June 12, 2012 Mena, AR – Thirty-five years is a long time
for a state record to stand in the world of fishing. In Arkansas,
three records have maintained that status longer than a 4-pound,
9-ounce black crappie caught by Danny Burfield of Ola, March 29,
1976.
Donivan Echols, 11, of Mena, raised the record in Arkansas – and
perhaps in other parts of the world – to an even 5 pounds June 6
when he pulled a true slab from Lake Wilhelmina, an Arkansas Game
and Fish Commission facility in Polk County.
Donivan had fate on his side.
“He had made $75 working for his grandparents,” said Richard Echols,
Donivan’s father. “He went to Walmart the day before (the crappie
was caught) and I think he spent all $75 on a rod, reel and fishing
tackle. He bought a Mitchell flip cast reel and he was trying to
learn how to use it. I guess he figured it out.”
Donivan – who was still 10 June 6 – his father and his uncle were
crappie fishing using minnows that day. Donivan was catching
progressively larger fish.
“We fish (Lake) Wilhelmina a lot,” Richard said. “His uncle was 2
feet from him on one side and I was 2 feet from him on the other. We
weren’t catching anything, but Donivan was. I’ve never seen nothin’
like this in my life.”
They kept the fish alive for about two hours, and weighed it at
Rocky Stop, a store and bait shop at Rocky on Arkansas Highway 8
where the trio purchased minnows earlier that day. It measured 18
inches long and had a 13-inch girth.
“It weighed 5 pounds, 1 ounce the first time we weighed it,” Richard
said. “It took five hours to get hold of Ronnie (Richardson) so we
froze the fish. It lost an ounce the second time we weighed it.
“Ronnie was grinning ear-to-ear. He was proud because it’s his
lake.”
Richardson, manager of the AGFC’s Lake Wilhelmina Caged Fish
Facility, identified the fish as a black crappie so it could be
submitted as a state record. He said the lake, which covers about
200 acres and was created by a 1,240-foot dam in 1957, is known to
have a healthy crappie population.
“It’s got some 3- and 4-pounders in it, and I guess it had a
5-pounder in it,” Richardson said.
Catching a 5-pound crappie is a tough act to follow, especially when
the angler is 10, but Donivan has a plan.
“He wants to be a game warden and work with Arkansas Game and Fish,”
Richard said. “He loves to talk to game wardens.”
His crappie may set records beyond Arkansas.
According to the International Game Fish Association, the all-tackle
for black crappie is a 5-pound fish caught April 21, 2005, by John
R. Horstman from a private lake in Missouri. The Fresh Water Fishing
Hall of Fame and Museum recognizes a 6-pound fish caught Nov. 28,
1969, by Lettie Robertson from Westwego Canal in Louisiana.
The 12-pound line-class record for both organizations is a 4-pound,
4-ounce fish caught by Sheril Harris, March 18, 1984, on Paint Creek
in Alabama.
By the way, the IGFA record on 4-pound line is 4 pounds, 4 ounces,
caught in Lake Wedington (Washington County) by Jack Ferguson Dec.
26, 1982.
“I didn’t know this was such a big deal – I mean, it’s a fish!”
Richard said. “That boy is walkin’ around in tall cotton.”
Photo courtesy of Rocky Stop.
Check out the other Arkansas Fishing Records |