KELSO — Hunters and anglers in southeast Arkansas have an entirely new island to explore in the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission wildlife management area system this year, thanks to a completed lease agreement that opens a 730-acre island in the Arkansas River to public hunting and fishing.
The lease, completed this week, encompasses not only the 730-acre island surrounded by the Arkansas River and Callie Lake, but also includes 10 acres around Wargo Landing, a once-popular boat launch for anglers and hunters looking to access the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers.
“There’s an old concrete boat ramp and a ¾-acre parking area for roughly 25 boat trailers at Wargo, and it was pretty popular with commercial anglers as well as hunters wanting to access the [Arkansas River],” David Luker, assistant chief of the AGFC’s Wildlife Management Division, said.
According to Luker, the chute to access the Arkansas River from Wargo Landing is accessible whenever the Arkansas River gauge at Arkansas City reaches 16 feet.
“It’s a good ramp when the river levels are high enough, but we do plan to improve it in the future to improve access even more,” Luker said. “The nearest boat ramps to this one are at Pendleton, about 20 miles north, and the McCallie Access, about 19 miles south.”
Bill Jones, AGFC commissioner from Pine Bluff, says the access does much more than offer public fishing.
“Boaters, hunters and anglers are all going to be able to use this access again, which is great, but it’s also a huge improvement in safety and response times from emergency personnel,” Jones said. “Game wardens will be able to reach them much quicker when this access is in place.”
Jones says the addition also speaks to the agency’s commitment to provide hunting and fishing opportunities to the people of south Arkansas.
“I’ve received a lot of calls from people in my area asking about getting this access back for public use,” Jones said. “And I’ve really advocated the importance of this acquisition in balancing the opportunities we offer across the state.”
The island and boat launch were once owned by Anderson Tully Lumber Company, but were sold to a private holding company and not available for public access. The new lease agreement will open it until next June, and the AGFC is pursuing grant funds from multiple sources to acquire the property.
“This is an excellent opportunity for hunters in a part of the state where we don’t often get to expand public access, so it’s been a really special project to work on during the last year,” Brad Carner, AGFC deputy director, said. “This lease will give us the time to get the money together to ensure this piece of land stays in public ownership and is open to the public in perpetuity.”
For its first year, the new property will be included within the boundaries of nearby Trusten Holder WMA and will follow all regulations concerning that WMA. It will be open for the WMA’s permit-based alternative firearms deer hunt Oct. 18-22 to people who previously drew that permit, as well as to bowhunters without a permit during the remainder of deer season. Being one of only four areas in the AGFC’s WMA system within the Arkansas River levees, it’s anticipated to be a popular location for deer hunters as well as duck hunters and those pursuing small game. Hunters also can access two smaller parcels just south of the main body of Trusten Holder that were previously listed as open under USFWS regulations. These additional 673 acres were added to the WMA this year to increase management efforts and reduce crowding because they bordered the main body of the WMA.
“With the river level where it is right now, hunters interested in taking a look at the new property will want to bring a canoe or kayak to the Wargo ramp,” Luker said. “Or they could launch a boat from Pendleton or McCallie and reach the island through the river. There’s a lot of silt that’s built up on that ramp over the years, and launching a larger boat for this weekend will not be possible, but we’ll get working on improving that access soon. Crossing by foot to the island is likely not possible and may be dangerous to attempt with the water and deep muck that you have to cross, so I’d advise boating or floating in for this first hunt.”
To reach Wargo Landing, hunters and anglers should take Ave Landing Road from the Great River Road 11.6 miles south of Yancopin.
Visit www.agfc.com/wma/trusten-holder-wma for additional maps and details about Trusten Holder WMA.
