Bill Butts

Hi Chris~ I've been trying to follow fishermen experience with Hybrids in Grand for the past 2 years, but there is little to be found related to Hybrid catching. Thanks for posting your report of success and how you located them, without revealing your specific creek. There are enough tributaries that it should help other fishermen learn what to look for and how to approach them on any similar fishery. In our region, that would also include Beaver, Norfork, Truman, LOZ, and perhaps Oologah, Skiatook the upper end of Hudson. In 2005, the ODWC (not the GRDA) stocked 690,000 reciprocal Hybrid Striper fry (using the White Bass eggs instead of from a Striper), and in 2007 they stocked 100,000 orginal strain Hybrid Striper fingerlings (using Striper eggs). When I asked the fisheries biologist why they began restocking them and in the large #, he said it was due to public/fishermen requests. Proves they listen, even though the LMB guys don't usually like it. Many studies across the nation have time after time proven that Stripers/Hybrids don't negatively impact the LMB, SMB, Crappie and Walleye fisheries in the same lake. The bottom line for healthy fisheries in our region is to have good Shad populations, because all of the previously listed gamefish also depend heavily on them. Especially this time of year when there are bazillions of baby shad (threadfin and gizzard) available. One suggestion with your Spook, or other baits, too. If you get those blow-ups and are fishing a good sized topwater or other bait, you might try downsizing to a baby Spook or other smaller bait that is 2" or less in size. This time of year the lakes are packed with those baby shad and the fish can get somewhat selective to them. Also, when they bounce that bait many times they are trying to determine if it is real, and in that case an unweighted Fluke or something similar will get you a grab. Don't always think that the same fish is coming back multiple times either, they hunt in packs and you are probably getting refusals from multiple fish. We've found this recently on Bull Shoals. The baby threadfins are about half to 3/4" and the baby gizzards are about double that size. Our recent success has been best on small baitfish-imitating flies and some of my buddies use small plastics and a very small Spook. We've caught a lot of very nice LMB, SMB and Whites on the small baits as short as 1". Thanks again for sharing your success report, Bill

Evo~ Well, now you know the lay of the land and river at that access. More than one local has told me that some good Stripers hang out in that area when they are not running water. It makes sense, but I've never fished it from a boat. Yet. That would be the best, even a kayak, canoe or PWC. It seems to me that fishing it from a boat would be awesome when there is water running (a larger boat of course). I suggest that you not wait to "hear" good reports but rather fish as often as you can and create your own experiences and successes. Networking with other fishermen is important, especially when it comes to Stripers, Hybrids and Whites (since they are so unpredictable and fickle), but always try to have multiple options for where to fish like the Lower Illlinois that was mentioned. Two excellent fisheries that are rarely mentioned on this or any board I know of are the Grand River below Ft. Gibson and the Canadian River below Eufaula. Both are tailwater tributaries of the AR River and get Stripers and everything else that swims in the AR. Like the other tailwaters, most of the best fishing is when the water is running and partcularly when it is rising and the predator fish are moving in to hunt. Be persistent, never stop learning, and you will be rewarded. Let me know any time I can be of assistance. Good luck, Bill

Hi Evolution~ Swift Park is not exactly a park, but yes it is an access for fishing and also a decent boat launch for the Keystone tailwater. As you go west on 412 out of Tulsa, take Hwy 151 south (not sure of the exit #) which crosses Keystone Dam. Then, I think it is the first left turn down river that takes you toward Swift Park, but I am not sure. You can get more specific directions from Woody's Tackle Shop which is near the dam (918-245-8491). The "park" access is about half to 2/3 mile below the dam. If you plan to fish it on foot, be sure you have some topwaters like a Zara Spook or Redfin and some soft plastics like Flukes and Sassy Shad. We use fly tackle to fish that area and the Zink Dam area for Stripers, but I talked with a guy two years ago that claimed that he does well fishing topwater in the Swift Park area even on bright sunny and hot days. It would seem obvious that a boat would be best, but if you can cast good distance with the topwater and plastic baits I would think you would have success. It's not real big water in that area, and the Stripers are known to hang out in that area when there is no or little water flowing thru the dam. Good luck. Be patient and learn the water. You will be rewarded. Let us know of your successes and frustrations. You will have both, if you are persistent. Bill

