BERRY BROTHERS GUIDE SERVICE
Fly Fishing For Trout

There were significant changes to trout fishing regulations effective January 1, 2010. The Catch and Release section on the Norfork River will be increased from it current size of 1.1 miles to a new total of approximately two miles. The new upper boundary will be the bottom of long hole and the new lower limit will be the Ackerman access. The new regulations will also allow for multiple hook points in Catch and Release sections on the White and Norfork Rivers. Up to three treble hooks will be allowed. All hook points must be barbless.  Of interest to fly fishers, is that the new regulations will allow the use of droppers, multiple fly rigs and articulated multiple hook streamers.

The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam, which was closed from November 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 for the brown trout spawn, has now reopened. Remember that there are numerous spawning beds (redds) containing freshly laid and fertilized eggs. Please avoid dragging chains through these areas. The redds will appear as clean depressions in the gravel.

The hot spot has been the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam. Though we have had brutally cold temperatures and high levels of generation, the perfect conditions for creating a shad kill, there have not been any shad coming through. There may be shad coming through at night. The trout in the upper river are still responding to shad patterns but there is certainly no feeding frenzy taking place. As long as the lake temperatures stay in their present range (around 41 degrees), we may see some more shad come through.

Some anglers have reported success from fishing streamers. Concentrate on banging the bank or any heavy structure where fish can escape the current. Your best bet would be to use large articulated streamers like the zoo cougar or leg spreader on heavy (300 grain or heavier) sink tips. You will need at least an eight weight rod to cast this rig. Use a short piece of heavy mono (three feet of 2X fluorocarbon tippet) in lieu of a conventional leader to help get the fly down. This strategy targets big fish, but is a lot of work. I like to carry two rods, one that is rigged for streamers and one that is rigged for nymphs.

The moderate flows we have received this past week on the White River have fished well. One hot spot was Rim Shoals, particularly the lower section. The most productive flows have been Y2Ks, brightly colored San Juan worms (cerise, hot fluorescent pink and red) and egg patterns (peach and orange). If you want to wade in the flows we have been receiving, remember that Rim Shoals Trout Dock has a river taxi service that will ferry you to wadable water and pick you up for a nominal fee.

Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River are running fairly clear. The water temperatures (48 degrees) are too cold for the smallmouth to be active. Smallmouth are generally not active when the water temperatures fall below 55 degrees. There were anglers that reported success fishing for trout in the mouth of Crooked Creek. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers.

The Norfork has received some low water. On the low flows, the hot flies were olive scuds, sowbugs and black zebra midges with silver wire and silver beads. Other anglers reported success with partridge and orange soft hackles and olive woolly buggers. On the high flows, brightly colored San Juan worms (red, cerise and hot fluorescent pink) and egg patterns (peach and orange) have been the go to flies. Long leader tippet combinations and heavy weight have been the secret to success. Work the banks and submerged weed beds. Be on the lookout for a shad kill.

Dry Run Creek has fished well. The hot fly has been sow bugs in size fourteen. Worm brown San Juan worms and egg patterns have also done well. We have had some warm afternoons that have been perfect for fishing the creek. The newly passed fishing regulations allow the use of multiple fly rigs. Concentrate on the deeper water with a bit of current. Be sure and carry the biggest net that you can lay your hands on. The fish here are huge.

The Spring River has been fishing well. The water level is still a bit high and off color. This makes for challenging wading. Be sure and wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been Y2Ks, olive woolly buggers, cerise San Juan worms and cotton candy.

CHOOSING A FLY LINE

BY JOHN BERRY

Choosing a new fly line can be a challenging job when you consider all of the options. The fly line is that piece of gear that we all take for granted. It is the one thing that can actually improve your casting. For this article, I am going to limit my discussion to floating lines designed for use in fresh water.

