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We need to be thinking about where to go collecting in April. We could certainly go back to War Eagle. There are also some good areas around Hobbs State Park. The Buffalo River is too far for most.
An idea I would like to suggest is going up into Southwest Missouri. There are some great places to go and for those of you in Bentonville/Rogers/Bella Vista it would be even closer than War Eagle. A one day fishing license for Missouri is only $7 and if you don't keep a year round license for Arkansas then that is only 50 cents more than a three day Arkansas license.
So, thoughts or suggestions?

I would also prefer to collect Southwest Missouri. I think that our past collecting trips there have found the most species. Note, too, that the Missouri fishing license can be obtained easily online.

P.S. This might be an event worthy of renting a passenger van to take everyone up together.

Saw lots of small fish at Lake Leatherwood while hiking today, Beaver Lake may also have some options. Just in case y'all want to venture my direction.

Chris

Lakes are pretty tough for collecting. Wish they weren't but they usually get too deep too quickly. If you know of any creeks your way we could throw them into the consideration.

Has the collecting location been determined? It'd be good to put a poster together.

Natural Dam area was always a good collection sight with many species available.

My thought is this: we go to the Deep Ford Access of Big Sugar Creek just outside Pineville, MO. It isn't too hard to find, but we may want to have a time to meet up in Bella Vista, say by Dairy Queen at 9 and go as a group from there. It's about a 25 minute drive from there. Anyone who wants to join as there can. If we want to move on from there and hit a few other spots we can.

So do we need a MO and AR fishing license?

Just Missouri for the suggested trip.

What time of day are we talking? I've got an easter egg hunt that I'm planning on attending that morning.

Blue Hole, right behind Walgreens in Bella Vista was always a cool collecting spot.Really cool strain of Orangethroat Darters.

Would the area we are talking about going fall under the reciprocal agreement between Mo & AR. I'm not familiar enough with these areas and the regulations.
http://www.agfc.com/licenses/Pages/LicensesFishing.aspx

No, that only applies to the lakes that are part of the White River system. They don't want fisherman to have to worry about which side of the line they are fishing on when out on their boats in the lake.
In answer to the earlier question, if you need to come a bit late you can meet us at the spot. I'll post directions if we are sure that is where we want to go. I'm not hearing much input on if that works for everyone.

I'm totally easy going on location. This will be my first collecting trip.

What day and where is the collecting trip? I've never been to one before, and really want to go. Let's get this nailed down sooner than later otherwise my schedule will fill up (if it hasn't already). I don't care where we go, just pick something. Thanks everyone!

Okay, so let's go with my suggested location east of Pineville. We will meet at Dairy Queen in Bella Vista at 9am.

A few guidelines:
1. If children are coming they must have an adult IN THE WATER with them. Natural bodies of water can be dangerous for kids and other adults cannot be expected to keep an eye on them.
2. You are responsible for having a fishing license if you are collecting.
3. You must abide by all pertinent laws. For example, if you catch a bass in your net you cannot legally keep it.

What do you need to bring?
1. Most important is proper clothing and footwear. I always assume that whatever I wear could be ruined for anything but outdoors stuff. Long pants are likely to be waterlogged so I would suggest shorts. Footwear can be as simple as an old pair of tennis shows or you can get a pair of water socks at Walmart. I like them a lot. They grip slick surfaces better and keep rocks out but do not protect your feet as well.
2. If you have any collecting gear we will need it.
3. We will have a picnic lunch so plan on bringing sides. The club can provide burgers and dogs.
4. Containers if you wish to bring any creatures home.

If you have any other questions please let us know!

Expanding on what Michael said about footwear, the footwear should enclose your foot. Sandals and flip-flops are not good choices. One of the main techniques for scaring fishes into the nets is shuffling your feet in the gravel. Your toes would not last long in sandals or flip-flops.

What day/date is the trip on???

Oops,mregularmmeeting day, this coming Saturday. There is no regular meeting.

How long do you plan on staying out there?

We have a time? Any necessities should we bring? I know most don't have collecting nets. Are the castings nets worth buying?

9 am at Dairy Queen in BV, otherwise you can meet us out there. No, casting nets aren't really worth it. I've got an extra if you want to try it.

I don't think I'll make it. I wont be free till 1pm and then I'd still have to drive there from Rogers. Maybe next time we have a collecting trip I can make it.

I was worried about that. I have guard duty this weekend, and will be in Ft. Smith.
Since I won't be at the meeting, if anyone wants to get some water lettuce let me know. I have very limited space and will be tossing it by handfuls soon.
Road trip to Eureka Springs anyone!?!

I wish y'all could make it! I guess we'll have to find a time to go out again!

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Deep+Ford+Access,+Pineville,+MO+64856/@36.6216284,-94.3509871,13z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x87c8fed4a29ab453:0x69207f9f743748ad
This is where we will plan on spending most of our time.

Well how did the collecting go? Really wanted to go but had to get my car up n running. Maybe we can do another trip?

I'm assuming everyone who when on the trip drown, and are now food for the fish they were trying to collect.......

Oh the horror..... Oh the irony......

You will be missed dear friends. I'm am literally pouring some the beer from my 40oz premium Malt liquor into the hotel floor in your honor. Every time my sock gets wet walking across the room I will think of you. Should have thought that out more, this is an awfully small room.....

In the off chance one of you survived, why don't you tell us about the trip. Unless something horrible happened and you all swore not to speak of it... Then of course, make something up.

I did get an eyewitness report. It was not a pretty sight. Denny

Only Michael, Sharon and I showed for this one. Collecting conditions weren't the best at the location. The water was too high and fast for easy collecting. I have seen this stream range from bone dry with an occasional, water-filled pothole to a deep, to raging current that would keep the strongest powerboat from going upstream. We got somewhere in the middle.

Our goal was to catch some cardinal shiners in color. We were not lucky enough to do that. None were in color that we saw, but we did see them. I've got some video that I will post soon. The video clearly shows that the females are heavily egg-laden. So we did not miss the males in color. I'll bet if we waited a week or two, and went out again, we'd see some bright red males. And we might need to move to a different collecting site, depending on conditions.

Though the trip was probably a bit of a bust, we did have a good time, and enjoyed Gusano's pizza afterward-- at club expense.

Here's a link of what cardinal shiners look like in full color:

Beautiful fish. Now that's something Michael should raise!

I've kept them. This is what they look like 50 weeks out of the year though!
http://gallery.nanfa.org/d/20679-3/Luxilus+cardinalis+Cardinal+Shiner++2-2000.JPG

Big surprise.....

... A brown fish...

Actually I think it's pretty, even not in mating colors.