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Tackle for the White

In any 8- to 12-hour period, these tailwaters may vary in depth from 1 to 10 feet and the current speed from 1 to 2 miles per hour up to 6 or 8 miles per hour! To effectively fly fish all the sides of this tailwater system, I suggest three tackle outfits.

The White and its tributaries are home to world-record fish. Emily hooked this awesome male brown (above) on a #16 caddis and 6X tippet in the C&R section directly below Bull Shoals Dam. Rip Collins caught his all-class, 40 lb. 4 oz., world-record brown trout on the Little Red River, a tributary of the White, that flows out of Greers Ferry Lake. Outfit 1. For low water using smaller surface and subsurface flies (#12-24), a 1- to 4-weight, medium-action, 8- or 9-foot rod; weight-forward floating line with 10 to 12-foot leader; and 4X to 7X tippet is recommended.

This is an especially important outfit for success in the catch-and-release sections, as fish there become extremely small-fly and light-tippet selective.

Outfit 2. For minimum to medium flow levels using big dry flies or small streamers and nymphs, eggs, or worms fished with shot and indicators, use a 5- or 6-weight, medium-fast, 9-foot rod; weight-forward floating line with 9- to 12-foot leaders; and 2X-4X tippet.

For fishing Woolly Buggers and medium-size streamers I recommend a weight-forward sinking-tip with a 6-foot leader and 1X-3X tippet; for fishing on or near bottom with sculpin, crayfish, and shad imitations, a weight-forward uniform-sink line with 4-foot leader and 1X-3X tippet is best.

Outfit 3. For high flow levels, fishing from a boat using medium to large streamers #8 to 3/0, an 8- or 9-weight, medium-fast action, 9-foot rod is helpful. I recommend three different lines and leaders: weight-forward bass bug taper with 9-foot leader and OX-2X tippet for casting toward the banks; weight-forward, 10-foot sinking-tip IV with 6-foot leader and OX-2X tippet for casting along deep banks; and weight-forward uniform-sink V with 4-foot leader and 0X-2X tippet for fishing in the deep main channel.

If you are absolutely limited to one outfit, bring a 5- or 6-weight, 9-foot rod with a weight-forward floating line. Understand, however, that because the river has so many different faces, your success will be limited in all situations.

Dave and Emily Whitlock live near Mountain Home, Arkansas, where they conduct the Whitlock Fly Fishing School (www.davewhitlock.com). Dave is an author, wildlife artist, world-renowned fly designer, and conservationist. Emily is a fly-fishing instructor, photographer, and active conservationist. See also their story on fly-fishing for carp: "Stalking the Golden Ghost."

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