Back in the day, when everyone fished with bamboo rods, the fly line of choice was made of silk. They had to be dressed with a waterproofing paste before each use. These lines were tapered at each end (the taper allowed for a delicate presentation). After fishing the line for a few hours, it began to absorb water would start to sink. The angler would remove the line from the reel and turn it around. He would then fish the dry half for the remainder of the day. Of course, the line would have to be carefully dried before being stored. These lines are still available for $150.00 to $175.00 (I actually have one for my bamboo rod). Cortland now manufactures a direct copy of the silk line called Sylk. It has the same smaller diameter and taper of a silk line but made with modern plastics (that float well and are simple to maintain). This would be a good choice for a bamboo rod.

When I started fly fishing three decades ago, the choices were a bit better. You could buy a level, double taper or weight forward fly line. They were made from modern plastics. The level lines had a consistent diameter with no taper. They were the low cost alternative and did not cast well. The double taper was pretty much a copy of the silk line. It was tapered at both ends with a level center. These lines made for a delicate presentation and roll cast well. This was a great choice for mountain streams or bamboo rods. The weight forward lines had a heavier front taper at one end and a narrow running line at the other end. With this line, the heavy front taper would pull the running line through the guides when you made a cast allowing you to easily increase your distance. I eagerly embraced weight forward lines.

Now there are dozens of choices. The manufactures have tweaked the tapers to accommodate fishing for certain species, different rods and a variety of techniques. By matching the right line to your rod or fishing style you can enhance your casting and hopefully pick up a few more fish.

One of the most interesting new fly lines is Scientific Angler’s (3M) Sharkskin line. This line has a textured finish like sharkskin that has a reduced drag on the rod guides. This reduced drag allows you to cast this line further, all for only $100.00. I have had several clients absolutely swear by this line. I found that it makes a whirring sound when you cast it, which I found distracting. I had one client that had to use band aids on his finger, because the line abraded it.

A number of manufacturers make a bass taper fly line. This line features a shorter heavier front taper that is designed to turn over the larger, wind resistant flies used in bass fishing. My wife, Lori, uses a bass taper when fishing for smallmouth on Crooked Creek and feels that the line helps her cast the Clousers and crawfish imitations that she fishes there.

Lori uses a Scientific Angler’s Expert Distance fly line when she practices her casting. This line has a long taper and is designed for long distance casting. Lori finds that its bright orange color and long distance capability make this line perfect for teaching casting. This line is also used for casting competitions.

If you mostly fish heavy nymph rigs with multiple flies, strike indicators and split shot, you should consider a fly line designed to cast this much weight with ease. Scientific Anglers makes its Nymph line and Rio makes its Indicator line for this purpose. These lines also have a bit more flotation to help float all of this weight. I use the Scientific Angler’s Nymph lines on my boat rods because I tend to fish heavier rigs, in the boat.

If you fish one of the stiffer new graphite rods like Sage’s Z-Axis, TFO’s Axiom or Winston’s Boron IIx, consider using Scientific Angler’s GPX or Rio’s Grand. Both lines are made a half size heavier. This will help these rods load better and improve casting, particularly at closer distances.

Fly lines for the delicate presentations required for dry flies and emergers are the Scientific Anglers XPS or the Rio Trout LT lines. They both feature finely formed front tapers and slick finishes for easy pick up. 

Rio developed their Windcutter II for fishing the windy conditions that we have come to expect when fishing the classic western rivers. They would be welcome here for those brutally windy days when we lave lake wind advisories. This line has a heavy belly that allows it to easily handle wind and at the same time make a delicate presentation with a small dry fly. Silk lines also cast well in the wind. Their smaller diameter just slices through the wind.

If none of these fly lines interest you and you just want a good general purpose fly line take a look at the Cortland 444SL, Rio Gold or the Scientific Angler Trout.

If you have not replaced your fly line in several years, you will be pleasantly pleased with the overall quality and the difference a good line can make. It will enable you to improve your casting and will be money well spent.

ASK JOHN

Jack B. asks: I see you often fishing with your dog. How do you keep her from running off?

Jack, before I leave the house, I put four dog biscuits in a Ziploc and then put that in my pocket. I make sure that Ellie sees me doing this. During the day I randomly give her one. As a result, she hangs on me like a cheap suit.