crkoester

How was the water clarity in the RB area?

I landed one 5 pound striper. Exciting enough for you?

There's quite a bit of crap between PC and Rocky right now... was just out this AM. Running wide open at night would be a big mistake. The worst is the big wide open intersection of the river channel and PC near Rivercliff.

Buy brooder minnows at Hook Line and Sinker in Rogers. Although it's not really "close" to where you are, it might be closest. Your timing will be good for surface activity. Have a big topwater ready that you can throw a country mile in the mornings. Catching one that way is more fun than 10 trolling bait.

That place must be pretty runoff-proof. How's it fishing? Chris

Anyone got a current update on Crane? Went to Norfork last week instead. Chris

Yes, top of Long Hole always seems to hold cutts for some reason. Yes, Norfork is easily worth the drive. It's about 3 hrs for me and I'll still make a long day trip out of it if I have to. Brock Dixon at North Arkansas Troutfitters just put his client on the biggest cutt I've seen in years on the Norfork yesterday. Check him out on Facebook for photos. Chris

Yes, small streamers like buggers and Clousers and small jigs seem to work best. Slowly stripped. Sometimes if you can sight fish them they'll react to a quick strip or two right near their head. Chris

Any newer update on Crane level? Still thinking about sneaking up there Thursday. The way the creeks are rolling down here I don't feel too hopeful though. Chris

What do the caddis look like up there? Tan size 18 or so, like the small ones down at Roaring River? Chris

Ditto to Pete. No wading above minimum flow. "40" is one generator, "80" is two. And it comes up in a hurry, you don't want to be caught in the river on the rise. It's quite dangerous. Check out generation on the White, and learn how long the rises take to get downstream. It's easier to work around pulses in generation there. Can find wadeable water at several shoals at minimum flow or not much above. Even if generation ruins your Norfork plans or cuts your day in half, you can truck over to Wildcat, Roundhouse, up to the dam, etc and salvage your day if flows are low there. Also, save your pennies and/or find a buddy and hire a guide to fish from a boat for at least a day. That's really the ultimate White/Norfork experience anyway. There are many excellent fly guides on the rivers these days. Chris

Any significant hatches popping this time of year? Other than terrestrials and scuds, what are the best local patterns? Never been up there... can't wait to work out my new little St Croix 7.5 foot 3 weight. I'm almost 2 hours away, I'd hate to make the drive and find the creek has turned into a river. Chris

Thinking about making my first ever trip up there to Crane Wed or Thurs. Not sure how much of this rain they got up there. Anyone know what the creek looks like right now? Will it likely be blown out by Wednesday or Thursday? Chris

It's didymo. It's a nightmare. It's worst up there towards the dam, but there is much less of it downriver. Lots of it breaks loose when they generate and easily fouls lines and baits. It has gotten much worse since they started minimum flow.

http://www.gregbohannan.com/fishing/beaverlakebassguide.html There could not possibly be any better Beaver bass guide than Greg, nor a nicer guy.