Arkansas River 8/10 Part II

[Allen Morgan]

Well, after putting around for a little while with a spinning rod, I decided to give my fly rod a try.  I tied on a streamer, olive over chartreuse over white, with green krystal flash and flashabou, size 6.

 

I’ve tried this, and other, streamers before, but haven’t had much luck with them.  Well, with the hot bite that was going on, I was about to start giving a clinic on catching Sand Bass (White Bass) on the fly.

 

I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to approach this.  I had a band of current about 15’ wide in front of me, moving right to left at a good clip.  There was slack water on the other side of the current.  On my right, across the current, was a concrete ledge coming out from the base of the dam (you can see it in the video) that had a little water running over it.  There was also a big rock in the middle of the current, creating a patch of slack water with current on either side (is this what the trout folks call “pocket water”?).  From my experience earlier with my spinning rig, I knew that the Sandies were holding in the slack water, on the current seams (all FOUR of them), as well as IN the current.  Basically, fish were everywhere.

 

I tried quartering upstream throws, and drifting/stripping back.  I couldn’t keep up with the line as it moved downstream.  I tried quartering downstream throws, letting the line/streamer swing.  I caught some that way.  I also threw straight across the current, about 10’ into the slack water, holding the line up out of the current as best I could, and letting the water pull the line, leader, tippet, and streamer through the slack water into the current seam, eventually making the swing through the current, and into the current seam on the side I was standing on.

 

Pretty much EVERYTHING worked!  It was a really hot bite!  There was even a small, short “blitz” with a few Sandies trying to grab some bait on top.  I was already in a retrieve, or I would have put a streamer right near one.  There were times I could a fish chasing my streamer, making attempts to grab the streamer, splashing on top several times in a row.  Sometimes I would see a flash as a fish boiled on the streamer from below; they were facing upstream and saw it coming, and intercepted my streamer.

 

Here’s the video.  Please excuse my amateur casting technique.  I’m still learning.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1qxN6aGxVU&feature=youtu.be

 

All totaled, I got three Stripers and probably 30 or 40 Sand Bass (White Bass).  The Stripers were a hoot!  Now I know why folks target them with a bigger rod.  I think I see an 8wt in my future, come tax-time.

[Greg McWilliams]

Allen, I see i missed this post!!!!!! Nothing wrong with you cast!!!!!! You are getting out out far enough to catch LOTS OF FISH!!!!!!!  Are you fishing at RIVERS PARK IN TULSA?????

2 THUMBS UP GREAT FAMILY VIEWING!!!!!!!

[Allen Morgan]

Greg, I just posted "Part II" today, where Part I was posted yesterday.  Editing the video just takes time, plus the upload to youtube takes time.  Not to mention the first upload for Part II, which I did last night, was aborted before completion.  I had to be at work at 0500 today, so the upload had to wait until I got home.  Thus, the delayed posting.

I was literally catching fish within 15' of where I was standing.  Then, I would make casts as far as I could get, and catch fish there.

I want to say there must have been hundreds of fish in that hole.  It's not the first time I've found them in there like that.

Yes, that was River Parks, in Tulsa.

[Jen Nayfly]

Allen me friend....excellent video!!!!! HOWEVER a very wise man (may he rest in peace) on here by the name of Bluegillboogieman once told me that a flyrod and flytying leads you to a "blackhole". Welcome my friend....its a Great place to be!!!

[Allen Morgan]

That is very true, Jen.  I knew this getting into it.

I'm constantly thinking of color combinations for flies, and how to modify existing patterns to suit what I want.

I still use my other gear, just nowhere near as much.

[Greg McWilliams]

Heard of it on T.V., but it definately looks like NICE FISHING HOLE!!!! Is YOU 5Wt. in tact????? Why go BIGGER!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!

[Allen Morgan]

Greg, yes, my 5wt is still intact.  I'm almost afraid to go for anything bigger.  There are Gar in this hole, BIG Stripers when conditions are right, not to mention Spoonbills.  Those have to be snagged, which is off-limits in this stretch of the river.