Reel Good Fishing, As an established Arkansas Fly Fishing Guide Service, we ensure a memorable experience as we guide anglers of all skill levels through the spectacular rivers of Central Arkansas, specializing in smallmouth bass and trout on the fly. Our mission is simple: to provide unforgettable days on the water, share our love of fly fishing, and help anglers of all experience levels connect with the sport and the natural beauty of the rivers we fish.
Meet Your Guide – John Pineda
John Pineda has over 20 years of fly fishing experience across New Mexico and Arkansas. He started fly fishing at just seven years old, and that early passion has grown into a lifelong dedication to teaching and guiding anglers.
John loves sharing the thrill of fly fishing. He enjoys helping beginners with their first casts, guiding experienced anglers to refine their skills, and teaching the subtle art of reading water and presenting flies effectively.
He is deeply involved in the fly fishing community. John participates in the Mayfly Project, serves on the Arkansas Fly Fishers Fly Tying Committee, and is an active member of Trout Unlimited. These efforts help protect fisheries and support conservation for future generations.
With John as your guide, you’re not just booking a trip — you’re gaining a mentor and teacher who makes every day on the water educational, exciting, and memorable.
Smallmouth Bass on the Fly
Smallmouth bass are some of the most exciting freshwater sport fish. They strike aggressively, jump acrobatically, and fight hard. In rivers like the Saline in Central Arkansas, smallmouth thrive near riffles, rocky runs, and shaded undercut banks.
Fly fishing for smallmouth requires reading currents, presenting streamers or poppers correctly, and being ready for explosive runs. Each catch challenges your skills and delivers the adrenaline every angler loves.
Central Arkansas offers some of the most productive and scenic smallmouth waters in the region. The clear flows of the Saline River wind through hardwood forests and gravel bars, creating excellent habitat and consistent action throughout the season.
Local knowledge makes all the difference. Understanding water levels, weather, and seasonal forage helps you find fish faster. Experienced guides know where smallmouth hold, when they move shallow to ambush baitfish, and how small adjustments in retrieve can trigger strikes.
Guided trips remove the guesswork. You’ll learn to read new water quickly, pick the right flies, and present them with confidence. From sunrise topwater blowups to deep summer runs, every trip maximizes action and opportunity.
If you want smallmouth bass fly fishing in Central Arkansas, this is the place to start. Wild fish, scenic water, and heart-pounding strikes await.
Trout on the Fly
The Little Red River, below Greers Ferry Dam, offers world-class trout fishing in Central Arkansas. Rainbow and brown trout here are hard-fighting, wary, and highly responsive to subtle, drag-free presentations. From misty morning hatches to steady dam flows, the Little Red provides year-round opportunity for both numbers and trophy potential.
Trout fishing here requires precision. Success depends on reading pool seams, soft edges, and oxygen-rich riffles, and matching seasonal insect hatches with dry flies, nymphs, or articulated streamers. Whether drifting a sowbug through a deep run or presenting a dry fly to a rising trout, each cast requires focus and finesse.
The Little Red is known for producing exceptional fish, including trophy browns that test skill and composure. Knowing water releases, feeding windows, and subtle presentation techniques can make the difference between watching rises and landing a fish of a lifetime.
Guided trips on the Little Red eliminate guesswork. You’ll learn how to read changing flows, adjust rigs for depth and drift, and approach selective trout with confidence.
If you want trout fly fishing in Central Arkansas, the Little Red River offers technical challenge, beautiful scenery, and real trophy potential. Your next tight line and unforgettable trout are just downstream.
Guided Trip Experience
Reel Good Fishing provides all gear, flies, and a full lunch on full-day trips. This lets you focus entirely on the water. You are also welcome to bring your own gear.
Our goal is to make every day on the river productive, relaxing, and unforgettable. Trips combine expert instruction, local knowledge, and the thrill of Arkansas’ best fisheries.