Too Hot to Shoot so find a cool river to fish

[Beluebow]

Visiting in Arkansas with my nephew on the White River. Cold water and sunny humid days. But the fishing was spectacular!
Even the deer thought it was great.

Enjoy our wonderful state! Arkansas is about as free as you can get in this day and age unfortunately.

Yes, we are blessed with the best brown trout fishery in the world. Browns, cut throats and tigers have to be 24" just to keep. You can catch rainbows until you get tired of it. I go up there so often I have a jet boat dedicated to it. Love it up there.

Yes the Brown Trout fishing is world class!!

 

[Orange Dust]

Arkansas' White River region has some of the best duck hunting as well. The best I've ever experienced for sure.

That's on the lower white. Warm water

 

[Mark37082]

I've never fished the upper region. Sounds like a road trip is in order. The flood lands in the lower region is the only place I'm familiar with.

 

[Bob Wright]

I've never fished the upper region. Sounds like a road trip is in order. The flood lands in the lower region is the only place I'm familiar with.

Flat bottom boat and you are in business. You can do the Norfork and White junction and wade or boat.
That's my next trip.

 

[Bob Wright]

Enjoy our wonderful state! Arkansas is about as free as you can get in this day and age unfortunately.



Yes the Brown Trout fishing is world class!!

There's a 16 and under spring fed creek below Beaver Lake dam. Just for kids! Very nice trout in there. Arkansas was such a delight from my Arizona perspective. Glad I have family there.

 

[2buffalo]

Many years ago I was an avid fisherman. I spent enormous amounts of my free time and money bass fishing. It turned into an obsession and almost like work. I like to keep it simple and enjoyable theses days. Sold my last bass boat a few years ago. I am blessed to have several small rivers within a relatively short drive and load up the kayak or canoe for an easy float and ultra-light fishing. I don't keep the fish any longer. A one or two pound small mouth or trout is as exciting as hooking a 7 lb large mouth to me.
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You must have all kinds of money to shoot getting out of Bass fishing. I still do the tournament thing and would have a lot more free money if I didn't. It makes this sport seem cheap.

 

[Mark37082]

You must have all kinds of money to shoot getting out of Bass fishing. I still do the tournament thing and would have a lot more free money if I didn't. It makes this sport seem cheap.

Retirement can be a time for simplifying things. I spent a large percentage of my life running wide open between work, family, racing, hunting and fishing. My brain still misses some my activities, but my body tells me to stay active but in moderation.

 

[Orange Dust]

There's a 16 and under spring fed creek below Beaver Lake dam. Just for kids! Very nice trout in there. Arkansas was such a delight from my Arizona perspective. Glad I have family there.

There are a couple more of those downriver. Just Bout the time the tailwaters begins to get a little warm for trout the tailwaters from norfork dam cools them again extending the trout water many more miles. We catch a lot of big browns but been chasing them all my life. You are limited to pools between shoals without a jet boat. Cool thing about most parts of the river is the food. Pretty poor part of the state and the resturants depend on locals to survive. Since they cannot charge city prices, they cannot afford pre packaged food to serve. This means everything is made from scratch, affordable, and taste like real food. Locals up there are very conservative and very friendly unless you aren't. Fit in, blend in, and you will go there as often as you can. Don't and you may disappear. The old movie "Deliverance" with Bert Reynolds isn't really far fetched. Hunting up there is also good for turkey and bear, ok for whitetails, on tons of public land. Been thinking about buying a place up there and retiring for years but my wife won't let me.

 

[Orange Dust]

There was a fire at norfork dam and they aren't generating any electricity right now. Has it messed up a little. Low water puts big fish in hiding and they do not bite

 

[Orange Dust]

Flat bottom boat and you are in business. You can do the Norfork and White junction and wade or boat.
That's my next trip.

There is a shoal below norfork and then it isn't very far downriver to steamboat shoals. One way trip on low water unless you have a jet. Even then you better know the river to get back up. 6' on the gage at Calico Rock and you can get around pretty easy with a prop if you are careful.

 

[Orange Dust]

If you need to climb a shoal, sit at the bottom and wait for a couple of guides boats to come down. Watch them closely and take the exact same path. You will make it or you won't. Take a different path and guaranteed you wont.

 

[Orange Dust]

If you don't know the river the best plan is to only go up river from where you put in. That way if you come to a shoal you cannot climb you can always get back down river to the boatlanding. Kayaker was killed last month at norfork. Be careful folks. Fast current big rocks and cold water. Not very survivable in a capsized boat

 

[Mark37082]

Orange Dust - Thanks for the insight and advice. It sounds like my kind of place.

 

[Orange Dust]

Orange Dust - Thanks for the insight and advice. It sounds like my kind of place.

I didn't mention how cool it is there in the mornings and evenings on the river. And if you get hot, just dunk your hat in the water and pit it back on.. run the boat in some choppy water and the boat suddenly has a/c. Quiet, peaceful, and gorgeous scenery in places. My favorite place to hide in the summer.