Newbee To The White River

[EricinNWMO]

I am planning a fishing trip to the white in the end of march. I will be fly fishing and using a spinning rod. I am also planning on having a guide for the first day of fishing. I would like to know what I should bring and what generally works well. I have also thought about renting a boat after the day with the guide. Any help or thoughts for a first timer would be great. Thanks in advance.

[John Berry]

Newbie,

Everything depends on the water level at that time. We have had two high water years in a row but we might have lower water then. I would bring my waders and stay flexible in case you need to fish from a boat. Check out my weekly fishing report to monitor conditions.

[Ham]

Learn your access points. There is a nice free map available at Blue Ribbon Fly Shop. Learn the impact on where/how you can fish based on how much water they are running. Sometimes the Norfork will be "better" fishing. By "better" I mean lower flow for boating or water off for wading.

The White River is tremendous. I do not believe anyone person could ever learn it due to its length and flucuations in water level/flow rates and seasonal variations.

Hiring a guide the first day is a good idea. Get some tips from him on running the boat if you are going to rent a boat the next day.

Drop in one of the fly shops and buy 3 each of 3 or four patterns to learn what is the hot fly at the moment.You can read John Berry's fishing reports current and archived to get LOTS of background information.

Are you coming in for the Sowbug event? If not, you might want to plan your trip to avoid that peak time of river use.

[EricinNWMO]

When is the sowbug event. We were planning on last week in march.

[Yakfly]

Fly and spin fishing both. Sounds a lot like me!

Fly rodding, I'd load up with woolies - olive, black, brown, size 6-12, get it on the bottom with weighted flies, split shot on leader, or sink tip lines, or combo whatever it takes. March should start some soft hackle action, fish knee deep riffles orange, green, yellow SH. Always bring some nymps, San juans, scuds/sowbugs, etc...

Spin rodding, spinners, spoons, small crankbaits. Mepps/roster tails/panther martins etc... silver forbright days, gold for overcast... 1/4 oz down to 1/16 oz depending on water flows and levels. Littlecleo spoons, Thomas bouyant spoons, etc - same color and sizes as for spinners. Rapala countdown crankbaits, minnow imitations - silver/black, gold/black. Also big jerkbaits if you fish high water.

Great idea about getting a guide, hopefully he's someone who can give you info on spin and fly. Main thing is learn how to handle a boat on that water, only anchor up when its safe to do so and LEARN when it is SAFE and when its not.

[gotmuddy]

I haven't been since a few days before Christmas but we were catching them right and left about a mile below the buffalo city access in a tiny creek. I plan on going Saturday and trying it again. A few guys at work(Eaton) have said that they wouldn't eat fish from crooked creek because of the polution, has anyone noticed a different flavor or anything from there?

[taxidermist]

No difference in flavor of fish from Crooked Creek. Remember CC dumps into White River some 7 miles up river from Buffalo City.

Marshal, St Joe, Jasper and many more city sewer systems dumo into BUffalo one way or another.

I think the worst problem is turkey farms.

Just look for worms in the fish. They say if the fish is cooked there is no harm, but why take a chance.

Look at the cities that dump stuff into Whtie River, from Fayettville on down!!

[Ham]

The Sowbug is March 18,19, and 20.

[Hotdawg Guide Service]

I am planning a fishing trip to the white in the end of march. I will be fly fishing and using a spinning rod. I am also planning on having a guide for the first day of fishing. I would like to know what I should bring and what generally works well. I have also thought about renting a boat after the day with the guide. Any help or thoughts for a first timer would be great. Thanks in advance.

The best thing you wrote was that you were going to get a guide the first day!! The White when the water is running like it has been lately is intimidating and sometimes even outright dangerous to a novice! The fishing from a boat has been phenominal as of late with 100 fish days of spin-fishing the norm. 4-6 pound line with a medium light 6 foot 6.5 foot spinning reel with a good drag system and you will be fine as to a guide ask them how long they have had a guide licence then ask for references to find a good one! Good luck Hotdawg!