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About AWR Hawkins: AWR Hawkins writes for all the HUGE sites, for Pajamas Media, for RedCounty.com, for Townhall.com and now AmmoLand Shooting Sports News.

His southern drawl is frequently heard discussing his take on current events on radio shows like America’s Morning News, the G. Gordon Liddy Show, the Ken Pittman Show, and the NRA’s Cam & Company, among others. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal (summer 2010), and he holds a PhD in military history from Texas Tech University.

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Monday, March 5, 2012

For nearly 50 years, Kansas senior citizens have not had to pay a dime to hunt or fish in the state. but that will all change next year if the legislature passes a bill working its way through Topeka.

The law would give seniors two options. First, would be a seperate, yearly charge of about $9 plus fees for each. if a person wanted to hunt and fish, it would be $18. the second option would be to buy a lifetime combination license for $40.

Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Spokesperson Marc Murrell says the department is losing more money every year because of the baby boomer generation reaching retirement age.

“In the last five years, the number of deer permits issued to people over 65 has increased 25 percent,” Murrell said. “Fishing is similar, so we lose money and that means we can’t stock lakes and ponds as well as we have in the past.”

At Sedgwick County Park on Monday, many anglers were vocal about the plan.

“What they need to do,” said Rudy Salas, 65, “is charge the youngers under 65 a dollar or two more. They won’t gripe about that because they already said they wouldn’t.”

But John France, 65, said there doesn’t seem to be enough enforcement for the people who do have to pay.

“You know as well as I do, most of these guys fishing around here don’t have their license anyway, or even their trout stamps,” France said.

Meanwhile, Sean Baker is only in his 40s. He agrees that seniors shouldn’t have to pay.

“I would pay more because these folks have been around a lot longer than I have. They’ve earned their dues. I’m still middle age, so I don’t mind spending the extra money.”

But Murrell reminds everyone that the department doesn’t get a dime from the state general fund. the entire program is funded by user fees.

“We’re not trying to target these people, ” Murrell said. “But expecting them to pay for their fair share, we don’t feel, is out of line.”

By Robert DeWittOutdoors Writer Published: Sunday, January 1, 2012 at 3:30 a.m. last Modified: Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 11:54 p.m.

When I married Regina, I knew I wasn’t getting a hunting or fishing companion. in the almost 28 years we have been married, she has neither shot nor caught one single thing with me. Her only fishing trip with me finished abruptly in violent nausea.

I took Regina with me to the skeet range once. she conceded only because it was either my birthday or Father’s Day. I insisted she shoot once and let her shoot a .410 shell through my heavy tube gun. It’s about like shooting an air rifle.

She shot once, claimed it kicked too hard and questioned if she could sit down now that she had shot. I obliged.

Needless to say, Regina hasn’t been a factor in the hunting trips I’ve taken here and there. Hunting trips can be taken in really nice settings. an elk or mule deer trip to the Rockies might certainly appeal to a nonhunter. And she’d certainly have loved the dove shooting foray to Argentina with its stayover in elegant Buenos Aries.

But most of my shooting has been in flat, fertile farmlands or swamps. I absolutely love being in places like that. Watching the sun rise or set over an endless agricultural field is pleasant and peaceful to me. seeing how people use and live off of the land fascinates me.

Women tend to prefer mountains and beaches to prairie or delta farmlands. I just couldn’t see Regina sharing my appreciation for the raw power of large four-wheel drive tractors or how the rice farmer contoured the levies.

And a lot of times, I’m somebody’s guest at a hunting camp. We’re talking about a Butler building with bunk beds or a trailer that still has the original avocado or harvest gold appliances from the 1970s. Not only are the accommodations dubious, but the privacy is in small supply.

But last year, my son, Bob, and I returned from a duck hunt out of Blue Bank Resort on Reelfoot Lake with reports of pleasant accommodations and good food, and that must have caught Regina’s attention. And she was envious that it had snowed on us just a couple of days before Christmas.

So this year when I mentioned that I would be heading back to Reelfoot, Regina suggested she tag along. I was hesitant, to say the least.

