It's getting warmer out there...

And the fishing is getting ready to take off. This time of year, there is so much going on. Whether you are a dry fly fisherman looking to pick off some snobby surface feeding trout, dead set on catching some big ozark smallmouth, or chasing around the hillbilly cohos (white bass), there is some fishing out there for you. Just gotta get out and do it!​

​White River:

The Caddis hatch is on the brink of going nuts. There are already bugs coming off on certain stretches, but it should go river wide in the next few weeks. ​Think caddis pupa and larva and pupa patterns in the a.m., then switch over to your favorite dry fly pattern when you see some fish rising. 

The standard midges (zebras, rubys, etc.) are working great still, as well as San Juan Worms, Egg patterns, and some streamers if you can get the water to cooperate.​

There have been a lot of low water windows to get a full day of wade fishing in on the White, which has been rarer than bigfoot in the past several high water years. If we don't get any big rains in the next couple months, expect to see some of these low water patterns throughout the year. ​

Norfork River:

The princess of the tailwaters has been on fire lately, producing some really healthy fish, and some high numbers of rainbows and browns as well. Scuds, sowbugs, and midges are working particularly well, with some caddis patterns producing on days when the fish seem to be keyed on them more than usual. ​

They have amped up the generation on the Norfork as of lately, so be careful if you are wade fishing. Keep an eye out for a landmark and check it periodically to make sure you are not caught in rising water. You can't hear the horn blow at the walk-in access!​

White Bass: ​

It is almost time for it to kick off and the white bass should be charging up the rivers by the 1,000's to do their annual spawning dance. Keep an eye on the water temps, which can be found here.

​http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/rt

Just click the dot on the map where you want info for, and check out the graph for the levels and temps. This comes in very handy all throughout the year...​

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Brock DixonComment