Big catfish donation adds smiles for community anglers across Arkansas 

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Family and Community Fishing Program locations will see some hefty bonus catfish stockings this week, thanks to a generous donation by Baxter Land Company Fish Farm in Desha County.

Thousands of catfish ranging in size from 5 to 45 pounds will be hauled to program ponds. The total donated weight of catfish is expected to exceed 20,000 pounds.

Dick Baxter, who was named the Arkansas Catfish Farmer of the year by The Catfish institute in 2023, said most of the fish are in the 5- to 7-pound range, but there are some jumbo-sized blue catfish that will definitely add some excitement for anglers fishing community ponds throughout the state.

“The biggest one I’ve seen so far is about 45 pounds, and I wish I could be there when some kid hooks into that fish and has the time of their life,” Baxter said.

The fish were grown to be used in the farm’s spawning ponds and are past the preferred size for most food markets, but they still hold a lot of value in other commercial markets. Baxter hopes the fish pay much higher returns in the future of conservation.

“I really just think it’s important to get new people involved in conservation, and you have to get people excited about hunting and fishing to do that,” Baxter said. “If you take a kid to a pond and they don’t catch anything, they may not know how fun the outdoors can be, but if they go to a public pond and they hook into one of these fish, we may have just created a future biologist or supporter of the outdoors. I think we need more of those experiences everywhere in the state.”

Jason Miller, AGFC Assistant Chief of Fisheries, said this is the fifth time Baxter has donated fish to the anglers of the state.

“These fish could still bring Baxter some good profit, but he’s always had a great relationship with us and these donations give us something that we don’t provide through our hatcheries. He’s donated well over 100,000 pounds of fish over the years for people to catch.”

Miller said catchable-sized catfish AGFC hatcheries provide anglers at FCFP locations range from three-quarters of a pound to two pounds because that size provides the best combination of value and numbers for anglers to pursue.

“It would require too much pond space on our hatcheries and food to regularly grow fish to this this size for stocking, so this is a treat that we don’t get to offer very often,” Miller said.

Clint Coleman, Assistant FCFP Coordinator, said he can always tell when the big blue catfish come to program ponds by the calls and reactions of regular anglers.

“We get calls from anglers and people send in pictures of their big catches,” Coleman said. “People really get a kick out of fighting these bigger fish, but I’d suggest bringing a dip net along on your next fishing trip or two to the ponds. More than one angler has hooked into one just to have it break his line right at the bank when he finally got it within reach.”

Baxter offers this bit of advice for anglers looking to hook into one of these fish.

“Be sure you have at least 20-pound-test fishing line and a 3/0 circle hook,” Baxter said. “Suspend the bait about a foot under a bobber and make sure the drag on the reel is loose. Bring a kid and get ready to have a great time.”

Visit www.agfc.com/familyfishing to find a FCFP location near you. Aerial views of the ponds and the most recent stocking dates are available through the program’s web page.

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CUTLINES:

HOLDING CATFISH
Larger than normal-sized catfish will be heading to ponds across Arkansas this year, thanks to a generous donation by one of Arkansas’s top catfish producers.. AGFC photo.

SORTING FISH
AGFC crews and Baxter’s staff harvesting and sorting catfish at his farm in Desha County. AGFC photo.

YOUTH WITH BIG CAT
Anglers at Family and Community Program Ponds enjoy these larger-than-normal size stockings of channel and blue catfish provided by Baxter Land Company’s catfish farms. AGFC photo.