Special Notes
SWPA is running heavier generation from Bull Shoals and Norfork powerhouses this afternoon which will help to alleviate temperature problems downstream overnight. Temps are forecast to be 85 or higher the next several afternoons, so power demand will be increased the end of this week.
Ozark Fly Flinger
Fishing Reports and Water Conditions
National Weather Service Forecast for Rogers, AR
National Weather Service Forecast for Mountain Home, AR
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Reader assumes all risk and responsibility. Warning—these are tailwaters that have widely fluctuating levels and currents. Please make yourself aware of the safety concerns involved in fishing or boating in these waters. Don't become a statistic.
Scott's Fly-fishing Forecast
Weather - Expect warm and sunny conditions the rest of this week. Enjoy.
Generation - All White River reservoirs are at conservation pool levels, and heavy generation has been mostly occurring in the afternoon/evening hours.
General Hatch Info - More sulphurs starting to show up on Bull Shoals tailwater.
Flies to Try - Spring fishing sees several hatch opportunities. Here are some patterns to be sure to have in your box: Elk Hair Caddis (#14-18), X-Wing Caddis, (#14-18), Natural Deer Hair Caddis (#18-20), Caddis pupa (#14-20), Crackleback (#12-16), Light Cahill parachute (#14-18), Pale Evening Dun (#14-18), Griffith's Gnat (#20), Olive WD-40 (#18-20), Zebra Midge (#16-20), Rubber Legged Copper John (#12-16), Epoxy Back Hare's Ear (#12-16), Red Fox Squirrel Nymph (#10-14), Sparrow Nymph (#10), Prince Nymph (#12-16), Flashback Pheasant Tail Nymph (#12-18), Beadhead Pheasant Tail Nymph (#14-18), Scud (#12-16); Sow Bug (#16-18), Beadhead Brassie, Black, Olive, or Brown Beadhead Woolly Bugger (#2-10), Layered Marabou Sculpin (#8), Muddler Minnow (#6-10), Olive or Black Lead-Eyed Rabbit Leech (#6), Arkansas Beadhead (#8-10), White Zonker (#8-10).
Beaver/Table Rock tailwater - Beaver Lake is back to conservation pool, and generation has returned to afternoon and evening schedules. Table Rock also is seeing generation primarily in the afternoons but comes on a little earlier than Beaver. Table Rock and Bull Shoals have been alternating running light generation around-the-clock every few days.
Bull Shoals/Norfork tailwaters - Bull Shoals and Norfork powerhouses have seen light releases so far this week, primarily in the late afternoons and/or early evenings. Expect Bull Shoals to run light around-the-clock when Table Rock is not.
Greers Ferry tailwater - Greers Ferry powerhouse is also running light in the afternoon/evening.
Beaver Tailwater - (Click image for realtime data. Click here for explanation. Click here for realtime data in tabular form.)
Beaver Dam has two generating units. Normal flows can range daily from 20 CFS at low water to over 8,800 CFS with both units in full operation. The current flow status of Beaver Tailwater can be obtained by calling 417-336-5083.
Table Rock Tailwater (Lake Taneycomo) - (Click image for realtime data. Click here for explanation. Click here for realtime data in tabular form.)
Table Rock Dam has four generating units. Normal flows can range daily from 40 CFS at low water to 15,100 CFS at full discharge. The current flow status of Table Rock Tailwater (Lake Taneycomo) can be obtained by calling 417-336-5083.
Bull Shoals Tailwater - (Click image for realtime data. Click here for explanation. Click here for realtime data in tabular form.)
Because of the length of this tailwater and the delay of tailout and rising water downstream, wade fishers should call the current status number periodically to know when generation has started and how many units have been brought on-line. Be aware of changing water conditions. Bull Shoals Dam has eight generating units, and flows can range daily from 50 CFS at low water to 26,400 CFS with all eight units running. The current flow status of Bull Shoals Tailwater can be obtained by calling 870-431-5311.
Estimated Flow Times by Location
Tuesday, May 9 - Al Hasse returned to fish and brought along some friends. He and Daniel Bullock fished with Steve Stinnett who offered his services in a second boat. Doug and Molly Nunnelly fished with me. We had a fine day with some low water for floating and fishing. We caught fish on about everything we tried. Nymphing was good in the morning hours and after lunch. Streamer fishing with woolly buggers was excellent into the afternoon. A fun day!
Molly Nunnelly caught a good number of trout nymphing and streamer fishing today!
Nice sized stockers can be found up and down the tailwater.
Nothing like a grip and a grin!
Daniel Bullock plays a great fish and Stinnett stands ready with the net! Al tries to hook up a double.
