I Need Help Planning A Trip!

[vanven]

The wife, 1 year old son, and I are taking a trip down to Arkansas from KC in early May. She gets 2 days in Eureka Springs, I get 2 days to fish.

Here is where I need help. I have to pick a river, find a place to stay, and do it soon. I had a thread in the Little Red Forum asking where to stay and got some great suggestions for all 3 rivers. That is covered. Now I have to decide where to go. In the next 3 years I will fish all three, but this year I get to pick one. Unfortunately my wife is dictating the budget and lodging and baby rule out a guide. Keep that in mind.

Requirements:

Fly fishing only

Catch and release

Walk in wading access

The opportunity to catch more than a brown/rainbow intrigues me

Won't be renting a boat

Close access to town/entertainment for wife/son if she decides to drop me off and take the truck

So far, I am leaning towards the White below Bull Shoals. It seems to have the easiest wading access, a fly shop close by, close access to decent lodging, etc.

I appreciate the input and advice.

-Jerod

[Terry Beeson]

...I am leaning towards the White below Bull Shoals. ...

That would most likely be my choice as well. Although you're not going to find much of anything other than Browns and Rainbows... Any reason not to stay in Eureka those days and fish Beaver tailwaters?

[vanven]

That would most likely be my choice as well. Although you're not going to find much of anything other than Browns and Rainbows... Any reason not to stay in Eureka those days and fish Beaver tailwaters?

Hey Terry,

I will be taking one for the team and pushing a stroller and window shopping the first two days. It does give me a chance to stock up at the Silly Chili though. It isn't fishing but it is fun time with the family.

I did fish Beaver two years ago and I have to say that I am not a fan. We were there during some generation and high water, much like Taneycomo most of it was unfishable. Wading access was a little more limited than Taneycomo and when the water was low enough to fish I found myself dodging the locals and their arrays of powerbaited Zebcos. It was not an endearing experience.

-Jerod

[OKFlyFisher44]

I would have to agree that the White is going to be your best bet. There's a lot of access all down that river along with tons of lodging. The Cotter area might be a nice place that the wife could kill some time while you're fishing. Lots of options for wading access too...Cotter access, Wildcat Shoals, Roundhouse Shoals, Rim Shoals....along with Bull Shoals State Park directly below the dam.

I haven't fished the White before but some friends and me are taking 4 days to fish several different places in the Ozarks and we're starting at the White just because of all the fishing options.

I loved the Norfork but it only has 2 access points to fish (both offer great fishing) and if they're generating, you're out of luck. With the White, you can go down to Rim Shoals and have the water taxi take you out onto the shoals and you can still fish even under generation.

[Greg]

Jerod - since you won't be renting a boat I would highly advise you to keep your options open to fishing both the Norfork and the White. I primarily wade and that's what my family and I do. We like to stay somewhere around Mountain Home. From there you are within an easy drive of the 2 Norfork accesses, Rim Shoals, Wildkat, Cotter, etc.Then where we fish just depends on generation. A lot of times if they are generating on the White - they won't be at the Norfork. Both are great to fish.

We were there 2 weekends ago and didn't get to fish the White due to the heavy generation but the Norfork was great. We didn't catch any brook but caught a # of cutthroat.

Just a thought. Hope you have a great trip.

Greg

[vanven]

Jerod - since you won't be renting a boat I would highly advise you to keep your options open to fishing both the Norfork and the White. I primarily wade and that's what my family and I do. We like to stay somewhere around Mountain Home. From there you are within an easy drive of the 2 Norfork accesses, Rim Shoals, Wildkat, Cotter, etc.Then where we fish just depends on generation. A lot of times if they are generating on the White - they won't be at the Norfork. Both are great to fish.

We were there 2 weekends ago and didn't get to fish the White due to the heavy generation but the Norfork was great. We didn't catch any brook but caught a # of cutthroat.

Just a thought. Hope you have a great trip.

Greg

This looks like great advice. Staring at the google map everything seems so far apart. Never realized that Norfork is only 20 or so minutes away from Cotter.

-Jerod