By Randy Zellers

Wake boats may be the most maligned vessels on the water these days, with some locations in the country even placing bans on this type of craft. But all powerboats create a wake, and all boaters should be aware of the effects their manmade wave action can have on other boaters, personal property and even the aquatic habitat of their favorite lake or river.

Larger horsepower vessels, including ski boats, SeaDoos, bass boats and even jonboats and deep V boats push a lot of water to the side as they plow ahead. Waves and turbulent water are obvious on some popular boating destinations like Lake Hamilton and Greers Ferry Lake during the height of summer, causing some anglers and paddlesports enthusiasts to avoid them during high traffic times.

Even on smaller waters, boaters should be aware of their wake. One wave from a boat running too close to another vessel is all it takes to push someone off their fishing spot or onto a nearby stump or rocks.

“Smaller AGFC lakes are ideal for people to enjoy with a kayak or canoe, and most have ramps large enough to accommodate a larger fishing boat,” Jeremy Risley, Black Bass Program Coordinator, said. “In larger reservoirs, you really try to steer clear of congested areas, but on smaller and midsize lakes, especially those with boat lanes, slowing down is sometimes the best approach.”

“No Wake” buoys guard certain zones on Arkansas lakes from the effects of passing boats. A rogue wave can toss a person’s boat around while docked at a marina or being maneuvered onto the bunks of a trailer at the boat ramp. Areas where swimmers are present also warrant an extra note of caution, as the series of waves produced by a large wake can take a person off guard or produce too much wave action for safe swimming.

Boaters should always be aware of the wake they produce, regardless of designated areas. According to Arkansas Code, it is illegal to operate a motorboat “… at a rate of speed that creates a hazardous wash or wake upon approaching or passing vessels …” even outside of designated “No Wake” zones.

“By law, you also need to be at no wake speed (under 5 miles per hour) if you’re within 100 feet of a dock, pier, anchored boat or other structure unless a contrary speed limit is posted,” Risley said. “That includes bridges and bridge pilings. Zipping underneath a bridge at full throttle, whether towing a skier or going to the next fishing location in your rotation, isn’t just dangerous, it’s illegal.”

In addition to the danger to yourself and other boaters, a hazardous wake can cause damage to vessels and property at marinas and boat docks. Damages caused by a boat’s wake can come back on the operator of that vessel if it’s proven their boat was responsible for the wake that caused the damage.

Boat operators are liable not only for property damage caused by their vessel’s wake, but also for any injuries or fatalities resulting from a capsized boat due to the wake, according to Joe Huggins, AGFC Hunting and Boating Safety Program Coordinator.

Aside from damages caused to boats, boaters and property, a larger concern for some people is the added wave action added to a lake by these wakes. Wake boats, in particular, have been the targets of some states and privately owned reservoirs because of the amount of shoreline disruption they can cause. Eroding streams and shorelines add sediment to the water column, which degrades water quality and can inhibit the reproduction and life cycles of some sensitive aquatic species. Keeping the wakes near the center of the lake helps reduce the wave action and its effects on the shoreline.

“It all really comes down to paying attention and being courteous when you’re running around on the water,” Risley said. “When I’m in my big boat, I try to remember what it’s like when I’m in something smaller. Some boaters will say that going by fast creates less wake because there’s less boat in the water. There’s some truth to that, but it still produces a wake, and the increased speed still makes being too close to someone or something dangerous. Besides that, it just looks bad. It’s one of those unforced errors that causes one group of anglers or boaters to talk about the others in negative terms, and we’re all out there to have a good time.”

By Randy Zellers

Catch-and-release is the mantra for many anglers pursuing bass, trout and other sport fish, but as the temperature continues to rise in summer, anglers may want to consider keeping a couple for the frying pan or limiting their angling activities to the coolest parts of the day.

The dog days of summer aren’t just hot above the surface; surface water temperatures on most ponds and lakes in the state are regularly hitting the mid-80s with an occasional foray into the 90-degree range. Hot water doesn’t hold nearly as much oxygen as cooler water, and the added temperature increases stress on fish, regardless of oxygen content.

“We suggest fishing tournaments shy away from those July through early September times when the water temperatures are too warm, or at least switch to reduced tournament hours or reduced tournament limits,” Jeremy Risley, Black Bass Program Coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said. “If you can do a catch-weigh-release format tournament where you’re not stressing fish with a day in the livewell, you can do that to help a little, too.”

The issue isn’t only apparent in bass, either. Catfish, as tough as they are, still fall victim to low oxygen and parasites or viruses after they’ve fought for an extended period.

Maurice Jackson, Family and Community Fishing Program Coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said he’s even received some reports of dead or dying catfish at some program ponds that are likely the result of post-release mortality.

“It hasn’t been widespread, nor has it affected a lot of fish in a particular body of water, which would indicate disease or water-quality issue,” Jackson said. “Instead, it’s been a handful of fish here and a single fish there. These fish were probably caught and released by a well-meaning angler, but they just couldn’t recover after a long fight at the end of someone’s line.”

