the one to three-unit range until 10am through noon, with heavy flows pretty much restricted to the hottest parts of the day. And every now and again the dam is shutting down at night through mid-morning, but there is no way to predict how each day is going to play out, so it’s best to be prepared for anything, if the White is your river of choice. Although the continual flows make wading difficult [but not impossible], drifting conditions are ideal, and it’s possible to stay ahead of the really high water all day by floating downstream.
For the next month, anglers should expect more of the same. Until the weather starts to moderate and temperatures cool down to the 70’s and lower 80’s as highs, maximum releases should be expected at every White River Basin dam during the afternoon. By mid September, extended periods of low water will start to become more prevalent, and the fishing is usually spectacular for several weeks after the initial flow slowdown of fall. There is a lot for fly fishermen to look forward to over the next two months – it’s hard to believe that the fishing could get better than it is now, but it most likely will. 2010 has shaped us as a “year of dreams”, and this is a result of the near-continual power generation of the last three years which protected the fish and allowed them to grow very quickly. It just goes to show what a little consistency will do for trout fishing in the Ozarks, as this has been the first “normal” summer with respect to releases in quite awhile.
Guide Tips: Early Hopper Fishing Has Been Incredible and it Will Only Get Better
Considering that subsurface nymph fishing is so productive on the White and Norfork, many anglers never even think to use dry flies. This is fine if catching lots of fish is the only objective, but the hatches and subsequent top-water fishing can be excellent on both rivers when conditions are right. Spring and summer are known for sulphurs, caddis and craneflies, while midges and Blue Winged Olives dominate during the year’s cooler months. Terrestrial fishing with big dry flies usually kicks off in early September when air temperatures and dam flows start to drop, but this year, for whatever reason, the action has been intense since early July. There is really no rhyme or reason as to why this is happening, but regardless, fishermen are catching scores of nice fish up and down the White River on a wide variety of hopper and beetle patterns. The reason the White is currently the best river for this type of fishing is that it’s possible to fish one to three-unit flows all day long – these are perfect conditions for chucking big dries. Norfork will improve once there are some breezy, low-water full days or when the dam starts releasing lighter amounts of water in the afternoon.
The best hopper bite has been going on between 11am and 4pm, and when the fish are ‘on’, it’s possible to catch trout anywhere. Fly selection is not difficult – anything big and ugly in sizes #4 to #12 will do the trick. Riffles and runs with structure are the most productive areas, but the slow pools are fishing well when there is some wind chop on the water. The catch and release zone below the dam is producing scores of 18 to 21-inch browns and rainbows in the morning before the water starts running hard, and Wildcat Shoals along with Rim Shoals have been the best afternoon spots for me.
We may be in the midst of some of the best hopper fishing that has been experienced in years, and the action is likely to improve until the first cold snap of October. Although the White offers up the best types of water for taking advantage of this bite, throwing big terrestrial patterns can also be extremely productive on the Norfork and on Lake Taneycomo. Trout are extremely opportunistic feeders, so as long as they have had a taste of a beefy terrestrial somewhat recently, tying on a hopper or beetle pattern is always worth a shot. Please don’t hesitate to drop me a line if you are interested in more information regarding the exact flies I’m using and my detailed strategies. The last few guide trips I’ve had on the White have been a total blast, and this unique opportunity is far from over, so be prepared to fish up top if you are planning on visiting the Ozarks over the next few months.
Arkansas’ New Brown Trout Regulations: ‘Unexpected’ Consequences May Be Limiting Their Effectiveness
On the first of January, 2009, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) implemented sweeping new brown trout harvest regulations intended to restore the fishery to “past glory” when browns in the 24 to 32-inch range choked the White River and Norfork Tailwater. The new rules require that all brown trout under 24-inches must be released immediately. While on the surface, this seems like a reasonable strategy for increasing both numbers and the size of the fish, and there is no doubt that these efforts will only be moderately successful at reaching such goals. On rivers where bait fishing and the harvest of rainbow trout is a way of life amongst certain groups of fishermen, the new regulations are not perfect by any means. After over a year and a half of restricted brown trout harvest, several unexpected negative consequences have been observed, and the AGFC must address these issues if they ever want their hallowed trout fisheries to once again reach their status as trophy trout factories.
The biggest problem with the new regulations on browns is the fact that trout are a species that is inherently susceptible to hook mortality. In layman’s terms, trout that are released after ingesting natural or scented baits are significantly more likely to die than fish hooked [and released] on flies or artificial baits. This is because artificials almost always hook trout in the lip or mouth which makes for an easy release; fish caught on baits usually swallow the hook and this often delivers a fatal blow There are plenty of studies that prove this fact of fishing, and the number of dead fish that are observed on the White and Norfork attest to this sad reality. Now that all browns under 24-inches must be released, the rivers are often littered with nice-sized dead trout [under 24-inches] that having fallen victim to a swallowed hook, mishandling or both. It’s a shame that there is so much waste going on, and the key to fixing this involves educating all types of fishermen about proper fish-handling techniques along with considering implementing more areas where natural and scented baits are not allowed. Otherwise, a significant portion of fish intended for live release are going to end up dead and the brown trout regulations will not live up to their potential.
Another pitfall of the AGFC’s new emphasis on reestablishing a trophy brown trout fishery on Arkansas’ coldwater tailwaters is the fact that browns are being stocked in numbers never before witnessed, thus diluting the gene pool of one of the world’s most prolific strains of wild fish. Almost all of the browns in both the White and Norfork were completely wild until the population of this stock started to decline with the popularity of these fisheries during the late 1990’s. It is a well-accepted fact that wild browns grow significantly larger than their stocker counterparts, and by introducing scores of hatchery fish into the system, cross-breeding with wild fish is inevitable. Numbers of brown trout in the 16 to 23-inch range are extremely high, but genetics may ultimately affect the river’s ability to produce the “world famous” fish over 25-pounds that every angler dreams of catching when they fish the White and Norfork. Only time will tell, but there is no doubt that the stocking of browns has increased even more since the implementation of the 2008 regulation, and this may limit the population of brown trout that breach the ten-pound mark.
Now don’t get me wrong; the 24-inch minimum length for harvesting brown trout is a major step in the right direction, but I just fear that the perception of a failed rule will prevail if ideal results are not achieved. When many fish intended for release end up dead, the number of trout that will exceed 24-inches will be limited, and it would be a shame if the regulation was repealed as a result of hook-mortality. Also, without genetically pure wild stocks of fish, growth rates will be slower than in years past. Regardless of the downsides, the new brown trout minimum-length regulations coupled with several years of high water has really improved the fishing for browns in Arkansas, but only time will tell us if this plan will live up to its lofty goals of restoring these legendary trout fisheries.
And in conclusion…
Look for the return of the “Guide Secrets” section of the newsletter next month along with an exciting promotion. Hopefully, all of my readers realize that I don’t “sugar-coat” the fishing – honest and frank information is my top priority. That said, in all honesty, the rivers are in as good of shape as they have been for quite some time and it’s hard to remember the trout being so consistently aggressive. September promises to be another fantastic month, and October is prime time for big browns on the Norfork and Lake Taneycomo. Whether you are a White River Basin ‘junky’ or someone interested in seeing what all the fuss is about, now is the time to plan a fly fishing excursion to these rivers.
