NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — The trout fishing isn’t what is used to be at the White River below Beaver Dam. Most anglers say it’s better since a trout management plan was put in place on the river five years ago.
The plan was crafted at a series of public meetings by fishermen, business owners and others with a stake in trout fishing.
It included a slot limit and nobait zone that were approved by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. Stocking fewer troutto give fish room to grow was another aspect of the plan.
All this was to accomplish what anglers at the meetings said theywanted - bigger trout.
Another feature of the plan was to review it after five years. That time has come. It’s time revisit the management plan to see if it has met the angler-mandated goal of larger trout for anglers.
Game & Fish also wants to find out if public expectations for the fishery have changed in five years.
The process will begin with a meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the Shewmaker Center at NorthWest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville. Thecenter is located behind the main NWACC campus.
Anyone interested in trout fishing is invited to attend and tell Arkansas Game & Fish Commission officials what they think of the plan and what changes, if any, should be made.
Ron Moore, Game & Fish fisheries biologist, said the meetings five years ago were well attended by those who favor catch and release fishing - guides, resort owners, fly fishermen and anglers from trout conservation groups.
Few “average anglers,” including those who like to catch and keep trout, came to the meetings, Moore said.
He hopes more of these fishermen will be at the meeting on Tuesday to provide input from the entire cross-section of the troutfishing community.
A second meeting will be held April 18 to inform anglers what can be done to achieve any changes in the plan fishermen askfor on Tuesday.
“The meeting will be the public telling us what they want, if they still want what they said five years ago,” Moore noted.
The outcome may be, if it ain’t broke, leave it alone. Moore said he has heard good reports from the river.
“We’ve heard comments that they’re catching a lot nicer fish, especially brown trout,” Moore said.
One of those average anglers happy with the fi shing is Richard Champagne of Fayetteville, a University of Arkansas student who enjoys the trout fishing below Beaver Dam. He thinks the plan, especially the 13- to 16-inch slot limit, is good.
“It regulates people fromkeeping fish that shouldn’t be kept,” he said. “That means bigger fish because they have a chance to grow.”
Trout fishing guide Roy Clark has worked on the river for 25 years. He’s lukewarm about the plan’s results after fi ve years.
“It’s A-OK,” Clark said. “It’s not hurting anything.”
Clark would like to see Game & Fish stock more rainbow trout that are larger than 16-inches. The slot limit allows anglers to keep rainbow trout longer than 16 inches or shorter than 13. Anything in between, in the slot, must be released.
In Clark’s view, too much gravel is a problem in the river. Gravel washed in by floods has made the water very shallow in places. He believes that removing some gravel anddeepening the stream would improve fi shing.
Your faithful outdoors reporter enjoys fi shing below Beaver Dam and has polled many an angler on what they think of the trout management plan.
I can only remember one discouraging word, something about the barbless hook regulation for bait fi shing. Everyone else has had nothing but good to say about the regulations. They say the fishing is better.
Whether you agree or disagree, come to the meeting on Tuesday and let Game & Fish know your viewpoint.
FLIP PUTTHOFF IS THE OUTDOORS REPORTER FOR NORTHWEST ARKANSAS MEDIA.
FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER AT TWITTER.COM/NWAFLIP.
Outdoor, Pages 6 on 02/24/2011