Some Stocking Info From The Bv Poa Newsletter

[Quillback]

Blue cats and trout stocked (trout sometime this week). Quite a few blue cats, might provide some good fishing (and eating) next year and beyond. The "I" referred to below is the POA fisheries biologist (didn't ant anyone to think it was me ).

Catfish
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) will stock fish in Bella Vista Village lakes, at my request, if they have surplus fish available in the state fish hatchery system after all state public water stocking requests have been fulfilled. They do not charge us for these fish, since to fish in Bella Vista Village, members have to buy state fishing license from the AGFC. I request channel catfish for some lakes each year in hopes that we get them in some years.

But this year, I requested blue catfish for the four largest Bella Vista Village lakes, because those lakes have populations of gizzard shad. Gizzard shad need to be kept thinned out and large open-water predators like blue catfish and hybrid striped bass are good fish for this management need. AGFC was able to fill this request and the fish were stocked last week. The blue catfish averaged 6.5 inches in length and the following lists the numbers stocked in each lake.

Ann 1,130
Windsor 2,200
Avalon 670
Loch Lomond 4,770

Lakes Brittany and Rayburn do not have gizzard shad populations, and therefore, are undesirable for another large predator like blue catfish. Those two lakes were not stocked for that reason, but both lakes have received channel catfish stocking every year since 2007, and therefore, have large populations of channel catfish.

Rainbow trout
The Lake Brittany trout stocking program will resume for at least two months beginning this week (the week of Oct. 28). A load of 1,000 harvestable size (11 to 12 inches) rainbow trout will be stocked in Lake Brittany by Crystal Lake Trout Hatchery, along with some fingerling trout that will average 6 to 7 inches in length. That will be followed by a load of another 1,000 harvestable trout stocked in late November or early December. These are stockings that I originally budgeted for in this year�s budget just as in years past. I have budgeted for the usual springtime stocking of 1,000 trout per month in January through April in the 2014 budget that has yet to be approved by the association's Board of Directors. Hopefully, we will be able to continue this program as we have since 2007. You might recall that this past spring we were not able to spend this budget money due to Board concerns for the budget earlier this year and so no trout have been stocked thus far in 2013.

[Feathers and Fins]

All fine and dandy for BV, HOWEVER I do have an issue with AGFC giving them the fish for free as those fish are paid for by ALL people who buy a license! If BV wants to get them free then open the lakes up to the general public without all the horse crap you have to do to fish them. If not then AGFC should charge them. Those "members" fish other state lakes as well that are stocked. Pay up or Shut Up BV.

[Quillback]

Nice rant there F&F, AGFC is also funded by a 1/8th percent sales tax paid by all Arkansans. Those stripers you catch are in part funded by ALL Arkansans. Maybe some of us don't like having stripers in Beaver, and why should we pay for it so YOU can catch them. I think there should be a special permit created to fund all striper hatcheries and it should be required for anyone who wants to retain stripers. All striper hatchery funding should come from the sale of those permits. Time for striper fishermen to Pay up or Shut up.

[Feathers and Fins]

Beaver aint a "PRIVATE" Pond Quill it is open to the public. That means ANYONE who has a license can use it. Same cannot be said for BV now can it.

[bfishn]

This argument's been going on for at least the 28 years I've been in BV. FWIW, the POA has taken the reins in footing the bill for the lakes to a big degree compared to what it used to be. Back when, the AGFC would do annual sampling and write a suggested management plan each year in addition to supplemental stocking. Now the POA has a resident bio (Bowman), and very little help from AGFC.

For the recent Blue fingerlings, you're only talking about $12-1500 total value. It would be pretty easy to justify that in court by the number of BV licenses.

[Quillback]

Beaver aint a "PRIVATE" Pond Quill it is open to the public. That means ANYONE who has a license can use it. Same cannot be said for BV now can it.

That doesn't matter, I don't want to pay for stripers stocked in Beaver. You want to fish for them, you pay for them. Why should everyone in Arkansas pay for your striper fishing? And speaking of helping private landowners, why should AGFC help landowners with habitat projects for wildlife? Why provide help with helping set up private ponds? Should the federal government provide money to farmers for CRP? You can't hunt it without permission, so by your reasoning all of this kind of funding should be cut off, I wonder how many ducks are shot at private duck clubs that you can't access? But you bought a federal duck stamp didn't you? If you're going to argue that AGFC should not provide surplus fish to BV, then by that argument, there should not be any assistance provided by AGFC to any private entities. Or the federal government.

[Feathers and Fins]

Wow strike a nerve did I?

Ok First and not sure what part you are not getting about the difference between " PRIVATE " and " Public ". BV is Private, I cannot hook up my boat and go launch there without getting in trouble! Beaver IS Public I can buy my boat and go launch there right now... Heck lets do it one better. I can go stand on the shore in Prairie Creek and fish with no problem. I Cannot go stand on Bella Vistas shores without getting in trouble. Period! You want the fish from AGFC then BUY THEM! Hence the difference between private and public. Those fish are paid for by the people of the state and should be accessible to all the people of the state as they are PUBLIC PROPERTY. If you want them either open the lakes to the public or pay for them simple as that.

Do you understand what the FEDERAL DUCK STAMP IS? And what it does? I doubt it or you wouldn't have said anything about it.

Its not "MY" Striper fishing it is fish for anyone who wishes to fish for them and they are on a ( AGAIN- PUBLIC WATER ) Now if you don't like stripers that is a different story but then again you do not have to fish for them and the BV biologist for whatever good it means to you did say you need the large open water predators to keep gizzard shad in check. So it is obvious something is needed to do so.

As to AGFC helping land owners with Habitat ( THATS THEIR JOB ) Duh But AGFC does NOT stock those private lands do they? NO THEY DO NOT! and Habitat improvement benefits wildlife which is the direct Job of AGFC. Private ponds are part of wildlife habitat. But guess what you have to PURCHASE with MONEY the fish to be stocked!

CRP I have never supported one bit.

[Feathers and Fins]

http://www.uaex.edu/wneal/pond_management/pdf/MP360final.pdf

http://www.uaex.edu/wneal/DELETE-Pages/SportfishSuppliers2004B.pdf-DELETE

[Guest]

Oh man!!

I'm loving the drama!

Where's the popcorn...

Hey, if they want to stock leftover fish at BV. Go for it.

I pay dam good money to fish there.

To be honest the fish have worms and I'm not going to eat them.

F&F, your not missing out on any meat fishing.

There's plenty of that at beaver.

Carry on.....

[Quillback]

Sorry that you don't get it F&F, I don't want to see my tax money spend on stocking stripers, you don't want to see it spend on stocking fish in BV lakes. BTW the public can fish the lakes, you just need to be hosted by a member. Also anyone can purchase a lot here and pay annual dues and gain access to the lakes.

Also these fish are designated surplus by the AGFC and in effect given to BV by the state. Your original rant against the POA and the city of BV is misguided, if you are so unhappy with the state giving surplus fish to BV, you should direct your rants at the AGFC.