The White River. The Real Thing.

Cotter, Arkansas earns its title as Trout Capital, U.S.A. the old-fashioned way. The White River below Bull Shoals Dam produces cold, clear, consistent water that browns and rainbows thrive in year-round. If you've wanted to fish it properly, and catch those monster browns — you’ve come to the right place

Guided Fishing Trips

Ember Shoals works with a small, invite-only group of professional White River guides. These aren't volume operations. Every guide in our preferred network is chosen for local knowledge, guest care, and respect for the river.

A person holding a fishing rod in an outdoor setting with a blurred background of water and greenery.

Half-Day Trip Spin Fishing

Great for first-timers, families, or guests who want to experience the river without a full commitment. Morning slots recommended.

This trip usually runs from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., but can be any 4-hour period, morning or evening. Rods, reels, and tackle included in price. Half day trips do not include lunch but do include cold drinks.

4-HOURS | $450 (not including Guide tip)

Up to two guests per boat

Book This Trip
Close-up of person holding a fly fishing rod near a body of water during daylight hours.

Full-Day Trip Spin Fishing

Cover more water, get more casts, and more time with a guide who knows every bend. Lunch on the river included. The best way to truly experience the White River.

Full day trips are around 8 hours on the water, usually from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This time slot is flexible to accommodate your personal needs, weather, and dam generation schedule. Price includes rod, reels and tackle. Box lunch and cold drinks also included

8-HOURS | $600 (not including Guide tip)

Up to two guests per boat

Book This Trip
Close-up of a person fly fishing with a fly rod and reel near a body of water, wearing a beige vest and a wristwatch, with blurred trees in the background.

Half-Day Trip Fly Fishing

Great for first-timers, families, or guests who want to experience the river without a full commitment. Morning slots recommended.

This trip usually runs from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., but can be any 4-hour period, morning or evening. Rods, reels, and tackle included in price. Half day trips do not include lunch but do include cold drinks.

4-HOURS | $450 (not including Guide tip)

Up to two guests per boat

Book This Trip
Close-up of a person holding a fishing rod with a spinning reel, with an out-of-focus background of water and greenery.

Full-Day Trip Fly Fishing

Cover more water, get more casts, and more time with a guide who knows every bend. Lunch on the river included. The best way to truly experience the White River.

Full day trips are around 8 hours on the water, usually from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This time slot is flexible to accommodate your personal needs, weather, and dam generation schedule. Price includes rod, reels and tackle. Box lunch and cold drinks also included

8-HOURS | $600 (not including Guide tip)

Up to two guests per boat

Book This Trip

Guest must furnish their own fishing license and trout stamp available from www.agfc.com

What’s Included

Professional licensed guide

All fishing equipment (rod, reel, tackle)

Flies & bait provided

Lunch provided (full-day trips)

Our Fishing Guide Partners

We've partnered with the most trusted fly fishing guides on the White River so your time on the water is in the right hands.

Diamond State Fly Co | Rising River Guides | Cowtown Fly Co

Diamond State Fly Co

Logo for Diamond State Fly Co featuring a diamond, a fluttering butterfly, and a fly, with text "Diamond State" at the top and "Fly Co" at the bottom.

Morgan Guss and Logan Huff built Diamond State Fly Co out of a simple idea: pair two passionate guides together so every angler gets exactly the experience they came for.

What started as a guiding partnership has grown into a full-service fly shop in Flippin, AR, stocked with everything you need to fish the White River and well beyond. Morgan came up through the guide ranks in Steamboat Springs before planting roots in Cotter. Logan grew up just north of here, taught by his father, and spent years teaching in classrooms before the river called him back for good. Between them and their crew of seasoned guides, there's no water in the area they don't know by heart. Whether you're chasing your first trout or your biggest brown, Diamond State is the right call.

Guide Roster

A man with a mustache and beard wearing a baseball cap and a black hoodie with "Diamond State FLY CO" printed on it, standing against a plain background.
A man with a beard and mustache wearing a baseball cap, hoodie, and a vest with logos, looking at the camera against a plain background.
Woman holding a large fish on a boat in a river with green hills in the background.
A man wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses on his head, and a purple shirt, holding a large fish with a smaller fish in its mouth, near a body of water with green trees in the background.
A man fishing from a boat holds a large brown trout with spots, smiling, while another person fishes in the background on a river surrounded by green trees.
A woman wearing a camouflage hat and a white mesh sweater, smiling and holding a large fish, on a boat near a green, wooded shoreline.
A man with long hair, a hoodie, and a cap, smiling and holding a large rainbow trout over water.

