Fly Fishing at the Confluence

Have you ever seen the gardening sign that reads: "You should have been here last week- everything was in bloom"? Well, last week was a veritable fly fisherman's dream come true here at White Buffalo Resort and Rick & Snake did a podcast that proves it. You can listen here at www.liv2flyfish.com
Remember our Winter Rates go into effect in 4 days and continue through December & January.
Can't decide what to get your favorite fisherman for Christmas? How about a gift certificate for a Guided Fishing Trip or a Romantic Getaway in 2012?

Hunting Opportunities in the Ozarks courtesy of 724Outdoors.com

Don Schnable of 724outdoors.com shared the following:
The hunting on the Corp of Engineers property surrounding the Bull Shoals & Norfork Lakes and tributaries, combined with the Mark Twain Forest and Devils Backbone Wildlife Area is outstanding. The Missouri Department of Conservation, Arkansas Fish and Wildlife, and Corp of Engineers have numerous game plots with crops planted to attract game scattered throughout the areas mentioned. Some are accessible via motor vehicles, on foot, and by boat. I also have 48 pieces of private property that is available to my clients. They can be hunted with or without guides furnished by SCE.

Maps detailing the locations are available with no charge at the outlets for the fore mentioned agencies. The trick is to know which ones are active during the trip you are planning. My guides and I keep an active journal on the proper feed plots.

Right now Turkey are active and easily hunted. Archery deer season is also in full swing. The areas are teaming with these trophy's.

Another sought after game is one that must be controlled or the other species will be reduced drastically. This animal has migrated from the south and is doing great damage. I am speaking of the feral pigs. There is no limit on the number of animals that you can harvest. They are good table fare and we have local butchers who will dress these animals out for you. Excess kills will be cleaned by us and donated to designated needy organizations and/or individuals.

Waterfowl season dates are from November 24th through January 31st. This a prime area to hunt. The secret is to have the right places. I will gladly take you on a guided hunt at any number of places. You will not be disappointed.

I will be more than happy to arrange any accommodations that you and/or a group would need.

Autumn in the Ozarks

FALL is a great time for trout fishing, since there are usually fewer people on the water. The water is low and we still have some cabins available for Thanksgiving.

Today's Elk Report and a video to share

This from Michael Daugherty of the Buffalo River Chamber of Commerce:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4Pb_s1SG1o

Mandy took this video of a REAL bull fight on Saturday. It should be of interest to your customers. This was her first time trying to video anything. I feel like the bass pro that takes his wife fishing and she catches the state record. These fights don't come alongvery often -- I see maybe 2 a year, some years I don't see any.

September Elk Viewing Report

This year so far the very best elk viewing has been in the south end of Boxley Valley in the field north of Smith Creek.

I continue to update the viewing map (every day so far). You can access my daily reports on Blogger:

http://arkansaswildlifephotography.blogger.com

The One That Got Away

Everybody that trout fishes knows it takes more than just hooking a big one to be able to say you brought it in and caught it...
Here is an actual e-mail from a recent fisherman about an elusive big brown:


I forgot to mention, last Friday my 84 yr old dad hooked a 30 inch brown trout (had to have gone 18-20 lbs) 10 yards off your bank, down by your dirt boat ramp, maybe 20 yards upstream of the rock breakwater. We kept the brown in calm water, not wanting him to get out into the faster moving water....I was afraid of getting the line cut by the boat motor prop....The fish would take line, then my dad would retrieve most of it, a real back and forth battle....My dad fought it for 15 minutes before the hook came loose from the brown's mouth. Didn't break the 6 lb test or lose the black 1/8 oz jig (PJ's Jigs - the only bait we use - she lives in Fayetteville). It was the most exciting 15 mintes of our lives....would have bested my 9 lb 26 in long brown I caught just below the dam in 1994.

Something to tell your customers....he's still out there....the brown, not my dad...but we'll be back in May....

One of Those Magical Fall Days

I just got word that the 2011 Elk Rut has officially begun. The news coincided with a much longed-for change in the weather from "hellish hot" to "almost chilly".
It brings to mind one of those magical fall days from 2 years ago when we loaded everybody in the car and drove away from the resort on a quest to FIND THE ELK.
We'd heard about it; but needed to see for ourselves.
Armed with that day's information on where the elk were located and where we could easily view them and photograph them (courtesy of Michael Dougherty's ArkansasWildlifePhotography.com website) we vowed this would NOT be a wild goose chase.
After lunching on the Square in Jasper at the Ozark Cafe we continued on some of the most scenic routes paralleling the Buffalo River toward our intended destination. If you have never seen these magnificent creatures with your own eyes you simply must make plans to do so- add it to your "bucket list" for sure. This is an easy day trip from the resort and the color change rivals anything out east.

