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GLEN HEAVNER CAN THINKof a dozen methods to explain the Decrease White River: the diamond of Arkansas, the land that point forgot, a frame of mind, his favourite place on the planet.
“I used to drive 600 miles day by day. Now so far as I am going is the boat ramp,” says Glen, a retired trucker who lives half a mile from the dock the place he and his dad, Larry, maintain their twin johnboats. “Life slows down on the White River.”
The White flows quick and filter of the Ozark Mountains, however by the point it winds into the Mississippi floodplain, previous the Heavner house, and thru the state’s legendary inexperienced timber duck holes, it’s vast and leisurely. If life right here is sluggish, it begins to crawl when close by WMAs maintain again water forward of duck season. Flagging river ranges and oppressive warmth make for robust trotlining, which requires a powerful present to maintain stress on the traces. But when anybody can catch catfish in such circumstances, it’s the Heavners.
A trotline consists of 1 important heavy line or rope, with evenly spaced baited hooks that department, or drop, from the primary line. Like traplines, trotlines catch critters whilst you’re elsewhere. (In Arkansas, you need to examine trotlines each 48 hours, although most individuals don’t wait that lengthy.) They aren’t authorized in each state, however in a lot of the South they’re one of many oldest and most conventional methods to fish.
Only a few different locals nonetheless run trotlines for river cats. Glen sees them on the White generally, however he’s by no means had a chance to ask in the event that they catch their very own bait, as he does, or how they’ve been faring because the river and the instances change.
“Trotlining is changing into much less widespread,” Glen says, “however the individuals who nonetheless do it maintain onto it dearly.”
As a result of even on the slowest days, the enchantment of trotlining is clear. As every drop line rises out of the murk to disclose an empty hook, anticipation provides strategy to disappointment, then returns right away as one other drop emerges from the depths. It’s addictive. There’s all the time one other hook, or line to run, or one other night to set baits and, possibly, catch a large catfish. He could have embraced the laid-back river life, however even Glen has little endurance for a rod and reel; he can’t stand ready round for a chew.
The dock the place the Heavners maintain their boats. The financial institution, which used to increase past the dock, has eroded, inflicting a couple of house to crumble into the river. The Heavners personal the tan home (heart) and estimate they’ve a yr earlier than it falls, too. Rory Doyle
The Heavners work arduous to set trotlines, however they don’t rush or lower corners. “A high-octane younger man,” Glen was pressured to decelerate after a mind damage within the Military. Decided to safe an honorable discharge somewhat than a medical discharge, he drove officers throughout Europe within the waning days of the Soviet Union. When he returned house to Arkansas, he drove 18-wheelers for Walmart. Looking and fishing magazines saved him sane throughout 20 solitary years of long-haul trucking.
Glen safely navigated 3 million miles of America’s highways and not using a single accident, solely to step on a patch of ice in 2017 and hit his head, exacerbating his mind damage and ending his profession. Just a few years and coronary heart assaults later (even his spouse can’t fairly maintain monitor), Glen suffered a stroke whereas searching from his climbing stand. He misplaced the sensation in his left facet, his former power, and far of his vitality.
However Glen sees these challenges for his or her alternatives: early retirement has given him time for pals, household, and fishing. If he wakes up within the morning, it’s going to be a great day. If he will get to run trotlines together with his dad, it’ll be even higher.
“We catch ’em on a regular basis,” says Glen, untying Larry’s boat as they put together to run half a dozen trotlines within the August warmth. “Why not at this time?”
