Some AGFC news

[Quillback]

Looking to revitalize AR bass fishing.

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2015/sep/10/agfc-eager-to-revitalize-fisheries-2015/

[Blll]

As a new comer (2nd season) to Beaver I was very wrong in my ideas about the fishery. Yes, the Bass fishing is much tougher than I anticipated,and thank God for spots. I had experience with both Bull Shoals and Norfolk and would say the Bass fishing is better/easier.  I've also been disappointed, missing  a consistent Crappie bite. But, the walleyes and stripers, and big white bass more than make up for my mis-conceptions and overall I'm really pleased with the lakes production. As I learn the lake better, I'm sure the crappie knowledge and success will improve. I'm not sure why Table Rock and Bull Shoals seem to have better bass fishing with the same river system. I do envy the TR posts with 25 bass days being somewhat normal. I don't buy into the striper vs bass argument as Norfolk is a renowned Striper Lake too. There seems to be so much food in this lake that every fish should be fat and happy. I look forward to my bass catch to improve with experience but I did think I was a fair "stick" to begin with and thought bass are bass wherever they are. There just seem to be less of them (bass)  in Beaver. Yes, I understand the offshore bass fishery but with so many crayfish and bluegill there should be a few more relating to the rocks. Sorry for the long winded comment but anything the AGFC can do to improve bass fishing, without hurting other species will be more than welcome by me. JMO

[Champ188]

We shall see what materializes.

[Stump bumper]

I don't know why they are so worried about producing young FLW and BASS pros since IMO those are sales and marketing professionals not the type of sportsmen that I was raised with in Arkansas. I was taught the ethics of hunting and fishing, not to shoot a bird on a rest, never take more than you need and to always clean up after yourself and leave the land better than you found it. Beside catch and release I find very few of the manors and ethics practiced around tournaments that were taught to me as a child in the 60s. I see more and more people posting land and very little of the friendship and skills that were taught to the young people of my time. 

I see a lot of $50,000 boats being sold but very few grandfathers showing grandchildren how to skin a squirrel or cook a opossum down to grease to make biscuits over an open fire. Not to mention staying out in the woods with them long enough that those things tasted good. Those were the men that survived the depression and fought WW2 and wanted to pass their knowledge down without fear and hate.  

I guess I just don't watch enough TV so I don't understand what is important for young Arkansans to lean about the outdoors and skills they should develop as Sportsman. I guess in need to down load some commercials and get with the times and teach my grandchildren how to push product instead of wasting time on a shore lunch of fresh caught fish.

 

[M_Taylor]

Thanks for posting. I wouldn't have seen this otherwise. 

I don't know what Beaver lake is lacking, I'm no biologist, but I hope it helps the overall fishing. 

[Champ188]

I don't know why they are so worried about producing young FLW and BASS pros since IMO those are sales and marketing professionals not the type of sportsmen that I was raised with in Arkansas. I was taught the ethics of hunting and fishing, not to shoot a bird on a rest, never take more than you need and to always clean up after yourself and leave the land better than you found it. Beside catch and release I find very few of the manors and ethics practiced around tournaments that were taught to me as a child in the 60s. I see more and more people posting land and very little of the friendship and skills that were taught to the young people of my time. 

I see a lot of $50,000 boats being sold but very few grandfathers showing grandchildren how to skin a squirrel or cook a opossum down to grease to make biscuits over an open fire. Not to mention staying out in the woods with them long enough that those things tasted good. Those were the men that survived the depression and fought WW2 and wanted to pass their knowledge down without fear and hate.  

I guess I just don't watch enough TV so I don't understand what is important for young Arkansans to lean about the outdoors and skills they should develop as Sportsman. I guess in need to down load some commercials and get with the times and teach my grandchildren how to push product instead of wasting time on a shore lunch of fresh caught fish.

 

You said a mouthful there, Stump Bumper. Can't disagree with a word of it. It's my personal opinion that this new bunch of tournament fishermen are a direct reflection of the discipline they get at home --- absolutely none. And theref.ore they run around the roads, ramps and lakes like a bunch of hooligans with no respect or regard for anyone else

[RyanG]

Well, I have all the respect for my fellow fishermen, those who I know and those of who I have yet to meet. And that goes for you gentlemen as well. However, i am part of that young generation from Arkansas that has learned many of the principals of which you speak from many different sources, including my grandfather and father. Now of course, there are always a group of people who bring a bad name to any group of people enjoying any sport or hobby. And those who act the ways mentioned above, I do lose respect for. however, making generalizations like this really gets us no where and many times turns out to be an ignorant thing to do. I happen to know a great group of young tournament fisherman who respect others and are responsible in all of the right ways as well. Personally, I just like the competitive atmosphere surrounding tournaments. It excites me and i always have a blast. And I have just as much fun just fishing for supper. I am a true outdoors man, and at only 21 years old have much left to learn and I am not alone in that regard. And I have witnessed many grown men acting the way this "new bunch of tournament fishermen" do as well. We are all in some ways a product of our environment, how we were raised and so on. So lets keep it at that, and instead lets focus on teaching others how to be a true outdoors man. I mean all of this with the utmost respect as well and is not a jab at anyone, just thought I would weigh in with my perspective!

[Gavin]

Seems like big ticket bass fishing takes money to play these days. Thinking 100k to get started with boat, truck, and tackle to look like a new bass pro.

 

[Mamoo]

Wow, this turned into something strange!  I'm 37 and have come to realize the truth always lies in the middle! I've seen many of both in each generation and I'm not sure either knew how to skin a squirrel or make possum gravy haha lol.

[Champ188]

Ryan, you are right. I shouldn't have generalized or made a blanket indictment of all young fishermen. Rudeness and lack of sportsmanship happen across all age groups, and so does good behavior.

But I think we can all agree that no matter the offenders' age, there's a lot more of the entitled, self-serving bullcrap going on out there than there used to be.

For the record, I am far from anti-tournament. I've successfully fished derbies from club level up to BASS Opens for 35 years. I'm just very disappointed that a growing number of tournament anglers are engaging in behavior like cutting off other fishermen on the lake, plowing through no-wake zones and pretty much acting like idiots to the chagrin of everyone else on the lake, including their fellow derby participants. Unfortunately, the organization that should be championing good behavior (BASS) instead is glorifying the bad by rewarding their Elite anglers with TV time for arguing with each other, cutting each other off, etc. It's no wonder anglers at lower levels think it's OK to do the same.