Shot Down!

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.

I think Tony had been telling me some fairy tails about all of the fish he has caught with the fly rods.

A couple of day he went out by him self and came back and said he had cought some green carp. But did he take some pics with the camera that he always had in his pocket? NOOOO. I think Tony could wright a book of his fairy tails on his fishing with fly rods.

Tony we had a great time, let us know when you are coming back down. I will see about getting you a publisher for you fairy tails.

Harold

Flyrod man,
You might want to check out Bois de Arc and Erling. They are not terribly far from White Oak. Bois de Arc was drained down a few years back and rotenoned then refilled and stocked with Florida strain bass I hear good things about the bass and crappie there. Erling is supposed to be pretty good for crappie and there is a little Red River oxbow called 27 cutoff between Bois de Arc and Erling that used to be loaded with crappie, it is private but they allow fishing in it. These are all just off Hwy 27 between Hope and Taylor.

Thanx for the info fishbaskett. Harold, wait til next year - look fwd to seeing u, the dogs & your wife again. Its been in 50's-70's here and ice on area lakes went out about 2 wks ago which is very unusual - and no snow! Go North for the winters, climate is changing.