Nuke Plant 12/30/25

[Ham]

 I made the long drive down to the Arkansas River today. Still hoping to add a species and trying to catch a few fish.

I didn’t push to get there early. It’s been a late afternoon bite this Fall. I don’t have a lot of experience down there, but this year has been different from the other years that I have fished there. I feel like I am learning the area and how to fish it, but my success is down. I am a blame myself first guy, but I think it is just the way it is. 
I wanted to catch at least 10 fish and get this year into the Top 5  as far as numbers of fish caught. 
I started with the TFO Bug Launcher. I got some Bluegill, RedEar, and Longear Sunfish. After I got my 10 fish, I tried for Stripers. They said Nah. a Skipjack ate the fly I was using for Stripers.

I switched to spinning after a while. I caught some tiny Yellow Bass. I caught Spotted Bass and Largemouth Bass as well. The bite picked up late. I was catching fish pretty quickly and was trying to maximize my numbers as dark came on.Unfortunately, I lost my multiple jig rig to a fish and I didn’t want to stop to re-rig. So, I picked up the fly rod again and caught more Skipjack and a really nice White Bass that fought more like a Wiper. I did get a couple of would be keeper crappie late and a Fun Sized Striper. I stayed as late as I could and then had to load up in the dark. I would have sworn there was a street light at the ramp. 
then the long drive home up Hwy 7, but at least I could listen to the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Carolina Hurricanes on XM. 
that’s gonna be my last trip of the year. I will try to go on 1/1/26.

 

 

[Hawg]

Good time!