Wadeing Trip Of A Lifetime (White River)

[ruthead]

O.K. fellow members. The wife has decided that this summer is the big wadeing fish vacation. This is kinda #2 sons graduation trip. SO, I'm looking for suggestions on where to go. Missouri or Ark for a week is about all our time schedule will permit. I've done a lot of surfing the net sorting through whats real and whats just a good website is kinda tough. We are also considering a guide probably for 1 day. While we are not experts we are not beginners after 18 years. Fairly versed in dry fly and indicator style fishing although we've been limited to Taney, Bennett Spring and Roaring River. We really enjoy Taney when the water is off or 1 unit. Any more flow than that and gets tough for wife to stand. Not shufflers or outlet fisherman. Wade water is the key.

I know a lot of you on here are very versed in the waters in this area. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated in helping me plan this trip for my family. If any of you feel you need any more info to steer me in the right direction please ask.

Looking forward to your responses.

I've posted this in additional forums for maximun exposure.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Nice people.

http://www.rileysstation.com/

[ruthead]

Looks like a nice place. How private is it? I guess what I'm saying is don't really want to be somewhere with 30 other people and kids running around. The more secluded or private the better.

[hoglaw]

There won't be a million people running around at Riley's. There are numerous buildings on the property and some neighbors, but the property is very isolated. I'd imagine there's good wading in the shoals on the other side of the island where the buffalo comes in, and certainly some good stuff upstream in the heart of buffalo shoals. But a boat would be a necessity to reach those spots I think.

If you're dead set on wading, there's always the public accesses on the norfork, or you could rent a canoe and float down it to reach some of the best wading water. The problem with the White and Norfork is predicting generation. No telling what it will be then. Typical summer flows are fairly low, but if we get a ton of water in the next few months, or if the week you go just happens to be a scorcher and there's a lot of power demand, you could be in higher flows and wading would not be an option at all.

[ruthead]

Thanks for reinforcing that. The generation thing is a crap shoot I know. That's one of my hang-ups on a trip to these places. Son is set on fishing for a big brown. Didn't know where else to look. Anywhere else anybody would suggest??

[Wayne SW/MO]

To add to it, they have some really nice cabins/small houses facing the river. The last time I was there people were wading across to the island and fishing around it, but I'm sure the river is ever changing so you'll probably have to ask about wading. I don't know what the new water release has done.

I would imagine there are still wading areas from Riley's all the way to the dam and that would be a plus. You could fish new water pretty often.

I assume he still rents canoes and like hoglaw said you could rent one of his canoes float back.

[joeD]

Of note, every wadeable stretch of the White is known to almost every fly fishermen. You will be sharing the river with many other anglers at any given time.

Now, if you want to broaden and deepen and fulfill your angling destiny, you should consider fly fishing for smallmouth bass. All the fun, and then some, without all the crowds.

[ruthead]

The smallmouth and solitude trip will come at a later date. That sounds very appealing. This is sons graduation trip and he wants to fish for a big trout so thats what we're gonna do. Sounds like it's not really the best time of the year for #'s of people or prime for big trout but this the last week of May is the time frame we have to work with.

I have a few places picked out but am still open to suggestions before we finalize plans.

[Jason R.]

If your son wants a big brown on the white- your chances will be higher in a boat with the water up. Most of the large browns I have caught have come on either large streamers or hopper flies (in the summer). Granted- wade fishing is more relaxing and simple and you absolutely can hook a large brown while wading- it is just less likely. I was just up there and got to wade on the Norfork a bit- caddis are starting to come off.

[ruthead]

Goin the 1st week of May so prolly early for the hopper bite. May opt for renting a boat one day, I know we're not there at the best time but it's what we have got to work with. Decided to stay at Rim Shoals Resort. Now tryin to plan where to fish from there and what I need to tie up for that time of the year.