Community fishing event kicks off 2022 catfish stockings

March 30, 2022

Randy Zellers

Assistant Chief of Communications

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Family and Community Fishing Program will kick off the 2022 catfish stocking season with a special fishing event from 9 a.m to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 2. at MacArthur Park in Little Rock.

This event will be much more than a typical fishing derby. The AGFC has partnered with F.E.E.D First USA to provide fishing, family activities and free health screenings for everyone who registers. Food also will be provided.

“The Family and Community Fishing Program works hard to make connections with everyone in our community to bond over a day spent outdoors,” Maurice Jackson, FCFP coordinator for the AGFC, said. “You won’t find a more wholesome family activity than fishing, and at the end of a healthy day outdoors, you can bring home your catch and enjoy a healthy meal of a fresh fish dinner.”

Participants are asked to register by clicking the following link: https://www.register-ed.com/events/register/179774

This is just the first stocking of the 2022 spring season for the program, with nearly 150,000 catchable catfish planned to be stocked through AGFC hatcheries through the fishing derby program as well as the Family and Community Fishing Program this year. All FCFP locations will be stocked by April 6, and will receive regular stockings until June. Stockings will be suspended during July and August because water temperatures are too stressful for fish to travel in stocking trucks during these months, but plenty of fish should still be swimming in many of the ponds for anglers to target. Folks can stay in the know by visiting the FCFP stocking page (www.agfc.com/fcfponds) for updates. This page is updated daily with the latest stocking numbers. Planned fishing derbies throughout the state are available at www.agfc.com/fishing-derbies.

Anglers 16 and older participating at fishing events and derbies are required to have a valid fishing license, which is available at www.agfc.com.