Your one-stop website for fly fishing the White River, the Norfork Tailwater, and Lake Taneycomo
How the White River & Norfork Tailwaters Work
“When planning a fly fishing adventure to the White River and Norfork Tailwater in Arkansas, it is important to understand how these rivers work. Ozark fly fishing is about adapting to changing conditions, and that challenge is a big part of the fun of fly fishing on the White River System. Hiring a respected and experienced fly fishing guide will ensure that you will stay on the fish all day, as there are times when water levels will go up and down several times in a 24-hour period. When the water is low, wade fly fishing conditions are perfect, and it is possible to sight-fish for trout in many areas. High water fly fishing is about drifting in a riverboat or drift boat, and many big browns and large rainbow trout are landed when the river is up. Fly fishing on the White River and Norfork is productive year round, which makes these very dynamic trout fisheries. Just be sure to come with an open mind.”
Wade fishing up at Bull Shoals Dam
The Bull Shoals and Norfork Tailwaters operate in a way that is not all that common anymore when it comes to water management. Power demand and reservoir levels dictate how much water is released, and it does take some time until you can feel safe fishing all water conditions. "Low water" is when there is no commercial power being generated at the dam's power plant, and these are the conditions coveted by fly fishermen because the rivers are like vast spring creeks with slow pools and soft riffles. The tranquility can quickly be disrupted if the dam starts releasing water. There is often no rhyme or reason to generation patterns, and it can be disruptive, to say the least. ALWAYS BE AWARE OF RISING WATER. Flows can jump from 40 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 23,000cfs on the White below Bull Shoals Dam. Normally the water will not jump all the way up to max power right away, but it is very common for the river to rise two to five feet in a matter of half an hour, and will normally crest in the neighborhood of eight feet above low water levels. Norfork can go from 40cfs to 6000cfs in a blink of an eye. This river gets nasty quick, but with the water only rising a maximum of 5.5 feet , there is great fishing here on all water levels.
High water is a local secret because most people will not bother with it. It takes a stable boat to do it right. Many huge trout are caught when the flows get heavy. On both the Norfork and White, most high water scenarios do not involve maximum releases regimes. Instead we see a mix of water flows most days, and this makes for an extremely dynamic fishery. Much of the real fun is in figuring out how and where to catch trout on all water conditions. Unless we have had flooding, flows will vary unless weather is extreme hot or cold in power markets.
The White and Norfork are a composite of many desirable types of water, and offer something for everyone. It really is a very interesting and beautiful place.