Hello again~ Well, just to get to the bottom of the price issue, I just called the Suite 16 Motel in Gore. Must have been the same folks, the woman couldn't understand or speak English well enough to quote me a rate, so she handed the phone to a man. He quoted me $65/night for two beds on the weekend, and $55/night during the week. I mentioned that I had heard that they only charge $40/night and he said "oh, no, no, no". It would be great if there was a place for $40/night even if it was wasn't too great a place. Could you have been at a different motel? Bill

Hello tsfinest~ You named to two most obvious places to stay. You didn't mention whether you needed amenities like a pool, etc, for which MarVal would be the best. Someone in this thread mentioned the Suite 16 motel in Gore, and I've stayed there twice (not in the past year) and I can assure you that it ain't sweet and it wasn't $40. Over $70 with tax and it was barely decent enough for two tired fishermen. It was under new ownership and managment if I recall correctly (couldn't hardly understand the middle-eastern accent). I did find a pretty nice alternative in Gore called the Two Rivers Inn, which is actually two 4-plexes just off the main drag on Hwy 64. It was owned by a very nice guy named Fred (918-489-5575). I think one of the 4-plexes was used for long term rental/lease and the other was rented by the night or week. It was very clean, had two bedrooms, one large bath, large living area, and full kitchen. I believe we paid $85/night. One suggestion, if you do rent from him, consider taking your basic pots, pans, and quality kitchen knives if you plan to do any cooking. The ones provided when we stayed there were poor quality and selection. No other amenities. While a Google search would certainly be one good approach for additional choices, I would also suggest that you call Dave's Bait & Tackle in Gore and ask them for their suggestions. (918-489-2424) Hope this is helpful. Bill

Morton~ You are quite welcome, and I am pleased that you enjoyed your trip. Four people, even if some are children, is a lot to be fishing out of one boat. You probably had some higher water flow on Friday pm but none on Saturday am, right? If so, it is good that you experienced both and therefore will understand the differences. That is a river that is hard to describe how different it becomes when the water is up. By the way, who was the Striper guide your friends went out with? Did they fish with the guide when the water was up on down, or both? You mentioned fly fishing, you would be surprised how productive a surface popping bug is for Bass in the area you fished. Good luck developing your fly fishing skills, you'll love it. Bill

Hello Wannabeflyer~ I think most of the guys who fish the Lower IL and participate on this board are trout fishermen who mostly fish from the dam down to MarVal Resort, so I will give a heads-up on the lower section. I'll assume you are wanting to fish for Stripers like most who fish the lower section. If there is no generation from Tenkiller, your odds of catching Stripers in the Gore area are remote. Even with a jet boat, your ability to navigate upriver from Gore would be limited, difficult or at worst futile when there is no generation. If you want to catch Stripers, you need to be on the river while there is generation. With a bass boat, I would suggest that you fish from the Gore launch down to the mouth of the AR River and not venture upriver due to the risk of getting left high and dry if the flow drops out too quickly. The launch at Gore has a very small slack water area that protects you from the current. At the generation level of recent weeks (running both generators for 2-5 hours beginning early to mid pm) the current at the launch should be no problem for you if have some experience launching on rivers. If you are planning to just fish for Bass, then fishing the area during low water would be productive, but not for Stripers. There is a variety of weed beds, rocky shorelines and sunken wood in the area below Gore. You find that the majority of the water in that area, besides in the main river channel, will have a lot of 3-4' depth water. Hope this is helpful. Bill

Greetings Illinois River fishers! I want to ask your help if you or anyone you know found a pair of black Guideline prescription sunglasses near the new Watts Access area this past Saturday. It is not clear where I lost them, but we parked in the new parking lot and walked down the old road and cut over to the river just below the fish-stocking pipe, then proceded all the way down to the hole below the long riffle. If you found them or know someone who did, please let me know. There will be a finders reward, if they are not damaged. Thanks very much! Bill Butts 417-840-3040

