November 18, 2009 Edition

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Today's Topics

• Waterfowl habitat best in years, biologists say

• Corning fish hatchery revitalized with extensive renovation

• Over 152,000 pounds of fish stocked in state’s waters

• Trout Day for kids scheduled at Russellville park

• Boating education class schedule

• Hunter education class schedule  

• What’s open for hunting

• Coming up in the outdoors

Waterfowl habitat best in years, biologists say

LITTLE ROCK – Biologists from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission are taking to the skies this week as part of their periodic aerial waterfowl surveys. The AGFC is surveying Arkansas’s waterfowl habitats to size up the state’s waterfowl population for this weekend’s opening. With all of the water in the state, duck concentrations are widely scattered.

Wetland conditions across the entire state are much better than last year. The heavy rains over the past few months kept many farmers out of the fields, AGFC waterfowl program coordinator Luke Naylor said. “Some farmers have allowed water to drain from fields and are trying to catch up on the soybean harvest, for others, crops are a lost cause. Many duck clubs have already captured water and many fields are ready for the season opener,” Naylor said.

Nearly all public areas in the state are at or above target flooding levels. As far as duck numbers are concerned, there are widely scattered reports of concentrations of ducks around the state, Naylor said. “Due to all of the water in the state, ducks have a lot of options to choose from, so we might see ducks in large concentrations in isolated areas,” he said. “They’re probably hoping from hot spot to hot spot,” he added.

Large concentrations of mallards are not being reported in the state at this time, but large numbers of mallards are being reported in South Dakota, Naylor said. “States to the north of Arkansas were flooded as part of the same weather systems that moved through here. There are still lots of flooded fields in other states that are holding ducks to the north of Arkansas,” he explained. Naylor said the additional duck habitat to the north of Arkansas may slow the migration into the state. “A minor migration may have occurred in the last few days, but there’s not a large migration entering the state as they take advantage of that habitat,” he said.

As soon as waterfowl survey results are collected, the information will be available at www.agfc.com.

Corning fish hatchery revitalized with extensive renovation

CORNING – A $3 million renovation project has been completed at the William B. Donham Fish Hatchery at Corning, providing a major boost to the production of fish for stocking in public waters in northeast Arkansas.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission hatchery is one of four warm water state facilities in the state and is the newest one, at least in terms of AGFC’s management. The Donham hatchery was obtained from the federal government in 1983, with a transfer of ownership in 1995.

The hatchery, though, was built in 1938, one of many small fish hatcheries across the nation put into operation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Times changed, though. Directions for wildlife and fish work shifted for the federal agency, and in the 1970s and 1980s, the FWS disposed of many of its hatcheries, especially small ones like the Corning facility.

When the hatchery was offered to AGFC, it was quickly accepted, although there was the stipulation that if AGFC stopped operating it as a hatchery, it would revert to the federal government. This condition was removed 12 years later with the full transfer of ownership, with Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln helping move the process through federal channels.

The old federal hatchery, built in the Great Depression, is gone now with the renovation, except for the fish rearing ponds.

In the four-year renovation, a new central building has been erected, with the old buildings removed. A land purchase of 13 acres allowed the building of 10 more fish ponds in addition to the 30 already in operation. The capacity for producing young fish for stocking in various waters has been expanded considerably.

Significant is the installation of specialized equipment at the hatchery to make the growing of fish more efficient as well as improving on health and safety issues. Much of this has stemmed from developments in fisheries science over the 71 years since the original hatchery was built.

The hatchery is named for a former AGFC attorney.

The renovation was done in stages and with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department lending a hand. Major contractor were Bryaco Construction, S&L Irrigation and R.L. Person Construction.

Along with the central office and production building, the renovation included drilling of another water supply well with connections to the ponds. Every pond now has an electrically operated paddlewheel aerator to boost oxygen levels for the fish. Wiring is underground. Tanks in the production area of the building receive water through an automated filtering system.

The hatchery produces several species of game fish native to Arkansas – largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill and channel catfish. Grass carp, used for reducing excessive vegetation in lakes and stream, are also produced. Fish-hauling trucks based at the hatchery transport the young fish for stocking at desired points in northeast Arkansas.

The hatchery has a staff of four – Manager Jeff Newman, Assistant Manager Mark harness, Technician Mike Lewis and Technician Zack Yancey. The hatchery, on U.S. Highway 67 at the western edge of Corning, is open to visitors during normal working hours.