End of Summer Memories

 

Mary Beth's Big Labor Day Catch...
It was a team effort bringing this one in!
Thanks for sharing your picture with us.

Fish One Day- Golf the Next

TO ALL OF OUR FISHING & GOLFING ENTHUSIASTS~ If you already have plans to visit this autumn, or need a little more incentive to make a reservation...
BIG CREEK (on Golf Digest's Places to Play) is offering a fall promotion for visitors to the area: A round of golf with free range balls and free lunch from their Cart Menu. All for just $55 plus tax. Bought separately, that's about an $80 value. This offer is good Tuesdays - Saturdays from now until November 11. The required coupon can be printed from Big Creek's website or the Arkansas tourism website. Links to both sites and a link to their menu page showing the cart menu are all below.


http://www.arkansas.com/hotdeals/coupons/detail.asp?id=357

http://www.bigcreekgolf.com/html/publicrates.html

http://www.bigcreekgolf.com/html/menus.html

Try Our Malibu Kayaks

Canoe Floats are SOOOO last Summer. Next time, try floating in one of our smooth & sturdy Malibu Fishing Kayaks. These one-man kayaks are less bulky and cumbersome than an ordinary canoe, and rent for the same price!

Smallmouth Fishing in the Ozarks

View Larger Map

So, we talk a lot about Trout here at White Buffalo. How easy they are to catch on the White River, how big they are, how to cook them in the summertime without using an oven....

You CAN come to WBR and fish for nothing but trout all day long, week in and week out, any time of the year and we (quite honestly) hope you do. But it's not really the Trout Fishing that makes our location so unique in the heart of the Ozarks.

Two of the best Smallmouth Bass Streams in AMERICA are located in the Arkansas Ozarks- Crooked Creek and The Buffalo National River. Just go ahead and guess- Which resort on the White River could possibly be sandwiched between two such prime locations?

(No fair looking at the map...)

Whether you've fished Trout with us for years and want to try something different, or like the idea of fishing multiple locations during your stay, here's a little information on both streams and what they have to offer.

Crooked Creek:

There are plenty of "crooked" creeks, streams, sloughs, bayous and branches in Arkansas but only ONE can be called the "blue ribbon smallmouth bass stream of the state". The landscape surrounding Crooked Creek is typical of the Ozarks, but the stream itself is characterized by deep pools, fast chutes and clear water. While there are several day-long floats accessible on the upper portions of Crooked Creek, the lower portion is described as "more rugged" and recommended for experienced fishermen. If you'd like to try your hand at the lower portion, we'd suggest going with a guide, (several of the guides we book with will take you there.)

The upper portion runs along the 62/412 highway, which makes it highly accessible to our guests. Our Sisters on the Fly group has been known to do some phenomenal fly fishing on Crooked Creek between Pyatt & Kelly's Slab.

The Buffalo National River:

The Buffalo River is nationally famous for several reasons. Its jawdropping features include caves, natural springs, waterfalls and other geographic marvels. It originates in the Boston Mountains and flows East 150 miles til it ultimately joins the White River at Buffalo City, (it waves hi to us as it passes.) The country's first National River, the Buffalo has been enjoyed by canoers, campers and fishermen for years.

The Buffalo is considered the model smallmouth stream. According to Arkansas.com: "...the Buffalo has fast, clear, oxygen rich water with the kind of gravel bottom and boulder beds smallmouth bass love." You can do great fishing from a canoe, or a jonboat, as you prefer. Anglers recommend casting into swift moving water, and the locals confirm. Several of our longtime guests have been known to anchor their boats right at the confluence of the White & Buffalo Rivers and proceed to scoop up all kinds fat smallmouth in the process of feeding.

For more information about either of these waterways, or smallmouth fishing elsewhere in Arkansas, visit
the Natural State's Official Tourism Website.

Ten Arkansas Adventures to Take

"Mining" for diamonds in Murfreesboro- check it out treasure hunters!

Here's a link to a great article that details ten "can't miss" adventures in the Natural State.
They run the gamut from quirky to awe-inspiring, (a little bit like the state of Arkansas itself!) Haven't tried out a lot of these personally, (I have a resort to run...) BUT its good to have a list of "the best" for the few days we get to take off from resort life.

