Me and some buddies have decided to take our final spring break trip to do some fly fishin. We are tryin to decide between the spring and the white rivers. We can bring canoes if needed, but would prefer to wade. Do any of you fellers know of a place we could go camp and find some decent fishing in mid march?

if you want to just fish/relax then upper white is the place to go. Anywhere from cotter to Calico rock, even the Norfork is good, might be better for wade fishing. I would bring canoes for sure that time of year for when they start to generate

I know of a camp ground right outside of calico rock by linseys trout dock, can rent boats there too but if they are generating you might have to drive or paddle a ways to find some wadable water

i think this is it here, https://www.google.com/maps/preview/@36 ... a=!3m1!1e3

I am sure there are ton more up and down the river, i would look into the norfork too for wade fishing but i can't even begin to offer advice on it up there since we normally just fish around calico rock

The spring really is more of a floating river, not to say you can't catch good fish in there but nothing like the white, more of a party river but may be deserted in the spring time.

There is a good camp ground at many islands on the spring, only one i have stayed at

Between those two, I would suggest the White River around the Mountain Home area. You have the White, Norfork, Buffalo, and Crooked Creek all within a 30 minute drive.

The problem with the White and Norfork and trying to wade fish is that they are lake tail waters and thus subject to rapid rise and fall of the generation schedules. And in the spring time in Arkansas you could have a very short window for wade fishing due to heavy spring rains. You can still fish while they are generating, but it requires a boat. However, I wouldn't take a canoe down the White or Norfork while they are generating, especially the White.

There are guides, camp grounds, cabins and outfitters all over that area. I've never used any myself, but I have camped at the Corp of Engineer campgrounds below Lake Norfork.

Here is a link to the generation schedules. Just click on what day you are wanting to look at.
http://www.swpa.gov/generationschedules.aspx

Thank y'all for the help I really appreciate it. I was worried about the canoe thing because i have hunted the white around Clarendon for 2 years now and I'd never put a canoe on it. I've just never ventured up north. I would imagine we'll try the calico rock area I'm about to get back on Google and start figuring out exactly where we're gonna camp. Again, thanks for the help guys

The white is nice hit I think you'd be far happier on the Little Red. I live about 10-15min from there and it is wonderful. Plenty of places to camp, rent a house on the river, stay in a motel, or whatever. There are plenty of areas to wade, walk in access, catch n release, float, do it all. I wouldn't go to the spring but that's just me. If you need more info let me know.

well if the little red is in play then i go little red, save you a couple hours in drive time too

like Arguide said plenty of places to camp, wade, walk ins etc. Being a smaller river too a canoe would be easy to get around in too.

Little red is only 30-45 mins from me and i try to go up there often

The Little Red is nice. There is a place called Red River Trout dock we stayed at last summer. My friend has made several trips down there in the winter time with some of his closest fraternity brothers as a way to stay in touch with his buddies. They have cabins and campsites to stay at. Nothing fancy at all, but it works. Good folks and a family run business. They even have flatbottom boats you can rent. Three of us spent 2 nights and 2 days on the river for about $170 a piece and we stayed in one of their cabins. Granted we had our own boat and local licenses. The AR Game and Fish stocks more trout in the Little Red than they do anywhere else in the state. They even have a sustainable breeding population of browns. There are several walk in access points within 20 river miles of the dam. When they are not generating it would be feasable to use a canoe to get around. I would classify the Little Red as more of "drop pool" type of river. Meaning that there are sets of rapids that drop into long deeper pools. I have been told by grandpaw that the Little Red was a helluva smallmouth stream before they put the dam in several decades ago. If nothing else, I would swing by the Red River Trout Dock to pick up your flies and jigs. They have locals that tie good patterns for very good prices and you can ask them what patterns they are bitting on.

http://www.redrivertroutdock.com/index.htm

There is a place right across the river called Lindsey's it is more fancy, which translates into more money. There is even a brand new Holiday Inn close to the dam, if you don't mind a 10-15 minute drive to the river.


You can also check out the fishing report on agfc.com reguardless of where you go in AR.

