Brian Wise

I would agree on the Bryant as well...but the accesses are fewer and farther between and more off the beaten path. But CLEARLY a better SMB fishery. Before the "canoe traffic" on the NFOW talk gets too carried away again...I have been on the NFOW for the last several weekends--probably saw 6 canoes in over well 40 hours on the river. After Labor Day the canoe traffic slows down a TON and it just seems like someone always has to drop a line about that. Brian

For the most part the smallmouth water is upstream of Rainbow Spring. When I usually think about the smallmouth portion of the river I immediately think of the Hammond area. Really the best way to fish this (or any) part of the river is to float it but there is some pretty good wading around that area. Having said that, we have been catching quite a few smallmouth in the trout water around Kelly Ford....and some nice ones at that, so you could be a little mobile and fish the upper part of the stream and then drive downstream to fish some new water. I would keep an eye on the weather though, we are supposed to get some pretty strong rain starting Thursday. You can check water levels on the main page of the NFOW part of the forum. Brian

Very, Very nice stuff!

Hopefully some of the heavy rain that is possibly in the forecast will either hold off or not fall 'too' hard. The weekend looks like a great Fall weekend...and the colors are already pretty. Fish deep with Rubber-leg Stones, Psycho Princes, and we have also been drifting some Mohair Leeches with some streamer action thrown in there too. Hope to meet you! Brian

Hey guys, Sorry for the lack of reports....been on the water a TON--and still wading through photos! Fishing has been sickening guys. We recently had a bout with high water and since that water has been dropping fishing has been great! All the usual suspects as far as flies go, but with some big nasty streamer action thrown into the mix too. Teaser photos: With some big smallmouth thrown into the mix as well! Brian

Hey Tim, The water is great. Here is the link to the USGS site: USGS Real Time Flows for the North Fork of the White River Which will give you this: Brian

Sorry Russ, I was on the water all day. Yes, it was fishable today....sorry to tell you that now though. You can check water levels on the USGS site at the top of the NFOW page to see about fishability. Anything under 600 or 700 cfs is generaly wadeable. Brian

hahaha, sorry to beat around the bush....that would be SUPER DEEP--or DEEP depending on your dialect. Brian

The key to catching fish in the near future with the water the way it is will be to fish SUPER deep. This kind of fishing is pretty close to chuck-and-duck style of fishing....get the flies down deep and keep then down there as long as you can. I would say a good set-up on this water would be a Rubber-Leg Stone with a San Juan Worm as a dropper. Tomorrow I am finally getting to take a trip that was booked for Tuesday that luckily we could push off for a few days but I would say Friday the water could be about prime. Fish DEEP. Brian

Hey Phil, We call that our early fall flush. It did well, on it's way down now and will be below 1000 cfs by morning....fishing should be REALLY good real soon. Brian

Hey all, Just thought I would let you know that the Blair Bridge Public Access is getting a makeover. The road is closed at the top but the uppermost parking lot is still open for those who will carry their canoes or kayaks up that far from the river so that also means that drift boats and jon boats (anything requiring a trailer) are a no go for putting in or taking out at the access. It looks as though they are paving most of the roads in the access which will be really good....but MDC says it will probably take about a month and that is if the weather cooperates. I'll try to post some photos as I float by it for the next few days. Brian

Hey Tx, I would drive 62 into Mountain Home and then take 201 North into Missouri. When you hit Hwy 160 go east (right) to Hwy H, take H North and it will take you over Patrick Bridge...take the first dirt road on the right past the bridge and go to the end of the campground (park by the bathroom) then follow the trail up to the islands. I usually go all the way to the upper-most island and work my way back down, good fishing there. Brian

By the way....the river fished crazy good yesterday--we got to follow the dirty water for a little bit. We threw on a nasty articulated streamer and first cast got a follow and swirl that left a hole in the water the size of a 50 gallon barrel....no hook up but the guy had never had a fish that big even close to his fly----this happened about 10' from my drift boat so he had a birds eye view. Brian

Hey Tito, Been on the river a TON lately. Fishing has bee really good and we have been hooking big fish regularly--landing them is a different story but they have been hooked. Teaser..... You can always check water levels here: USGS North Fork of the White River Flows I'll have to start posting more reports, sorry guys... Brian

They ARE all slackers...for sure. There are also 2 colors of what I would call caddis green. Brian

Dark Green....yup. I think I carry 5 different colors of Psycho Prince--they are all green.