I already had one woman to worry about. Bob got to go last year and my daughter, Amelia, was jealous when she heard about him getting a nice hotel room with maid service to sleep in and a covered blind with a heater in it. During her last hunting trip with me, we stayed in a warm and dry but hardly luxurious duck camp trailer and hunted in freezing water up to our butts after a 30-minute ride in an open boat in 16-degree weather.

Bob graciously agreed to give her the luxury hunt while he would rough it in Arkansas with me later in the year. I wasn’t worried about Amelia, because she likes to hunt. but I had no idea what Regina would do.

Blue Bank is located in northwest Tennessee between Tiptonville and Samburg. Now, Tiptonville is about like Gordo without the bustling central business district. And it looks like a metropolis next to Samburg.

There’s a nice state park along the lake’s banks, but it appears closed during the winter months. The rest of the area, with the exception of Blue Bank, has sort of a makeshift fish camp look to it. Place plainly, it looks like the entire area is populated by middle-aged bachelors. There are a couple of other neatly kept motels that look like they were built in the ’60s, but there are also a lot of trailers and fishermen’s cottages.

So I wasn’t sure exactly what Regina was going to do once she had ridden through more than 20 miles of 2-mile-long soybean fields and seen the wonders of downtown Tiptonville. but after a blunt description of daily life and scenery around Reelfoot Lake in the middle of winter, Regina seemed undaunted.

I got to thinking about it and it seemed like a really good time to take my wife on a hunting trip. Staying at Blue Bank wouldn’t be roughing it.

“I’m really trying to bring on that part of my business,” said Blue Bank owner Mike Hayes. “I want my hunters and fishermen. That’s my bread and butter. but I want a place you can bring your wife and feel comfortable doing it.”

About 25 to 30 percent of Blue Bank’s business is married couples who hunt and fish together, Hayes said. but anglers and hunters want to bring along wives and family members who don’t hunt.

“we have to have something for them to do,” Hayes said. “we have to have some entertainment. we need to have a place to sit out on the deck and watch wildlife or enjoy the pool.”

Hayes is working on eagle trips. Bald eagles are plentiful on the shallow lake that was formed by the New Madrid Earthquake 200 years ago.

“You’ve got to go out on the water to really see the scenery,” Hayes said.

But wildlife watching around the lodge was fun. big, fat fox squirrels, with uniform red coats like little British soldiers scrambled around in the cypress trees. Corn and other feed had been thrown out on the grounds and in the water of a nearby cove, attracting wild mallards.

Unlike some of the other accommodations around Reelfoot, Blue Bank has some eye appeal that women appreciate. The restaurant has a really nice view of the lake and boat docks. The grounds, dotted with ancient cypress trees, are nicely kept with annual flowers planted in the beds around the lodge. it was also lit up for Christmas, and all of that gave Regina a pretty favorable first impression.

Blue Bank is mostly a summer fishing resort. The weather was rainy and the pool had long been closed. it wasn’t exactly the kind of weather Regina likes to sit outside in. There is a hot tub, but she didn’t bring a bathing suit.

Our room was a suite that overlooked the lake and it featured a Jacuzzi tub. The bathroom had a window in it so she could sit in the Jacuzzi, soak and look out over the lake. The bedroom featured queen-sized bed for us and a bunk for Amelia.

What I hadn’t really anticipated was that Regina was just looking for a silent place to get away. She’s a hard-working information technology professional, and just some silent down time was welcome.

As it turned out, she was happy to spend the day sleeping late, soaking in the tub, watching Christmas movies on television and wrapping a few Christmas presents. she even got a kick out of how simple it was to go into Tiptonville and mail some Christmas cards. going to a small-town post office was a pleasure after dealing with long lines in Tuscaloosa.

The second day after the hunt, we rode over to the Missouri boot heel just to say we’d been to that state and then went down to Memphis so Amelia could use a gift certificate from Bass Pro Shops.

For someone who wanted to introduce a more adventurous woman to duck hunting, I couldn’t think of a much better situation. Guide Billy Blakely uses a wide, stable aluminum boat to get hunters to and from the blind. The ride can be cold and wet but it’s not terribly long. The blinds are big, roomy, dry and warm.

