Back: Joe Busick, Wayne Rees, Bill Collins, Steve Williams, Eric Williams and Bob Williams; front: Dean French, Bill Adams, Camden Williams, Conner Williams and Scott Baker
Rex Carpenter, guide, and Wayne Rees prepare for spin casting on the White River.
Front to back: Scott Baker, Wayne Rees and Guy Keybold, guide, fly fish on the White River.
Scott Baker
In June, Robson Rancher Bill Collins initiated a golf trip to Rainbow Hole in Cotter, Arkansas and asked around for anyone wanting to go along to help with trip expenses. The Robson Ranch Fishing Club heard about the offer, and since Rainbow Hole is known as the Trout Capital in the USA, The Club hijacked the trip, making it a fishing trip with a little added golf. Needless to say once everyone started fishing and catching fish, the idea of playing golf on really hot days became the farthest area of everyone’s mind.
The White River, 722 miles long, originates in the Boston Mountains of Arkansas flowing north into Missouri, then flowing back into Arkansas at Branson, Missouri. Rainbow Hole, located 12 miles south of Bull Shoals Dam on the White River, is considered a constant flow river. The water temperature ranges in the 50s coming from the dam, keeping the river basin cool and temperate even during summer’s hot days. What a treat, as the rainbow trout practically jumped in the boat. Everyone caught fish on this trip; the “newbies” to the old pros had a grand time as everyone caught fish all day long. Steve Williams’s family of two boys and two grandsons fished from the bank. One grandson caught a brown trout, 23 ¾ inches long but he had to release it back to the river (minimum length for a Brown is 24 inches). But that fish got one heck of a photo session as picture after picture was taken documenting the catch.
Rainbow Drive Resort, located at Rainbow Hole on the White River north of Cotter, Arkansas, is a picture perfect setting for fishing. The river was a challenge for everyone as we caught our limit every day. The trout limit is five Rainbow Trout or four Rainbows and either one Brown or one Cutthroat Trout a day; the Brown or Cutthroat being a minimum of 24 inches long.
We had luck with all types of fishing: fly fishing, spin casting and pole fishing. Most fished from the bank or spin casted from a boat or the bank. But some of the old pros wanted to up the challenge by fly fishing. For the uninitiated, Trout fishing is more finesse-type fishing, while fly fishing is the most challenging because of the feel of the line in such fast moving waters. This is as thrilling as it gets because once you snagged the fish, you must work it to the boat or bank to land it. The easiest part is getting the fish on the hook; the hardest part is landing the fish once you’ve hooked it.
This was an exciting and challenging trip if you like to “fish hard” and tell tall tales around the campfire in the evening while enjoying an adult libation or two. For more information on the Robson Ranch Fishing Club and their trips, send an email to [email protected] or contact Scott Baker at 214-334-7664.