| Dry Run Creek is a jewel in the crown of fly fishing and deserves its own section on the web site. Dry Run Creek is situated at the base of the Norfork Dam; it runs along the north edge of the Norfork National Fish Hatchery and Quarry Park. This magnificent creek has been set aside for children under the age of 16 and disabled fishermen. Children must be accompanied by an adult with a valid Arkansas fishing license and trout stamp. Fishing is strictly catch and release using barbless, single hook artificials. There is no fishing before dawn or after dark. The creek is easily accessible and very little wading is required. The picture on the left is looking upstream from the Highway 177 bridge. The wooden platform on the left is the most handicap accessible section of the creek.
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| Although Dry Run is a small stream by any standard, the fish are anything but small. Intuitively, one would go to small tippet on a creek like Dry Run but do not use anything less than 4x. A Dry Run Creek fly box should include midges, sow bugs, hare's ears, San Juan worms and red ass soft hackles that can be fished under a strike indicator. Most importantly, bring a big net and a camera; the net is for the monsters and the camera is for the picture of a life time.
The waterfall on the left is one of the best holes on the downstream section. Turn into the Quarry Park parking lot from Highway 177 and look to the left. You will see a set of stairs going down to the falls. The pool below the falls holds some good fish. From the pool down to the Norfork River is a good area and it is fished much less than the upper section. Soft Hackles and Woolly Buggers should be added to the arsenal for this lower section. |
| The upper section of Dry Run Creek is accessed via the Norfork National Fish Hatchery parking lot. The sidewalk from the parking lot travels along the area between the hatchery and creek. The stream can be accessed via stairs leading down from the sidewalk or by following the trail upstream past the sidewalk. In some places, benches are set up for parents to rest while the kids fish.
The stream consists of pools, small runs and riffles. These areas are fed by the discharge pipes from the hatchery. On the far side of the creek, many of these small runs have overhanging banks that are ideal for big trout. Although you can catch fish in the riffles, the best fish will be taken by high sticking nymphs under a strike indicator in the pools and runs. The fish in the pools are easily spotted and are targeted by most fishermen. You can stand on the bank and watch monster trout feeding and cruising in the pool. These fish are catchable but water is slow and clear and fish can be easily spooked. Some days you can stand in one spot and catch fish after fish; sometimes you have to rest the pool. Don't forget the runs. The runs are deeper and the fish are often not visible. These areas hold some of the big fish that are much more likely to take a child's fly.
Dry Run is an incredible place where you can make a fishing memory that will last a lifetime. If you appreciate this creek and the effort it has taken and will take to protect it, I encourage you to support the Friends of the Norfork National Fish Hatchery.
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