Opinions wanted

With the water level at Arkabutla at all time lows, and the fish extremely concentrated for lack of water and cover, should we be pounding it to death, or let her recover? Kinda like fishing in a barrel right now, and I was wondering about the damage that the over harvesting of breeding size fish has done. Ive put it on my Dont Go list (not that I would hurt it much anyway)!!! Should we conserve our sport and the lake and give her a break? What do you think? We at C.C CAN make a difference in our fisheries!!!!!


Big River Marine
Bill Burnett
870-635-0202

We offer Xpress, Excel, and Alweld Boats. Yamaha, Suzuki, Evinrude, and Tohatsu/Nissan Engines.
Southern Pro Tackle Pro Staff.
Member, Tri-State Crappie Anglers

Personally, I wish it could be closed to fishing to protect the crappie population. But, we know that's not going to happen. On the bright side, not many people are fishing it now and most are catching only a few crappie. It took at real pounding in mid May after the CC Fruit Jar tournament reports on this board....with probably 50-75 boats fishing every day for about two weeks and many people catching limits. One of the game wardens was quoted as saying they estimated over 10,000 crappie were harvested during that two week period. Since the water level has dropped to point where it's hard to load your boat on trailer and with keepers getting scarce, most people are staying away.

I say don't use it until the refills to about half way. Put it on the no go list for camping and other things too. Tell everyone it's a no go place for a while.

I feel the same way but am scared the damage has been done...i have not fished arkabutla in about a month but can't fault someone for taking advantage of the situation. It's nature and it will ride its course just wish the corps would not try to play with that!

I think some damage has been done also, but not beyond repair. I think we should it give time to rebound, but some are opportunist. They will have their excuses to keep fishing it, and I'm sure they really don't care what happens, nor do they need the fish, They just want to catch the big Butla slabs because it makes them feel like they're better fishermen than they really are, (and some ARE good fishermen) but in reality, it's just easier right now to figure the fish out. Where they gonna go? If ya gotta go there, practice catch and release!!!!! Save some of them hogs for the grand kids!!!! And me 2. Lol

I can hear the same guys a few yesrs from now telling their kids, and/or grand kids, " This used be a great crappie lake, but now it's just a dink hole. The drought of 2012 ruined it "!!!

To each his own. I'm not a biologist, but this is MY opinion, and I'm not frowning on the guys that choose to fish Butla either, just stating how I feel about it!!!!!


Big River Marine
Bill Burnett
870-635-0202

We offer Xpress, Excel, and Alweld Boats. Yamaha, Suzuki, Evinrude, and Tohatsu/Nissan Engines.
Southern Pro Tackle Pro Staff.
Member, Tri-State Crappie Anglers

Whatever the rules are, follow them. I don,t always agree with the rules. But I follow them. 10,000 fish is, in reality, a small number, when you consider that one female will spawn over 20,000 eggs. If someone doesn't want to fish it, then don,t. But please don't start knocking someone that does. My opinion.

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BRM. PM sent.

Think i already gave my opinion on this subject ,if the coe lakes are not within 5 ft summer pool by may 1 close it for crappie fishing.But if you want to go and catch fish then go but you dont have to keep a limit every Dont think i have kept a limit in a few years.I dont keep anything under 13 in and only keep 5-10 fish. Also in these low water conditions the boat limit should be 20per boat regardless of how many people in the boat.

Close it till water gets back up to simi normal.

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Bill, if you feel this way why did you fish the heck out of it after the FJS tournament. Every other day you was there. Bringing friends and factory reps and posting it all on this board. I'm sure that helped to keep people out of there. And the water was extremely low than as well.
Mr. Jim is right, practice catch and release.
Just my $.02

Chairman, Tri State Crappie Anglers
Driftmaster's Pro Staff