Spring Wade Fishing Prospects
Here’s the truth. Things are not looking good for wade anglers again this spring.
As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers planned for Bull Shoals dam and reservoir, the engineers calculated that Bull Shoals reservoir would use its flood storage, based on past records, an average of 20 days per year (about 5% of the year). You may be surprised to learn as I was, however, even with record or near record rainfall events in 2008 and 2009, that flood storage capacity in the lake was utilized 288 days (about 79%) in 2008 and 306 days (about 84%) in 2009.
We are currently still into the flood pools in early 2010. If one remembers way back to last fall, in early October rains brought the lake levels up from normal well into the flood pools in just a matter of days. For example, Beaver’s flood storage went from 0% flood storage to 50% in five days from Oct 8th to Oct 13th. By the end of November Bull Shoals was at 59% flood storage. The corps began lowering the reservoirs on December 1st. In December, the corps was forecasting empty dates in mid-January. By January 15th, however, those were moved to the end of January. Now we are looking at the middle of February or even the end of February—all because of additional rains we’ve received.
What the spring of 2010 holds for us in precipitation no one can predict, but it appears we are ahead of the game as far as lake levels go. Today, all the White River reservoirs are three feet or more above their previous five-year average.
Don’t be surprised if this spring turns out to be another poor year for wade fishing. I suggest a strategy the fishes use–adapt. Anglers will have to use more high water techniques: double-handled rods and shooting heads along the banks, find friends with boats, hire a guide, or pray for drought. But, it’s the truth.
© 2010, Scott Branyan