Fishing The White 5/7 And 5/8

[vanven]

By now you might have ready a couple of my posts in asking for help planning a trip. This is a new one. I have decided to fish the White for a couple of days next month. I will be staying at Rim Shoals. Between the central location, satisfactory lodging, and water taxi service it seems like a really good fit.

I have spent the past 5 years learning Taneycomo, the Current, and some reluctant time in the parks. This is my first trip south of Missouri with a fly rod. Since I am limited to a couple days fishing and there are miles of river I am looking for some advice in where to fish. Rim Shoals is clearly going to be the easiest access for me but I would love to hear some local advice.

-Jerod

[Danoinark]

By now you might have ready a couple of my posts in asking for help planning a trip. This is a new one. I have decided to fish the White for a couple of days next month. I will be staying at Rim Shoals. Between the central location, satisfactory lodging, and water taxi service it seems like a really good fit.

I have spent the past 5 years learning Taneycomo, the Current, and some reluctant time in the parks. This is my first trip south of Missouri with a fly rod. Since I am limited to a couple days fishing and there are miles of river I am looking for some advice in where to fish. Rim Shoals is clearly going to be the easiest access for me but I would love to hear some local advice.

-Jerod

Jerod, I assume you will be wading so I would also suggest upstream at Round House Shoals, there is access from the same road that Rim is on. Also under the train bridge at Cotter, accessed at the public boat ramp at Cotter and upstream, would be another suggestion. Spend an afternoon at Quarry Park below the Norfork dam too. Easy access and good fishing. The other place is at the Handicapped access downriver with easy access at the town of Norfork. Hope you get low water.

Dano

[Grant Miller]

If you've got low water, you can spend a whole day at Round House. At least I know that I did and had great luck.....

[vanven]

I have my fingers crossed for low water. I will definitely be wading. In theory I want to fish both the Norfork and White while I am there with maybe a 4 hour chuck on each. That is why I am trying so dilligently to plan ahead. Chances are those plans will go out the window as soon as I unload to fish...

-Jerod

[Terry Beeson]

Four hours each? Definately Round House on the BS tailwaters and Handicap on the Norfork tailwaters... IF the water cooperates...

[vanven]

4 hours..........sounds so pathetic.

Some day I will be retired and looking for something to do besides fly fish...

-Jerod

[John Berry]

You need to get a copy of the Home Waters Book. It lists all accesses on the White and Norfork. Some accesses that I would consider other than Rim would be Roundhouse Shoals and Wildcat Shoals.

[Ham]

If the water level cooperates, you'll have all the fishing you can handle at Rim Shoals. I get wanderlust as bad as anyone can, but I really think you'd be better served learning Rim as well as you can IF you get to fish there.

QP is a great backup plan if the water level is too high in the White. I've had good luck at Ackerman as well, but the White may back up the Norfork so much that Ackerman is "flooded".

Don't try to do it all this one trip. I sincerely doubt one person every really learns all of the White in all of its water levels and seasonal vairety. Learn a little something about Rim and have fun catching a bunch of fish.

[Aaron Mills]

If the water level cooperates, you'll have all the fishing you can handle at Rim Shoals. I get wanderlust as bad as anyone can, but I really think you'd be better served learning Rim as well as you can IF you get to fish there.

QP is a great backup plan if the water level is too high in the White. I've had good luck at Ackerman as well, but the White may back up the Norfork so much that Ackerman is "flooded".

Don't try to do it all this one trip. I sincerely doubt one person every really learns all of the White in all of its water levels and seasonal vairety. Learn a little something about Rim and have fun catching a bunch of fish.

Just my two cents... I would only fish quarry park if The Handicap access is too high from backup of the White. Since the floods, the gravel bar at Quarry park goes all the way accross making it very easy for folks who aren't wading to fish the most productive runs. Meaning, one or two spin casters will command entire riffles and there is very little opportunity to get into the better runs there. At the handicap access, it's much more relaxed, much more water and you have to have waders making it a lot less crowded.

Rim Shoals on low water really is a fantastic place to fish with a good deep run, riffles some pocket water all together... and with high water, the taxi service can still produce some nice fishing. When you get into town, just check with the folks at the fly shop there, they will get you onto the fish. Great people.

Aaron

[Aaron Mills]

If the water level cooperates, you'll have all the fishing you can handle at Rim Shoals. I get wanderlust as bad as anyone can, but I really think you'd be better served learning Rim as well as you can IF you get to fish there.

QP is a great backup plan if the water level is too high in the White. I've had good luck at Ackerman as well, but the White may back up the Norfork so much that Ackerman is "flooded".

Don't try to do it all this one trip. I sincerely doubt one person every really learns all of the White in all of its water levels and seasonal vairety. Learn a little something about Rim and have fun catching a bunch of fish.

Just my two cents... I would only fish quarry park if The Handicap access is too high from backup of the White. Since the floods, the gravel bar at Quarry park goes all the way accross making it very easy for folks who aren't wading to fish the most productive runs. Meaning, one or two spin casters will command entire riffles and there is very little opportunity to get into the better runs there. At the handicap access, it's much more relaxed, much more water and you have to have waders making it a lot less crowded.

Rim Shoals on low water really is a fantastic place to fish with a good deep run, riffles some pocket water all together... and with high water, the taxi service can still produce some nice fishing. When you get into town, just check with the folks at the fly shop there, they will get you onto the fish. Great people.

Aaron