Awesome! Looks like the little red river is what we'll be doing. Gotta figure out whether we're gonna camp or rent a cabin, but from the sounds of it the red seems much more newbie friendly (never caught anything but bream and bonefish on a fly rod). I'll give the folks up there a call a little later in the week after I get done bugging my boat builder .. Y'all have been a huge help thanks a lot

http://www.heber-springs.com/resorts-little-red-river

http://www.arkansas.com/m/places-to-go/ ... .aspx?id=9

http://www.arkansas.com/outdoors/canoei ... river.aspx

Don't know these folks but you should be able to find a lot of places like this:
http://www.riverhideawayhebersprings.com/index.htm

Seems like good prices here:
http://www.redrivertroutdock.com/rates1.htm

http://www.swl-wc.usace.army.mil/pages/ ... reersf.htm

Hadn't done it in a while but this used to be the number to the dam and you could listen to a recording to see if they were generating. 501-362-5150. If they are just move downstream if you are wading.

Little Red River Description
The Little Red River runs through the gateway of the Ozarks near Heber Springs, Arkansas. It is a tailwater. The dam creates a massive lake, Greers Ferry. Below Greers Ferry Dam you will find some of the country’s best trout fishing. The Little Red rolls along 82 miles before it meets up with the White River. Roughly 45 miles of this are considered quality trout water. The river is full of a healthy population ...

of rainbow trout. Some are wild, but most are stocked. The jewels of the famed Little Red are the brown trout. Our browns are an all wild population. Recently, the Little Red River was the home of the world record brown trout. Part of the Little Red’s success is the abundant aquatic life. Most of these fish are getting fat on crustaceans, sow bugs, scuds, and crawfish. And of course, the larger browns enjoy a rainbow snack. We have a few hatches consisting of march browns and caddis that can deliver some dry fly fishing. Nymphing ends up being the standard for most. For those that are looking for large browns the Red is a streamer fisherman’s delight. Come anytime of year. With constant water temperatures, the Little Red is a TRUE year round fishery.

Thanks a lot ARGuide I'm in the process of checking all these links out. Started this thread completely ignorant and now got a good little trip coming together.

Let me know how it goes and if you need something let me know.

Check this video out:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=c4-f ... pyTOHtuNEc

Of course as you know the river varies compared to where they are fishing. It can be wider, deeper, etc.

Thanks to all you fellas who helped us out with suggestions. We stayed at JFK park and got a spot right on the river that could mot have been prettier. We fished for a couple hours the first afternoon with no luck, but with a couple of fly changes and a switch to thinner tippet we started wearin them out. Caught our limit and released a couple extra on both days and had a few really nice fish landed. I'm in the process of getting all the pictures on my phone and will update as I can. Here are a few

Where did yall fish? I hang around the Little Missouri.

Sorry I didnt see this. I would have let yall stay at my houseboat, its a 5 minute drive to the river. Let me know if yall make a trip next year.

On the little red river. We fished right behind the camp in john f Kennedy park early in the Mornin and right at dark and were wearin em out on the gray and purple haze sow bugs, durin the middle of the day we fished Barnett (downstream of the bridge) and had a lot of luck with the gray sow bugs with a zebra midge dropper. We are in oxford, so it's only a 3.5 hr. drive so we are planning another trip in 3 weeks or so. And man I really appreciate the offer I really might take you up on that, and even if your using your houseboat you'll have to come fish for an afternoon with us. Lord knows I need all the help I can get with this stuff. But it's addicting as all get out and I've been bit by the bug for sure.

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Looks like a great trip. Thats an awesome looking rod. Any idea how old it is? I have a split bamboo rod my great grandfather built in the 1930s...Would love to catch a couple fish on it and retire it for good.

I know it is a 1950's rod. And i'm pretty sure it's an E Eggington and sons. This was it's last trip ever as well. I will say I'll miss that perinne automatic reel. It's a cool little deal

Yeah i noticed that too. very nice setup. Id say you definitely retired them after the right trip

I just thought about y'all and wondered how the trip went. I glad you posted some good results. In that second pic you are not far from a very, very good spot.

I sure am glad it worked out well.

The place you camped is also great in the hot summer because the river keeps it cool.