February is not much fun

February is not much fun

Times Outdoors Columnist

It is a good thing that February is the shortest month on of the year because there is not much outdoor fun. This year it has been unusually wet and the temperature has fluctuated from hard freezes to the 70s, making it impossible to plan on a hunting or fishing trip. As I write this story, there is a cozy fire in the fireplace warming the den and last night we had the ceiling fans cooling.

The winds have been very strong making the lakes dangerous, besides, who wants to fish in the rain?

The snow geese have been hard to hunt because of a shortage of young birds and fishing is slow due to high and muddy water.

While visiting at Bonds’ Store at Horseshoe Lake, Natalie mentioned that she was going to Lepanto to get fishing tackle supplies for the store. She told me about Dewailly Hunting and Fishing on Main Street that is a wholesale fishing supply store. On a recent trip to NEA/Baptist for a check up, Papa Duck decided to visit and see what was for sale. It was worth the side trip. Mr. Jack Dewailly opened the store in 1971 selling fishing tackle, both wholesale and retail to the public. At one time he serviced 70 bait and sporting good stores by running a weekly route. He sells a wide variety of rods and reels and probably every size and shape of hooks ever made, plus a wide variety and color of jigs. The store even has a good selection of frog gigs and poles. His retail prices are cheaper than the “big” stores and there are three large rooms full of whatever is needed to fish with. Give Jack a call at 501-475- Grisham’s book. Don’t be in a hurry because there is so much to see and the prices for fishing tackle is a bargain. He also has some hunting supplies, but fishing is the main focus.

The Saturday night before the last day of duck season, Marianna had its annual Ducks Unlimited supper.

There were about 250 men, women, and kids enjoying a good meal of fried fish and shrimp along with the usual wide assortment of prizes. The room buzzed with the excitement of being with friends and family and just “talking duck hunting”. We need another chapter in Crittenden County and Papa Duck will be glad to set up a meeting with the Arkansas reps. Some hunters criticize Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl, but they are the only organizations doing anything to improve the duck populations.

The AGF recently stocked trout in Tilden Rodgers Lake and the fly fishermen are having the best luck when it’s not raining and windy, not to mention freezing temperatures.

Papa Duck got invited to the Honey Hole to catch a big mess of crappie, but Mother Nature gave us a dose of hard rain followed by temperatures in the low to mid 20s. It was even too cold for a die hard duck hunter. There’s just no way to keep your hands warm and dry! Hopefully the invitation will soon come again.

Angels Way Baptist Church is having their annual wild game supper on Thursday Feb. 21 at the West Memphis Christian School. This is a men and boys only outing. The wild game includes fish, duck, deer, squirrel, and almost any kind of wild game.

There will be noted guest speakers sharing great food and Christian fellowship.

Several hundred gather to share the blessings given by the Good Lord.

We had some good pictures of the kids hunting ducks on the last day.

That’s over, so take that youngin’ squirrel or rabbit hunting, or fishing. Take plenty of pictures and record the trip. Lakeside Taxidermy has had a slow winter due to one of the worst duck season in history. Bring your trophies and get back a beautiful mount in quick time at a reasonable rate. We need some questions for Andy at Ask the Game Warden. It’s better to ask Andy than to explain to Judge Thorne.

Papa Duck Lakeside Taxidermy 870-732-0455 or 901-4823430 jhcriner@hotmail.com

2671. While in Lepanto stop by the museum and visit the Painted House made famous by John

By John Criner