Streamer Fishing for Brown Trout on The White River in Arkansas

 

Jeff Ditsworth with a Giant Brown Trout & El Jefe

 

The White River in Arkansas is an incredible fishery.  It’s aworld famous for their incredible population of large brown trout.  I'm told that the brown trout average 19-22 inches.  Every year, we see photos of fish caught on The White River well over 30 inches in length.  The Arkansas Fish & Game Commission actually closes the top section near the dam to fishing in late fall through the end of January to protect the brown trout spawn.  The prized brown trout of The White River draws anglers from all over the world for a change to hook into a fish of a lifetime.

 

The White River, Arkansas

 

One of the most successful and rewarding methods to catch these trophy browns on the fly is to throw streamers.  The main tactic is to position your boat 20-30 yards off certain banks, drift down stream, and cast your streamer a few feet from the bank.  It take a great guide to properly position the boat for perfect casting.  Generally, you would try to cast a little down stream so the fly ends up swimming directly out from the bank, as your boat drifts down stream.  We had the most success when the fly swam perpendicular to the shore, but I'm sure others could have a different experience.  An anger could use a sinking line or floating line depending on the water flow and depth.  The flow changes all the time on The White River, so it pays to be flexible and adapt to the conditions.  We fished a floating line, but generally used a very heavy streamer.  

 

Gaston’s Resort

 

One of the other benefits of fishing big streamers, is you get to fish a larger fly rod.  I love to use El Jefe in 8 Weight for streamers on big water.  There is something about having the confidence knowing that whatever hits your fly, you are not out matched.  You can also use a heavy tippet which also gives you more confidence, we used 2X.  

 

White Streamer tied by Jeff Ditsworth for The White River, Arkansas

 

We fished two different streamer patterns I tied up the week before the trip. Knowing that these browns love white was an advantage.  The first fly was a white streamer tied up on a size 10 streamer hook with manly white rabbit zonker strips and some silver flash.  I used the rabbit strip as the tail, and wrapped more of the strip around the hook to add body.  On one version of this streamer, I used a couple turns of red rabbit fur in the middle to mix it up a bit, and I think these out fished the all white streamers.  I also choose to add a heavy red bead on this one, because from my experience, trout love the color red.  I tied up the second streamer on a size 4 streamer hook with HUGE dumbbell eyes.  It was basically a large clouser minnow.  The fly had white buck tail for the hair, and I tied in some strips of gold flash.  This fly was very heavy, but surprisingly easy to cast with my El Jefe 8 Weight.

 

El Jefe & a Giant White Streamer

 

We hooked into our first brown on the morning of the first of two days on the smaller streamer with the red bead head.  We ended up landing several fish on this pattern.  

 

Guide Steve Lopez with a White River Brown Trout & El Jefe

 

The second large brown came on the second day and near the state park up by the dam.  I was casting the red bead head white streamer towards shore when this great brown savagely tore into it.  We had a great fight, and then he came to net.  These fish are absolutely gorgeous.  

 

Giant White River Arkansas Brown Trout & El Jefe from Pescador on the Fly

 

We then headed downstream quite a while searching for some new water to pound the bank.  I then chose to switch to the heavy streamer and El Jefe in eight Weight.  It was time to hunt.  I enjoyed pounding the shores with my big white steamer.  Steve Lopez and I were enjoying talking about all kinds of topics when out of nowhere BOOM.  We were hooked up.  This brown was not happy, and came out of the water a half dozen times.  After a few minutes, El Jefe had tamed the beast, and he was in our net.  

 

White River Brown Trout

 

These White River Browns are absolutely beautiful.  It’s clear why people come from all over the world for an opportunity to hook into these amazing fish.  

 

Jeff Ditsworth, El Jefe, White River Arkansas Brown Trout

 

We landed 4 trophy brown trout over 20 inches on this two day fishing trip during a polar vortex in Arkansas.  As always, I truly recommend my guide Steve Lopez that fishes out of Gaston’s Resort.  I also recommend the team out of Gaston‘s as a fantastic place to stay.  They have a great staff, and an incredible restaurant.  We headed back to the resort each day for a Gaston’s Burger and a beer for lunch each day, which was a great treat.  

 

Jeff Ditsworth, Owner of Pescador on the Fly Releasing a White River Arkansas Brown Trout

 

Until next time my friends, tight lines!

Jeff