Yearly for 13 years I have visited ARK during FEB/MAR to do some camping and fishing and to get away from the cold-cold North. This year in ARK the weather was the same as up-north with the exception of less snow.

Fishing-HA. I camp at White Oak and fish Bragg & Gurdon Lake. Always great fishing - except this year. In fact a man named Mr. Harold (from Little Rock area) accepted my offer of a guarantee that if one fly fishes as I do, you will ALWAYS catch fish. More on Mr Harold later.

Arrived and set up camp and fished Gurdon on a very cold, windy day. After freezing in my cataraft for a hour I decided to return on a warmer day. Next day, still cold but decided to go to Gurdon anyway. I arrived and noticed the lake was down about 6 ft. by the water stain on the landing. I left and decided to return in a few days - which I did. When I arrived at Gurdon the lake was almost empty of water!!! Gurdon is 100 acres and about 12-15 ft deep. People standing around wondering what happened w/o a answer. A cpl fellas came along with pails, nets and hip boots on said it was good "netting" below the levee gate in the creek. Observed fish being taken by the pail full. One man held up 2 - 10 lb bass! Story has it, a wildlife officer was to draw down the lake about 5 ft for valve repair and left word with someone to close the valve. This person didn't, and the lake drained dry! Goodbye Gurdon.

I'll attack Bragg. Again low water and mud shorelines. The levee valve was shut but leaking badly and spraying out water. FIX THE VALVE.

I called Mr Harold and explained the "little" problems with water but said we could fish White Oak. HA! They were drawing the lake down for a new landing. When I arrived I observed this "new" landing. It was about two-thirds completed. One month later this landing was still not completed and the lake was still being drawn down! The landing at the state park was now unuseable because the bay was empty and mud. When I left the landing still wasan't finished and upper & lower White Oak looked like a field of stumps.

Mr Harold and his wife showed up, weather wasan't the greatest yet, and due to lack of water I was in trouble. Now he doesn't believe I always catch fish, because we didn't catch any.

Harold don't give up on fly fishing - keep the faith. I enjoyed you & your wife's company, if it weren't for your company I would have went home.

Next year I'v got to find WATER in lakes that have good control valves and people attending the valves remember to shut them.