Pro-Guide Services WATERS WE GUIDE
DON ADAMS 1957-2011

   The Ozarks Most Dynamic Guide Team
 

  Blue Ribbon Fly Shop offers varied fishing options through a diverse group of experienced guides     


Ozark fly fishing culture is unique in the respect that most of the area guides operate as independent entities with no affiliation to an outfitter. This is a result of lax oversight of guiding operations in the state of Arkansas, and the current system can be both positive and negative. On one hand, prospective anglers are afforded the opportunity to search for the perfect guide service, and it is possible to find some real gems through word of mouth or on the Internet. Still, under an independent guide system, there is no oversight, so the customer takes full responsibility for the outcome of the overall experience. Blue Ribbon Fly Shop operates differently than the status quo, and we are proud to offer one of the region’s only true guide teams.

There are advantages to booking a White River or Norfork Tailwater fly fishing trip through Blue Ribbon Fly Shop. This established northern Arkansas business works with five experienced guides who each bring unique skills to the table, and all of them have different personalities and fishing styles. In most cases, the shop will pair anglers with the guide that appears to be the best fit, but it is possible to request a specific guide. We will do anything and everything to make sure that our clients have the best possible day out on the water. Blue Ribbon Fly Shop is a business that prides itself on providing top-notch customer service, so prospective customers can rest assured that when they utilize our guides, they will be treated exceptionally well, while reaping the benefits of fishing with an experienced sportsman. Our guide team is the epitome of class.

Most anglers who spend any amount of time studying or fishing White River Basin trout fisheries understand that water releases will dictate where the best fly fishing conditions are on any given day. Consistently effective fly fishermen are always adjusting their flies and techniques based on the current flow rates. The guide team at Blue Ribbon Fly Shop understands how to locate productive fly fishing opportunities on all water conditions, and recently, several members of the guide staff have added drift boats to their equipment arsenal. Although this type of vessel can be a hindrance during extremely high water, there are times when a drift boat can be of real benefit. During periods of no power generation, this type of craft is perfect for easily navigating shallow shoals. A drift boat opens up wading access to less-pressured stretches of river, and it is very easy to escape the walk-in crowds with a float-and-wade approach. When the dams are releasing moderate amounts of water, both the White and Norfork offer ideal float-fishing conditions, and a drift boat is the perfect way cover plenty of water in peace. Please let the staff at Blue Ribbon Fly Shop know if you are interested in fishing from a drift boat (if it is possible) so that the proper guide will be scheduled. Daily fishing options are always discussed on the morning of a guided trip, and if flows are too high for a requested drift fishing excursion, other alternatives will be explained.   

Blue Ribbon Fly Shop is proud of our diverse guide team. We are the only service in the Ozarks that offers their customers a choice of fly fishing styles, and there is a guide on our team to match just about any angler’s personality. Making the most out of a day on the White River and Norfork Tailwater can be difficult without help, so finding the right guide often makes the difference between frustration and all-day action. The guide team at Blue Ribbon Fly Shop will provide a memorable day on the water  - we emphasize teaching, while working at catching the most fish possible.

Below is a brief biography of each guide that explains their experience, fishing style and demeanor. Feel free to direct any questions you may have for specific guides through our main email address. blueribbonflyfish@hotmail.com

Forrest Smith

A good guide team needs a “young gun” to keep everyone on their toes by constantly pushing innovative concepts. Forrest Smith, Blue Ribbon’s youngest guide, is always experimenting with new techniques, and he possesses a remarkable amount of fly fishing and hunting knowledge for someone his age. Perhaps, this is because Forrest is an actual Arkansas native, so he was raised with a fly rod in one hand and a bow in the other.  He has also spent several seasons guiding on the prolific trout rivers of Montana.

Forrest is the type of guide who can be a bit mysterious, but the knowledge he holds is worth extracting. After a day on the water with this talented guide, anglers feel that they have been privy to a very exclusive experience filled with critical knowledge. Like Jeremy Hunt, Forrest is an expert streamer fisherman, and he also spends a lot of time stalking huge browns at night with big and ugly flies. Few others study the correlation between moon phases and productive night fishing like Forrest does, and he offers specialized night trips to anglers in a position to act when the right conditions come together.

