Arkansas Catfishing Association (ACA)

(Registered)

501c(7) & Tax ID   

Vol

M o n t h l y   N e w s l e t t e r

Our New Decal (for auto or boat):

TM

From the:  Design Group mlrdesigns@sbcglobal.net

Be sure to “check-out” Randy Naylor’s boat by MLR Design’s Group Tony Wickliffe at the next tournament.  The decals are available to purchase at-cost of only $3.00 from Randy or Lee.  The decal’s design pattern from the Design Group belongs to the ACA, and the Design Group will be producing the decals for us. 

(Page Setup – Text Body:  Word 03,1 inch.  Top, bottom, left & right margins body w/ Courier New, 12 pitch with Bold Print as 14)

Our Motto:

Rod and Reel, Catch and Release, Alive and Well

TM

NOTE:  Your patch may also be sewed onto a pennant and therefore be our burgee and flown on the boat possibly on the bow denoting our association, or the association steering committee may order a burgee pennant at minimal cost from a known source (more later). Your feedback is solicited.  Remember, this is a “we” association and not an “I” or your board of officers.  The patch is a little large for a cap, but may be sewed-on.  We recommend a blue cap ‘without a logo’ (hard to find now-a-days). 

President’s Message: We’ve reached a major milestone by having our first tournament! Roger and his staff of the Jolly Roger Marina at Lake Maumelle were most receptive and accommodating while welcoming the ACA with genuine enthusiasm.  The expression “the worst day fishing is better than the best day at work” (not home because ACA is family oriented) was definitely the tournament results, not only for ACA’s catfishing but the hundreds of folks that were bass fishing as well.  Our three newest ACA’s members are welcomed and they also participated in the tournament: Cynthia Naylor, Paul Schweyer and Mark Hester.  Randy and Cynthia Naylor’s designer ACA boat with the ACA’s decal “larger than life” is the epitome of the ACA’s recognizable image.  Their already acquired catfishing knowledge and sincere thirst for expanding their catfishing skills are noteworthy to highlight for all of us to emulate. The open and free sharing of catfishing ways and means is paramount to our growth potential and worth.

  James White’s article “Let’s take this gas price thing in our hands” of the Harrison Daily Times, May 4, 2008 has just been emailed to all email addressees.  A copy is enclosed for snail mail.  Your board of officers and the parliamentarian have and are maintaining focus as to what can be done for your association to be more attractive for members and to achieve greater attendance at tournaments while reducing the cost factor.  We have studied the article and the current global especially the local economy and have determined that we must do what we can to reduce and offset “this gas price thing.” Therefore we now envision the ACA of not only having tournaments throughout the state singularly, but geographically also such as sectors.  AGFC have hunting and fishing zones, all of which are different.  We decided that we could add to the confusion by dividing the state into eight (8) “sectors” that would allow for local diversification with ample catfishing bodies of water: 1-NW, 2-NC, 3-NE; 4-WC, 5-C, 6-EC; and 7-SW and 8-SE. See the enclosed map in general sectors outline, with exact boundaries to be later defined. Each sector would be a sub-chapter of the association, with a chair and plan their own local tournaments.  We will still have the ACA’s monthly association tournaments February through October with the Big Cat Classic in early November at Lake Dardanelle.  Any member may still attend any statewide tournament, hence, no change to that factor.  To qualify for the Big Cat Classic a rule will be added:  Any member winning (

  We look forward to a successful next tournament at Lake Norfolk on Saturday, June 7, 2008, and meet everyone in friendly and sporting-recreational and competitive catfishing.

James Freeman, 2008/9, 870 810-3294, big_vato98@yahoo.com

Regular Membership Information:  Regular (annual) membership cost is only $20.00.  For an ACA Application Form, Constitution and Bylaws, the Rules and Regulations, and, local conditions and information contact the ACA President James Freeman of Pocahontas 870 810-3294 big_vato98@yahoo.com , V-Pres/Acting Treasurer John Freeman of Pocahontas 870 758-0190 john_p_19@yahoo.com  or Juan Diaz of Pocahontas, 870 758-0039 fmdiaz_01@yahoo.com , or the Coordinator-Parliamentarian Lee Fields of Russellville 479 331-0399 leefields@centurytel.net .  Tournament fee is $50.00 with 80 percent payouts for up to four places with 13 or more boats.  Optional Big Catfish is $20.00 with 100 percent payout.

