Cotter Trout Dock

Float trips run on the White River below Bull Shoals Dam out of Cotter, Arkansas, across roughly 60 miles of trout water. A standard day covers 10 to 12 miles, often working down toward Crooked Creek, departing at 7:00am and returning around 3:30pm, and guests are told to expect 30 to 40 rainbow trout apiece. Traditional jon boats are used, fitted with padded swivel seats, life jackets and throw cushions, and rods and reels come at no extra charge. Guides do the cooking, and the shore lunch and campfire meals of Southern cooking are a signature of the day. Longer trips run two to six days and cover as much as 15 miles a day, with camping on a private 15-acre island called Smith Island. Half-day options are available as well, and the dock operates year round. The North Fork River is floated for trout too, and the Buffalo National River for smallmouth bass.