hey all!

me and my dad are kind of (very) hooked on with trout and salmon fly fishing. that being said, I was wondering if beavers bend poses as a viable trout fishery in the summers? if so, any guide reccomendations (preferrably on the cheaper side) where we can get to learn the waters so as not to waste the 3 hour drive?

appreciate any input!

thanks,
Danial

We had a cabin last week and hiked. There were both fisherman and swimmers in the river.

There are plenty of fish there, but unless you want to fry like an egg on granite and you want to deal with every tourist in a 100 mile radius I’d stay far away from that place in the summer time.

If you go with a guide book through the Beavers Bend FLY SHOP, I have fished with them and reccommend them.

As mentioned, the park gets very busy in the summer, but it is still a good place to fish. Week days are more enjoyable than weekends, but fish when you are able get on the water and just adjust to the crowds.

I fished with Kit Brown when I wanted to learn how to fish away from some of the crowd. I recommend him and would fish with him again in a heartbeat.

I wrote this post after that trip.

https://texasfishingforum.com/forum...5/always-something-to-learn#Post14244095

Good luck!

Crowded. That is all I hear anymore, "crowded." Why not go to Talequah or somewhere due north and still in a "natural" state?

there are natural trout stream/river within a reasonable drive's distance around here? the closest I've found is the White and north fork rivers, and even those are a ways off.

Well, to be more exact with the word "natural", there are no natural trout streams south of at least Missouri, probably Iowa. I know of at least one stream in Missouri that has held a population of wild, reproducing trout for over 100 years. They were stocked there originally, though, many years ago, from California, I think. If I'm correct, all rivers south of that region that hold trout are "tailwaters", that is, sections of river that are directly below dams that generate electricity, so that the water is cold enough to support trout. These are stocked, basically, regularly, with mostly rainbows and some browns. This includes both the White and Norfork, the Little Red, all in Arkansas, as well as the Lower Mountain Fork in SE Oklahoma, and several other tailwaters besides these I've mentioned. Now some of the stocked tailwaters, probably most, not sure, hold natural born trout that are descendants of stocked trout. I don't know if that's what you meant by "natural". If so, the LMF has some naturals (born in that river). I've caught fingerling rainbows and browns there, by accident. I caught a fingerling rainbow there a couple of weeks ago.

I tell people who ask me that the LMF at Beaver's Bend State Park that it's a completely fake trout stream, but that they did a bang-up job with it. That would also go for the other tailwaters we've mentioned here, though. Some of us think that it's not quite as good for fly-fishing as it was before the second flood of 2015 for various reasons, but it's still pretty darned good, IMO. That said, I agree with those who say that the best times to fish it are in the winter and on weekdays. Because of fortunate circumstances for myself, I've been able to fish it in the winter and on weekdays. One trouble with some of the smaller and more southern tailwaters is that because of the summertime heat the river starts getting awfully warm for trout very quickly after it leaves the dam and the trout aren't too happy. They'll still fish, though!

I can tell you that you will have a great time being guided by either Kit Brown or by a guide out of the Fly Shop. They'll all teach you how to fish the river.

Very short answer, yes you can fish it in the summer and the guides mentioned will teach you how to.

Fish the sunrise and sunsets in the summer.... still a good trout fishery year round but better October thru March.

Your best bet for a guide service is with Beavers Bend Fly Fishing Guide Service. Ask for either Chris or Jeff. These guys are on the river every day and they know it well. They are patient teachers and they WILL put you on the fish!

A good insight can be found in the reports from Oklahoma. Check this out:
Lower Illinois: July 7. Elevation is normal and stable, water temperature 58°F and clear. Rainbow trout fair on caddis flies, in-line spinnerbaits, midges, nymphs, and PowerBait below the dam. Comments: Best times are during periods of low and no flow from the dam usually early morning and late evening. Best areas are below the dam and at the Watts area. Report submitted by Brek Henry, game warden stationed in Sequoyah County.

Lower Mountain Fork: July 7. Elevation is normal and stable, water temperature 69°F and clear. Rainbow trout excellent on PowerBait and small lures around creek channels, dam, and spillway. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.

And we all know the temperature at which little trout brains boil, right?

I am still wanting some of that cold Lower Illinois water ... after I get back from the Borderlands!

Fly fishing has been good early from 6am to 10am, we make a 2 hour trip to fish, we fish Tuesday-Thursday.