Association Membership Information: Excerpt from the Constitution (Purpose) and Bylaws (Article III – Member, Section 2, B.): “Associate members shall be spouses, children under the age of 16, legally common-law, significant others, relatives or prospective members. They shall pay no dues.  They may attend meetings as observers, and accompany their regular members in tournament boats as observers if meeting all legal requirements but without fishing or assisting, or, perception of impropriety.  They shall have no other membership rights but may join a committee as an ad hoc committee member and support the association in that capacity.”

Our approved “rather large’ association patch/burgee (page 2) is available at “below cost” of $6.00.  The $6.00 may be added to your membership application and one will be sent to you postage free separately by Lee Fields or they will also be available at tournaments.

“Planned” Tournaments (in brief by dates): 

(Added: AGFC’s Keith Stephens’ weekly Arkansas Outdoors eNewsletters list our tournaments.)

June  7 –      Lake Norfolk (day)

July 26 –      Bull Shoals (night)

Aug  23 & 24 – Lakes Millwood and Earling in SW AR (days)

Sep  13  -     AR River, Cherokee Landing, Morrilton (day)

Oct  18 -      AR River, Ozark Taylor Lock & Dam (day)

Nov   1 -      Lake Dardanelle (The Big Cat Classic) with

               Keith “Catfish” Sutton’s book signing session.

Dec   6 -      Annual General Membership Meeting, Awards Ceremony and Banquet probably in the Little Rock (Central Sector).  Keith “Catfish” Sutton is the Guest of Honor and Awards Presenter.

Pre-registration is allowed (see 2008 Rules).  Registration will normally begin one hour prior to starting time and run for 45 minutes.  Launching time will be determined by the earliest time possible commensurate with the local tournament location and conditions.  Check-in times will also be determined at different locations primarily due to circumstances at those locations.

Tournaments with all the available information at this newsletter release date and time:

June 7 - Lake Norfork, and hosted by ACA member Tim Partin of the Hwy 101 Grocery & Bait, Gamaliel AR 72537, 870 467-5223 or 866 746-5596, Hwy101grobait@hotmail.com , website: www.101groceryandbait.com , and sponsored in part by the Lake Norfolk Chamber of Commerce.  Lake Norfolk has a rule that live (and therefore cut bait) must come from Lake Norfork and can only be purchased at an authorized bait shop.  Of course worms, liver, artificial lures, or etc. is not included in that legality.  Next door to Tim's business is the Hickory Hills Resort, 3553 Hwy 101 North, Gamaliel, AR 72537, 870 467-5255, website: www.hickoryhillsresort.net .  They have six cabins fully furnished and have already agreed to give us a ten percent discount, so give Greg & Donna Meng a call if you’re interested in staying in a cabin singularly or consolidated with others.  Tim’s grocery and bait shop opens at 5:00 A.M. 7 days a week, and serve breakfast sandwiches, coffee and rolls, etc., and will prepare you subs to take with you. He will open an hour earlier (4:00 a.m.) and we’ll have registration there at 5:00 a.m, with launching at 5:40 a.m. There is also a restaurant a few blocks away. The AGFC will materially assist in helping to release the fish.

July 26 – Bull Shoals (night). Hosted by the Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock, Steve and Ricky Eastward, 870 445-4422 or 870 445-4166, boatdock@bullshoals.net website www.bullshoalsboatdock.com Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock,

Billeting Facilities: The Driftwood Resort is owned and operated by Karl and Vivian Kastendieck.  They have 13 cabins and we can have them all at $704.00 that includes tax; $54.00 a cabin.  At that price Karl and Vivian are giving us a 12 percent discount even if we only wanted two cabins for example.  They have plenty of parking and outlets for charging.  As ACA card carrying members, Karl will also give you the same 12 percent discount at anytime; tournament or not.  Karl and Vivian want to spoil us, and to encourage us to return for future tournaments as ACA members.  Apparently he has long term contracts with many other fishing associations as well.  Reservations 1-800-424-1129 and email driftwood@bullshoals.net .  If you are an individual and want to consolidate in a cabin with someone else, notify me and I’ll pass-on to others looking for consolidation.

Conversation with the new owners of Rush Sporting Goods in Russellville stated that they are neither interested in catfishing nor carry catfishing gear, and denied posting an ACA Flyer in their window along with all their bass flyers.  Their prerogative, and our option to patronize their business.

