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Missouri/Arkansas

3K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  flyjkol 
#1 ·
I've got a friend living on Table Rock lake, who I am planning to visit this spring or summer. I was wandering of good places to fish for trout by means of wading, without a guide. The very high profile rivers like the White and North Fork seem kind of unreasonable to take on by wading, because of unpredictable flows and deep water. Though drifting big sculpin patterns for 20+lb browns is something I would not mind doing, I wouldn't think twice about fishing areas that hold a lot of solid trout where a 20+incher maybe kind of rare compared to the large river counter parts. I'm still in the novice stages of fishing for stream trout, but I'm up for it. Not that worried about catching real wallhangers (it would be pretty nice still), but I know it wont be the only time I go down there.

Are there very many good wading areas on the White or North Fork, or would I be better off finding other streams?


Stream suggestions pattern suggestions and season suggestions are more than welcome.
 
#2 ·
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How far do you want to drive. Check out www.ozarkchronicles.com/index.htm ozarkanglers.com and http://p222.ezboard.com/bflyfishingarkansasandmissouri for some helpful information. I would truly recomend fishing Taneycomo. Though over crowded when not running any water. If you have any more questions email me at g_hanner@yahoo.com
 
#4 · (Edited)
I would consider going to the White river, if the turbines are running, escape to the Norfork. If your serious about fishing the White, rent a boat and go from wadeable shoal to shoal and fish.

Taneycomo is great also, but can be crowded. Go during the week. Lots of internet information regarding fly selection. These are tailwaters and there are a couple of good books that will help you. Go to Amato's website for one, a more regional wading guide exists and is the best, if you want more information let me know. Think sowbugs and scuds.

Heres the best regional guide for this area:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's here!! The new expanded second edition on the Home Waters book. This is the definitive guide to fly fishing in the Mid-South area. Check out what's new in the second addition:
100 more pages
New rivers added
All maps re-drawn and in a convenient map pocket
Expanded resource guide for the areas covered
Local fly pattern recipes and photographs
And much, much more. Home Waters is available at Wolf River Trading Co., Tommy Bronson's Sporting Goods, and Dowdle Sporting Goods all in the Memphis area.

Go here for more info:
http://www.msff.org/

Think spring, once school is out and vacations start, these areas can get crowded with tourists. Omaha is a nice town, I went to college near there. Good luck.


journeyman
 
#5 ·
There's plenty of good wade fishing to be had from the Beaver Lake tailwater to Lake Taneycomo to the White River below Bull Shoals Dam. There's also the Little Red River, the Norfork tailwater below Norfork Dam, the Current River below Montauk SP, and Crane Creek SW of Springfield, MO.

March-April the crowds aren't terrible yet at Taneycomo. Summertime you get crowds on Taney, the Current River (canoers), and it gets busier everywhere. There are many different wadable stretches of the White River. Just remember that all of these are tailwater fisheries except for the Current River and Crane Creek. They are spring-fed cold-water streams. On an Ozark tailwater, you always deal with periods of heavy power generation during which it becomes impractical to wade most if not all of the wadable shoals during low/no generation. That's just the way it is. However, you can rent a canoe or jon boat at most if not all of these places if the water's running to high to wade.
 
#6 ·
If you get back to your friends again try Crane Creek. These are the McCloud Strain Rainbows. They were stocked there in the late 1800s. It is strictly C&R & the fish are WILD. This is a very small very overgrone creek. The fish are scared of everything. Light tackel & stealth is the way to go.
Roaring River is nice. With a state trout stamp you can fish down stream from the park. They stock trout all the way to Tablerock at Eagle Rock. A nonresident can fish the park for about $7.00 per day.
Let us know how you did.
 
#7 ·
The White and Norfork have tons of public access points. I have maps and current flow information on my website for all of the trout rivers of Northern Arkansas and Southern Missouri on my website http://www.flyfishingarkansas.com. There is also a forum link on the home page that has information from some 300 members that offer tips and current local fishing reports.

Enjoy your trip and let me know if I can help you in any way.

John Wilson
 
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