Tale Waters The Voice of the North Arkansas Fly Fishers

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1 The Voice of the North Arkansas Fly Fishers October 10, 2017 North Arkansas Fly Fishers North Arkansas Fly Fishers meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held at the Van Matre Senior Center located at 1101 Spring St Mountain Home, AR Membership meeting starts at 7:00 pm. All members and guests are welcome and encouraged to attend. NAFF Board of Directors meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month at 1:00 pm 1st Security Bank on 9th St. All members are welcome and encouraged to attend. Visit North Arkansas Fly Fishers Online at Officers President Ken Sickels (870) Vice President Tom Emerick (870) Secretary Pat Smith.... (870) Treasurer David Hea.(870) Directors Conservation Tommy Hagan..(870) Property Kevin Boddy..(870) Education Fred Stumpf Membership Paul Ashton (870) Past President Mike Tipton..(870) Appd. by President Vern Berry (870) is published 2nd Tuesday of each month. Article deadline is 1st Tuesday of the month. Staff: Mike Tipton & Rita Billbe Contact: sowbug@northarkansasflyfisher.org Chad Johnson Bass on the Fly At the October Meeting local fly fishing guide Chad Johnson will give a presentation on Bass on the Fly: how to find and target large & smallmouth bass. He will cover what they are doing during each season and what that means to the fly fishermen. He will talk about fly design and fly choice for a given situation. Chad Johnson, was born in Mississippi in 1973, with a rod in hand. He spent the next 32 years in Crystal Springs. His dad was an angler & raised him just a 4-wheeler ride away from two great warm water fisheries, where they spent most of their time fishing for Catfish, Bass, & Blue Gill but never with the passion that Chad found in fly fishing. Chad visited the White River area for the first time in the spring of 2003 to fish for trout and small mouth bass. That's all it took to get him hooked and he began making as many trips as possi- Cont. next page Sowbug Report Things are starting to pick up for the 2018 International Sowbug Roundup. We have added International to our name in recognition of the many (2 or 3 or 4) tyers from outside the US that we have every year. In September I met with the Mountain Home Advertising and Promotions Commission with a request for the following funding for Sowbug: Rental of Baxter County Fairgrounds (3 days) - $1700 Rental of hall at St. Peter the Fisherman Church (1 evening) - $550 Security for the Fairgrounds for three nights $450 Hats for kids with the words Sowbug Roundup Mountain Home Arkansas - $500 for a total of $3200. It was a long meeting and we were the last request to be reviewed. We were approved in about five minutes as the Cont. next page

2 Page 2 Chad Johnson from page 1 ble to fish the area. Sometimes getting sidetracked fly fishing for Redfish on the coast but was always drawn back to the White River area. In 2006, he decided trips were not enough; Chad and his wife sold their house, left his business and moved to the White River Area to pursue a career in fly fishing. Not long after making the move Chad joined his new fly fishing family at Mtn. River Fly Shop in Cotter AR, which is now known as Dally s Ozark Fly Fishers. They began letting him cut his teeth on guide trips with kids to Dry Run creek and teaching them the fun of fly fishing. Chad soon bought a Drift boat & began guiding on the White & Norfork Rivers in Chad is now finding himself overwhelmed with the pursuit for big fish on big flies. Sowbug from page 1 Commission members hurried to their other meetings for the evening. Ron Beasley reports that he will be sending out invitations to the fly tyers in the next few weeks. If you would like to tie at the show, and have never tied at Sowbug before, contact Ron. You do not have to be an expert to tie at Sowbug. You just need to enjoy fly tying and enjoy talking to people about it. The Sowbug Roundup Committee meets every 2nd Tuesday from 1:00 to 3:00 at the Baxter County Library. We meet every month. If you would like to get more involved in Sowbug you are welcome to attend. Or contact Mike Tipton at or michaeltipton@centurytel.net. Autumn at Country Oaks Pond in Mountain View October President s Message Landon Mayer will be our guest speaker in October. Landon is a guide on the South Platte in Colorado, writer and author. He will be presenting on Saturday and Sunday October 28th and 29th. This should be a great event for Club members and guests. Meet and greet pizza party with Landon will follow Saturday s session starting at 6:00 for Club members. I encourage you to visit his web site to learn more about Landon. Thanks to members who helped at the Kids Outdoor Adventure on Saturday, September 9th on Dry Run Creek or raceway (Danny, Ron, Vern, Steve, Mike, George, Joe, Susan, Lena & Bob). I apologize if I missed anyone. Thanks Wade fishing perhaps the week of October 8th? Be safe and great fishing Ken Sickels

