Fly Fishing

[Great Expectations]

Does anybody on here like to go fly fishing? I've recently taken it up and have been to Taneycomo and more recently the Norfork Tailwaters. Where are some other good places to go in SWMO and NWAR? How good are the Beaver Lake Tailwaters by Eureka Springs?

[tooge]

Doiin it for years. Close to the Norfork tailwaters is the white river comin out of Bull Shoals. From there down to the confluence with the Buffalo is great fishing. Also the North Fork of the White river near Gainsville is good, the current river is ok, but you really need a canoe. Eleven point is ok. If I had one or two days to go though, it would be the white river at Cotter shoals in Cotter, Ar. about 20 minutes south of mountain home.

[Sofa King]

It's cold as shit out! DON'T DO IT!

[luv]

Where was your avatar picture taken?

[Great Expectations]

Originally Posted by luv

Where was your avatar picture taken?

The 18th hole at Troon North Pinnacle Course in Scottsdale, AZ. I made my first birdie of the day on it to break 80.

[Great Expectations]

Originally Posted by tooge

Doiin it for years. Close to the Norfork tailwaters is the white river comin out of Bull Shoals. From there down to the confluence with the Buffalo is great fishing. Also the North Fork of the White river near Gainsville is good, the current river is ok, but you really need a canoe. Eleven point is ok. If I had one or two days to go though, it would be the white river at Cotter shoals in Cotter, Ar. about 20 minutes south of mountain home.

Thanks, I haven't fished for trout out of a boat or canoe yet. We've just been wading. One day about a month ago when the water was running at Norfork we went to a place by the Cotter trout dock (there was an island we fished by/around), but didn't have much luck.

[bevischief]

Originally Posted by Sofa King

It's cold as shit out! DON'T DO IT!

It is up here but it is still in the 60s down there.

[NewChief]

Beaver is okay. It's nothing like the White or Norfork, though. It has been improving lately as far as fish size, but the main problem with fishing it is that it's BORING. There is very little flow most of the time, so it's kind of like fishing a lake. There are a few areas (Parker Bottoms) with shoals, but not many. I live about an hour away, and I rarely fish it (I probably haven't fished it in 3 years). I'd go to Roaring River before I went to Beaver, especially once the "off season" hits. The Catch and Release area is good quality, uncrowded fishing and offers the occasional hatch providing opportunities for dry fly action.

Here's a good board on the area if you start doing a lot of fishing in northern Arkansas:
http://flyfishingarkansasandmissouri.yuku.com

I should add that I rarely fish for trout any longer and do most of my fishing for warm water species, so my knowledge of the trout fisheries isn't as current as it once was.

[MahiMike]

Hate trout fishing. Water's so clear, fish just look at you and laugh. We go kayak fishing in intracoastal waters here in Jax. Redfish, trout, even tarpon! My fly rod can handle 80 lb fish. Tarpon jump straight out of the water. Fun.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by MahiMike

Hate trout fishing. Water's so clear, fish just look at you and laugh. We go kayak fishing in intracoastal waters here in Jax. Redfish, trout, even tarpon! My fly rod can handle 80 lb fish. Tarpon jump straight out of the water. Fun.

It's hard to beat saltwater fly fishing. I tried to hook some spinner sharks on the fly down in Palm Beach last year. I got several follows, but we never hooked up. It was freaking cool, though.

That being said: I love trout fishing. I just don't get to do it that often anymore.

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by bevischief

It is up here but it is still in the 60s down there.

How cold is Fargo today?

[tooge]

regarding the white river, you really don't want to fish it if the water is flowing much. If they are running 0, 1, or 2 generators out of Bull Shoals, you can wade fish it and catch literally 40 or 50 trout per day, and many can be over 20 inches. 2 generators is a little dicey, so be careful. Gray scud, size 16 and as "furry" as possible will take em all day long, as will stripping an olive and gold bugger.

[Great Expectations]

Originally Posted by tooge

regarding the white river, you really don't want to fish it if the water is flowing much. If they are running 0, 1, or 2 generators out of Bull Shoals, you can wade fish it and catch literally 40 or 50 trout per day, and many can be over 20 inches. 2 generators is a little dicey, so be careful. Gray scud, size 16 and as "furry" as possible will take em all day long, as will stripping an olive and gold bugger.

I've had by far the most luck recently stripping an olive and gold bugger.

[Great Expectations]

Originally Posted by NewChief

Beaver is okay. It's nothing like the White or Norfork, though. It has been improving lately as far as fish size, but the main problem with fishing it is that it's BORING. There is very little flow most of the time, so it's kind of like fishing a lake. There are a few areas (Parker Bottoms) with shoals, but not many. I live about an hour away, and I rarely fish it (I probably haven't fished it in 3 years). I'd go to Roaring River before I went to Beaver, especially once the "off season" hits. The Catch and Release area is good quality, uncrowded fishing and offers the occasional hatch providing opportunities for dry fly action.

Here's a good board on the area if you start doing a lot of fishing in northern Arkansas:
http://flyfishingarkansasandmissouri.yuku.com

I should add that I rarely fish for trout any longer and do most of my fishing for warm water species, so my knowledge of the trout fisheries isn't as current as it once was.

Thanks for the info, I've been to roaring river numerous times. It is a cool place, but most people there use spin reels w/ rooster tails. I didn't realize you could fish there in the off season. I also haven't spent much time in the catch and release area. I need to check it out next time.

I've also heard that Bennet Springs in south central Missouri has some quality fly fishing.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by tooge

regarding the white river, you really don't want to fish it if the water is flowing much. If they are running 0, 1, or 2 generators out of Bull Shoals, you can wade fish it and catch literally 40 or 50 trout per day, and many can be over 20 inches. 2 generators is a little dicey, so be careful. Gray scud, size 16 and as "furry" as possible will take em all day long, as will stripping an olive and gold bugger.

If you're in a boat, the White can be super productive when they're generating. The "high water rodeo" can be awesome, especially if there's a shad kill happening.

But yeah, you don't want to wade when they're generating.