Mark Oliver AGFC Fish Bio??

[taxidermist]

Does anyone know what happened to Mark, I was living at Batesville and he left the AGFC as the area Bio?

I am betting we could get some good info from him.

Thx

John

[Crippled Caddis]

Does anyone know what happened to Mark, I was living at Batesville and he left the AGFC as the area Bio? I am betting we could get some good info from him.

John,

Mark recieved a promotion that has him working at headquarters in L. Rock. I have a HUGE amount of respect for Mark. He was the local biologist @ Mt. Home/Norfork before the state even had a 'trout biologist'. He worked closely with Chuck Davidson in his efforts through the North Arkansas Flyfishing club in the original experimental stocking of both Brookies and Cutthroat eggs in Vibert boxes. All the 'experts' told Chuck it would never work, Whitlock even weighing in on the side of the naysayers in the case of the Cutthroat. AFAIR the Brookies were stocked in Otter Creek by the McClellens parking area in the pasture. (Chuck & Bess were year-round residents in a mobile home located several doors downstream of the bathhouse) At the moment I don't recall for certain where Chuck stocked the Cutt eggs, but they too may have went into Otter Creek. It would have certainly been more convenient for Chuck to take a short stroll, perhaps on the way to the Ace-in-the-hole waters to pick up a couple of fish for dinner, and make his regular inspection of the eggs in order to remove those that had proven to not be viable. The bad eggs must be removed on the 'one rotten apple in a barrel' principal lest they transmit bacteria to the good eggs.

That both Brookies and Cutts proved viable, even if not wildly successful, in the waters of the state are the result of the forward thinking efforts of Chuck Davidson, the NAFF club and Mark Oliver for facilitating the experimental work. It is thought that the current state record Brookie first saw the light of day through the bars of the Vibert box of the original experimental stocking.

In Dec. of '86 (IIRC) Mark provided an electro-fishing crew and equipment on Dry Run creek to allow us (NAFF) to strip Browns for experimental propagation in the Vibert boxes in the creek upstream of the hatchery effluent. Somewhere around here I have @ 5 min. of videotape of the effort. Unfortunately high floodwaters that year washed the boxes out of the gravels and both boxes and eggs were lost. That was the 'Last Hurrah' for individuals and groups in stocking matters for the following year Arkansas hired a 'trout biologist' whose first decree was that only the state could stock fish in any manner, including eggs. A great example of 'union mentality' at work.

It is one of my pet peeves that the state is only too ready to claim credit for species other than Rainbows. Historically the state reared and stocked Rainbows ONLY with the exception of a bit of random experimental work that was not deemed successful. The wild success of Brown trout in the 'Lil Red is another example of the state being obstructive rather than helpful. The Browns too were stocked originally as eggs in Vibert boxes by the Memphis & Little Rock flyfishing clubs along with a few passionate individuals. They were stocked guerella fashion after the state denied permission. As I heard the story the deed was done at night at Cow Shoals but I can't guarantee the accuracy of the account as I was not involved. But 'the rest is history'.

Failure to give credit where due in the case of Browns, Cutts and Brookies is a disservice to a lot of private individuals and groups who were passionate enough about their sport to put their money where their hearts lay. While the state did indeed take up where the private sector left off is a credit to the state but refusal to give credit where due is a sin of omission.

So on that great day when you register a Grand Slam give thanks where due.

Much of the above account is hearsay and the rest is predicated on my oft faulty memory so you'd be best served to take it all with a bit of salt. CC

PS: Sorry for the length--I get carreid away on some subjects.

[Phil Lilley]

CC you outdid yourself.

Thanks!

[Crippled Caddis]

CC you outdid yourself. Thanks!

Very much my pleasure Sirrah! Thank YOU for providing this forum. It is quickly growing and eclipsing others that were the 'big kids on the block'. CC

[RiverRunner]

That is a great story, I've never heard all of the details of that before. That's a story that anyone who fishes the White, Norfork, or Little Red should know.

[taxidermist]

Thanks, Yes I too have a great amount of respect for Mark!! Hopefully he will get Bull another stocking of lakers. He has been turned down on those but I hear he is looking at it again. The Lakers did great but the normal people that caught them could not tell what species they were.

One being my dad and his dufass friends, they filleted some 10lbs trout they caught in the lake!! Dad's buds think they were just freaky rainbows.

Also maybe Mark will get the Tiger Musky program back in swing!!

[Danoinark]

Thanks Tom (CC) I never can hear that story enough from you. Its sad, but if the "old man of the river" could see it now, he would be like the Indian with the tear in his eye surveying all the damage...Dano