Rocky Branch

[breeves2245]

Curiosity got the best of me. Took a drive from Bella Vista to Rocky Branch boat launch this morning. Wanted to motor around Van Hollow and Rambo Creek arm to check them out. Was a bit disappointed with the two boat ramps. Kinda steep and parking not the best. I think I'm spoiled with Prairie Creek. 

Anyway, Van Hollow was interesting. Lots of trees and some areas it went from 4' to 100' in a short distance. Rambo Creek Arm didn't quite have as many trees and not quite as extreme in changes in depth. 

It was a fun trip to just check out the drive and overall situation. No fishing, I was just boating around.

I want to like Indian Creek but don't care for the drive with the curvy road after you leave Hwy 62 and the intimidating clear water.

Conclusion - I'll stick to Prairie Creek and be thankful I have such a nice facility as the closest option. 

 

[AR Huzgr]

I come from BV as well.  I fish 2/3 of the time launching from Lost bridge north and prairie Creek the other.  Both about 30 minutes from house.   I agree that not all usace ramps are created equal, but PC can be a rat race at times as well.

Rocky Branch not a bad boat ride from PC.   My preferred walleye areas are in between prairie Creek and Rocky Branch. However if I'm in a bass kind of mood I usually go to Lost bridge for smallmouth.

[Champ188]

Don't take this wrong guys, but fishermen as a group have gotten soft. Myself included. When I was in my 20s, it was nothing to drag a two-man "bass buster" boat with TM and battery, ice chest and fishing gear a good 100 yards from where we'd have to park off the muddy side of a dirt road to whatever "promised land" we were fishing that day. Those places were usually rice reservoirs in southeast Arkansas, where it was nearly always a certainty they'd be loaded with bass, and often crappie, too. With farmer/landowner permission, of course, we'd drag bass out of those places by the dozens and often come back a week or two later only to have the farmer/landowner tell us that no one had been there since our last trip. Why? Too much mud, blood, sweat and tears involved in launching the boat. Oh, to be 25 again. Bet those same places are still full of fish waiting for some energetic soul to drag a boat thru the mud and go get em! 

[breeves2245]

I sure understand the trek Champ188. In my early teens my fishing buddies and I would go to extreme measures to fish a back section of the local reservoir (Sheldon Reservoir) outside the Houston area. Whole reservoir was muddy except the back portion. It was like a different lake. But it was off limits since the state biologist were doing studies of some sort of the other. Anyway, we'd ride our bikes to a close by location, drop them in the weeds, wade neck deep before sunrise across a small channel to get to the promised land of clearer water. Never mind those pesky cotton mouths and alligators. And there were plentiful!

We were always on the alert for the biologist to run us off. As soon as we heard the outboard crank up, we hid in the shore weeds. 

I cringe just thinking about it today. No amount of money would get me to do that again. 

[Dutch]

I’ve been to Indian Creek a few times with Quillback.  I think that is one of the prettiest places on any of the regional lakes and I really like the clear water.  However the courtesy dock and the steep ramp are a little sketchy.

[Quillback]

4 hours ago, Champ188 said:

Don't take this wrong guys, but fishermen as a group have gotten soft. Myself included. When I was in my 20s, it was nothing to drag a two-man "bass buster" boat with TM and battery, ice chest and fishing gear a good 100 yards from where we'd have to park off the muddy side of a dirt road to whatever "promised land" we were fishing that day. Those places were usually rice reservoirs in southeast Arkansas, where it was nearly always a certainty they'd be loaded with bass, and often crappie, too. With farmer/landowner permission, of course, we'd drag bass out of those places by the dozens and often come back a week or two later only to have the farmer/landowner tell us that no one had been there since our last trip. Why? Too much mud, blood, sweat and tears involved in launching the boat. Oh, to be 25 again. Bet those same places are still full of fish waiting for some energetic soul to drag a boat thru the mud and go get em! 

Was it uphill both ways to the pond?  😃

[Champ188]

20 hours ago, Quillback said:

Was it uphill both ways to the pond?  😃

No, but my tackle box was way too heavy after I stopped by Hook Line & Sinker and bought them out of whatever was at the top of your gotta-have-it list. 😆😂