Arkansas County Quest

[Ham]

Mississippi County #43

lengthy drive on a HOT day I fished below Big Lake. I have no idea what normal flows are like. I know they are draining Big Lake to try to improve things for ducks.

First fish took like 10 minutes.

but I could see lots of fish working. Lots of gar and Buffalo mostly. I knew catfish should be active. I soaked a night crawler white casting my little swimbait.

I relocated upstream closer to the spillway which I wanted and under a shade tree which I desperately needed.

it got complicated quickly with drum and catfish on the crawler and lots of Gar action on the swimbait. Like one armed paper hanging busy.

I got my 102 species of the year, Shortnose Gar

And a channel cat. And more drum.

I lost a BIG Longnose Gar trying to get it on the bank. I had brought multiple nets. I brought a more manageable net thinking I might need it for White Bass, small drum, Goldeye or whatever. I didn’t count on Big Longnose except I had brought my biggest net too in case I got into larger catfish. The big net is unwieldy and with all the gear I was carrying and the heat, I chose to leave it in the car. That cost me.

I blew up my Air Stream spinning rod trying to get a decent sized LNG in. My fault. Totally avoidable. With a fishing buddy, it would not have happened. With my bigger net, it would not have happened. If I hadn’t been overheated, probably doesn’t happen.

I’ll add a pic later. Fighting my phone and file size limit.

I gathered stuff up and tried to relocate to the other side of the river. The footing looked better and there was a big back Eddy that I could have casted into easily and I was hoping to see what lived in there.

yeah, I don’t get it. I cussed the feds.

I cooled off a bit on my trip to the other side that ended up being closed. After I cooled off, I went back for more with my flyrod and the Big Net.

like 3 minutes in, I hooked a LARGE Longnose Gar. I fought him down and was getting close to reaching for the net when he cleared the water and pogo’ed his way to freedom. One Very loud F bomb later, I resumed fishing. I missed a couple of bites and had a crap ton of refusals. It took like 15 minutes, but I hooked another decent one and he took off downstream. Almost got me into my backing as I rock hopped to back under the shade tree. I figured I might as well fight him in the shade. I very carefully played him down and eventually slipped the net under him. Longnose Gar was my 103rd species.

I’d love to add a pic, but struggling to resize photo.

after a rest and fluids, on to Craighead County.

[Phil Lilley]

[Ham]

#45 Jackson County

I had the day off. My wife worked the late shift. It seemed like a great opportunity to push the envelope. I rolled out at 0730 with a rough itinerary. I find it helpful to kinda have some preplanned times in there so I can actually make it to all my spots.

I plotted out a four county fishing Blitzkreig.  I had never been to any of the spots before and had no real idea what would be biting or Not. No Big Deal. LFG!

so I brought 3 weight and 7 weight Flyrods. I brought an old Ugly Stick that was gifted to me. I brought my last remaining Air Stream. I brought a UL for micros and tiny things. And a 13 Black Widow telescoping pole for micros (kinda struggling with it TBH). I also brought a frog rod just in case I ran into any snakeheads. 

Well, about an hour in, I realized that while I did pack my worms up, I did not put them in the car. I would have bought more if I had ever seen a bait shop. Without bait, I had 2 set ups that were just in the way. Bummer.

One of the few relatively close by counties that I had not fished. After an enjoyable 2 1/2 hour drive through occasional rain squalls I arrived at Jacksonport State Park. Totally free of charge and lots of good bank access. Lots of parking and it was amazingly non-sketchy. Lately, I’ve fished some fairly sketchy places and so I was like “what’s the catch?”. Well, the catch was lots and quickly and easily. But also some misses.
First Fish took literally a minute. An admittedly small LMB that took a flyrod jig that FishNDave tied up. I wish it had been a 5 lber, but whatever. 
I caught a bunch of smallish bass. I had one that would have kept. I also got Bluegill, Longear, a decent Black Crappie. The misses were a decent White Crappie, a White Bass, and a Green Sunfish. I had them on the way in and lost em. I hate the dropzies.

I was relocating to a point with a current seam when a gentleman and his son got there before me. The gear they were using seemed counter intuitive for cat fishing, but they looked like cat fishermen. I saw them catch a slender silvery fish and asked what they were catching. Skipjack! 
I asked and received permission to fish alongside them. I was due to depart, but I had to strike this iron while it was Hot. 
they were using small minnows under a float. I used a small swimbait. They were catching them slow but steady. I lost the first three I hooked and then caught the next three I hooked. The swimbait is way more efficient at catching skipjack. My 104 th species for the year.
so then of course, you grab up the fly rod. 
at this point I said Goodbye to my new fishing buddies. I had given them my skipjack to catfish with. I left fish biting to go to parts unknown. 