Billy keeps a propane space heater running to keep the cold out and there’s a propane range where he or his assistant cooks up a hot breakfast for everyone. There’s plenty to eat and drink. If it’s raining, he stands outside and watches for birds while the hunters lounge in the warm, dry blind if they like.

Bathroom accommodations are nonexistent. but any woman who can handle a primitive camping trip can probably deal with the duck blind. The boat shed behind the blind provides privacy.

Most guys are pretty happy with chili, stew and burgers in a hunting camp. That’s not exactly girl food. That was something else that made Blue Bank a more wife-friendly hunting destination.

The restaurant’s Monterrey Chicken was good enough that Regina ordered it two nights in a row. She’s a nut for fried mushrooms and gave theirs high marks. And she liked their signature strawberry butter so much she tried to recreate it when she got home.

There will always be hunting trips just for the guys, filled with whiskey, cigar smoke and Vienna sausages. but there are times and places where a wife, even one that doesn’t hunt, fits in just fine.

SEARCY — after Charlie Howell met Kim Norton at church in south Mississippi nearly 25 years ago, the two men started taking regular fishing trips to the marshes off Louisiana’s coast. the friends lost touch a few years later when Howell moved to Searcy and Norton moved to Nebraska.

Two years ago, Howell was steering his boat to a boat launch in Chalmette, La., when he saw a familiar man cleaning fish on the dock.

“I yelled Charlie’s name and nearly frightened him to death,” Norton said. “He must have thought the game warden was after him or something.”

Following their chance reunion, the 56-year old men have picked up their old pastime of navigating the Gulf Coast marshlands for redfish. But this time, their sport is competitive.

This year, the two-man fishing team — dubbed the Salt Hawgs — competed in the Louisiana Salt Water Fishing Series and the Inshore Fishing Association’s Redfish Tour. They are currently the only team from Arkansas in either series. Over the summer, the Salt Hawgs gained some recognition in the winner’s circle.

Howell and Norton were set for first place at the IFA’s tournament at Grand Aisle, La., in August. A penalty for a dead fish knocked them back to sixth place out of 60 teams. They finished 15th in the IFA Louisiana division and earned ninth place for “Team of the Year” in the LSWFS.

Howell said placing in the top 10 is no small feat; competitive redfishing is a game of strict rules and scrutiny by the judges. in a traditional tournament, each two-member team embarks on an eight-hour quest for the perfect redfish on two consecutive days. the catch: Teams are only allowed to return with two fish between 16 and 27 inches long each day. if a fish is even one hundredth of an inch over the maximum length, it is disqualified.

“You’re trying to find the heaviest fish under 27 inches,” Howell said. “These fish can weigh upward of 60 pounds and be over 45 inches long.”

Despite the upset of catching fish that are just a small too big, most competitors are thankful for the tournament’s guidelines. if the game allowed the over sized “bull” redfish found further out in the Gulf, teams with smaller boats and average budgets would be put at a disadvantage, Howell said.

“You’ve got a lot more people with a 20-foot boat and one engine than people with a 30-foot boat that has two or three engines,” he said.

It isn’t unusual for the duo to make 150-mile jaunts across the Gulf on the hunt for redfish, while adhering to the eight-hour time frame.

“You’re running the boat for four hours, fishing for four hours,” Howell said. “We’ve made runs across the open water from Grand Aisle, La., to Venice, where the Mississippi River runs out to the Gulf.”

Days before the start of a tournament, Howell and Norton “pre-fish” spots to determine where the most — and the fattest — redfish are biting.

But, it’s not always a far run to the fat fish.

“Last year, we fished within a rock’s throw from the blast-off site at the Lake Charles, La., Saltwater tournament and finished seventh,” Norton said. “It was the first time either of us fished that area.”

“You’ll catch a small bit of everything, though,” Howell said. “We find a lot of black drum fish, speckled trout and largemouth bass. … we toss everything back.”

Recently, when the Salt Hawgs were fishing prior to the Nov. 4-5 IFA Championship in Chalmette, Howell’s lure ensnared an unlikely catch — a belligerent alligator, which they quickly cut free from the line.

