July 9th- 14th, 2024 - with hosts Josh Trammell and Brian Flechsig
Join us on the White River in Arkasas for an angling event. Brood XIX (along with yearly Summer bugs) will be hatching and Northern Arkansas is slated to be the "epicenter" fo this 13 year hatch. Lodging right on the river, great guides, excellent food... This will truly be a trip of a lifetime!
TRIP SOLD OUT-
Summer of 2024 is going to be a special time in the Ozarks on the White River... and this is going to be a special trip! Very special.
The Brood XIX hatch is a 13 year hatch of huge orange/black cicadas. Trout, Smallmouth, Bass, Carp, and pretty much every fish you can think of love these bugs. When ground temperatures near 70 degrees, these cool insects climb out of their burrows & up the trees before falling into the river or lake to be consumed by our favorite freshwater predators. We have an amazing opportunity to spend four days on the White River with Woodard Fly Fishing and company taking advantage of this epic cicada hatch as well as various other surface flies. You don’t want to miss out on this trip!
Woodard Fly Fishing is an outfitter on the White, Norfork, Little Red River & Kings River there in Arkansas. They are a group of professional guides dedicated to building great anglers & hunting trophy fish on a fly rod. Ben Woodard has set us up with some beautiful accommodations through Riley’s Estates as well as catered meals done by local chef Nathan Buck.
Included in this trip is 4 days of guided fishing (from boats), 5 nights lodging, and all meals. Equipment and flies can also be included if needed. Not included are alcoholic beverages, Arkansas fishing license, travel to and from Riley's Estates and daily gratiuities for the guides.
Closest airports are Springfield-Branson National Airport(SGF) (2hr 33min from Riley’s Estates) and Boone County Regional Airport(HRO) (1hr 12min from Riley’s Estates). SGF has all major airlines but if flying through American Airlines flying into HRO is the best option. Both airports have rental car services available and you will be responsible for getting yourself to the Lodge.
The White River is one of America’s largest....and most famous Trout tailwaters. With around 100 miles of trout fishing and an average width of 200 feet, the White River has plenty of room for big fish. This river boasts substantial numbers of brown trout in the 20+ inch range and fish breaking the upper 20 to 30 inch mark are not uncommon. It starts at Bull Shoals Dam, where the draw from the bottom of the lake comes out at cool 49-55 degrees year round making this fishery one of the healthiest fisheries in the United States. It is truly a true year round fishery, where you will experience the best guides, superior fishing, and an amazing time.
Every summer from late June – August you can hear seasonal cicadas in the trees along the river & watch hoppers jump through the grass lining the bank. In 2024 BROOD XIX will emerge in sixteen states with Northern Arkansas as an/the epicenter.
This is the summer to come to visit the Ozarks. High water in June – July pushes our fish to the bank & structure looking for an easy meal. This is a 13 year hatch that coincides with their seasonal bugs in the summer, mainly sulphurs, ants, Japanese beetles, and hoppers.
Here’s a little history on what’s happening next year on the cicada front. It’s going to be pretty amazing being apart of a once in a lifetime occurrence! A piece from cicadiamania.com:
2024 will be a “magical” year for cicada fans because the periodical cicada broods XIII and XIX will emerge in 2024. These broods co-emerge every 221 years (13 X 17). The last time they co-emerged was in 1803, the same year as the Louisiana Purchase (the same year the U.S. got Brood XIX states Louisiana, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma).
Guests can expect a full eight hour day of fishing between the hours of 6:30am – 5pm. For the first day all guides will use the same ramp & every day after Ben will tell his guides to be independent in their decisions on launching to benefit each guest’s fishing goals. We eat lunch as a group if together and independently if our boats are stretched out over the river system. Their boats have motors so there is no need for shuttles. All fly fishing equipment is provided along with water, drinks, snacks, etc.
The Buffalo Vista, a part of Riley's Estates, is capable of sleeping 8 guests in separate beds or 4 couples. This home has 3 bedrooms, 1 bunk room and 3 bathrooms. This home is ideal for larger families or groups looking to capture the true beauty of the Ozarks on their next vacation, or corporate retreat. The Buffalo Vista has a king bedroom suite that looks out to the river. The 2nd bedroom has a queen bed, the 3rd bedroom (downstairs) has a murphy bed & fold-out sofa bed with river views, and the 4th bedroom (downstairs) is a game room with a bunk bed and a double bed. There is a total of 3 full bathrooms, master bath has large walk-in shower and drop in tub.