Check it out!

The T-Buckets visit White Buffalo.

Every year, Mountain Home, Arkansas plays host to a unique gathering that combines both history and hot-rods...



The 2011 Buckethead Bash has been going on all week, drawing "T-Bucket" enthusiasts from all over the country to the beauty of the Ozarks. Events include group cookouts, a car show, and plenty of cruisin'.

A "T-Bucket" is a specific style of Hot Rod, based on the look of a Ford Model T. The majority of T-Buckets on the road are generally replicas, since usable & authentic Model T parts are extremely hard to come by. T-Buckets typically feature a light, 2 seater body, an exposed Model T style radiator, and an oversized V-8 engine. Some owners choose to add oversized back wheels as a nod to the Model T's drag racing past.

Whenever the T-Buckets are in town, they take a sunset drive down the White River, which is where we caught them on Wednesday night.

For more information, check out the Buckethead Bash website.

Fourth of July on the River

Thanks to all our guests who stayed with us this weekend- we had such a fun time with all of you! Here's a few pics.

Making Trout Ceviche

So, in our recent Summer Newsletter, we included our recipe for Trout Ceviche: a "no-cook" meal that makes for some tangy & refreshing Summer Eats. I made some the other day and have been enjoying it for lunch when its too hot to turn on the oven.

Here's our step by step look at making it:

These were trout we pulled out of the freezer. Fileting fish after they've been frozen is much harder than doing it when they're fresh. We recommend fileting them right out of the river and freezing the filets.

We just wanted to make a half portion of Ceviche, so we only chopped up a few limes and lemons.

If you own a microplane, you can add zest from your limes and lemons to the mixture. No microplane? You can use a fine grater or even a fork.

Raw trout soaking in the lemon juice- it almost looks like chicken broth.

Ta Da! Cooked with no heat! Ain't chemistry cool?

Tomatoes, avocado, and peppers. Since this was a quick batch of ceviche, we opted out on the onions and jalepenos- too many hazards involved in the chopping.

Stir in some olive oil, honey, and a few of your favorite spices and voila! Your cold, tangy and nutritious fish dish is ready!!

Want the full recipe for Ceviche? Subscribe to our Summer Newsletter and receive all kinds of fun information and updates.

How to Plan a Multi-Family Vacation

When I first read this article about "multi-family vacations", I thought...."Wait a minute, isn't that just called a vacation?"

Looking back on my childhood, I realized that my family almost NEVER took a trip alone.

There was Swimming in the pool with my cousins in Palm Desert, Camping with a huge group of friends in Yosemite Valley, and Skiing with my mom's side of the family in Lake Tahoe.

The few times my parents tried to take us places "alone", my siblings and I were horrified.

"What are we supposed to do...hang out with EACH OTHER?!?"

Actual photograph of my siblings "hanging out with each other" on vacation.

That never sounded like much of a vacation to me.

Whether the travel industry is finally picking up on something families have been doing for a long time, or whether the trend is actually on the rise with the precarious economy, Multi-family traveling might just be the answer for your next vacation.

We've seen it all at White Buffalo Resort, so Here's our take on the perfect multi-family vacation:

1) The Lone Flag-Bearer:

Now, you might be thinking "More people? Great! We can split all the responsibility!" Sorry to burst your bubble. When it comes to planning a multi-family vacation, it always seems to boil down to one staunch soul calling to arrange dates, lodging, arrivals and departures.

Find the most organized, datebook-loving person in your group and appoint them. Make sure they have good phone skills- I've never seen a group planning endeavor that didn't require multiple rounds of phone calls between parties.

2) Splitting the Bill:

Don't hand over that credit card for just anybody.

Most places are going to require a non-refundable deposit to reserve lodging. In the heat of the moment, it may seem easiest to put out the money yourself and collect every one's "shares" later.

We would recommend proceeding with caution, unless you really know and trust the people you're traveling with. Will you have to sic a collection agency on Great Aunt Angie?

We certainly hope not, but we've seen it happen.

Smaller, privately owned businesses may be willing to work with you here. We at White Buffalo know how painful it can be to go all "Ebeneezer Scrooge" on your friends and family, and have therefore been known to split bills twelve different ways down to the last percentage of tax.