3 Page 3 Fly of the Month Bloody Midge Hook Nymph or Scud hook, size 16 on down Bead Silver (I use tungsten beads) Thread Textreme Blood Red Glitter Thread (Jimmy T. has it at Wishes and Fishes Fly Shop) This fly could not be easier to tie. It is your basic thread midge or Zebra midge without the wire. Run the thread down and back up the hook and then form a cone behind the bead. That s all there is to it. The Bloody Midge is a much easier/quicker to tie substitute for the Ruby Midge. Bob Jenson introduced me to this midge variation. Fly tied by Mike Tipton Elections in November At the November meeting NAFF members will be electing a new slate of Officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. So far these individuals have stepped up to serve as officers of NAFF: Vice President Susan Parsons Treasurer Cindy Lewis Secretary Pat Smith As you can see we are missing a nominee for President. Many have been asked but no one has been willing to step forward. Serving as President is not a difficult job. NAFF has a very active Board of Directors and they do most of the work. The President must run the board meetings, the membership meetings, and be the face of the club. If you think that you are interested in investigating the job of NAFF President, please contact Ken Sickels. November 16 Bass Pond in Mountain NAFF will hold another warm water outing to the seven-acre pond at the Country Oaks B&B on Thursday, Nov 16. This is a big pond and it is full of Largemouth Bass, Crappie and Hybrid Bluegills. A 5, 6 or 7 wt. outfit and some of your favorite flies should provide you some sport. A sink tip line can be valuable for searching some of the pond s deeper water. You can pack a lunch and eat pond side or go 1 1/2 miles into Mt. View and get lunch at a restaurant. There will be a sign-up sheet at the NAFF meeting Oct. 18 or you can call Tom Emerick at (H) or (C) to sign up for the outing.

4 Page 4 October Raffle This month s raffle will Feature a pair of women s wading boots by Orvis, A three-piece 8 foot five weight SilverStream flyrod by Courtland, five weight fly line, Crawfish Fish dubbing and Super Bright steelhead dubbing, vintage fly fishing magazines, Rio Power- Flex three pack leaders, Fluorocarbon Tippett, Fly tying material, hooks and tools and a bass pro shop carrying bag.

5 Page 5 Spring River Report How to Run Your Boat on the White River like A Pro Water levels are running at 280 cfs and water clarity has been clear. The river has been very low. On the hot sunny days, the trout are finding deeper pools of water to stay out of the heat. On the Spring always watch for the deep green pools where bigger trout hide. On overcast cool days the trout are feeding better. Hot flies lately have been Grandma s Brownie, Guppies and the Idaho leech. With the first few cold days of fall, the trout should start moving around more. Tight lines and good luck, Mark Crawford springriverfliesandguides.com A Pro on a cold winter morning on the White. The Golden Rule was explained to me the first day when I walked down the ramp of the old Rivercliff Trout Dock. Never go between a fisherman and the bank, he said. Then added, Watch your wake. Don t sink any canoes; and the boat going down stream has the right of way. That was 22 years ago. There are other rules of the river stipulated by State & Federal law as well. A few rules from the handbook: Encountering Vessels with Limited Maneuverability. When operating a power-driven vessel, you must give way to: Any vessel not under command, such as an anchored or disabled vessel Any vessel restricted in its ability to maneuver, such as a vessel towing another or laying cable, or one constrained by its draft, such as a large ship in a channel A vessel engaged in commercial fishing A sailboat under sail unless it is overtaking Any vessel with no motor power such as a canoe, kayak, float tube or any other vessel. Specifically, it is illegal to operate a vessel: At greater than no wake speed within 100 feet of a designated recreation area, dock, pier, raft, float, anchored vessel, dam, intake structure, or other obstruction unless a different speed limit has been established in the area. Generally we have two types of water on the White River. No water (now minimum flow) and high water. Let s cover low or minimum flow water first. The boat moving down stream has the right of way. This is how it works on every river in the world. A boat moving down stream has less control and it is much harder to stop the boat. A boat facing up-