Gallagher~ The upper reaches of many of our beautiful Ozarks streams are prospective havens for the walk and wade fly fisher. Even though you'll find a few locals on these little gems, they are usually fishing near the road accesses and don't venture too far from where they park. You will also avoid the masses of canoes, that inhabit the floatable sections, by concentrating your efforts on the upper, less navigable, sections. Wear some shoes that hike and wade well, and get off the beaten path. You will be amazed at the quality of fishing you will find. Along with the upper James, very similar and productive wadable water is also found on the upper Finley, Pomme De Terre, Niangua, Osage Fork, Sac and Little Sac Rivers. The headwaters of all of these are on the plateau of Greene and Webster counties, flowing in different directions. The best way to locate access points is to buy a De Lorme Gazetteer Topo Map (book) of Missouri, if you don't already have one. And, make some new friends and gain some new honey hole accesses by meeting some of the landowners (be sure to remove your sunglasses so they can look you in the eyes) that are usually agreeable to allowing access when asked FIRST. Regarding flies, yes, poppers and dry flies will work well and be sure to include some low-profile hoppers. You shouldn't need many fly types, but be sure to include some weighted crayfish and some Clouser minnow-style patterns in river minnow colors like brown, tan, olive and black. You should be able to fish most of the holes in these upper reaches with a floating line, but where you find good holding water that is over 3-4' deep you should consider a sink-tip line or at least a loop-on 7' fast sinking leader when you are fishing a crayfish or baitfish pattern. Those little-fished stretches of Ozarks streaams are the most underutilized fly fishing resources available. Solitude and great native species to catch.......what more could you ask for? Good luck, Bill

Poke'Em~ You have the same frustration that every one of us that fish tailwater fisheries experience. You don't want to waste a trip if the water is unfishable/high/muddy. For every tailwater there seems to be differing factors to be aware and different means to access the info you need online. Some are better than others. To answer your question about a phone # for the dams, you can call 918-669-7521 for a recording for that day's lake levels and "scheduled" generation. I just called it and the recording was still the one for yesterday, not good. The list of lakes and dams they provide is good, from Eufaula and Tenkiller, to the Grand River dams, Key, Skiatook, Kaw and others. There is also an SWPA website at http://www.swpa.gov/generationschedules.aspx that contains the generation schedule updated at 5 pm (usually) for the following day. Go to this link and then pick the day you want, but be sure the date is correct and not a week old. See, not perfect by any means. On that one, it quotes the generation in KW (kilowatts) and there is a key to convert to cfs at the bottom of the page. Hope this is helpful, though not exactly what any of us like to sort through every time we need info. Good luck and be safe on the AR River!! Bill

Thanks very much for your follow-up. I encourage you to report your experiences fishing that area (not just that specific spot) during the year. Are there any other tributaries that consistently produce spring runs of White and Hybrid Striped Bass, that are accessible in the Lower Osage Basin? Bill

Greetings, Enjoyed your great photos of the Osage River. I've never fished the lower river and might not ever go, but I was very curious where that low dam is located? Are there others similar on the Osage? It would surely be a fish-holding honeyhole in the spring. White Bass and Walleye, for sure, but I am curious is you catch or know of any who catch Hybrid Stripers there? Thanks in advance for your follow-up. Bill

