Things have started to pick up around here and the fishing has been excellent for the last few weeks on the Norfork and the White.  The water is running around the clock, but the levels vary day to day and river to river.  This last week I fished two days on Norork and one on the White.  Norfork was running the equvalent of 1.5 generators, and the action was pretty steady.  Also, the river is loaded with colorful, chunky rainbows and BIG browns.  The best action is not in the dam area right now (for me), and I am doing better as I move down river.  San Juan's and beadheaded hairbugs are doing the trick, and this makes sence because the fish are keyed in on worms and scuds. I look for moderate to heavy releases to continue indefinately, and as time goes on, more and more big fish will come out of the woodwork.  If we get additional heavy rains, floodgates will have to be opened, but hopefully it will not come to that.

On Tuesday, I took my clients up to Bull Shoals Dam.  They were only running 5 generators, which made the water 2-3 feet lower than it has been for a week.  The fishing started out hot, but quickly cooled.  We ended up catching a respectable amount of trout, but it was not as good as I thought it would be.  The rainbows were healthy and hard fighting, and we did get into some nicer fish.  We caught fish all the way down to Gaston's in the afternoon, and it seems like there are chunky rainbows everywhere (due to the constant high water).  Another guide in our group got a 24-incher to the boat and lost another that was considerably bigger.  I think the cloud cover coupled with front conditions made the bite a little slow, but it could have been way worse.  Good reports are surfacing from up and down the White.

Just a quick note here to say that we are looking at months of high flows ahead of us.  This will inevitably mean that lots of inexperienced boaters will be on the water most weekends.  My strategy is to work to find less crowded water and to take my time when I'm in a congested area.  Several boats have capsized over the last 2 weeks, and this is unsettling.  Fishing is great right now and the word will spread.  So if you do try boating, please be careful and slow.  Weekdays have been quite a bit calmer with primarily experienced guides on the water.  Please feel free to contact me for advice and safety tips.  Good luck!!!    

April 22nd, 2008: Well...we're still here...and so are the trout!!!  I fished three days at Norfork last week and I guided this last weekend below the dam at Bull Shoals.  First the Norfork.  Wow.  On Thursday, April 10th, the Corp was forced to release 83,000cfs (or an *additional* 43 generators) for several hours over the spillway, and the damage was catastrophic.  Charlie's and Gene's Resorts, directly below the dam suffered serious losses, including several docks breaking free and water in most of their cabins.  The parking lot right below the dam was buckled and ripped to shreds, and this flood moved huge amounts of gravel, big rocks, and trees.  Broken trees are everywhere along the river giving it a sort of tornado feel to it.  I feel terrible about all this, but it's nature's way of telling us: "you can try to control me, but I'll get you sooner or later". So the Norfork is really different, but the fishing is still what we are used to.

The three days I guided on Norfork last week offered up a lot of everything.  The first day (one week ago today) they still had all the flood gates opened a little bit, adding an extra 3500cfs to the 5500cfs of the two generators.  What a sight it was to fly fish right below all that falling water.  I wasn't expecting much, but my client did catch 15-20 fish.  Pretty good, all things considered, but most were small and pale (due to stress).  The next day, the gates were closed, and fishing was really good on two units.  Mid morning they dropped down to a one unit level, only to crank back up around 3pm.  The trout ran smaller than normal, but the action was as good as it gets for high water.  It seemed strange that they would lower the water, especially since the lake is still very high.  On the third day, we motored to the dam (keep in mind that the dam ramp is closed until further notice, so you must put in at the confluence of the White/Norfork) and started out catching much healthier looking fish.  The action was again good, and the water level dropped to less than one unit.  Then at 11am, they shut the generation off completely.  From gates to low water in two days...even I couldn't understand it.  We decided to stay up by the dam (BAD MOVE) hoping the water would come back up eventually.  Since there is no way to access the river up there (Quarry Park is supposed to reopen this week though) we had the place to ourselves.  The fishing was quite good, but boy has the water changed.  The deep areas near the dam are very deep now, and the shallow areas have very little water.  It is really a new river in many ways.  Scuds were swimming everywhere along the bank, so the food is still there.  Around 3pm, the water still had not come up, so we prepared to drag the boat down the river.  What a pain!!!  Parts of the river are extremely narrow, and there are rocks littering the traditional boat channels.  It didn't help that the wind was blowing at 15 to 25mph.  Lucky for us, the White was so high that the water backed up well into the catch and release area, but by then we'd dinged up the boat and our backs pretty good.  I look for great fishing to continue on the Norfork through the summer.  There is more good holding water than before and the fish are there. 

This last weekend at Bull Shoals turned out pretty well.  On Saturday, the dam area was crowded and the water was running at a 6 generator level (the recording still will say "8" since they had all 8 running...just lighter).  Fishing started slow, but got pretty decent as the water dropped to a 4 generator level mid morning.  We caught lots of nice 'bows and a nice 14" brookie.  The number of fish we caught was exceptional, considering the very high water and the area we were in.  They had shut down the flood gates there two days earlier, and this seems to heat things up.  The anglers in my group who fished out of the C&R did not do as well.  It's weird how that works out sometimes...normally it would be the opposite, especially with respect to numbers caught.  Sunday, we decided on the same venue, and the fishing started out very good and was excellent most of the morning.  The water was higher than the previous day, and they didn't drop it as much either.  We caught much larger fish on Sunday but not near as many, especially because the afternoon was really slow.  I also heard the fishing down river (Wildcat, Rim Shoals) was better on Sunday (and Monday).  The White is loaded with fish, and because of minimal spillway releases, there wasn't near the destruction as we saw on the Norfork.  If you can get a day where they run a "light" 8, drifting should be great over there.

Sorry for the long report, but it's the most important one I've written to date.  Look for a little bit of everything over the next couple months.  During dry stretches, the water may lighten up, making for awesome drift fishing.  San Juan's will be the ticket much of the time, and big nymphs (scuds/sow bugs) will become important as the rivers become very clear in late spring/early summer.  There may be moments of low water, but when and where is anyone's guess.  And finally, if heavy rains hit the region again, the whole process starts over.  But regardless, things are looking much better than they were a week ago.  Please drop me a line if you have any questions about all of this.  I'm here to help. 

April 14th, 2008: Things are getting serious now...unfortunately.  Another heavy rain event blasted the Ozarks last Thursday leaving a surplus of water with nowhere to go.  For the first time in history (Saturday) gates were open similtaneously at Beaver, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, and Norfork.  What a mess, but the trout fishing should be really good once the gates are closed.  Beaver already has closed them, and I look for Norfork to do the same this week.  The Corp needs to try and let the water drop way downstream, but this isn't always possible.  Bull Shoals is still rising with a minimal spillway release (@5500cfs or two extra units on top of the 8 they're running), and we may see heavier gate action at any time over there.  I don't want to get into the destruction to property, but it's bad.  But from nature's perspective, these types of floods are good for the rivers.  It's a sort of cleansing.

Before the last rains, fishing was GREAT on the Norfork and upper White.  The action was as good as it gets for high water drifting and we landed some fat ones.  San Juan worms are really producing right now.  Of course, after last week's rains, everything is different. I'll be out there for 5 out of the next six days, so feel free to give me a call for a report.  I really don't know what to expect, but I think fishing will be fine.  If they shut off the gates, things will get excellent.  I hate to try and find a silver lining in an awful situation, but I do think the fishing will benefit from all this for at least a year and a half.  And fishing pressure will be less than normal.

I'll report early next week.  Hopefully the heavy rains are done with, but it's only the middle of April, so we'll see.  The next 6 months will offer up some really big fish.  If you get out there, be aware and careful.  We are in uncharted territory here, so more than ever, who knows what will happen?  The only thing I know for sure is that the trout are getting FAT on the continual flows.

March 26th, 2008: Hello...sorry for my delay in reporting.  Everyone has been asking about the rain and its effects on the fishing.  After major floods, Norfork and Bull Shoals Dams go into "capture" mode which means that they are only releasing small amounts of water...for the first three days after the storm, the water was shut off.  This "MO" allows the dams to prevent aggravating flooding downstream  This pattern could continue for weeks to months depending on how much more rain we get.  

The fishing has been excellent on both rivers and NOW is a great time to be here.  Lots of nice fish are being caught, and the water flows are a pleasure to fish (as opposed to the heavy flows of a few weeks ago).  The weather is finally starting to warm up and the foliage will be popping very soon.  April is truly my favorite month to fish these rivers.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to drop me a line.  My prediction is that we will see these light flows for awhile, but when the time comes, there will be extended heavy releases.  Regardless, high water is good for the fisheries and lots of big fish will come out of the woodwork as flows progress.  Best wishes, and hopefully everyone will get a chance to get out there sooner or later. 

March 5th, 2008: The last few weeks have offered up a little bit of everything when it comes to water releases and weather.  Both lakes are starting to get up there (Norfork and Bull Shoals are approaching 5 feet high as of this writing), so it looks like we are in for some high water...but remember, the dams are in place to prevent flooding, so during flood events, it's common for the Corp to run little to no water as to prevent further flooding downstream.  Still, dead low water will be a rare commodity until the lakes are drawn down to normal levels.  Even though high water is the enemy of most fly fishermen, those in the know understand that bigger fish are caught more frequently when the water is up. Extended high water periods are good for the fisheries and the fishing itself because pressure is so much less concentrated during heavy flows.

As for the fishing: things have been up and down like the water.  Several weeks ago they blasted the water out of Bull Shoals, and there was a pretty substantial "shad kill".  This event makes Ozark anglers drool, but is often the case, there were too many shad seen by the fish to make it very productive.  The reports were of slow fishing and hoards of boats.  After a week of 6 units there was a week of dead low water.  The fishing was excellent on just about any weighted nymph you could put out there, and it seemed like everyone was slaying 'em.  Now that Bull Shoals is rising, they are running 0-3 units and fluctuating quite a bit.  I would imagine the fishing would be good but I've been bumming around watching the rain and snow from the comfort of home.  I've only fished Norfork twice since the last report, and it was on high water.  With two units on, things were slow but we caught some fish.  The river was quite crowded, especially when they shut the water down at 1pm that day.  The next day they ran one unit all day, and the fishing was steadily good with multiple bites and hook ups on virtually every drift.  We caught lots of nice ones but nothing over 17-inches.  I've heard the middle and lower Norfork is fishing very slow, so hopefully the impending high water will get more trout back in those areas.

Guiding has been pretty busy, and March is always a little crazy.  For those interested, I'm not booked again until the 14th of March.  After that I work 9 days straight, and then it gets slow again with the end of the month open for now.  There are still plenty of days open in April, as well.  If you have any questions, don't hesitate to drop me a line.  I look forward to fishing with everyone ASAP!!!

