Missouri/Arkansas Master Angler Awards

[Devan S.]

I have been looking at the Missouri and Arkansas Master Angler Awards. Got caught up specifically by the news of the Arkansas angler that now has them in all 8 categories which is pretty cool. 

Obviously you got to have some luck and lots of time invested but looking through the list which ones seem to be the easiest and where would specifically start if you were wanting to catch one?

Looking through the MO list I have caught a couple that were darn close but never checked them 100% or submitted them. 

 

[Al Agnew]

I don't think Missouri's is all that difficult.  A lot of guys I know catch Master Angler size smallmouth half the times they go fishing.  Same with good reservoir bass anglers catching largemouth.  I counted up all the species that I've caught that would have qualified, and it came to 18 different species, maybe more.  I've never submitted any of them.  Probably several hundred smallmouth over 50 or more years.  Quite a few largemouth.  Only a couple spotted bass.  One hybrid bass.  Quite a few white bass, though that was a long time ago when we'd catch 3 pound plus white bass a lot while fishing for bass on Wappapello.  Quite a few bluegill...that is pretty much dependent on finding a good small lake where the bluegill aren't overpopulated, then you can catch a hundred of them.  One grass carp that was homegrown...and is still in my pond so one day I might catch it again--the thing is about 25 years old by now and I don't know how long they live, but it's still there.  A few crappie over the years.  A couple eels many years ago.  A couple longnose gar.  A few rock bass.  One muskie, fishing for bass on Pomme.  A couple chain pickerel winter fishing on Current River.  Used to catch huge longear sunfish in the spring at a certain spot right below a low water bridge on Big River.  Redear are like bluegill...find a good pond and you'll catch plenty of big ones.  One brown trout in Missouri.  One walleye.

[MrGiggles]

Didn't even know that existed here. I see it mentioned quite a bit on the Canadian Youtube channels. Pretty cool, thanks for sharing.

Crappie, just a little short. PB is 14 3/4" from Stockton.

Walleye, still got a ways. PB is 24".

LMB, not sure, probably close though. Have caught a couple out of cow ponds that were over 5lbs, never measured them. 

White bass, caught one on Stockton in 2017 that was around 18". 

[Devan S.]

I'm fairly certain in Mo I've done the white bass, paddlefish, white crappie, goggle-eye, probably have a bluegill(never checked but have caught some toads), darn close to blue cat and channel cat, never caught a good flathead on rod and reel but certainly have it trot-lining. None have ever been submitted as its just a piece of paper. 

Arkansas seems to bit a tad bit tougher but their in groups and they send out pins for them so a little added bonus. They also remove the length and only go by weight which sometimes helps and sometimes hurts. 

I think in Arkansas I can find spots to get the Walleye and Smallmouth with enough time, effort, and luck. Catfish obviously anytime you have the Mississippi river you have lots of options. Trout is clearly a tailwater deal(pick your location). Striper could be BS or Beaver. Crappie may be tough at 2.5 lbs. Gar or paddlefish should be a reasonable find. 

 

[Devan S.]

As a challenge I have focused on this specifically for several years and thought I would break down how things have gone, research into locations and how things should go(at least according to my plan).

To date I have caught fish qualifying for 4 Arkansas master angler awards which also qualifies me for the coin. I also have 2 additional fish that I did not submit that would duplicate other fish. 

The first category I targeted and was successful was miscellaneous.

I had planned for gar or paddlefish but knew there was a good run of spoonies below Beaver dam. FWIW I live about 30 minutes from Beaver dam so it was an easier target. After a couple failures....someone showed me the ways and I quickly connected. I don't fish this category at all. I think Bowfin would be fun to chase but at the time I wasn't nearly as interested in species as I am now. 

The original catch thread is here:

 

[Devan S.]

Overall I enjoy any species but walleye, big gills, whites, and crappie has been what I have chased in Mo. as a kid. Although I grew up in Golden I had never fished Beaver lake but I know Striper was a likely an easier target for "temperate bass". I've caught a bunch of big whites as a kid but never in the Arkansas portion of TRL so I set out focus on Striper on Beaver as my check mark. In the process of throwing early spring top water, for Striper near Indian Creek I have caught 3 small mouth in rough master angler size. These are all May time period big top water fish caught on the obvious main lake points in the dam area chasing swirling striper. 

To be fair this was 100% accidental all 3 times and in all 3 cases the fish were essentially 3.5lbs. I worried about this group early on. I don't like fishing for bass, river bass are fun but a 10" is as good as a 3.5 lber for me. I will say...hindsight tells me this would be hard if I didn't luck into it like I did and that smallmouth in the right location is probably much easier than the other 2 options. 

