Clay Goforth

Hey, I just re-read what I posted and wanted to apologize. What I said came across pretentious and was not my intention. I don't know if you took it that way but it was not intended that way. Specifically, the first line of "I don't know what part of the Buffalo you are fishing." I've seen your posts on the forum and respect the heck out of your fishing abilities. I was simply trying to let AustinAngler know that the lower Buffalo is a great option for camping on the river and catching lots of smallmouth. So…there's that.

True on Buffalo City being "up river" from the mouth, however I have seen lots of folks in kayaks paddle across the river and get to the small takeout area next to the boulder wall at the bottom of the White Buffalo Resort. Shipps is a much easier point though. Joe, I don't know what part of the Buffalo you are fishing. What you say is true about the upper due to the traffic but the last 26 miles in the Wilderness Area is crazy good. I think the next state record smallie could come from there. I've had 100 fish days on this stretch of water multiple times. Of course, all of this is dependent on weather...

I know there are a few campsites on or just off the river. The Snow access of Crooked Creek has a couple of good spots for camping and really solid fishing in the area. If you want to spend 3-4 days on the water camping in different areas, the lower Buffalo from Rush to Buffalo City. It is a fantastic float with very few people and great fishing.

Definitely a flip/pitch rig. The medium power is less important than the extra fast action. That extra fast action should give you the backbone you need. Also sounds like it might be a good shaky head worm rod for 8-15ft of water?

There are still some places to catch fish, even with the White River being high. With 7-8 units of water, the "Triangle" below Bull Shoals dam is a favorite spot of mine. It could be some work, but I imagine you could launch a kayak right at the triangle after carrying it down a bit of a trail. If you go to the Forrest Wood access and hike up toward the dam on that side of the river, the "Triangle" is the eddy water to the left of the dam (if facing it). The water should be fairly deep swirling water. You have to watch because the churn will push you back up toward the dam and into the restricted area if you are not careful. I'd throw 3/32oz or 1/8oz white jigs, and brown and orange jigs on 4lb test line. You might also catch the tail end of the "hopper" season for your fly rod. This is BIG BROWN TROUT territory. It is just a 5 minute drive from Bull Shoals state park. Another thing to try would be to go float crooked creek for smallmouth, which ends at the white river and there is excellent trout fishing at the mouth in this much big water. You could put in at an access down from Yellville. There will be quite a bit of dragging with as hot as it has been but the smallmouth will be stacked in pools. I'd throw a 5" trick worm wacky style or THE NED and fish super slow. The fish, while stacked, will be weary. Pitch in around the big boulders in the pools. At the mouth of the river where it dumps into the White, I'd throw at 3/32oz black or brown and orange jig on the 4lb test line again. You should find trout a good ways up into Crooked Creek looking for some reprieve from the flow. Remember, the good thing about big water on the White is that the big fish are more likely to eat what you are throwing.

Great post and awesome trip...

I would like to encourage everyone who can to come to the Guns n' Hoses Trout Tournament on August 22nd, hosted by none other than the one-and-only Lilley's Landing. Information can be found here: http://www.lilleyslanding.com/news/guns-and-hoses-2015-fishing-tournament It is a fun tournament benefiting a good group of folks and the Trophy Anglers Guild is sponsoring an additional $100 paycheck on the Big Fish, if it qualifies for the Trophy Anglers Guild. Sign up by filling out the entry form on the website or by calling Lilley's Landing.

Added pics...

This reel retails for $49.99. I bought it to put on a new TFO rod but then found an old 3wt Orvis Battenkill that I already had that I thought I had lost. I'd like $30 for the reel. It is new and in the box. I took it out long enough to put it on the rod before I went and happened to find the Battenkill. Make an offer if $30 is too high.

GREAT FISH!!! If the fished was released, you should submit to the Trophy Anglers Guild. It is a qualifying fish at 26". www.TrophyAnglersGuild.com (I apologize for the shameless plug)

Where is Patterson on this fog discussion? The reason that Phil, before every tournament, says, "Be careful leaving the dock. Idle out and take off slowly. We are all going to get to fish today. Don't ramp over anybody else's boat."