Over 152,000 pounds of fish stocked in state’s waters

LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Game and Fish Commission crews stocked over 823,200 fish in Arkansas lakes and rivers during October, according to Mark Oliver, chief of fisheries. The total stocking of fish weighed more 152,000 pounds.

October stockings:

• Lake Atalanta, Benton County, 1,400 catchable rainbow trout
• Beaver Lake, Benton and Washington Counties, 35,684 yearling blue catfish
• Beaver Lake, Benton and Washington Counties, 60,000 yearling channel catfish
• Beaver Tailwater, Carroll County, 7,636 catchable rainbow trout
• Beech Springs Lake, Ouachita County, 400 yearling blue catfish
• Bicentennial Lake, Sebastian County, 300 catchable channel catfish
• Blue Mountain Lake, Logan County, 5,940 yearling channel catfish
• Bob Kidd Lake, Washington County, 1,003 yearling blue catfish
• Boyle Park Pond, Pulaski County, 1,200 catchable channel catfish
• Bull Shoals Lake, Boone, Baxter and Marion Counties, 47,307 yearling blue catfish
• Cane Creek Lake, Lincoln County, 310 catchable channel catfish
• Lake Catherine, Hot Spring and Garland Counties, 4,000 yearling channel catfish
• Cavester Cove, Sharp County, 250 catchable channel catfish
• Champagnolle Creek, Calhoun County, 1,300 yearling blue catfish
• Lake Chicot, Chicot County, 48,000 yearling black crappie
• Lake Chicot, Chicot County, 2,000 yearling white crappie
• Lake Columbia, Columbia County, 60,900 yearling black crappie
• Crossett City Park Lake, Ashley County, 400 catchable channel catfish
• Crowley’s Ridge State Park Lake, Greene County, 500 catchable channel catfish
• Dorcheat Bayou, Columbia County, 500 yearling blue catfish
• Desoto Park Pond, Garland County, 300 catchable channel catfish
• Dupree Park Lake, Pulaski County, 300 catchable channel catfish
• Eagle (L’Aigle) Lake, Bradley County, 500 yearling blue catfish
• El Dorado City Pond, Union County, 2,000 catchable channel catfish
• Entergy Park Lake, 450 catchable channel catfish
• Eudora City Lake, Chicot County, 400 catchable channel catfish
• Fair Park Pond, Hempstead County, 400 catchable channel catfish
• Family Park Lake, Garland County, 1,100 catchable channel catfish
• Felsenthal Pool, Union County, 8,167 yearling hyrbrid carp
• Forrest City Sports Complex Pond, St. Francis County, 200 catchable channel catfish
• Grand Lake, Chicot County, 10,800 yearling black crappie
• Grandview Lake #2, Hempstead County, 3,510 yearling black crappie
• Greers Ferry Lake, Van Buren County, 10,800 yearling blue catfish
• Greers Ferry Lake, Van Buren and Cleburne Counties, 40,634 yearling channel catfish
• Lake Greeson, Pike County, 1,400 yearling blue catfish
• Lake Hamilton, Garland County, 10,252 yearling channel catfish
• Lake Hamilton, Garland County, 250 catchable channel catfish
• Hindman Park A, Pulaski County, 500 catchable channel catfish
• Lake Hindsville, Madison County, 3,000 yearling redear bream
• Hogue Lake Kids Fishing Pond, Poinsett County, 350 catchable channel catfish
• Horseshoe Lake, Crittenden County, 15,158 yearling channel catfish
• Huckleberry Lake, Pope County, 1,020 yearling blue catfish
• John Benjamin Glenwood Community Fishing Pond, Pike County, 200 catchable channel catfish
• Jones Lake, Union County, 500 yearling blue catfish
• Kiwanis Park, Pulaski County, 808 catchable channel catfish
