There's a new twist to Beaver Lake fishing, one that most anglers are happy to see: fish with teeth.
Walleye are the new kids on the fishing block at the reservoir and most fishermen are glad to have them. The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission put much effort into establishing a population of walleye in the reservoir, a fish that was native to the White River when the lake filled in the mid-1960s. Over decades, walleye pretty much disappeared at Beaver.
Game & Fish raised walleye for several years at their fish-rearing pond north of Horseshoe Bend park on the east side of the lake. Thousands and thousands of fingerling walleye were released from the pond directly into the lake. A good number of these were immediately eaten by bigger fish, but more survived and grew.
Each March biologists captured adult walleye from the Kings River to artificially spawn even more walleye at the Charlie Craig State Fish Hatchery at Centerton. Eggs and milt are taken from the adults, then those adults are released back into the Kings River. The eggs hatch at the hatchery and grow into fingerlings to be released into Beaver Lake.
Little by little, the walleye population grew. Anglers fishing for other species caught walleye by accident. In the last five years or so, anglers have targeted walleye at Beaver.
The section of Beaver Lake between the Arkansas 45 bridge and U.S. 412 bridge is walleye central in the spring. Fishing is reported to be excellent this year.
Jon Conklin of Goshen, who's pictured with today's outdoors feature, caught a 30-inch walleye about two weeks ago. Kevin Eubanks, a Game & Fish wildlife officer who works Benton County, said a 26-inch walleye is the largest he has seen this spring. It's safe to say walleye have a firm foothold now.
Trolling crank baits with some chartreuse in the color pattern is a popular way to catch them. Conklin prefers Flicker Shad crank baits, but likes to cast them, not troll. Others swear by the Bandit 300 model of crank bait for their walleye fishing.
Walleye is king in states up north. Tactics that work in Iowa work well at Beaver Lake. Trolling or casting bottom bouncersor, nightcrawler rigs or drift-fishing a minnow may get a walleye's attention.
Just watch out for those teeth. In the excitement of the moment, a happy fishermen may want to grab a walleye by the lower lip, as if it's a largemouth bass.
It'll be a mistake you only make once. I learned that lesson the hard way on brown trout.
My buddy Hog Ears and I were floating the North Fork of the White River in southern Missouri many moons ago. The river is trophy trout water, and we'd managed to hook a few respectable rainbow trout.
We were having a grand day on this clear Ozark stream. The good fishing got even better when I hooked my first-ever brown trout, a beauty of a fish about 18 inches long. I leaned forward and picked up the landing net from the floor of the canoe.
I slipped mesh under my trophy fish and hollered hot-diggity to Hog Ears. We admired the brown trout, then I slipped my thumb into its mouth and hoisted the trout out of the net.
As I lifted, blood started running down my wrist and forearm. Little did I know these brown trout had teeth -- sharp ones. I suppose the excitement dulled any pain, but I was feeling it now.
Of course, Hog Ears was highly amused. I eased the brown trout back into the river. Hog Ears and I still laugh about that today.
Don't make the same mistake with walleye, the new fish on the block and ones with some serious teeth.
FLIP PUTTHOFF IS OUTDOORS EDITOR FOR NWA MEDIA. FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @NWAFLIP
Outdoors on 04/03/2014