We got a trip planned in April to do some riverside camping, fishing, and yakking for 4 days. It'll be our first time there. We will be about 12 miles below Bull Shoals Dam. Does anyone have any suggestions on flies, techniques or general advice for this area? I'm thinking my 4wt, 6wt, 3wt switch and 6wt spey should about cover most situations.

Man have a good trip, that place is awesome. There is an ozark fly fishers forum that you might check out, I'd give you the link but not sure if that is against the rules or not?

As far as flies go, I think the main hatches for April will be Caddis and Sulphurs. Midges, scuds, and sowbugs are available all year round. If you're after the trophy brown trout, that river is full of sculpins so you might consider throwing a streamer or two. Dally's Ozark fly fisher in Cotter is a really cool shop that can help you out with fly selection. The only other thing I'd caution you about is to be mindful of the flows. If you've never been there before, the white river is huge and the water releases fluctuate almost hourly. It's difficult to wade fish with any more than 1 unit running (BSD has 8 and can run up to 24,000 cfs).

Should be a great trip, there are a LOT of fish in that river.

Only way I've fished it was on a riverboat with a guide. Ron Yarborough is outstanding if you want to go that route.

White River Fly Guide

Fished it a lot a guide would be a great idea to get to know the water, As stated above watch and listen for the water releases, they sound a horn!!! so its easy to get trapped on the wrong side of the river.
Flies very small midges and caddis work well and I have also caught well on soft hackles.
For good patterns check out my old friend Day Wooton's website he also is one of the best guides on that river

Mike

Have you looked into the Norfork River as well? It's about a 30 minute drive from Cotter and if you're looking for wadeable water, that might be a better bet than the white. Its a much smaller tailwater, both in width and length, and tend to be a little more consistent with flows than the white. The white really is best fished from a drift boat or jon boat. There are some good wading areas in the different shoals, but you have to hope for minimum flows.

He said taking yaks so the big water should be fishable..sounds like a good trip

All depends on electric generation as I recall? Those generators could be going full blast in this weather? Here's some old stories on that wonderful place - http://bit.ly/1Dlko1s (pimped link).

Here looks like a good link - http://www.cottertroutdock.com/Bull_Shoals_Dam_generation.htm - That phone number can be more of a curse than a blessing.

Thanks for the responses. I've been doing a lot of research on how to fish the river. It looks like it all depends on the flows, which we expected. We plan on base camping about 12 miles from Bull Shoals damn. If the flows are too high for our yaks, we will prob drive down to North Fork. It's still a work in progress.

I"m prepping some sink tips and tying some articulating streamers to fish the high water.

You could get washed down in a kayak. I did it once and I was gassed just getting across to the other side. Night time is the right time (just not in a yak IMO).

I can testify to the fact night time is the right time lol. But like stated I wouldn't even attempt it from the yak. Should be a good trip.

"IF" you take your Yaks ,
I would drive down to a pickup point and leave your vehicle.
There is a store there at the dam on Bull shoals that rent canoes.(I would rent a canoe from them,then you don't have to mess with your yaks)..
They will follow you to your pick up point to leave your vehicle,
Then -when you arrive at your pick up point you left your car, They will get you -bring you back to the drop off point for a small fee; that is worth it to have your vehicle there.
Make sure to beware of the dam siren.When that goes off..get out of the river and head for high ground fast.The water comes down stream quick and rises faster.Very strong current.
I fish the white river below Beaver Lake dam on the white river a lot for many years and the white river below Bull shoals dam.Night fishing is it for BIG brown trout and big rainbows in both areas.
If you want to catch a lot of medium size and small rainbows and browns.
Use olive,beige-cream earthy colors, Lt.grays, browns,black colors below a strike indicator.
Scuds,gnats,black and red ants,orange or red san juan worms..Check with the local dam store there.Some dry flies work in black,olive,yellow wooly worms..brown hackle and elk/deer hair flies.
When that does not produce.Last resort..
In the natural bait area...use bright orange power bait nuggets with a tiny hook and small shot no float casted to them..
1/8 oz rooster tails in black,brown,with a bright orange body with gold spinner.
or, rebel crawfish lure.
Those fish change colors and patterns daily so check with them first..Half the time the baits you have the fish don't want that day..Little live minnows always work..hint!But that is cheating..