Do not let the relative young age of Forrest Smith fool you – he is a very capable guide who is wise beyond his years. Anglers who fish with Forrest almost always comment on his adaptability and confidence. Forrest operates both a motorized “Jon” boat and a drift boat, and he knows where the best water is for every conceivable condition that may be encountered.


Kristopher Bouldin

Kris Bouldin is a savvy fly fishing veteran who brings over 30 years of experience to the table, and he is passionate when it comes to chasing all types of fresh and saltwater fish species. He has cast flies in waters all across the nation, but he now calls the Arkansas Ozarks his home - this is indicative of how amazing our resources are when a guide with Kris' experience [who could work anywhere] has picked to focus his professional efforts on the White River and Norfork Tailwater. From a guiding standpoint, Kris is a consummate professional who possesses a strong work ethic, a great attitude, a big "bag of tricks", and he aims to please his clients by fishing a variety of water types and techniques. He also listens and is willing to tailor trips based on the ambitions and expectations of the anglers he is guiding. There is no doubt that Kris will make the strong guide team at Blue Ribbon Fly Shop even stronger, so if you are lucky enough to get him as a guide, look forward to an exceptionally productive and educational experience. 
 


JOHN BERRY

John is one of the most experienced and respected fly fishing guides on the White and Norfork Rivers. Though he has traveled extensively and fished most of the major trout streams from coast to coast, all of his guiding experience has been here in Arkansas. As a result he knows the rivers, hatches and techniques used here well. He is so knowledgeable that he is a highly sought after speaker at fly fishing organizations throughout the South and his seminars at the Sowbug Roundup and Federation of Fly Fisher Conclaves are always well attended. His specialty is teaching and as a result has been teaching fly fishing at colleges and university for almost two decades. He currently teaches fly fishing at Arkansas State University at Mountain Home with his wife, Lori Sloas. His background in teaching fly fishing makes him a perfect choice for novice anglers. His professionalism and patience make him the perfect choice for everyone else.When he is not guiding or fishing with his wife, Lori, John spends his time writing and has had dozens of articles published in various publications (like Hatches and Drake to name a few). For the last five years he has been a fly fishing columnist for the Baxter Bulletin, our local newspaper.

Dennis Schule

Dennis grew up in Southern California  and spent a lot of his childhood fishing the ocean for anything that swims.  He also fished many of the rivers and streams and the High Sierra lakes with his grandfather who started him with a fly rod at an early age.  After graduating from high school Dennis moved to Montana where he took every advantage of the great outdoors of that state.   He hunted in the fall and winter and lived on the rivers the remainder of the year.  After arriving in Montana Dennis was introduced to fly tying.  He has been an avid fly tier for over 40 years.   While living in Montana, Dennis started his guiding career and learned his trade from some of the best western guides in the business.  Work and college brought Dennis from Montana to northern Minnesota.  After completing college Dennis moved to southern Minnesota where he would remain for the next 27 years.  Southern Minnesota has some excellent trout fishing streams and that is where you would find Dennis on his days off.  Dennis also taught fly fishing classes through adult community education and helped hundreds of individuals get started in the sport of fly fishing.

Dennis has chased bonefish and permit in Mexico, Honduras, Belize,  Cayman Islands and the Bahamas.  He has fished for steelhead in British Columbia on the Babine and Kispiox rivers and chased those silver beauties on the Deschutes river in Oregon.  He has also wet a line on dozens of  trout streams throughout the country. 

Dennis started fishing the White and Norfork rivers over twenty years ago and finally retired in 2003 and moved to the Mountain Home area.  Dennis has been guiding on the White and Norfork rivers since 2003.   When Dennis isn't guiding on the rivers you will find him fishing with his wife Mary so he can keep up with the ever changing conditions.  Needless to say Dennis has found his home and has no plans of ever leaving the best trout fishing he has ever had.  
 

At Blue Ribbon Fly Shop, we recognize that there are many choices when it comes to hiring an expert White River fly fishing guide. Let us show you how fishing with one of our guide team members offers the most productive Ozark fly fishing experience available. We only work with the region’s most talented guides, and every member of our staff possesses class, determination and patience. Blue Ribbon Fly Shop is committed to working with our customers to ensure that they get the most out of their day on the water. Whether you are planning your first trip to the White River or Norfork Tailwater, or you visit the area every year; come experience a memorable day of fishing with a member of the Blue Ribbon Fly Shop guide team.

