Talking Trout: White River trip yields quality fishing
Note: The following report on the Trout Unlimited chapter’s trip to the White River was contributed by Charlie Gilbreath.
A large group of members of the Coosa Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited recently returned from a trip to the White River in northern Arkansas. The White River is a big river with large rainbow and brown trout.
The water below the dam can run from wadeable to a raging torrent with eight generators running and water spilling over the dam. During the trip this year there was a steady flow with four to six generators running around the clock.
The weather was unseasonably cold with lows around 30 and highs around 50. There was a little snow mixed in, leaving the fishermen with no choice but to layer up and use gloves. The trip was, however, very productive in terms of catching fish.
The larger brown trout were accommodating, with the boat of Bill Pinson, Frank Pinson and David Bowen landing 14 in one day, with some as long as 26 inches. Most of the boats also caught their limits of rainbows. This is one bucket list trip for every fisherman, photographer and nature lover.
Author visiting TU
There are few people I know of that are more knowledgeable about the out of doors than Jimmy Jacobs. Jimmy grew up in the Atlanta area and has fished and hunted all his life. Jimmy, like so many of the Trout Unlimited members, loves the outdoors.
Jimmy has had an advantage over most who love the outdoors. He was the editor for Game & Fish Magazines covering the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and West Virginia for 25 years. As editor of these magazines he was responsible for reading each and every submission.
Working in that capacity he gained a wealth of information about wildlife in the southern states and has written extensively about all types of fishing from the Florida Keys to the southern Appalachian Mountains.
The number of awards that Jimmy has received is many, including Excellence In Craft Awards for writing and photography
from the Florida Outdoor Writers Association, Georgia Outdoor Writers Association and the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association.
In 2015 Jimmy was inducted into the Georgia Outdoor Writers Association Hunting and Fishing Hall of Fame for his work as an outdoor communicator. The Museum of Fly Fishing in the Southern Appalachians in Bryson City, North Carolina, inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2017 in the category of communicator. He was elected to the Georgia State University Athletic Hall of Fame that same year.
Jimmy will be bringing an assortment of his books to tonight’s meeting including his latest, Brook Trout in Dixie, and he will be happy to personalize a copy to you.
Workday at Rock Creek
Sixteen workers joined the U.S. Forest Service at Rock Creek this past weekend. One new log structure was placed at the site of the upcoming Kids’ Fishing Day put on by the USFS in Murray County.
The poplar log was in excess of 40 feet long and will produce a large plunge pool that will provide great holding water for both the wild trout and the stockers that will be added for the fishing day, which is May 5 at Rock Creek. Members of the Coosa Valley, Cohutta and Upper Chattahoochee chapters of TU participated.
Kids’ Fishing Day June 16
The 32nd annual Kids’ Fishing Day will be held in Cave Spring on June 16 at Rolater Park. This day is for children from ages 3-12. The children fish in age groups in the pond only but can fish the creek at any time during the day. Parents, make sure that the kids’ fishing gear is in good condition.
Trout Unlimited meeting
The next meeting of the Coosa Valley Chapter of TU will be today at 6:30 p.m. at the Rome-Floyd River Education ECO Center located at Ridge Ferry Park. Included in this meeting will be prep for the TU Kids’ Fishing Day and the next Chili Cook Off details. The speaker will be Jimmy Jacobs. The public is invited.