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Fly Fishing Adventures in the Arkansas Ozarks

AGFC Fisheries Biologist Paul Port will present a comprehensive guide to the diverse fly fishing opportunities found in the Arkansas Ozarks. Moving beyond the region’s renowned trout streams, he will explore the two distinct ecosystems: the clear, free-flowing rivers and the expansive, structure-rich lakes.

Paul will teach us tactics for targeting aggressive Smallmouth Bass and abundant Panfish in premier river destinations such as the Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek. He will then shift the focus to lake 
fishing, covering strategies for pursuing Largemouth and Spotted Bass, powerful "linesides" like Striped and Hybrid Bass, elusive Walleye, and even the unique challenges of catching Gar and Carp on Norfork 
and Bull Shoals Lakes.

Paul will conclude the program with valuable resources, including conservation efforts and essential gear recommendations, to help club members plan their own unforgettable Ozark fishing adventures.

Paul Port is the District 2 Fisheries Management Biologist for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, where he has worked since 2008. Originally from Northeast Iowa, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Animal Ecology from Iowa State University and a master’s in Fisheries Management from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Paul’s early 
experience includes fisheries work with the Iowa DNR and the Illinois Natural History Survey. In his current role, he manages Bull Shoals, Norfork, and Greers Ferry Lakes, as well as the Buffalo River and Crooked Creek. An avid angler, Paul enjoys fishing for anything that swims—often with a fly rod.