WHEN NATURE CALLS : One man’s drainage ditch is another man’s fishing hole
Posted on Sunday, May 11, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/Sports/65090/
“Y’all quit making
fun of my
fishing hole. ” Those were the playful, scolding words of fatherin-law, Darvil Tester, last Saturday as the family peered into a murky hole of water just a stone’s throw from the in-law’s front door. What I saw was a drainage ditch or a highfalutin mud hole. What Darvil noticed just happened to be a pretty good fishing hole. To each his own. In reality, the hole of water is a backed-up Greers Ferry Lake. Being 24-feet high, the beautiful impoundment near Clinton is in all sorts of places it shouldn’t be. The marina at nearby Choctaw Recreation Area is no longer accessible by vehicle. The swimming area is barricaded. The launching ramp is, well, anywhere water meets the road.
Still, anytime a person resorts to fishing under the highway in a culvert, it must be deemed a drainage ditch. Actually, a small creek always runs through it and spills into Greers Ferry but to call this anything but what it is would be a mistake. But I’m no purist. You’re reading the words of a guy that used to fish the sewage spillway on Little Red River.
“ It’s no worse than shooting deer out of a horse trailer, ” Darvil quipped, comparing his fishing in a drainage ditch to me hunting from, and shooting a deer out of, a horse trailer two years ago... courtesy of my wife’s hillbilly brother.
Regardless of the aesthetics of a particular waterhole, whether or not a person can catch a fish in it is what makes it worthy. And on this particular occasion, it passed the test.
My daughter and I relaxed with a nap that Saturday afternoon but awoke to a quiet, empty house. I looked toward the highway to see the entire family standing by the guardrail. I laughed at the sight.
“ What a bunch of rednecks, ” I thought out loud to baby girl. Then I joined them.
I watched my oldest son, Colton, land a keeper-size Kentucky and that’s all I could stand. I reprimanded 12-year-old Dakota for throwing rocks and took his fishing pole away for my own personal use. Darvil runs a bait shop so a supply of minnows was at my fingertips.
My bobber disappeared while I looked away but I got him the next time around. Darvil caught another keeper-size Kentucky and he grinned from ear to ear. His fishing hole produced and I’m sure he felt a little vindication as he sported that I-told-youso look.
It’s still a drainage ditch. FLW Tour returns
to Beaver Lake The big boys of bass fishing are in our beautiful corner of the state once again in the annual FLW Tour’s Wal-Mart Open scheduled for May 15-18. I’m glad you’re all here and don’t be afraid to help out our local economy before you leave. Welcome, and good luck to all. I’m sure the participants are already practicing, hoping to unravel Beaver Lake’s secrets that will net the winning pro $ 200, 000. I’m also sure the guys didn’t recognize the place at first glance.
With water levels near flood stage, the Beav’ is a different animal this year. Sight fishermen and clearwater enthusiasts may have a tough go as most of the lake is stained to downright muddy. Visibility at Prairie Creek is around six inches. Also, shorelines are now back in the trees and bushes, making it hard to get to the fish.
I spoke with a couple of covert contacts and both agreed conditions are tougher than in years past but the participating anglers are good enough to solve the mystery.
“ In two to three days [of practice ] they’re going to figure it out, ” one participating co-angler said of the pro field.
Indian Creek is likely to get some play because it’s one of the clearer sections right now but committing to stained water near the Prairie Creek / Rocky Branch area might be the winning tactic. The river arms continue to be dangerous with floating trash and debris. Running it at 70 mph isn’t recommended.
The tournament is later than usual so the dreaded post-spawn stage might be in play. Flipping plastics and burning spinnerbaits will likely be popular but styles and techniques will run the gamut.
It ought to be fun. Again, good luck to all the pros and co-anglers. Maybe I can use you people to help my own pathetic fishing game. Fishing regulations
meeting Having the Game and Fish mess with fishing regulations doesn’t muster the fire-and-brimstone, gnashing-of-teeth emotions that fiddling with one’s deer hunting does, but nevertheless, it’s a necessary evil. Setting rules to protect our fisheries while at the same time allowing folks the opportunity to keep a stringer of fish is a tough task. During the month of May, the public is invited to voice opinions on proposed fishing regulations changes. In Northwest Arkansas, the nearest meeting site is the Beaver Lake Regional Office at 455 Dam Site Road in Eureka Springs. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p. m. on May 20.
Bobby Hill is the outdoors columnist for the Times and lives in Fayetteville.