Newsletter for June 2010
Wonderful fly fishing conditions continue, but how long will it last?
IntroductionMay has flown by, and it’s hard to remember a better month with respect to good weather and great fishing. There were some decent rain events that caused the lakes to grow larger, but overall, there were plenty of chances to fish low or moderate flows on the White River and Norfork Tailwater. Whenever reservoir levels are on the rise, there is a good chance that these ‘lower’ dams will hold back on releasing a lot of water, in an effort to minimize the impact of flooding far downstream – every once in awhile, this dynamic scenario works out in the angler’s favor, and this has certainly been the case this year. Yes, there will be plenty of water for the Corp to release on hot summer afternoons, but at this very moment, conditions could not be more diverse.
June is always a big transition month with respect to the weather and how the dams operate. Typically, the beginning of June is characterized by some lower water days, but as the month progresses and temperatures climb, a summer-release pattern will develop. By late in the month, look for the lowest water to be at night or in the early morning – as the day warms, the rivers will rise to accommodate increased power demand. Whereas July and August are considered “steady” months, June will exhibit more in the way of fluctuations, so anglers (as always) need to come prepared for anything.
In this newsletter, I have a WILD promotional offer along with an article that displays the efforts that dedicated anglers must sometimes take in order to stay on the best fly fishing water. Our “Secrets” section will focus on June fishing on the Norfork, and there is an important conservation issue that needs to be brought back up from time to time. Hopefully, everyone is still enjoying the newsletter, and as always, I love hearing feedback from subscribers.
June’s Guide Trip Promotion: Two Rivers, Two Days and a Twist
If you have ever wanted to fish both Taneycomo and the White River below Bull Shoals Dam during the same outing, this is the trip for you. Participants are encouraged to stay at Lilley's Landing, or anywhere else in Branson, and I will pick your party up in the morning for both treks to the river. The river that we decide to fish- either the White or Lake Taneycomo - will all depend on how conditions look for each particular day, but I will try and provide a general “outlook” when you get into town for logistical purposes.
Now for the fun: Not only is the price of this package discounted $150 ($550 TOTAL for both days), but at the end of our time on the water, I will let participants pick twenty (#20) flies from my personal boxes. I’m not sure if a guide has so literally “opened up his fly box” in such a way before, especially considering the element of letting the fishing clients enjoy a 20-fly shopping-spree. If no one takes me up on this offer, I’ll have to stick to fly promotions.
This offer is good for exactly one month and expires on the 5th of July. Included is: Two days of guided fishing – one day in Branson and the other on the White in Arkansas, along with your personally picked selection of 20 flies from the actual boxes I take with me on all of my guide trips. Call or email for further details.
Guide Tips
Going that extra mile to ensure success
Fly fishing on the White River Basin is one of the most unique challenges of the sport. Water levels are always changing – sometimes by the minute – and at any given moment, there are several dynamics to choose from. At times, the best bite is occurring on high water; while on other days, falling or low water is where the action is. As a guide, it is my responsibility to get my clients in the best position to catch as many fish as possible. Sometimes, it is not overly difficult to figure out the most productive place to be between the White River, the Norfork Tailwater and Lake Taneycomo, but at other times, every spot you try is going to be a gamble. Having access to a boat keeps an angler on the water all day, but a vessel is just like any other tool: you have to know how to use it in order to get on fish and stay on fish.
This last month (May), I was often confronted with diverse water flows, and through the process of trial and error, I was able to figure out the best bite for the conditions at hand. Often, this required getting on the water abnormally early in order to beat the “surge” at Bull Shoals Dam. At the time, the water was low all night, but the dam was kicking on early in the morning – if I was unable to stay ahead of the rising water, it would not take long until we were basically stuck in trashy water with nowhere to go. Although fly fishing “on the rise” can be excellent, this was one of those times when everything shut down as soon as the influx of flow would hit.
There were many mornings when I left Branson in total darkness, and often, we were fishing by 7am on the White below Bull Shoals Dam. My clients definitely appreciated the extra-mile I was putting in, but it is all just a part of the job – those who constantly learn and do their best are the ones with a repeat clientele.
The fishing during this period was out-of-this world, and the heavy water wouldn’t usually hit us until around 3pm at Wildcat Shoals – by this point, everyone in the boat was pretty much exhausted. Of course, any guide who counts on a “pattern” to uphold will inevitably get burned, so it is important to have a backup plan for when things get unpredictable. If the water hit us early, we always had the option to go to Norfork or back up to the Bull Shoals Dam area to chase after some big rainbows for a few hours. There were also times when I would have to scrap my plans altogether because of a drastic change in conditions.
Fly fishermen out on their own should also take advantage of their mobility either via boat or automobile in order to follow the “waves” of favorable fly fishing conditions on the Ozark tailwater trout fisheries. It really pays to keep up with all the prevailing patterns and trends – as always, feel free to give me a call or drop me an email for a personalized report. Remember to expect the unexpected, and there may be no other river system in the world where having a qualified guide at your disposal makes such a difference, especially for people intent on staying in the action throughout a potentially changing day. The fishing on the White, Norfork and Taneycomo is worth the effort and educations required before one understands their secrets, and there may be no other rivers that offer the hour-for-hour action that these tailwaters are capable of. Plus, the chance at catching a brown over five-pounds does not get any better than right here right now.
Conservation Corner
With more browns in the rivers than ever before due to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s aggressive new management plan, there are inevitably going to be lots of browns handled that are under the minimum length (24-inches). Some folks will measure the fish several times in hopes that it somehow becomes “legal”, and most people just haven’t been educated regarding proper fish-handling techniques.
The most important thing is to keep the fish in the water (either in the shallows or in a net) between shots, and be aware of how much stress is put on the fish by noticing if it starts to look “pale”. Mistakes will inevitably happen, so don’t beat yourself up if a fish gets dropped – hopefully it will only fall into the water or a net. The mistakes that are not accidental should be eliminated and pay attention to: over-squeezing a trout, laying a fish on dry ground for a picture, using a Boga Grip, not supporting the fish’s entire body, etc. Nobody is perfect, but I doubt that anyone reading this wants to hurt a nice fish intended for live release.
Finally, make sure that any fish that has been photographed swims away fully under its own power, and this will help ensure it lives to fight another day. I know that this is second-nature to most of you, but the purpose of this Web site is education, so I would be remiss if I didn’t fully cover this topic e very once in awhile.
Conclusion
June is a month that offers up a lot of surprises, so anglers should be prepared to expect anything. Although lake levels are high, releases may not be as strong as they would be if we weren’t heading into the big power-production season of summer. There are more big fish on all three rivers than I have ever seen, and what excites me about this month is that the fish in June tend to be consistently more aggressive than they are in May.
