Little Missouri River?

[txspecks04]

Anyone have any experience on the Little Missouri River in Southwest AR? I live in Northwest AR and have no real knowledge of the area, but I am meeting some of my folks in Texarkana this weekend and would like to hit the water with my brother and Dad. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

tx

[ollie]

Yes, I do! I think maybe Ham can chime in on this one as well. It is a very beautiful stream with lots of snakes! If your trout fishing then you might get skunked. They do a winter stocking and not sure if they survive through the summer. It is like all other Ark. streams, in that it is dependant on the rain fall. Right now I would say it is pretty shallow in most areas. There are some deeper holes, but you have to hike a few miles to get to them. Watch your regs on the smallies as well. Limit use to be two with a size limit of some sorts, but I C&R so I'm not sure about that one. The streambed isn't anything like here in the Ozarks. It is more like out west with big boulders and lots of slick rocks! No gravel beaches and bluffs, but the scenery alone is worth every penny. We always stayed at the Albert Pike campground and you can't go wrong there. Let me know if you have anymore questions.

ollie

[Danimal]

Albert Pike campground is above Lake Greeson (sp?) and like Ollie said, is a really nice place to trout fish in the winter. Below the lake the river has a year-round trout fishery. Google Arkansas Trout -- Little Missourri flyfishing and it will take you to Jeff Geurins' website. You can find out all info you need from there. Good luck. Dan-o

[ozark trout fisher]

Albert Pike campground is above Lake Greeson (sp?) and like Ollie said, is a really nice place to trout fish in the winter. Below the lake the river has a year-round trout fishery. Google Arkansas Trout -- Little Missourri flyfishing and it will take you to Jeff Geurins' website. You can find out all info you need from there. Good luck. Dan-o

The catch and release area just below the dam holds trout all summer long, almost all rainbows, with a few browns. You'll find some fish there, but they are holdovers, and are surprisingly hard to catch. Below the summer catch and release area, and at Albert Pike, fishing is more of a spring and winter thing.

Small spinners and 1/64 ounce jigs are good bets.

[txspecks04]

Just thought I would let you guys know I did get out there on the 4th and had a pretty good time. Surprisingly quiet on the water with almost no other anglers around. I fished below the catch and release area since I didn't want to deal with the barbless hooks on this particular day.

Not a whole lot in the way of catching (two SMALLmouth on the fly), but beautiful scenery made up for it. Did run into quite a few snakes down there so keep your eyes open if you are headed that way. Also saw one little otter scurrying along the bank that morning, I was surprised he didn't have any buddies with him.

Thanks for the tips, had a great time on the water.

tx

[ozark trout fisher]

Just thought I would let you guys know I did get out there on the 4th and had a pretty good time. Surprisingly quiet on the water with almost no other anglers around. I fished below the catch and release area since I didn't want to deal with the barbless hooks on this particular day.

Not a whole lot in the way of catching (two SMALLmouth on the fly), but beautiful scenery made up for it. Did run into quite a few snakes down there so keep your eyes open if you are headed that way. Also saw one little otter scurrying along the bank that morning, I was surprised he didn't have any buddies with him.

Thanks for the tips, had a great time on the water.

tx

Sounds like a good time. As far as trout goes, its pretty dead below the catch and release area this year, too warm. Good place for smallies though. If you get up by the dam though, there will still be quite a few trout.

[curtis bias]

I'll be hitting the Little Missori once the weather turns a bit cooler and I can pry myself away from my day job. I heard the fishing there was quite good during the winter months. The guy I talked to said that if you can't catch and release 50 in a day, you aren't a very good fisherman. I feel better now that you guys say you didn't catch much there when you went. - It looks like a nice place to wade fish to me and it is close to my home.

[ozark trout fisher]

I'll be hitting the Little Missori once the weather turns a bit cooler and I can pry myself away from my day job. I heard the fishing there was quite good during the winter months. The guy I talked to said that if you can't catch and release 50 in a day, you aren't a very good fisherman. I feel better now that you guys say you didn't catch much there when you went. - It looks like a nice place to wade fish to me and it is close to my home.

It can be like that in the wintertime... In the heat of summer, you can still take trout, but their a lot more finicky.

[Ham]

Sorry I missed this earlier or I would have posted, but others covered it pretty well. It is for the most part a put and take fishery with very few trout holding over until the next winter. Fishing can be TOO easy if you arrive fairly soon after a stocking.

I prefer to fish the upper section in ALbert Pike because I've had too many trips cut short by unexpected generation on the lower section.

I've had some really good trips that helped me learn a lot about trout fishing with a flyrod. Wonderful hiking in Albert Pike area. Really pretty places that you should see.

I'll likely never go back to fish beacuse I live so close to Norfork and the White River, but for a long while it was the closest place with trout and a place I looked forward to travelling to.