Rising River Guides

Colorful sugar skull decorated with floral patterns and a clock on its forehead, with the text 'Resilient Runners'.

Rising River Guides is the premier fly fishing guide service on the White and Norfork Rivers, and the ethos behind every trip is simple: they want you to leave as a friend.

Their guides are lifelong anglers who know these tailwaters intimately, from reading the right seams to matching the hatch on finicky fish. They cover all skill levels, supply the gear, and take conservation seriously, operating catch-and-release and staying active in keeping these fisheries healthy for the long haul. If you want to spend a half day or a full day on the water with guides who are genuinely invested in your experience, Rising River is where to start.

Guide Roster

Two men outdoors near a river, one smiling and wearing a hat and sunglasses, the other in a blue jacket and hat, with a boat in front.
Man with gray beard, wearing sunglasses, a gray baseball cap, and light blue shirt, holding a large fish with a greenish-yellow body, near a river with green trees in the background.
A man in outdoor clothing holding a large fish, an Australian shepherd dog with brown and white fur looking at the camera, on a boat by a lake with trees in the background.
A man holding a yellow fish with black spots on a boat, wearing sunglasses, a hooded jacket, and a cap, with water and a partly cloudy sky in the background.
Man in a boat holding a large brown and yellow trout with black spots, on a river with trees in the background.
Man in outdoor clothing, wearing sunglasses and a hat, sitting on a boat and holding a large fish with a yellow and brown spotted pattern, by a river on a sunny day.
Man in camouflage jacket and cap holding a large rainbow trout by a riverbank, smiling at the camera with trees and a house in the background.
A man wearing sunglasses, a cap, and a plaid shirt is standing on a boat, smiling, with water and a forested hillside in the background.
A man in a boat holding a large fish, likely a trout, with a scenic river and sunset in the background.
A man sitting in a boat holding a large fish with a green and black spotted pattern and a broad head. The man is wearing sunglasses, an orange cap, a camouflage long sleeve shirt, and beige pants. The background shows water and trees.

Cowtown Fly Co.

Logo for Cowtown Fly Co. with a cow skull and horns on a black background.

Every pattern in the lineup comes from real time on the water, tied by hand with the kind of attention to detail that shows up when it counts. Cowtown also runs hosted destination trips to the White River, built around the hatches that matter — caddis in May, sulphurs in June, hoppers in August — so you're not just showing up, you're showing up at the right time. Whether you're stocking your box before a morning on the water or booking a full trip, Cowtown is worth knowing.

Marshall McDougal founded Cowtown Fly Co. in 2022 with a straightforward mission: American-made flies built to actually fish.

Guide Roster

Man in camouflage jacket and gray cap holding a large fish on a boat in a grassy wetland area under a clear blue sky.
Two men with dogs on a boat during a lake or river trip surrounded by green forest, one standing and the other sitting, with water and mist in the background.
A young man and an older woman standing in a boat on a river, holding a large fish together. The man is wearing a blue cap and a red shirt, and the woman is wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and a light blue jacket. They are smiling with a back
Man in rain gear holding a large fish near a river with mossy rocks and overcast sky.
A person fishing from a boat on a river during sunset, with trees on the riverbanks and fishing gear in the boat.

Frequently Asked Quesitons

  • No. The White River is accessible to first-time anglers, and our guides are skilled at teaching casting fundamentals in a drift boat. Experienced fly anglers will find plenty to challenge them as well.

  • The White River below Bull Shoals is a trophy trout fishery — primarily brown and rainbow trout. Some of the largest browns on record have come from this stretch of water.

  • The White River fishes well year-round due to the cold, consistent tailwater below Bull Shoals Dam. Spring and fall see peak activity, but winter fishing for large browns is world-class. Summer fishing depends on dam release schedules.

  • Yes. An Arkansas fishing license and trout stamp is required — both are available from www.agfc.com

  • Absolutely. Wading and bank fishing are available to all resort guests. Stop by the fly shop for current conditions, hatch reports, and fly recommendations before you head out.

Book a Guided Trip

Book Now