February, 12th, 2008: Well, it's been a crazy week up here in northern Arkansas.  Last Tuesday, a rather large tornado ripped through central Gassville (about 1.5 miles from my house...we just lost power for a few hours...no damage) causing catastrophic damage to many homes and business'.  Amazingly, injuries and fatalities were very low, but the town will never look the same.  That may not be all bad, if you've ever been there, but seriously, many people got their lives turned upside down.  The outpouring of regional and national support is remarkable.  The long tornado that affected Atkins, Clinton, Mtn View, and Highland (Ar) was incredibly destructive, and my heart goes out to those folks as well as my neighbors in Gassville..  What's the good news?  None of this has had any affect on the fishing. For more info on the storms check out http://baxterbulletin.com and browse through last week's news.  There are lots of amazing pictures, as well.

Over the last few weeks, the fishing I've been a part of has been somewhat slow on both rivers.  I did take a friend to the Bull Shoals Dam area on opening day (Feb. 1st), and we saw and caught lots of fish.  Still, the size is way down from what it was just two years ago, and the habitat looks sterile, gray, and dead.  It's weird that this problem is primarily only on the far upper reaches of the tailwater.  The habitat actually looks great as you move down river from the dam area.  Norfork is offering up lots of low water whereas the White is running decent amounts of water around the clock for the most part.  I haven't fished or heard anything about the high water or if there are any shad coming through the dam.  Normally if we get a shad kill, the peak is in mid Feb.  Of course every time this phenomonon occurs (shad kill) is different.  I'll let you know if I find anything out.  The fishing is slower than normal for this time of year on the Norfork, and apparantly the middle and lower river is fishing really tough.  Midges and scuds are working as good as anything. 

My guiding schedule for the spring is slowly filling up, and I have very few weekends left until April.  Weekdays are still pretty open, especially Monday through Thursday.  I'm really happy with the local guides I work with as most do a great job.  So even if I can't guide you, I can line up someone competent.  Just let me know and I'll keep everyone updated.  I feel reengergized about this year...it should be a lot of fun!!!

January 17th, 2008:I have a few things to report.  First of all, I fished a couple days last week on the Norfork with a friend/client.  Because of weird water on the White and the fact it's pretty slow in the catch and release area, we decided on the dam area.  The first day, the weather was great, we had the place to ourselves, and the water is perfectly CLEAR (and should remain this way until next September/October except after major rains).  With things seemingly in our favor, it ended up being a pretty slow day where the fish couldn't decide if they were hungry or not.  The water was low and had been through the night before this first day.  About 45 minutes before dark, fish started taking midge pupas and we had a bite or fish on every cast until we couldn't see the strike indicator anymore.  A nice last second comeback. 

The next day we went to the same area within a mile of Norfork Dam.  They ran two full units from 6am until 8am, and by the time we started (9am) there were active fish all over the place (midging near the surface).  For the first three hours it couldn't have been better, and the fish were bigger than the previous day.  Around noon the wind got stiff, but the fish continued to bite and bite well.  This was the best fishing I've seen on the Norfork since last September, and the key seemed to be the fact they ran water that morning.  We used tungsten midges (black) in the morning and switched to scuds when the wind picked up.  What a fun day...I miss spanking them now and again, and I was reminded why I got into guiding to begin with: FOR THE FUN OF IT!!!

The White has started generating most evenings and mornings with some heavy flows, and this regime makes for tough wading except during low periods within a few miles of Bull Shoals Dam.  It does seem like the weekends are offering up the majority of low water conditions.  Norfork is "off" almost daily with the exception of a few mornings.  Since both lakes are pretty low, it will take some big rains to really change things up.  I haven't heard much about a "shad kill" yet, but it has been cold enough...we just need more release water.  Also, I haven't fished any high water at all, so I really don't know if it's happening on those heavy flows in the early morning.

My guiding schedule is still pretty open for the rest of winter and the spring and remember: I'm not moving!  Perhaps in the future, but I think my wife wants to finish up with school here.  Please drop me a line if you have any questions and I look forward to seeing many of you on the water this spring.

December 31st, 2007: I hope everyone is having a good New Year.  Well, the news is in and I am STAYING for at least the next 6 months!!!  I'm refreshed and looking forward to a great year on the water.  It just goes to show how life is so unpredictable, and since my wife didn't get her job, we're going to wait and see what happens.  So I am currently booking trips through June and I am going to keep my rates the same.

I will write more on the fishing soon, but I will say it is somewhat slow on both rivers.  The water has been "off" for over a week now, and it seems like if one spot isn't productive, move on to a whole new area.  Hatches of midges are sparse most days, but I did see a ton of blue winged olives on the White two days ago (Cotter).  Until we get significant rain, low water will be preavalent.  Please let me know if you need anything and let's hope 2008 exceeds 2007 in every respect. 

December 22nd, 2007: Happy Holidays everyone!!!!  Just wanted to give a couple quick updates.  First of all, both lakes have turned over, and that means that oxygen levels are at their best right now in the rivers.  Does this mean fishing will immediately get "hot"?  Not Necessarily.  It's more of a gradual change.  I've been out on the White and Norfork in the last week or so, and both are fishing pretty well.  The Norfork is really turning around, but there are still some slow periods.  The water has currently been low over there for two days straight.  The White is running water most weekday mornings from 6am to 8am, and a litle in the evenings, but they are staying low on the weekends recently.  Fishing is good on midges if you find low water or falling water.  The running water bite is slow.  Both rivers are chock full of trout right now and there are some nice ones on the move.  In the past, the end of December through January has been good on larger than average fish, but extreme weather can change things.  Please drop me a line if you have any questions.

I appreciate everyone's support and condolences about my *possible* move, and your thoughts all mean a lot.  Of course, if you know me, you know nothing is concrete until I am out the door.  The situation is this:  if my wife gets a job that she's been working hard on, we will move mid January to Orlando.  If she doesn't get the job...well, I'm not sure.  I would probably continue guiding for another six months (at least).  Hopefully this makes sense, and I will update here as soon as I know anything concrete, which should be by New Year's.  Regardless, this sight will be maintained as a resource for those interested in fly fishing the White and Norfork.

 Again, have a great holiday season and Wendy and I wish everyone the best.

November 18th, 2007: Hello everyone.  I hope this holdiay season is starting off right for all.  I just wanted to tell everyone that I am still going to be guiding up until around Christmas time.  Fishing is still pretty decent on both rivers, and the White has given up some low water over the last four days.  During dead low water, the White is fishing very well on small midge pupa patterns and all the usual flies. 

 I will be offering my "going to Florida" special until I leave.  If you book for two days, I will knock $50 off to help defray the cost of getting here.  If you fish for three days, you will save $100 off the price of the trip.  I wish I could do more for all of you, but I just wanted to show my appreciation for everyone's support over the years.

One last thing.  I will continue to maintain and update this site (reports) indefinately.  Like I mention below, I am still wanting to guide seasonally and organize all-inclusive trips to this area.  I work with guides who share my passion for catching trout in all water conditions, and after I move, if you need a referral, just let me know. I will also post a tentative personal guiding schedule when I see how life down there is working out. For those interested in purchasing any flies I use, I will be creating a page telling what I offer, prices, shipping, etc.  There's a good chance that I will have to become a professional fly tyer for the first 8 months I am gone, so if there is interest, I will tie like the wind. 

November 11th, 2007: Hello to all my loyal readers and clients.  It is with deepest regret that I write this report, and I will keep it brief because it has been an emotional time.  Basically, I am going to be taking a "break" from guiding for awhile.  There are lots of reasons for this decision, but the major problems I'm having are due to burnout, fatigue, and FINANCIALLY oriented.  The current economy has not been good for the majority of the recreation industry, and my costs of doing business seem to be rising every week.  This site will be left up because I want people new to this area to have this information available.  I also work with some of the best guides I've ever met, and please feel free to contact me if you need any recommendations.  And I will still be around to help anyone who needs information...at least until I find someone qualified to take over.

But this isn't the end.  I still plan on guiding several months in Arkansas throughout the year (spring primarily).  I will be around for another month to month and a half, and if anyone is curious, my plan is to move to Orlando, Florida.  "The guide's life" was great as a single man, but I owe myself and my wife the chance at a more prosperous future.  If anyone has any suggestions please drop me a line.  I will post more on this, but I can't believe I'm writing this and I need to calm down.  Sorry to everyone that planned on going out with me next year, but again, I will do my best to take care of you.  Sometimes a change of scenery does a lot for a person, and that is what would be best for my spouse and I.  THANKS for all the support over the years and I wish I had better news.

October 11th, 2007: Fall is really starting to set in down here, and the colors are just starting to show up on the foliage.  As many of you know, fishing in the fall on these tailwaters can be slower than at other times of year.  This is due to the bottom-draw nature of the dams because water is "sucked" into the river from the same levels all the time.  For 9 months the oxygen is good (above 5-6 parts per million), but starting in late September through the middle of December, the water gets worse and worse.  What does this do to the fishing?  Well, first of all it is a good excuse for slow fishing.  Also, the bite will usually be best later into the morning through the afternoon.  Norfork seems to have the worst affects from low oxygen, and the fishing over there will be best on running or falling water.  Sunny days are what you want, and wind will really help in low water.

Fishing has definately slowed from what it was a month ago, but it is still very productive if conditions are right.  The White is, by far, fishing best on low water.  This is because low water is still quite rare, and there are lots of fish that get stacked up when the water drops.  The dam area is okay, but the fishing improves as you move down river.  I'm seeing lots of big browns, but they are very spooky and like to sit in places where they can see you before you see them.  Tungsten midges, hair bugs, and micro worms are the best when drift fishing (on less than three units), and smaller midges are really working in dead low water.  I have only fished the Norfork a few times in the last month.  The last time I was there the water was somewhat high, and we were able to catch some small fish near the dam.  I will be going over there tomorrow, so feel free to drop me a line if you need updated info for this weekend.

Just because the fall can be our slowest time, it is also a time when many big fish come out of the woodwork and start moving around.  The weather is gorgeous and so is the scenery.  And many times the fishing is good in October and November...you just can not expect action like earlier in the year.  If conditions come together perfectly, fall can really be exciting, but this just doesn't happen everyday.  Please contact me if you need any information whatsoever. 

September 13th, 2007: Finally we're getting a little taste of fall, and it feels great.  It's actually kinda chilly in the mornings.  Up until a week ago, I hadn't been on the water in 3 weeks!!!  It was so hot and miserable.  Those 7 days in a row offered up some good fishing on the White and Norfork.  Most of the days were cloudy, humid and overcast, with rain or chances for rain every day.  The White fished very well on small to medium-sized rainbows, and I must admit that I'm seeing more BIG browns around than I have in years.  Usually if you see them, they are already spooked, but it's nice to know they are there and that, if conditions are right, you may hook up with a pig.  Lots of these fish were 7 to 20 pounds!  The best action fishing is happening on 1-2 units running, and the rainbows seem in better shape once you get to Wildcat.  Dry fly fishing is hot with big dries, and should continue for a few more weeks.  Scuds and various beadheads, along with some san juan worms are all you need for this type of fishing...and a boat doesn't hurt either.  I look for light flows to continue, with the occassional break.  We fished dead low water a few times and tungsten midge pupa's (zebra-type) were the best flies.

