TRIP-AT-A-GLANCE: DeGray Lake - Arlie Moore “West Bank”
DATE / TIME	16 Aug 2024 / 06:00
PUT-IN	Arlie Moore Boat Ramp
TAKE-OUT	Arlie Moore Boat Ramp
GAGE	403.84' - Caddo River @ Degray Dam, AR
FLOW / DISCHARGE	Not Applicable - it's a lake
AIR TEMPERATURE	69-78°F
PRECIPITATION	None
WIND	Calm
PARTICIPANTS	Sam Reyna and Kent Walters
VESSLE TYPES	Jackson Tupelo and Pyranha Fusion
CLOUDS	Layered Overcast
Paddling MILES	4

 

Sam and I met in Bismarck at 6:00 AM with the intention of hitting the water by 6:30, but fate did not have the same plan.  The Simonson Biological Field Station where we meant to put in was gated.  We figured we could try for the location that didn’t work out last time since it had been a while without rain and we were thinking the previously impassible deep pool in the road should have dried up, but we couldn’t find it.  So we went where we knew to the Arlie Moore boat ramp and got on the water at 7:20. 

The Arlie Moore boat ramp

It was an absolutely perfect day for the middle of August – a cool 70 degrees and heavy overcast.  We paddled across the channel to the west shore and worked our way north.  We saw beaver (swimming), a squirrel (swimming), woodpeckers, American crows, egrets, a great blue heron, dragonflies, damselflies, cardinals and lots of spiders.

 

Sam under a shady and protective canopy of clouds

 

Sam checking out the shore

Beaver Lodge

Going to seed

Damselfly - Photo Credit: Sam Reyna

About halfway through our trip we started seeing a lot of trot lines and miscellaneous trash, so we shifted gears to an energetic trash bash.

Kent reaching for a beer can - Photo Credit: Sam Reyna

Got it! - Photo Credit: Sam Reyna

Sam cutting a trot line

Sam wrapping up a long trot line – this one went all the way across from shore to shore of a fairly substantial bay – probably a couple of hundred feet

What a great sky!

Our combined collected loot

Our route

LESSONS LEARNED:

Local knowledge of alternatives can be useful.

The Author, Kent Walters

Link to Photo Album

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