Nathanael Ferguson with a hopper brown posted to our White River Fly Fisher phone app
.THERE’s been a bit of everything on show this week.
WE have had minimum flow in the mornings on both rivers earlier in the week, and some big water 20,000 cfs
one afternoon on the White. IT’s the sort of conditions that can mystify a newcomers, where old hands will be dialling in where to fish at any given moment of the day according to the water flows and how they want to fish.
Norfork has been offering the best shot for waders every morning, but if this weekend follow’s last weekend’s pattern there might be windows of minimum flow on the White as well.
The big thing about working out where to fish is information _ getting the right information and, then working out what to do with it. Which is one of the reasons we set up our own APP, to get the fastest and easiest way to access the right river and weather information. If you haven’t checked it out please do.
As well as the important stuff there’s a pretty cool submit a picture feature.
So go hang some fish this weekend and send us the pics.
WHITE RIVER: Since we are under flood stage, all the afternoon generation we have been seeing is driven by electricity demand, and that is what will determine flows for a while.
The good news is mild nights will mean low to minimum flows, water being held for higher return peak power price periods. Low water over night means wadeable water, during the morning and perhaps all day.
At worst we have been seeing flows of just under a unit, which leaves wading at a number of places, generally with a lesser crowd, particularly when Norfork is off.
Ruby Midge and Super Midges have been doing extremely well, Fish these behind Micro Mayflies, Sunday Specials, or Copper Johns/Pheasant Tails.Rainbow Warriors, plus Sowbugs and Scud patterns are also worth carrying.
Its definitely worth trying some hoppers as indicators on lower flows, and fishing solo hoppers when the higher flows start. If you want to go sub surface San Juan and Dynmite Worms are reliable.
Fishing the big water in the last couple of hours of the day with streamers is also worth a shot.
NORFORK: The ‘Fork has been fishing well on the morning low water, try Ruby MIdges, Rainbow Warriors, Rootbeer Midges, Super Midges and Tungsten Rainbow Warriors.
Sowbugs, DW Sowbugs, Tailwater Sowbugs and Hot Bead Ray Charles patterns have all been good.
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The Ozark Fly Fisher Journal 