Northern Arkansas smallies

[MontanaFlyGuy]

Hi ya'll. I'm gonna be heading to N. Arkansas next week for a few days of smallie fishing. Just wondering if anyone has any tips for me. I'll be staying in Yellville on Crooked Creek. I might float Buffalo River, but not sure yet? Anyone got anything to help me out???

Thanks boys!

[check your fly]

If you would consider getting a guide, Duane Hada is known for his SMB catching and guiding abilities. If you go and figure them out, let the rest of us in on it. My personel experience has been less than stellar so I won't handicap you by giving any details.

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Chuck Hitt

[biot midge]

I'm not saying you can't catch smallmouth in March in the Ozarks, but I have done much better after the water has warmed up. I usually don't start fishing for smallies till June around here.
Steve

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"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went"-Will Rogers

[jalama]

DON'T KNOW ABOUT SMALLIES BUT I DO KNOW ABOUT DUANE HADA. CAN'T GO WRONG THERE!

[sjarvis]

It can be tough fishing for Smallies here when the water's this cold (about 52F on Saturday, probably colder this week with the cold front --- we've got a chance for snow tomorrow night!).

I'd recommend the following: sinktip or full-sinking line, BIG, heavy flies (Sculpin or Crayfish topping the list), fish slowly in the big pools around structure. You won't catch many this way, but you might hang a really BIG smallie. If the sun comes out and the water warms up some before you get here, you might try some other tactics, but big, deep, and slow are my usual early-Spring tactics for Smallmouth (well, that and tying flies and waiting for April )

Good luck!

Steven