Flies For Arkansas River?

[loo10]

What are the flies I need to tie to fish the Arkansas River

when the stripers/whites/wipers start running?

I need to get started tying.

Thanks!!

[Terry Beeson]

Rich... Stop by BCO and get Michael and Jim to clue you in...

[Bill Butts]

Rich~

If you'll let the Forum folks know what part of the AR River you are planning to fish, that will be helpful in offering the best possible suggestions.

I'll provide my .02 worth and I'm sure others will, too.

Nearly as important as the fly patterns you fish is the line(s)you select to use, also.

You might note what line(s)you have in your follow-up, too.

Bill

[loo10]

I can fish whatever line I need to.

I have several including a Rio Versitip with 4 tips on it

from dredger to floating.

I've been told to tie clousers but that's all I know.

Im curious about size, color, etc.

besides other options that are tried-and-true.

Thanks in advance for any help.

BTW Terry...I WILL be checking with Jim and Michael. Thx!

[Bill Butts]

Rich~

Well, you didn't mention what part of the river you are planning to fish, but I will assume it will be the Zink Dam area, since that is where most of the guys from Springfield have fished.

The basic popular color combos will work very well, but others will too.

For any Temperate Bass (Striped, Hybrid Striped and White Bass)fishing, you need to have a selection of both neutral/natural and bright colors wherever you fish.

Therefore, the usuals of chartreuse/white, pink/white, purple/white, blue/white, chartreuse/orange, gray/white, olive/white, olive/orange, and all white will prepare you well (no, you don't need all these colors).

You also need to consider overall fly size, hook size, and weight.

If you tie with synthetic material, it gives you the option of being able to trim the length to a shorter size if necessary. I tie most of my Clouser style patterns on size 2 to 2/0 hooks in 4 to 6" lengths. This allows the alteration of the length and bulk with scissors I carry in my vest.

For eye size, for that river I use mostly the small size dumbell eyes, and sometimes the x-small and rarely the medium.

On the subject of lines, the most useful lines are a type 3 sink tip (4 feet of total leader, max.) and a floating line (in that order). Don't worry about tippet size too much, as long as you have a strong one, 10-15#, since Stripers are rarely leader shy.

Hope you find this helpful.

Let me know if further questions.

Bill

[Okieflyfisher53]

I would have waded in on this one sooner, but my power was out for 9 days because of the ice storm. With the off-colored water that we have had, chartreuse has been the hot color. The fly pattern isn't critical as long as it is chartreuse in color. When the water clears up, the colors that Bill mentioned can all be productive.

Steve

[Okieflyfisher53]

I have been hitting the river whenever the water is low enough to wade. A blue/white Clouser Minnow was the hot fly the last two times that I've been.

Steve;

[Zach Bearden]

Steve, PM Sent...