Fishing festival would be good event

I've always been an advocate of Mountain Home and the Twin Lakes Area developing a unique event, something that could attract visitors from around the country, involve lots of local folks, provide a good time for all and, oh yeah, boost the local economy.

We've had a few events, such as Thunder on Pigeon Creek, that brought some folks to the area, and Margaritaville in Mountain Home and Red White Blue, which are more for local residents. But we're still lacking something with "oomph."

We tout tourism as being a key factor in the Twin Lakes Area economy, and it is, but even if it's once a year we need something that will draw a lot of folks here for a celebration and a good time. Think Bikes, Blues & BBQ at Fayetteville, which after a couple of rocky years has grown into one of Arkansas' biggest events. Think the King Biscuit Blues Festival at Helena, a three-day event bringing people from around the world to Arkansas. Think Riverfest at Little Rock.

And think of the money such events pour into those local economies. Motels and restaurants benefit, gas stations and stores benefit, and the local governments benefit from sales and visitor taxes,

When I've brought this subject up before some folks agree, but naysayers don't think it's possible here. We don't have the roots for something like King Biscuit, say some. Our community is so diverse with people from so many places we don't have a shared heritage to promote and celebrate, say others. Let's not forget those who say something like that just won't fly here so why bother.

Through the years, we've tried different things. Red White Blue has been the most long-lived, and it's a series of different events that otherwise have no connection that occur about the same time that culminates in a few hours of festivities and a fireworks show. For whatever reason, whether lack of support, or lack of interest, lack of facilities or just not good ideas, others have fallen by the wayside.

Yet we can't just give up. Mountain Home's experiencing an economic upturn and finding something that could give us an annual boost would be frosting on the cake.

A couple of us were talking here at Sixth and Hickory, and during the conversation an idea was born, but that's all it is now. Contrary to naysayers, I think we do have something in our roots that could work, that actually helped bring so many people from here from so many places to settle, and is a shared heritage to promote and celebrate.

Fishing.

Any direction you turn in Mountain Home, you come face-to-face with some of the best fishing in America — the world-renowned White River along with the North Fork River, Norfork Lake to the east and Bull Shoals Lake to the west. Those were instrumental in Mountain Home and the Twin Lakes Area's growth. They give us a unique heritage.

Sure, there are various small fishing tournaments on the lakes, and the occasional big-time tournament. And fly fishers have the Sowbug Roundup in the spring and the Southern Fly Fishers convention in the fall. And we don't want to take away from them.

But, what about a festival that celebrates our sport fishing heritage? Before the dams were built, people came here by train just to fish the White and North Fork rivers. Local folks made a living as guides. After the dams, the rivers became premier trout streams, and Norfork and Bull Shoals became national-destination lakes for anglers. We're the home for some of America's best boat manufacturers.

Fishing is in the lifeblood of Mountain Home and the Twin Lakes Area. Why not celebrate it?

How, you ask. Well, that's wide open to ideas. This is how I envision it.

Mountain Home becomes the host for a unique event, a one-of-a-kind festival as far as I know: A fishing triathalon of sorts open to any and all anglers. They would have the opportunity to test their skills and try their luck in a variety of waters, going after a variety of fish — trout, bass, stripers, for example. Different waters, different fish each day for three days. Maybe even throw in an extracurricular night-fishing challenge as a bonus.

This would be the hook, so to speak. Surrounding it would be related events — a parade, boat parades, boat, car and bike shows, concerts or music shows each night (and maybe during the day), a central location for vendors of all sorts, a beauty pageant, a giant fish fry (with store-bought fish since the fishing should be catch-and-release) fishing seminars, displays showing the history of fishing here.

All businesses would be welcome to participate, all clubs and groups would be welcome to participate, there would be something for everyone. Something like this could become the BBB or King Biscuit of this area, it could become a national destination. Sure, it'd be a lot of work, it would take some time, it would take a lot of cooperation, and it would take patience to start such a festival, nurture it and get it going until it is a nationally recognized event.

Sure, I'm a dreamer sometimes; I've got a personality test to prove it. But, I'm also realistic enough to know that something like this is not impossible. It just takes the willingness and vision to make it a reality.