One of our granddaughters, 12-year-old Kayla, is staying with us for a few weeks, and yesterday she wanted to take a ride.
"Where is that fish hatchery Gena and Clarence [my sister and brother-in-law] took us to 10 years ago?"
"I don't remember, Precious. I'll call Gena and ask her." Clarence is in heaven, Gena lives in Springdale, is three years my senior in age, and she has a good memory!
"Eugene, that hatchery is up in southwestern Missouri. A deep spring comes up and feeds the fish hatchery."
"Thank you, Gena. We'll treat you to lunch next Monday." (By the time you read this, we've already eaten that lunch.)
The Roaring River hatchery is only a 90-minute drive from here, and we had plenty of time to get there.
"Kayla, Carol, let's get our shoes on. We're going for a ride!"
I am recommending this trip to all of you readers, so I'll give you the route first, then tell my story.
From Siloam Springs, go east on Highway 412 then north on I-49. Take exit #86 and go northeast on U.S. 62, and drive to Gateway, Ark. Drive north on U.S. 37 to Seligman, Mo., and turn right on MO 112 to get to the Roaring River State Park and the fish hatchery.
It was a pleasant drive on a beautiful sunny day. When we had driven about an hour, we reached Garfield, Ark., on U.S. 62.
"Precious, this is where Clarence bought me a huge ice cream cone. We're stopping at the Shortstop gas station and store for old-time's-sake." As I was closing the car door, Carol said, "Get me a small cone."
This is what makes the Shortstop store famous. The "small" ice cream cone has one foot – yes, 12 inches – of ice cream rising above the edge of the cone. We did not get Carol a Small cone. I bought Baby cones for Kayla and me which had 7 inches of ice cream, and we bought Carol a Pee-Wee cone which had only 4 inches of cream. Carol said that was large enough.
Thirty minutes later, we were at the Roaring River hatchery and the headwater of the Roaring River.
There's a quarter mile stretch of the river cleared for people to easily throw their line in and catch trout. For a $12 fee, a non-resident of Missouri can fish all day if he/she wants to, but the keep limit is only four fish. These run from about 8-13 inches long. You are not allowed to use live bait. If you catch a small fish that isn't injured, you can put it back and go for a larger critter.
The Roaring River originates from a spring that is 280 feet deep straight down and delivers about 20.4 million gallons of cold water every day. The 15-mile river is a tributary of the White River, a portion of which widens into a reservoir called Table Rock Lake. The Roaring River got its name because of roaring water generated from a cave along its course.
Fish hatcheries are necessary because fishermen catch more than nature supplies, and five hatcheries in Missouri stock over 1.5 million rainbow trout annually. Great care is given to keep the water clean, keep the fish free of diseases, protect them from predators and keep them well-fed.
Have you ever called someone a small fry? That word comes from fish. When fish hatch, the larvae are called alevin, and they remain in the gravel for protection. When the fish leave the larval stage and begin swimming in open water, they are called fry. When the fry develop scales and working fins, they become fingerlings – the size of fingers.
At the hatchery, fish are divided into pools based on their age, and it takes from 12-18 months to raise fish to what is called a catchable size. I didn't take my fishing pole, but next time....
Studying the care given to raising fish reminds me of the care God gives to us as we grow in our relationship with Him. Life is not easy. Our predators are many and diverse, but we are our own worst enemy. Our protection comes primarily from studying and obeying our heavenly Father's instructions which are found in the Bible. As we stop fighting God, we simultaneously learn to stop fighting ourselves.
Let's leave the spiritual small fry stage and become beneficial to both God and our community.
-- S. Eugene Linzey is an author, mentor, and speaker. Send comments and questions to [email protected]. Visit his web site at www.genelinzey.com. The opinions expressed are those of the author.