Ever since I was young fishing never seemed to be in my cards. I always said to my friends, “Trust me, I couldn’t catch a fish in a baited pond.” and to everyones surprise this almost always held true.

In February of 2017 that all changed. My good friend and professional guide Brian Sandage, owner of Ozark Fishing Adventures, told me we were going to change that. He was going to take me fishing and show me the dos and don’ts of real fisherman fishing.

We decided on a game plan and headed out at sunrise. My daughter Mackinah wanted to go as well so she decided she would catch up with us after her classes. Brian and I set out on the beautiful White River (to an undisclosed super top secret fishing location). The sun had just peaked out through the rolling countryside as we drove to the boat launch. The views were so surreal with morning mist coming up between the valleys.

“Any day is a good day for fishing whether we catch anything or not.” said Brian.

We arrived at the launch and gathered our gear from the truck: rods, cooler, comfy seats, all I had to bring was the snacks! Brian thought of everything! His custom designed Xtreme boat all decked out sun yellow and red, has everything the avid fishermen would need. It’s a beauty!
“You ready to set out?” I said all excited.

He said “Nope, now we have to catch our bait.” I’m thinking “hmm…bait?”
“There are these little fish hiding under the rocks along the edge of the river and they are some of the best bait you can use to catch brown trout.” He said.

 

Within seconds of lowering a tiny hook into the shallow water, baited only with a smidge of worm on it, he pulls up this dark little fish with a blue looking smile called a sculpin. I had so much fun just watching Brian hook those little things.

“The bigger the bait the bigger the fish you catch.” He said. So our goal was to hook nice size bait. In just a bit we had plenty of bait to start our day.
We climbed in the boat and took off down the crystal clear White River. The day was warm with hardly a breeze. The White River was calm as we motored down to that perfect (secret) fishing hole. Brian knew the exact spot he wanted to anchor out across the river.

After dropping anchors at each end of boat, Brian started getting our rods ready. He cracked me up taking our bait and throwing it against the bottom of the boat to make sure they were dead before he used them.
“If the sculpins are still alive when you cast them out they would drag your line underneath the rocks and we know what that does and it’s not good.” He said.
After Brian baited our hooks in his own special way, it looked just like it was something out of a fancy bait shop. I know it doesn’t take much to amaze me, but I had never seen this done before and I can’t share his secret baiting technique but you can use your imagination.

The rods were set and ready to be flicked through the air and send our baited hook down river. With our poles in the sets along the edge of the boat, I had my first nibble within minutes.

“Be patient and wait till the fish yanks at the line a couple of times. Then pull up so that the end of your pole is straight up, then start reeling but make sure to keep the tip of your pole end up.” He told me.

The fish was taking my line from side to side and silly me, I wanted to walk from one end of the boat to the other, following the line.
“Just take it easy and make the fish come to you.” He said with a big grin.

I reeled and reeled for what seemed like minutes as Brian talked me through it. Finally my fish got right up to the boat and he dipped up the shiniest spotted fish I had ever seen. I had caught my first brown trout and to my surprise it was between 7 and 8 pounds according to Brian! All I knew was it seemed huge!

After Brian ever so carefully removed the hook, he told me how fragile trout can be even if they are fierce fighters when hooked. Making sure the fish is not in shock he showed me how to release it properly. Watching my first big catch swim away actually warmed my heart.

After that I felt like a pro! Ok maybe not a pro but I was at the very least on a roll. I caught a couple more and we talked about fishing and life the whole time, just kicking the tires on life as I say.
A couple of hours into our morning, Mackinah called and was at the boat ramp to be picked up. We reeled up our lines and pulled anchors to head back up river. On our way we passed up a father and son flying fishing.
“Such a spectacular site.” I thought to myself.

 

 

I could have watched them all day casting over and over but we had our little fishing buddy to pick up. Brian pulled us in ever so gently to the bank and gave Mackinah the same fishing rundown he had told me.

“Hold on we have to get some bait.” He said with a grin. So now she was getting to experience the fun of catching those cute little bait fish. In typical teenage fashion she looked at him “Like really?”, it was too funny.
After we had several sculpin in our box, we were ready to set off down river again. Within minutes Brian had us back down the White river, with the boat anchored and ready to fish. She was like her mom, just in awe from the bait, to the casting of the rod and line flying through the air down river.