The alligator was an arguable unlucky omen: during the second day of the tournament, the team weathered a small bad luck at the judge’s station when one of their fish measured in at one-sixteenth of an inch too long and was disqualified, leaving the team with a total of three fish instead of four.

Norton said he measured and re-measured the fish before coming to shore and knew it was the perfect length. A couple other anglers, who had previously experienced the same bum luck, explained the mystery.

“When a fish is initially caught, all its muscles are tensed up,” Norton said. “Over the course of the time it takes to get to shore, the muscles relax, and the fish can lengthen by centimeters.”

The Salt Hawgs finished the tournament 55th out of 102 teams.

“We didn’t do bad for only weighing in three fish,” Howell said. “We just had a bad day all around. Kim’s motor was acting up, and then, when we went to leave for the day, his trailer tire was flat. the only thing that could make the day worse for him was if LSU lost to Alabama.”

Norton is the saltwater division manager for Bomber Saltwater Grade, a company that designs fishing lures. He considers himself lucky for having a job that puts him so close to his lifelong passion for fishing.

When he and Howell are on fishing trips, Norton is able to talk to other anglers about his company’s fishing gear, as well as listen to their needs and suggestions about products.

Norton said he hopes more Arkansas anglers get involved in angling for redfish to experience the fun of inshore fishing.

“If you like bass fishing, you are going to really like redfishing,” he said. “There are a lot of similarities. Bass tackle works just fine; you use low-profile casting reels and similar lures.”

As opposed to the crowded freshwater lakes of bass fishing, the marshes of Louisiana are usually free of other anglers, he said.

Though Norton sees his and Howell’s fishing trips as a marketing opportunity, his right purpose is simply enjoying his favorite pastime — fishing in the Gulf with his old buddy Charlie.

this article was published November 27, 2011 at 3:41 a.m.

Three Rivers, Pages 119 on 11/27/2011

TRI-LAKES AREA — When a friend of mine re cent ly hooked his first yellow bass, he was in for a surprise. The hook set provoked extraordinary resistance. Line zizzed off his ultralight reel. His rod doubled over.

“I’ve hooked a excellent ’un,” he proclaimed.

The outcome was never certain. The angler gained line. The fish took it back. The angler reeled. The fish resisted. I watched, smiling, as the 200-pound man struggled to land a fish the size of an aspirin bottle.

Persistence and skill paid off. two minutes into round 1, my heavyweight buddy KO’ed his flyweight opponent. as he swung his “excellent ’un” into the boat, a puzzled grimace jumped on his face.

“What the heck is that?” he asked.

“Yellow bass,” I answered.

“Do they get any larger than that?” he queried.

“’Bout twice that size.”

“Are there many of them in here?”

“Then the crappie fishing’s over.”

A hundred yellow bass later, my friend proclaimed it “the most fun day of fishing” he’d ever had.

If you require hefty fish for your angling jollies, read no further. Yellow bass won’t interest you. Most weigh mere ounces. Record-class fish are barely heavier than 2 pounds.There are unsubstantiated rumors of 5-pounders, but a 3-pounder caught and released by Wisconsin fisheries biologists is the largest yellow bass officially documented. The Arkansas state record caught in Gillham Lake in 2009 weighed 2 pounds, 2 ounces.

Size isn’t everything, of course. If you enjoy fish-a minute fun on ultralight tackle, these scrappy small fighters can keep you pleased for hours on end. Yellow bass are so abundant in some waters, catching 100 or more a day is a snap. their small size belies their militant fighting ability, and when glamour fish get lockjaw, yellow bass can turn a potentially dismal fishing trip into a delightful one.

Yellow bass (Morone mississippiensis) are right bass,close relatives of white bass, striped bass and hybrid stripers. Whites and yellows are sometimes confused but easily distinguished by examining the two dorsal fins. on yellow bass, the fins are slightly connected by a thin membrane; the fins are separate on whites. both species have distinct black stripes on the sides, but on yellow bass, the lines are broken and offset above the anal fin.

