did you hear about the caddis hatch?
I may have mentioned it before, but this time of year is a magical time in the Ozarks. The white bass are running, the smallmouth are getting ready for the spawn (at least until the floods from yesterday) and the caddis hatch on the White below Bull Shoals has been as solid as I have ever seen it.
Every trip I have had out, clients have been overjoyed with the number and quality of browns we have been boating. Lots of fish are eating dries like an elk hair caddis, e/c caddis, and Lawson's EZ caddis with some sort of emerger dropper. For every fish you catch on a dry fly, you can honestly catch a dozen on deeper nymph patterns, and the fish aren't picky.
The hatch has reached river wide, but may get another hesitation due to the increase in generation also due to the flooding. It should continue through the end of April, but by then the fish will have become much more selective, eating cripples and spinners.
Also, don't forget about the Norfork. It has been touch and go with the generation, so be extra careful when wading. Keep an eye on a landmark, and if the water begins to rise, get off the river. It has been fishing extremely well with a variety of patterns including caddis imitations, midges, and san juan worms in the higher flows.
However you look at it, the fishing is stellar in just about every body of water you enter, so just get out there and get after them!