North Arkansas Fishing Reports 2/1/10

Beaver Tailwaters - The draw down of Beaver Lake is in full swing. Generation has been around 8500 cfs 24hours a day. Wade fishing is extremely dangerous, and not recommended. Boat fishing is producing some nice fish. With waters this high and fast, a full sinking fly line or a very long leader/tippet are the answer. Flies or line must be weighted to get down to where the fish are feeding. This is prime streamer fishing so lead eyed woolie buggers, cone head zonkers, etc use with the full or sink tip line will produce fish. Pound the banks and around any structure. Fish will be holding in the slack water around these areas. San Juan worms, soft hackles, and weighted eggs are doing well under an indicator. Again, some split shot will need to be added to get the flies down to the feeding lanes. For safety during extremely high water, always wear your PFD and maintain control of your boat at all times.

Bull Shoals Tailwaters - Heavy generation all week have made fishing from a boat the best option. High water techniques with nymphs drifted under a large indicator and split shot or stripping streamers with a fast sinking line two of the better options. Fly selection: Egg flies(orange, pink or peach), humpback scuds, sow bugs, copper johns, zebra midges, zoo cougars, woolly buggers, slump busters, Arkansas bead heads, Davy's shad and zonkers. Look for shad to start coming through and fish a white streamer, either under an indicator or with varying retrieved with a floating or fast sinking line. For safety during extremely high water, always wear your PFD and maintain control of your boat at all times.

Norfork Tailwaters - Heavy generation this week has made fishing challenging. High water techniques from a boat is the only option. Drifting nymphs under a large indicator and split shot or fishing streamers with a fast sink-tip or full sinking line are two of the better techniques. Flies to try: egg fly (orange, pink or peach), San Juan worm (tan, pink or red), copper john, red fox squirrel nymph, humpback scud, simple sow bug and zebra midges all in sizes 10 - 16. Flies for streamer fishing include: zoo cougar, wooly buggers, slump buster, Arkansas bead head, Davy's shad and zonkers in sizes 4-10. Keep an eye out for shad to start coming through the generators and fish white streamers, either under an indicator or with various retrieves on a floating or fast sinking line. For safety, always wear your pfd during high water and maintain control of your boat at all times.

Kings River - The Kings is at a great level for floating, but run off and future precipitation could make the water dangerous. Water temps are still very low, so smallmouth will be holding deeper in the pools and close to structure. The banks will be very wet from the previous snow storm, so be wary of strainers and log jams.

Crooked Creek - The water levels are a little high for fishing in the mid sections. It is a foot over the low water bridge at Kelly's. You will have to use heavier lures to get on the bottom. Remember to fish slow!

Buffalo River - The water temperatures are in the lower 40's. The levels are very good for floating and fishing. Fish slow and on the bottom for the best fish. Work the holes hard, that is where the smallmouth will be.