Fishing Report

[Phil Lilley]

Vince and I went fishing late this afternoon... needed to work off some turkey. We drove to the dam and waded in on the north side at Rocking Chair. Not sure why we chose that area again- it wasn't nice to us the last 3 times we've gone there. And it wasn't nice tonight either.

I caught a couple of a #18 brassie soft hackle right off- wind was blowing upstream, not bad. Good chop on the water but no midges until closer to dark. There's a bunch of creek chubs schooling up there- Vince caught several on a zebra midge but no trout. We didn't do well till almost dark- Vince moved out to the open water in the middle, slow current, dead drifted a #20 ginger scud 4 feet deep (on the bottom) and caught 6-8 rainbows. I was too lazy to tie on new leader to fish deeper so I caught one.

Poacher story- 3 men and 2 small boys were fishing down from us when we arrived. From the looks of how there were fishing (casting and no retreiving) they were bait fishing. But I didn't see them catch any trout so I left them alone... until one of them caught a fish. I think they released it- couldn't tell- but it wasn't quite 4 o'clock so I tried to call Quinton (agent) on his cell- no answer. So I called the hatchery and talked to Bryan Putman, told him what I saw but as I talked, one by one they disappeared up the hill into the woods. I told Bryan to hold off coming down- I'd call him back if they came back or stayed. They didn't - the last guy left with the boys- all the while gazing at me. After they left, I fished my way down to where they were and found a cooler up in the grass with one rainbow in it (alive) and a container of worms. Also found a package of 2/0 gold hooks on the bank which one of them had dropped. Vince snagged a bunch of line (big dia.) with an egg weight and a gold 2/0 hook on one end- theirs. They knew the drill- man on phone meant it was time to leave with the bait and trout.

[Danoinark]

Good for you Phil...I always take my phone to the river, but I don't have the proper numbers to call to report..

Could those be posted?

Dano

[Wayne SW/MO]

Good, maybe they'll go somewhere else to crate young poachers. It would have been a nice enlightenment though, had they been confronted by Quinton.

[admin]

Hatchery is 417-334-4865, dial 0 for the front desk. Ask for John or Brian.

I got in trouble for posting Quinton's cell number on cc. Someone called him from NJ wanting to know how the fishing was. Quinton's super called me and ask that I deleted the post.

If anyone wants it, I can send it by email or pm.

[hoover25]

If its not a problem, I'd like to have his number. I have been down there a night during the summer and have witnessed many a powerbait fisherman. If they look harmless enough I usually "inform" them of the regs in the trophy area. Most of the time, they are just too ignorant to read the sign....but other times its obvious that they know exactly what they are doing a don't give a darn.

[Kansas Fly Fisher]

Good Job! I have never thought about taking my cell with me. But now it will be a part of my vest. The good part of this story is . . . they will get caught sooner or later. Although by the way it sounds they have already been caught before.

[Guest Jim Traylor]

Phill,

Man on the phone in the Bull Shoals C&R area works as well. Our problem is we can never get an agent to show up..

Jimmy T.

http://flyfisharkansas.com

[Phil Lilley]

Jimmy - I got a good story for you. I've told this on a forum before but not sure which one and it's been along time ago.

I was fishing with a friend below BS Dam one day in the winter when a couple of guys came down from the parking lots and started chunking big spoons at the browns holding in the riffles. This was back in the late 80's best I can remember. I said something to them after the second brown was put on a stringer, both foul hooked in the back. They cursed and threatened me so I backed off. We left quickly and headed to the guard shack at the entrance of the park.

There we talked to a gal who said she'd make a call. By the time we got back to the parking lot, a sheriff's car was pulling up behind us... then another. Then a park ranger, then a conservation agent. They had an army down there!! I don't have to mention I was impressed.. and envious.

The agent and a couple of officers walked down the bank and motioned the guys to come over with their fish. They each had 6 big browns by then... and were still fishing. The agent inspected the trout and found gapeing holes in their backs and fins.

He took the fish, wrote them 2 tickets each for snapping trout and for over limit (I think) because they were still snagging when they had their limit.