Hopper

I wont use anything else, learned how to make them myself last year online, still have the original ones on my 3, 5, & 8 wts have one spare for each in my leader wallet, made both mono and floro and swap out when necessary. 2 lb test for the 3 &5 wts, 4lb for the 8wt. Did make one out of 8/0 uni thread, did'nt like it as well. Have never had a leader break, only broke tippets trying to horse a fish in. Caught eveything from browns to stripers, they have great shock absortion qualities, turn over great, and zero memory, and when you do get an occasional wind knot they are easy to get out. Have not really found one con against them yet.

Hey Phil, I tie most of my clousers on #2 and #4's. With this rain it may be a couple of more weeks before they slack off of the generation again, but with this cold weather I dont think the water temps have been high enough long enough for stripers to spawn. Gregg

Just checked SWPA for tommorrows schedual, looks like all day all tailwaters:angry: I guess I'll go to RR in missouri

Never take my gear out of my truck except for cleaning Check the SWPA web site after 5:00 pm for the next days generation, its been prety accurate this year so far.

Fishing was great today weather was not all that bad on the lower, little rain now and then some light snow in the afternoon, temp was around 35 degrees. Started in the morning at the first turn off below the dam using soft hackles and caught 20+ fish. In the afternoon went down to T&M gravel since I havent tried down river yet this year, it was a good decision, lots of fish on #12 black buggers and last hour #8 black bead head bunny leach(love fishing streamers) not as many fish but caught two 14-15 inch fish to finish the day. Water was stained from the rain, never seen it that murky. Definately heading back tomorrow since weather is supposed to be nicer.

I use a 9' 8 wt, with 6' furled leader and 4' of 2X florocarbon tippet, I have seen a few guys use lighter rods but if you hook a 6+ lb hybred or 10+lb striper your in for a heck of a fight.

I did fish Sunday, almost all day, I believe I saw you and your buddy hit the water around 10:00 and fish more or less in front of the steel gates from the island ? Looks like I'm rained out at work today (what a shame ) going to hit the water later this morning.

WOW! .Probably the best two hours of fishing I've ever had. Fished below zink in some riffles before it runs into the west end of the dam. Caught stripers and hybreds, 15 fish, more hybreds than stripers, the largest striper weighed 14 lbs and the hybreds were pretty much in the 6-7 lb range. Caught them on a modified clouser tied on a 3/0 circle hook with white and Chartreuse neck hackle feathers.

I'll be there, I'm actually going to start in the morning and take a break in the afternoon and be back that evening if I'm not already in the water I'll me you in the parking lot at the pedestrian bridge. Grey ford f-150 4X4 with trout unlimited sticker in back window. Gregg

Of course they are not shutting down untill 11:00 tonight, but I'm game anytime. I'll keep an eye on SWPA generation times and post when it looks good for a night of fly casting

It takes approximately 8 hrs for changes up or down below zink dam. If you are going to fly fish and are going to wade, anything over 2000 CFS makes it very tough. I've fished when only 100 CFS was running and have caught stripers. Water temp is what triggers spawning once the temp starts staying above 50 you'll find more fish. I start fishing middle of Feb and catch fish, you can check some of my older posts. Gregg

This is from the OWD web site The proposed Arkansas River Corridor (part of the Tulsa County Vision 2025 Plan) incorporates the establishment of numerous low-water dams throughout Tulsa County for the purpose of enhancing aesthetic quality and development opportunities. This stretch of the Arkansas River is typical of diminishing Prairie Rivers in that it is relatively shallow with braided channels and exposed sandbars. Additionally, floodwater and hydropower releases from Lake Keystone significantly contribute to this rivers flow regime. The addition of these proposed dams would heavily alter the "natural" state of this river by making it a series of long, skinny lakes. This stretch of the Arkansas River has traditionally been considered a prominent fishery providing recreational opportunities to Tulsa area residents. Furthermore, this system is highly valuable to the ODWC by providing striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and sauger (Stizstedion canadense) brood stock for use in the Oklahoma hatchery system. This great resource however, is only vaguely understood. The status and dynamics of this stock are not well studied, thereby impeding enlightened management to enhance this fishery. Specific information deficiencies include the origin of these fish, area of river occupied and movements. (Zale et.al. 1988). As of date, little research and attention has been directed at this system and predictions of how fish populations would be altered by these dams is only speculative. Sufficient baseline data is needed in order for the ODWC to take a stand on this issue or to make suggestions on dam construction (i.e. fish passage and striped bass collection