[Ham]

#46 Woodruff County

so, I am a bird in hand guy. My target area was Roaring Slough. Specifically, Roaring Slough around the Cache River NWR HQ. Snakehead have been caught there and it surely has Gar and Bowfin and God Only knows what else. So, as I am heading down Hwy 33, I crossed a small bridge and pulled over to check it out. It was crazy good-looking stuff. I Honestly could have stayed there for 2 Full Hours. It was swarming with Spotted Gar and I could easily work the flyrod.

But first things first; Get a fish caught in Woodruff County. A couple casts with a small jig and plastic and Bingo a Bluegill eats. I ran back to the car and grabbed the 7 weight. Same fly tied on from Mississippi County trip. I worked several gar with no interest, but I managed to excite a BIG Spotted Gar. After several lame attempts, he gets a really good a Good Chomp on it. Strip set and Game on. He took off and I was able to play him on the reel. I worked him down and he was tiring. I had a decent net with me and I was picking my spot to lean down and net him. Freaking thing cleared the water and tail walked to freedom. 
Biting flies were making me crazy, so I took a break from the Gar and caught more panfish. I tried again for Gar and I got another one angry. Finally got a Good eat and stuck him. He didn’t stay hooked long though. I was desperate to get to the next spot and I convinced myself that I would have lots of more shots at Spotted Gar. Spoiler Alert: I never got another shot at a gar. 
Roaring Slough was Fubar. Shallow and Hot. And overgrown. And difficult to access. The only thing roaring there was the large trucks going by way too close to me. Sucked. Hot Humid. Sucked. No fish caught. 
I had tried Cache Bayou. Sucked. I tried Little Dixie River. Sucked, Sucked, Sucked. 
Thank God for Bluegill! Next Stop Monroe County. 

[Ham]

#47 Monroe County

Drove through Cotton Plant and down through Brinkley. The times are a changing and that has not been kind to those two towns. I don’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings, but a few matches and some diesel would go a long way towards improving property values in those old towns.

anywho, heading west out of Brinkley on Hwy 70 and turn north on Dagmar Road to head into Dagmar State Wildlife Management Area.

It is a huge area that floods annually at a minimum. It has a major creek, natural drains  and sloughs, lakes, and borrow pits from the construction of Hwy 63. Pretty Wild and Wooly. Probably a great place to dump a body, but would be better for that if it had gators.

I ventured down a one lane road with steep and deep drop offs on both side to a high water (Duck hunting) boat ramp. Water was flowing slowly with clear tannic water. Water was very shallow.

perfect for Orangespotted Sunfish. I caught a handful of hybrid Longear Sunfish that I think had Orangespotted Sunfish in the genetics. Carefully, I wandered up to the Gator Pond.

Gator Pond is a (much) larger Borrow Pit than I realized. It has some super sketchy boat ramp and appeared to be full of a wide variety of fish. If I hadn’t forgot my natural baits, I would know more about that. 
I got a large angry Bluegill first. I had enough Bluegill pics. Then I got a fun looking Longear Sunfish on the 3 weight. Sorry for the shadow line. Heat so much heat. Sweat was running in my eyes and I thought I had a good pic. I tried to get some fun looking micros with a tiny piece of soft plastic on a Tanago hook. A tiny Orange Spotted Sunfish sped in and grabbed it. called it! I ended up catching 7 of the Orangespotted Sunfish! All very small. The Bigger ones are out there somewhere.

it was so Hot. Sun and humidity were crushing me. I’m Pretty sure there were a Good number of Golden Shiners feeding on top. I tried multiple ways to catch one, but failed. I had one good take on a Griffins Gnat, but I did not stick him.

A thunder storm ran me off. It was time to fly to my next spot anyway. A real heavy downpour started as I rolled back towards Hwy 70 so I timed that well. 
 

I have to go back to Dagmar and I really need multiple days to work out the details.

Mark my words though, I’ll never, ever spend a night in Brinkley, Arkansas. 

[Ham]

#48 Faulkner County

Sadly, No county line pic. I was on I40 and I made too much going on to try to get a pic. I saw the sign, but decided not to wreck the car. 
Faulker County was the red headed step child. It didn’t get my full attention and thought. I realized I would drive through it on the way home and I had not fished there before.

I hopped off I40 and fished Lake Conway. It was Super low. I managed a small Bluegill.

