Guide Bio -- Jimmy "T" Traylor

I was born in Odessa, Tx, 1958 and have spent time in South Louisiana, the Middle East and in Scotland between the Dee and Don Rivers in the town of Aberdeen. Sometime between then and now I landed in Denton, Tx and then Dallas, Tx. The defining moment, though, was when I discovered the Ozarks in 1992 during a vacation. After my initial visits, I decided the White River was where I wanted to be.

I began guiding on the White River in 1995 at the old River Cliff Dock located in the Catch and Release area below Bull Shoals Dam. I then went to work for the largest and most prestigious of the trout resorts in Arkansas located 3 1/2 miles downstream of the dam. During this time I spent an average of 240 guiding days working the river from the Dam down to Shoe String Shoals or roughly 25 miles of the White River. I am also a member of the Simms Guide Program as well as a ProStaff member of the Ross Reels team.

In addition to a fly-fishing guide, I am also a commercial fly-tier and supply flies to many of the areas resorts, fly shops, and campgrounds. I have developed, and improved, numerous flies for the river in all aspects of it's wonder from zero generation to full generation. I am especially proud of my hi-water shad kill arsenal (flies). I have developed a very comprehensive collection of shad kill flies which allow me to be the most productive guide on big fish during the shad kill.

I have been married to my beautiful wife for more than 20 years. She is the proprietor of a gift shop in the town of Bull Shoals, called Wishes & Fishes. It isn't a coincidence that the shop also has a fly shop and carries fine cigars. Stop by and say hello when you are in the Bull Shoals area.