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I'm planning a trip to cotter, Arkansas to fish the White river late August to early September. This will be by 1st trip to fly fish the white and was hoping to get some advice on what I should be tying up and what color. Thanks guys!

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A friend, lives on the White. Two flies that he likes to use are the White River Demon and the Chili Pepper, both are woolly bugger variations.

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Most of the time I was there we caught lots of stockers and a few carryovers on Red Ass Kelso. We mostly tie them with Pearsall's Gossamer red silk thread about to barb (crushed). Tie about halfway back to eye, tie in a couple of peacock herls, form a thorax lump with them and snip. Tie in a Partridge feather by tip, give two, at most three winds of partridge that laid down would reach end of red butt. This is your basic soft hackle style or North Country Spider. They can be tied with tails, different colors (mostly silk), different hackle, i.e. partridge, starling, hen, and any other legal bird that has small mottled hackle and the stem strength to wind.

 

Though I got kind of stuck on soft hackles I should have tried more nymphs, especially Prince Nymph, and scuds, a staple on the river. Sizes from 14-20 are the norm and doesn't seem a lot of reason to go really small. We used almost all 14 and 16. Lots of guys are tying egg flies on small jigs, and standard nymphs on small jigs.

 

Wooly buggers are always in vogue and if you get serious about the big browns most of those are being caught today on big articulated streamers from Kelly Galloup and a few other tiers who have been tossing stuff from 4-6" and calling on the predatory instincts of the biggest browns and rainbows.

 

Couple of years ago I went kind of late and stayed pretty far down the river. Browns were spawning in tribs though we caught lots of fish I never got one over about 16" though I caught about everything the river has to offer in variety.

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Understanding water generation

http://www.hisplaceresort.net/River-flow.htm

 

http://www.flyflinger.com/fishingreport.php

 

http://flyfishingarkansasandmissouri.yuku.com/

 

http://www.whiteriverresort.com/white-river-trophy-trout-fishing-links/best-flies-for-the-north-fork-and-white-rivers/

 

Wading opportunities early maybe. I always use streamers.

High water with a boat need 10' leader w/ thigamabobber a San Juan worm followed with a midge drifted while boat is drifting on a drag chain motor back up repeat or streamers at the banks w/ sink tips drift repeat.

 

BTW not far drive to the Norfork. Tiny stuff there. If you have kids don't miss Dry Run Creek at the hatchery. Water generation is critical wading strategies. Dally's on the hill in cotter good fly shop for current info. Have fun!!!

Under bridge at Cotter with low water on streamer

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I just got back from up there. I fished the White River, Norfork, and Little Red and had pretty good luck. I am planning another trip up there soon and here is what I am taking.

-Red Ass

-Partridge and Orange

-Scud

-Sow Bug (with red glass bead head)

-San Juan Worm (in red, orange, pink)

-Y2K (in yellow & orange as attractor)

-Zebra Midge (in red and black)

-some kind of tiny black emerger with a little foam top thing (a guide gave me this and I caught a few brookies on a #22)

 

The most successful flies were by far the sow bug and the red ass for me.

Let me know if you want a picture of any of them or anything and I will try to help but I am still really new to this.

 

If you have time the drive to Norfork to see Dry Run Creek is well worth it. Especially if you have a kid or are disabled. Its also right next to the hatchery which I thought was neat to see.

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