• Lee Creek Lake, Crawford County, 600 yearling channel catfish
• Little Bay Lake, Calhoun County, 500 yearling blue catfish
• Little Johnson, Ouachita County, 500 yearling blue catfish
• Little Red River, Cleburne and White Counties, 23,787 catchable rainbow trout
• Long Lake, Calhoun County, 500 yearling blue catfish
• MacArthur Park Lake, Pulaski County, 750 catchable channel catfish
• Mansfield City Lake, Scott County, 360 yearling redear bream
• Marion City Park Lake, Crittenden County, 150 catchable channel catfish
• Martin Luther King Park, Jefferson County, 800 catchable channel catfish
• Mike and Janet Huckabee Kids Pond, Hempstead County, 1,100 catchable channel catfish
• Mirror Lake, Stone County, 1,440 catchable rainbow trout
• Lake Monticello, Drew County, 30,000 yearling black crappie
• Moody Pond, Jefferson County, 400 catchable channel catfish
• Murphy Park Lake, Washington County, 300 catchable rainbow trout
• Mustin Lake, Ouachita County, 500 yearling blue catfish
• Lake Nimrod, Yell County, 2,710 yearling blue catfish
• Lake Nimrod, Yell County, 6,050 yearling channel catfish
• Norfork Lake, Baxter County, 13,800 yearling blue catfish
• Norfork Lake, Baxter County, 88,125 yearling black crappie
• Norfork River, Baxter County, 8,274 catchable rainbow trout
• Oak Grove Elementary Pond, Greene County, 702 catchable channel catfish
• Ola City Lake, Yell County, 1,700 yearling black crappie
• Ola City Lake, Yell County, 3,000 yearling redear bream
• Otter Creek Park Pond, Pulaski County, 650 catchable channel catfish
• Lake Ouachita, Garland County, 5,250 yearling blue catfish
• Lake Ouachita, Garland and Montgomery Counties, 60,830 yearling channel catfish
• Pedron Lake, Ouachita County, 500 yearling blue catfish
• Pinnacle Mountain Pond, Pulaski County, 500 catchable channel catfish
• Pirogue Lake, Bradley County, 500 yearling blue catfish
• Pleasant Hills Training Center Pond, Garland County, 400 catchable channel catfish
• Poteau Mountain Lake, Scott County, 300 yearling channel catfish
• Prairie Grove Lake, Washington County, 600 yearling channel catfish
• Regional Park Pond, Jefferson County, 400 catchable channel catfish
• SAU Armory Pond, Columbia County, 750 catchable channel catfish
• Saline River, Grant County, 11,800 yearling black crappie
• Sebastian County Lake, Sebastian County, 300 yearling channel catfish
• Shadow Lake, Sebastian County, 300 yearling channel catfish
• Sherwood City Pond, Pulaski County, 200 catchable channel catfish
• Spirit Lake, Faulkner County, 200 catchable channel catfish
• Lake Springdale, Washington County, 900 catchable rainbow trout
• Spring River, Fulton County, 16,062 catchable rainbow trout
• Sunset Lake, Saline County, 1,300 catchable channel catfish
• Table Rock Lake, Boone County, 2,000 yearling channel catfish
• Tri County Lake, Dallas County, 18,000 yearling black crappie
• War Memorial Park, Pulaski County, 200 catchable channel catfish
• Webb Lake, Ouachita County, 500 yearling blue catfish
• Wells Lake, Sebastian County, 1,000 catchable channel catfish
• White Oak Lake Lower, Ouachita County, 2,500 yearling blue catfish
• White Oak Lake Upper, Ouachita County, 1,600 yearling blue catfish
• White River, Izard, Stone, Baxter and Marion Counties, 113,285 catchable rainbow trout
• Lake Wofford, Sebastian County, 300 yearling channel catfish

