High Tech Catfishing

CrappiePro came to the Dardanelle dam this AM for a high tech cat fishing trip with me and my friend Paul. Paul and I made this remote control boat that pulls our lines from the 300 foot line to the dam where the cats like to hang out. I let Paul and Russ do the fishing and I run the RC boat so I had a good excuse to get skunked.
Go to this link to see Pics. Paul caught the bigger fish, 16-18 lbs. Next was Russ with a 10 lber.
Catfishing pictures by wrtark1943 - Photobucket
This is the little boat making a run to the dam.

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/...g/100_1932.jpg

Looks like fun. Come over to Nimrod and help us catch a couple limits of Crappie. Then if you need a extra hand Catfishing I'd be available. WW , Romine's buddy and I kept 2 limits before noon this morning.

Last Saturday, I was running some jugs below Murray L & D and was sitting on the 250ft mark and tossing my jugs as far as I could toward the dam and the lockmaster called the gamewarden on me and he came out and gave me a warning and told me if they saw me doing it again, they were gonna fine me $250.

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Originally Posted by LA yard dog

Last Saturday, I was running some jugs below Murray L & D and was sitting on the 250ft mark and tossing my jugs as far as I could toward the dam and the lockmaster called the gamewarden on me and he came out and gave me a warning and told me if they saw me doing it again, they were gonna fine me $250.

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If we had of tossed some jugs out, they would nail us too. Pole and rod only. Question, if you threw your jugs as far as you could towards the dam, How do you retrieve the fish when they get hooked? Do they head back to your boat or do you cross the line and go get them? Tie your jug to the main line of your rod and reel then your legal. I hope the wind is in the right direction.

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

Looks like fun. Come over to Nimrod and help us catch a couple limits of Crappie. Then if you need a extra hand Catfishing I'd be available. WW , Romine's buddy and I kept 2 limits before noon this morning.

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Sounds like a deal to me, actually, it is best in the winter time. We would have whacked them good if they had run some generators. Like it was, the floaters just sit in one spot.

Looks like a very sucessful trip. Love the new toy too. Probably wouldnt have caught near as many fish without it.Thumbs Up

Its not new, I have had it for 8 or 9 yrs. I wouldn't waste my time going without it.

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Originally Posted by LA yard dog

Last Saturday, I was running some jugs below Murray L & D and was sitting on the 250ft mark and tossing my jugs as far as I could toward the dam and the lockmaster called the gamewarden on me and he came out and gave me a warning and told me if they saw me doing it again, they were gonna fine me $250.

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You were in violation if you were closer than 300' to the dam. Nothing but one rod and reel in that area. No commercial fishing to to arrival point down stream I think. Man your lucky to be let off so light.

I'm surprised they let you use that little RC boat to get closer to the dam. I would have guessed that they would be having a cow about it.

That's just cool. Nice to see this quote in action "Where there's a will, there's a way".

HAHA!!!, Man That was cool Stuff RTARK, My nick name for your lil boat is the Running Reb... When you first see the Running Reb in action you just look at each other and laugh. But on the serious side That is one kool fishing machine the puts you right in the spot to catch several 5-50 lbs cats. I cant wait to get back into some of that Cat action RT. You are a great RC boat operator to boot. LOL RT can even use that boat to get your snags out. Just an amazing time RTARK call me anytime when ur ready to put a hurting on em with the Running Reb. I'll buy the minnows next time. LOL dont you and Paul go along the bank looking for Drum cut bait. LOL

LOL, I've heard people talking about guys doing that at the dam. They must've been talking about you.

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Originally Posted by rtark

If we had of tossed some jugs out, they would nail us too. Pole and rod only. Question, if you threw your jugs as far as you could towards the dam, How do you retrieve the fish when they get hooked? Do they head back to your boat or do you cross the line and go get them? Tie your jug to the main line of your rod and reel then your legal. I hope the wind is in the right direction.

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Sometimes the fish head downstream, sometimes they don't. I wait them out and most of the time they'll wonder back close to the 250 mark. If they don't, I'll wait till dark and run and grab them quick.

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

You were in violation if you were closer than 300' to the dam. Nothing but one rod and reel in that area. No commercial fishing to to arrival point down stream I think. Man your lucky to be let off so light.

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The 250 ft mark is where the "don't get closer than this" sign is @ Murray. It's the same @ David D Terry too. I don't have any of my commercial gear in the Murray Pool. The way I understand it is it's OK to pole fish or run jugs as long as I don't have any commercial gear in the same pool. I knew I couldnt have any gear upstream from the Arrival Point sign. I'd like to drop a trotline or a net close to the dam. Wouldn't have enough boat to haul what was caught.

Didn't know about the "1 pole" deal either. Been throwing jugs for years below the dam. The game officer didn't say anything to me other than staying back from the "don't get closer than this" mark.

Nimrod, I have never heard of a pole limit. Using multiple poles is common below the dam.

[QUOTE=LA yard dog;1634284] I knew I couldnt have any gear upstream from the Arrival Point sign. I'd like to drop a trotline or a net close to the dam. Wouldn't have enough boat to haul what was caught.

It is basically the same rule at Dardanelle, except the arrival point is so close to the bridge that they just used the bridge as a reference point to the "rod and pole only" rule. Its a good rule I think. "back in the day" before the 300' rule, we used to vertical fish next to the dam and I could tell you some big fish tales about some big fish tails.

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Originally Posted by rtark

Nimrod, I have never heard of a pole limit. Using multiple poles is common below the dam.

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Bottom of page 29 and top right. The law is so broad it would take a good lawyer to interpit it. I had a warden tell me not long ago, that I was allowed 1 pole and no closer than 300 feet to the dam. I asked him what if I had one line throwed to the dam and another throwed out behind me. He said he would write me a ticket. Arkansas is known for its broad laws, so depending on which warden, and how he reads it, gets you a ticket or not.

Here it is, make out of it what you can, but it looks cut and dried to me.
Fishing Below Dams – It is illegal to fish within 100 yards below any dam and within the outlet channels of Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative Hydroelectric Plant at Barling and the Murray Hydroelectric Plant at North Little Rock. The exceptions to this include individuals fishing with only one hand-held rod or pole, taking rough fish with bow and arrow or taking shad with hand-held dip nets for personal use. Additional Corps of Engineers restrictions may apply.

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

You were in violation if you were closer than 300' to the dam. Nothing but one rod and reel in that area. No commercial fishing to to arrival point down stream I think. Man your lucky to be let off so light.

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I reread your post and you are right. My thinking was still on "between the bridge and dam." But I see now where you said "within the 100 yd sign" was a violation and that is right. Anyway, back to crappie fishing.

Yeah got one of those across the line tickets in OK fishing below Ft. Gibson dam. It was a little ticket $50 or so dollars but where they made it up was in court cost $125.