Fisher Ford

[Victor Caballeros]

This last weekend I found out there is a new land owner on river right. I never saw anyone come down there and chase people off either so I think it is safe to go down there. I would still paddle down and walk the river back up, but i think you can do this with out getting shot and killed.

[BMuu]

I wish someone would remove the tree on river right

[TonyC]

Hard to say whether this is good or bad. I've had an ... interesting ... experience with a local there once:

In my boating years pre-ACC, I had the regular problem of having buddies back out of float trips, often at the last minute. We were planning a chill afternoon 9 mile float from Chambers Springs to Fishers Ford. Buddies wussed out, and I was still determined. Planned a "di-athelon" of chaining my bike to the fishers ford bridge, driving my boat to chambers springs, doing the float, swap bike chain to the kayak, bike back to chambers springs, and drive back to fishers for my boat. The last leg of the diathelon is where things got real ... interesting.

Round dusk, bout the time I was a few miles south of 412 on AR59, a SUV parked on a driveway (already pointed toward the road, not the house) turned on it's lights and got on the road behind me. Didn't think much of this at the time, but somewhere after I got on 244 I suspected this guy might be following me. Seemed even more a possibility when he pulled in right after me on CR 25. My instincts told me I might want to inform someone of my location just in case things went down. Called my dad, and by the time I got near fishers ford at the last T in the road, my exhaustion kicked in and I turned left instead of right.

Then the psycho creeper :twisted: rushed in, swerved his SUV sideways and blocked the road, got out, headed my way and made a motion to roll down my window. I was still on the phone with my dad, and told him if anything he hears sounds remotely questionable to call authorities with my position immediately.

Psycho-creeper was a serious (expletive deleted). Started trying to question me as if he was police authorized. Maybe that behavior is a side effect of meth or other drugs. Drugs would probably explain this guy's paranoia and crazyness to follow a tired kayaker/mountainbiker on his way to pick up his boat.

I eventually explained my float/ride plans and said I just made a wrong turn as I was tired and it's dark. The guy eventually simmered down a bit (though he still remained a serious (expletive deleted). Somehow I kept a cool head through this all. Eventually a guy that lived nearby came out and wondered why psycho-creeper was blocking the road, and persuaded him to get out of the way. I pick up my boat and headed home. The whole situation really pissed me off.

Friendly boaters like us don't deserve this kind of treatment. Come to think of it, I probably should have turned in psycho-creeper meth-head in to the police.

Moral of this story - Not all people living near Fishers Ford are friendly and filled with southern hospitality. And ladies, you might want to carry some pepper spray, especially if you are leaving Fishers Ford at dark. This story is about 5 years old, and I hope psycho creeper meth head has moved on (or gotten help).

Short moral of the story: be careful and keep your eyes open!

Anybody else ever had anything like this happen to them at the Ford?

-Tony

[okieboater]

Been a long time since I have used Fisher Ford.

Back some years ago, Fisher's was a real popular spot in late summer.

The land owner on river right below the bridge was constantly after boaters.

He said boaters trashed his side of the river etc etc.

His favorite tactic was to fire his pistol into the river very close to boaters, I have had this done when I was there.

Another tactic was to show up with a monster fish lure with treble hooks and cast into the surf spot.

I understand about land owners rights but this particular one was over the line. I know the group I mostly paddled over there with would wade down the river, stay in the shallow center part and never touched his side of the river.

I stopped going over there so his tactics worked to keep me away.

I was very concerned that he would start shooting at boaters and one of the boaters just might be armed and return fire with bad results. I have had that particular land owner show up out of the blue and chew out those of us in the river to the point I wondered if he was about to have a heart attack cause he would go berserk to the max. I know the sheriff was called several times but boaters I know always lost when the Sheriff showed up.

Like I said, no idea what is going on at Fishers Ford now, but it used to be a danger zone to float there no matter if you stayed in the river or not.

[Victor Caballeros]

This is true. The thing about the land owner is that if you parked on his property and played at the wave you were really protected by the land owner, because he was always carrying a loaded AR 15 and 9mm ready to shoot. He also kept the unwanted‘s away from there. The flip side was if you were going to the bridge to float down and walk back. The land owner was ready to combat about ownership of the water. It really made it not worth the trouble to go down there unless you stop and ask the landowner for permission. My opinion is I wish he was still there to protect the integrity, safety, and beauty of that location. Now it’s crowded and hard to move around the 15-20 people that are there now.

[BMuu]

15 to 20 people? I must be going at the wrong time!

I'm usually the only one there.

[Victor Caballeros]

15 to 20 people? I must be going at the wrong time!

I'm usually the only one there.

You missed it this last Saturday. I do believe I counted 11 cars on river right and about 5 cars on river left by the bridge.

Now I haven't been a frequent Fisher Ford guy but I do remember this last weekend and the amount of people there since I've been there in 2008-2009

[MaxTexan]

I probaby went to the Ford 50 times when I lived in Arkansas; the most people I ever saw was a handful and most times I was alone.

The old landowner was creepy; but never bothered me.