When ponds reach hot tub temperatures, Jackson suggests anglers would do more good by keeping the fish they catch and enjoying them for a fish dinner.

“The catfish we stock are raised by our hatcheries in pretty much the same way a commercial catfish farm raises their fish for the market,” Jackson said. “Those fish are way healthier to eat than something you’re going to pick up at a fast-food restaurant, and we stock hundreds of thousands of catfish in the state every year thanks to our four warmwater hatcheries. It’s not only OK to keep a few for the fryer, I encourage you to do it instead of releasing that fish after a good fight and it dying later.”

Anglers who don’t want to keep their fish can still do a few things to increase the likelihood of the fish recovering to fight another day. The first option is to limit fishing to the early morning when the water temperature is at its coolest.

Increase the size and strength of your gear to land fish as quickly as possible if you’re out in the heat. The longer the fish fights, the more stress it incurs. Land the fish, take a photo and send the fish back on its way as quickly as possible. Any fish that goes into a livewell or on a stringer should make the trip home with you, as even short rides in a livewell can cause fish to go belly up.

If the fish is hooked deeply, it’s best to cut your line as close to the hook as you can get without causing damage, and try to keep handling of all fish to a minimum. If the hook caused bleeding, do not pour any homemade concoctions or sodas on it, thinking it will stop the flow of blood. A scientific study published in 2021 disproved this old wives’ tale, so save the soda for sipping on the ride home from the lake. Simply placing the fish back in the water will stop the blood flow. Much like mammal blood contains platelets to cause it to clot and seal up injuries, fish blood is full of microscopic structures called thrombocytes. These structures work best in the water, so return the fish quickly if you aren’t going to keep it.

“Bottom line, you’ll actually be more conservation-minded if you keep the fish you catch and call it a day when you hit your limit than continuing to catch and release fish with a lower chance of survival,” Jackson said.

By Randy Zellers

Most hunting seasons are still a few months away, but it’s a great time to renew your license to make sure you’re ready for the next year of memories. Arkansas annual fishing licenses expire one year from the date of purchase, but hunting licenses expired June 30.

Your hunting license is more than your ticket to another great year in the outdoors; it’s the perfect way to say, “I am a conservationist.” Arkansas hunting and fishing license purchases help keep the funding Arkansas receives from sales of hunting equipment, firearms and ammunition flowing. Even if you don’t plan to hunt, purchasing and renewing your license is the best way to ensure federal dollars collected for conservation find their way to The Natural State.

Not only does your license purchase help maintain fish and wildlife populations in Arkansas, it also helps fund the purchase and improvement of public hunting areas, boating and fishing accesses and education facilities where the next generation of outdoors enthusiasts can enjoy the same love of nature as you.

Last year, thanks in part to hunting and fishing license sales, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission:

• Completed construction of about 1,000 acres of additional moist-soil units at Frog Bayou WMA, increasing the amount of this valuable managed wetland habitat type to 10,800 acres on public land;
• Completed infrastructure renovations to protect bottomland hardwood forests on Henry Gray Hurricane Lake WMA with the construction of a new, automated six-gate water control structure capable of moving 10 times the amount of water as the previous structure;
• Constructed seven water-control structures at Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA to replace obsolete flashboard riser gates to move water more efficiently through the WMA and protect bottomland hardwood forests attractive to waterfowl;
• Restored wildlife habitat through prescribed fire on 24,830 acres of wildlife management areas and assisted conservation partners with an additional 15,833 acres;
• Stocked 9.5 million fish, including but not limited to
  • 2.9 million Florida largemouth bass,
  • 2.9 million forage fish,
  • 1.1 million walleye,
  • 549,000 catchable rainbow trout,
  • 634,000 striped bass,
  • 456,620 northern largemouth bass,
  • 388,000 catchable channel catfish,
  • 266,800 black crappie
• Improved 24 bank-fishing access areas at 13 Arkansas lakes;
• Placed fish attractors at more than 270 locations on 29 Arkansas lakes;
• Restored 3.54 miles of eroding streambanks to prevent water pollution through sedimentation;
• Removed two stream barriers, restoring connectivity to 10 miles of streams;
• Began renovation and infrastructure repair to Lake Wilhelmina;
• Upgraded the shooting range at Rick Evans Grandview Prairie Nature Center, adding two new trap fields and upgraded target-release systems;
• Enhanced the Fiochhi Shooting Sports Complex in Mayflower to increase public safety and replace aging infrastructure;
• Connected with more than 15,000 anglers at 335 stocked fishing derbies throughout the state;
• Hosted more than 5,600 participants in the AGFC’s Youth Shooting Sports Program’s regional and state championship trap shooting tournaments;
• Engaged with more than 3,350 student archers through qualifying tournaments and the annual Archery in the Schools State Championships;
• Welcomed more than 175,000 visitors at AGFC nature centers; and
• Taught more than 20,000 Boater and Hunter Education graduates.

Visit www.agfc.com/licenses to purchase or renew your hunting license today.