Jed Hollan at the Little Red Fly Shop said restricted around-the-clock water releases may continue until Dec. 1. Then releases may well increase to two full units non-stop for about a month to drop the lake level. The brown trout spawn is definitely occurring, but there is no way to wade fish the shoals in all this high water. Fishing from a boat is great! If you have a boat and some river knowledge, now is the time to launch! If not, hire a guide and get fishing. Midges remain the dominant species buzzing over the Little Red with blue wing olive mayflies and caddis flies in the mix. High-water tactics should be used along with weighted sub-surface flies. While someone else manages the boat, you should use about 15 feet of leader and tippet combined with a fluorescent cerise or hot pink San Juan worm. You will need lots of sink putty or split shot to sink the fly to the streambed and a large strike indicator to float it.

Reported by: Arkansas F&G