get ready for fish on!

[Fly Tier]

According to the AGFC the shad kill will start sometime in February,when lake tempatures drop to their lowest point and the shad die off and get pulled thru the generators down stream.Best area's for me have been below Bull Shoals Dam,and at Buffalo City around Smith Island.Flies i have used in the passed are Woolly Bugger in gray and white with grizzly marabuo in the tail,and grizzly hackle wrapped around the body.I have also used nickle platted micro jig's in the same color.If you like using a spincast instead you can use a minnow imatation natrual,or any kind of jig as long as it is gray,white,and silver in color.Before going check generation conditions and guides,and fly shops in that area to see if the shad kill is on.

[DeerSlayer]

I have heard this is absolutely great. I may have to see if i can can get up there this year.

[ArkansasSloughboy]

I've had great luck with minnows trout fishing. It's not a typical bait, but in the right conditions it works like dynamite. I used to fish at JFK park a bit and noticed that the trout there are really hard to catch because the ones that will bite have been caught and the ones that won't bite have seen every lure known to trout waters so I started using crappie minnows. The minnows can't survive the cold water. They will reach their lower lethal limit in seconds, but if you sight fish you can toss the live minnow just up current of a trout. As it drifts down it will start to die and start doing that slow kicking, rolling maneuver. Most trout can't resist it. Much like the shad kill, but they aren't as frenzied and looking for bait fish.

[Fly Tier]

Yes you are right ArkansasSloughboy,minnows work great on catching trout,I remember a time when I was fishing on the Spring River and watched people using minnows with great success.Anytime you are trout fishing and you use the old standard fly for that area and it doesn't seem to be working try something odd like a fly that you would use for bass fishing.this is something the fish haven't seen before they will usually hit it.And for bait try this my wife used it and she caught alot of fish.Go to any grocery store and get you a bag of the small shrimp,the trout will tear them up.

[ArkansasSloughboy]

Yep, we used shrimp one night on the Spring River. Caught a 4lb brown up at dam 3. Then caught a 3lb walleye and an Ozark Hellbender at Riverside. I quit using shrimp there after the Hellbender. Speaking of baits.. my buddie was smallmouth fishing on the Strawberry with a rebel crawdad when he walked up on a family fishing on the bank. The father said,"You aren't going to catch anything with that here." My buddie said, "Oh.. What are you using?". The reply, "bread". I was floored.

[Fly Tier]

I never heard of anyone using bread to catch smallmouth,maybe to catch carp,or dough balls for catfish.

[ArkansasSloughboy]

We still laugh about it. The Rebel crawdad is one of the most consistent lures for flowing waters ever made and this gentleman said it could be outfished with bread. Maybe so, but I'm not going to waste my time trying to prove it. Maybe you could tie up some flies that look like bread. If they work will you please name them "The Sloughboy Crouton"?

Sorry to get off topic guys.

[Fly Tier]

If I come up with a pattern that looks like bread,And yes I'll name it The Sloughboy Crouton.and i'll post a pic of it.there is patterns that look like pop corn, to fly fish for carp.

[Fly Tier]

Here is a fly called the bread crumb to fly fish for carp.

[ArkansasSloughboy]

Have you got any that look like fish food?

[roy]

how about power bait and corn?

[Fly Tier]

Have you got any that look like fish food?

The fly I would use for fish food,would be bait fish patterns like the clauser minnow,and the neer-n-nuff crawdad.

[Fly Tier]

how about power bait and corn?

The fly pattern that comes close to power bait and corn,would be egg patterns.these can be tied in different colors to match the power bait and corn.