She asked Brian “Do you ever swim in the river? It’s so clear.”

“No it’s just a bit cold for me.” He said with a smirk. “That’s why those fly fishermen had on waders and the fact that the water doesn’t get much warmer than around 57 degrees.”

Our rods were set, it wasn’t long before Mackinah had her first bite. She is a born fisher-woman, I swear. She pulled up on her rod like a pro and started reeling and in just a few moments Brian was dipping up her brown trout. It was a good five pounder or so. We quickly took a few snap shots of her catch and gently released it back into the river.

 

 

As soon as we looked up, the other two rods were getting bites as well. In just a bit Mackinah and I had both reeled in a couple more nice trout, talk about awesome! Yes, more pictures and release.
All this fishing had made us want a snack. We pulled out the elk summer sausage and crackers and somehow this made fishing even better. Brian began telling us about the different trout; the browns, the rainbow and the cutthroats. The brown trout evidently are the top prize but if you were having a slow day just fish for whatever comes your way.

While we sat along the river, we heard a rustle coming from the bank so I took out my camera to take a closer look. To our surprise it was a beaver caught in a trap. Well you know me and Mackinah, our soft hearts we’re thinking “How awful!” but we know the damage beavers can do if their populations aren’t kept in check.

 

Our attention was cut short for the beaver, our rods were jerking! Hare I got so excited, I started reeling backwards! Brian and Mackinah just rolled their eyes, tickled giving me the “How is that even possible?” look, but I managed to get my trout in every time!

We had reeled in a beautiful rainbow trout and as went to release him back into the water, he sprayed fish sperm all over Brian’s boots! Mackinah and I laughed til we cried!

 

About an hour or so passed and a guy came up in his boat right about where we had spotted the beaver, when we heard a distinctive pop!
“Well, I guess we know who the trapper is now.” I thought to myself. He walked up to the trap and took his prize beaver back to his boat.
By around 2 p.m. the river had gone from calm slick water to all but white capping pulling at our boat’s anchors. The wind continued to pick up. “Ladies let’s find us a spot out of the wind.” said Brian.

So we pulled up and went back up river. The father/son duo were still fly fishing even with the wind pushing them and catching their line. These were die-hard fishermen and did I mention the temperature had dropped from the mid 60’s to around the mid 40’s!

On the way back up river Mackinah said she was calling it a day, the wind had took a toll on her little ears. She had caught half a dozen nice browns and one cutthroat, so not too shabby. We let her out at the boat ramp and continued up river.

Even with the temperatures dropping, I was on a high from just the beauty of the river. The scenery and the wildlife like seagulls (YES! In Arkansas!), geese, otters, beavers and especially the bald eagles are just breathtaking. Does it really get any better?

We found a bend in the river that gave us a small break from the wind and anchored out. We were ready to get back to fishing. It wasn’t long before my rod was getting a hit. I pulled up and started reeling.
“Just let him settle down.” Brian said. It seemed like that fish was taking me from one end of the boat to the other! Poor Brian, he must have the patience of Job. Again he helped me dip up my catch, another big brown!

To our amazement an otter was heading towards our boat, not even concerned we were in the boat, it was after our catch. About that time it saw that had we released the trout, the otter stopped and swam back to the rock ledge just behind us. Of course, I took his and some of his friends picture too.

I continued to fish and reeled in a small rainbow, it was a cutie and a few more browns, man this could become addictive!

As the afternoon passed, wind blowing and temperatures dropping we agreed to call it a day. After all, Mackinah and I had reeled in more than our share of trout and released them back into the White River all to be caught again another day.

Brian and I slowly made our way back to the landing. After his boat was unloaded and the gear put away, we jumped in the truck and turned on the heater! Darn did it feel good!
After talking fish all day, I had a hankering to eat some fish. So we headed towards home and on the way stopped for supper ordering fish of course! Being the good mom I am, I ordered Mackinah supper to go as well. Couldn’t have ended the day any better!

No, we hadn’t worn heavy enough clothes for the end of day drop in temperatures, but hey, I have to tell you, still a perfect day! Good company, beautiful river, learned a lot about fishing and caught some great trout with the guidance of my great friend and guide Brian Sandage – Ozark Fishing Adventures.