Arkansas's Spring River

[Fox Statler]

If you are looking for solitude, beautiful scenery, and great streamer fishing, the Spring River in Arkansas is the place to be. Since I live only twenty miles from the Spring, I fish it quite often from September to May. Why? Well it's too cold for the weekend canoers, warm weather fishermen, and the summer drunks get frost bite falling in this time of year. While having the whole river by yourself is nice, it is not the reason I fish the Spring in the winter. I winter fish in the Spring for these reasons: Rainbows, Browns, Smallmouth, Shadow Bass, Spotted Bass, Walleye and the occasional Tiger Musky.

My favorite stretch of the Spring is from Dam 3 downstream to Bayou Access. This portion of the Spring has lots of fast rushes that empty into deep pools. During the Christmas Holidays I fished from Bayou Access upstream to Needle Eye and back. There was a cold front moving in so the trout fishing was excellent. I caught the majority of my fish on a Spinner'd Minner with a Black Olive back, Electric Banana belly, Gold Holographic Mylar Motion mid stripe, Gold #1 Inline Blade, and a Gold 5/32 bead. If you are not familiar with the Spinner'd Minner pattern you can find it on my site at this link, http://www.willowford.net/Spinner'd%20Minners.html

This pattern is always a great producer on cloudy days in the Spring River. The day after Christmas was a wonderful day, I lost four of these to a couple of large Browns and two gigantic Tiger Muskys. One of the Muskys I never raised except for seeing his fleeting tail. The other one (about 45 inches long) did a thirty second tail walk before breaking me off. I would suggest fishing 20# Steel Leader, 13# just doesn't cut the mustard. I caught about 15 Rainbows of 16 inches and 5 Browns about the same size.

I am heading there tomorrow and try my luck again. It is suppose to be windy and overcast so the same pattern should work again. If it is a clear windy day a Cop Colored Spinner'd Minner (black back, white belly, silver blade and bead) works the best. I hope ya'll decide to stay at home so I can have the river to myself again.

Fishin' What They See,

Fox Statler

[Troutn]

I was hoping that you would be able to give me some information about the State Park area. I work for the rail road and am down there a good bit. I have been curious as to if it would be worth my time and effort to get out of state tags. license? I would be fishing the areas closest to the state park and no nothing of the area. I would greatly appreciate any feedback you might have. Thanks a ton!

Nathan

[Fox Statler]

Troutn,

The State Park area is fished the hardest and it is pretty hard wading, granite rocks about the size of basketballs. Don't fish right up next to the dam at the Park. The water from the spring contains so much nitrogen that only Ozark Sculpins and Grass Pickerel can live in it. The Warm Fork of the Spring comes in just downstream from the dam and cures this problem, but the two waters need time to mix. I have fished alot past the island down by the parking lot on the town side of the river. There are lots of mayflies, caddis, crawfish, sculpins, and minnows (the bleeding shiner being the most plentiful). This portion of the river is stocked every Thursday. As you get downstream where Dam #2 used to be the water slows and begins to form the Clear Springs lake. In my personal opinion, I think the biggest fish in the river can be found in the lake. Why? It isn't fished hard and there is plenty of food in the area. There are still several very large Tiger Muskies in the lake. You can often see them lounging around over the weeds. My favorite flies for this area are #6 olive River Bottom Colored Sculpins, Bleeding Shiner Clousers, and Bleeding Shiner Spinner'd Minners. Olive Woolly Buggers also work but I won't use one. Hope this helps.

Fishin' What They See,

Fox Statler

[Brian Wise]

Where do you get your spinner blades Fox? I'd like to throw some of them things at some Smallmouth.

Brian

[Fox Statler]

Brian,

I carry them in my shop but you can order them online at http://www.staminainc.com/spinnerblades/inline_regal.html.

These are the best inline blades because they are real silve and gold finishes which reflect the light better than nickel.

For painted inlines this is the link to the premium blade finishes, the chartreuse and black are great for muddy water,

http://www.staminainc.com/spinnerblades/inline_premium.html

Surprisingly they catch trout as well as bass. I use #1 and #2 size blades. A stiff action four weight rod can cast a #1 blade but you will need a seven weight and bigger for the #2 blades.

I need to revise the article that I wrote on them because I make them three ways to adjust them for the types of fishing I do. Light for trout, medium for bass and bigger trout, and heavy for tiger musky and pike.

Fishin' What They See,

Fox Statler

P.S. Almost for got the Michigan and Indiana fishermen are using them with great success for Steelhead.

[Troutn]

I really appreciate the info. I will have to go down there and do some looking now before I invest in out of state tags. I'll let you know if I do any good once I get legall, and thanks again.

Nathan

[justfishing55]

Fox,

I just got off the phone with Tom at Flydepot.com and he was raving about the Spring. I'm heading South from St. Louis on 3/1 on my way to the White, and eventually to Alabama. I was planning on fishing the North Fork of the White, but would like to hit the Spring if it's not too far out of the way. How long would it take me to get from Mammoth to Mountain Home? How far are you from Tecumsah, and what's the best (fastest) way to get there?

Thanks

[Fox Statler]

If you are going from Mammoth to Tecumsah, go north of Mammoth to West Plains, then take 160 across. It should take about an hour and 45 minutes at the max.

[justfishing55]

Fox,

Thanks. I'll probably start out at ROLF and depending on how it's going head over to Spring River. I've gotta be at Fulton's that evening so I shouldn't have a problem. I'll let you know how it goes. Looks like they're getting some snow today.

[Watcher]

I just came through Hardy & Mammoth Spring today. They have the Spring drained and running full stream into the river. The river is stained and at normal level.

I talked to the lady who owns the local tackle store about the fishing between Mammoth and Cold Springs Dam. She said it was fair and the hot bait was a black and gray elk hair midge. I have not seen one tied but I guess the locals know what work's..

I have another trip down through there in two weeks and I plan on doing some fishing at the Horseshoe falls.Well let you know.

I was also by Salem AR, today and the South Fork River looks great. The tackle shop guy told me the Walleye's are starting to hit Jigs in the deep holes below falls.