Finding Adventure: Trout Fishing in the Beautiful Ozarks

Friday By the Fire

“Ever since our last day there, I have been planning our return.”

For Former Army Captain and Groove Employee Tyler Akers, his latest adventure trip began as an idea inspired from a Friday evening campfire with his neighbor and good friend, Chip. While sipping whiskey, the two swapped stories of hunting and fishing they had done over the years. As soon as Chip mentioned visiting the White River in Arkansas, Tyler fell in love with the idea.

“I had never fished specifically for trout, and the White River is host to some of the best trout fishing in the United States.” 

Rainbow Trout & the White River

So Tyler, along with his friend, Chip, and two fellow coworkers, Matt and Garrett, booked a three-night stay in a cabin at the White Buffalo Resort in Mountain Home, Arkansas. The resort is nestled in the Ozarks and sits atop the White River, where the guys would be fishing each day.

While Tyler prides himself on being a lover of the outdoors, having spent plenty of time on extended hunting trips, he had never been on a fishing-only trip.

Fishing for rainbow and brown trout, common in the Ozarks region, was also a first for him. But he was excited to explore something new, especially with the company of his friends.

“There is something special about harvesting God’s creation and enjoying the fellowship of other outdoorsmen.”

Gone Fishing

The rush of walking down to the dock each morning and loading their gear into the boat each day was one of the most memorable moments of the trip for Tyler.

“The anticipation of what we might catch that day was always exciting,” he remembers.

Tyler and his friends spent each day of their trip boating up and down the White River, fishing for their limit of five trout per person, imposed to protect the harvest and allow fish for all anglers year round.

Surprisingly, this was Tyler’s first time operating a motorized boat. The currents of the river were strong and would often push their boat in directions they didn’t want to go. While this hung them up a few times, they were always able to get moving again.

“There was a sense of accomplishment and courage from being able to successfully navigate the boat all weekend,” Tyler recalls.

In the evenings after docking their boat, the guys cleaned their fish, cooked wild-game dinners, and sipped whiskey while sharing life stories around the campfire.

Overall, the fishing on the White River was unmatched and the company made it even better. 

Tyler and his friends caught about 100 trout over the course of their trip, most of which they released back into the river for future anglers to harvest.

What’s Next

There is no doubt that this trip to the Ozarks expanded Tyler’s desire for adventure. He has already been looking into areas closer to him to see what other gems are out there and available to explore.

One in particular that would take him cross-country is a fish and float trip in the Iliamna region of Alaska. The trip would include several small plane rides to remote parts of Alaska, floating in an inflatable raft for several days, and camping on the banks in the evenings. The perk? Getting to fish for world class trout and salmon. 

“It would be epic!”

Groove Life.® Ready for Adventure.™