Northwest Arkansas Times outdoor page January 19, 1975

Aubrey Shepherd
New Sportsman's
Society Formed
But Their Existence Is Threatened By Inflationary Pressure Northwest Arkonsoj TIMES, Sunday, Jan. 19, 1975 FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS 5C

Beaver Lake's Marinas Taken For Granted
North American Sportsmans Society, headed by
Bpb Reed of West Fork, represents a unique depar-
ture in sports organizations..The group publishes a
monthly magazine called Midwest Sports Digest. Un-
like some more specialized publications, this one
"covers outdoor participation sports as well as spec-
tator.sports such as football, baseball, and. basket: sPec!al interest to outdoorsmeh may be a
series .of fjshirig tournaments to be sponsored by
N.AiS.S. Starting Feb. 22 and 23 with the Cold: Wih.t-
. cr .Nationals on Beaver Lake, this year's tourneys
feature a variety o£ formats and a relatively high
turnback of entry fees in the form of prize money.
On Sunday: June 15, the first annual Father-Son Nat-
ional js to be held at an as yet unamed lake. Sat.
July 5Will be the date of a four-man team tourney,
With a'low $50 per team entry fee. Aug. 31 is the
Po-Boy Nationals date, with the Buddy Nationals
set for Oct. 7. : ,
• N.A.S.S! president Bob Reed plans to announce
the exact location of each of these tourneys at a
later time. Some of the excellent lakes tentatively
selected are Millwood, Toledo Bend and Sam Ray-
burn. If these South Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas
reservoirs seem like a long way to go for. a fishing
tourney, it should be'rememberd that these very;
lakes.are heavily fished by people from the upper
and central midwest, who save up vacation time to
go far south for the hot fishing. ." ;
' - . • - . Mexico is tentatively slated to provide the
setting for a Dec. 27 bass tornament. Lake Guerrero's
unmatched fishing should excite any angler. Hope-
fuiry, it will be possible to hold this year's World's
Open there..Can you imagine the work of culling a
heavy five-fish limit from a day's catch of Mexican
bass? I think I'd fish with barbless hooks, despite
the danger of losing a few fish. That way one can
get the little ones off quickly and painlessly and try
for a larger one. Undoubtedly, winning stringers
would average over five pounds per fish.
The new sportsman organization plans to allow
its members to participate in the selection of their
own ..all-America teams in several sports, including
such things as rodeo-cowboy of the year and angler
of the year. An illustrous cast of advisers, including
Bruce Lurke of the International Rodeo Association,
Barry Switzer of Oklahoma football coaching fame,
Ronald. Self of Rabble Roiiser lures, Jerry Turner
of the company which manufactures the. famed
Skeeter boat, and Delford Rieff of Prairie Groye, will
help to guide the magazine and the organization'is
programs. .; ' .
Angling Lessons
.Famous .Ozarks fisherman Glen Andrews is now
conducting a bass fishing class in Rogers on Tuesday, .
nights. Glen takes a,no-nonsense approach:td:bassiri;-;•'•
stressing' basic" skills arid fish-finding' in'stfuctiBfisrT?*1
Because he has spent many years pursuing bass,
including 15 years as a guide on Bull Shoals, Glen's
repertoire of tricks is not limited to what can be
done with electronic gadgets such as light meters,
depthfinders; temperature gauges and trolling,mo-
tors. Glen stresses learning to find fish, regardless ..
of equipment.
',: : . ' .. '• •' ' ' ,. • )r _»
, .'. Glen says that, he started his fishing school'be-
cause of the pleasure he had experienced over the
years as he taught various people what he had learn-
ed about fishing. He stresses that no quick method
• of becoming a successful angler exists. Experience
and- careful application of principles learned can,
however, make an angler successful. Andrews con:
fes^s/that he_seriously fished Bull Shoals for about ,
six^ars before- he really could begin to put to'- '••''
geth'er what'he was observing about fishing. Through
his angling classes he expects to make the learning
period shorter for his students.
:
; -Because of the fine reputation he has earned
over the years, Glen Andrews' fishing classes are
already drawing good attendance,^' althoughr they ;
are relatively new. Most fisherman have hot been
able:to spend the amount of time on the water that
Glen has. Glen figures he has fished a total of at
least 4,000 days, including a stretch of 67 straight
days without a fishless day.
'Andrew teaches deep-water structure fishing
the very ijnpbritant aspect of-bassin' which most of us
neglejb,f.4ij:s6uffiern lakes where tall trees reach.the
surface .even jn the deepest areas, deep water fish-
ing is hot very difficult, but in Ozarks lakes like
Beaver and Bull Shoals the structure is hard to spot
without a depth finder, and successful structure
anglers must concentrate on an almost imaginary
pattern In their minds. If Glen can give a person the
confidence needed to keep him concentrating on that
imaginary'pattern, then it would seem that ..Glen's
classes;could really do any fisherman some good. >
Wilderness Outfitters
'• For those who want to get out and enjoy fall in the.