Check whether your vacation location will let each person call to individually put down "their share" of the divided deposit, (we do). This way, all members of your party are equally committed, and less likely to cancel at the last minute, leaving you responsible for their part of the bill.

Friends bringing pets? Make sure they're aware of and responsible for any nightly fees for pets or additional guests. It may seem a little miserly to demand that your travel buddies pay up front, but its ultimately much better than tainting the end of your vacation with resentment, confusion and quarreling.

3) First one in gets the best bedroom.
Obviously.

4) Dividing Cooking:

From a mom's perspective, this makes any vacation, (especially camping) easier. Know your group's expectations up front. Will you want to eat every meal together? Dinners only? Eat completely separate, but come together to have s'mores over a campfire at night? If you do decide to eat meals together, it can simplify everyone's vacation to split things up beforehand. Designate a different party to cook for the group each night. Or decide on different side dishes each of you can contribute.

5) Togetherness.

Just cause you're on vacation TOGETHER, it doesn't mean you're inseparable. Don't remain dutifully glued to your group if it means missing out of something you're genuinely interested in. And if you're the planner- don't make group activities mandatory. Remember that people view "vacations" differently- and that while some need to see and explore and do everything offered, others just need a pool chair to lounge in. Be understanding- your goal should always be to avoid hurt feelings or resentment.

If your vacation desires diverge, plan a few days where you'll head in different directions. Make sure to come back together at night to share stories about your different adventures.

____________________________________

All in all- multi family vacations can mean savings, new traditions and fun. Our Deluxe Lodges are big enough to accommodate togetherness AND privacy, and there's always room in the campground for one more tent. Plan your next vacation together and see what memories you end up making.

Check out our Summer Newsletter

Celebrate the OFFICIAL start to Summer (yesterday!) by signing up to receive the Summer Edition of WBR's quarterly newsletter.

Click Here to Get in On the Action

A Summer Weekend Well Spent

Too busy to blog lately- a good thing, let me assure you. Just wanted to share this e-mail from a lady who visited us this weekend.

"Just wanted to let you know that we had the most amazing stay at the resort. So relaxing, peaceful and beautiful. I am recommending this place to everyone I know. We stayed at the #5 cabin “trophy”. Best vacation yet. We will be back I can promise you this.

The canoe trip was so much fun and the water was just right. Clear and refreshing.

Thank you for some great memories with some amazing friends!!!!!!!"

Belinda
Natchitoches, LA

Fishing Report June 11, 2011

Our longtime guests Bob & Vicki Leggit from St. Louis, MO have been camping at White Buffalo and fishing the White River for the past eight days.

Hear what they have to say about the River and fishing prospects at the moment.

Low Water on the White River

Praise God and Thank You Army Corps of Engineers, Bull Shoals Dam is SHUT DOWN today and our water is dropping steadily. After all the high water we've had in the last month, we are ready for the break. High water makes for great fishing, but it tends to scare off some of our more faint-hearted fishermen.

Just a quick plug- this is IDEAL water for fly fishing, we have two guests getting ready to go try their flies out now.

Summer Event: The Johnny Cash Music Festival

"Some say 'Johnny Cash was one of the Greatest Stars to come out of Nashville.' I tell them, That man came out of Arkansas."

-John Carter Cash

I'm totally enthralled with this idea.

Dyess, Arkansas- The House Johnny Cash grew up in

On Thursday, August 4th, Arkansas State University at Jonesboro will host a music festival featuring various members of Johnny Cash's family as well as other accomplished country musicians to celebrate The Man in Black's Life and Music.

Ticket proceeds will go to restoring and preserving Johnny Cash's childhood home in Dyess, Arkansas. There are plans to restore a local New Deal era building as a museum and reconstruct a former theater to play an orientation film and documentaries about Cash's life.

For tickets, official line-up and more, visit the website link here.

Free Fishing Weekend in Arkansas

Once again, its that time of year when the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission puts aside its boats and binoculars in order to let the people FISH!

Any resident or non-resident is allowed to fish in Arkansas this weekend without a fishing license or trout permit.

The Free Fishing Weekend starts at noon this Friday, June 10th and goes 'til 12:00 am on Sunday the 12th, (just in case any of you license-less, night owl, diehard fishing insomniacs want to hit the river at midnight...)

Now, just cause its free, you can't get crazy...regulations for length, slot limit and daily limit still apply.

In any case, Free Fishing Weekend couldn't have come at a better time for White Buffalo. Generation on the White River has slowed way down this week- only six generators and ZERO floodgates! The high water has had the fish all stirred up and biting like crazy.