Hello Brian~ Lots of questions, good ones, but tough to answer with certainty in a particular year. Your questions about timing the Walleye and White Bass spawning runs are really two different subjects in any fishery. Why? Walleye are the first specie to spawn each year, and can begin spawning in water temps in the high 40's. White Bass, on the other hand, can and sometimes do spawn in water temps in the high 50's, but the peak of the spawn in about any fishery in this region will be when water temps reach the low to mid 60's. Most fishermen familiar with the Little and Big Sac River fisheries know that in "normal" years the peak of the White Bass run will occur about mid to late April. Yes, there will be fish in and out of the river much earlier than that, but the most consistent fishing is when the water temps are consistently 60-65* with nights that are not below about 50* air temp. When the nights begin staying that warm, I believe the best and most enjoyable fishing is in the early morning hours. Great fishing due to consistent water temp, and very few fishermen in the early mornings. You also asked about the section of river above and below the 215 bridge. In an average year, there are not many Whites or Walleye up that far. On the other hand, in years with above average rainfall and lake and river water levels, the fish will venture up that far and farther. A great way to access the river in above average water years is by floating from the 215 bridge down to the next public road bridge everyone calls Taylor Bridge, above the Iron Bridge you mentioned. Overall, in addition to understanding what I just explained (hopefully it makes sense) it is important to try to have some flexibility during the White Bass season. I would highly suggest that you keep in contact with the fly shop in Springfield, Backcountry Outfitters (889-6548) for regular updates. They and quite a number of their customers fish it regularly starting early in the season and that would be your best bet for good info on water and fishing conditions. In most years, there is quite a bit of discussion about that fishery on this board, but even if it appears to be very current take the time to call Backcountry. You cannot have too much info. Good luck this spring! Bill

Hello Taxidermist! Just curious what explanations you have heard as to how and why the Stripers in Bull Shoals got there? Some say the AGFC still denies ever stocking them in the past 10-15 years. A several year commitment of that number annually would create a phenomenal fishery for those that really pursued those great fish. Bill

Hello Leonard~ Just a little housekeeping, first. The great Temperate Bass family you are inquiring about are not called strippers or stippers, but Stripers or Striped Bass, Hybrid Stripers and White Bass. You might think I'm being picky or a jerk, but that is certainly not my intent. I'd like anyone interested in learning more about these awesome fish to understand the proper terminology and hopefully develop the proper respect for them. Likewise for Hybrid Stripers, which some of the other states call Wipers, which is IMHO is a very disrespectful name for the #4# hardest hitting and fighting freshwater gamefish in the US. I am in Dallas this week, but flying home tomorrow and will be in town all next week. If you'd like to talk by phone, PM or email me tomorrow and we'll set up a time to talk. There are so many different tackle requirements for Stripers depending on the fishery and other factors that it is not a simple topic to discuss. Thanks for the inquiry. I'd look forward to talking with you. Bill

SIO3~ I know you and especially your father have known Ed for a very long time. Most of the guys on this forum that have been fly fishing for a while are very familiar with Feather-Craft, but most probably don't know a lot about its history or about Ed. If you could paste his obituary into a post, I think the members would appreciate reading a little more about the man. His history in the fly fishing business dates back to the 50's and his willingness and passion for sharing fly casting and fly tying skills touched countless men, women and children over the decades. Along the way, he built a wonderful mailorder business thru his uniquely typed "bulletins" (virtually no punctuation or spell-check) that pre-dated the current catalog format which then and today share more personal testimonies of experience with fly fishing products than any catalog or publication in the industry. Truly a valuable resource. Ed will be missed and remembered by many in our beloved sport, but if you've met or talked with his son, Bob, you also know that the future of Feather-Craft is in the good hands of a good man. Ed Story's fly fishing legacy lives on.

J-Doc~ Thanks for your post and interesting pics. I've heard about and seen pics of the "meanmouths", but never heard of a black x white hybrid. The lines on your fish in the first pic certainly are visible, but what makes you think or sure that it is the type of hybrid you claim? I ask this not to be a jerk, but to attempt to verify and learn about something I don't know and have never heard of. It would seem nearly impossible for a black x white to happen in the natural world, since what most of us know as the black bass family (largemouth, smallmouth and Kentucky/spotted) are nest-building spawners in lakes, whereas the Temperate basses family (striped, hybrid striped and white) are free-swimming stream/river(almost always) spawners. Not to say that a fisheries biologist couldn't take eggs and sperm from some combination of these two families and artificially reproduce a hybrid specie in a hatchery lab. So far, some quick Googling has turned up nothing. Please post some additional info about your experience and understanding of this hybrid fish. Thanks in advance for your follow-up. Bill