: Ozarks there is a new organization on the scene: Wil-
; derness Outfitters of Fayetteville offers canoes, camp-.
; Ing equipment, float trip shuttle service, guide service,
backpacking equipment and complete information pn
: all the rivers arid camping areas in Northwest Arkan-
sas. By renting from this outfit, one can sample the
recreational opportunities of the area without the usual
cost dfEquipment and decide exactly" what is needed
for a particular sport.
Although for years American tourists have flock--
«6V to Mexico'in order to enjoy inexpensive living as
Well as Unusual scenes and people, "returning travelers.
How- report that 'only selected items are really very
much-cheaper than similar American goods. A cup of
coffee, which around here costs a little as 10 cents and
that
they are there for our cpnypn-
Conservation
Award Given
ATLANTA — 'Verlon,- E.
Carter, Regional Forester.
Division of National Wildlife
Refuges, U.S, Fish and Wjldlife
Service, received the 1974 C.W.
Watson Conservationist Award
at the recent Annual South-
eastern Game and Fish vo
misisoners Conference..al
Greenbrier Hotel, W.hite
Sulphur Springs, West Virginia,.
Carter, an experienced .for-
ester and wildlife r, 'is a
native of Murphy, North Car-
olina, anpd-a .graduate o!
University of Georgia's school
of forestry. He was presentee
the Association of Southeastern
Game and Fish Commissioners,
highest award for his guidance
of a. highly successful wildlife
Refuges across the southeast,
and.. timber . coordinated
program on National Wildlife
These refuge forest manage
ment programs illustrate how
sound silviculture principles car
be. used to develop and main
tain-.a favorable envirohmem
for-. wildlife without major
conflict with either high
sustained timber yields or
forest aesthetics.
These multiple purpose • pro
grains, especially the one
Piedmont National Wildlife
Refuge, have served very ef
fectively as a model for wildlife
and"''timber coordination,*r>pro
fessional foresters and wildlifers
from both public and privali
agencies use Piedmont as ;
common'meeting ground in an
effort to improve multiple usi
programs on their .respectivi
areas.
Presentation of this importan
award by this wildlife organ!
nation.represents approval 'of-'an
effective f b r e s t - w i 1 d 1 i f
management-program and is
.rlbute to Carter and the U.S
?ish and Wildlife Service. Hi
is. based at this' 'agency'
Atlanta, Georgia, Regiona
Office, which serves the south
eastern; states. . •- :
peratots find themselves.
Inflation, "recession and all
ic related problems of the
. m e r i c a n^ economy
xaggerating- the, difficulties -ol
urviyal in the marina business
n-.Arkansas.-Everything costs
nore.^.especisUy.. gasoline, the
iggest'ite'm-the clocks have for
ale. The state,.of Arkansas
harges an 8'/a. cents p.er gallon
Federal Funds
Division Told
^Federal aid amounting •.,.{
wildlife restoration aii
lunter - safety programsfijKa.
been apportioned to the state
for fiscal 1975-up from the $62
:>lus million distributed ' th
prior year, 'notes a Commerc
Clearing House report.
Of the total apportioned fo
fiscal 1975. $16.8 million is fo
sport fish restoration,::.; >" is r. impossible;; to
;ive a,- compleie"."ruiitdowri tin
hese rules, for they vary from
ake to lake and even from con-
cession to concession. But many
of the rules are .very sensible,
ecologically and aesthetically
sound. Others seem to .create
unnecessary, difficulties . . for
jropb'r.ty. .owners near .the' lake
ajid '"tiarticii.l.arjy ' for. ..dock
operators. ' '•" " •.".'.'
All these problems cannot be
solved • immediately : or to
everyone's satisfaction. But it
would seem that immediate
relief of certain problems could
lelp to insure the survival
if lhe_:_ rriariria ', 'owners .and
.hereby make it possible to con-;
;inue having their services, on
lex. But this idea.is too self-dis-
criminatory for most of
Fishermen who have a h
time justifying their usual
expenses to their wives would
never get far by explaining that
they are buying sixty-cent fuel
to help keep a marina in busi-
ness while driving past fifty-
cent fuel each lime they go to
the ,lake. But 'if the tax could
be lowered, then chances are
the argument, for buying
gasoline where it is supposed
to be used—On the lake would
become convincing to everyone
concerned.
:--Another concern pt the dock
operators is that of.high water
During the; last couple of years
the level .of many state lakes
and especially :bf Beaver, ha:
consistently .been, above normal.
Anytime Ihe water is above 1120
elevation in Beaver, the dock
operators find themselves ex
tending cables and' walkways
an'd working many 'extra hours
to insure the' safely of their
docks and the' many boats in
their rental stalls. When the
docks'are.-riding''high on Ions
cables they are poorly protectec
from high winds' and difficul
to control.
