Something’s fishy here

At the risk using trite, hackneyed, verbiage — “this is what it is all about” —  introducing the next generation of anglers to the sport. It’s not a stretch to believe this is a father-son combo. They are catching bream and making memories at the 2013 Felsenthal Bream Fest tournament.

The iconic pastime in LA which overshadows most others is fishing. While many practitioners of the sport of Isaac Walton in these parts are dually addicted to “havin’ a garden,”  it is the former rather than the latter that garners our attention today — in the town of Felsenthal, Arkansas.

The whole family participates in the Bream Fest bream tournament. We featured another view of this intrepid group on the Photo of the Week Page at Corndancer dot-com. Click on this picture to see the other one.

The remoteness of Felsenthal is its appeal. The town sits on Grand Marias lake next door to the Felsenthal National Wildlife Reserve which sits on top the Upper Ouachita National Wildlife preserve in north Louisiana. You have to be going there to get there, it is not a place you pass through on the way to somewhere else. It is a destination. Speaking of destinations, be sure and check out the Photo of the Week page at Corndancer dot-com where this story started. See more pix, get more info.

On Memorial Day the town’s population rises exponentially as folks flock in for the Felsenthal Bream Fest. The event includes a pageant, inflatables, bands and a street dance, a pageant and last but certainly not least, a bream tournament.

Not all participants paid fees to fish. This angler, an osprey, spooked off its nest, safely ensconced atop a tall deceased cypress, before I spotted it.

This is the quintessential “spring-fishing-in-the-cypress” scene. The image speaks for itself and tells a nice story.

This old Lab seems content with his human companion. I’m thinking this pooch would have been put out if not included in the trip.

This dog saw the camera and went ears up. Perhaps he or she has had media training. In any case being included is his or her deal.

Intrepid anglers head out on the lake in all directions to drag in their catches and later gather at the weigh-in site to see who takes home the prizes. In the meantime, a bunch of fun is had. Mission accomplished.

See more pictures of the Bream Fest at the Felsenthal, Arkansas web site, (click on Bream Fest). Or click on the links below:

• Bream Fest Tournament Gallery 1
• Bream Fest Tournament Gallery 2
• Bream Fest Tournament Gallery 3
• Bream Fest Pageant and Festival Gallery

Thanks for dropping by,
Joe Dempsey

Weekly Grist for the Eyes and Mind.

http://www.joedempseyphoto.com/
http://www.joedempseycommunications.com/
http://www.corndancer.com/joephoto/photohome.html