May 22, 2009 | FISHING REPORT - LITTLE RED RIVER
UPDATE: 5/22/09: SWPA posted the water release schedule for this weekend. You can expect one generator to come on at 8:00 am Saturday until noon with the second unit kicking in until 8:00 pm lasting until 11:00 pm. Same protocol on Sunday. On Monday, expect one unit to be on line at 9:00 am until 11:00 am with the second unit kicking on until 9:00 pm lasting until 11:00 pm. This means: Wade fishing will be possible at JFK Park from 6:00 am until the horn sounds at 8:00 am. You can wade fish Cow Shoal from dawn until 9:30 am and move down to Winkley Shoal and fish until almost noon. Fishing will be possible at Libby Shoal until 1:30 pm or so. This will be the case for both Saturday and Sunday. On Monday, you can move everything back an hour - e.g. fish Winkley from 6:00 am until almost 1:00 pm then Libby until 2:30 pm or so. As I type, the water is clear and beautiful. Little Red Fishing Report: May 19, '09 The Corps of Engineers has been releasing water every day from around 6:00 am until 10:00 pm utilizing one generator for eight hours and kicking in the second unit for eight hours. Wade fishng at Winkley Shoal is possible from 6:00 am to about 9:00 am and until 11:00 am at Libby Shoal. The water is clear and beautiful.
Water releases at Norfork and Bull Shoals have been restricted in an effort to lower the White River for farming operations downstream. My guess is that this will continue until the White River gauge at Newport reads 12 feet and 13 feet on the gauge at Georgetown. Larger water releases will probably occur at all three projects when these target numbers are achieved. The Greers Ferry lake level, as I prepare this report, is 470 feet above mean sea level which is 9 feet over the preferred maximum of 461. The Norfork Lake level is 560 feet above msl which is 8 feet over the preferred maximum and Bull Shoals Lake is at 667 feet above msl which is 13 feet over the preferred maximum.
The Greers Ferry dam was completed in 1964 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The four purposes for the project, in descending order of importance, are - 1. Flood control - 2. Hydroelectric power generation - 3. Drinking water and - 4. Recreation. I speak with the Corps representatives every week and have been doing so for years. We discuss projected water releases at Greers Ferry with flood control and power generation being primary issues while maintaining an adequate supply of drinking water. I do not recall recreation on the rivers being discussed or even considered when scheduling water releases at any of the five impoundments that make up the White River System.
The hatches continue unabated with caddis, bwo, march brown, midge and sulphurs coming off most every day. The best dry flies to try include midge (#22 in cream), para adams (#18), elk hair caddis (#14-#18 tan), blue winged olive (#18), para sulphur (#18) or crackleback (#12). Productive sub-surface flies to try include sowbug (#14-#16 tan, smokey olive, uv tan, uv light gray or peacock), chronic (#14), zebra midge (#16-#22 red, copper or black), green or red ass soft hackle (#14-#18), copper john (#14-#16 green or red) or woolly bugger (#8-#12 olive, brown or black).
If you have questions about anything in this report, 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 from our web site at www.littleredflyshop.com. I'm Little Red Jed Hollan, mgr.
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