#11 Big Streamers, Bigger Fish

“We’re chasing trophy fish and it’s hard. It shouldn’t be easy. It will kick your ass. It’s physical. Big flies hurt more when they go into you and its covering miles and miles of water. But you know, none of us got into this game because flyfishing was easy. We got into it because it was a challenge.” -Steve Dally of Dally’s Ozark Flyfisher talking about chasing big fish on Arkansas’s White River.
Dally went on to explain his almost cult-like devotion to the White River. Think deliverance but with john boats instead of canoes.
And at the center of the aquatic orthodox are two deities: the almighty streamer and the holy brown trout. But these aren’t your typical streamers or browns. They’re way bigger, and according to the river’s disciples, way better.
Today, we’re going to find out how this creed came to be and how these devotees in Northern Arkansas began breaking bread with those coveted monster browns. It’s a story of exploration, failure, and teamwork, but really, it’s an invitation to establish your own fishy religion.
Thanks to our sponsors Scott Fly Rods and Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures for their continued support.
To see photos of some gnarly White River browns, be sure to check out the Drake’s website: www.drakemag.com/drakecast/1835-the-drakecast-flyfishing-podcast-11-white-river.html