Feathers and Fins

Wow thought this would be an easy one.

Yesterday was very frustrating Birds everyplace fish on the screen and a long day with a few to show for it. Granted 5lb smallie and 7lb LMB is good any day but when I see the amount of bait and fish on the screen I saw yesterday it calls for a second trip and today was it. Mission accomplished!!!! 4 stripers 2 walleye and a ungodly amount of whites! Now for the fun part If you guess where ill admit to it And because a couple people know my Boat I was only catching bait in PC I didn't fish there.

I ran from PC to WE yesterday and didn't find any whites, Nailed some super solid LMB and SM but no whites no crappie no striper. River is stained good. Shad all over the place but didn't see a thing busting them.

Ya scratched my head when I saw this myself. Not sure WTH the bottom line is either.

Oh sonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn I just found me a new game to play at the ramp lol

I launch at Crystal near the airport. Crappie and Bass on the Bluff walls. Winter time there are traps set around the lake so dont be shocked to see an Otter, coon or mink stuck in one. Its not the best lake in the world and summertime is snake time.

Bad Bill no donut lol. Nice report and congrats

1/8 to 1/2oz depth control... anything bigger than 1/2oz and I use the real umbrella rig. In 5 hook legal areas use the center arm for your weight and outside arms free weight.

Justin if they are in skinny water, wade fishing and a Fly is deadly, I cant wait for it every spring Duane missed it by 1 week last year on Beaver. I actually take my boat in to 8'' of water by poling or very low on the electric and park the boat and start casting. The only thing you have to do Day/Night is wait about 20 minutes for things to settle down, its like Squirrel hunting! Make noise getting in then let the forest quiet down.

btw a cast bubble filled with about 20pcs of shot and a 5 ft leader with a fly behind it is deadly on whites or fish boiling on top water.

You can try it anywhere, but without the bait being present its farting in the wind.... Another option to live cut bait is, buy a cast bubble fill it 1/4 to 1/2 full with water or shot and pin a bait on about 3 to 5 ft below the bobber. One more option for live baiting is to use a surf rod and spool it with 20lb to 20lb test line, tie on a 4 to 6oz torpedo sinker and flink it as far as you can. Next make a 5 ft leader with a snap swivel on one end and the bait on the other and slide it down the line, when the fish hits reel like crazy to catch the weight up to the snap. Keep in mind BAIT is the key you have to be where it is.

lol, done that before myself its all about Bait + Timing + Stealth = Striper.... I used either spinning reels with the bail open or baitrunners with the alarm/clicker on and finaly circle hooks came out so it was a matter of the can on ground and when it went off the rod loaded and the fish was on. Circle hooks make a lot of evil go away.

