White River

Trout Fly Fishing Guides

Arkansas White River Fly Fishing Guides - Fly Fishing Arkansas Trout

Ashley with a gorgeous White River Brown Trout. Trophy Trout are available all year around. Quality White River Brown Rainbow Trout.

The White River in Arkansas, offers anglers world class trophy trout fishing for fisherman of all skills levels. White River trout are known throughout the land as some of the best fishing fish. Known as the “River that held the world record Brown Trout” The white offers anglers gorgeous, gin clear waters, easy navigation, and clean, smooth drifts with very few snags and hang ups. Arkansas fishing and game plants a stunning 1.5 million trout in this river basin making flippin, and Cotter, a trophy trout fishing destination for anglers to test their skills for trophy Brown, and Rainbow trout. White River Trout are very plentiful. Good numbers of both Brook Trout, and Cut Throat trout are also vigorously stocked as well.

Nymphing for trout pays big dividends for nice trout. White River offers fantastic fly fishing.

Cody Willis (231) 519-7348


The White River fishes well year around, with excellent fly fishing or spinning opportunities. There are several high lights for this bold river that shall not be missed! First and foremost, the winter shad die off, or as the locals say, “The shad kill.” Nothing can compare to the shad die off during mid winter. This offers the absolute best in fly fishing for giant trophy Brown Trout. Crippled or injured shad struggle while drifting down stream of the Bull Shoals dam, offering and easy meal for big trout. Streamer fishing is world class during this time of year. Clear water offers anglers shots at adrenaline pumping, heart stopping, bone crushing visual hits on big streamers! Ripping streamers along the shore line offers many chances per day at large, adult Brown Trout. Drifting egg patterns, beads, and nymphs is also excellent during the winter months. Trout bead fly fishing is also great while the brown trout are spawning. The no kill, artificial only section opens each year on February 1st. Fishing is epic once that opens.

White River Fishing Guides AR - Fly Fishing Arkansas Trout

James landed this beautiful Brown trout on the White River in Arkansas.


White River Trout Fishing Guides - Fly Fishing Arkansas Trout

Zack with a specular Brown Trout from the White River. Winter offers the best fishing!

Spin fishing (Spinning Gear) anglers can clean house during the winter months. White buck tail jigs tipped with river shiners lands fisherman plenty of trout during the shad kill. Power Bait and shrimp also account for limits of Rainbow Trout. (5 per angler) One of our favorite techniques is casting jerk baits along the shore line. Hard hits and big trout is the name of the game. Visual hits are always a blast!

As the water begins to warm in the spring, other fishing techniques takes place. Dry fly fishing with caddis flies, nymphing, and stripping shad patterns works well all year. Dry fly fishing is best during the warmer months. White River trout love small streamers and nymphs!

** There are four major dams in Arkansas and one in Missouri that make this trout fishing possible, all constructed by the 1960s along the upper river and its tributaries, create manmade lakes and generate hydroelectric power for the region. Numerous state parks and wildlife reserves are associated with these areas. Some of these lakes include Beaver Lake, Table Rock Lake (in Missouri), Bull Shoals Lake, Norfork Lake, and Greers Ferry Lake. **