6 Page 6 stream can stop and maneuver out of the way of the boat moving downstream. As with any rules and regs there are also exceptions to the rules. On the White River, the boat already in the shoal has the right of way and the boat moving down stream must stop and wait (turn around and face upstream). If there is a boat approaching from both down and upstream the boat headed upstream should wait until you have navigated the shoal. If you encounter a boat that has a big fish on, that boat is given the right of way. If the boat pulls anchor to chase a big fish and you are in his way, get out of the way even if it means it interferes with your fishing or you have to pull your anchor to get out of the way (this is called courtesy and respect). If the guide or person operating the boat asks you to go a certain direction or do something different than you think you should, do your best to help out. A guide or fisherman generally will indicate to you that he has a big fish on. On high water, he will hold his net up in the air. He is claiming the right of way; so give it to him or her and stay out of that boat s way. Follow any instructions the boat operator may give you. On low water boats will anchor fish. From the rule above, Specifically, it is illegal to operate a vessel: At greater than no wake speed within 100 feet of a designated recreation area, dock, pier, raft, float or anchored vessel. Give those fisherman some courtesy and respect and throw no or very little wake on them. When motoring or floating it is sometimes difficult to decide which way to go around a boat that is anchored. Generally, the way the boat is anchored will let you know which way to go i.e.: the angle the boat anchors. If a boat is square with the current and dead center in the middle of the river, it s fairly safe to go around either the bow or the stern. If the boat is anchored a bit facing the bank, go the other direction (remember the golden rule). Sometimes a boat will anchor in such a manner that it is really hard to tell which way to go. If in doubt, ASK. Either verbally or hold out your hands and point which direction you are going to take. If it is the wrong way, the boat operator will let you know. Avoid running over the anchored boat s lines or fish. Do not cast into the area others are fishing. Leave plenty of room and float well downstream before you make your next cast. It is OK to fish upstream of an anchored boat if they are fishing downstream. Conversely fishing downstream of an anchored boat fishing upstream is fine. When around docks and boat ramps be careful of wake in both high and low water. Boats either putting in or on the bank are susceptible to damage and to taking on water and remember that you are responsible for your wake. Running your boat on high water: On high water the fisherman can cover more water and get there faster. High water also makes for longer runs for the boat operator. When running up or down stream, generally the way a guide sits and positions the boat will tell you which way to go around that boat. Most guides on the river expect other boats to go around their back. That is to say the operator will sit with his back facing the direction he wants you to go (the exception is Newlands who want you to pass on the front side). The operator will generally also position the boat at a slight angle. Use common sense and avoid passing on the side everyone is fishing on. When a fisherman starts a drift, motor upstream well ahead of the other boats doing the same drift that you want to do. It is discourteous and disrespectful to pull in behind another boat and start a drift. You are cutting in line. If there are several boats doing the same drift, think of it as a conveyor belt. Place yourself at the top of the drift. If the boat downstream of you is using a drag chain, give yourself extra room as that boat will be drifting slower than you if you are not using a drag chain. When drifting, the boat down stream of you has the right of way. If a fisherman in that boat hangs up on the bottom, stay out of his way or go around him further downstream and continue your drift. If a boat down stream of you hooks a big fish, that boat has the right of way and give it plenty of leeway. Follow any instructions that guide may give you. If you too hook into a big fish, you should expect the same courtesy. Watch for hand signals or verbal instructions. If you see a drifting boat with a net in the air and it is not foggy, the boat operator is claiming the right of way as he has a big fish on. Watch your wake and give right of way until you

