Norfork City Council Opposes Extended C+r On The Nrofork

[Zack Hoyt]

These people have had plenty of opportunities to offer up their ideas and concerns in a public forum. It seems now they have decided they want to throw a wrench in the process of getting a larger CR area. It irritates me when people circumvent the process just to help themselves.

http://www.ktlo.com/wireready/news/01359_n...ange_083724.php

At Tuesday night's Norfork city council workshop session, over 50 local business owners and residents crowded the city hall to urge council members to support a resolution opposing the proposed expansion of the catch and release area on the North Fork River by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

The council members were unanimous in their support of the resolution presented by council member Lisa Harrison who with her husband Mike own a trout fishing dock and resort at the confluence of the North Fork and White Rivers. Their concern and that of the overwhelming majority of those in attendance at last night's meeting is the severe economic impact on the community if the catch and release area on the North Fork River is expanded.

Mike Harrison says Norfork business owners and business owners along the rivers who depend on the tourist fishermen are united in their opposition to the proposal by the state Game and Fish Commission. He said, we just survive in the winter but it is in the spring and summer when the fisherman come that we make our money. If they are not allowed to keep the fish they catch on the North Fork, they will stop coming and will go elsewhere to fish.

Council member Nina Brewer said she recently spent two days visiting campgrounds along the North Fork River talking to fishermen from across the country. She reported that the majority of those she spoke to said if the catch and release area is expanded they will stop coming.

Council member Camille Voelz urged those in attendance to contact their state representatives and Governor Mike Beebe, who appoints the members of the Game and Fish Commission, and share their concerns of what the proposed expansion will do to the community.

Mike Harrison said he and other business owners have hired a lawyer to represent them in Little Rock at the August 20th meeting of the Game and Fish Commission when the proposal will be up for consideration.

[laker67]

IMO the c & r area that is established now, is in the wrong section of the river. Extending those current boundries does not make any sense. If they are concerned with protecting the adult population, the c&r area should be located at the dam. Protect those fall and winter fish on their annual run just like on the White. I realize that the White has a no fish zone and that's not what they are proposing on the Norfork. But, c&r at the dam would certainly make more sense than where it is currently located.

[John Berry]

I called the Baxter Bulletin (I write a fly fishing column for them) and pointed out that they only presented one side of the issue. They agreed to write a rebuttal. They interviewed me and I referred them to Jim Smith (River Ridge Inn ) and T.L. Lauerman (Wapsi). The article should appear in tomorrow's Baxter Bulletin.

[ozark trout fisher]

I called the Baxter Bulletin (I write a fly fishing column for them) and pointed out that they only presented one side of the issue. They agreed to write a rebuttal. They interviewed me and I referred them to Jim Smith (River Ridge Inn ) and T.L. Lauerman (Wapsi). The article should appear in tomorrow's Baxter Bulletin.

What area are they considering restricting?

As a general principle, I would be opposed to further catch and release water on such a heavily stocked waterway. Am I correct in saying the Norfork is already a world class fishery?

Bait fisherman are all too often forgotten in these arguments. They are a large percentage of the fishing community.

[laker67]

Am I correct in saying the Norfork is already a world class fishery?

All of arkansas is a world class fishery. Since IGFA record keeping started for brown trout, only two, "all tackle", world records have come from other than arkansas waters. Norfork, White, and the LIttle Red have all held one or more titles. Joe Brooks had a 1955 record from Chile, and another anglers record in 1971 from Flaming Gorge, or Pit or something like that. You are correct in saying that the Norfork is world class.

[ozark trout fisher]

All of arkansas is a world class fishery. Since IGFA record keeping started for brown trout, only two, "all tackle", world records have come from other than arkansas waters. Norfork, White, and the LIttle Red have all held one or more titles. Joe Brooks had a 1955 record from Chile, and another anglers record in 1971 from Flaming Gorge, or Pit or something like that. You are correct in saying that the Norfork is world class.

That's truly amazing. I knew the Arkansas Tailwaters produced a lot of big browns, but I wasn't aware that so many all tackle record browns had been caught there.

[rps]

First - utmost respect to every one here.

Second - this board is not representative of the public nor of the average of those who fish any body of water. Therefore, any consensus from here bears no relationship to what the public or the average fisherman would want.

C and R, even if sound conservation, is elitist and exclusionary. Especially if it is a single, barbless hook C and R. Any proposal which extends the single, barbless hook C and R section restricts the access of the very large majority of the public. Naturally, they will not like this, and those who live off their trade will oppose such a measure.

I am sorry, but on this topic I disagree with many on the board. I practice C and R, but I oppose expansion of mandatory single barbless hook C and R beyond what presently exists.

[ozark trout fisher]

First - utmost respect to every one here.

Second - this board is not representative of the public nor of the average of those who fish any body of water. Therefore, any consensus from here bears no relationship to what the public or the average fisherman would want.

C and R, even if sound conservation, is elitist and exclusionary. Especially if it is a single, barbless hook C and R. Any proposal which extends the single, barbless hook C and R section restricts the access of the very large majority of the public. Naturally, they will not like this, and those who live off their trade will oppose such a measure.

I am sorry, but on this topic I disagree with many on the board. I practice C and R, but I oppose expansion of mandatory single barbless hook C and R beyond what presently exists.

I don't necessarily oppose all expansion of C&R areas. I can think of a few spring creeks in the ozarks where I would actually like to see it happen. I am opposed to extending catch and release areas on waters that receive thousands of trout per mile each year, and already produce more trophy trout than just about anywhere in the world. Frankly, I'm not sure the Arkansas tailwaters are in any need of improvement. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Also, as rps pointed out, there need to still be some places for the run of the mill spin and bait fisherman to catch some trout. That's how I prefer to fish, and I'm pretty sure that's true for the majority of trout fisherman. Maybe not on this board, but in the general public.

[Ham]

In theory, they (AGFC) could make ALL of the Norfork River total C & R ans still have MANY miles of trout water available for bait fisherman and/or catch and keep anglers. It wouldn't hurt to expand those oppurtunities on the White if you took those options away on the Norfork.

Also in theory, if they wanted to do what was "best" for the fish, they would shut down the upper Norofrk river (QP) any time the oxygen levels dropped below a level that made it harmful if not lethal for trout to be caught even if released later.

(Or find a way to supplement oxygen levels that didn't break the bank. )

Both rivers are wonderful places to fish. Both rivers probably have more trout stocked that would be healthy for the system IF there wasn't enough catch and keep being done.

I'm watching with mild interest. I don't expect expansion of C & R to stand. Traditions seem to be more important that wsat's "best " for the fishery.

[Danoinark]

In theory, they (AGFC) could make ALL of the Norfork River total C & R ans still have MANY miles of trout water available for bait fisherman and/or catch and keep anglers. It wouldn't hurt to expand those oppurtunities on the White if you took those options away on the Norfork.

Also in theory, if they wanted to do what was "best" for the fish, they would shut down the upper Norofrk river (QP) any time the oxygen levels dropped below a level that made it harmful if not lethal for trout to be caught even if released later.

(Or find a way to supplement oxygen levels that didn't break the bank. )

Both rivers are wonderful places to fish. Both rivers probably have more trout stocked that would be healthy for the system IF there wasn't enough catch and keep being done.

I'm watching with mild interest. I don't expect expansion of C & R to stand. Traditions seem to be more important that wsat's "best " for the fishery.

Ham, your right on.