Plenty Of Fish At Rim Shoals

[John Berry]

I took two clients into Rim Shoals yesterday. It looked like about two full generators. The water was lightly stained but the trout did not mind. It was sunny with a bit of wind. We had a cool start but it warmed nicely by the end of the day. During the morning, the action was non stop with at least one bent rod in the boat at all times and numerous doubles. The afternoon was a bit slower but still great. The only reason we quit was that my clients were from Memphis and wanted to catch the Tigers play in the NCAA finals (so did I). The trout were fat and fought particularly well. I saw JW and DW fishing in the area also. My hot fly was the Y2K. We also fished San Juan worms and fluttering caddis.

[Thom]

John:

I have fished rim shoals a couple of times and drove down a long country road to get to a private access. I am just curious as to where you access the area or what is the best way to get there?

[rps]

Public launches are above Rim Shoals at Cotter, and below it at Ranchette. Cotter is closer. Rim is two? maybe three shoals down. With two units boats can go both directions easily.

If you want to walk in you will have to deal with property owners. There is at least one dock/resort at the shoals. Take 62 east out of Cotter. Turn right on CR-4. Go south on CR-4. You will bear left when it joins Buford Cutoff. Turn right on Rim Shoals Road, also known as CR-58. Follow it West and South to the end. It doubles back some but keep going. I haven't been down the road in seven or eight years but those are the directions I had to the resorty/dock at the shoals.

BTW the pool just above Rim and below Redbud Shoals holds huge Browns throughout the summer. Don't hesitate to fish it as well as the CR area.

Good luck.

[Don Allenbaugh]

There is an excellent public ramp that the AGFC built at Rim Shoals. Easy to launch and retrieve and plenty of parking. Turn off 62 in Gassville at Red Bud Road, go to the stop sign and turn left on Buford. Follow it to you see the sign for Rim Shoals access and make a right. Immediately after crossing the railroad at the bottom of the hill you make a right and you are at the parking lot. If you want to wade turn left after you cross the RR and follow it to the end of the road. There is parking there and you have a 2 minute walk to the shoals.

[rps]

See there, better and more recent information. I should have expected the development. Reflecting on it, it has been at least four, maybe five, years since I even drifted past Rim. In the old days we put in at Cotter and fished down to Ranchette or Buffalo. We spent most of the time at Red Bud and Rim. The last few years I have gone back to fishing the upper end and have begun fishing Norfolk. Actually, I'm glad they made public access to that area easier. It is one of the premier areas on the river.

[John Berry]

I always access the area at the new AG&FC ramp that Don Allenbaugh wrote about. It is brand new has porta potties, picnic tables for shore lunches and plenty of great parking. If you forgot anything Gary Flipin has a fly shop adjacent to it. All that and good fishing.

[Project Healing Waters]

Not that it's much good right now with all the high water, but walk-in anglers should be aware that Gary Flippin & Co. (Rim Shoals Resort) have also cut a darned good trail and a series of accesses into Rim Shoals downstream of his resort below the railroad track grade. He has maps of all of this and more in the shop.

Rim Shoals is my favorite place to fish on the White River nowadays. I was never fond of hiking about a mile down a narrow railroad track with no real way to get out of the way of trains in order to fish. But thanks to Gary, nobody has to do that anymore.

[Terry Beeson]

Gary built those trails as a way to get OUT of the water at Rim when you've waded too far down and the water starts to rise. It was difficult at best to egress on the east side and you had to go to the west side and face a LONG hike back, not to mention getting back to the parking lot. I think he's getting tired of rescuing guys from the other side of the river... But as much, it is a great way to access great fishing, too...

By the way, if you stop in and catch Gary there, you should stop in and thank him for building those trails as I know at least a big chunk of the work and dollars came out of his pocket. And he can give you a heads up on when the water will rise or fall down to the minute... you can set your watch by his timing from changes in releases at BSD to the time it reaches Rim...

[Thom]

Thanks guys. All that is new from when I was there. WHAT A GREAT SITE FOR INFO!

[Don Allenbaugh]

Gary runs a taxi service out of the flyshop. He will drop you off and pick you up before the water comes up. He used to charge $10 a head but it might be more now. It is a good deal unless you can swim well.