First 2009 3-Pounder - Ouachita

Printable View

03-04-2009, 01:31 AM
Arkie John

First 2009 3-Pounder - Ouachita

3 March 2009

Finally--a good fish; 3 lbs 1 oz and 16.5" long. A half-inch longer and I'd a had this one on the wall. As it is, she'll be on a plate.

The ole' gal hit a No. 5 crappie minnow in a brush pile in 16' of water at a 6' depth, right after dark. She fought that 14' rod for over 3 minutes. I just took my time once I got her out of the brush. Sure didn't want to lose this one.

She added to the 3.5 lb lm I caught earlier in 28' of water on the belly of the channel.

Caught a 5 lb drum in 28 feet of water right before I caught the lm.

All fought hard on the Wally Marshall 14' rod and 6 lb Hi Vis Mr. Crappie.

Not many fish but the crappie is the biggest I have caught in my adult life. I caught bunches that size when Ouachita and I were both young. lol

Water temperature on South Fork was; North Shore: 50.3; South Shore 48.6; Twin Creeks: 50.1

No photos for forum: Too complicated for me. But I got plenty for the album.

aj
03-04-2009, 02:33 AM
CrappiePro

Way to go John

Nice fish John way to go! I got a buddy who dives allot and tells me he sees more big crappie than any where else on Ouachita. I would have mounted that one. CP
03-04-2009, 02:37 AM
dedawg1149

nice,congrats
03-04-2009, 05:08 AM
slabbandit

Congratulations Arkie John, You need to learn how to load your pics on Photobucket and then to Crappie.com. Quachita is such a beautiful lake. It would be nice for the members to get to see some of it.:)
03-04-2009, 06:32 AM
Stumpy04

Way to go AJ! I would have had to consider a wall mount on that one. Sounds like you are starting to figure that ole lake out.
03-04-2009, 06:48 AM
Towrope

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...rhtlessjpg.jpg
03-04-2009, 07:16 AM
poppop

good job arkie...congrats
03-04-2009, 10:31 AM
fishmannyj

Nice fish and Thx for the report! Congrats!
03-04-2009, 10:36 AM
Arkie John

Thanks for your comments, guys, even you Towrope. Pointless? I don't know about that. I just figured you'd all want to know that it is about to really get going on the South Fork...and knowing the latest water temps couldn't hurt (could it?).

Slabbandit, I'll have to school meliddleoself on the Photobucke routine pretty soon. I have a feeling the Spring is going to produce some monsters. :)

You know, I DID consider a mount...so much so, I didn't clean it until 11:00pm! It was a hard decision. You can bet one thing though. If I am blessed to EVER catch a 17-incher, it will go on the wall, buddy.

Oil those reels, change that line and get ready. It's about to 'pop!'

aj
03-04-2009, 11:04 AM
littlefirslabs

Great!!

Hi John great to here about that slab.Another week and a half and we will be down there.Looks like the water will be warming up with the nice temps,so that should get things going on the numbers side.I hope.Talk to you soon. TOM
03-04-2009, 11:25 AM
creekslick

Good job John. I hope there are several more in your future.
03-04-2009, 11:59 AM
NIMROD

Great fish , must have been a fat mama.:cool:
03-04-2009, 12:00 PM
gobblergettervideo

congrats! Sounds like that was fun!!!!!!!
03-04-2009, 01:09 PM
branthill

Congrats on the big one, and thanks for the report. The after dark part of your story makes me want to go hang a yo-yo or 50!
03-04-2009, 01:14 PM
AgriHawg

congrats AJ
03-04-2009, 02:42 PM
L.A. stumpjumper

WTG John, sounds like a really nice crappie. Keep after them.
03-05-2009, 12:48 AM
Arkie John

The water temp hasn't improved much the past two weeks...

but I'm hoping with this push of good weather this week that it will bump the temps up a notch or three.

There are still relatively few boats on the South Fork. But...there will be PLENTY of them in a very short time.

Let me know when you get "in country" and we'll hook up. I need to fish the 27 Bridge area anyway.

aj

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlefirslabs

Hi John great to here about that slab.Another week and a half and we will be down there.Looks like the water will be warming up with the nice temps,so that should get things going on the numbers side.I hope.Talk to you soon. TOM
03-05-2009, 12:51 AM
Arkie John

Nim...She was so big...

...I had to look twice at her to make sure she wasn't bloated for another reason (like parasites) but she was just about ready to pop. Just a little blood in the eggs, so it would not have been long.

How goes it @ Nimrod? I was goin' again on Thursday but the wind is howlin' here at near midnight--not a good sign.

aj

Quote:

Originally Posted by NIMROD

Great fish , must have been a fat mama.:cool:
03-05-2009, 12:56 AM
Arkie John

I was at the store today and do you know...

...the yo yo's are really hard to come by.

Someone had put out a couple dozen overhanging cane poles in prep for a week-end camp and yo yo trip over at Twin Creeks.

As much as everyone wants prime crappie fishin' to happen, it's just a bit cool for the prime-time stuff...but not for long. :D

aj

Quote:

Originally Posted by branthill

Congrats on the big one, and thanks for the report. The after dark part of your story makes me want to go hang a yo-yo or 50!
03-05-2009, 12:59 PM
fishbaskett

Arkie John and littlefirslabs,

My Wife and I own a couple acres not far from Little Fir. I have really been wanting to build some cover somewhere on Ouachita. Right now I have 2 cedar trees,2 christmas trees, a calery pear tree and several 5 gal buckets with six foot 1" x 1" pine cutoffs in them out in the yard, gona sink em someplace.

I would be interested in getting with someone and putting out some tops in Ouachita. I have some time I can take off work and will do most of the work aquireing the material. I have a 14' aluminum Duracraft that is excellent for transporting tops to a location, it tows really good.

Can go out of Litlte or Big Fir, Twin Creeks or even where the South Fork hits the lake.
03-05-2009, 01:16 PM
Arkie John

fishbaskett,

There as been a big push in the South Fork the past 2 months and there are plentiful HUGE brushpiles, just about on every major point and then some. I personally know of over 90 sites in that area.

In the Big Fir area, you know there is much moss in and around the area and I'm not so sure of how effective a brushpile would be in that environment. But in the Little Fir area, back to the 27 Bridge, now THAT would seem to me to be a fine place stick a few tops.

When I put out tops, I drill a hole in the base of the tree, slide a 4' piece scrap cable I got from the cable tv folks though the hole and thorugh one end of a concrete block, tie the ends together and dump three to a site, in a rough triangle. It's simple and it works with minimal effort and money. I try to plant them in transitional areas between deep waters and the spawning grounds.

Since the lake is still down, you can cruise around and find good spawning areas. Good areas = gravel bottoms under buck brush near deeper water.

I will be fishing the 27 Bridge/Muddy Creek areas as soon as the spawn gets in gear. It's just a great place to fish and the wind issues are not nearly so contrary there as out on the open water.

You are blessed to have a 'little piece of paradise' around Little Fir. :)

aj
03-06-2009, 12:00 AM
Arkie John

Here's the photo of an ole' dog and the hog

http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/u.../3pounder1.jpg
3 lb 1 oz :D

http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/u...derOnBoard.jpg
I know there's no scale to this photo, but ain't she a beaut?

This is a test to see if I can learn a new trick or three. My soul! I can't believe it actually worked that easy. Thanks for the encouragement, Slabbandit!

aj
03-06-2009, 07:26 AM
fishbaskett

Thanks for the great information Arkie John. What a crappie!