Original thread here:

[Devan S.]

All the remainder of '21 and into 2022 I struggled. Focusing on fishing reasonably locally at the right times. Walleye spring, striper winter/spring, trout fall/winter, Bluegill spring summer. Ect. I was overwhelmed....multiple species and spread thin. 

As I recall I caught walleye and trout in excess of 8lbs in Kings river and below Beaver respectively but that was as close as I had been. I had mostly kept fishing the right locations but cared less about the goal. 

Someone at work told me they were working over the big whites up below Beaver Dam. Wouldn't give me a spot but said...its specific....start at houseman and fish down until you find them. Said they estimated their big fish were 3.5 to 4lbs and 18 to 20" and lots of them. Not just a 1 or 2 deal.  Good enough for me to check out. 

I fished down...until I had chasers on a A-rig. Then began working them with an 1/8oz zig jig. The flood gates were open albeit just barely and the fish were stacked up on an inside bend eddy. I was the only boat there. Most others were chasing late season walleye stragglers in May. Whites only need to be 3.5lbs. I don't like to eat them so was CnR only.

I don't recall the numbers.....and you wouldn't believe me if I did say them but I wore out multiple white zig jigs. No marabou; coming untied. I weighed a bunch of 3+lb, 18" whites that just would not hit the 3.5lb mark. 3.2, 3.3, 3.4....over and over...A lot of fun. Most looked like they were packing golf balls in their stomachs. Unfortunately I was solo. I finally hit a 3.52lb fish.

 

Frankly it was fun catching but I'm not happy and still chasing the 25lb striper. 

[Devan S.]

Crappie

2.5lbs both blacks and white. 

I knew going in this would be tough. I enjoy crappie but don't have live scope and all my life probably have seen 1 crappie in my life in the realm of 2.5lbs. 

I have spent a couple years and probably 5-6 trips down south to Millwood lake chasing big pre spawn-Crappie. Taking wife, friends, ect down and doing live scope trips with a guide to fill a cooler. Millwood/Arkansas have generous limits and after the first time fishing with Jared I knew I'd be back. Its a good way to have a good time and bring back enough fish for a fry and then some.

There is a ton of Crappie tournament results for Arkansas online and based on the results and guides is how I ended up at Millwood. I really think it has a reasonable shot a 3lb Crappie in Arkansas in early spring. 

Over the 5-6 trips I have caught maybe 25 fish between 2-2.5lbs. Again 16 or 17" fish with golf balls in their bellies. Not true 2.5lbers but pre-spawn fat fish that hit the mark with eggs. 

This year I finally hit 2.5 after having several in the 2.4 range. This one I question multiple times. After being so close several times I weighed 3 times. 2.51, 2.52, 2.49. Close enough and plus I'll be back. 

[bfishn]

Congratulations Devan, you deserve that!

[Devan S.]

I'm really down to 4 categories: + I want a 25lb Striper just for the rush. I've caught a couple in the upper teens and set a goal so here we go. 

Perch:

Just almost 99% positive this will be an Arkansas TRL walleye. I've been close a couple time but haven't gotten there yet. There is an off hand chance at a Sauger at Ozark L&D but I've travelled there 4 times and haven't caught anything yet but would like one for species. 

Trout:

Based on time, my most "fished for fish" although the overlap between Trout and Walleye below Beaver is enough that "any given time". 

Honestly I expected based on location and volume of fishing time one of these would already be done. I'm going to start expanding my trips toward BS/Norfork tailwaters to up my odds at trout. The ability to fish from the bank makes this attractive before or after work for shorter commitment trips. 

Catfish:

I've tried up around Holiday Island from the bank a time or 2 with nothing. Beaver certainly has flats, channels, and blues big enough but rod and reel really limits things. If it were jugs and/or set lines I think I could pull this off really easily. We will see. Right now its really not a priority. I think there are more target rich locations in Arkansas for all 4 species than the NW corner. 

Bream:

I really think in NWA this is the hardest category. Possible, yes. Likely, no. I cannot tell you how many bluegill, green sunfish, longears I have weighed. I've double, triple, quadruple checked my scales are accurate at the sub 1 lb marks. I've really never been close. 

I know google has information on lots of lakes that say 1 lb Bluegill but I just don't know that I can trust it. Until you really start putting numbers of Bream on a scale for weight....you don't really realize how big a 1 lber is.