Norfork was fishing pretty decent in the dam area until yesterday, which was unbelieveably slow.  Scuds and midges were working well on the cloudy days.  Yesterday, with the sun and cool temps, nothing was doing much.  Most days the water has been off over there until 2pm-4pm, and it is not overly crowded.  There are loads of trout in certain areas, and I'm seeing lots of decent browns moving towards the dam area.  Low dissolved oxygen is bocoming an issue, but the water is gin clear, for now.  During generation, it is turning greenish due to an algae bloom in the lake.  Hopefully this will be a good fall on the Norfork.  We're due for one.

On a side note: Guide trips for late September, October, and November are booking fast.  If you are interested in a trip down here this fall, now is the time to pick a few dates.  I have plenty of openings, but like I mentioned, they're starting to get taken.  Please call or email me with any questions.

July 31st, 2007: This last month has been very quiet around here.  Probably due to heat and possible high water conditions.  I worked a few days at the beginning of the month and I have just finished a stretch where I was on the water six out of eight days...and every day we fished on the White.  Normally this time of year would see most of my trips on the Norfork because the max. flows are not as high as on the White, plus they pretty much stick with low water in the mornings and  high water starting around 12-1pm.  This year has been a little different.  For whatever reason, Bull Shoals is running light (or no) flows for most of the day, with a spike in generation during the heat of the afternoon (not usually until 3 or 4pm), and then they run light flows all night.  Rarely do they run more than 6 generators, where we would normally see 8 by now.  Perhaps two units are "offline" due to mechanical problems.  Who knows?  But regardless, this flow regime allows me to drift long distances on light/slowly falling water.  The fish are biting best once you get 10 miles from Bull Shoals Dam, and large dries along with normal nymphs are pulling some healthy fish.  And we're seeing more big browns and rainbows than we've seen in years, but the hogs are very picky and spooky on light water.  You won't see numbers of fish everywhere, but when you find them, they are stacked up!!!  The type of fishing I do on these conditions requires more skill with respect to anticipating good spots (reading water) and making decent casts than high water drifting. It is somewhat easier than wading the White would be on similar flows.

I haven't heard much of anything about Norfork, but I'm sure it's pretty good with respect to action.  Most days the water is off well into the afternoon, offering up some decent wading (if you can stand the heat).  I've seen lots of trophy browns caught in August over the years on high water, and I expect more of the same this year if and when they start running water a little earlier in the day.  Occassionally they have run water all day on the Norfork and kept the White low, but I look for a steady pattern to develope as the heat continues.

I'm heading back on the water tomorrow with 5 out of 7 days (the weekend is open...go figure), and I may be out of town for a week or so in the early part of August.  Please drop me a line if you have any questions whatsoever, and I finally am looking forward to a fun late summer/fall on the White.

June 19th, 2007: Another month gone by, and another busy stretch for me.  And the fishing, weather, and water conditions have been all over the place.  After my last report, fishing got much tougher on both rivers and it is still quite tricky at times.  The Norfork has slowed down on low water and high water is still tough.  I can't understand why high water has been consistently poor this year, with a few exceptions.  Low water on Norfork is offering up some hatches, but the water is crystal clear, so delicate presentations are in order.  Scuds and zebra-type midges are still the producing patterns.  Although I am seeing plenty of large fish on Norfork (near the dam), what we are catching is small compared to earlier this spring, but we usually hook one good fish a day on average.  With McClellen's closed, the dam area is getting pounded, and so is the lower catch and release waters (Handicap Access).  From what I gather, it's tough down there and the crowds are thick.  My best advice currently is to focus on the deepest water you can find and use light tippets (6x).  As the heat builds, the summer release pattern will emmerge (low water mornings, 2 units all afternoon), but for now every day offers uniques conditions.

Usually when the Norfork gets tough, the White offers the opportunity to catch some numbers in an uncrowded setting...with the everpresent chance at a lunker brown or 'bow.  This year has been really good on the White with respect to the size of the rainbows and the numbers of large browns I've seen, and for this reason I have done more guiding on the White than in year's past with some great results.  Unfortunately, the good times may be coming to an end (for awhile) over there.  Water flows have steadily increased over the last two weeks, going from two, to three, to seven units all day long.  Low or even lower water is hard to come by.  Fishing was very good at times on two units, but once it bumped up to three, it seemed like the trash has been worse and worse as you move from the dam.  Throw in dense fog for half the day, and things get tough.  I was hoping they would sustain three units for awhile to let things clear, but now they are running a hard seven daily, with pretty heavy water flowing at night.  I haven't heard anything about the fishing there in several days, but I know it's as junky as it gets.  Hopefully this will clear out a lot of the "bad" moss we've seen inundating our rivers.  Fishing will be hit or miss over the next month due to seasonal changes and flow regimes, but by mid July the trout are usually used to the pattern and we start catching some of the biggest fish of the year on high water.  Please feel free to drop me a line with any questions about the fishing.  And I apologize if my emails are bouncing once in awhile...I don't know what the deal is there.

May 21st, 2007: Well it's been a hectic month to say the least.  Fishing has settled into a decent pattern on both rivers.  Flows are still very hard to figure, but most days there are low and high water opportunities.  Almost all my trips of late have been quite productive, but getting the right conditions is far more important than it was a month or so ago.  The trout are starting to get smarter and they have seen plenty of flies, lures, and baits.  So it definately is not as "easy" as early to mid spring.  The BIG caddis hatch is starting to wane, but sulphurs are taking their place.  The best conditions for dry flt fishing is when the water is falling and will eventually drop out.  So if you notice they ran a little water in the morning (or previous night on the White) and then shut the water off, try and find those conditions.  This is prime time for dries if conditions are right.  Afternoons are the best time of day.

I apologize if any emails are "bouncing" back to you all...I seemed to have a four day "gap" where all emails got lost in cyberspace.  But, as always, feel free to call if you need very current information.  Water flows will slowly become a summer pattern with heaviest releases in the afternoons on hot days.  Still, June offers up lots of low water on days that are not sweltering.  Both lakes are a little high, but the Corp seems content holding it back (for now).  Scuds, sow bugs, san juan worms, and midges are the nymph tickets, but it seems the midge bite is slowing on the Norfork.  The White is great if you can find unpressured fish and the average size is pretty healthy this year.  The next three months will give up some very nice browns when water flows increase with power demand and low water still is action-filled.  July can get tough some times (like all months), but there is no way to really tell year to year unless you give it a try.   

April 16th, 2007: I have just received an email concerning next month's trout meetings and I will try and post it.  Keep in mind that this is a great chance to put your input into our "Trout Management Plan"...from what I gather, once this plan is put in place (@April, 2008) it will stay in effect fo five years.  The White and Norfork have world-class potential, but the really big fish have decreased drastically in numbers over the last few years.  Fishing pressure is on the rise, so it is very critical that something is put in place to allow the fish some time to grow and "get smart".  Please email me if you need help writing a letter or have any questions at all.  A good "plan" could allow ALL groups of anglers the chance to catch more and bigger fish, but if we stay the current course, these rivers will only be as good as "put and take" fishing allows for.  Here is the email (my report will follow this letter):

Immediate Release                        For more information, contact:

                        Jeff Williams

                        Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

                        201 East 5^th Street

                        Mountain Home, AR 72653

                        (870) 424-5924

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Needs Your Help

         Do you like to fish for trout on Bull Shoals and Norfork Tailwaters?  Would you like to have a say in how the trout fisheries in Bull Shoals and Norfork Tailwaters are managed?  If so, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) could use your help.

This spring AGFC will be seeking public input to aid in the development of management plans for the trout fisheries on Bull Shoals and Norfork Tailwaters.  Through a series of facilitated public meetings, anglers and other stakeholders will have the opportunity to help establish management goals for these fisheries.  This is part of a new process that the AGFC Trout Management Program is using in which the public plays an integral role in determining the future of trout fishing in Arkansas.  If you would like to take part, you are invited to attend the Mountain Home Trout Summit in May.  This will be the first of several opportunities for you to get involved.

The Mountain Home Trout Summit will be held on the evenings of May 14^th and 15^th in Mountain Home.  Anyone interested in these fisheries is encouraged to attend both nights of the event.  During the summit, participants will be asked what issues they want AGFC to focus on in regards to Bull Shoals and Norfork Tailwaters and what advice they have for fisheries managers in addressing those issues.  Two days later on May 17^th there will be another public meeting, this time in Mountain View.  This meeting will provide individuals from that area with the same opportunity to provide comments and suggestions as those that attend the Mountain Home meeting without having to travel so far.

Following the Mountain Home and Mountain View meetings, AGFC personnel will draft a set of management options based on public input from the meetings.  Comments sent in to the AGFC website as well as those obtained from a survey of non-resident anglers will also be used in developing management options, which will be available in early September.

On October 29^th, there will be a public review workshop where participants will be asked to provide comments on the management options developed by AGFC for Bull Shoals and Norfork Tailwaters.  AGFC fisheries personnel will then take this input and use it to shape a draft management plan, which will be available in early December.  Finally, the public will be given another opportunity to provide input on the draft management plan during a second public review workshop on January 7^th, 2008.  A final draft of the management plan is anticipated by mid-March 2008.

The public is invited to attend all public meetings and workshops, which will be facilitated by Spencer Amend of Dynamic Solutions Group.  Specific times and locations will be made available prior to the meetings.  Throughout this process, you will be able to track progress and find information on the AGFC website at www.AGFC.com/trout.  If you enjoy or are concerned about the Bull Shoals and Norfork trout fisheries, AGFC trout managers invite you to participate and help build comprehensive plans that will make these fisheries the best they can be.

Important Dates at a Glance

May 14^th & 15^th – Mountain Home Trout Summit

May 17^th – Mountain View Public Meeting

September 7^th – Draft options document available to the public

October 29^th – First public review workshop – opportunity for public to provide comments on management options

December 3^rd – Draft management plan available to the public

January 7, 2008 – Second public review workshop - opportunity for public to provide comments on management options

Now for the current fishing report.  Fishing has continued to be pretty decent on most days I've been out.  Since my last report, I did have a stretch of 9 days without guiding, and during that time the low water fishing did get a little tougher on the Norfork. Dead low water on the White has been great from Bull Shoals State Park to Cotter.  The fish are chunky and fighting hard, with a few big browns here and there.  Anything with a bead on it is working well (zebra's, pheasant tails, etc, etc, etc), and be sure to make sure and use flies that are heavy enough to get down in a hurry.  Norfork has been decent, but every day is fishing differently.  When the water is low, the bite has become fickle, but the high water action is greatly improved.  With the recent rains, our lakes have come up over "pool" by six-inches, so it will be interesting to see if they start running more water.  The weather is going to warm back up this week, and I'm looking forward to getting out there.  These rivers offer unique challenges because of their unpredictable dynamics, and that keeps it interesting.  As we get into May, dry fly action will be improving, and I have seen some caddis on warmer days.

