Looking Back on 2005

The time has come so quickly for me to reflect on another year! In so doing, the years seem to pass at an increasing speed as I get older. By setting my mind on "instant replay" over the last year, I'm reminded of new opportunites that, when added with my usual fishing activities, make the building blocks of an enjoyable year of fishing.

2005 was a year full of good trips, but it also had longer periods of time with little or no fishing. Due to repair work of the power plant on the Little Missouri, the summer had little to offer in trout fishing opportunities, so I made several trips elsewhere, primarily to the Little Red River.

The Little Red is such an outstanding trout fishery. In May, my youngest son, Matthew, and I went on a guided float trip down a stretch of the river that was relatively new to me. Our guide, Tom Hawthorne, provided us with an fishing experience that I could get used to. I tied on the first fly of the day. From then to trip's end, I never tied on another fly or tippet, nor did I remove a single fish, and there were quite a few to remove. What a life of luxary and ease!

Tom is the owner of The Ozark Angler fly shops in Little Rock and Heber Springs. He has several guides working with him who have years of experience in guiding and fishing the Little Red, the Norfork, and the White River. If you have never taken a guided trip on one of these famous Arkansas trout waters, you might want to treat yourself to this pleasurable experience at some point.

During the fall, I followed the Harding University football team around the southwest United States. My youngest son, Matthew, was a senior defensive tackle on the team. He had a strong, injury-free season, one that makes me extremely proud as a father. It is an experience that I wish all could enjoy, no matter whether the accomplishment is athletic or academic. My wife and I made trips to Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia, as well as a half dozen or more trips to Searcy, AR. This was during the time that gas prices were at their highest! The team finished with a 6-5 record, having beaten the # 1 and # 9 teams in the nation at the time in Division II. It was a season of ups and downs for the team, with it ending on a high note.

As in previous years, I was able to spend several days in Northwest Arkansas fishing the Beaver Tailwaters, plus a couple of trips up to Roaring River in Missouri. The fishing was tough at Beaver for the first couple of days. Before the week was out, a couple of outstanding mornings made the trip memorable. Fishing Roaring River is a unique experience. The big fish are there! You can see them in the water in front of you. When you finally convince a fish you have been stalking to take a fly, it is a rewarding experience. Roaring River is often a tough but quite rewarding experience. I hope to have the opportunity to fish both places in 2006.

Just after the first of the year, I received a 7 1/2' 5 wt. bamboo rod from my good friend David Chin. David does unbelievable work as a rodmaker and an artist. His rods have been beautiful from the beginning, but the newer ones will knock you socks off! This rod, a Garrison 209 taper, quickly became my favorite to fish. In one year, it has held up well under rather tough conditions. Being classified as a top field tester gives me the opportunity to check the limits of the rod. Let me emphasize that bamboo is one of the more remarkable substances I've ever experienced!

We were fishing at Albert Pike when David brought the rod up. There were lots of fish, and the weather was so cold that fishermen were scarce. I put the rod to the test that first day. We had really good fishing at Albert Pike that day plus several more. Around the clock generation at Narrows Dam had done me a favor. I had been forced to learn a new area of the Little Missouri River. What better way could there be to break in a new rod than to do it on what may just be the most beautiful location in our scenic state!

As the year progressed, several important events occurred that will impact the Little Missouri River tailwaters for years to come. A project for the "skinny waters" just below the dam was developed, starting in September, with input from the AGFC, the Friends of the Little Missouri, and the Corps of Engineers. For more information on this project, visit Little Missouri Fly Fishing and click on "Skinny Water Project". While you are there, check out Jeff Guerin's entire web site. It has a lot of good information. You might learn something!

Not long after this, the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission met with interested citizens and announced the development of a Trout Management Plan for the Little Missouri River. They are planning to do this for all the trout rivers, but the Little Missouri is either the second or third river being considered, with the Beaver tailwaters being the first. The situation on the Little Missouri is slightly different, and it is really more of a trout and smallmouth plan, one that may work quite nicely. In January of 2006, we've attended meetings with the AGFC and others concerning the development of this plan. We are seeing trout history in progress on our river. I'm extremely excited, but will use my better judgment in refraining from listing the items under consideration. Let me just say that a lot of new and exciting things will happen. If you had mentioned them to me two years ago, I would have answered, "Impossible"!

Please excuse the number of "I"s in this article. It's just a summary of my thoughts on 2005. Thanks for reading it!

One last thought, if you are a member of the Friends of the Little Missouri, don't forget to pay your dues. They are $15 annually, and you can make the check payable to the Friends of the Little Missouri. You can find the information at Little Missouri Fly Fishing. When you get there, click on Friends of the Little Mo on the left. The organization was recognized by Darrell Bowman of the AGFC for their efforts at the general meeting in early January. I promise you that it makes a difference. If you are not a member, please join.

The blessings have been many! God bless you and yours!

Send comments to jmcjunki@texarkanacollege.edu

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