Arkansas County Quest

[Ham]

So, I randomly decided last year to catch a fish in EVERY County in Arkansas. I got fully onboard and committed to the idea and then found out that Arkansas has 75 freaking counties. Wut?
I grew up fishing southern Arkansas with relatives, so I had some knocked out. I’ve always wandered around trying new places since I moved up here so that helped. And last year I was trying for lots of species so that put me in more random locations. 
so long story somewhat shorter I’ve already made significant progress on the 75 counties.

Ideally, I’d like to get this done by 12/31/25, but realistically before I die would really be Good enough. I’m trying for it not to just be a bluegill, channel cat, and mosquito fish over and over again BUT I won’t turn my nose up at them either.

I will get fancy and dress this up on my PC. I’ll do the list of 75 counties and BOLD them when completed the county and maybe also post trip reports with the weird backstory on more recent counties. 
 

I plan on keeping it fun.

List of Counties: Bold indicates that I have caught a fish there 

Arkansas

Ashley 

Baxter

Benton

Boone

Bradley

Calhoun

Carroll

Chicot

Clark

Clay

Cleburne

Cleveland

Columbia

Conway

Craighead

Crawford

Crittenden

Cross

Dallas

Desha

Drew

Faulkner

Franklin

Fulton

Garland

Grant

Greene

Hempstead

Hot Springs

Howard

Independence

Izard

Jackson

Jefferson

Johnson

Lafayette

Lawrence

Lee Lincoln

Little River

Logan

Lonoke

Madison

Marion

Miller

Mississippi

Monroe

Montgomery

Nevada

Newton

Ouachita

Perry

Phillips

Pike

Poinsett

Polk 

Pope

Prairie

Pulaski

Randolph

St Francis

Saline

Scott

Searcy

Sebastian

Sevier

Sharp

Stone

Union

Van Buren

Washington

White

Woodruff

Yell

 

 

 

 

 

 

[timinmo]

Missouri has 114, I think.  Enjoy the journey

[Devan S.]

Interesting challenge.....I would think some counties would have very limited options right?

[Ham]

2 hours ago, Devan S. said:

Interesting challenge.....I would think some counties would have very limited options right?

You are correct Sir. If I remember right, Dallas county is gonna suck. I’ll be fishing a roadside ditch most likely. 

[Johnsfolly]

10 hours ago, timinmo said:

Missouri has 114, I think.  Enjoy the journey

Ham has caught a fish in two thirds of the counties in Delaware already completed. He just has to come back and catch a fish in the last one 🤣!

 

And yes if you do the math Delaware has three counties😉

[Quillback]

Have you caught anything in Crawford county?  Reason I ask is that Lake Fort Smith is there and supposedly has decent crappie fishing, at least as far as numbers but they run a little small.  I would like to try it in the spring, so if you are interested give me a shout.

 

[Ham]

" Have you caught anything in Crawford County?" I caught some fish out of Clear Creek in Chester, Arkansas. Longear Sunfish and small Smallmouth Bass, 

[Ham]

It took a surprising length of time to sync up notebook and phone list to get this all straightened out.

as of 12/31/2021 I was at 40 of the Arkansas counties completed. I should be able to get to 10-12 this year. Trust me when I say the easy ones (travel wise) have been done.

[Ham]

4/21/22   Prairie County: Lake Des Arc #42

Black Spotted Top Minnow

Northern Starhead Top Minnow

I also caught some Green Sunfish 

FishNDave hooked what would have been his Lifer Spotted Gar. Sadly, it came unbuttoned.

[Ham]

4/19/22 St Francis County #41

Got some Bass on a hollow body frog. 
FishNDave had a Great strike from a Bowfin, but the hook didn’t grab. 

I got out of order. Sorry

Adding a pic from St Francis County of my Orange Spotted Sunfish on fly. Not my first fish which was a stinkin bass.