For the majority of my guiding career, 95% percent of my trips have been trout trips. There are multiple reasons for this, but mainly due to the fact that most of the places I have guided are exclusively trout fisheries like Montana and Chile. In Alaska I guided all five species of salmon and trout. Arkansas is a different story.
I've grown up in this area. I cut my teeth on t
iny warm water creeks, rivers, and lakes. As I progressed as a fisherman, the challenge of trout drew me to the cold tailwaters of the White River Basin. I've guided them for sometime. I really enjoy it. My clients also enjoy it. Who wouldn't? The White River boasts a bajillion fish a mile, and the chance for that monster kicker fish. But I still found myself fishing the warm water species on my days off.
Sound logic kicked in a few years ago. If I enjoy this I'm sure my clients will be tap dancing at the end of the day as well. Thus the warm water portfolio began to develop.........
The season starts off at the end of March with the white bass run. This is a no brainer. Constant action, the occassional striper. More importantly, its a way to keep my sanity after keying on one species (trout) all winter long. They're not picky.....consequently my rusty bass flies from the prior year get used up. Its like fly fishing's version of spring cleaning. Can'
t be too rusty, because I don't want that rogue 20 lb. striper chomping the thing in half.......
Funny I should have mentioned the striper, because its next on the calendar. This one can be tough. I've got a group of clients that are all gung ho on these things. Tough part is
, the stars have to align to get these critters to come shallower then 20 ft. deep. When the conditions are right. I start making despereate phone calls.
Forrest: "Joe Angler.....its on....get here in three days?"
Joe Angler: "ehh...how good is it? taxes are due this week"
Forrest: "Well, we put a dozen in the boat, and three came on top....biggest being a quarter of a century, but we lost a bigger one"
Joe Angler: "Filing an extension, game on."
Unless an angler's very flexible, it is extremely hard to hit as they can come into the shallows in a days time, and leave just as quickly. And everyonce in a blue moon, Joe Angle
r comes, and the fish have gone back down to 15 feet........out comes the lead. It's always a roll of the dice. But just like Vegas, when you hit it, you hit it big.
By the time the stripers dwindle, Ozark's native son (Smallmouth Bass) has finally come out to play. This is my favorite time of year. Early can be tough. Finesse is the game,
but the big ones are dumb, and very eager to eat anything that looks edible coming out of their winter slumber. But its topwater takes that really draws me to the species. Fly Fishermen, travel the world over to see a turd brown slurp a salmon fly. I believe thats due to the fact that the majority of this "mass" hasn't seen a smallmouth come screaming halfway across a river to smash a popper. That's okay with me. There's no shuttle traffic reports, and I can take my time at the boat ramp.
In the previous post, I mentioned that I felt like a "6 month old Jack Russell chasing its tail in circles at mach 12." There's a lot to stay on top of. Its worth it. The trout game is great. Its what pays the bills. But if an angler wants to see what the Ozarks are all about,
then they need to put away the 5 weight and their midge box, and start beating some brush. To chase a lot of these species is like putting one's self in a time warp. Finding that water that hasn't been altered by dams and trout docks. Its not really the bent rod itself, but the journey to find the bend.
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