The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission once again played host to the TBF State Conservation Directors who gathered in Hot Springs Arkansas as part of the TBF Junior World Championship and the FLW Cup.
The group left the Clarion Inn on the lake early on Friday morning and met AGFC Black Bass Biologist Colton Dennis and his staff at the Lake Hamilton Hatchery where they toured not only the hatchery grounds and facilities but also a new state of the art weigh-in facility that AGFC has recently just completed on the grounds.
The exciting thing about this new facility is that it was built through a terrific community effort by local anglers and end users who donated materials and labor to construct the facility with very little cost to AGFC.
Brett Hobbs and Brent Fendley led the facility tour which also included a video of the first 100 years of AGFC’s History.
The group then traveled to the AGFC genetics laboratory where Ms. Kelley Linningham explained the DNA sampling and testing process that is currently going on within AGFC. She demonstrated how the DNA testing has evolved over the years and how the AGFC has tried to adapt to the changing times in an effort to head off virus’s that could hurt fish populations as well as the constant production of different strains of largemouth bass that will enhance the angling opportunities within the state.
Once again Mr. Dennis and his staff were well prepared and showed the group a great morning of educational history and new techniques being employed in Arkansas.
