Hatchery prepares fish for challenge

The Sentinel-Record/Richard Rasmussen PRIZE CATCH: Sean Lusk, left, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission assistant district fish biologist, and Kyle King, natural resource program technician, tag fish Wednesday at the Andrew H. Hulsey State Fish Hatchery on Lake Hamilton.
The Sentinel-Record/Richard Rasmussen PRIZE CATCH: Sean Lusk, left, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission assistant district fish biologist, and Kyle King, natural resource program technician, tag fish Wednesday at the Andrew H. Hulsey State Fish Hatchery on Lake Hamilton.

Shifting the $86,000 Hot Springs Fishing Challenge up a month on the calendar was a wise move, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission biologist Dennis Fendley said Wednesday.

"In April, you're gonna be having fish that are spawning, and a lot of anglers target those spawning fish," Fendley said. "I think it's gonna be better."

The prize fish were tagged Wednesday morning at the Andrew H. Hulsey State Fish Hatchery on Lake Hamilton, and will be released today at undisclosed locations on Hamilton and Lake Catherine. Starting Saturday, locals and tourists alike will have the chance to catch "Big Al," valued at $15,000, or one of his 60 fellow prize fish.

The decision was made to move the three-month challenge up a month earlier this year because the competition "got too hot" when it lasted through July, said Bill Solleder, special events manager for Visit Hot Springs, which sponsors the yearly competition.

The sixth annual kicks off at 5 a.m. Saturday, and ends at 6 p.m. June 30. The contest is open to anyone with a valid Arkansas fishing license, with the exception of employees and immediate family members and household members of Hot Springs Advertising and Promotion Commission, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Andrew H. Hulsey Fish Hatchery, a news release said.

A complete set of rules and regulations can be found at http://www.agfc.com/fishing/Pages/FishingRegulations.aspx.

The amount of fish was lowered to 61 this year. In addition to "Big Al's" $15,000 prize, there are four fish tagged with $5,000 prizes, 46 with $1,000 prizes and 10 with $500 prizes.

"Big Al" has never been caught, so Visit Hot Springs this year intends to release clues beginning on May 1, June 1 and June 26, as needed.

"The clue(s) will be something along what species 'Big Al' is, where 'Big Al' was released, maybe how big 'Big Al' actually is," Solleder said.

The fish included in the challenge are bluegill, white bass, walleye, largemouth bass, channel catfish and crappie, with 40 to be placed in Lake Hamilton and 21 to be placed in Lake Catherine.

The fish were tagged Wednesday morning by Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Assistant District Fish Biologist Sean Lusk, who inserted a thin, purple tag containing a prize designation and phone number next to their dorsal fins.

Solleder said those who catch the fish should call the number listed on the tag, which will go through to Visit Hot Springs' "fish phone." A Visit Hot Springs employee will ask for the angler's location, and Solleder will be sent there to determine the prize money that will be awarded.

Solleder said the challenge's earlier start time and larger top prize should draw more people to the lake, thus increasing the chances of "Big Al's" capture.

"The dream is for some young kid with a bobber and a worm fishing off their dock to catch 'Big Al,'" Solleder said. "It could be a professional angler. There's plenty of fishermen who come to Hot Springs to fish, and they might get lucky, too."

Fendley said one of his favorite parts of the challenge is the stories that come from it.

"We've had success stories like, in years past, someone actually saw a tagged fish off their dock and went and bought a fishing license and all the tackle, came back and fished for it and caught the fish," Fendley said. "That's what we like to hear, is the beginner's luck stories and things like that."

Solleder said he is happy to have an event that promotes local tourism on the area's lakes. He said tourism is often focused on the city of Hot Springs, and the challenge redirects the focus to other attractive parts of the area.

"Oftentimes, we're talking about downtown and the festivals and parades that go down," Solleder said. "We always have to remember that we have three beautiful lakes, two of which are in the Hot Springs challenge, and that we should go out and use them."

Local on 03/30/2017

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