Greetings Folks~ I am searching for a good mapping software that is either free or inexpensive for creating some basic maps. My operating system is Windows XP. I need to create some fairly basic maps that would include river basins like the White River or Arkansas River basins and all their significant tributaries and lakes. The software would also need to be compatible with MS Powerpoint, since that is the software I will be using to display the maps I create. What appears to be the best one I've located from researching basic softwares is MapMaker Gratis, which is a free download and appears to have a nice menu of capabilities. If any of you have experience with basic mapping software, your input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your prompt follow-up, Bill

DaddyO~ It's been quite a while since the Lower IL has been at minimum flow for any significant period of time, as you probably know. I would suggest not depending on the Generation Schedule to be accurate, especially is you have to drive very far to get there. Considering that Tenkiller is 15' above power pool and the largest of its tributaries (Upper IL River) has not yet crested, it is very unlikely they will keep it down for very long. If you're a trout fisherman and wade near the dam there would obviously be a warning horn when they begin to release water, but if you're wading farther down river like around the MarVal area be sure to watch carefully for sudden increases in flow. You might also call John at MarVal Resort and ask if they have any current info on the COE plan for water releases. They seem to have a contact that provides them info that the public doesn't have access to, and if that is true it is for safety concerns for the great number of MarVal guests that the COE might cooperate in that manner. If anyone is on the lower section around Gore Landing, I would appreciate knowing what the "real" water temp is when they are running water. The temp gauge at the Gore reporting site is not accurate or even close when I've compared it to my readings when I've been there. When the lower river water temp reaches the high 50's consistently, it should be full of feeding Stripers, too. Any info on water clarity, temp, fishing success that anyone has would I sure be appreciated by many. Bill

Hello John, It sounds like you've been bitten by the Striper bug. One great experience like you mentioned certainly creates an indelible mark in your fishing memory. If you want to learn more about fishing the main lake for Stripers (and don't forget the available Hybrid Stripers) I would suggest you contact Darrell Binkley of Bink's Guide Service ( www.binksguideservice.com ). Bink is an "artificials only" guide which is rare these days, a great guy, and you will learn a lot from him. If you like to catch them on or near the surface, you will need to fish the lake before the surface temps exceed 75*, afterwhich the fish will spend much more of their time feeding in much deeper water. Good luck in your quest, and please be sure to post your successes. Bill

Hello Everyone~ The Perfection Loop is one of the best knots to use for putting a loop in your butt section for a loop-to-loop system. For anyone that might be struggling with the proper method of tying the Perfection Loop knot, here is a link that will be very helpful: http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/knots/perfection.aspx An additional suggestion I will offer is to place a drop of Zap on the knot just before drawing it tight. This helps an excellent 90-95% knot become a 100% knot. It will help any of your favorite knots. If you are not familiar with this website, MidCurrent, it is a wonderful resource for fly fishermen. Marshall Cutchin's site provides fly fishing advice, fly fishing trip information, fly fishing gear and media reviews, and excerpts of the best fly fishing literature. It does not have a discussion board. Hope this is helpful. Bill

Thanks very much to those who attended my seminar last Saturday. And, thank you for so many nice comments, after the seminar and online, that the information was helpful and applicable for your White Bass fishing efforts. If it will stop raining long enough to let the streams recede and clear up some we will have a lot of terrific fishing this spring. The fish are there! Please let me know anytime I can be helpful to you by posting requests here, or email me directly. Bill Butts