August 23 & 24 – Lakes Millwood and Earling:

We have been invited to have a tournament at Lake Millwood and Lake Earling in SW Arkansas near Ashdown and Magnolia August 23 & 24.  The lakes are (happily for us) overstocked with blues and channel catfish (not flatheads – catch and release those guys) and the AGFC would like to reduce their numbers and we are glad to oblige.  The daily limit is 10, but at these lakes they are doubled and therefore we can catch 20 a day.  Because we are a 501c(7) association we are required to have at least one charitable tournament a year and this has been the one selected.  Although our motto (in part) is “Catch and Release” we can deviate from that by the Standing Rules especially in view of the charitable event. In reality, the tournament will be an entire weekend tournament because the lakes are near each other thereby precluding additional travel expense and energy conservation.  We will process the catch and package with dry ice at the end of the day and donate to the needed as determined by Hope in Action, Hope, Arkansas. These lakes should prove fruitful for a return trip August 22 & 23, 2009, with donation to the Salvation Army in Texarkana, Arkansas.  We have a 225 gal. plastic tank with an AC aerator to keep the fish alive until we can process at both lakes. There is no tournament fee and no payoff because this two-day tournament is our one required “charitable” tournament as a 501c(7) association.  We will provide all the labor and freeze bags and process the fish so bring your skinning and boning knives and boards or whatever you use.  Bring additional ice chests if you have one or more, and we can obtain dry-ice from Kroger’s if you can (reimbursement by the association with receipt).

Lake Millwood (Little River County) Not part of Lake Millwood State Park but 2 miles away) (http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/millwood/

Contact Information : 1564 Highway 32 East, Ashdown, AR 71822 - millwood@arkansas.com  870-898-2800

2008 Date:  August 23.

Directions: From Ashdown on U.S. Hwy 59&71, take Hwy 32E towards Saratoga, and turn left (North) on Farm Road 317 straight into Yarborough Landing.

From I-30 at Hope take the exit U.S. 278 and an immediate left on State 73 towards Saratoga and 32 west and right (north on Farm Road 317 straight into Yarborough Landing.

Launch sites:  Yarborough Landing (is not part of the park)

Times:  6:00 A.M. local until 3:00 P.M.

Facilities:  Various motels, RV park, tents, camps. Ashdown.

             The landing has a new pavilion and will serve

             breakfast all day plus meals, ice, and “lots of

             baits” specially ordered for our tournament.

Bait shops:  Yarborough Landing Marina, Dave Meredith

             870 898-2346, will open for us at 4:30 A.M. to sell

             all baits that we request for those of you that

             need, especially when you run-out of bait with all

             those catfish that you’ll be catching!

             Catfish consignment of gear to the Marina for us.

NOTE: Understand that Lake Millwood is not very boating friendly.  So you may want to consider underwater stumps, logs and debris.

Lake Earling (LaFayette County) – Lake Earling Park

2008 Date:  August 24

Directions: From Magnolia, take U.S. Hwy 371 SW 26 miles to

            Taylor and turn right on Hwy 19 over to Hwy 53 and

            to Lake Earling Park

Launch sites:  Lake Earling Park (lower East side of the lake)

Times:  6:00 A.M. local until 3:00 P.M.

Facilities:  Public ramp

Bait Shop:   A-1 Sporting Goods, 7250 Hwy 53, Taylor AR 71861

             870 859-2277.  About 4 miles past the park with the 

             above directions.  Will open for us at 4:30 A.M. to   

             sell all baits that we request for those of you

             that need, especially when you run-out of bait with

             all those catfish that you’ll be catching!

Shad 3 pounds for $3.00 (about 50). Night crawlers, silver and orange minnows, and, goldfish.

             Catfishing gear available for those that require.

More information will be provided in the July issue of our newsletter.

September 13 – Arkansas River, Cherokee Landing, Morrilton (day)

Launching from Cherokee Park. Registration at 5:00 A.M. and launching at 5:40 A.M.  Check-in time is 3:00 P.M. Recommend that you bring your bait. Take either exit off I-40 into Morrilton. Go South to U.S. Hwy 64 and go West and then turn South on

October 18 – Arkansas River, Ozark Taylor Lock and Dam street, 5400 Lock and

Registration at 5:00 A.M. and launching at 5:40 A.M.  Check-in time is 3:00 P.M. Sponsored in part by Bill’s Bait & Tackle,

Dir: I-40 West from and between Russellville and Fort Smith and go about 10 miles past Ozark, crossing the Mulberry River.  Turn left (South) Hwy 215 through Mulberry until you arrive at Vine Prairie Park.  We’ll launch there at the public launch off Vine Prairie Creek and boat out to the Mulberry River to the Arkansas River.  The fishing limits are from the park, the creek, the Mulberry River, and the Arkansas River West 7 1/2 to the Court House Slough (South Side) and East about 18 miles to the about a mile from the Ozark Lock and Dam therefore “plenty of water.”  September’s newsletter will have a strip map with all the additional information and landmarks.