The common name is appropriate yet understated. The fish have a rich golden hue about their sides, which transforms to glistening topaz on pre-spawn males. Colors are less pronounced on juveniles and fish from turbid water.

Yellow-bass nicknames are colorful as well. In the rivers and oxbows of east Arkansas, they’re barfish, an appellation said to have originated from the species’ tendency to congregate on shallow sandbars near dawn and dusk. In other parts of the yellow bass’s range, anglers use such monikers as brassy bass, yellow jack, stripe, gold bass, yellow perch, striped jack, streak and streaker.

Yellow bass reside principally in Arkansas’ Mississippi, lower Arkansas and Red river drainages, where the fish inhabit quiet pools and backwaters of large rivers, reservoirs and natural lakes. They are scattered in occurrence. a lake here, a river there, offers excellent yellow bass fishing, but many others in the same area may not.

Among the many Arkansas waters where the fish seem unusually abundant are Lake Chicot in Chicot County, Horseshoe Lake in Crittenden County, Mallard Lake in Mississippi County, Lake Enterprise in Ashley County and backwaters of the Arkansas River from Small Rock to points downstream.

Yellow bass rarely exhibit the surface-feeding sprees for which their white bass relatives are well-known but often feed on small crustaceans, insects and fish in mid-depths or near the surface. Deep, open water is a common haunt, especially at midday, but adults feed in shallow water early and late in the day and are often caught around stumps, weed beds, riprap, cypress knees and brush.

Many lures and natural baits are productive. One of the best is a small lead-head jig — 1/100- to 1/32-ouncedressed with a marabou, tinsel or tube skirt. Live worms, crickets and small minnows are also effective, and glide-fishing with small streamers or wet flies will produce outstanding catches of yellow bass in prime fishing waters.

Fishing with ultralight tackle heightens the enjoyment of catching these neglected panfish. Yellow bass fight like big bull bluegills, and when you’re playing a yellow bass in on a whippy spinning rod or jigging pole, its scrappy, circleand-run fighting style may sucker you (like my buddy) into thinking you’ve hooked a much larger fish. Two-pound test line would seem appropriate, despite their spunk, but barfish often streak round and round underwater cover such as cypress knees and snags. I usually opt for 6- to 8-pound mono and can account for more of my lures, and more fish, at the end of the day.

There’s no offseason for yellow bass. In spring and early summer, adults spawn over gravel bars, sandbars or rock reefs in water only a few feet deep. Huge schools may congregate in small areas at this time, and a properly placed bait rarely goes untouched. During summer’s heat, the largest yellows often follow schools of young shad. Watch for tiny bait fish skipping near the surface, and cast to them with small lures. near dawn and dusk, shallow structure produces, especially rocky edges and bars.

Fall is my favorite yellow bass-fishing season, and trolling or drift fishing with small jigs is my favorite way for finding schools. Start by using a variety of jigs rigged at different depths. For instance, use four poles, setting two jigs 2 feet deep and two at 6 feet. use various sizes and colors – some 1/32-ounce, some 1/64, some black, some yellow, some silver. This allows you to test different baits and depths until a pattern is established.

When you ascertain that yellow bass favor a certain depth or jig style, then rig all poles to conform to that preference. This same method works on winter yellow bass as well.

Considering their sporty aggressiveness and their abundance in some waters, yellow bass would seem to demand more respect than they usually get. Nevertheless, most anglers pay small attention to these fish, preferring instead to fish for largemouths, crappie, bream, catfish or other popular species.

Obscurity can’t efface the first-class sporting qualities of these spunky game fish, though. Yellow bass offer a wealth of entertainment value. Before you pass them by, remember the adage “Excellent things often come in small packages.”

This article was published November 20, 2011 at 3:33 a.m.

Tri-Lakes, Pages 138 on 11/20/2011

BOILING SPRINGS — Matt Arey has seen big paydays on the FLW Tour but he’s still the same friendly guy who grew up on Moss Lake.

In fact, speaking at a Gardner-Webb Fishing Club meeting Thursday, he admitted he was envious of the opportunity the GWU kids had to be part of such a group. Arey graduated from N.C. State in 2003, right before the school’s fishing club started.

