Latest Trout Management Plan Info

[Danoinark]

From the Baxter Bulletin Newspaper:

Anglers send trout plan back to AGFC

FRANK WALLIS

Bulletin Staff Writer

Anglers and outfitters who want more, bigger and healthier fish sent a trout fisheries management plan back to the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission for more work Monday.

The meeting here was one in a series aimed at developing consensus by bringing the public into the fisheries management process.

The plan as presently drafted includes the following six main goals:

Develop an open and transparent management environment by improving communication with stakeholders and partner agencies and providing information to the public in a timely manner.

Achieve a high level of angler compliance with regulations to aid in achievement of management objectives.

Improve angling and boating access by maximizing use at existing facilities and creating additional access as needed.

Achieve water quality sufficient to support survival growth and reproduction of trout in the Bull Shoals and Norfork tailwaters.

Protect and improve physical habitat in Bull Shoals and Norfork tailwaters.

Provide a diverse recreational trout-fishing experience that addresses the full range of angler desires and expectations within the biological and physical capacities of Bull Shoals and Norfork tailwaters.

Fulfilling the sixth goal was a near consensus of those participating in the meeting. It was widely interpreted as a goal that should grow bigger fish. Work groups that identified other goals as most important were almost all in favor of bigger fish. Of the 13 angler work groups, six identified the sixth goal as a top priority in terms of bigger fish.

The other groups were divided equally between the fourth and fifth goals. One work group opined that the second goal was the most important goal.

Anglers were more tedious with details at the table level. One table including anglers Bruce Ritter and Larry Tabor, both of Fayetteville, Scott Branyan of Rogers and Moose Watson of Cotter were perplexed by how a management plan could deliver bigger fish while at the same time catering to an angler group who enjoys catching lots of fish.

Watson said that an annual stocking rate of 1.5 million trout to the White River would certainly place pressure on larger fish as all fish compete for available food.

Branyan, a fishing guide, said many of his clients prefer catching lots of fish as opposed to fewer large fish.

Watson, a resort owner, said his clients want both — lots of large fish.

AGFC Fisheries Director Mike Armstrong said all anglers will be required to make some concessions.

"No one will get everything they want," said Armstrong.

AGFC Biologist Jeff Williams, management plan coordinator, said he expects to deliver the final plan to the Arkansas Game & Fish Commissioners by March 17.

To view the entire draft plan online go to: http://www.agfc.com/!userfiles/pdfs/fi...mentPlan%20.pdf

fwallis@baxterbulletin.com

[taxidermist]

Achieve a high level of angler compliance with regulations to aid in achievement of management objectives.

From my experience on White River about 70% of the guides chum and few are ever in complaince. I see them keeping small browns that are healthy enough to swim off, have seen shore lunches where the limit of trout we cooked and then they fish the afternoon.

As for larger fish, we most often catch a few 20-21 browns see lots of really huge browns but htye dont bite often thats why they are big.

So is there a way to have your cake and eat it too.

I am pretty happy with the size of fish we catch, but then we catch larger fish it seems but its maybe the lures we use. Big fish did not get big eating just bugs!!