Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) biologists in north-central Arkansas recently partnered with other agencies to improve fishing opportunities on Norfork and Table Rock lakes.
As part of a $275,000 grant from the National Fish Habitat Partnership using funds donated by Bass Pro Shops, AGFC teamed up with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to add fish structure around the Cranfield Access on Norfork Lake. The project aimed to remove cedar trees to restore glade habitat and provide fish structure for bank anglers to target. During the project, 108 large cedar trees were cut by the USACE and sunk by AGFC staff at 24 new sites around the Cranfield Public Use Area. The majority of the new sites are within casting distance from the bank and should provide better shoreline fishing for crappie, bass and sunfish this spring and summer.
A second habitat project took place on the Long Creek/Cricket Creek arm of the Table Rock Lake in Arkansas. AGFC and Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) biologists began a project to replenish the existing fish attractors and create new brush piles. Nine of the eighteen piles have been refreshed, and another four new piles have been established. The project is expected to be completed this month.
The AGFC acknowledges partnering with other agencies has helped add more fish structure than would have been possible by one agency. The AGFC also thanks the National Fish Habitat Partnerships and Bass Pro Shops for providing funding that purchased the new habitat barge and skid-steer which was used on the Norfork Lake project and will be used on many future habitat projects.
Brush pile coordinates for both projects will soon be available for download on the AGFC Fish Attractors page or for viewing on the AGFC online interactive map.
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