March 28th, 2007: Well, I just had a huge report disappear on me.  I will try and cover the same points, but it's so frustrating to lose all your work.  First of all, public meetings will be held in the near future to discuss possible trout regulation changes on the White and Norfork.  The process is new, and letters will also be taken into account for those who cannot make the meetings.  Basically, this should be considered our "last chance" to resurrect the trophy trout heritage that made these rivers world-class destinations.  Lots of factors have contributed to the downfall, most notably increased fishing pressure, harvest, habitat loss, and hook mortality.  It's amazing fishing is still pretty darn good with all that has gone on, but we shouldn't kid ourselves:  we're just a short way from being the world's biggest "put and take" fisheries, and if this happens, the impact will be felt by all in this area who love or depend on these rivers.  I will post more info as it becomes available, and I would encourage all fly clubs to work on letters and sending some representatives to the meetings if you are within driving distance.  This will be a dog fight, but we need it to be clear who really cares about these fisheries and who looks at them as just a way to make a living.  This issue should not be polarized any other way (like fly fishermen vs. spin/bait fishermen), and there will be some major complaining.  But just to show where I stand: I will be more than willing to quit guiding on these rivers if trophy regulations (slot-limit, artificials only) are put in place for the entire Norfork and at least 10 miles on the White.  This job I do is nothing compared to my love of coldwater fisheries, and my love of these rivers. But there will need to be compromises on both sides of this issue.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions, but right now, all I know is that the ball may be rolling.  Also, it needs to be stressed that people will travel further distances and spend exponentially more money on fishing trips to "quality managed" waters than they will for "put and take" fisheries.  

  Fishing has been quite "up and down" the last couple of weeks, and certain water conditions are better than others, but due to the fact lake levels are steadily holding at "power pool", just about anything is possible with respect to releases.  Low water on Norfork has produced some "hey-days" of late, but the area you fish plays a major role.  Last week I had three "hot" days where arms were sore, but anglers and guides I trust were reporting "slow/tough" fishing just 1/2 a mile away.  Deeper holes are best on sunny days, and scuds and midges are producing on low water.  Water clarity has greatly improved over the last two weeks, so lighter tippetts and smaller flies may be the ticket in pressured areas.  High water fishing on Norfork is still a little slow, but steadily improving...it's just hard for the fish to get into a "feeding rythym" when water levels are different every day.  April is my favorite month because the fish seem to really feed well, no matter what the water does and the area is gorgeous.  The White had a nice low water period last week, but this week they have been generating anywhere from 7(!) to 2 units around the clock.  I did have a chance to fish Rim Shoals on low water a week or so ago, and it was decent on the sunny/windy day, but got very tough on the cloudy day that followed.  Big caddis are hatching on both rivers, and the trout are starting to look upward on the lower sections of the White.  I haven't been by Bull Shoals Dam in awhile, and the habitat situation is kinda scary up there.  Hopefully it will not spread downstream or to our other tailwaters.  See my recent reports (below) for more info on this issue.

Look for really inconsistent conditions for AWHILE on both rivers, and if we get some real rain, high water will be predominant.  They are not running enough water right now to lower the lakes, so we are "stuck" in this pattern.  If the lakes stay at their current level, there will be some low water, but not tons.  Fishing will improve on both rivers and we are starting to catch more nice browns and cutthroats than we were a few weeks ago.  The brookies on the upper Norfork are starting to feed, as well, so there is some variety.  But the 'bow quality on both rivers is very decent, except by Bull Shoals Dam (go figure).  I will be posting more as I find out about the regulation process, I promise.  Thankfully spring is here.

March 12th, 2007:  Alot has been happening since my last report, so I will mention again: if you need updated information, please don't hesitate to email me or call.  I've been guiding almost everyday until a chest/sinus deal put me down for the last few days.  Currently, lake levels are right at "power pool" and holding pretty steady.  What this means is that water releases will not nearly be as aggressive as when the lakes are high.  It also means conditions will be unpredictable on both rivers and you need to be aware of things changing rapidly.  When the word of some "low water" hit the streets, "wading weary" anglers have flocked here from all over and make it seem quite crowded of late.  Plus there is a spring break crowd that comes here, and that can make any day of the week a busy day.  So I recommend coming during the week if possible, and remeber I consider Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings to be weekends with respect to river traffic.  With some of the recent low water on Norfork, it is becoming apparant how much the McClellen's access closing is going to put enormous pressure on the other two access points.  Lots of folks are pulling boats down there and some of the personal watercraft are working that area, as well.  Yes, you can get to that area, but it takes a lot of work to get back (or to go all the way down to the White).  AGFC needs to step up and get us more access to the affected part of the river.  Otherwise things may come to a head if there is a stretch of prolonged low water this spring or summer.  Norfork can take a beating, but the loss of 1.5 miles of river access may be pushing it.

Fishing was very tough on both rivers for a long stretch (mid Feb. through last week), with the best action at places downstream on the White.  High water was the rule, and I think the fish just got full.  Bull Shoals Dam area has been productive, but this is the second year in a row where fish size is waaaaaay down up there.  Yes, there are some big ones always in that C&R area, but recent changes in habitat (notice the "white", spore-like growth on the rocks...that cannot be good at all) have clearly affected what was once "the best mile of trout water anywhere".  I sure hope this is something that can be helped, but I think it may be due to poor water quality in the White River drainage that receives runoff from Springfield (Mo) and Branson (Mo).  Please contact the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) if you find this as alarming as I do.  For the last 7.5 years I have told anyone that would listen that we needed to start protecting these resources or the legendary White and Norfork would be reduced to glorified trout ponds.  Well folks, it's starting to happen.  I don't want to seem negative or alarmist in all this, but I see the rivers I love (and my ability to do the job I love) being compromised.  On the bright side, TROUT UNLIMITED has been meeting for two months locally, and I know this organization can help us out.  I will post more info on TU and their fundraising efforts as it becomes available.

Norfork is starting to heat up on low water, and last week it was common to see all sorts of people hooking up.  One day it fished great on running water with remarkable overall size.  We are also getting into some really fat cutthroats and chunky browns.  The hottest low water fly is a black zebra-style midge from size 16 to 20.  A silver bead seems to make a difference.  When the water is running a full two units there, fishing is very tough, but the one unit level has been productive. Scuds are also working. It concerns me how many folks are venturing way down from their access points, and last Friday a lot of waders got stranded when the water came up.  Please, if you hear the horn blow (or notice the water coming up) get to a safe bank (one that doesn't get covered up) and head to your access.  DO NOT depend on the kindness of others when drowning is a possibility.  The "Handicapped" access is fishing decent, but it does seem like it has become shallower, probably due to that pesky development by the dam, and prolonged high water moves a lot of loose stuff to new areas.  I was only there for a morning, and it was business as usual (fewer fish than the dam area), but from what I hear, it's fishing better in the afternoon.  We are even seeing some BIG caddis coming off.  Well, I hope this helps, and please, if you care about these fisheries, let the AGFC know your concerns.  They really do depend on our input, and they need to know that we will not stand by while we lose all the trophy trout that give these rivers their identity.   

 February 11, 2006: First of all the BIG news.  McClellen's Access is closed (I think permenantly) on the Norfork.  This is a private $5 access in the middle stretches of the river that is very popular with fly fishermen.  If this concerns you, I recommend contacting the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission as this effectively cuts off over one-third of Norfork's low water access.  It could be a nightmare during low water periods and put great stress on the other access points.

The water's are deinately changing right now on the White and Norfork.  Maximum releases have not been seen in days, but the White is still releasing around the clock (3-6 units).  Norfork has shut off the last three days in the morning allowing for a nice "wading window", and fishing has been very good. Lots of healthy fish this weekend but very few over 17-inches were caught to my knowledge (I was part of a big group up near Norfork Dam).  Norfork Lake is right at regular pool level, so it's hard to say what pattern they will get on over there.  Any rain will bump the lake into flood pool which usually means they run water until it gets back to regular pool. 

Shad have been coming through Bull Shoals pretty heavily, and I've heard mixed reviews of the fishing.  It seems the lighter water has made for some good drift fishing downstream on the White (Wildcat, Rim Shoals, etc.), but the dam area is slow.  The fish are stuffed.  I know of two nice browns caught up there in the last week, but overall, it will be slow for awhile until the shad lighten up.  I will report as soon as I fish the dam area.

January 29th, 2007: Well it's been a slow, wet, cold, windy month with not too much to report.  The high water continues on both rivers, and over the last few days they have run 7 full units on the White and 2 full on the Norfork around the clock.  The lakes are lowering fast, but until Beaver Lake gets down to power pool (it's five feet above PP right now), releases will be pretty heavy and steady on the White. And if the rain keeps up, we're in for a high water spring.  I've heard the spin guys are getting into some lunkers over there, but the fly fishing has been TOUGH on that cranking water.  I've been on the Norfork 4 days this month, and it's all been high water, and the fishing has ranged from good to incredible.

Several weeks ago (right before the big ice storm in Missouri) I drifted three days in a row near Norfork Dam.  The first day was as good as it gets for numbers of fish.  We pounded them, especially when the water dropped from two full units down to one.  Nothing huge, but lots of chunky rainbows and brook trout.  The next day, fishing started out pretty darn good, and they dropped the water early (10am) down to one unit, and things started happening like the day before...except...after an hour they cranked it right back up to two full units, and the fishing seemed slow compared to the day before (almost anything would).  We still did very well.  On the last day of this stint they ran heavy water all day.  It was the slowest of the three days, but still wasn't too bad.  It seemed the quality of fish got better as the fishing got tougher.  All in all, it was a lot of fun except for the persistent wind while running the boat, but I guess I better get used to it. 

Last Saturday I took a couple who had never fly fished over to the Norfork.  The weather was supposed to be wet/snowy, cold, and windy but it was actually just overcast with temps falling from about 45 degrees.  I expected the river to be empty, but this was not the case.  There were equal number of fly fishermen and spin fishermen which is not usual on high water.  These are weather conditions I hate (cloudy with high water, cold), and the bite was a little off due to the impending front.  Still, it could have been way worse.  We fished the dam area in the morning, and I got them on some fish pretty quickly.  But the normal "hot spots" were luke warm, at best.  For beginnners it's important that things are steady, and I'll say it was steadily mediocre.  But I can't stress it enough: it could have been way worse.  After lunch we went down river into the C&R area and got into a couple good spots that produced a lot of fish.  But around 3pm, the switch was turned "off", and the bite died.  So we finished up by the dam and managed to get a few here and there, and on the last drift the guy caught a gorgeous 16" brookie.  What a way to end the day.  Even with the crowds in boats by the dam, it was a very fun day. 

