Smallmouth bass anglers and canoeists appear set to get a new access on Crooked Creek, between Pyatt and Kelly's Slab.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's fisheries division will propose acquiring a new access at the confluence of George's Creek today at its monthly meeting in Springdale, where it is convening to honor outgoing chairman Ron Duncan.
The proposed price of the 10-acre area is $150,000. It will cost an additional $130,000 to build an access road, parking area and boat ramp.
Mark Oliver, the AGFC's outgoing chief of fisheries, said the acquisition is eligible for a $70,000 federal Marine Fuel Tax grant and a $210,000 grant from the Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration Act. No state funds will be used to acquire and develop the property.
"We're going to count this all as one grant," Oliver said. "We'll be able to use Marine Fuel Tax to come up with the 25 percent match to match the federal aid money."
The AGFC is obligated to spend at least 15 percent of its Sportfish Restoration Aid money on boating access, Oliver said, and marine fuel tax funds are used almost exclusively for boating access. This property satisfies the criteria because it will be primarily a boating access.
If consummated, the George's Creek property will provide access to a landlocked part of this fabled smallmouth stream. The AGFC currently owns access points at Pyatt and Snow. The Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation owns the Fred Berry Conservation Education property, which includes Kelly's Slab. The distance from Pyatt to Snow is about 5 miles. Snow to Kelly's Slab is about 12 miles. It's about seven miles from George's Creek to Kelly's Slab.
"We've been trying to get a piece of property on this part of Crooked Creek for about 30 years, and we have an opportunity now," Oliver said. "Pyatt to Yellville is the most heavily used part of the stream. This will break it into two really nice, manageable floats, and it's absolutely beautiful."
Crooked Creek was the state's first Blue Ribbon Smallmouth Stream. It has some of the best growth rates for smallmouth bass, some of the highest densities of smallmouth bass, and some of the greatest numbers of big smallmouth bass. The daily creel limit is no more than two bass, with a minimum length limit of 14 inches. It is always in the state's top 10 smallmouth streams, Oliver said, and is often in the top three.
It is popular among anglers, who log 10,000-15,000 trips per year, Oliver said.
BAD BOATING PENALTIES
The Game and Fish Commission also heard a final proposal Wednesday about penalties for negligent and reckless violations at any wildlife management area.
A negligent boating citation will be a Class 2 violation carrying a 12-point penalty against hunting privileges, said Jim Goodhart, the AGFC's lead counsel. A reckless boating citation will be a Class 3 violation.
A conviction for either violation will result in an automatic suspension from entering any WMA where the violation occurred for a period of one year from the date of conviction.
The enhanced penalties are intended to discourage unsafe boating behavior that has evolved over the years at the primary boating access areas at Bayou Meto WMA during duck season.
The commission's regulations committee approved the proposal. The entire commission will vote on whether to adopt the additions into the wildlife code at its formal meeting today in Springdale.
ARKANSAS BASS PROS
Last week's FLW Tour event at Lake Chickamauga, Tenn., was a profitable stop for Arkansas professional bass anglers.
Stetson Blaylock of Benton finished second and won $29,154 by weighing in a four-day total of 20 bass that balanced the scales at 90 pounds, 13 ounces. That is an average of about 4.5 pounds per bass.
Michael Wooley of Collierville, Tenn., won the tournament with 20 bass that weighed 92-4, or an average of 4.6 pounds per fish. The winning margin was 23 ounces. The value of the winning margin was $5,434 per ounce.
Larry Nixon of Bee Branch finished fifth with 20 bass that weighed 72-8 to win $18,448.
Terry Bolton finished sixth with 20 bass that weighed 71-12 to win $17,474. Bolton used to live in Jonesboro before relocating several years ago to Paducah, Ky., but we still claim him.
On the Bassmaster Elite Series Tour, Billy McCaghren of Mayflower finished 10th at Kentucky Lake on June 7 at Paris, Tenn. He caught 20 bass weighing 80 pounds, 4 ounces to win $14,000, and picked up 91 points in the race for angler of the year.
Sports on 06/18/2015