So if you haven't gotten away yet, and the heat hasn't melted your brain, this might be the weekend to dust off your tacklebox and head for the river.

Leave your wallet at home!

Fishing Tip- Smallmouth Bass

Looking Back at May.

Here's the lowdown on all the good, bad and watery things that came our way this May.

1) Flowers, butterflies and unusual moth species?
We got excited by deceptive signs of Spring early in the month and thought that maybe all our unfortunate weather was behind us. No such luck.

Butterfly Bushes work their magic.
A Cecropia Moth-or so our handy Field Guide and Google Images tell us.

2) Flooding Scares.
May in the Ozarks brought some of the most "unprecedented" weather in recent history. Torrential Rain, Tornado warnings, and frighteningly high water had us hearkening back to March 18th, 2008, when our office ended up 5 feet under water. Altogether, we can say we were blessed. Several other homes and businesses on the White River were not as fortunate. We ask our customers to keep victims of tornadoes in Missouri, and Oklahoma in prayer.

Keep out of our pool, river....

At least these guys were enjoying themselves...

3) Cicada Brood Hatches
The "Great Southern Brood" has hatched throughout Arkansas, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Mississippi. And they are making themselves quite comfortable here at WBR. Cicadas are harmless, (and edible actually!) despite their beady-eyed appearance. We are torn between being fascinated and annoyed at all the noise they make. This is the World's Largest Brood of Cicadas- hatching after being buried underground for 13 years. This species won't emerge again until 2024.

For more on "The Brood": click here

"Look into my beady red eyes...."

"Do you have any camper cabins open for this weekend??"

4) Red Horse Sucker Fish
As always, high water is bad for fishermen, good for the fish. We always start seeing unusual species when the water goes up. This lady angler caught these Red Horse Sucker Fish specimen fishing off the banks. We couldn't even identify them off hand, and had to find them online.

Sucking on each other!

5) A Successful Memorial Day
Despite some cancellations by disgruntled fishermen, it was a hot, fun, and busy Memorial Day weekend. The pool was crawling with kids, and our campground was packed full of families cooking out, playing games, relaxing by the river and generally enjoying each others' company.

Sounds like success to me.

Memorial Day.

Fun in the Pool!

Happy Memorial Day!

The 6 Best Things to do when the Fish Aren't Biting.

Okay. Let me be honest here, blog readers.

I am not the most hardcore of all fisher-women. Disappointing, I know. I'm sorry if you feel lied to.

I do fish sometimes. And when I do, there really is no better place for a Super Rookie like me than right outside my front door on the White River. But frankly, when I get a day off, I can't say my first reaction is to reach for my fishing pole...

Thankfully, there are plenty of other things to do in the Mountain Home / Northwest Arkansas area. Here are a few activities the less trout-inclined members of your party might enjoy.

In no particular order:

1. Horseback Riding at Stone Creek Ranch

Like no trail ride you've ever been on. Most horse back riding experiences consist of your horse following the backside of the horse in front of it, but trail rides at Stone Creek Ranch take you through 2,000 acres of private land and Ozark Upland scenery.

2. Bull Shoals Dam & Visitors Center

One of the largest concrete dams in the United States, a truly impressive sight. The Visitor's center contains a lot of area history, including the state's record breaking trophy fish mounts.

3. The Zone

Go Karts, Mini golf, Batting Cages and Arcade Games, all right up the road from White Buffalo Resort.

4. Big Creek Golf Course & Country Club

If mini-golf isn't your game, there's a Bigger way to golf, right in the middle of Mountain Home. Big Creek has been on Golf Digest's places to play list every year between 2004- 2010, and won both National and State awards for service and conditioning.

5. Branson, MO

If you don't mind a bit of a road trip, Branson, Missouri is worth the hour and a half drive. With shows, shopping and several (let's be honest) weird attractions, Branson is known as the Las Vegas of the Ozarks- albeit a little family friendlier.

6. Pool / Playground / Volleyball Net

Can't resist the urge to keep you here with us. :) But really, there are plenty of ways to have fun off the river at WBR. Our pool and patio are already open for the summer. In addition we have hiking trails, volleyball, ping pong, a playground and open field for all kinds of games.

How about you, WBR fans? What off-river adventures have you gotten into with your families in your years of vacations with us?

Happy Almost Summer, however you choose to spend it. :)