Ferrying bait to the boats. Glen catches or traps all his personal bait — inexperienced sunfish — and shops the fish in a do-it-yourself reside nicely behind his house. Rory DoyleA field containing a single premade trotline. Within the weeks forward of this outing, Glen constructed six new trotlines from 1,800-pound Mule Tape and drop traces. Railroad ties duct-taped alongside the primary line assist maintain it tight to the mud and function handles for combating fish. Every trotline is coiled into its personal field or bucket for tangle-free deployment on the water. The ultimate contact is the row of hooks, with one apiece for every drop line. Consideration to element — a legacy from Glen’s time within the Military — is the guideline in all the things he does. Rory DoyleUnspooling Mule Tape, the spine of Glen’s trotlines. He ties one finish of a brief size to a tree, then fastens the opposite to his premade trotlines. Orange weights crammed with 60 kilos of sand anchor every line to the riverbottom. Rory DoyleLarry holds the tiller regular as Glen works a trotline. It’s attainable to set trotlines solo, but it surely’s far simpler if somebody expert runs the engine; one careless transfer can clothesline your buddy into the water. The Heaveners are a seamless workforce, by no means criticizing or cussing. Glen is “Son” and Larry is “Sir.” Rory DoyleThe Heavners and their neighbor, Malcom McIntosh, set a trotline in the course of the White River. The perfect tree to tie off on is sturdy and considerably remoted from different bushes to keep away from tangling traces. “We don’t use depthfinders or fish finders,” says Glen. “We’re old school.” Larry nods and provides, “We don’t attempt to impress folks.” Rory DoyleGlen ties a hook to a drop line. Every trotline (stretched throughout his lap and the boat) has eight or 10 drops, relying on its size. The hooks, a mixture of 5/0s and eight/0s, are linked to swivels to maintain fish from breaking off. Channel and blue cats wish to thrash and roll within the water. Rory DoyleTaking a breather and expecting deer after setting six trotlines within the warmth. Usually Glen units only one or two, however he needed to extend the percentages of catching cats through the high-temp, low-water days of late summer season. Rory DoyleBaiting hooks with inexperienced sunfish simply earlier than darkish. Reside bait is a should, says Glen, and the livelier, the higher if you wish to catch flatheads, since channel and blue cats eat lifeless bait. Trotlining is historically performed at night time (bait your hooks too early and the gar will steal them) however since his stroke, Glen avoids the river after darkish to play it secure. “As the sunshine fades,” Larry explains, “the gar decelerate and the catfish take over.” Rory DoyleGlen prepares to bait a hook from the bow. Regardless of the soggy work and the swarm of mosquitoes on his head, he’s in good spirits. Rory DoyleInside Glen’s workplace, an air-conditioned shed behind his house. The partitions are crowded with awards and photographs of family and friends: Larry in Vietnam, Glen on the Berlin wall, deer on meat poles, a log bench lined with squirrels. And catfish. Plenty of catfish. Rory DoyleJust a few photographs from the workplace. Larry hoists a giant flathead (heart); the 2 greatest flatheads he ever caught on the White weighed almost 80 kilos, however cats within the 40- to 50-pound vary are extra widespread. Courtesy of Christy HeavnerSqueezing in a nap earlier than returning to the river. Glen tires extra simply than he used to, however setting so many trotlines is difficult work for anybody. “Working them,” confesses Larry, “is the best half.” Rory DoyleGlen lifts a trotline utilizing a thrift-store 3-iron. “We wish to maintain issues easy,” he says. The Heavners maintain their traces near the water and mark them solely with the data required by Arkansas Sport and Fish. They don’t use buoys or flagging tape, since they’ve had bother with strangers operating and even slicing their traces. Nor do they use GPS waypoints. They know the White River too nicely to hassle. Rory DoyleChecking a trotline for catfish at first mild. “The most effective a part of trotlining,” says Larry, “is feeling you’ve obtained one thing on the top of the road however not understanding what’s on there.” It may be tough to inform if there’s a fish on till you run the whole line, hand over hand. If there’s a fish hooked, the road may not begin jerking till it’s just a few toes away. “Generally,” provides Glen, “you’ll have a giant flathead laying down there lifeless asleep till he floats to the floor.” Rory DoyleLarry nets a blue cat as Glen muscle mass it to the floor. Rory DoyleGlen hauls a keeper flathead out of the White. Chalk it as much as luck or odds — this was the ultimate hook of the 50 he had baited the night earlier than, and subsequently the least more likely to get robbed by gar — however the reward of discovering a flathead on the final drop of the final line is especially satisfying. Rory DoyleGlen Heavner hauls an eater-size flathead out of the water. Rory DoyleA yellow cat hits the deck. The Heavners launch most catfish: They wish to put the massive ones again since, as most catfishermen will inform you, they don’t style nearly as good. They’ll maintain smaller, extra palatable fish if somebody is itching for a barbeque, however in any other case they put these again too. “I throw fish again,” Glen says with a smile. “I’m right here to drag ’em up.” Rory DoyleMaking fast work of a blue cat. To scrub catfish, Glen hangs them by their sturdy jaw and makes use of pliers to peel the pores and skin towards the bottom. Rory DoyleAgain at camp Larry fries catfish to serve alongside a breakfast of bacon, eggs, biscuits, and do-it-yourself gravy. He cooks the best way the Heavners method life on the White River: intentionally and unhurriedly, ensuring to take all of it in and get all the things good. Rory DoyleA stretch of White River the Heavners know greatest. Whereas the silver carp concern Larry, who says the invasive fish are impacting sport fish, Glen appears much less troubled by the carp, or the financial institution crumbling simply yards from their breakfast desk. “One facet of the river is all the time eroding, and the opposite facet is all the time constructing it again,” he says. “It’s ever-changing, and also you simply alter to it as you go.” Rory DoyleGlen and Larry (proper) take within the sundown on the White River. Regardless of the sluggish catfish chew on this explicit journey, the Heavners aren’t put out. Quickly the climate will cool, the rain will come, and the river will rise. Extra fish will chew, and the Heavners might be there once they do. Rory Doyle
This story first appeared within the No. 3 2022 concern of Outside Life because the “Grasp Trotliners of the White River.”
