My son is doomed to absorb more fly fishing information by the age of 2 than most would take on over a lifetime.  My first step in the baby fly fishing program is get the rod out of my boys mouth and in to good casting position.  After that, the sky is the limit.  Here we are walking to my local fishing hole.

Streamer fishing can be the most exciting type of fly fishing on the Arkansas.  It's a good way to target those big Browns that hold so tight to cover.  I can't describe the rush that comes over me when a fish comes out of its hiding spot to chase down a big un weighted streamer.  This fish was taken on a hard to reach stretch of the Arkansas.  He cruised out of a large boulder at the bottom of a rapid and took the fly on the first shot into the rock.  Of course I missed him the first time but some of these fish just couldn't let that fly go and on the second cast he nailed it again.  What ever season this is, the fishing is just fine with me.

Got to play around on a buddies new cat boat.

Good show ole' chap

The fishing is officially en fuego on the Arkansas below Salida.  I saw three fish in a row take a bare hook with a bead on it yesterday if that tells you anything. The Caddis along with the BWO's and prime water temps are keeping the fish active through the majority of the day.  email me for information about doing a trip at wjyinger@gmail.com

It is a sad day for my Carp compadrays at what I have grown to call my lake.  Winter can be tough on a heavy set carp stuck in what could be mistaken for a puddle.  But there are plenty more to offer hours of blissful frustrations this season.

Today was cold, to say the least.  Not much for bug hatches today on the upper river.  Still managed to work over a few with streamers and nymphs.  I have to say, the biggest fish was caught on a sz. 8 royal PMX.  I still have a halfy from that one.

Here's my second favorite view in the Valley.

And this has to be my favorite view.

The bigger one took the PMX.

This fish needs to get a little sun.  Don't you think?

Kiss him on the mouth, say thank you and put that damn fish in the water.

Now tell me there's no nice fish on the Arkansas.  Nice job Mike.

The whole spectrum of streamers are working very well right now.  Caddis larvae and pupae are starting to become extremely active downstream of Salida.  Still a lot of BWO nymphs, Cranefly larvae and Stone fly nymphs along the edges of the Arkansas.  Consistent dry fly fishing is so close I can feel it in my big toe. 

My mommy taught me that swimming around in muddy water sticking your hands into mysterious holes is dangerous

sometimes you just have to stand to the side and enjoy the scenery

This is a rare photo of the man him self, Barry Simms, with a huge bow hooked up to one hand and a little of the nectar in the other.  He has just asked his fabulous woman to marry him and she actually agreed to be a part of these moments.

We had semi clear water below Valley Bridge today for the first time in over a week.  The BWO nymphs are on the rocks in the shallows as thick as I have seen them.  It is an amazing Blue Wing nymph season along with exciting action  on streamers.  As has been typical with the water fluctuations there were not a large number of fish rising but we managed to still stick a few on dries.

I had to go do a little fishing at Twin Lakes today.  I've seen better views.

It's always nice to see someone put a good bamboo rod to use.

Black Streamers Baby!

The view from the oarsman seat

Good job Richie on this healthy wild Brown Trout

netting a fat rainbow for Terry

Terry putting pressure on a fish refusing to give it up

My good friend Cory Craven tied these babies up.  Momma and Baby articulated mice tied originally for Taimen in Mongolia but will get good use for Pike and big Trout in the area.

Some Arkansas Bugs For Early Spring

The last couple of days have been interesting on the Arkansas.  There is a wide variety of bug activity along with fluctuating water flows.  The fish seem to be feeding on and off through the day but can be moved with streamers during some of the slower periods.  Fish are starting to spread out in shallower parts of the river and early in the day a lot of nice fish are right under the shade of even smaller bank side boulders.  If you pick up a few rocks in the shallows you will see a mix of BWO's, Midges, Little Yellow Sallies, Yellow Stones, Cranefly Larvae, and caddis all in different stages of there life cycle.  Depending on the time of the day the fish in the Arkansas will eat the most active of these bugs.
I have more of these bugs on the epicfly pictures page.

BWO with developed wing pads

fat caddis larvae with BWO nymph

Little Yellow Sally

Float Fishing From Stone Bridge to Salida East.

Today it took a while for the fish to adjust to some extra debris and for the water to warm enough to really get the fish moving.  This was expected with Browns Canyon running the seven miles above Stone Bridge and keeping the river water chilled.  I picked up a new thermometer after breaking another one.  Just another way I can try to put the out of control, unpredictable attitude of nature in to a nice little box.   Caddis are migrating and there are still enough BWO's to get some fish to the surface. On the Arkansas a good way to tell if you should keep changing nymphs or if the fish just aren't consistently feeding is to put on a streamer you have confidence in and start covering water.  If the fish are in a good mood than you will see some sort of interest and if the fish just aren't happy than you will soon know that too.

I get the feeling Crane flies are going to be hatching pretty soon. These guys are all over the shallow eddies.

Float Fishing Below Trading Post

I got to go float fishing with Stefen Veltri and Cory Craven today.  It was a fine day to watch Cory's legs go from ghost white to almond brown to lobster red.  As we floated by what I, previously, had thought was a dead dog and now realize was a dead big horn sheep in the river I knew we could only be in one place, Big Horn Sheep Canyon.  The Water temp got up to 52 degrees.  So close to caddis season I can smell it.  For now we just settle for big fish smashing big streamers right on the surface.  The usual suspect caddis and mayfly nymph imitations were also productive.

Arkansas River Brown Trout Bugs. Most are variations on Kelly Galloup's Zoo Cougar.

BWO fishing on the Arkansas

Float fishing has become a very productive way to fish the Arkansas River, right now.  Nymphing with BWO nymphs and Caddis Larvae along with streamers that have a presence in the water are good ways to spend the morning.  Depending on the section of river you are at the fish will start rising to a variety of midges, caddis, and Blue Winged Olives between 10:00am and dark.  The key to wade fishing right now is to follow the bugs.  Thats what the fish are doing.  Go find the riffels and fish the pools below them.  Look for fish to be feeding on good seem line's, shelves and in the foam.  I have been seeing large groups of fish feeding under eddy foam piles.  Basically the fish are where they are supposed to be when BWO's and Midges are hatching very well.  

Here is a good short video about Redfishing in North Florida. Something to take your mind off the snow on the porch.

NORTH FLORIDA REDFISHING from SHALLOW WATER EXPEDITIONS on Vimeo.

This is a great Pike fishing site you should check out.  Lots of good info on the many pike flies out there.
http://pikeflyfishingarticles.blogspot.com/