***Just an FYI: I'm getting pretty booked up for the next two months, but suprisingly April is pretty wide open.  I still have quite a few open days in Feb., but March usually gets busy.  Regarding my rates: I've decided to keep them the same as 2006 until sometime this summer.  Any booking prior to the change will honor the 2006 rates.  Please ask about lunch.  It's no big deal whether you want me to provide it or you bring your own. 

January, 3 2007: Well, we are coming out of our winter slow season...I only worked two days in December.  But it's like this every year, and it gives the fish a break.  Since my last report, the lakes have both risen above "power pool", and there has not been any wading water on Norfork in over a month.  The White is often generating in the mornings and evenings, which makes it tough for fishing in downstream areas, but the Bull Shoals State Park area should be great for the rest of this month (remember: there has been no bait allowed in that section since November 1st.  This will end Feb. 1st when the dam area reopens). I did guide on the Norfork last week (Friday) and it was pretty good drift fishing.  We caught plenty of numbers, some gorgeous rainbows, and several BIG brookies (one was 17.5 inches and fat...one of(if not THE) biggest I've seen in person).  Fishing has been decent on the White if you find the right water, but I haven't heard much from over there except that things are a little slow if conditions are less than ideal.  But with the lack of overall pressure since Thanksgiving, things are looking very good for late winter and spring.  Personally, I want a high water year because we often have our best trophy action after long stretches of water releases.  That's not too good for the waders, but there is no way eveyone can get what they want.  My philosophy is to fish whatever comes at me and keep my mouth shut if things are going well.

 I will be making some minor changes to my prices and the site in the next few weeks.  First the prices: until you see changes on the site I will be honoring last year's rates.  The only change I forsee is possibly charging $300/ day if the clients bring lunch and $340/day if I provide it.  Lunch is becoming more hassle than it's worth.  Please give me some feedback on this idea, as your opinions are very important to me.  My other change will involve the newsletter.  Our email list has become too large to send out the newsletter like in the past.  I am thinking of adding a page with it on the website...but I still want it to be "upon request only", but that may not be feasible.  Let me know what you think of all this and like many have been doing, drop me an email for the most current reports.  HAPPY NEW YEAR"S everyone, and let's have a lunker-filled 2007!!!  

November 27th, 2006: It's been a busy month for me with lots of stuff going on.  Until Saturday I had basically worked a week straight and the fishing was "all over the map".  Starting in the beginning of November fishing was very tough on both rivers.  Sure, I would hear random reports of decent days, but for the most part people were complaining about how difficult things were.  At this time we were seeing water releases at minimal levels and the low oxygen levels were not helping.  I would rehash some of my days from this period but my goal is not to put anyone to sleep.

Well, like in year's past, sometimes "bad news" is really "no news" and can become "good news".  Because of low oxygen on the Norfork, our annual "fish kill" near the dam was observed and immediately the Corp began working with Game and Fish to keep the water from getting lethally oxygen-depleted.  Water releases started lasting longer into the morning and sometimes water has been released all day. This influx of water helps with oxygen and over the last week, when we had high water, we caught lots of fish.  Of course releases have still been very fickle on the Norfork (the White has been low a LOT the last week, and fishing is slowish), and every day in the last week they shut the water off at some point, only to leave the water down the rest of the day.  Midge activity is starting to get good most days on falling water.  Tungsten "Zebra" types of midges are working at times during the fall.  But once the water drops out, things have been tough but slowly improving with each day.  Scuds and sow bugs are working a little, but the best advice when wading is to understand that patience is key...this is not "heyday" fishing.

I look for fishing to improve and the lakes should be "trurning over" in the next three weeks.  This will not immediately improve fishing, but it basically means we are "set" with oxygenated water for the year.  One thing I would bet on is that December will be far more productive than October or November on both rivers (it always is).  Please feel free to drop me a line if you have specifics questions or just want more info.  This is our slowest time of year for both river pressure and guide trips...I'm just glad to catch my breath.

October 27th, 2006: I've been home a week now from Florida and "the honeymoon is definately over"...we had a great time in Orlando riding the best coasters we could find and it was great to be on the private Island for four days.  Every night we would leave the screens open and listen to the Gulf of Mexico.  Next time I'm flying, because it was a brutal drive both ways.  But I am looking forward to starting my new life, and really, not much has changed.

I've only worked once since I got home and that was last Saturday.  We fished by Bull Shoals Dam (to avoid the crowds that were in full-force) and caught some fish, but it was tough.  In the afternoon we moved down to the State Park and it was packed.  I can only imagine how bad Norfork was...I heard it was ridiculous.  My advice is to come during the week until Thanksgiving.  The fall colors are peaking, so you better hustle down here if foliage is your cup of tea.

Water releases are pretty minimal except on very cold mornings and some evenings.  I've heard that the Norfork has been pretty decent in the morning and early afternoon...then it's slowing down.  We are in the middle of our low oxygen season, so be prepared for erratic fish behavior due to bad water.  There are lots of nice fish around, and scuds and midges are usually the best this time of year.  Big dries (like #4 beetles) are still working at times, as well.  November should see less crowds and the fishing can be great for big browns and brook trout so we'll just have to wait and see. 

September 25th, 2006: Well, time is just flying by as I get closer to my big day...kinda what I expected.  I have been guiding quite a bit this month, and I've had a few chances to fish on my own.  Because I realize that Norfork will get tougher as the fall progresses, I have been taking advantage of some good action over there while I can.  Water releases have been all over the place with full days of both high and low water, with no real pattern.  Low water has been more available now that temperatures are "fall-like", but the crowds are here as well.  Most of my guide trips on the water were with one person this month and it seemed like most days had this pattern: VERY slow morning, things start to happen around 10-11am, then the afternoon is great until the water comes up.  High water has been amazing when you get it on san juan worms.  Low water flies include "dead" scuds, natural scuds, midge pupa.  Fish are starting to hit on big surface flies if there is wind or a little generation.  I look for the bite to taper off by the middle of October, but honestly, people are already saying it's getting tough.  I'm not seeing a lot of spin fishermen catching fish on the Norfork right now.  Generation should continue to slow down, but they will release small amounts of water (pulsing) at various times (mostly at night) to help maintain decent oxygen levels.  This means if they are running water when you wat to fish, many times they will stop generating after an hour or so.  Of course, don't rely on this.

I went out with a friend to Norfork a few days ago and we fished in the dam hole for several hours.  This fishing was decent with lots of nice 'bows and some neon brook trout, but as the day progressed the water severely "trashed up" with slimy moss.  It reminded me of my time at the San Juan river where you never knew if your presentation was clean.  I don't know if this is affecting the fishing downstream yet, but I will try and report.  Interestingly, this occured during a dry spell, so you can't blame the "washing in" theory.  As far as the White goes...honestly, I haven't been over there at all this month.  I would imagine the dam area could be decent, especially if the water is up.  I've heard mixed reports of very slow fishing to pretty fast action in various places downstream from the dam.  Water releases are minimal: I have only heard of one unit running at most this last week.  The fall colors are coming early this year, and early to mid October will be beautiful.  I will be on my honeymoon then...oh well.  I can still arrange for guide services while I'm away...just let me know. 

September 5th, 2006: Sorry for such a lapse in reports, but I have been out of town and trying to get ready for my wedding (are we ever really ready?).  But please remember: if you need updated information, give me a call or an email. I'm always happy to assist.  On another note: I will be gone from October 8th until the 20th (roughly), so I will not be available to guide.  But for those that are in need of guide services, I have an excellent guide secured for those days I will be absent.  He is my mentor in many respects, and is known for putting anglers on big fish regardless of water conditions.  If you need more info on this "mystery man" (actually, many of you may know who he is), please don't hesitate to let me know.

As for the fishing...well, until last Sunday, I hadn't been on the water for almost three weeks!!!  That seems like an eternity.  Anyway, Sunday I fished for a few hours with some friends of a friend near Norfork Dam.  The bite was very good, and both of them landed lots of chunky rainbows (they were beginners, by the way).  No other species were landed.  Scuds were the ticket, but when they are biting like that, many flies "nymphed" near the bottom will work.  Water quality still appears to be good on the upper Norfork, and we are starting to see extended periods of low water.  Still, they are letting some out most afternoons from 1pm to 4pm.  Releases have been very light when they do generate.  There are still plenty of fish and lots of nice ones.

Today I went over to Norfork with my neighbor and we waded from 10:30am until 2:00pm in the "upper pool" right below the dam.  Conditions were great (downstream wind, sunny), but the bite was a tad slow.  It seemed like we would get bit on ten straight casts and then they would stop for two or three drifts.  Still, we caught lots of very healthy rainbows with a few brookies and cutts thrown in.  This area is similar to upper Bull Shoals when it comes to rigging and strategy...most of the water is quite shallow and very slow.  The crowds are thinning out, and in my honest opinion, the fishing in September is often better than October, especially for numbers of fish.  November is often good because the fish are used to lower oxygen levels by then and there are lots of browns on the move.  October has been different every year.  Last year was pretty decent, but the year before was deplorable.  There are lots of factors that determine this.  But for now, the Norfork is in good shape and loaded with trout.  I have heard that the catch and release area is fishing tougher than the upper sections, but I will not know for sure until I get out there.  My schedule is pretty open this month, so I will be out fishing on my own most days off.  The White is still offering up lots of low water, and dry fly fishing should be heating up as the month goes on.  I will report on the Bull Shoals Dam area once I get up there again.  Goodbye for now, and I promise to be better on reporting from here on out (and especially after my wedding/honeymoon).

August 7th, 2006: It's really become slow around here and for good reason: it's hot.  Really hot.  This summer will surely be one for the record books. But fishing is really good right now on both the White and Norfork.  Since the last report, all my trips have been on the Norfork, and it is fishing great right now.  Most mornings we are seeing some low water and during these times scuds are kicking butt.  One day last week I had two relative beginners catch a gaudy amount of fish...and this was all before lunch.  Once the water has been coming up, the fishing does slow down for a little while, and this is due to lower oxygen levels than the fish are used to.  This happens every year from around this time through November, so just remember: if the fish seem really slow, blame it on oxygen levels.  Once the high water stabilizes, the bite gets more consistent for the rest of the day.  We are also catching some big fish over there in the afternoons on maximum flows.  The decent action should continue on Norfork until mid to late September and then things normally drop off for awhile, but of course, we have great days and bad days every month of the year.

Yesterday I took my girlfriend out for some fun up by Bull Shoals.  Even during this heat wave, water levels are lower on the weekend than during the week.  They ran one to three units the last two days (Sat. & Sun.), but I'm sure they will crank it up to 7-8 units every day this week for power demand.  Anyway, we were the only ones fishing up there all afternoon, and the bite wasn't awesome or anything, but Wendy caught 7 fish including a 20-inch brown in just a couple hours (I did almost as well, but didn't get any trophies over 20-inches).  Not bad for her second time with the fly rod.  This area gets forgot about in the summer, primarily because fishing is tough once the water gets above 5 units, and then you're stuck up there on heavy water with nothing or little happening.  But on those days where they keep it lower, it can be alright.  One thing though: I didn't see that many fish up there like normal, but perhaps it's just me.  Look for heavy water to persist on both rivers most afternoons.  Low water will be somewhat rare until the weather cools off, with Norfork offering the most opportunities in that respect.  Still, fishing should be pretty good, especially for numbers on low water and big browns and brookies once the water comes up. 