Greetings Everyone~ I’ve been asked by Michael Kyle at Backcountry Outfitters, since he is having internet connection issues, to post this event announcement for him: Fly Fishing for White Bass Seminar When: Saturday, March 29th Where: Backcountry Outfitters new location in Springfield MO 2863 S. Campbell (just north of Battlefield Rd.) Why: White Bass season is here! Schedule: 9 am – Store Opens 10 am – Seminar: “Fly Fishing for Springtime White Bass in the Ozarks” presented by Bill Butts This informative “how-and-where-to” seminar focuses on spring fishing in the Southern Missouri, Northern Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma region. (Note: you can see Bill’s spring White Bass article on the Ozark Anglers home page.) 1130 am – Seminar: “White Bass Fly Tackle” Discussion presented by Michael Kyle You don’t have to own the most expensive tackle, but for spring White Bass fishing you need to have the right tackle and rigging to be successful. 1230 pm (prox.) – Free Drawing for a White Bass fly rod, reel and line outfit. YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN. 100 to 600 pm – Fly Tyers demonstrating White Bass fly patterns We will have several tyers during this time, including Terry Tanner, Duane Doty and others. Last year, we had a great response and turnout for our White Bass seminar, so I hope even more of our fellow fly fishermen will plan to attend. Note that we have expanded this from a weeknight time to an all day Saturday event. We will also be offering special discounts, Saturday only, on some seasonal products useful for White Bass fishing. If you’re a newcomer to fly fishing, a newcomer to White Bass fishing, a fly tyer who’s never tied anything but trout flies, or an experienced White Bass fisherman who is looking to expand your horizons and understanding of these great fish, plan to spend some time learning with us this Saturday. You might even walk away the winner of a great new fly rod, reel and line combo! If you have questions or need directions to the shop, please do not try to email me but do call me at the shop at 417-889-6548. Thanks for your patience while we work out our internet connection issues. Michael Kyle Backcountry Outfitters 417-889-6548

Caught and released a fair number of small male Whites and a bonus Walleye on Friday pm near the bridge at Tecumseh. We were wading but the guys downriver in boats about 1-3 miles were catching quite a few large females and a few Walleye. I was a little surprised that the water temp was 59*, and that was shortly after the sun was off the water in the late pm. We used mostly Clousers 2.5-3" in gray/white, chartreuse/white, olive/orange and all purple, best with a slow retrieve. Water is in great condition for a strong run of all lake species that move up into the river. Also heard that the water temp was 55* late this am, after a cool night, which is still good. Looks like we might get lots of rain in the next few days, which would put things on hold for a time. If this happens, and you want to find White Bass, the best streams to concentrate on first are the ones that drop and clear the quickest. Beaver and Swan Creeks are traditional favorites and are usually at their best while they are still just a bit murky. Bill

jdavis~ Your interest in catching "something bigger" is a natural progression for White Bass fishermen in our region. There are opportunities for some Hybrid Stripers and possibly Stripers in 3 fisheries that are easily reached from where you live. The North Fork of the White up and downriver from the Highway 160/Tecumseh bridge and the Upper White River up and downriver from the Hwy. 45/Goshen bridge east of Fayetteville both receive runs of all 3 Temperate Bass species (Striped, Hybrid Striped and White Bass) in the spring. And, the Spring River up and downriver from the Hwy. 10 bridge near Miami OK gets Whites and Hybrids each spring. In a normal year, the respective runs would develop in this order: Spring River, White River and NFOW. The Spring River would usually begin producing pretty well by this date, but it has been very high (3700 cfs today) and muddy for weeks. That isn't good for the moment, but once the flow recedes to 1000-1500 cfs and clears somewhat you can bet there will lots of fish and fishermen there. I don't know if I've ever fished a river with the tremendous numbers of White Bass available in this fishery. The majority of the Hybrids in that fishery will be 3 years old this spring. Last year they were 14-16" so this year you better be prepared for a thrill if you stick one. Most Hybrids are caught near and after the tail end of the Whites spawning run. Your 7 weight rod will be ideal for this fishing, but I am concerned about you just having a floating line. For those 3 fisheries I spend 90% of my time fishing a 12-15' type 3 sink-tip line. If you cannot afford to buy even an inexpensive sink-tip, have your local fly shop help you rig a fasting sinking leader of 10-12' with loops. Then, use only a total of 4 feet of leader. The same Clousers (2-3" long) that you catch White Bass with in your local waters will work. Be sure you have several that are 3-4" for the larger fish, too. I would not suggest using jigs even though they catch fish, because a nice Hybrid or Striper will put a lot more pressure on your fly and those jig hooks are just not dependably strong. Lastly, be sure you have the right Fishing License for the waters you choose to fish, and if you plan to keep fish the limits are different in each state. Hope this is helpful. Bill