Like Taneycomo---I try and avoid the rest of the chaos around there
I can recommend Gaston's with no hesitation. I guess for nearly 20 years, that is where Molly and I used to go for our anniversary. If you want a quick recon of the river....hire a guide from them or one of the other resorts. Good accomodations,great people to deal with. I used to photograph with Jim Gaston on occassion-- they have a visitor's center there just as you cross the dam--nice place. Fishing up river at the state park is always pretty good-- it is one of the release sites on the White. When they aren't running a lot of water---wade the area up near the dam--flies only...not sure if that is still the case--was a 'trophy area' Always run over to Flippin for some fly fishing on Wildcat Shoals and use the river taxi service. Never went to it, but you can schedule a factory tour of Ranger Boats if you are so inclined (ie if the fishing sucks)