January 28, 2009 | FISHING REPORT - LITTLE RED RIVER
UPDATE - 1/28/09 - FYI - I spoke with the Corps of Eengineers this morning and was told that the lock and dam project on the White River near Batesville is now scheduled for completion on February 5th instead of the 1st of February. This may mean that Norfork and Bull Shoals releases will continue to be restricted until then. Releases at Greers Ferry will be in proportion to the demands from the power grids. Little Red Fishing Report: January 27, '09 The Greers Ferry Power House has been releasing water since midnight on the 23rd of January. The Corps of Engineers is using us to provide hydroelectricity while the Norfork and Bull Shoals projects are virtually shut down for repair and maintenance to a lock and dam on the White River near Batesville. The deadline for this repair project is February 1st. Heavier than normal releases should continue until then.
The ten year battle to acquire minimum flows at Bull Shoals and Norfork has moved into a new and exciting phase. Instead of studying the issue, plans are now underway to implement the project. Minimum flow occurs when small water releases through the dams occur 24/7 without generating electricity. This insures that cold, oxygenated water is flowing into the habitat at all times. New shoals will be created for wade fishing and for trout spawning. Minimum flow will create an economic booster shot for the northern Arkansas counties involved. It's not without it's complications, however. To provide a steady flow of water, lake water will need to be reserved. Bull Shoals will need to reassign five feet of flood control storage for minimum flow and 3.5 feet reassigned at Norfork. Construction to modify the dams will cost about $5.5 million. Arkansas Game & Fish Commission will have to move parking lots, boat ramps and roads that are close to the water's edge to higher ground. Minimum flow releases could begin two to three years after Congress provides the money.
Andrea Lewis, a friend of a friend, was recently promoted. She has been named Little Rock District's operations division chief of the Little Rock District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. She will manage infrastructure worth $6.5 billion (with a "b"!) , including 13 locks and dams on the Arkansas River, 12 multi-purpose dams and lakes, seven hydroelectric powerhouses and 178 public parks and recreation areas that log more than 30 million visits a year. She'll have an $80 million annual budget and is responsible for the operations and maintenance programs for navigation, flood damage reduction, recreation, natural resources management and hydropower production. Whew! Cute little job, huh? (he states, with tongue firmly implanted in cheek).
Aquatic insect hatches continue with midges leading the way. The most effective dry flies are midge (#22 or smaller in cream or black), para adams (#18) or crackleback (#14). Sub-surface attractors include sowbug (#14-#16 tan, olive, uv tan or peacock), chronic (#14), zebra midge (#16-#22 red, black or copper), egg pattern (#12-#14 salmon or roe), red @ss soft hackle (#14-#18), San Juan worm (#14-#12 red or worm brown) and woolly bugger (#8-#12 olive, brown or black).
From the vault: January '07 - Water releases at the power house increased due to colder weather and higher lake levels. Generation has been occurring daily with two units started in the mornings (4:00-6:00 o'clock) and ending around midday to late afternoon. New regulations for '07 took effect on the 1st of January. It establishes special regulations areas on the Little Red and a slot limit. All trout from 16 to 24 inches in length must be released immediately. One trout exceeding 24 inches in length may be retained per day.
If you have questions about anything in this report, please direct them to me at the Little Red Fly Shop of Heber Springs, Arkansas. My numbers are #888-442-4022 toll free or #501-887-9988. You can send an e-mail to me at shop@littleredflyshop.com. I'm Little Red Jed Hollan, mgr.
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