NORTHWEST TERRITORY : New edition of state fishing, outdoors guide available
Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2008
Newcomers to the area should find the 2008-09 Arkansas Fishing & Outdoors Guide an excellent resource. Co-produced by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, the latest edition of the guide features sections on fishing, boating, canoeing and kayaking, hiking, hunting, wildlife watching, geocaching and more. The free, 97-page guide includes dozens of color photos of people enjoying outdoors activities in premier locations around the state, plus many color ads detailing the services of outfitters, resorts, cabins and special destinations. The various sections also include telephone numbers and Internet links to obtain more information on whatever sparks someone’s specific interests. After a welcoming word from Gov. Mike Beebe and a general overview of Arkansas outdoors, the main portion of the guide is devoted to fishing, including plenty of information on how youngsters can get involved.
Pages devoted to “Family and Community Fishing” and “Trout Havens for Kids” provide information on winter stockings of rainbow trout and summer stockings of channel catfish in many public ponds and lakes throughout the region. There is also information about free fishing days and special fishing derbies for kids.
There’s a color identification guide to fish species of Arkansas, and a subchapter devoted exclusively to trout describes the various tailwaters where the cold-water fish can be caught, including those along the White River — from below Beaver Dam to the world-famous stretch below Bull Shoals Dam.
Another subsection devoted to various species of bass provides information on top spots for catching largemouth, smallmouth, striped and white bass. Crappie, catfish and panfish get their due, while other pages cover hot spots for catching the various species during the four seasons.
General overview maps show the locations of major lakes and numerous smaller public impoundments around the state, and another map is devoted to floatable and fishable stretches of rivers and creeks.
The section titled “Get Your Float On” provides an introduction to the paddling found on the Buffalo, Kings and Mulberry rivers, as well as more challenging streams like Big Piney Creek and the Cossatot River.
“A Treasure Trove of Trails” covers opportunities for hiking, mountain biking and rock climbing, including information about the Ozark Highlands Trail and other major trails.
The section titled “Our Neighbors in Nature” focuses on special wildlife species such as bald eagles, elk and trumpeter swans and where they can be viewed. It also tells how to obtain the free Arkansas Watchable Wildlife Guide to the top birding and wildlife watching areas around the state.
The new comprehensive guide will be available at the state’s welcome centers on major highways including U. S. 71 near Bella Vista, U. S. 412 near Siloam Springs, Interstate 40 near Fort Smith and U. S. 65 in Harrison.
However, a sure way to get one is to go to www. arkansas. com to order a copy through mail. The same site also is a source for more detailed information about Arkansas outdoors.
SWAN SAGA CONTINUES An unprecedented experiment to establish a migratory flock of trumpeter swans between Iowa and Arkansas made history when a young trumpeter released at Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge near Dardanelle in January was recently sighted in Iowa. Karen Rowe, nongame migratory bird coordinator with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, reported the sighting last week, saying it was one for the history books. When spotted at Willow Slough Wildlife Management Area in southwest Iowa, the swan’s green neckband marked “OP 5” identified it as a female that was among 13 juvenile trumpeters released at Holla Bend. Five others were released at the Mill Pond in Boxley Valley around the same time. Since OP 5 just completed her molt, she is believed to have been in Iowa at least a month. In the meantime, the three surviving trumpeters of the five released at the Mill Pond remain there. They made a short and surprising migration in late spring to spend several weeks on War Eagle Creek but returned to the Mill Pond, where they show no signs of leaving.
HERITAGE CENTER REOPENS The White River floods that led to the closing of Blue Spring Heritage Center near Eureka Springs in March have receded, and the historic spring has been cleaned up and reopened.
The spring is again showing its blue-tinted water, and the lagoon below is holding all kinds of fish that moved in during the high water.
A new feature for visitors to the spring is a documentary showing underwater scenes of divers exploring the spring to depths of more than 200 feet.
More information about the spring and the heritage center is available at (479 ) 253-9244 or online at www. bluespringheritage. com.
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