Water Body Crystal Lake Location Western Benton County, northeast of Decatur. District Information Click here for information about land-use policies on AGFC-owned lakes Size 59 acres Ownership Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Area Specific Regulations Use of common carp as bait is prohibited. Major Sportfish Largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish and crappie Fish Forage minnows and small bluegill Visible Cover blown down trees and logs Depth average depth of 10 feet, maximum depth of 35 feet Bottom Features bedrock with some sandy timber flats Aquatic Vegetation coontail Facilities The lake has a boat ramp and floating fishing dock for public use. Access Crystal Lake is accessible from Arkansas Highway 102, east of Decatur. The AGFC access is off Arkansas Highway 59, northeast of Decatur. Description Decatur is named after the war hero Stephen Decatur, Jr. He was an American naval officer noted for his heroism in actions at Tripoli, Libya and in the War of 1812. Other Points of Interest While in Decatur, make plans to visit the Rogers Historical Museum in Rogers. The Annual Decatur Barbecue has activities for all the family. Water Body Elmdale District Information Click here for information about land-use policies on AGFC-owned lakes Ownership Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Area Specific Regulations Use of common carp as bait is prohibited. Water Body Bob Kidd Location West-central Washington County, 2 miles west of Prairie Grove District Information Click here for information about land-use policies on AGFC-owned lakes District 1 2805 West Oak Rogers, AR 72756 Ron Moore, Biologist rmoore@agfc.state.ar.us 1-877-631-6005 Size 200 acres Constructed 1975 Ownership Lake Bob Kidd is owned by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Area Specific Regulations Largemouth bass from 13 inches to 16 inches long must be released immediately to the water. Use of common carp as bait is prohibited. Major Sportfish Bluegill, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, redear sunfish Other Fish Blue catfish, grass carp, green sunfish, warmouth Fish Forage Small sunfish, crayfish, golden shiners, insect larvae Visible Cover Abundant standing dead timber and stumps, buckbrush, riprap along dam Depth Average depth 13 feet; maximum 30 feet Bottom Features An old fencerow marked by a row of dead trees separates the shallow upper third of the lake from the deeper lower section. Fish-attracting structure includes a flat level berm area just casting distance away from the riprapped dam and a creek channel fair Aquatic Vegetation Water lilies in the shallow upper end. Facilities A double-wide concrete ramp and a wooden courtesy dock and fishing pier are at the main access area at the dam's north end. Access The lake's main entrance is clearly marked by signs on U.S. Highway 62 just west of Prairie Grove. The signs direct traffic north to a paved road leading to the main access area. There is also a north entrance via a paved county road turning west off Arkansas Highway 156 in Prairie Grove. This is marked with signs as well. Description At various times, you'll hear this small west Arkansas lake called Bobb Kidd, Budd Kidd and Bad Kidd. Local historians have settled the dispute once and for all. Robert "Bob" Kidd once had a home here, and the lake and the creek it was built on are named for him. The impoundment's proper name is "Lake Bob Kidd". Lake Bob Kidd's claim to fame is bluegill, crappie, redear, largemouth bass and channel catfish. These popular sportfish are found in good numbers and whopping sizes. Fish are found throughout this small lake, but some places seem to produce more consistently than others. Jumbo bream, bass and catfish are often caught on the flat berm out from the dam, and the timber along the creek channel paralleling the south shore is a good spot to catch all these species and crappie, too. Bank anglers frequent the north shore timber stands and the riprap along the dam. Other Points of Interest While in the area, you may want to visit Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park on U.S. 62 at the east edge of Prairie Grove. Interpretive programs and exhibits let visitors relive the historical Civil War battle fought here in 1862. The park also offersa playground, restrooms and a picnic area with tables, grills and barbecue pits.

Justin, IF they are so endagered that would make since though wouldnt it? I mean waterfowl regulations and limits are set based on availability/health of the species and resource, so logic would dictate the same for paddlefish. Such a short season seems to already tell me there is cause for concern for the species. So its not like Ducks or Geese that have seasons and limits that are currently liberal to wide open ( snow geese ) But I remember the restrictive seasons as well (( dam that made me feel old to admit )). Species need proper management and utilization. currently making the eggs illegal to have basically is NOT proper use of the resource and in fact could be argued by a good lawyer is in violation of the MDC own code ( wanton waste ).

2 fish per day 4 fish possession limit. That means that the angler could only go to a ( Licensed and Approved ) buyer no more than a total of 4 ( for four fish ) times without drawing attention by MDC as a possible over the limit of possession violation. It would require a lot of eating to go for more than 4 in a month long season. Not saying some people couldnt do it but I know it would raise flags. Simple solution is a 4 per season per person limit on them. As to the farmers in OK raising cane... DUH its not in their interest for any compitition even the other farms. This is one resource that could be well managed and a market value that could do a lot of good for MDC... Lets not forget there are Ranches that offer deer hunts and private trout parks and so on and so on. So the resourse IS being exploited to a degree on those farms and ranches that are pay to play.

What get me is this Would appear to be a complete violation of this Wanton Waste—It is illegal to intentionally leave or abandon any portion of any wildlife that is commonly used as human food.

