The AGFC and its district fisheries offices in northwest and north Arkansas received some great news concerning the three big Corps of Engineers lakes across north Arkansas. The National Fish Habitat Partnership announced Wednesday nine projects funded through a nearly $1.6 million grant program established through proceeds from the Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Amateur Bass Fishing Championships held in 2021. One of the nine projects will fund habitat work at Beaver Lake, Bull Shoals Lake and Norfork Lake.
The projects funded through this opportunity are high-priority focus areas of the Reservoir Fish Habitat Partnership. These projects were selected out of 30 proposals from across the U.S. The selected projects will bring over $3 million in total match funding in support of the Bass Pro Shops grant that will go directly to on-the-ground projects benefiting fish habitat and improving angling opportunities.
A press release from NFHP said the proposed project in Arkansas at the three lakes will directly benefit anglers by concentrating fish around fish habitat structures and improving angler success rates. Many of these natural structures in these lakes are degraded. New structures will provide habitat and refuge for fish and improve fishing. This work will be in addition to recently completed habitat work by the AGFC on these lakes.