Thursday and Friday, May 3 & 4 - Mike McDonough and Jim Terry returned to fish. We had relatively low water in the morning Friday, and trout were interested in dries. We caught a bunch of browns and rainbows on humpies and other patterns.
Jim Terry found this "rocket" rainbow on a dry fly Humpy pattern May 3rd. There's a story associated with the rod the very next second as the fish went into "launch" mode.
Fish became less interested in the dries as the skies cleared and the sun climbed higher in the afternoon. We switched to nymphs before lunch and did well. Streamers seemed to be the ticket after lunch, so we had a day of fishing all methods.
Mike McDonough boated this fine brown May 3rd.
Water and weather conditions changed enough Friday, we caught few fish on dries and focused on nymphs and streamers. An enjoyable two days!
Sulphurs and Cahills are still just starting to show up. Swinging soft hackles provided some good fishing. Be watching for more good dry fly opportunities this month as conditions allow.
Saturday, April 28 - Alan Crockett and Reggie Jacobs returned to fish. We had low water, but a slight rise from the previous day's generation which seemed to make morning fishing tough, but it may have been other factors. Fish fired up at noon, and we had an awesome run of browns and a few rainbows for an hour or more. Reggie caught a couple of nice browns, and Alan found a super nice trophy (pictured below). Woolly buggers worked best for us today.
Alan Crockett shows off his trophy brown trout—tail first. What a chunk!
By mid-afternoon, we were seeing water temperatures ranging all over the place with some temps in the low 70s. That shut the fishing down for the most part, but we still managed to find a few fish here and there all through the day. I always have a really fun day with Reggie and Alan.
Saturday, April 21 - Don Gardner returned to fish and brought along his friend Dan Lowry. The cold front passed through and left us a chilly morning. This also slowed the fishing until about noon. The afternoon hours were great, and Dan and Don caught a good number of mostly browns on streamers and woolly buggers. We fished a little later, and it was a beautiful evening! Caddis are mostly done except for microcaddis will continue through the summer and into fall. We didn't see any sulphurs much the last few days but did see some sporadic March Browns.
Dan Lowry caught a good number of browns ranging in size today. This was one of the nicer ones. There are an incredible number of 10-20 inch browns in the river right now. They are fat and usually hungry!
Thursday, April 19 - Paul Shinsky returned to fish. We had an awesome day of fly-fishing, including tangling with a couple of big fish. One 24 inch brown touched Paul's fly and another of unknown species gave us quite a few moments of excitement before becoming unstuck. Paul boated one 18-inch brown. He also caught a grandslam with smallmouth in place of the brookie. Weather was super nice.
Friday, April 13 - Rick Park returned to fish and brought his son Michael to fish the White River for the first time. We had stable and slightly falling water making for great water conditions. We nymphed for a little while, but the fish were addicted to crayfish patterns, so we obliged.
Rick Park landed a couple of nice 14-15 inch browns and many more just short of that size.
Michael Park found some pretty chunky rainbows today that were eager to eat a crayfish pattern.
Catching remained consistently good all day. Most of the fish we landed were better than average size. Browns made up a good mix with the rainbows. Weather was delightful. Traffic was light. It was a superb day.
Norfork Tailwater - (Click image for real time data. Click here for explanation. Click here for realtime data in tabular form.)
Norfork Dam has two generating units. Normal flows can range daily from 20 CFS at low water to 7,200 CFS at full discharge. The current flow status of Norfork Tailwater can be obtained by calling 870-431-5311.
Spillway gates were open from March 27, 2012 to April 17, 2012.
Greers Ferry Tailwater (Little Red River) - (Click image for realtime data. Click here for explanation. Click here for realtime data in tabular form.)
Greers Ferry Dam has two generating units. Normal flows can range daily from 20 CFS at low water to 7,900 CFS at full discharge. The current flow status of Greers Ferry Tailwater can be obtained by calling 501-362-5150.
Spillway gates were open from March 28, 2012 to April 10, 2012.
Quick Links
Water Resource Information for White River Tailwaters and Related Streams
See the "Links" button on the menu at the top for my complete links listing.
Southwestern Power Administration
SWPA posts estimated power generation schedules for Beaver, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Norfork, and Greers Ferry dams.
US Army Corps of Engineers - Little Rock District
USACE provides access to current conditions, realtime data, daily lake and river reports and forecasts below all the White River system dams.
USGS Hydrographs for Calico Rock
These USGS hydrographs gives flow and stage levels of the White River at Calico Rock (sixty-two miles below Bull Shoals dam).
USGS Hydrographs for King's River
USGS Hydrographs for Crooked Creek
USGS Hydrographs for Buffalo River at St. Joe