Experienced trophy trout fishing guides on the Arkansas White River

Sportsman's Featured Guests & Trout Fishing Newsletter


SPORTSMAN'S RESORT SPRING NEWSLETTER 2010

The spring ain’t quite sprung, but we are getting close. We have now had several days in the sixties and seventies. The White River area has been in the same boat as the rest of the country in that it has been a long cold winter. We had snows of twelve and six inches this year, which is about what we have had in total over the prior five years. The only ones that didn’t care were the trout. With almost continuous heavy water flow for several months, they have been able to feed and grow to their hearts content.

Our season kicked off with the "White River Classic" on Feb. 18th, 19th and 20th . With twenty-two hard-core fishermen (and so-so poker players), they fished for three days to see who would weigh in the most and who would get that big brown. This year Rusty George was "the man". That beautiful ten plus pound female took best of show. But the best part of the story is not that Rusty caught the fish…it was the help he had. It was kinda like having a fishing pit crew. One guy loaned him a bigger net (his was too small), one claimed the fish was caught in "his" hole, one claimed it was caught on his white jig and another took credit for video taping the event. It truly pays to have friends. And the very best part of this story is that with the exception of a few rainbows kept for eating, all the fish were returned safely to the river for another angler to enjoy on another fishing trip.

I am about to say something I shouldn’t, but here goes. Today as I write this, Bull Shoals Lake level is at 653.79 feet (that’s .21 feet below power pool) and the water is shut off. If the weather stays normal, that means the flow in the river will be controlled by the dam for power generation and we will get variable flows. That is great news for all fishermen, including those of us that like to fly fish (which is near impossible in real high water). I totally believe that it is the up and down flow that makes the White such a fantastic trout fishery and why it is so much fun to fish. With that said, if it rains for two months you can blame it on me.

Great news if you live close to Austin, Houston, Des Moines, Shreveport or Terre Haute. Branson Air Express is going to run non-stop flights from those cities to Branson, MO starting May 17th. Intro prices will be $39 and $49 one way. What a great way to visit Sportsman’s. You can rent a car at the Branson Airport and be fishing in an hour and a half. Check it out.

So as the days get warmer and longer and you start hankering to wet a line, please email us at fishing@mtnhome.com or call us at (800)626-3474. Our only job is to turn that "hankering" into one of the best and most affordable vacations you will ever have.

From our White River home to yours, we hope to see you soon.

Your hosts,

Steve, Cindy, Bob and Jim