September 22, 2009 | FISHING REPORT - LITTLE RED RIVER
Little Red Fishing Report: Sept. 22, '09 Because of the heavy rain events in recent days, our lake level has risen into the flood  pool by about one-half foot. This always triggers water releases by the Corp. of Engineers which lowers the lake level down to top power pool. (which is the preferred maximum of 461.94 ft. above sea level). Water releases utilizing one or both generators began at midnight on the 20th concluding the evening of the 21st. Releases occurred again the morning of the 22nd continuing for 14 hours. Smaller afternoon releases should once again become the norm provided we don't get more rain. The present lake level, as I prepare this report, is 462.3 feet above sea level. The average dissolved oxygen in the water coming through the turbines is 7.0 ppm with an average temperature of 54 degrees fahrenheit. These numbers are good for this time of year.
The Little Red River Action Team chapter 722 of Trout Unlimited in Heber Springs is hosting the 3rd annual fly fishing film tour in Little Rock. The event is a fund raiser for the chapter and will occur at the Clinton Library & Museum at 7:00 pm on October 10th. Doors will open at 5:30 pm. The tickets are $20.00 in advance and $25.00 at the door. There will be finger food, a cash bar and TU merchandise for sale. This highly popular two hour mini-film festival features exciting segments from the sport's best filmmakers shot in foreign destinations like Papua New Guinea, Russia, Belize as well as domestic waters from California and Colorado to southern Louisiana and the Florida Keys. The films offer a great blend of sensational footage, hilarious comedy, poignant commentary and some of the largest and most impressive fish ever caught! The Fly Fishing Film Tour is an opportunity for fans of fly fishing to come together to celebrate their sport and support the Little Red River Action Team chapter of Trout Unlimited. The ticket sales are the fund raiser and will be available from TU board members as well as at the Little Red Fly Shop, Ozark Angler in Little Rock and Heber Springs, Lobo Landing, Lindsey's Rainbow Resort and Holland's Exxon in Heber Springs. Donations to the chapter will also be most welcomed. To learn more or BUY TICKETS NOW, please visit the Fly Fishing Film Tour website (here).
Between March 2004 and February 2006, an intensive creel survey was conducted by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission on the Greers Ferry Tailwater. This useful  information was recently released. You may ask, "What in the world is a creel survey, Jed?" A creel is a wicker basket designed to keep fish. I have never seen one in use on the Little Red but when you ask anglers on the river things like where they are from, how many fish they have caught and how they rate their fishing experience here, etc. it's called a creel survey. The objectives were to (1) obtain estimates of total angling effort (2) estimate angler success in the form of catch and harvest rates as well as total catch and harvest (3) describe angler characteristics (4) relate angler catch rates to their level of satisfaction with the fishing experience and (5) relate water quality and flow to angler success and ultimately to angling effort. Here are some of the interesting results.
Anglers spent an average of 549,119 hours per year fishing the Little Red. Annual effort. measured in angler hours fished, increased from 519,739 hours in 2004 to 578,498 hours in 2005. About 73% of all anglers interviewed on our tailwater were residents of Arkansas. Anglers from nearby states of TN, TX, MS and LA made up the majority of non-resident anglers. Less than 5% of the trips were guided trips. The percentages of anglers using artificial tackle and bait were 40% and 44% respectively. The remaining 17% used both artificial tackle and bait while fishing our river. Most (72%) of the anglers were using spinning equipment while 23% were using fly fishing gear.
The aquatic insect hatches have changed somewhat in the past week or so and angler catch rates are going up! Not only are we seeing the usual midge and blue winged olive  (bwo) mayfly hatches but also small hatches of caddis flies, pale morning dun mayflies (pmd) and sulphur mayflies in the mix. Good dry flies to try include the adams (# 18-#20), midge (#22-#32 black or cream), crackleback (#14), hopper pattern (#10), pmd (#16-#18), bwo (#18-#24), and sulphur (#16). Productive sub-surface flies include sowbug (#14-#16 tan, smokey olive and uv tan), zebra midge (#16-#22 red, black or copper), copper john (#14 red), chronic (#14), San Juan worm (#14 red, fl cerise, hot pink or worm brown), red @ss soft hackle (#14-#18) or woolly bugger (#8-#12 olive, brown or black). Pictured - chili pepper bugger - available here.
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 "Contact" page on our web site. I'm Little Red Jed Hollan, mgr. <*((((><
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