The biggest concern during our drive to the Kings River was if the stream would be crowded with floaters on the cusp of the July 4 weekend. Neither of us worried about catching fish.
After all, we were headed to the Kings, where smallmouth bass reign supreme.
Float the Kings
The trip from U.S. 62 to Arkansas 143 is about 4.5 miles. It’s an easy float suitable for beginners. The U.S. 62 access is free and owned by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The Arkansas 143 access is a private fee access. Cost is $5 per boat.
Information: Kings River Outfitters, 479-253-8954; guided float-fishing trips, Jeff Fletcher, 417-847-7434.
— Staff report
We'd enjoy fireworks on the Fourth, but we hoped to see smallmouth bass rocket from the water when we floated the river on July 2. Our game plan was to do the 4.5-mile trip from the U.S. 62 access to the Arkansas 143 bridge access at Grandview, east of Eureka Springs.
A surprise was waiting when Russ Tonkinson of Rogers and I arrived at the river -- high water. Not flooded high, but a foot higher than we expected. The current moved right along, but the water was clear when Tonkinson and I slid the canoe into the river under the U.S. 62 bridge.
I hadn't had time to dip a paddle before Tonkinson caught our first fish of the day, a spunky smallmouth bass about 10 inches long. Two casts later Tonkinson hooked its identical twin. Let the fireworks begin.
Maybe it was an early start that put us into fish right away. We were on the river at 7:15 a.m. Or maybe it was our float-trip tradition of always picking up any litter we find at the put-in. Whatever, we'd already caught and released a half-dozen smallmouths before we'd drifted 200 yards.
Tube baits are the only lure a fisherman needs on the Kings or any other Ozark stream. Small baits 2.75-inches long work wonders. Shades of green or any dark color always get bit, and the fish were after them on this trip.
An overcast day may have upped our catch rate, too. No baking in the hot sun on this summer day. We welcomed a conga line of fish into the canoe, including smallmouth bass, spotted bass, Ozark bass and sunfish. We released them all.
Numbers were no problem. A big smallmouth would be nice. We got our wish at the end of a long pool.
Leader of the pack
Tonkinson saw a sizeable bass cruising in water 2 feet deep and cast his tube bait. It disappeared into the fish's maw. This was one smallmouth bass Tonkinson didn't want to lose. He stepped out of the canoe and waded toward Mr. Big. A minute later he lifted a big Kings River smallmouth bass out of the water. We didn't measure, but it looked 18 inches easy.
"I saw that fish and threw about a foot in front of it," Tonkinson said, admiring his catch. He eased the smallmouth back into the stream and we watched the trophy fish swim away.
Eighteen inches is a big smallmouth bass for the Kings or any other Ozark stream, said Jon Stein, area fisheries biologist with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. They get bigger in reservoirs because there is more forage.
"We did an electrofishing sample over there this spring and our best sample site was downstream from U.S. 62," Stein said. "We got about 30 smallmouths in 10 minutes and two of them were just under 18 inches."
A fish like that will make anyone's float trip. We were giddy over a great day of fishing when we arrived at our take-out under the Arkansas 143 bridge. Could have been the weather, or just the right lure on the right day.
"I'll tell you what it is. It's that litter we picked up at the put in," Tonkinson said. I think he's right on the money.
Sports on 07/16/2015