Logistically it is not that difficult! Growing up in So-Cal the Tuna factories use to have trucks ( still might ) that met the sport boats at the dock. They would pull up a refrigerated truck loaded with canned tuna and swap it out for fresh tuna off the boat. Same could be done here. MDC could contract to a company that would take the eggs from popular ramps give a voucher to the fisherman for say a Deer tag or (X) off the next years license or something along those lines. MDC would get (X) percentage of the procedes of the eggs when sold. Creating a commercial business in partnership with MDC could benifit MDC, Anglers, Hunters and create jobs even if seasonal. It will need a check and balance and regulations but I see this as a very viable resource that if done correctly benifits many interest. Funny that the most numerous bird is chicken and its the most commercialized bird because we eat it!

Stripers from shore no matter the lake or even the ocean is a tough go, you are talking about a fish that is highly mobile and and might be in your casting zone for only one cast unless you get them in an area where they cannot go any further I.E. A dam or other barrier. The exception is if the food has moved to an area and is hanging out there. Last year both Prairie Creek and Avoca had this happen when the shad were up on the flats for spawning. The food was concentrated in an area and everyone came to the buffet. When the food left so did the customers. To stay on stripers constantly you need a boat as they prefer open water. One solution I use to employ in Cali was the use of a Float tube ( fun being towed ) It gives you a chance to move around in areas they are known to be and not locked to the shore. Price on the tube can be from 80 bucks on up but its good for multiple species so worth the investment IMO.

Negative, hurt my back the other day so im resting it so im ready when the weather breaks. Word is Striper and Hybrids are biting from PC to Hickory. I did manage to get my batteries changed out and organized the boat. Today its repair on a couple cast nets and cooking up the Holy Trinity

We will always have a few people who dont give a dam about the law. But if the State was to sell the eggs and regulations put in place that only eggs from state or private licensed hatcheries were legal for sell it could be a good thing. I think of Catfish and how much in demand they are but seldom hear about catfish poaching operations selling to restraunts. I think it is a viable plan. Possibly funding the purchase and building of more hatcheries for other species as well. I would love to see more Crappie, Striper, Walleye, Trout and Catfish produced and stocked in our local lakes and this could be one way to get that. I said it in another threat how I wish they would stock trout in Prairie Creek for people to catch. Yes there are other lakes they stock in but the more the better IMO, I see so many people fishing and not catching that weekly plants of Trout and Catfish would yield more angler return and probably get more people into fishing. More people fishing ( at least on stock days ) helps insure the future of fishing and the resource as a whole. I do not often target either of those species but have seen how many people do and those are what I call ( family fish ) where people take their kids out. With the cost of paddlefish row it could help the sport all the way around.

Na, ive been laxing in taking pictures this season.

Phil.... Duane is picking on a couple of us, please put him in time out lol... Duane im serious you need to send a few of those in to Delta, DU or even the NRA so they can put them on the cover of a Mag.

I bought mine, Lifetime Hunt and Fish 600.00. Couple years later I moved to Arkansas Nonresident Conservation Order Permit (*, 2) Nonresident $40.00 Migratory Bird Hunting Permit (2) Anyone $6.00 Nonresident Fishing Permit () Nonresident $42.00 Trout () Anyone $7.00 White River Border Lakes Permit () MO or AR Resident $10.00 Nonresident Small Game Hunting Permit (*) Nonresident $80.00 Im sure im forgetting a few things but 185.00 a year vs 600 and ive lived in AR 5 years now so my license is paid off almost 2 fold if i did that right.

If you are going to do this project ( i did it when i was in scouts ) Us 10 to 12'' Pvc cap the top and bottom, Save the cut-out and use a hinge and install it back over the hole to keep critters out. Our first year we maintained them and found wood ducks and squirrels nested in them. Second year we did the hinge and had no problem. Us screw on caps so whomever emptys them they can place a trash can under the bottom unscre it and the top and push the debris down with a stick or broom handle.

LOL. Your ducks on the prop picture was and is one of my favorites. you really need to send it in to a magazine I cant ever recall seeing a picture like that before.