On a personal note: I'm getting married on October 7th (hard to believe, I know), and this will affect my guiding schedule this fall.  I will be going up to Chicago at the end of August, and then after the ceremony in October I will be gone for a couple of weeks.  Please keep this in mind if you want to book a trip with me this fall.  Part of the reason I picked that date (besides lodging availability) is that the crowds in early to mid October are getting worse every year, and normally tough fishing corresponds with this influx of people.  The weather can be great, and windy days when the water is off will still produce a hot bite.  If you are going to be here during the times I'm going to be out of town, I can try and set you up with the few other guides I work with, but they will be booking up soon as the fall approaches.  Please do not hesitate to drop me a line if you have any questions whatsoever and I will continue my reports until I leave for Florida (Oct. 8th).  We can't wait!

July 21st, 2006: I've really been slacking on the reports, and I apologize.  There's been a lot going on, and I lost track of time.  Anyway, instead of rehashing every trip over the last month, I will focus on how the fishing is now.  Over the last few weeks, fishing hyas ranged from great to slow, but nothing spectacular and no deplorable days either.  I have been mainly fishing the Norfork because at this time of year it is easier to stay cool over there.  Normally by July, the generation pattern is pretty regular, but this year has been quite different.  They are normally starting to release early in the morning (very light flows), then they may shut off for an hour or two midmorning, and then the water really comes up during the heat of the day.  Almost every year I have been here (barring a few flood years), the water is usually "off" on Norfork until 12-1pm in the summer, and then they bring it right up and keep it there until dusk.  This pattern should emmerge, but who knows, really?  Regardless, this last week has been pretty good over there with respect to size and numbers of fish.  We're getting quite a few nice brookies along with some chunky browns and rainbows...most of the cutts are running small right now.  When the water has been low, it is a pretty good bite, but I've only waded for three hours total since my last report.

Fishing is definately heating up on the Norfork (along with the weather).  August is often a good month for big fish, especially when they start cranking heavy water every day.  The White is still offering quite a bit of low water, but from what I hear the bite is pretty slow and the water is getting quite warm away from the dam (afternoons)...nothing lethal, but enough to slow the fish down.  They have been starting the water at Bull Shoals most days between 10am and 1pm...this gives quite a long "wading window" at spots like Wildcat Shoals, Cotter, and Rim Shoals (they are usuaslly shutting down around 10pm).  During this recent heat wave, they have run up to 6 units...why not 8?  I have an unsubstantiated feeling that some of the units have been down for repairs over the last couple months and that is why we still have not seen a "nameplate" (340mw) release yet this summer.  The most important thing is to stay safe, as the water is coming up quickly in the afternoons.  I can't predict what will happen on the Norfork in the next few weeks because they are different every day, but I do think there will be some low water days once the weather cools down to our "normal" 90 degree temperatures. 

June 24th, 2006: Summer has made it to the Ozarks, and slowly but surely water releases are starting to reflect hotter temps across the region.  Right after my last report I guided three days up by Bull Shoals Dam with the same guy.  We were wanting to fish high water so of course we got mostly low water.  The first day (the 13th) was cooler, and the water didn't start until 4pm.  The bite has been pretty tough on low water up there and most other anglers left by 11am. We had moments over those three days where the bite was good on low water, but the high water fishing we had more than made up for the slow times.  The second day (14th) the water started at 3pm, and we had a great two-hour stretch to end the day.  The fishing on 2 units was decent, but the big ones would come out when the water would go up to 5 units.  We caught some beautiful rainbows (up to 22-inches) and had a nice brown hooked on that second day.  It just goes to show that it is worth beating yourself up (like we did on low water) most of the day to get an hour or two of hot fishing.  The last day up there, things seemed to be more in our favor.  The water came up at 11am...then they shut it off from 12pm to 1pm (figures)...and then it came on again.  The low water bite was pretty good that day, but the rising water was slower than it had been.  The theme to all this is that every day is different, especially when radical water flows are in the equation.  But all in all, it was a lot of fun up there and I knew I wouldn't be going up there much once the really heavy water starts.

After a few days recovery time, I spent the last 4 days over on Norfork (the 19th through 22nd).  The first day, the horn blew at 9am, as I was putting to boat in the water.  It was very hot, so I was happy to fish some moving water (during high water in the summer it is consistently 10 to 15 degrees cooler when drift fishing than wading).  Rising water has been good near the dam, so we started out catching some fish (overall, it has been a tough bite on the Norfork, and you must be in the right place at the right time to have a really good day).  Once the water clears, things are slowing down up there.  After lunch we went down to the catch and release area, and did very well for several hours...in fact we landed 7 fish in the 17 to 21-inch range.  This is as good as you can hope for.  All in all it ended up being a very productive day of drift fishing.  The next day (20th) I had the same guys and we were hoping for the same conditions...so of course the water stayed low most of the day while we cooked in the hot sun. Still, the wade fishing was very good near the dam with a great afternoon bite on scuds.  It is often very crowded up there right now so it is a zoo-like atmosphere.  I don't mind that if we're hammering fish, which was the case.  The guys had to be off the water at 3pm, and like clockwork they started the water at three, which facilitated getting back to the ramp.  I worked hard to stay on the fish those two days, and things worked out...but still, don't expect to kill 'em all day/everyday over there right now. 

So after starting the week well on Norfork, I couldn't stay away for my final two days of guiding in a long run of trips.  On Wedensday I took a father and his daughter out.  We waded for an hour to start, but the bite was nothing like the day before.  They caught some fish, but not nearly on every cast.  At 10am, they turned on one unit and it was excellent drifting from the start with san juan worms being the ticket.  Both were hooking up nice fish on every drift for the first hour of high water.  After lunch they were still biting a bit by the dam, but when that slowed down I booked  to the C&R.  Luckily my timing was right and we were hooking up every drift for an hour.  But on this day they cranked it up to full power, and these conditions have proved the toughest over there lately.  It was a very good day with lots of fish and some quality thrown in as well.  The next day was by far the worst of the four that week.  The water had been up for an hour when we arrived, so the rising water bite had passed when we started drifting.  The water stayed at one unit all day, and I had to work to scrape some out.  The morning was decent with respect to bites, but the fish were not hitting very hard which resulted in quite a few misses.  After lunch I changed gears and went to a big sow bug.  I can't say it was "magical", but we did start catching them more consistently after I went off the worm.  The guy I was guiding ended up with near 20 fish, so it wasn't too bad, and right before lunch he got a 15-inch brook trout which was gorgeous...it made the day, it turns out.  We all have our explanations/excuses for slow fishing, and I believe on this day it was a strong cold front pushing down that had the fish off (I've seen it too many times).  We ended up getting a major storm around 4pm.  Luckily I knew it was coming and we literally just missed getting soaked, struck, and/or blown away by mere minutes. 

Look for water to be running some mornings as we get into summer...low water will be hit-or-miss until the lakes start really dropping.  Often the dams will not run at full power until 2 or 3pm.  I have done very well in years past during late June, especially with respect to nice fish (I caught my 13-pounder right at this time).  Many of the biggest fish we catch come during maximum water releases, but if you do try boating, be very careful, and stay near the dams if you are not familiar with the rivers.  Once we get into July and August, fishing becomes very consistent as water levels become more predictable (very low in the mornings...very high in the afternoons). Summer is a great time to catch a lot of fish with a better-than-average shot at a lunker.

June 12th, 2006: Hello everyone and I hope all is well.  Fishing over the last week (or so) has been up and down...both figuratively and literally.  On June 2nd I took out a couple of beginners and we decided on the Norfork.  The water was low to start and the fishing was SLOW, considering conditions were excellent.  Around 10am we started getting hits, but almost immediately the water came on.  So we put the boat in and started drifting...fishing was still tough.  A half hour before lunch, things did start picking up and we landed our first fish of the day (and two others).  After lunch the bite was definately better, and we headed down to the catch ande release area to try to get some nice fish on rising water. That ended up being a good move as these girls started hammering fish on San Juans.  We had a good couple hours down there and the day was saved!  But still, nothing big was landed.  The following Monday I tried the Norfork again, and the water was running when we got there.  All day they fluctuated the water and we had to work for every bite we got.  We still caught around 25 fish, but it was tough going for the most part.  The water never allowed for a trip to the C&R.

After several days off I guided a father/son last Friday and Saturday.  Friday we started at the Norfork on running water.  The bite was awful to start (a theme is developing here) and we may have landed three fish by 11am when the water was shut off mysteriously.  We got the waders on and did fairly decent on low water.  At 1:30pm, the horns blew and the water came up quickly.  The bite was decent near the dam, and when the heavy rise hit, we booked down to the C&R.  It was even better than the week previously.  We caught lots of nice 'bows, two nice browns (one was about three pounds), and a pig of a rainbow that measured 21-inches and was extremely stout.  The water was trashy, but the fish didn't mind much...in fact the bite slows considerably when the water clears down there.  It ended up being a great day and shows what happens when you stick to your guns.  Sometimes our fish just stop feeding, but you must weather those periods because you never know when that will change...sometimes a little alteration in the water flow or weather can turn your day around in a hurry.  The next day (Sat.) we decided to try Bull Shoals Dam for some bigger fish.  The water was low to start and conditions were calm, but the fish were biting midges a bit from the start.  Around 9:45am, the wind chop started and the bite improved.  Most of the anglers up there were struggling, but we were catching nice rainbows pretty regurlarly.  After lunch, we waded for about 1/2 hour before the water came up, and the action was good on scuds.  Then the water came up (1 unit) so we started drifting.  It was a steady bite for the first couple hours with two to thee fish per drift, but like always, at 4pm things got slow again.  We still managed to scrape a few more, but the best part of the day was clearly in our rear-view mirror.  The average size was smaller than normal on this day, but we managed several in the 17-18-inch range, and lots of 15 to 16-inchers.  When it was all said and done, we caught more at Bull Shoals than at Norfork in much tougher water.  This is why I like to change my routine now and again to see what's happening.

Releases have been hard to predict and somewhat frequent on both rivers since my last reports.  They have run up to 4 units on the White on hot weekdays, and Norfork has been running (usually) from early to mid-morning, with the highest water in the afternoons.  Like I thought, bigger fish are starting to show up and I look for the bite to be more consistent with each passing day.  The White is offering up some low water, with releases not usually beginning until 11am through 2pm on weekdays.  They are shutting down between 8pm and 10pm most nights which allows for lots of wading down from the dam the following day.  Summer often means hot fishing, but things can be tricky withy respect to releases....so don't hesitate to drop me a line with any questions you may have.

