re: OT: Camping

If I picked three lures to fish the rivers and creeks it would include a Rebel Crawfish like the one you posted, Heddon Tiny Torpedo (most likely a clear one) and a spinner bait such as a Rooster Tail (yellow is a good color). I carry lots more but I've caught a lot of fish over the years using just those three.

quote:

---

Any particular spot along the Mulberry you guys recommend?

No camping this weekend but I want to go do some fishing if I can...is it shallow enough where I can just wade in boots/shoes?

---

There are some good spots you can only get to on foot/atv, those are hard to explain how to get to, so I would say turn on the road like you are going to Byrds, there is Redding and Wolf Pen on that road, parks you can go to and wade out in and throw the rod around. There is also a park on the other side of Turner Bend you can do the same. The dirt road on the opposite side of Turner Bend on 23 (before the bridge if you are coming from F'ville, is closed off at some point because of a bridge being out, but there use to be places to pull off and walk down to fish.

If you take the Byrd's route, follow the road into Oark and have lunch at the General Store if you have time.

ETA: If I didn't have a shite ton of work to do this weekend, I would meet up with you at Turner Bend and "guide" you to some of the better spots.

quote:

---

The dirt road on the opposite side of Turner Bend on 23 (before the bridge if you are coming from F'ville, is closed off at some point because of a bridge being out, but there use to be places to pull off and walk down to fish.

---

The bridge is out if you try to go up the mountain to shores lake, but if you stay on the lower road it will take you to Big Eddy and Campbell Cemetery. Both have good camping if you don't mind primitive campsites.

quote:

---

What's in Lake Wedington? Bream?

---

Wedington is crap, below the dam at Sequoia is much better and you can wade for a ways. Just outside of Fayetteville on the West Fork is some surprisingly good fishing, from Tilly Willy to Baptist Ford and from Baptist Ford to the low water bridge in West Fork there are some good holes.

The last time I went camping, and I mean the last time, was about 25 years ago in the Ouachita's near Mena. It was the opening of turkey season and I had talked the ex into coming with me, along with our 2 small children. Approx 3 & 5. That 1st night a thunderstorm hit that would dump 11 inches of rain over the night. During the storm, a bear wandered into the camp to plunder the ice chest and garbage, sealing us into a small tent. The ex and I lay there on our sleeping bags with the kids laying on top of us (so that they could stay dry from the river that was running thru the tent) until daylight when we were sure the bear was gone.

Needless to say, a less than pleasurable evening. From then on, I took full advantage of local motels that had a bed, phone, shower, ac, tv, and roof for my hunting adventures. BTW, the bear came back the following spring and was killed trying to enter an occupied camper.

My 3 picks for creek fishin' would be...

Starting to pack up the Sequioa today