7 Page 7 are well out of his way. On crowded days making long runs upstream can be a challenge for new boat operators. Remember the golden rule and avoid going between the fisherman and the bank. For instance, if there are two boats 25 feet apart drifting roughly in the center of the river with one fishing to your right and the other fishing to your left, slow down and go right between them. You have adhered to the golden rule. Remember that most guides on the river will tell you which way to go by the way they sit and position the boat. Go around the back side of the operator. Even if there is one fisherman fishing on each side of the boat. If still unsure ask or hold both hands in the air and point. Some pointers: Generally, assuming no fog: boats moving down stream will stay more or less in the middle of the river. Generally assuming no fog: boats moving upstream will stay closer to or hug the bank. Why? Less current nearer the bank plus it gives the right of way to boats moving downstream. With heavy fog or the conditions for seeing well ahead are limited, such as rain, mist, dawn or dusk, generally boats will stay closer to the middle of the river but to the right of center sort of like on the roads we drive every day. Be aware and go slower near boat ramps or docks (think of them as on and off ramps) and be courteous. Have the person sitting in the front of the boat help you keep a lookout as that person has 15 feet more visibility than you do. SLOW DOWN in HEAVY FOG. Have the others in your boat listen for motors and keep an eye out for wakes from other boats. You can tell if there is another boat motoring ahead of you by the wake that is left. It can also tell you how much further ahead of you it is or how big the boat and or motor is by the size of the wake it leaves. This information can be helpful in planning your day. Conventional gear guides start earlier at 7:30 AM and take lunch generally at 11:30 and stop fishing at 3:30 or 4:00. Fly fishing guides generally start later around 8:00 AM and take lunch at noon and stop fishing around 4:00 or 4:30 PM Hand Signals: You will sometimes see guides give each other hand signals. These can be helpful if you understand them. Thumb up: Generally means water is coming up and is quickly followed by an indication of how many units are on corresponding with the same number of fingers. Thumb down: The water is dropping. Moving a hand up and down: This means are you catching fish Hand across throat: This has two meanings. One means the water has been shut off or end the day. Rubbing belly: This means lunch time. There are other signals but they have more to do with nuances of movement of boats. Every river has its own little unwritten rules developed over years and often through blood sweat and tears. On our rivers these rules are still being written because the rivers have changed. Two major changes have taken place over the past 5 years. The introduction of minimum flow and jet motors. The basic rules above still apply. But some of the rules are in flux and changing. An example would be fishing Cane Island on Minimum flow. The no wake rule is disappearing in some very shallow mossy areas. Mostly only jet boats can fish these areas. Slowing down in these areas causes moss to be sucked up into jet engines. The only way to drift and fish these areas is to go full speed so the no wake rule does not apply. These are also areas that boats with props can t effectively fish Jim Traylor