June 1st, 2006: Finally I have a little time to talk about the fishing over here.  After an 8 day road-trip, and guiding 2 out of three days upon returning....I'm worn out.  First of all, I had a great time at the San Juan catching some really big rainbows.  If anyone is heading out there (or thinking about it), check out http://www.sanjuanfishing.com/ . They will definately take care of you.  I will write more about the fishing out there in my newsletter which I will put out in a few days.

The fishing and water conditions did change while I was out of town.  I have only fished the Norfork, but it has definately slowed down some.  Fishing is still good, but you will have to work harder at them than we have in the last few months.  On Monday I had low water until noon, the bite was decent on scuds, and one guy managed a very nice brown (19").  When the water came up we drifted near the dam.  The fish were fickle, biting well in periods and shutting off for periods.  Worm patterns are working (red variations) during high water.  And even though I thought the fishing to be slow the last two trips, both groups thought it was "pretty darn good"...they just hadn't seen the last two and a half months.  Yesterday I took out a very nice couple, and due to water conditions and bad weather possible, we drifted all day by the dam.  The water levels fluctuated a bunch in the morning, and heavy fog on the water made the fishing slow (and dangerous...make sure you really know the water before boating in the fog), but once the sun came out the bite got pretty decent.  After lunch the water was pretty stable at about 3/4 of one unit level, but the fish were really only biting when the sun came out.  Still, we had a nice afternoon and avoided any real rain issues.

I look for fishing to get better for large trout once the high water pattern stabilizes.  This will make low water more consistent, and the big fish will come out when the water comes up.  June is a good month on both the White and Norfork, but don't plan on wading all day in one spot now that the lakes are high.  Things will be very inconsistent and unpredictable over the next few weeks until the temperatures start really heating up daily. Then we will see most water releases during the heat of the day (assuming the lakes don't rise more).  Dry fly fishing is still happening if you get low water, but the best hatches are often coming off right before the water comes up making for a small window of opportunity. 

May 21st, 2006: Well, my work schedule has really had me busy, but fishing remains good to great....depends on the day.  We are still seeing mostly low water conditions during the day, but releases have become more frequent now that the lakes are getting above "pool".  So I guess we're back to the usual unpredictable nature of these fisheries.  Still, there are tons of fish on the White and Norfork and a lot of trophy fish are coming out of the woodwork.

I am leaving town for a fishing/wedding trip (I'll be at the San Juan for 4 days starting tomorrow) right now.  Please call me if you have any questions at all, and I will write a detailed report when I get home.  Also, a new newswletter will be coming out in early June.  I appreciate all of you that read my site and this summer I will be working on some new things to make it better.  Best wishes to all and I'll tell everyone about my trip when I return. 

May 10th, 2006: My deepest apologies for the delay in reports...my schedule got very busy (no excuse, though).  Alot has been happening since my last update, including some of the best wade fishing we've seen in years.  Because low water has been dominant over the last 6 months, lots of areas on the White and Norfork are basically "cut-off" from boat traffic and heavy harvest.  These sections are loaded with trout and trophy fish are also being caught.  Areas with launches and easy walk-in access (like Rim Shoals) are fishing tougher because of the pressure.  So basically, water that may have not been overly productive in year's past may be excellent right now if the water is low.

Over the last week in a half the draught has been reversed and now we are dealing with flooding and rising lake levels.  As of this morning, both Norfork and Bull Shoals Lakes are near "power pool", and I expect them to be in "flood pool" when this rain is all said and done.  This means that low water will not be as prevalent and there will be more days where releases are constant.  While this will make wading more difficult, the fisheries will benefit from generation...especially in areas away from the dams that are prone to warming water.  Fishing will continue to be good to excellent on all water conditions (high water drifting has been productive the few chances I've had to do it), but weather fronts will make things slow at times of falling barometric pressure.  And I never lose sight of the fact  that trout are so fickle when it comes to cooperating or even acting consistent.  As always, feel free to call or email me if you need more information or an updated report if one is not posted.  

April 19th, 2006:Hopefully the heat of the last week is not a sign of a really hot summer to come.  But couple 90+ degree temps with all the allergens flying around, and you have a recipe for runny noses and red eyes.  Today is only supposed to be in the 70's, and the next week looks great with respect to temps.  Quite a bit of water has been released out of both dams during our mini-heatwave, and that alone saved a ton of fish on the White that would have baked.  We definately dodged a bullet on lower sections as water temperatures exceeding 70 degrees were starting to show up.  It's cooled down again and we are still dry, so I look for minimal releases to resume.

There definately has been some excellent fishing on the White and Norfork since my last report.  I had a string of excellent guide days at Bull Shoals, and that continued until last Friday when it was a bit slower than it had been.  We've caught insane numbers (one day a father/son caught over 60 fish between them...this is very uncommon and may happen once a year if I'm lucky) and the big ones are definately coming out of the woodwork.  I'm seeing lots of fish over 20-inches with several in the 22-23 inch range.  But every day that has been successful up there has been sunny and windy (at some point)...the day it slowed down it was windy but cloudy.  Go figure.  Reports from other guides are saying that other parts of the White are loaded with fish, and lots of nicer ones.  Narrows to Rim Shoals has lots of sections that haven't seen much pressure due to the extremely low water, and that river is in as good a shape as it has been in over 4 years. 

I've been over on the Norfork for the last two days and I finally got my boat in the water as they generated both days.  The first day we started out wading at McClellen's, and the fish were biting pretty well.  I saw lots of nice ones and very few of the "dinks" that I heard were taking over on the 'Fork.  At noon the water came up, so we drifted by the dam in the afternoon.  The bite was slower than I expected, and the water trashed up when they kicked on the second unit (around 2pm).  Still, we had quite a few bites and landed some gorgeous brookies and rainbows.  Yesterday I guided one guy, and we drifted the whole trip on Norfork.  They had one "light" unit running in the morning and the bite was slow, but around 10am they brought the water up a foot and things really turned on.  We ended up catching lots of very nice 'bows, a fat brown, and a half-dozen pretty brookies, (and one little cutthroat)...hardly a small fish in the bunch.  The water didn't trash up like they previous day, and it was nice to do something different for a change.  Look for low water to be available most days over the next month unless it gets really hot again.  Once summer comes, both dams will release heavily pretty much every afternoon.  Caddis hatches are heating up, especially on the White in the evenings, and I look for the Norfork to follow suite with caddis and sulphurs emmerging in good numbers over the next few weeks.  If you had to pin it down, dry fly action often peaks around Memorial Day.

April 7th, 2006: Just over the last few days it has really started to look like spring in the Ozarks.  What a beautiful time to be trout fishing...and the fishing is pretty darn good right now.  I guided last Friday on the Norfork and we had a very productive day.  We fished the middle section of the river in a slow stretch that is always productive.  Because Norfork has been running water most mornings, it often means my guide trips end up being in the dam area (because the water up there becomes wadable shortly after the water is shut off... it can take up to three hours in places down river).  Over the last week they have started to leave Norfork alone in the mornings most days, and that is the ticket it seems.  On this day the bite was on from the start and while we did catch lots of freshly stocked cutthroats, we also caught many rainbows and cutthroats that were decent size (and one chunky brown).  Nothing huge was landed, but it was a dream day for these guys who were beginners with very decent casting abilities...all day action and gaudy numbers of fish is hard to beat, and that is what we were after.

The next day I took a couple guys up to Bull Shoals Dam.  Norfork was running water (on a Saturday, no less), so I gambled on the Bull Shoals Dam area.  Also, Norfork has been really crowded on some weekends lately, and I knew we'd be in the zoo up by the dam when the water shut off.  Conditions were not ideal (no wind), and these guys were still in the learning mode.  When that is considered, we had an excellent day on some very tough water.  Both of their casting abilities improved throughout the day, and both caught some great rainbows (one was over 20-inches and healthy).  It was very rewarding for me to get these guys on fish in an area that can ruin one's confidence (especially if you're not patient) very quickly.  We also got a little bit of wind in the afternoon which helped out a bunch.

Today I finally got out on my own with a friend and we went up to Bull Shoals for a few hours.  The wind was howling and unrelenting, but the fish didn't seem to mind.  Honestly, it was the best fishing I've had on low water (personally) in a long time.  Most of the fish were two to three pounds, and I landed five in the 20-inch range.  What a way to spend three hours, and like usual, it was pretty much empty.  I love the water up there for those very reasons and it truly is one of fly fishing's toughest tests with respect to reading water and catching fish.  This is because the water is so shallow, slow and the bottom is flat.  If you find "darker pockets" of water, the fish are there.  Scuds and beadhead zebra midges are working best, and dry flies will produce but still they must be tiny until the bigger hatches start.  Usually I am not so glowing about the fishing in my reports, but for my loyal readers I wanted you to know that it is good almost everywhere right now and April should be a great month with respect to action fishing and trophy hunting.

March 29th, 2006: Not much news to report on this end over the last week except chilly temps and not much fishing. I wanted everyone to know that I am changing my internet service, and for some reason I am missing several days of emails...so if you wrote me and I didn't reply, this is why.  This weekend I will be back on the water and I'll report on the fishing early next week.

March 21st, 2005: Sorry for the lapse in reports, but until yesterday I worked virtually every day this March.  I guess that's not a bad thing, but it can get exhausting...especially when dealing with all types of weather, water conditions, and angler skill levels.  Fishing has ranged from deplorable to "as good as it gets" since my last report, and this is typical as weather fronts can change everything in a short time.  The one great thing about March is that there is always some wind chop on the water and this has helped the bite on many days.  The lakes are still very low for this time of year so releases have been minimal...still the same pattern of a little water in the mornings and evenings on the Norfork (and occassionally they will run water on the White for a few hours).

I have primarily fished up by Bull Shoals the last ten days, and the bite has been decent most of the time. We have also had some excellent days up there and we are starting to catch bigger fish every time we go out.  Still, there are tough periods every day up there and you really need to know where to be to take advantage of the wind or other favorable conditions.  That information is one of my most guarded secrets and it keeps the area from getting very crowded.  In fact there are very few people fishing the upper White because the fish are hard to catch and "have seen it all".  I will say that scuds and midges have been the ticket, and there is a little dry fly action to be had, as well.  The Norfork is really fickle right now but the fish are biting over there for those patient enough to keep their flies in the water as much as possible.  I did have a great day at McClellen's [finally] on March 11th, but since then water conditions have not let me back in that area (the river did get muddy for a few days last week and they did run water most mornings after the water cleared later in the week).  The dam area is crowded but does have a lot of fish from 8 to 18-inches (they just stocked a bunch of dinks).  Midge patterns and scuds are the ticket, but everyday takes a little adjustment and dont't be afraid to try something weird if the bite isn't happening.  Normally I preach fishing close in (especially at first), but right now it is very important to cover a lot of water on the Norfork, and long casts definately facilitate this.