Reportedly, the revenue pro
cporled nearly'$40,000'in flood
umages, with the yearly
average running ^3,000 to; $5.000'
or all docks.'; The, ":'worsl
damages occur after big rains
vhen waters may rise six to
eight feet in one day.-
The dock ;'-'6 p er a t o r s
duced the generation o
liemselves: have climbed |n:re^
cut years,- and losses Incurred
ccause of high water may
rive Iherri up further. Flooding
s a constant threat on the
bores of reservoirs, themselves
onstrucled.' to prevent down-
tream flooding. One dock
association needs the support of
Interested citizens to- help
convince state and federal offi-
cials that their situation de-
serves' immediate rectification.
Letters to Congressman John
Paul -Hammerschmidt and to
stato 'representatives and sena-
tors .-coUld:.-ibe effective In the
mbve'tbysolve at least enough
of the'dock operators' problems
to keep them all in business.
Revenue and Taxation
Committee members such as
Preston Bynum of Siloam
Springs, Roger Logan of
GOLD
The Midas Touch
The
asked marinathat
.
operators have
the legislature
remove the road-use gasoline
lax from fuels sold at the lake.
This makes sense, because the
fuel pumped from the docks
into.boats is clearly not being
used,ito operate .vehicles on the
roads. Oh the other .hand, Ihe
lakerivsers''all- would continue
to have to pay road use tax
on gasoline used in autos and
other vehicles towing boats lo
power by extra-water in Beave
Lake goes into .Ihe U.S. Trea
sury.- The dock.- operators fee
that such revenue - should b
used to compensate them fo
losses incurred during .times o
high water.
Being able to insure
safety of boats in rental stalls
is very important to the dock
operators,, .since .stall' rent is
about th'eirlonly'.sure source of
income.'' .Original,', concession
contracts called for the marinas
to provide a large number of
rental boats, some with motors.
According to association
spokesmen, the boats rented
well in the early years of the
lake's existence, 'but nowadays
all the boats are never rented
out-and only, rarely 'are even
the majority in "use:
Occasionally all the boats
with motors may he in use
during the height of the fishing
season. But the majority of lake
users now own boats and mo-
tors andf only infrequently even
slop at 'the marinas,'" The few
\yho want.to. rent-boats expect
large" motors and' .expensive
equipment'. The: present level of
rental'activity .simply does not
support the investment and up-
keep of boats and motors.
Insurance costs on the docks
. . . and we all know what happened to him.
To help you become better informed than King
Midas in all the aspects involved, both pro
and con, on Gold ownership, A. G. Edwards
has prepared a comprehensive report: A. G.
He/ware's D/sct/sses Go/d1.- • • . ;
.!. > r. }';. ... ,,!,
You'li want your free' copy tod ay\ Phone your
nearest A. G. Edwards office or fill in the cou-
pon below.'
A.G.Edwards
^4 — — — — 'investments Since1887— —••—-——
nnnnn
Please send me your report: A. G .Edwards Discuss es ; Gold, plus
any other pertinent information I niighl find helpful.
ADDRESS-
C1TY/STATEIZIP .
TELEPHONE
A G. Edwards customers grVB'riama .
and office address of Account ifxecu[/v
Mail to:: A. O. Edwards 4 SonsJ Inc....
Northwest Arkansas Plaza
Fayetteville, Ark. 72701
or call: 521-2200 AN.PH-2-ERS-6.1-7S
arrison, Charles W. Stewart,
., of Fayetteville. Bill Slutjcfl
Ft. Smith, Sterling Hurley
Clarksville. and Bill Rail-
olph of Hot Springs would bo
terested in knowing of cili-
-ns' opinions on the matter of
tempting boat dock gasoline
ales from the road-use tax.
lould the bill for the exerhp-
on reach the floor of the state
gislativc bodies then a 1,1
epresentalives and senators
o u 1 d benefit from an
ivareness of public opinion on
IB subject.
OMING TO
HOT
SPRINGS
FOR THE
RACES?
February7-April 5
THEN STAY AT. THE
VELDA
ROSE
TOWER
• Roundtable
Restaurant
• Free Parking
• Next to VAPORS
SOI
62&33TT
Hwy. 71 No., Springdale
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,
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e now on tines
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Trout Program
Is Succeeding
MAMMOTH SPRNG-
Investigation by a Commission
fisheries biologist has shown
that the Vibert box trout pro-
gram on the upper Spring River
appears to be doing well. A 94
per "cent hatch rate was ob-
served in six of the 108 boxes;
60,000- brown trout eggs are. in-
volved in the program.
It is being financed and
carried out by the Arkansas
Federation of Fly Fishermen in
an effort to spawn a wild strain
of.: trout. Commission personnel
are assisting to determine if the
pfarTis" a success. .V
TBer :eggs are hatchec) in
approximately 108 small' boxes
buried- in the stream's gravel
bed, .which protects them, from
days of fishing must likely be purchasedu after ••'Hatching.