Fishing Report from the AR River

[Bill Butts]

On Thursday and Friday, I returned to the AR River in Tulsa with my fishing buddy for over 30 years, John Smallwood. After a great day of action the preceding Monday by myself, John's anticipation was high and so was my anxiety to either repeat the experience or improve the size factor with fewer numbers. The only way to describe our preparation status would be "thoroughly-prepared". Many rods, reels, lines, flies, clothing and peripheral equipment like wading staffs, Boga grips and digital camera.

Weather and water are factors you can only respond to, not control. The AR River is a huge river basin of at least 400 yards width in the area below Zink Dam (small, 8 feet high) where it is well known to hold lots of hungry stripers. However, the actual flow through this stretch of river is very small currently with the lakes being low and a warm winter creating very low power demands at Keystone Dam about 15 miles upriver.

Thursday was a warm day, up to near 70, but windy windy windy. The water flow was stronger and a little higher than my experience on Monday so it was different to wade and fish. We were excited about the prospects of two additional well-known runs within walking distance of where I'd fished previously. Every area we fished dilligently gave up some fish but they were few and far between, very small and very hard-earned considering the wind. We shared the river with only one other fisherman, Eric Davis, a pilot and fellow-flyfisher that now resides in Tulsa who we spent considerable time with and learned he had spent some collegiate years in Fayetteville and knows our friends Todd and Mike at McLellans Fly Shop. He had apparently heard about my success from the local shop, D&B Outfitters, so I was disappointed we couldn't put him right on some fish since it was his first experience with AR River Stripers.

On Friday, after a storm blew quickly thru Eastern OK the preceding night and then turned sharply colder, the ferocious wind turned very bitter with morning temps in the 30's though the high was predicted to be about 50. We agreed our only prayer for success would probably be to have lower water flow. To our surprise and delight, we found the river to be about the same level as I fished on Monday. Not another fisherman on the river. Anticipation was running high, though not as high as the wind which averaged a consistent 25-30 mph with stronger gusts on a regular basis. All the prime holding water looked even better with less water flowing through them. I really thought it was just a matter of time until we hit a run with some really nice fish, or at least a substantial number of smaller fish. We never really found either though we caught more total fish on this day than the previous.

Our approximate totals for both of us for 1.5 days of fishing were 30 Stripers, 30 White Bass and 12 Spotted Bass. Not impressive, and the size made that even less impressive. John finally caught a Striper between 2-3#, the largest of the trip. We fished the best water in the half mile below Zink Dam very hard and I am sure if there had been lots of fish we would have caught many more. For some unknown reason, there just weren't that many fish in there. This can change the very next time the water flow is considerably higher which causes the resident fish to move up and down the river. It was a fun trip with just enough fish to make it interesting, with a great fishing buddy.

Note: There are just a few things I want to mention that I firmly believe to be essential to safety on this river. Metal cleats on felt or rubber soled waders, a wading staff and a cell phone. I wouldn't even consider wading that river without all of these items.

[Phil Lilley]

We need to pick a good weather day and just go Bill... we need some good pics for the board!

Business trip!

[jay bird]

Sound like I need a new job. My business trips do not usally involve a fly rod. Did you just fish below Zink or did you also try Keystone. Okieflyfisher seems to fish both and I was wondering if they will be at different levels at the same time. So if one has to much water run up and see what the other one is doing. Planning a trip the end of January to try it out.

[Bill Butts]

Sound like I need a new job. My business trips do not usally involve a fly rod. Did you just fish below Zink or did you also try Keystone. Okieflyfisher seems to fish both and I was wondering if they will be at different levels at the same time. So if one has to much water run up and see what the other one is doing. Planning a trip the end of January to try it out.

Jay,

I am still learning the river (its huge and long) but all my experiences have been right below Zink Dam.

Keystone Dam is about 15 miles above Zink, so water takes an average of 8 hours to reach Zink once it is released at Keystone (the variable is how much water is released.....the more water volume the faster it travels).

I was told access close to Keystone is not very good, but I haven't personally checked it out.

I have learned about a few other access points downstream from Zink, but haven't fished any of them yet.

I believe Okie has been fishing just below Zink, recently.

Isn't that right, Okie?

[Okieflyfisher53]

Jay,

I am still learning the river (its huge and long) but all my experiences have been right below Zink Dam.

Keystone Dam is about 15 miles above Zink, so water takes an average of 8 hours to reach Zink once it is released at Keystone (the variable is how much water is released.....the more water volume the faster it travels).

I was told access close to Keystone is not very good, but I haven't personally checked it out.

I have learned about a few other access points downstream from Zink, but haven't fished any of them yet.

I believe Okie has been fishing just below Zink, recently.

Isn't that right, Okie?

Bill,

You are right. I have been fishing below Zink Dam, which is a low-water dam. The area directly below Keystone dam is big water and not really suited to fly fishing. There are areas between Keystone dam and Zink that are wadeable if you can find a place to access the river. On a good day I can catch all the fish I want to catch in the 31st and Riverside area of the river so I haven't explored other areas yet.

Steve

[jay bird]

Thanks guys I am looking forward to trying it out. If either of you could give me some simple directions I would really appreciate it. Thanks Jason

[Bill Butts]

Thanks guys I am looking forward to trying it out. If either of you could give me some simple directions I would really appreciate it. Thanks Jason

Jay,

directions will be simple no matter where you're coming from.

but, i forget where you live.

let me know and i'll provide you the info.

thanks.

[jay bird]

Jay,

directions will be simple no matter where you're coming from.

but, i forget where you live.

let me know and i'll provide you the info.

thanks.

