something interesting

Jed Hollan at the Little Red Fly Shop said the only water releases at the Greers Ferry project in the past few weeks occurred on Nov. 21, Dec. 5 and Dec. 8. They were all small releases with short duration. Wade fishing has been possible and productive somewhere on the Little Red every day. The average temperature of the water flowing through the turbines has been 52 degrees. The average dissolved oxygen content of that water was 4.3 parts per million with a high DO level of 6.5 ppm. Incredible spawn reports keep coming in every day. At Winkley Shoal and elsewhere, the same redds (fish "nests") are being used repeatedly. Wade fishermen report spotting at least 100 brown trout over 20 inches long with a few pushing 30 inches in body length. One angler, Ryan Burks, had a trout on his fly that took all his fly line and 100 yards of backing before it broke off. Ryan told me the trout was over 30 inches in length. Anglers are reporting catches (and releases) of over 50 brown trout per day per angler. One experienced fly fisherman commented to me that he did not have enough skill to land some of the larger ones he has been seeing. Excitement is in the air as our spawn continues into its second month. Aquatic insect hatches continue as per previous reports.  Midges, caddis flies and mayflies are the primary cast of characters.  The dry flies that are working, and they are working, include the midge (#22; cream or black), para Adams (#18), blue winged olive mayfly (baetis, #18-#22), tan elk hair caddis (#18-#20) and crackleback (#14).   If you are testing your skills below the surface, try a sowbug (#14; UV tan, UV light gray, peacock or olive), zebra midge (#16; red or black), egg pattern (#12-#14; roe, peach, salmon or watermelon), pheasant tail (#16), gold ribbed hare's ear (#14-#16), copper john (#14-#16), San Juan worm (#12-#14; red, fl. cerise or worm brown), red butt soft hackle (#14-#16)  and woolly bugger (#8-#10; olive, brown or black).   just figured while we are waiting , this is a weekly Arkansas fish report, anybody ever do a trip in that little red trophy trout river?

I have ageneral question about tip-ups.  Generally I have used treble hooks at the end of tip up for pike and lake trout.  Do you think trebles are better than a single offset hook?

Thanks.  If I am fishing water for a variety of species, pike, lake trout, walleye, do you think I should just put a single hook on all of my tip-ups? 

I too only use #6 or even #8 mustads baitholders depending on the size of shiners I usually fish with.. the only time I used trebles was up there in the adirondacks when we bought suckers 6 to 8 inches in lenght like 7 bucks a half dozen way back then.. hook one treble just aboce the dorsal for pike fishing. I seen guys use trebles using sawbellies for live lining for trout drifting off the rowboats, but i do not like fish swallowing trebles period. I think a single hook is good sportmanship , knowing if swallowed a single hook is way better than a treble should you release that fish, it certainly increases the chances for the fishes survival.

no matter what you use for hooks, always have on you forcips or a quality hook remover. I always use a retractable vest mag.pen type when fly fishing  and a nice stainless pair of scissor forcips for my soft tackle plano i wear for all other fishing. never try to remove swallowed hooks, gently cut the line as close to the fishes mouth and release the fish unharmed asp. Unfortunitely, some fish that swallow hooks or are badly snagged in the gill will show bleeding, a bleeding fish usually dies shortly after release. If you snag a lure through a fishes gill.. happens more than you think with small ice jigs.. try not to damage the gills, sometimes it is best to cut the line and using forchips , reach in the outlet side of the gill plate (opposite of mouth side)  i had to do this with many pickerel i intend to release unharmed.. they would suck in a kastmaster and the treble would sometimes  snag deep inside their gill..usually the  best way to to remove the treble in this situation  is from the backside of the gill thereby increasing the chances of the fishes survival. A damaged/ripped gill  almost always results a dead fish too shortly after release.