All bedrooms on this home are furnished with all bed, bath & kitchen linens. There is a sleeper sofa in the game room, Satellite TV with DVD player (in living areas) and a landline for local calls. Full kitchen with dishwasher, dining table & chairs, microwave, coffee maker, toaster, pots/pans, and cooking utensils. The outdoor living area is fitted with a pool overlooking the White River. A home that satisfies the views of the Ozarks for everyone!
Meals & Snacks / Drinks:
Ben has a great relationship with Cotter, AR local Nathan Buck. He has won multiple BBQ awards, has some serious culinary training, and has done in house cooking for guests for years. The menu will be arranged a week ahead of time with dietary restrictions taken into account. The groups receive a very famous breakfast burrito in the morning, sandwich lunch on the river by our guides, and a big dinner back at the cabin. A few bottles of liquor are provided on the first night with a few cases of beer.
Your Hosts on this trip will be Josh Trammell, Brian Flechsig and Ben Woodard:
Josh Trammell
Josh was born and raised in Northeast Ohio and caught the fishing bug early in life as he watched a neighbor fly fishing their backyard pond. At the age of 10 he started exploring all things fishing that Ohio had to offer. From there he has gone on to chase steelhead and warmwater species across the southern shores of Lake Erie and beyond, always looking for that next opportunity.
Josh has also spent his last seven summers guiding in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska for Naknek River Camp, where he also enjoys pursuing fish on two handed rods in his downtime. While not on the water, Josh can often be found hovered over a vice somewhere whipping up all sorts of fishy flies. Josh enjoys sharing his passion with others and hopes they can catch the bug as bad as he’s got it!
Brian Flechsig
Along with serving as lead instructor and a guide for Mad River Outfitters, he is also the founder and President of the company! Brian started his guiding career right here on the Mad River in Ohio in 1989. He also spent most of the nineties chasing steelhead up along Lake Erie and in Michigan. Most famously, he spent 9 years guiding folks in hot pursuit of trophy largemouth at the Wilds and was featured as such on an episode of the Walker's Cay Chronicles with Flip Pallot.
He is also the host of our popular YouTube Channel and has become one of the most recognized names and faces in the fly fishing business. He has been hosting fly fishing trips like these since 1922!
Brian will be along on this trip and have a film crew in tow. They will be making a documentary of the trip as well as the White River and their usual fly fishing tutorials.
Ben Woodard
Benjamin Woodard is a full time Guide on the White, Norfork, Kings, and Little Red River. He has guided in the Ozarks and Ouachitas since 2015. His family Lineage runs deep in Arkansas dating to the 18th century outside of Harrison. Ben is at home on the Ozark waterways where he spends every waking moment hunting fish. In past, Owner of a Fly Rod Company, Film Producer, and Fly Fishing Retail Manager, Guiding on multiple rivers for multiple species, He’s got the experience to put you on fish no matter the condition.
Ben started Woodard Fly Fishing in 2019 upon moving full time to Cotter from the Kings River, changing his former named Southern Fly Outfitters. He has built his business on developing anglers, relationships, putting people on big fish, and creating experiences that will last a lifetime.
He Guides or has Guided on the White River System, Little Red River, Kings River, Ouachita River, Caddo River, Little Missouri River, the Big Hole River in MT, and the Beaverhead River in MT. Ben is board member for his local Trout Unlimited, a Certified Casting Instructor, a Fly Rod Designer, Fly Designer, Professional Sandwich Artist, Retired Bartender, and scared of the ocean.
Ben and his staff will be our official hosts in Arkansas and provide the guides for the trip, as well as arranging the lodging and the food.
White River- Arkansas
"Cicada Mania"
with hosts Josh Trammell, Brian Flechsig and Ben Woodard
July 9th- 13th, 2024
Trip Includes: 5 nights lodging, 4 days fishing, all meals including "welcome dinner and cocktails" on Tuesday night arrival and breakfast on departure Sunday morning, most if not all flies and fly fishing gear.
Not Included: Alcoholic beverages, Arkansas Fishing License, travel to and from Riley's Estates and daily gratiuties for guides
Price Per Angler: $3195.00
TRIP SOLD OUT-