Trout Day for kids scheduled at Russellville park RUSSELLVILLE – Hey young fishermen. Want to try your hand at catching trout? A community event for kids and their families, the fourth annual Trout Day in Russellville takes place Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Pleasant View Park Pond. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will stock the pond with several hundred rainbow trout. Members of the CADDIS Fly Fishers will be on hand to help kids age 5 to 15 fish from 9 a.m. to noon. Rods and other fishing gear will be given as prizes. Visit www.caddisflyfishers.org or phone (479) 964-2385 for more information.

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Boating education class schedule

Click here for boating education information: http://www.agfc.com/education-class/boating-education.aspx

Hunter education class schedule

Click here for hunter education information: http://www.agfc.com/education-class/hunter-education.aspx

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Nov. 19 – Phillips County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Phillips County Community College in Helena-West Helena. For more information contact Jason Smith at (870) 995-6103 or jason6868@att.net.

Nov. 19 – Paragould Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Paragould National Guard Armory. For more information contact Jerrod Brown at (870) 215-3212 or william.brown@smail.astate.edu.

Nov. 21 - Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café with Steve “Wildman” Wilson, 9 a.m. on KARK Channel 4. Topic of the show will be "Wild Game Recipes.”

Nov. 28 – Brookings Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Big Tent at Brookings. For more information contact Eric and Carolann Wilmes at (870) 476-1580 or ufoundcarolann@hotmail.com.

Nov. 28 – Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café with Steve “Wildman” Wilson, 9 a.m. on KARK Channel 4. Topic of the show will be "Duck Decoy Carving.”  

Dec. 5 – Clear Creek Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Alma Boys and Girls Club. For more information contact Jeremy Teff at (479) 409-4646 or duckranger@gmail.com.

Dec. 5 – Cypress Bayou Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Beebe National Guard Armory. For more information contact Barry Wolfe at (501) 681-4286 or wolfe.barry@gmail.com.

Dec. 5 – Cane Creek Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet at the Piggot Country Club. For more information contact Joey Rahn at (870) 634-6775.

Dec. 5 – Caddo-Ouachita Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet at the Garland County Fairgrounds. For more information contact Scott Dawson at (870) 245-7974 or dawsonin2000@yahoo.com.

Dec. 5 – Hummingbird presentation, Gov. Mike Huckabee Delta Rivers Nature Center in Pine Bluff. The first program begins at 9:30 a.m. A second program in the afternoon may be held at 1:30 p.m., if attendance requires a second program. The program consists of photos of not only Ruby-throated hummingbirds, but other species that come to Arkansas and spend at least a part of the fall and winter season, as well as other topics. For more information call (870) 534-0011 or visit www.deltarivers.com.

Dec. 5 – Poinsett County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Trumann New Sports Complex. For more information contact Chris Gairhan at (870) 530-2899 or cgairhan@yahoo.com.

Dec. 5 – Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café with Steve “Wildman” Wilson, 9 a.m. on KARK Channel 4. Topic of the show will be "Christmas Gifts for the Outdoorsman.”

Dec. 12 – Brinkley Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Brinkley Convention Center. For more information contact Jeff Robinson at (870) 734-1749.

Dec. 12 –Gillette Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet at the Dough Boy Building in Gellette. For more information contact Randy Womack at (870) 830-4353.

Dec. 12 – Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café with Steve “Wildman” Wilson, 9 a.m. on KARK Channel 4. Topic of the show will be "Youth Duck Hunting.”

Dec. 19 - Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café with Steve “Wildman” Wilson, 9 a.m. on KARK Channel 4. Topic of the show will be "Urban Trout Fishing Hotspots.”

Dec. 26 - Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café with Steve “Wildman” Wilson, 9 a.m. on KARK Channel 4. Topic of the show will be "Bloopers.”

Jan. 9, 2010 – Stuttgart Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Occasions Banquet Hall. For more information contact Lester Sieber at (870) 673-1739 or 1A572042@yahoo.comm.

Jan. 9, 2010 – Grant County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet. For more information contact Gary Smith at (870) 413-9197.

Jan. 16, 2010 – Chicot County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Lake Village Country Club. For more information contact Daniel Clark at (870) 265-1616 or drc@pollution-management.com.

Jan. 22-24 - Arkansas Big Buck Classic, Arkansas State Fairgrounds. For more information go to bigbuckclassic.com or call Catherine at (501) 985-1533.

Jan. 23, 2010 – Bottomland Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Tri County Farmer’s Association. For more information contact Stanley Powell at (870) 270-7331 or spowell4@yahoo.com.

Jan. 23, 2010 – Fort Smith Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet at the Adelaide Hall Varsity Sports Bar in Forth Smith. For more information contact Chris and Raelyn Walthall at (479) 774-9737 or tynoiaca11@yahoo.com.

Jan. 29, 2010 – White River Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, American Legion Building. For more information contact Rusty Lansford at (870) 468-6097.

Jan. 30, 2010 – Arkansas State Turkey Calling Contest, Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center in downtown Little Rock. Calling contest will begin at 10:30 a.m. Open winner pays $1,000, $500, $250, 150; friction winner pays $750, $350, $200 and youth winner pays $100, $75, $50. Sponsorships of the contest are available for $250. For more information contact Jim Wells at (870) 853-9262 daytime or (870) 853-6077 and leave a message or by email at jimw_71646@yahoo.com.

Jan. 30, 2010 – Three Rivers South Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Arkansas County Fairground in DeWitt. For more information contact Gary Boyd at (870) 946-9430 or g.tboyd@futura.net.