Look for more of the same with respect to water releases unless we start seeing more serious precipitation.  This is great for waders, but long periods of low water can make the trout spooky and stressed.  Be very aware of how long you keep fish out of the water if you are planning a successful release, especially in areas away from Bull Shoals Dam on the White like Cotter and Rim Shoals.  Wind and weather conditions begin to dictate my days guiding on low water because it often takes a change to spark the action...very rarely are the fish biting when we first get to the river, but as the morning goes on things usually pick up.  Dry fly action could be good come late April into May if the low water continues.

March 10th: It's been hard to tell whether it's spring or winter right now with all the weather changes, and for the last week fishing has ranged from very good to downright poor.  I've been guiding on Norfork and up by Bull Shoals Dam primarily, and Norfork has been the toughest bite over the last week.  High water fishing is awful (they are running water most mornings until 9am to noon) and the low water bite is fickle...by far low water is fishing the best over there.  The first three hours after the water shuts off have been best.  Zebra-style midges are the "hot pattern" (black, gray, etc.) but sow bugs and scuds have had their place.  Hatches are still very sparse with the exception of decent midge activity on some days.  Bull Shoals (C&R area) is getting better than it was, but that is a very tough place to fish on low water if you are new to this area (or even if you're not, for that matter).  The fish are much skinnier up there than in year's past (probably due to all the low water and some moss issues that are getting alarming), but the numbers are there.  I've been hearing this is the case on a lot of the upper White right now.

I am not trying to be an alarmist, and the habitat on Norfork is great right now in all respects.  But the water on the White comes directly from Table Rock Lake in Missouri and the there have been serious water quality issues up there for the last three years (at least).  I would like to hear an explanation from our biologist, and if I do I will pass it on.  Bust still our fishing is great and this is my favorite time of year coming up.  Please email if you have concerns or any questions.  And most importantly: get out on tthe water.  I'll do a report when I get .  Best  wishes to all.

March 3rd, 2006: Hot and cold weather and fishing continue to be the rule.  Starting last Friday I guided four days in a row and the trout activity was drastically different each day.  The first day was very tough, and I was guiding 3 guys which made it seem worse.  They were running water at Norfork to start, and the drifting was very poor with only a few bites and one small brown caught.  They shut the water off at 10am, and unbelieveably, fishing got even slower...two guys didn't have one landed at lunch. But fortunately the Norfork "Gods" shined on us a bit in the afternoon with some very nice brookies, cutthroats, and 'bows.  The river was very crowded on high and low water and the bite was slow for all, including the other guides I was working with.  Conditions were decent on low water (cloudy, wind), and that helped, but some days it just isn't happening.  This was one of those days.

The next morning I only had two guys, and I had fished with them before lasy year.  I didn't want to deal with Saturday crowds on Norfork, so we went up to Bull Shoals Dam...they were running one unit.  By the time I got rigged and drifting, the water shut off and wading was the rule for the rest of the day.  The fish were biting pretty well for up there but the size is not as big as usual.  We landed lots of pretty, chunky trout up to 18-inches, but nothing huge.  Still, compared to the day before it was a relief to have some action going, and until around 3pm, the bites were coming pretty steadily.  There were very few people up there considering it was the weekend.  Sunday I went back to Norfork, and it was very scary at first:  Nothing was biting on a glorious sunny day with the river empty.  Fortunately things picked up before lunch on scuds, sow bugs, and midges (you had to switch pretty often), and after lunch we did pretty well.  The slower water areas were alright when the wind chop was on, but it was several great hours in some riffle water that most in this group will remember...six guys were all catching fish and having a good time in a beautiful spot we had all to ourselves (there were two other guides).  This period saved the day and trip for several guys who had suffered through tough fishing the previous couple days.

Monday I took one guy out and conditions were decent for Bull Shoals Dam.  The water was off and all day we only had one person within 300 yards the whole time.  Fishing was a bit tough considering the great conditions (sun, wind), but we had lots of action and landed many beautiful fish.  Yes, I've seen it better, but it was very nice to have a relaxing day without the fish turning off every 10 minutes.  The trout are numerous but running small in that area, but I bet if you can get some high water up there the big fish will come.  We are still very dry and mild, so there will not be much of a shad kill this year except if you get lucky and catch a high water day (and have a boat).  Both dams are releasing water very sparingly, but it is still quite random when they will do this.  Crowds are pretty light during the week and all the low water gives people a chance to spread out over the White and Norfork.  I look for fishing to really improve over the next few weeks as early to mid March is often excellent if there is low water.

February 23rd, 2006: Hello Everyone.  Not much real news to report except that the weather and fishing varies wildly from day to day and hour to hour.  We've literally had hot weather (mid 70's) and a cold snap as dramatic as any I've seen in 6 years here within 3 days.  Tougher-than-normal fishing has been the rule for most, but if water and weather conditions are right, the fishing is excellent.  Over the past week I fished up by Bull Shoals Dam on low water for the first time this year.  The weather was overcast, warm, and little wind.  This made the fishing tough, but it did seem like there were some fish up there, and I caught around 10 in a couple hours (most were 12 to 16 inches).  Usually the bigger ones bite better on low water up there into March and April. The best part of that day was that we had the whole place to ourselves.  Then a major cold front pushed through and dropped high temperatures into the teens for a few days.  Last Monday the weather warmed a little and I had a guide trip.  We went to Norfork and they were running one unit when we got there.  The drift bite was slower than it had been most of the winter with natural brown San Juan worms outproducing other colors.  At 11am they shut the water off and on this day we had the upper Norfork to ourselves. Once the water dropped out (around 1pm) all the way, the bite got pretty steady and both guys spent the afternoon catching nice rainbows, cutthroats, and browns (each caught one brown around 18-inches).  The weather was overcast, somewhat calm (but we did get a little wind riffle in the early afternoon), and very chilly.  Midge activity was pretty steady the whole time the water was low, but we did best on scuds.  Tomorrow I start a four day stint on the water, and things are really getting hectic with my guiding schedule.  Hopefully the fishing will only get better, and it's not bad as it is.  

February 10th, 2006: Unfortunately I haven't done much fishing lately, but from what I gather the bite has been very good most days of late.  The combination of low water, sun, and breezy conditions is making the pools fish very well.  The irony is that there are lots of people very upset with all this low water (and great wading) because these conditions are not conducive for a "shad kill".  For those new to all this, the "shad kill" happens when threadfin and gizzard shad (shad are a small, whitish/silvery bait fish) get sucked through the turbines at the dams during power generation.  The shad are usually crippled or dead and the trout will key-in on this new food source in the river.  Scroll down to my reports from a year or so ago for more details...last year was a prolonged event.  Well, when the lakes are low (like right now) power generation is often limited to the early mornings and evenings on cold days, so the opportunity to fish for trout gorging on shad is very limited, to say the least.  The "shad kill", if hit right, offers anglers a chance at some huge fish that come out of the woodwork when there are free meals up and down the river. 

Today we had some decent snow and then it all melted away, but the forecast is for some really cold temperatures over the weekend.  Hopefully we will start seeing decent rains or the fisheries can get stressed (say if the water is still 12 feet low in the lakes in June), but the next few months are always decent whether the water is low or high.  Scuds (olive, "dead") are starting to really work along with midges, san juans, and sow bugs in low water.  Generation is primarily an early morning deal right now with heavier releases on mornings where the temperature here is below 25 degrees.  Bull Shoals has been releasing into mid morning some days, and they did crank 6 units for a little while earlier in the week.  If you had caught that right up by the dam it could have been great, and every day offers unique challenges because you never really know what the water will do.  The Norfork is getting crowded some weekends, but as always, the worse the weather, the fewer folks on the water.

February 1, 2006: I've been out of town due to some personal circumstances, and I am so sorry for the lapse.  But from here on out I will definately be more consistent with the reports.  The best part of the fishing year is upon us and now is the time to plan a trip...really, the next 6 months will offer some of the better fishing we have seen in awhile.  Water levels in the rivers and lakes are very low, and that could negatively effect fishing as the temperatures warm up.  But that wouldn't happen until May or June...hopefully the rains will come before things get bad.  So wade fishing has become the way to go, for the most part.  This allows the most people access to the fisheries and it is not conducive for a shad kill to occur.  But when the bite is on, it seems like more big fish come from February through June no matter what the water is doing. 

I have just come back in town, but I will report more in the next few days as I will be home taking care of a loved one recovering from a surgery (she is fine so far, which I'm thankful for). I guided a few times before leaving that were pretty productive days that I will rehash in my next report.  Please feel free to call or email if you have any questions whatsoever.

January 17th, 2006: Well, I've actually been busy for the last week or so with guide trips, family visits, and a speaking engagement in Tulsa.  That's my excuse this time for the lapse.  Anyway, fishing continues to be good (to great), but still, every day is different with respect to water levels and fish activity.  One day they may be very aggressive on low water, and the next day they only hit when the water is high.  Despite low lake levels, Norfork has been extremely mean to waders lately with almost daily releases that start and stop at almost any time of the day.  A boat (or access to one) can really come in handy when they operate like this because it also makes for dangerous wading conditions downstream of the dam (like McClellen's and the Handicap Access).  Often the water does not recede fully before it starts to rise again.  The White has been offering much more stable water with many periods of extended low water.  If they do release, it is almost always in the morning and evening.  Afternoon fishing from Wildcat to Rim Shoals has been pretty action-oriented once the water drops completely.  There are lots of fish on both rivers right now, and crowds are minimal most weekdays.

Now for our fishing experiences: on the 9th of January I took out a couple of very nice guys.  They had not fished the Norfork before, so after explaining our options, we went over there.  They had been running earlier, but the water was off when we got to the ramp.  I quickly put in and got to some wading spots down river.  The bite was a bit slow to start, but it turned into a very nice morning once the water dropped out all the way.  One of the guys was a beginner, and he caught the two biggest fish: an 18 and a 21-inch brown.  It's easy to get hooked on fly fishing when that happens.  Right after landing the 21-incher, the horn blew and the water came up very quickly (around 12:30pm).  It took me a few minutes to get rigged, but when we got up in the "dam hole", the water had dropped two feet already.  Still, the fish were nailing our San Juans on every drift until the water was abruptly shut down.  I was glad these guys got a taste of high water action, anyway.  The rest of the day we had pretty good action on very nice fish while wading.  Slow periods were fewer and further between than recently and it ended up being a great time.  The water came on at 4pm...just in time to motor back to the ramp.  Now getting the boat on to the trailer proved far more adventurous than necessary, but we'll save that story for another report...

I didn't get back on the water again until last Saturday (the 14th) after a nice visit with the Tulsa Fly Fishers.  This group of three clubs (TU, FFF, and ?) is very active in local conservation and I really respected their seriousness when it comes to working together to get things done.  Anyway, Saturday I guided two guys who were new to the area.  The water was off at Norfork, so I was really looking forward to getting away from the dam for a day.  Of course the water was running when we got to the river, so drifting was the option.  It was a clear, calm day, and I expec