8 Page 8 Calibrating Crooked Creek miles listed on the signage. By this time, he was ready to start his journey. Smiled, shrugged and said, I don t care. I chortled, Well at least you won t have trouble finding this access next time. He joined my laughter and off he went. With late spring flooding sending generation quantities through the roof on both Norfork and White Rivers, wadable water seemed impossible until November. Determined to find an alternative location to fish, I d driven twice to the new Mark Oliver access on Crooked Creek to check water levels. At last, an opportunity. The pristine setting has all the amenities other accesses lack: concrete boat launch, sturdy wooden wheelchair ramp, concrete pier, two picnics tables under large shade trees and most important for us ladies, a brand new porta pot. On a late August morning, I found it low enough to wade. I d heard about Woolly Buggers versus the often touted Clouser minnows. I began with a strawberry blonde woolly and within a couple of casts, felt a mini tug resulting in a tiny smallmouth of about 4. On the other trips I d made here, I d observed a quick green streak out from the cement wall and had wondered if it were a baby smallie. Sure enough, the evidence wiggled on the end of my line. Delighted to be on the water after a long hiatus, I smiled at such a small success. A man stopped with a pickup and canoe attached and was confused on whether he was at the right location to meet his shuttle. I tried to help but didn t realize he d said Georges Creek; and he left disgusted with his failure. In a few minutes he returned, realizing after a phone call that he was indeed in the right place to launch his canoe for Kelly s access. He and the outfitter who would shuttle were now in sync and even with his late start, he was enthused about his trip. He removed his canoe and after several trips to his truck to remove his gear, he rigged his rod and made ready to shove off. Before he left, he shared he was from Missouri, had fished for smallies there and recommended flies like crawfish or poppers. I have some of those, I said, and will try your recommendation later. Then I told him I d heard it was farther to Kelly s Access than the supposed 2 Once again, with the meandering water all to myself, I carefully moved across and downstream, picking my way along the rocky bottom. The monotonous mantra of the cicadas almost made me drowsy but bird songs I d never heard at my feeders added a wakeup call. I tried a brown woolly and was rewarded with another miniature smallmouth plus a sunfish about the size of my hand its colors as vibrant as Joseph s coat. Finally I chose a large Clouser, black with red resembling a leech I d seen on some of the up north TV fly fishing shows. No takes graced my rod. Also tried a gray crawfish then a green Clouser with no luck. By this time I eyed my little cooler left on shore, regretting my decision to forgo the small canteen I usually clip to my vest. Sweat trickled down my back and I decided it was time to wade back across. The obvious quickest route seemed too swift; and remembering my fall at the Narrows, I walked a bit upstream till I found a smoother spot and crossed safely. As I exited the water, I saw a tiny taupe colored frog who blended into the sand

9 Page 9 quite well until he leapt up the rocky rip-rap. He jumped with not a care in the world. Spicebush butterflies drank the boat ramp moisture and I stopped to take a quick pic. Two fly fishers arrived and I trudged up the boat ramp where I shared my modest story; then launched into a litany of my unsuccessful flies: Clousers, crawfish, etc. One looked at the other and said, Well I guess we wasted our money at the fly shop. Maybe not, I said. You might do better than I did. The same fellow asked if I d tried the big riffle yet and I said no as this was my first trip. Think I ll walk upcreek to it. I did well there last time, he said. Good info, I thought, as I slugged down half a water bottle; then began to put away my gear. Double checking to make sure I hadn t left anything, I drove away thinking what a perfect morning it had been: catching fish in a new location where I had low expectations, receiving fly tips from the canoe guy and a better wading spot idea from the two men. Finally I understood the message from the miniscule frog: happiness grows from the petite events in our lives like tiny catches, dazzling butterflies and the chance to fish another day. Rita Billbe Membership Report Fourth quarter renewals are well underway. Thank you to those that have replied promptly, although we still have 18 members with renewals coming due this quarter. Membership totals are 347 memberships with 492 members following a re-enrollment last month. Paul Ashton -NAFF Membership Director Save The Date! Christmas Party Country Club Dirty Santa! December 7, 2017 Weather Cancellation Policy NAFF Activities or Meeting will be cancelled or postponed when the Mountain Home Public Schools Cancel Classes. Check KTLO radio website for school closing info. Yellowstone Falls

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11 North Arkansas Fly Fishers PO Box 1213 Mountain Home, AR October Monday 2 nd Trout Unlimited 6:00-8:00 El Chico Tuesday 3th NAFF Board Meeting 1:00-3:00 First Security Bank Friday and Saturday 6 th & 7 th IFFF Fly Fishing Fair 8:30-4:00 ASU Veda Shedd Tuesday 10th Sowbug Committee Meeting 1:00-3:00 Baxter County Library Tuesday 17th NAFF Club Meeting 7:00-9:00 Van Matre Senior Center 28th and 29th 9:00am - 4:00pm Gaston's Visitor Center Bull Shoals State Park. NAFF Guest Speaker Landon Mayer. November Monday 6th Trout Unlimited 6:00-8:00 El Chico Tuesday 7th NAFF Board Meeting 1:00-3:00 First Security Bank Tuesday 14th Sowbug Committee Meeting 1:00-3:00 Baxter County Library Thursday 16th Outing to pond at Country Oaks B&B Tuesday 21st NAFF Club Meeting 7:00-9:00 Van Matre Senior Center