I live in Cassville, MO. I will probably meet my fishing buddies in Aurora and hit 44 west. Thanks again for the info.

[Bill Butts]

I live in Cassville, MO. I will probably meet my fishing buddies in Aurora and hit 44 west. Thanks again for the info.

Jay,

Take I-44 all the way into Tulsa ($3.50 each way on the OK turnpike). If you want to go straight to the river access, stay on 44 and take the Riverside Dr. exit. (If you pass over the river, you've gone too far.) You will turn right onto Riverside, and go just several blocks to the stoplight at 31st St. Turn right onto to 31st and immediately (50 ft.) left into a parking lot. Go to the end of the parking area to park.

There are almost always people parking there and walking, biking, rollerblading along the paved public trails.

You will need to walk over the street on the catwalk if there is a lot of traffic (sometimes there isn't too much traffic, but it is safest to cross over the top), then walk downstream of the huge flagpole about 100 ft and then down to the river below the Zink Dam (about 8 ft high). This gets you to the right area on the river.

The tricky part that is very difficult to advise you accurately on is the current water flow. You can access the water flow data via the internet, but it still doesn't tell you exactly what the flow at Zink Dam is because it is about 15 miles above Keystone Dam where the releases occur. I have fished it when the water was all the way from 200 to about 800+ cfs and honestly it doesn't look a lot different. That 4x difference is very misleading, because you will see more change is current speed than in depth (remember the river basin is about 400-500 yards wide). This will all more a lot more sense to you once you've seen it.

Here is the web link for the AR River at Tulsa (measured some miles below the Dam, but not sure where):

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=07164500

I am asking that Okieflyfisher53 also provide some input for you as far as interpreting the water levels.

It would be best for me to talk directly with you about the specific primary areas we fish before you head down there. This is not intending to hide any info from the Forum readers, it's just too hard to accurately describe in text because much of it is so non-typical of what you would expect to see. I'm willing to help anyone with the info they need.

Please heed my suggestions (from my report) about wearing studded-sole wading boots and using a wading staff. You will feel and be much safer with them. I've waded and fished tailwaters for 35 years and I will NEVER go to that one without the above. That tailwater has its own uniqueness of terrain. Also, tote your cell phone in case the worst scenario would occur and you get stranded (unlikely but not impossible).

I would highly suggest you get in touch with Butch or Rex at D&B Fly Shop in Tulsa. They can help advise you about water levels, too. (918) 492-1866

If you go by there first, take I-44 to I-244 to Hwy 169(south) to 61st exit. Turn right (west) onto 61st, go several lights to Sheridan, turn right onto Sheridan and almost immediately into the strip shopping center on the left. (hours are 10 to 6, but not sure about weekends). Nice folks.

By the way, you can obtain your OK fishing licenses online at www.wildlifedepartment.com

I would be glad to hook up with you by phone prior to your trip.

Hope this lengthiness is helpful.

[jay bird]

Jay,

Take I-44 all the way into Tulsa ($3.50 each way on the OK turnpike). If you want to go straight to the river access, stay on 44 and take the Riverside Dr. exit. (If you pass over the river, you've gone too far.) You will turn right onto Riverside, and go just several blocks to the stoplight at 31st St. Turn right onto to 31st and immediately (50 ft.) left into a parking lot. Go to the end of the parking area to park.

There are almost always people parking there and walking, biking, rollerblading along the paved public trails.

You will need to walk over the street on the catwalk if there is a lot of traffic (sometimes there isn't too much traffic, but it is safest to cross over the top), then walk downstream of the huge flagpole about 100 ft and then down to the river below the Zink Dam (about 8 ft high). This gets you to the right area on the river.

The tricky part that is very difficult to advise you accurately on is the current water flow. You can access the water flow data via the internet, but it still doesn't tell you exactly what the flow at Zink Dam is because it is about 15 miles above Keystone Dam where the releases occur. I have fished it when the water was all the way from 200 to about 800+ cfs and honestly it doesn't look a lot different. That 4x difference is very misleading, because you will see more change is current speed than in depth (remember the river basin is about 400-500 yards wide). This will all more a lot more sense to you once you've seen it.

Here is the web link for the AR River at Tulsa (measured some miles below the Dam, but not sure where):

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=07164500

I am asking that Okieflyfisher53 also provide some input for you as far as interpreting the water levels.

It would be best for me to talk directly with you about the specific primary areas we fish before you head down there. This is not intending to hide any info from the Forum readers, it's just too hard to accurately describe in text because much of it is so non-typical of what you would expect to see. I'm willing to help anyone with the info they need.

Please heed my suggestions (from my report) about wearing studded-sole wading boots and using a wading staff. You will feel and be much safer with them. I've waded and fished tailwaters for 35 years and I will NEVER go to that one without the above. That tailwater has its own uniqueness of terrain. Also, tote your cell phone in case the worst scenario would occur and you get stranded (unlikely but not impossible).

I would highly suggest you get in touch with Butch or Rex at D&B Fly Shop in Tulsa. They can help advise you about water levels, too. (918) 492-1866

If you go by there first, take I-44 to I-244 to Hwy 169(south) to 61st exit. Turn right (west) onto 61st, go several lights to Sheridan, turn right onto Sheridan and almost immediately into the strip shopping center on the left. (hours are 10 to 6, but not sure about weekends). Nice folks.

By the way, you can obtain your OK fishing licenses online at www.wildlifedepartment.com

I would be glad to hook up with you by phone prior to your trip.

Hope this lengthiness is helpful.

Thanks for the great information. I will take you up on the phone call before we go fishing the last weekend in January.