Fished Again.

[taxidermist]

Fished with my dad a week ago Last Wed. then my Wife on Sat. my Dad and brother and nephew on Sunday and some friends from Alabama Last Wed.

First day I caught some nice browns in the 18 inch ranges. and it just got better from there.

Wed we had four adults in the boat and boated over 100 brown trout, the largest was 20 inches and several in the 19-19 1/2 inch range. Lots and lots of those 12-16 inch Browns.

Wed we did not get to the fishing area until about 12:30-1:00pm fished until 6:30pm. All artificial lures. Lost one in excess of 28 inches.

Here is a few pics fromt he past week

[taxidermist]

Here is the last of the pics, acceptable fish in anyone's book.

[Phil Lilley]

How old do you think those 15-19 inch brown are? Because if they are all or most of them in the same year class, its be interesting to go back and see what water conditions were that year. It sounds like you have a tremendous spawn and good survival rate that year- or may be two years.

You do catch rainbows too, don't you? I mean when you're using crank and stick baits.

[Ham]

No other fish I have experienced reacts more to a jerk bait than a Brown trout. You could use jerk baits to test for the presence of Brown trout in a body of water because if theater has Brown trout, they will show themselves when you throw a jerk bait.

Allegedly, this extended period of high water has the Brown trout growing at an extremely high rate. Jeff Williams would have the best guess at the age of these fish.

I haven't met Mr Williams yet, but if you have Phil maybe you could call him.

[taxidermist]

I had a first today I busted the magic 50 on brown trout.. I never thought to scrap some scales from the fish.. Not many under 12 inches but again lots of browns in the 14-16 inch range and several in the 19. Yes we catch rainbows too. Today I tried different shorelines verse where I know the fish would be. and still browns. There is some monsters in there and its just a matter of time. seven units and that's a lot of water. today we had a lot of moss coming down river but caught some really nice bows!!!

This is not the largest fish today but the other pic was to blurred to use.

This fish I think is three years old and there are tons of these!!!!

This size fish is very abundant I really think these are in the four of five year old range.

My wife was counting the fish numbers, she is abit OCD! There were some very large follow ups and seldom did a cast get made that there was not two or three or more fish following. we put in about 12:30pm and pull out on the ramp at 4:35pm Lots of water.

[taxidermist]

Anyone know where I can get some fish tags made?

[Greasy B]

Great Fish! Can you imagine the quality of fish if the river was actually managed for put grow and take rather than put and take? The current Arkansas version of put grow and take actually end up being put grow, gut hook and release to die. Or take a limit in the morning for shore lunch, then take a limit in the afternoon for home, then go ahead and take a the guides limit home too.

I’m sorry I had to vent a little; I’ve spent half my life fishing this most beautiful river in the world only to be disappointed over and over again at the behavior I have seen, both legal and illegal, so much unmet potential.

[taxidermist]

Browns have to be 24 inches to keep.

Along with that if you use Power bait and pay attention you seldom gut hook a fish. Use a number 6 eagle claw crappie hook and should you gut one, you can slide your finger down the fishes throat, the hook will easily fit over your finger nail and finger tip, allowing the fish to be unhooked without killing the fish.

If there was no put and take on rainbows the fish even at the lower stocking rates, would soon deplete the food source.

Ham who is Jeff Williams? What about the current local biologist, and Mark Oliver the Chief of Fisheries should have some idea as he was once out local Bio.

[taxidermist]

Went out yesterday, I must be getting old seems I cant get to the river before 12:30 the hottest part of the day. Anyway the browns again right on track with over 30coming to the boat by my hooks. Here is a funny I had a really small lure on and kept missing fish. after about ten misses I thought what to Heck. Checked it and the front hook was missing, yea dont buy those $1.39 lures!!!

My youngest brother whom live out in Los Vegas wanted to hit the river to fish, instead of the lake to scuba dive. He had a blast catching 16 large bows 15-16 inches and a bunch of those 10-12 inchers

We finally came off the water at 6:00pm.

Did not realize I forgot the camera until we were at the put in.

Here is a laugh for you, two young people (male and female) had new kayaks ask my brother which way should they go. first, he said up stream. 6-7 units on line. Well they took off down river. I shook my head and lol, told brother. Should we wait a few minutes and charge them a tow fee to bring them back? He said na let them learn the hard way, they will not make that mistake again! Last we saw of them they were headed toward the rock levee at Buffalo City.