 John Gulley

An Arkansas native with 30 yrs experience guiding on both the White & Norfork Rivers, John has a well deserved reputation for putting his clients on quality fish under a variety of conditions. In addition to being the 1998 Orvis Guide of the year, he is concerned conservationist and innovative fly tier.

 

Blue Ribbon Arkansas Fly Fishing Guide Service  

When you plan a fly fishing trip to the White River or Norfork, safety must be the first priority.  These rivers are unpredictable with respect to dam releases, and the water can rise to dangerous levels at the drop of a hat.  It’s easy to become intimidated by the unique dynamics on display here, but we can assure you that the constant change in water levels stimulates trout activity and it is what makes these rivers trophy trout factories.  Our guides are trained to keep the client safe while also putting them in the very best spot for that particular day.  We are not afraid to change locations if fishing conditions become better somewhere else which is always a possibility on these types of rivers.  While most guides either just wade or just boat fish, the guides for Blue Ribbon Fly Shop will employ whatever methods and techniques will catch the most fish or biggest fish.  If there is an option available on where or how we do things, it will always be presented up front.  So be assured that when you hire one of our experienced guides, you will be placed with someone who is friendly and excited to be on the water.  No crabby guides are allowed to work with us!  Blue Ribbon Fly Shop is a about teaching and making better fly fishermen out of people…our guides feel the exact same way.

A guide trip with Blue Ribbon Fly Shop begins by meeting at the shop (we may also pick you up where you are staying) at 7:30am for some coffee and an assessment of the morning’s situation. Reason being, the fly shop is centrally located between numerous access points along the White and Norfork rivers. Therefore, clients meeting us here at the shop in the morning reduces the drive time, saves our clients gas, and allows our guides to meet and depart to the most productive sections of river for the day. Although as Blue Ribbon guides we provide all the essentials, meeting at the fly shop allows the client a final opportunity to pick up a pair of polarized sun glasses forgotten back home, sun screen, gloves, or any other necessities. Blue Ribbon carries more than leaders and tippet which is what makes for a true full service fly shop and guide service. Lunches will have been arranged, and everything will be packed by the guide. On occasion we may grill brats, chicken, or some other grilling delecacy in a short time on the river shore. Once all the loose ends are wrapped up it’s time to hit the river.  We cannot stress enough that safety is our top priority.  Our guides are diligent about maintaining their equipment and they know what to do in almost any situation that could arise on these challenging rivers.  All are licensed by the state and are proficient in CPR and First Aid.

Guided trips with Blue Ribbon typically end between 5-6pm, but if fishing is hot into the evening, our guides have been known to stay out a little longer.  All trips are strictly catch and release so be sure to bring your camera.  Blue Ribbon Fly Shop works with several local taxidermists’ who can make a perfect trophy mount from just a picture.

Our guides employ a variety of techniques to put you on trout, and never hesitate to tell your guide how you like to fish.  If conditions are right, it may be a possibility.  Also, there is a big difference between fishing to catch numbers of trout and “big fish fishing”.  Our guides know how to do both, and let them know your preference.  We catch lots of big fish while going for numbers, so keep that in mind.  When targeting just bigger fish it’s more like hunting.  The rewards are great but so are the challenges.  It’s possible to do some of both on any given day.

Please do not hesitate to ask us anything.  Blue Ribbon Fly Shop can put you in touch with your guide before the trip so that he can answer any questions you may have.  We are all about having fun while maintaining safety guidelines, and a guided fly fishing trip with Blue Ribbon Fly Shop is the best way to optimize your time on the White River. 

We appreciate your business and referrals.

100% Catch & Release. For information and rates on full or half day trips, please call the shop @ 870.425.0447.

A 50% check or credit card deposit is required and due upon booking. Payment via CC are subject to a 3% processing fee. Cancellations within 14 days of bookings are non-refundable and may be rescheduled.
We are located at: 1343 Hwy 5 South Mountain Home, AR 72653 | (870) 425-0447 phone | (870) 425-6954 fax | e-mail us here.
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