Bank fishing spots now that Lake Conway is drained?

Saw a thread over on Reddit where somebody who's pretty new to town wants to start a casual Sunday 8 a.m. bank fishing meetup at Beaverfork Lake. Nothing fancy, just show up, cast a line, and talk. Other people in that thread were pitching Toad Suck Park, the river, and Cadron Creek instead. It got me wondering what everybody around here is actually doing, since Lake Conway being drained and fishing on hold has pretty much wiped out the easy go-to for a lot of us.

My son has been bugging me to take him. Between football practice and Saturday games, Sunday morning is about the only open window we have, so the Sunday idea appeals to me. I haven't fished Beaverfork from the bank in years and I honestly don't remember how much shoreline you can get to without a boat. Toad Suck seems easier with kids, since there's parking and bathrooms, but I'd guess it gets crowded once it's nice out. The creek I know nothing about.

So where are you going? Anything good for a beginner and a ten-year-old who gets bored in about 40 minutes? And if anyone's interested in a Sunday group, I'd probably come, as long as it's a thermos of coffee kind of morning and not a tournament.

Sunday 8 a.m. sounds about perfect to me, honestly. Sat games and practice eat the whole weekend and Sunday is the only time anybody's free. I'd come to a thermos of coffee kind of thing too, no tournament vibes.

For a ten-year-old who checks out after 40 min I'd go with Toad Suck, like you said. Parking and bathrooms matter a lot with kids, and it's usually not bad that early, the crowd shows up later in the day. From what I remember Beaverfork's shoreline gets kind of rough in spots, lots of brush, so I'd scout it first before dragging a kid through it. Cadron Creek I've only seen from the road so can't help you there.

Tip for the boy: bobber and worms and go after bluegill or whatever's biting so he actually gets bites. Nothing kills a bored kid faster than 40 minutes of nothing. Bring snacks, too, lol.

Toad Suck gets my vote too, mostly for the bathrooms and parking like Mia said. Easier to get a bored 10-year-old to say yes to round two if the first trip wasn't a hassle 😄

Tip if you don't have gear yet: check the Saturday yard sales around Tucker Creek and the east side. I've seen kids' rod and reel combos for $3-5 pretty often, and tackle boxes with half the stuff still in them. Way cheaper than buying new for a kid who might lose interest in a month.

Also double check the license thing before you go. I think the boy is fine under 16 but you'd need one. I'd be in for a Sunday thing if it lands at Toad Suck instead of Beaverfork.

Jacob's right on the license, kids under 16 don't need one but the grown-up does. You can get it at Walmart or online through Game and Fish, just don't leave it for Sunday morning.

I'm out in Beaverfork and Mia's right about the brush. Plenty of the bank isn't a walk-along-and-cast kind of shoreline, and with snakes still out in August I wouldnt drag a ten year old through it. Toad Suck is the easier pick for a first trip.

Fun fact for your boy, the name supposedly came from the old riverboat men who'd wait out low water at the tavern there and drink till they swelled up like toads. That might buy you five more minutes of his 40.

Mia's right on the bluegill. A ten-year-old doesn't care what species is on the line as long as something is tugging. Skip the fancy lures, they'll end up in a tree within five minutes.

The thing nobody's brought up is the weather. 8 a.m. is the right call this time of year, because by noon it feels like standing inside a wet towel, and the pop-up storms love to show up right when everybody decides it's a nice day. Check the radar before you load the truck, and if you hear thunder, that's it, pack up. A fishing rod in an open field of bank is basically a lightning rod with a reel on it.

I'd also stay off Cadron Creek with a kid after any real rain. It comes up fast and muddy and the banks get slick. Toad Suck is the safer first trip, but the river level can shift on you when they move water through the dam, so don't set the bucket and the tackle box right at the edge.

Sunday coffee group sounds fine to me. I'll leave the forecasting to the professionals, who are right about half the time.

Okay, sounds like Toad Suck wins, and Mia, I'm glad I'm not the only one with the Saturday-eats-everything problem. Sunday really is the only window we have.

I'm going to scout Beaverfork myself some other time, without the kid, probably after the snakes calm down. Barb and Mia both said brush, so I'm not dragging him through that on a first trip. Cadron Creek is off the list until I know the banks better, and Steve's point about it coming up muddy after rain is noted.

Plan for the boy: bobber, worms, bluegill, snacks, and a hard stop when it starts to get hot. I'll hit the Saturday yard sales for a cheap rod and reel like Jacob said, and I'll get my license at Walmart this week so I'm not scrambling Sunday morning. Steve, I'll check the radar before I load up. Thunder means we go home, no arguing.

If anybody wants to try this Sunday the 31st at Toad Suck around 8, I'm in. I'll bring a big thermos of coffee and an extra cup or two. No tournament, no pressure, just see who shows up. If it turns out to be me and my son and one other person, that still counts.