It will screw the striper and white bass fishing, stripers must have moving water to spawn, the moving water over the eggs is critical for hatching, but I'm not a biologist.

Hey Phil, Yes, char/white and grey/white in size #2 and 4 seem to out produce anything else I've tried.

Was able to throw a fly for a couple of hours yesterday morning from 9 - 11 am it was about 19 degrees when I started , there is'nt very much that keeps me from throwing flies had to dip my rod about every third cast, did catch a few fish, two sand bass and one striper.

Did pretty well today, fished in the pool below the gravel parking lot before you go all the way to the dam, only thing I could get them to hit was soft hackles, black and partridge / light green and partridge. Did catch one on a miricle midge. Missed alot of fish, fingers were pretty numb most of the time, snow flurries in the afternoon. Experimented with a gorrilla pod for digital camera.

Best Day I've ever had on the Arkansas. Started the day below PSO and caught a striper on first cast, caught around 10 more, a couple of spoonbills, and sand bass. Then went up below zink dam caught several large mouth and a bunch of sand bass, went back down to PSO couple more stripers, and two more spoonbills and decided to call it a day. Caught most of the fish on grey/white and char/white clousers.

Fished Hickory this morning 8:00 - 10:30 with my dad, from the helicopter to the low water bridge caught several fish but had to work hard for them. Being catch and release season there were not many fish in the creek, must be more catch than release season Took the poll, I am from Tulsa and fish Hickory when I am at my parents. Its is a great little stream to fish, with a little work could be much better, picked up alot of empty adult beverage cans as I fished.

Fished Thursday morning, shut down water at 9:30, fished below dam where riffles empty into the large pool. Started using #14 olive bugger, #16 soft hackles, very slow. I decided to go the opposite direction and tied on a #8 PMS, that was the ticket hooked up almost every cast, #8 ginger flesh bug, #8 chartruse/white double bunny, brown squrill zonker# 8 bead head bugger, fish trashed the flesh bug and bead head bugger. Caught around 50 fish when I quit a 3:00.

here's a pic, tough getting a good close up.

Had a good time at the one fly event, it ended a long weekend of fishing started at meremac springs on Fri. caught dozen fish all in the riffles using soft hackle, first time there not a very big area 1/2 mile of water inside park, then Taney on Sat. caught pretty much everything on san juan worm with grey scud dropper, one nice fish 18" range, about 11:30 got blown out of the water from the storm that came through so headed back to tulsa. One fly event started out kind of slow only 4 fish before lunch and almost quit but got my second wind and headed back to the pool below the gravel parking area and success my sixth fish was a nice 15 1/2" bow and caught two more before the 2:00 time limit. Met some nice people at the event and the chilli was great, will definately do it next year.

It was stocked on the 17th, my dad lives in Neosho and saw it being stocked and called me to let me know.

Sounds like a great time, I'll be there it will be my last stop on a holiday fishing tour; Montauk, Tany, lower Illinois.

There is a city campground on west side of Hwy 60 just south of the hickory creek bridge, no amenities does have electric and water hook ups. There is a city park that runs along about 80% of the creek with ball fields, playground equipment etc. Paved trail that runs along the creek, and a few easy access points,and the rest has lots of brush and posion ivy. But the fishings good, Good luck!

I dont think high water affects the hatchery, its been a couple of years since i've been there but i think the water is diverted into the hatchery so high water cant wash out any fish??????