Fairly new to the forum but grateful for the information that gets shared.
I'm heading up to White River in Arkansas in a few weeks and want to try trout fishing. Someone highly recommended a guide not just for success, but for safety. He indicated the river is too high/fast to wade, the electric generation can lead to fluctuation and rapid rise in level and there isn't much public access from the bank.
To complicate things, I will probably have a 10 and/or 11 year old with me.

Does anyone have thoughts on putting a few hundred into a guide and boat? Seems like it would be less frustrating and more fun, but if I can save the cash and fish off bank or pier, I'd like to.

Is trying to fish in an unfamiliar river a lot harder than it sounds?

I have a good friend who is a great fly fishing guide on the White, not sure if he does Ultralight trips or not. He has both a powerboat and drift boat. PM me if you want me to reach out to him or if you are fishing conventional gear, I would call Gaston's. They do conventional trips with a great shore lunch as well.

Depending on the releases, you would need options on a guide and their boats.

Do a search on this site for "white river" and you'll get plenty of recommendations and tips. Personally I've always rented a boat from Gastons and had great success in both low and high river levels. Very safe as long as you pay attention. I also fished up and down the bank while staying at Gastons and consistently caught fish. Not sure about bank fishing from some of the other resorts or public access spots.

Your friend was correct in his assessment of the water conditions. Not saying it is impossible to wade, but you need to know the correct spots, and you need to check the generation schedule, and you need to know what you are doing. Also, that water is COLD. Waders are a must-have until you get way way down from the dam.

There are fish all up and down the river. Pretty much anywhere you could set up a lawnchair along the bank there is a possibility of catching a trout. But it is most definitely worth a few hundred bucks to go with a guide. If you can cast a fly rod, give Ron a call whiteriverflyguide.com. Excellent fly fishing guide.

When you go, take an afternoon and go see the trout hatchery below the Lake Norfork dam. Let the 10 year old fish in Dry Run Creek for a chance at a true trophy.

Guides will typically equate to greater success, if you do some research and get a good guide. Safety should always be the number one priority. Your goals should determine the choice. Fishing time, importance of success, your kids interest, and finances all need to be considered. If you do fish from the bank, and it is legal, get some live earthworms and throw one out. They are good for trout and you may find other species are biting.

Another place that does not get the attention but it/was good is https://www.arkansas.com/heber-springs/outdoors-nature/little-red-river. Grew up in the area and did quite a bit of trout fishing in the red. Smaller but less crowded and not swift of water once you get a little ways below the dam.

yellow coachdog roostertail, 1/8oz, buy a few.

best trout lure I ever used with spinning gear, everything likes it. get a couple of 1/4oz to try to bigger fish.

Love the little red. Growing we would go 2 or 3 times a year and stay at little red river trout dock. My parents then moved to Heber when they retired in 92

Check out my post from last June. https://texasfishingforum.com/forum...0080/great-day-on-the-white#Post13180080
I use Cranor's Guide Service. www.whiterivertroutfishing.net. They are some of the best on the river. Most guides just fish for rainbows. Cranor's fish for browns too.
If you wade in the river be very careful. The bottom is rocky, the water is very cold, and when they start generating power it comes up 4-8 feet real quick. I love it up there. My son is going up there this weekend.

This is awesome guys. Thank you! We're going to book a guide and board and use ultralight rods (maybe I'll venture into fly fishing someday).
Just found out that Arkansas is fish for free June 12-14, so that'll save me some cash.

@Dubee I'm amazed that a 1/8oz lure and 1/4oz get different results.
@slim1 I saw your post... what a day!

I went out on Breckinridge ponds and a rapidly moving Rowlett Creek on Monday for 5 hours and was skunked. I need a good outing.

I've been fishing in Northern Arkansas since 1989. Just fly fish now days. I've fished the White, Norfolk, Little Red and Taneycocmo in Missouri. My favorite is the White for all around trout fishing. See this website for more info. This is who we use now when we go. Jeremy is a great guide. If by chance you do contact him tell him Doc and Rodney sent you.
https://flysandguides.com/

I think you will have to have a trout license. They are $12 and good for a year. We always get a three day fishing license $16.

Be sure to check the water levels. All the white river chain lakes and much of the white river are right at flood stage or very close now. I saw a pick of the one land bridge below beaver dam and the river is flowing over it.

When I took my wife fishing the White River I got a 1/2 day guide trip the first day to learn the ropes, boat control techniques, bait to use. etc. We rented a river jon the rest of the week and had a blast.

I learned that Arkansas fish for free weekend is June 12 @ noon- June 14!