While he offered specific suggestions for fishing, Arey had an overarching message for the audience.

“always fish with an open mind,” Arey said. “Don’t get caught up on doing the same thing.”

Arey can remember growing up on Moss Lake and fishing out of the paddle boat his father bought. he would get his mother to take pictures of him with the fish he caught.

“I was addicted to bass fishing from the start,” he said.

At the Gardner-Webb gathering, he took students and others from the community outside for a casting demonstration, then shared his personal story to end the night.

He spoke of teaching himself to fish through books and television shows. Arey also offered simple advice: “Concentrate on what you’re trying to hit, not what you’re trying to miss.”

Throughout the casting demonstration, he answered questions from the audience enthusiastically. And during his talk, Arey, a 1999 Shelby High graduate, repeatedly urged the students to call on his cell phone if they needed fishing advice.

“It’s awesome that he was able to come, for him to take time out of everything he’s got going to help us,” said GWU junior health care management major Erica Morrow.

In 2005, Arey joined the FLW Tour as a co-angler. a year later, he was a co-angler with friends and fellow local anglers Bryan Thrift and Andy Montgomery. To cap that season, he won the prestigious Forrest Wood Cup and Montgomery was second.

Arey’s rookie year as a boater on the FLW Tour was 2007. he finished fifth at the season-opening Beaver Lake event in Arkansas this year and was 27th in the season standings.

“Winning tournaments is nice,” Arey said. “Consistency is what really builds your career.”

He said the things he has accomplished wouldn’t have been possible without the support of his wife and parents.

Arey cautioned fishers against catching everything in practice or always relying on the same spots.

And for a guy with such success as a professional, Arey knows he can still improve.

“Every day on the water is a learning experience,” he said.

Don Olive of Kings Mountain, a faculty adviser for the group, enjoyed the event and is glad to see so much involvement in the GWU Fishing Club.

“It was a fantastic chance to meet a pro and get some tips,” Olive said.

LAKE DARDANELLE — The sixth annual Arkansas Tech University Invitational bass tournament adds another item to the outdoorsman’s already full calendar of eventsfor October. The tourney, which has hooked college fishing teams from across the United States, is slated for Friday and Saturday, launching from Lake Dardanelle State Park in Russellville.

“At this time, we already have 25 boats entered,” said Christy Austin, co-adviser of the ATU Fishing Club with Cathi McMahan.

Austin listed the University of Arkansas, the University of Arkansas at Small Rock, Henderson State University and Arkansas Tech University as some of the in-state schools that will be represented. Anglers will also travel to Dardanelle from out-of-state schools such as the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Sam Houston State University, Midwestern State University and the University of Iowa, she said.

The event is co-sponsored by the ATU Fishing Club and the Russellville Advertising and Promotion Commission. Christie Graham, commission director, hailedthe tournament for its significance to the area.

“This tournament is coming at a good time of the year. It’s busy around here, and this event brings just that much more economic impact into our community,” Graham said. “This tournament also means more than just economic impact, though, and we are glad to be the host for other kids who are coming from other states to our area, bringing an awareness of our college, our lake and our community.”

As with the invitational tournament, the ATU Fishing Club has made some big ripples on the Tech campus and in Russellville and the surrounding Arkansas River Valley.

Austin, who works in the parks, recreation and hospitality administration department at Tech, along with Mc-Mahan, has witnessed growth in the university’s program, the tournament and collegiatebass fishing as a whole since the club’s inception half a decade ago.

“I have been an adjunct instructor at ATU for 14 years, and I started the ATU Fishing Club in 2006 with only seven members,” Austin said. “Now, we have more than 40 active members.”

Austin then added that the student anglers currently compete in three circuits – College BASS, BoatUS and FLW College Fishing.

Like the Tech program’s growth, that of the college competition bass fishing scene has been exponential. Austin remembers when Jerry McKinnis began the College BASS tour with less than 10 schools competing. now, more than 250 colleges and universities field teams, and many of the schools have more than one team.

Tournaments such as Tech’s Invitational, Austin said, fill a void for some students.