I jumped back in the car and stopped again in Greenbriar. The town has recently made a very nice park which includes a catch and release fishing pond. I pounded some Bluegill and SMALL Green Sunfish in very short order.

on my way out of town, I grabbed Dinner at Fatburger. Great Burger. Next time I will go double patty and have them add ketchup though. 
After that it was a relatively short 2 HR drive home.

it was a 13 1/2 hour day. I drove 403.3 miles. Caught fish in the four counties. I caught at least 7 species and 60 fish total. 

[Ham]

I reviewed maps and my memory of a trip I made long ago and decided that I had in fact fished Ashley County already. It doesn't mean I won't fish there again, but for now, no picture of the county signage and no pictures of gar and bowfin from Ashley County. 

#49 Ashley County

[fshndoug]

cool report

 

[Ham]

#50 Yell County

I was going to combine this county in another four county Blitz, but decided to make this a single county trip. Blame it on Social Media ; An acquaintance posted catching drum and gar on his fly rod at Dardanelle recently and I decided to strike while the iron was Hot.

FiahnDave and Billethead have me slinging the flyrod more these days and actually tying again. (Eek!) . One of my side projects is trying to get 50 species on fly this year and boost my Lifetime Species on fly too. Prior to this year I think I was at like 37 species lifetime on fly so it was kinda a Bold gambit. 
So this morning as soon as I was able, I headed to Yell County. to To get to Hwy 7 from my house the fastest way means taking 123. This is hands down the most difficult section of road I have ever driven on. It’s insane. 
So, I got to Riverview Park or whatever version on that it is actually named. It’s right below the Lock and Dam. Satelite photos don’t do the change in elevation justice.I knew that it was gonna be exhausting going to and from the river.

I am not a Billy Goat. Scrambling on the rip rap down to water wasn’t lots of Fun. 
and while it was not immediately Life Threatening like a few weeks ago, it was still plenty Hot.

at my first stop, there was tons of Threadfin spawning on the rocks. There was an occasional pop of a predator. I started with a 6 weight with a sink tip with a couple small fly rod jigs I tied up.

in just a few casts, I was into a weighty fish. I got like 30 seconds in and the hook pulled. Dang I was disappointed.

10 minutes later though I got my Lifer Drum on fly. He was small, but hit big.I was seeing a few larger Gar but nothing close to me. +

I saw some guys up closer to the Power Station a decide to head that way and check that area.

I headed to the car to swap out some gear and celebrate completing Yell County and getting a drum on fly. I put the 6 weight away. I Grabbed a spinning rod some tackle and a water to take with me.

there were even more Shad and more fish closer to the power station. I had tied a fly specially for Gar, but the first fish on that fly was a larger drum. I stuck several gars with it, but they shook loose, 

pretty soon though I stuck a gar well and got him into the net (eventually.) First Shortnose Gar on fly for the year. He destroyed my fly caught several more drum and gar on spinning, but I wasn’t able to get any catfish.

they blew the horn Long and Loud and conditions changed. Back to the car to cool off and rehydrate and then I went back to where I started and tried again. I hung a big Longnose, but it did not stay stuck. 
I was too Hot and the fishing was too slow so a crazy thought entered my mind. There was a small creek on the other side of the river that I wanted to try for a Lifer Darter.

so with just minutes left before I had to cut and run for home, I headed to the little creek. 
The creek was on the way home which helped a little, but I only allowed myself 30 minutes of fishing time.  Between the marginal amount of knowledge I had about the darter I was chasing And the appearance of the creek itself, I wasn’t Super confident.

I caught a couple of smaller fish that I now think are juvi Hornyhead chubs. I caught a small bluegill. I’m looking and trying all the spots I can see that might hold a darter. I was literally down to the last minute when I dangled my tiny piece of bait near some cover and this little guy rolled out and ate. My alarm to depart went off as I was taking pics.it didn’t look like a Rainbow Darter to me and it sure didn’t act like a Rainbow Darter, but I have been trolled by Rainbow Darters so many times that I won’t let myself get too excited. 
but I sent pics to John and my son. I looked at the pics when I got home and it appears I caught my Lifer Redfin Darter. Not very colored up, but his Creek was pretty marginal water quality. With better water and during the spawn, they would look amazing. And as a coincidence, that was fish number 200 on my Lifelist. 
I’m sure my Legs and going to cramp like nobody’s business tonight, but a very successful fishing adventure for me today. 

[Ham]

51) Poinsett County.

I had a lengthy blow by blow account of my day, but when I added the last pic something happened, and all the text went down the toilet.

Spillway is near Payneway, AR. Bring a trashbag. The locals are litter bugs.

enjoy the pics. I’m not typing all that again.