I usually fish the Rubber-Legs as the lead fly or first fly tied onto the tippet and then tie thd dropper off of the bend of the hook....easiest and quickest way to rig a dropper. If I am using the Rubber-legs as an anchor fly I have my other fly(s) tied off of tag ends from blood knots above the Rubber-Legs. Rubber-Legs did well again last night....but COMPLETELY tore up a Psycho Prince standing in one spot--a TON of rainbows. Brian

Let me know Terry, I do programs all over....it would sure be nice to do one that close!! Brian

Hey Zack, Most of the time the color changes I make with the bigger flies come with water level changes. Smaller flies are about the only thing we change much and the change with color usually comes with the change in which Mayfly is most prominant....but mayflies aren't a staple of mine anyway--tried and true is usually the ticket. Already booked up for conclave, I NEVER get to get down there.... Brian

A picture is worth a thousand words.... With a LOT of the canoe traffic slowing down, the nights cooling off, and already some leaves changing color it is time to look at the outlook for fall fishing. Besides, when you see temps in the high 40's in late August--you can't help but to look forward to fall fishing. Usually when we think of fall fishing we think about water levels being low and crystal clear, not so much this year. We had a great summer with water levels staying as close to the 60 year average as we have seen in a while so the low and clear water we usually have this time of year really isn't there. With an above average prediction for rainfall in September we are looking (and hoping) for water levels to do very well. With the water levels being higher than they typically are this time of year we are taking full advantage of it, we are still fishing bigger flies, and above that we are still getting away with heavier tippet. You see, the peak of the colors changing is pretty close to the peak of the brown trout movement as they get started in their spawn....which makes using 4x tippet to any given nymph and 3x + on streamers incredibly helpful and landing any "pig" you happen to hook--we like that Finding the fish is usually pretty easy in the Fall. The deeper tailouts and deeper riffles are the go-to without a doubt. I have said it a thousand times but it demands to be said again, if you see a drop-off fish it HARD, especially in a faster running tailout. While nymphing, nymph DEEP (another thing I can't stress enough) lose flies! If you are a fan of stripping streamers jump all over ANY chance you get this fall...basically any low-light situation be it early morning, late evening, cloudy, rainy--all of this equals good stuff for streamers. Be aggressive with it, if I am personally stripping streamers for fishing I am not going to mess around--give me big and nasty and I'll strip it back like my life depends on it, unless the fish tell me otherwise. The most beautiful time of year equals awesome fishing....even if the fishing is tough. Brian Wise Head Guide River of Life Farm www.riveroflifefarm.com

The river is in pretty good shape for this time of year...not super low, not super clear so that is a HUGE plus. The fish was either on a Rubber-Leg or a Mohair drifted I can't remember. We have been about split 50/50 on the Rubber-Legs and an Olive Mohair as the lead fly both are doing well. We have caught a couple smallmouth on the rubber-legs in the last couple of weeks, one going about 16", No Kidding! Brian

Do check it out Strangercreek, I fell head-over-heels for it the ONE time I fished it! Brian

Completely agree with Gavin. The hike to the islands isn't too bad unless you really want to go all the way to the island that is most upstream (and you do trust me ) To me the hike is worth it though. Got a 19" brown in this water last week. Brian

Unknowingly, there was a segment on another show this morning from the same day of filming. The show that was on this morning was Ultimate Outdoors on the Outdoor Channel and it will air again this Saturday (September 5) at 2:00 cst. The production team told me they had enough footage that they were going to try to get it on another show....I guess it worked. This segment is really cool....teaser: If the river is running right to left and a cameraman is standing 'just' behind your left shoulder--a downstream hook-set produces a smacked camera. Brian

I am an idiot....next time I will pay attention to the subject of the post a 'little' closer! Anyway, I'll be guiding then too so same plan. Brian