“There are students who have that competitive nature, and they may not play basketball, football or softball,” she said, “but they still have that competitive nature. this is a way they can compete at something they like, whether against teammates in qualifiers or against other schools in the tournaments.”

As with many other collegiate activities, students must maintain a 2.00 grade-point average and a full academic load to keep their fishing eligibility. With that, and the exposure of these events in national magazines and on national websites and television networks such as ESPN, Fox Sports and versus, Austin said she has stressed to her student anglers what this experience means to them – and to children watching them.

“This provides a forum for them to be good examples tothe younger anglers,” she said. “I tell them, ‘I’m a mom. I’m a teacher, but you are cool.’ The kids watch them on these programs fishing or at weigh-ins in their fancy jerseys and want to be these college students.”

Plus, the tournaments serve as a way to network with people from across the country, something that Austin said can come back to serve the competitors in their professional and personal lives later on.

Putting their best cast forward, members of the ATU Fishing Club are active in the community through assisting with fishing derbies; speaking about fishing, boating and conservation topics at area schools; and reading books to school-age children. The club, along with Arvest Bank, serves as co-sponsor of a bass tournament that annually benefits the Pope/Yell County Relay for Life.

“My reward for being their adviser is watching the freshmen come in, fish for four years, get their degrees and go on to get jobs and start families,” Austin said, stressing that club events like the invitational would not be possible without the support of Graham, Lake Dardanelle State Park Superintendent Andy Thomas, local merchants, the university and countless volunteers.

As her life’s boat continues to float toward other endeavors, Austin said she still cannot believe the metamorphosis that the ATU Fishing Club and college bass fishing have undergone.

“It is overwhelming. I’m emotional. I never dreamed that small vision I had back then would grow into something as big as it is,” Austin said, noting that her only regret is that her father, who died in 2004, is not along for the ride. “My daughter will be 15 in December. She’s grown up with this, seeing that if you study and keep your gradesup, you can get your college education and still have fun.”

Austin’s daughter, Katie, is active in soccer, volleyball and basketball, keeping her mother on the go. so, Austin, who said she has found “special blessings” in the last year through time with family and friends, is thankful that ATU Fishing Club officers, volunteers and others involved with the program (including her mother, Kathy Austin, whom she hailed as her “fantastic sounding board”) have stepped up to give her the free time needed to attend her daughter’s activities. those people, in turn, are thankful for Austin and what she has done at Tech.

For instance, Donnie Cobb, Austin’s boss at Ridout Lumber co. in Russellville and a program supporter since the beginning, said, “She founded the Arkansas Tech Fishing Club. it was the first one [of its kind] in Arkansas. she has place in a lot of hard work and organized alot of different tournaments for the club, worked with BASS and FLW and is very knowledgeable about the fishing industry. she has represented Tech well, and she’s always looking for some way to advance her club. She’s been good for the school, for the anglers, for everything.”

For more information on the Arkansas Tech University Invitational or the ATU Fishing Club, contact Christy Austin at (479) 880-6044.

Staff writer James K. Joslin can be reached at (501) 399-3693 or .

this article was published October 16, 2011 at 2:57 a.m.

River Valley Ozark, Pages 153 on 10/16/2011

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Published: Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 12:14 a.m. last Modified: Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 12:14 a.m.

Labor Day weekend was for college football, barbecues and R&R, but not fishing.

Fishermen were scarce on Central Florida lakes for the holiday, and judging by reports, they didn’t miss much.

Bass aren’t following the calendar, as the dog dogs have extended into September.

Even Lake Kissimmee has been disappointing for both size and numbers on bass, with the largest fish in a weekend tournament 4.90 pounds and no stringers more than 20 pounds, a rarity.

Bluegill are finally winding down after a superb spring and summer, starting to move to open-water shell bars. the full moon on Monday could produce a final wave of action in the lily pads, but it’s iffy.

The next good bite is likely to be for speckled perch.

Panfish anglers are switching gears from bluegill and crickets to specks and minnows.

Specks are running small in the early going on most lakes, with Kissimmee being the exception.

“The specks will be the next thing coming on,” said Leo Cosce at Camp Lester. “Excellent quality specks are going to be biting soon.”