Glad you showed the "other side" of Phil. I spit coffee at the "I think I can make that…(CLANK!!!)…sorry, Larry." Great video, Phil. Great video.

I talked to him every time we went to Gaston's. The guy was as nice and genuine as they come.

http://www.ktlo.com/Jim-Gaston-champion-of-tourism-outdoors-legend-die/21741047 Jim Gaston, owner of Gaston's White River Resort, on the tailwater of Bull Shoals Lake, has passed away. Jim did more for the Bull Shoals Tailwater and trout fishing in Arkansas than, maybe, anyone else. He was a brilliant business man and extremely down to earth and approachable. The man loved the outdoors. Fishing has lost one of the greats.

http://www.ktlo.com/Jim-Gaston-champion-of-tourism-outdoors-legend-die/21741047 Jim Gaston, owner of Gaston's White River Resort, has passed.

http://www.baxterbulletin.com/story/news/local/2015/07/10/city-man-catches-pound-trout/29966553/ The girth on this thing...

I'm with Ham…a few years ago when the gates were opened, we went over a couple of weeks later and caught a mess of walleye just below the dam in the C&R. Best thing, you can keep them because they are an "invasive species" at that point.

I do love how beat up the mouth is on that fish…Looks like he might have been digging around in the rocks after the sculpin spawn or something.

I know, I know… I already posted this in the Norfork thread but a fish like this deserves to be shared in general angling discussion for all to see. I had nothing to do with this catch, just thought everyone might like to see this fish. Caught on the Norfork last weekend, 20.9lb brown trout, 33"long. Caught on a worm and power bait combo. Fish was kept and is being mounted.

A young guy caught this brute on the Norfork last weekend. 20.9lbs, 33". Fish was caught on a worm and powerbait combo. Fish was kept and is being mounted. Congratulations on the catch. Feel like I should mention, I had nothing to do with this catch. Just wanted to share the information because I hadn't seen anything about it on the forum.

I didn't post the location for sure. With most things I can be pretty loose lipped but that was a honey hole for walleye and I was not sharing.

First off, great topic for discussion... My worst fishing spot as of late is the white river between Lake Sequoyah and Beaver during the white bass run. It may not be that the fishing has gotten that bad, but I dislike "battle fishing" where you have to volley for position and people try to push you out of a hole, etc. I remember as little as 5 years ago when you could pull up to the parking lot/ramp at 7:30, launch a boat and go pretty much where you wanted to, catch a 100 white bass in a few hours, and go home. Now, if you don't hit the lot at 6:15, you won't find a spot, the ramp is always crowded, there are 50+ people lining the banks at the turn that is 75 yards down from the ramp, there are people standing and wading in every shoal from Walker's Bluff up to the Walleye Hole...which, how does everyone now know about the Walleye Hole when we used to putt up there, anchor, catch a limit, and leave without ever seeing another boat... This year, I went out a few times, battled it out with other boats (one time in Long Hole, just up from the ramp above the first shoal, I counted 15 boats), and caught maybe 30 white bass total across multiple trips...Used to, if you didn't catch 30 in an hour and a half, it was a slow bite.

They can definitely do that. Brock fishes out of a Supreme 207xp with with XL decks in the front and rear. He uses oars in the middle to maintain a drift. He'd be great to drive the boat, offer tips if wanted, and put you in areas to cast to big fish.

Pete, I don't. Knot for fly fishing (see what I did there). If you want to jig fish, then yes. If you want an absolutely incredible fly guide, North Arkansas Troutfitters is just awesome. (www.northarkansastroutfitters.com) The main guide is Brock Dixon. He is a younger guy and is passionate about big fish on the fly. I know a few weeks ago, he had a multi-boat trip and one of his boats caught a 32" 19lb brown on the fly. They are turning out tons of big fish right now with this higher water. You should check out some of the pics from their gallery on their website.

I couldn't, for the life of me, figure how to get the pics to turn right-side-up in the post.