Feathers and Fins

Something even more telling is that the US Census Bureau estimates Arkansas population at nearly 3,000,000 people of those numbers from the latest data I could find 730,000 residents hunt or fish roughly 24% of the population. Of that number 430,000 were fishermen making up 14.5% of the population. The survey was from http://voices.yahoo.com/economic-impact-fishing-hunting-arkansas-2857428.html in 2006 and stated “Those sportsmen who are both hunters and anglers are only counted once for total participation.” For a total of 551,000 resident sportsmen. Now if I understand the article correctly that mean in Arkansas there are a total 1,281,000 total hunters and fishermen combined. That if im reading it correctly is 44% of the states population hunting and fishing or both! If we use those numbers and just base it off Northwest Arkansas population recently reported at 500,000 people then 72,500 people fish. I also looked at numerous articles to try and figure out what the average number of days for an angler is per year and it looks like 15 days a year, averaging the cost spent articles it came to 57.00 a day. If those numbers are remotely close to accurate then fishermen in NWA would be contributing roughly 62 million dollars to the economy of the estimated 545 million Arkansas generates. It hypothetical as there is no statistics I could find specifically for Beaver Lakes income generation but as the largest attraction for NWA for fishing I could easily guess it to be generating at least 50% and probably more of that 62million. I could not find what pleasure boating revenue was but knowing the season is really only 4 months a year 16 weeks total I would be willing to give them a ¼ of that 62 million in generation or 16 million. I just don’t see how Water Pleasure Sports generate near what fishermen do. We all use the water it just seems some respect it more but then again as sportsmen we understand conservation and respect I feel more than most do. I feel sportsmen have that with them at all times on the water or in the fields especially those who grew up in a sporting family. I see these pleasure sports participants as ones who may well be respected at work and may well be good people until they get out on the lakes and feel they are the place to unleash the animal in the name of relaxation and some of it is they take their ego’s of the “BOSS” on the water with them. Those people I believe will only get respect for others when the sign their name to the citation. Now there are definitely some fishermen as a recent thread showed who loose respect for others as well but I believe the tournament directors could quickly get that in control and remind them of boating laws and respecting other anglers or face disqualifications. Ok back to yard work before I get in trouble lol.

I really do not think they generate near the money to the community the fishermen do. Most of the Wakers and others I see have tags from MO, AR, KS and OK. I would bet they fill up before coming to Beaver or Tablerock. I see many of them on the road at night heading away from the lakes and seldom do I see them staying at local motels/hotels at least around beaver lake. The ones who do stay for the weekend I see staying more in the campgrounds and they bring their supplies with them from home. I would also wager they fill back up when they get home or at some random gas station on the way home when they need to fill the truck pulling the boat. Now on the flip side when a tournament of any size is in town I see the motels and hotels filled up and more vehicles at night with out of state tags or fishing bumper/widow decals at the local restaurants. Gas stations are full of them in the early morning and again after the tourney. I would argue that Fishermen actually bring in far more revenue to the local economy than the seasonal pleasure boaters because when the season is over the fishermen are still here year round. If I would take a guess I would say I spend at minimum 3500.00 bucks a year at Beaver lake and I would bet most fishermen are close to that or exceed it on the area lakes year round. The “pleasure season is really from June to the end of September so 16 weeks even if they dropped 400.00 each every weekend they still would only spend 2400.00 in lake time spending. Now if I tacked on tackle (which I wont because my wife might see this ) I would probably be much higher in my cost. Now I have seen a better presence on Beaver this year as far as patrol goes but it needs to be much more and not just near marinas and the 12 bridge. I also believe No Ski / No wake Boarding and No tubing in the narrow areas of creek arms would go a long way to safety. Those of you who have seen them low know its only a matter of time before someone gets impaled.

We caught probably 8 to 10 walleye yesterday all in that 8 to 12'' range so the fishery will be healthy and continue to grow it looks like. I have to say every time I catch one of the little ones I have to smile to think about the their success story now and the years to come.

Don't get in to spider rigging its worse than Golf and more addicting than Game of Thrones lol

Ya Ya I know using a brain is against COE policy

Turn the page

Log Perch

Great report, it was a Beautiful morning on the lake. I was on it at 5:30 sitting off 12 bridge listening to some Bob Seger enjoying the sunrise waiting on a friend.

Here is a stupid thought by a stupid redneck...The term "Wake Boat" in itself says they are intentionally sending out a wake and don't care about responsibility for it. Common since would say COE could simply look at the name and say NOT ALLOWED.