Specks will start picking up as the water temperature starts to fall. It’s in the mid-80s this week, but cooler mornings and shorter nights are taking effect, and the first cold front could kick things off.

ELITE SERIES SCHEDULE

B.A.S.S. announced the 2012 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule for 2012 last week.

The tour includes two stops in Florida, but not on the Kissimmee Chain.

The seventh tournament of the season will be June 28 to July 1 at a mystery lake, like the first six Classics were.

The seventh Elite Series season opens with the 42nd annual Bassmaster Classic Feb. 24-26 on the Red River at Shreveport, La.

Brothers Chris and Bobby Lane of Lakeland will be back on the tour, and both qualified for the Classic.

The first regular-season Elite Series event is on the St. Johns River at Palatka March 15-18. the second stop is on Lake Okeechobee out of Okeechobee March 22-25.

From Florida, the tour moves to Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas April 19-22. Then it’s on to Douglas Lake in Tennessee may 3-6, followed by Toledo Bend Reservoir at many, La., June 7-10.

The sixth event is June 21-24 on the Mississippi River at La Crosse, Wis.

Following the mystery lake, the eighth and final tournament is Aug. 23-26 on Oneida Lake at Syracuse, N.Y.

ONE-DAY SQUADRON CLASS ON SEPT. 24

The Lakeland Sail and Power Squadron will teach its “America’s Boating Course” in one day on Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Kelly Recreation Center in Lakeland.

The class is from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The cost is $35 and includes materials.

Pre-registration is required, and seating is limited. Pre-register at lobby of Kelly Rec on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, or Sept. 15 from 5-8 p.m.

For information, call 863-667-9047 or check lakelandsailandpower.info.

Keith Howlett and Joe Magnatta ruled the Sunday Open Series tournament on the south Winter Haven chain Sunday with 23 pounds. Ismael Garcia Jr. and Ismael Garcia Sr. finished second with 19 pounds, with the senior Garcia netting a 5-pound, 13-ounce fish for huge-bass honors. Howard and Troy Tucker placed third with 15 1/2 pounds.

Kenny Trimble won the Camp Mack Open Saturday on the Kissimmee Chain with 18.75 pounds and the largest bass at 4.90 pounds. Larry West finished second with 14.70 pounds.

Alan Thompson and Jerry Harvey teamed up to win the Mosaic Bass Club’s season-ending classic Saturday on Lake Reedy with six bass totaling 15.66 pounds. Dennis Kilgore and Kimmie Ownby placed second with 14.82 pounds thanks to Ownby’s 4.77-pounder. Johnny Cisneros and Ismael Garcia were third with 14.28 pounds.

Michael Boswell and Dustin Bozeman won the Bartow High School Yellow Jackets Fishing Team’s Reedy Rumble on Saturday at Lake Reedy with 13.72 pounds, including Boswell’s 3.29-pounder for huge-fish honors. Cody Glowner was second with 5.17 pounds. Luke Ferguson and Tate Seger placed third with 3.86 pounds, followed by Brett Warren and Hunter Sullivan (2.55 pounds), and C.J. Wright and Zach Prevatte (1.16).

Ismael Garcia Jr. and Ismael Garcia Sr. won the Ron’s Tackle Box evening tournament on Eagle Lake last Thursday with 9 pounds, 13 ounces. Jack Alward and Willard Combee placed second with 9 pounds, 1 ounce. Terry Jones had 8 pounds, 2 ounces for third. Chad Bechard’s 3-pound, 9-ouncer was tops.

Will Evans and Darrell Cranor combined for 23.70 pounds to win the No Trashin’ Just Bassin’ tournament on the Kissimmee Chain Aug. 20. Wesley Wise and Derek Moore took second with 20.65 pounds, followed by Eric Conant and Monte Goodman with 18.30 pounds. Tim Williams won the huge-bass pot with a 9.50-pounder.

[ Del Milligan's freshwater fishing column appears Thursdays in the Ledger. he can be reached at del.milligan@theledger.com or 863-802-7555. Milligan's blog, Central Florida Fishology, can be found at theledger.com home page. ]