SUSAN SAYS: Free weekend made for memorable fishing experience

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Free Fishing Weekend has been an Arkansas tradition for over three decades. Each year since 1978 the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has proclaimed these weekends in the second week of June.

The tradition continued this year from noon on Friday, June 7, to midnight on Sunday, June 9.

No fishing licenses are required for anyone during this time. That includes Arkansas residents, out-of-state residents, even residents of other countries. No trout permits are required either.

Children under 16 don’t need a license any time, but these free fishing weekends are a wonderful opportunity to introduce youngsters in your family to the popular sport of fishing.

“The best things in life are free,” the old song goes,” but Ronnie Weston, outdoors editor at KAIT in Jonesboro, thinks even if you have to shell out a little cash, it will be worth it. Packaged rods and reels complete with hook, line and sinker can be purchased for about $20, he says. He recommends yard sales as good sources of bargain fishing gear.

Weston believes the best way to get into fishing is to go with a seasoned fisherman. You’ll learn from him, much more and more quickly than trying it on your own. Ask a relative, a neighbor or a coworker to take you fishing. This person may have the equipment you need for the day. You can offer to buy the gasoline, buy lunch or buy the bait in exchange for the lesson you get. Most anglers like to show others what they know so, if you pay attention and watch what the experienced fisherman is doing, you’ll gain some valuable knowledge.

Open houses and fishing derbies were held at all five of Arkansas’ fishhatcheries on Free Fishing Weekend. Youngsters, 12-and-under, accompanied by an adult are allowed to catch and keep three fish. They need to furnish their own tackle and bait and bring a container to take their fish home. Some of the fish have tags that can be redeemed for prizes. Other prizes are given away in random drawings. Needless to say, these events attract hundreds of kids.

Jim and I took advantage of the beautiful weather to take grandson Matthew, 8, to the derby on Saturday at the Charlie Craig Fish Hatchery in Centerton. We went out to eat Friday evening and, when we returned, I hunted up a two pound Folger’s coffee can, added some good soil and dug a few worms to drop in. I filled a tote bag with bottled water and juice, snacks and sunscreen, and Jim got out the tackle box. The next morning we picked up Matthew and his rod and reel. Starting time was 9 a.m., and we arrived about that time. We were hoping to be early but it looked like about a thousand kids were already there. Apparently everyone else had the same idea.

Two ponds at the hatchery had been stocked with hundreds of catfish. Hatchery staff said they hadn’t fed the fish for about a week and a half, so they were hungry. Jim put a worm on Matthew’s hook, cast his line into the water and he caught his first fish in a very short time. They repeated the procedure and he soon caught a second, so big it broke his line and swam away. Some of the stocked fish weighed 7-10 pounds, and he speculated that was one of those big ones and possibly a tagged fish. He was sure sorry he didn’t land that one!

There was another big one that got away, but Matthew caught his three fish in less than half an hour. He wasn’t ready to go home though. There were air gun and archery ranges nearby and he first tried his hand at shooting targets with an air gun. He wasn’t too successful at that, but it didn’t discourage him from trying the archery range. His first attempt fell short, but he ended up shooting four or five of his six turkeys. Canoes furnished by the Game and Fish Commission were in one of the ponds. He didn’t want to try canoeing but was quite interested in watching others paddle around.

We brought him home about midday to show his fish to his parents and display the items in the goodie bag he’d received - he was quite proud of his new cap. After his dad took a picture of him with his fish, he came to our house and watched grandpa clean the fish. All three of us had a great time, and I think Matthew would be ready to go fishing again anytime.

We got out the deep fryer Sunday evening, Jim cut the catfish in chunks and cooked them and we had a good supper of catfish, hush puppies and tater tots. There were even some leftovers to warm up Monday evening.

Susan Holland, who works for the Westside Eagle Observer, is a lifelong Benton County resident.

Opinion, Pages 4 on 06/19/2013