November 1 - Lake Dardanelle in Russellville “our first “Big Catfish Classic” for those that qualify: See the attached “The Classic Rules 2008.”  Registration at 6:00 A.M. and launching time at 6:40 A.M. at the Weigh-in Pavilion next to the Lake Dardanelle State Park Visitors’ Center, 100 State Park Drive.  A steering committee member will launch boats at a ten (10) second interval.  Launching position will be drawn by a “numbered chip” during registration for this first Big Catfish Classic.  You must be checked-in and your numbered chip placed on the scoreboard prior to the tournament’s expiration which is 3.00 P.M.  Directions at and other information above at the April 13 “initial” tournament.  More information will be provided in the October issue of our newsletter immediately following the October 18 tournament.

The AGFC will materially assist in helping to release the fish.

We have already developed a form for the After Action Report following each tournament for planning purposes in future tournaments

We are in the process of obtaining sufficient shad “at just above cost” to have available at tournament locations whereas it is impracticable to otherwise obtain them with difficulty.

Future years’ regular monthly tournaments will be nine a year from February-October with the Classic again in November followed by the General Membership Meeting-Awards Ceremony-Banquet.  We have learned a valuable lesson as to tournaments on the Arkansas River from March through June.  We’ll be leaning towards river tournaments in February, and July through September.  We’ll decide at the December 6 General Membership Meeting (GMM).  Soliciting your input at the GMM.  This next year’s selection of tournament will be given careful consideration and discussed at length at our General Membership Meeting in on December 6.  Request that all members bring their recommended tournament site with all available information such as is presented in this newsletter.

The ACA steering committee will obtain all relative information to a tournament as it becomes available. Therefore, each monthly newsletter will be constantly updated to include any learned information to facilitate convenience to our members.

December 6 – Combined Annual General Membership Meeting, Awards Ceremony, and Banquet. The Guest of Honor will be Keith “Catfish” Sutton, and he will have a book signing session as well.  This combined and important general membership meeting is set early in December to preclude a possible conflict with other festivities later on during the holiday season.  This year we will cater or satellite but hopefully in the future years we’ll have our own facility with a barbecue grill, smoker, and of course, a catfish deep fat fryer! The Arkansas Queen River Boat docked behind the Alltel Center in NLR next to the Arkansas Razorback sub is being considered for this special occasion.  Conversation with Ms. Linda West (501 372-5777), we could have the top section (88 max capacity) with a minimum of 75 for $38.83 per person.  We would have to deposit $1,025.00 in advance to guarantee the reservations.  Boarding time would be 6:30 P.M. for the cruise from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. while having the General Membership Meeting, Awards Ceremony and of course the Banquet.  Entertainment during the banquet would be a duet performance.  December 6, Saturday, is available, and Ms. West is sending me the contractual papers for consideration.  Please voice your opinion accordingly.  We would appreciate feedback from members as to a possible central location and facility such as in and around the Little Rock area possibly on or overlooking the river. 

Robert’s Rules of Order will prevail to the extent of orderliness, but not to the extent of losing our sense of harmoniousness.  Notwithstanding, should a meeting go askew, there is a provision whereas a regular/corporate member may call for a “Point of Order” and that stops the meeting from furthering getting out of order.  The president will render his/her decision based on parliamentarian procedures.

We still have vacancies for chairs of the Membership, Publications (newsletter), Research/Historian, Building and Grounds, and Public Relations committees as well as members of those committees.  Also, the Nominating Committee is available with that committee electing their committee chair.

Years’ end activities: Angler of the Year will be awarded $100.00.  Big Fish will also be awarded $100.00.  Prize money may be increased providing funds are available.

CLASSIFIED/SWAP SHOP:

Bear/Deer Hunt in the Ozarks this Fall/Winter. I’m willing to offer a two-day and nights for one to five persons (Friday night through Sunday p.m.) at my cedar log home (suite with meals) North of Dover (at the foothills of the Ozarks) in exchange for something that you may have to offer along these lines.  Lee Fields

ACA’s Website:

We expect to have our website at www.godaddy.org (ACA Cats for example) online in early June.  We have asked for only a five dollar donation with only 50 tickets printed: $100.00 cash drawing, and the $150.00 for a one-year subscription.  We will create and update our own website.  ACA Cats is available.  If anyone has another name suggestion such as AR Cats then please inform me and I will verify availability. Members’ personal information will require a username/password to access.

Lee Fields

Coordinator/Parliamentarian, (Acting Pubs/Steering Chair)

479 331-0399 (home) - 870 577-7289 (cell)

leefields@centurytel.net or lee_fields_1999@yahoo.com