Nessy

Same issue on Beaver as well.... The COE could simply put out No Skiing Bouys at the mouth of to Coves and narrow arms simple solution followed on the main lake by enforcement of boating laws especially Wake responsibility laws. By the way they are laws. But it will never happen because they don't want to do it because word will get out and then all the small business;s will cry that people don't want to come to a lake that the law gives tickets for breaking the law.

Which jig are you using? I use the Baby shad swimR with a 1/8th oz head and have yet to experience line twist, Im also throwing them on 6lb p-line when casting and retrieving. If you want to spider rig or trolling from the bass boat just use your electric motor that's all I do for actively searching them out. When I do locate them the rigs are just hanging vertical while I use a jigging spoon the only action is when im turning the boat over the structure.

spider rig

I doubt it is trolling, I have high speed trolled for Wahoo many times we are talking 12 to 17 knots ( that's 13 to 20mph ) and NEVER had a fish with that kind of injury and we caught Cuda, Dolphin, Kingfish, Tuna and occasional Billfish to go with the Wahoo. Granted it would be a hole depending on where the fish caught the hook first but never anything like that and when you are high speed trolling you don't slow the boat down when hooked up because there could be a hole the hook could come out of but never a slice like that.

Oh and I have talked to an old guy that sets up with brooder minnows drifting the dam area on light to no wind that swears by it for getting stripers. I keep swearing im going to do it one of these days but probably use an anchor I just don't like the idea of drifting around.

Lights just below surface is all I do... PC at night would be fine the bridge gets crowded but the islands and coves don't. There really is not that many people doing it as you would think.

I just have a couple I bought at Academy white light. They work fine just make sure you have a separate battery to use and not your main battery. Baits its hard to beat live minnows but spoons and crappie baits work good as well. Its not real hard just find a nice area prior to setting up that is holding bait and is on or near structure and enjoy the evening. I would suggest having thermacell going as well.

To me that looks like a knife cut The top pic you can see what appears to be 2 hook wounds if probably a treble hook, if its the case the third hook would line up where the slice is. Either an inexperienced angler tried to remove the hook and ripped the hell out of the poor thing or there is a problem and someone is intentionally harming fish. To me that is worse than a poacher as they are not even trying to kill it just cripple it so it slowly starves to death.

Ya im old so what lol

I have been accused of that by more than just you lol. Actually the graph was only keeping us on a very specific depth, the only thing you failed to see I kept looking to the left right and front more than the graph I had made 3 land marks as reference points where the crappie were in orientation to them the graph was the fourth for the bottom depth. And you weren't working the jig the way I was you had a more gentle sweep to it I was popping it hard that why my arm was getting soar. You ain't figured out all the tricks youngling. But bribery with coffee is getting you there.

On a rare occasion I have had them gill me but I also attribute it to using light line 6 and 8lb test, not on anything else. Also typically a striper will come up close to surface in a fight. If I had to say what did it to you my guess would be GAR they move in the area you were at this time of year and a big one would easily separate the lure line and everything else.

PD, Bogas are a great tool I use to use them all the time for Saltwater no need in freshwater unless its a toothy critter like a Pike or Musky imo. But for salt I have released many fish with no problem. I have thought about using them again but to me a net is simpler and less damaging on a fish. Truth be known if I was after the big pike and musky I like the cradle landing net. Do No More Harm Than Can Be Avoided is something I take to heart.

Its the walleyes nocturnal habit first 3 hours in the morning last hour to hour and a half at dusk they get going. Cloudy days it can be all day and Full moon they will bite from that hour before to about 10 or 11pm. When I go for them at night I will launch around 3 or 4pm and spend a couple hours searching out bait ( perch in the 1 to 3 inch range and shad in the same size) Next is to find the direction the wind is blowing ( if shad is the bait ) and find a long underwater point or hump or flat and fish the downwind side of it, as the bait passes over the walleye will tend to be on that side picking them off as they come over it. If its perch then I find the smaller points near flats because the walleye will come up on them to chase down the perch, the only problem with perch is the Big Hybrids and Bass will also charge them there.

We noticed the same thing, I was shocked to see the temp difference from last week.

Nathan I sat down for about 30 or 45 minutes and he grabbed MY Fishing Pole I had been catching them on and Nothing. I picked up his and put a crappie in the boat in a matter of minutes. It was Payback for the last time we went and he beat me. I swear he sees me pick up the XPS and fear settles in I know a few words are said lol. That dam spoon is just pure evil what it can do to fish.