Around the Boathouse

News & Notes from Northeast Arkansas

By Jim Harris

Arkansas Wildlife Editor

• AGFC fish hatchery staff continue their work in bringing Lake Poinsett back to ideal contidions, well stocked with prey species as the lake reaps the benefits of the $3.3 million renovation project that was completed last year..

Starting in March, hatchery staff from the William H.

Donham Fish Hatchery in Corning and the Joe Hogan Fish Hatchery in Lonoke have made multiple trips to the lake to stock the lake.

Last month, staff stocked adult fathead minnows, adult threadfin shad, adult and fingerling bluegill, adult and fingerling redear sunfish and adult golden shiners. These fish are prespawn fish so they will reproduce this summer and will help build forage base of the lake.

This month, hatchery staff has stocked more 3-inch bluegill and redear sunfish. These were also pre-spawn fish. In total, the hatchery staff have sent more than eight 3-ton fish trucks to stock the lake since stocking since March. To date, the AGFC has stocked 58,000 bluegill, 325,000 redear sunfish, 90,000 fathead minnows, 10,000 golden shiners and 2,000 threadfin shad, with plans to stock more fish in

See BOAT, page A13 BOAT

From page A8

the lake periodically this summer and fall with the addition of more shiners, redear and bluegill as the lake is at full pool. The lake is rainfall dependent to reach full pool.

• If you're going to take advantage of that great largemouth bass bite going on at Lower White Oak Lake in Ouachita County, please note that the 2021 Fishing Guidebook has an error on the 'New This Year' page noting new regulations (the numbers are correct under White Oak Lake's regular listing in the book on Page 71). The correct regulation for bass on Lower White Oak Lake is 'Largemouth Bass daily limit is 10, one of which may be over 20 inches.' We apologize for any confuse this may have caused.

• AGFC Fisheries staff in Northwest Arkansas conducted a six-month creel survey on the Kings River in 2019 covering the period of March-August, and some of the information gathered indicated that May and June are prime time to hit the area, according to AGFC biologists, so head to Kings River and see if their information holds any water.