Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
New bass factory
Farmer brings fishing dream to fruition
SHERRILL — This place was just a field the first time I saw it, but Wes McNulty’s dream of a big bass factory was already in gear.
Originally it was an irrigation reservoir, McNulty said, but his father cleared it and leveled it for cropland in the 1970s..
When the agriculture market cratered in the 1980s, farmers enrolled marginal land in the Conservation Reserve Program and let it revert to an unkempt state that was beneficial for wildlife.
McNulty, who grows rice and soybeans, has no shortage of wildlife habitat on his farm, but he did lack first-rate bass habitat. He created it in this evolving 80-acres of marginal crop land.
McNulty showed Ray Tucker and me the germinating seed of his dream in May 2018. He had cleared most of the property. He had dug holes and created topographic diversity of varying depths. He also left high spots that water barely covers.
Finally, he enclosed the field with a levee. Building the levee required excavating a massive pit around the field. The average depth of the lake is 4-6 feet, but the borrow pit is about 10 feet.
When McNulty filled the reservoir, he stocked it with copper- nose bluegill. The bluegill had the lake to themselves for one year.
“These coppernose bluegill spawn five times a year,” McNulty said.
In a year’s time in a world void of predators, the bluegill flourished, creating a rich food source for the next wave of colonists.
In 2019, McNulty stocked 2,400 tiger bass, an aggressive, fast-growing strain of Florida largemouth bass. He stocked an additional 1,200 in 2020.
“That created two age classes and keeps them all from stacking up in a uniform size,” McNulty said. “They are about 4 to 6 pounds now. In another year they’ll be up in the 8-pound range.”
Proper management requires reducing competition for food. McNulty said it is now time to remove some bass, preferably those in the 12- to 14-inch range.
To demonstrate the success of his new showcase, McNulty invited Tucker and me to fish it Thursday. McNulty called me on Wednesday to give me a scouting report.
“There are tupelo trees all along that levee, and that’s where the bass are,” McNulty said. “They’ve been biting good, but they are nose up against those trees. It’s really thick cover, and it can be frustrating to fish.”
“What I think you’re trying to tell me is that buggy whip that Ray likes so much probably ain’t going to cut it,” I said.
“Well, I just want him to catch some fish and have a good time,” McNulty said.
“And you don’t think he’ll have a good time with that fairy wand rod of his,” I said.
McNulty laughed and said, “He’s going to need heavier tackle than that.”
I tried to broach the subject with Tucker diplomatically, but he wouldn’t have it.
“I’ve caught lots of big fish with this rod,” Tucker retorted defiantly.
“Yes, you have, but not flippin’ cypress trees,” I said.
Grumble, grumble, grumble.
McNulty arrived shortly after and explained how everything on the boat worked.
We have used this boat many times, and seldom does everything work. McNulty waved me off and said not to worry.
“I have taken extraordinary steps to Bryan-proof this boat,” McNulty said. “The battery is charged. All the wires are secure. The trolling motor bracket is bolted down. You shouldn’t have any problems.”
“Well, if you have left any weak spot unattended to, I will find it,” I said.
“I have no doubt you will, brother, no doubt at all,” McNulty said, “but I’ve taken care of the most obvious things. What are you going to throw at them today?”
“I’m throwing them old school,” I said handing McNulty my primary rig. It is a round Amabassadeur 5601 baitcaster reel on a 6-foot, medium-action rod with an old Tennessee handle.
“Wow! A 5601!” McNulty said. “How old is this thing?”
“Old,” I said. “I redid all the bearings and regreased it a couple of years ago. It casts as smooth as silk. And how about that handle?”
“I haven’t seen one of those in ages,” McNulty said.
“I really like it for flippin’,” I said.
The reel held a full spool of 12-pound test Strength Big Game line. With a double uni knot I attached a 10-foot leader of 30-pound Spiderwire Flouro Braid. On the terminal end was a half-ounce jig in crawdad color attached with a Leo Coffman knot.
Our first stop was a grove of tupelo trees in the middle. Tucker threw a squarebill crank bait into a tree. While he tried to extricate it, the fairy wand rod got wedged in a tree and snapped in half. I did not mention it to the fuming Tucker, but this was going to make McNulty very happy. For reasons he has never shared, McNulty harbors deep animosity toward that rod.
From there we went to the windy north bank, where I flipped the jig against trees. I quickly caught two 4-pounders. The number grew, as did the size. I added a 5-pounder, and then a 6-pounder.
My rig was ideal for this situation. The FlouroBraid does not stretch. It sets the hook securely with minimal effort. Fishing that size out up a great fight against the limber rod, but it handles them even in thick cover.
A couple of hours later, McNulty joined us. He immediately spied the wreckage of Tucker’s fairy wand.
“What happened there?” McNulty asked, straining to contain his glee.
“Big fish snapped it like a toothpick,” Tucker said.
McNulty looked to me for confirmation.
“It happened out there,” I said, pointing toward the Tupelo island. I didn’t lie. That’s exactly where it happened.
McNulty looked suspicious.
“Should I tell him?” Tucker asked.
“I have no part in this,” I said.
Tucker told the story of the rod’s demise.
“Well, thank goodness! Now I won’t have to look at it anymore,” McNulty said.
“Bryan’s been dog cussing your trolling motor ever since we got here,” Tucker said.
“What did he do to it?” McNulty asked.
“What did YOU do to it?” I asked, accusingly. “That thing is all janked up. I’m going to have leg cramps all weekend after fighting with that pedal.”
“You’re right,” McNulty said. “The shaft is bent. Must have happened when I ran it up on the shore the other day.”
“You Bryan proofed it, but you forgot to Wes-proof it!”
“I have to admit I thought about rigging that trolling motor rope to break on the first pull, but I thought it would be mean to put you through that again.”
On our last trip on a different reservoir, the trolling motor rope broke and nearly sent me swimming.
When we got underway, McNulty used 6-inch Zoom lizards to catch bass right against the bank. I joined in and caught them behind McNulty with a different rig, a right-handed retrieve bait caster. I reel left-handed, so I turn this reel upside down. This blew McNulty’s mind, which was the desired effect.
“Ricky Green couldn’t concentrate when he saw me do that,” I said. “I did it the first time I fished with George Cochran, too. He took one look and said, ‘Nuh, uh! You ain’t doing that in MY boat!’ George uses lefties, too. He made me use his stuff all day.”
McNulty roared with laughter as Tucker provided color commentary.
We fished from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. I caught 12 fish, and McNulty caught about as many. It was my first bass fishing trip of the year, and it set the standard for what I believe will be a great year.