Your line is spooled, rods all accounted for, and your tackle box restocked. Your bobbers, weights and lures are all organized to the color. There might have been some winter-weather-induced boredom behind that Marie Kondo-esque tidiness to your tackle, and things may not look that neat by summer’s end, but either way — the time has come to put it all to good use. To cast your line and try to land a hook in what lurks beneath the water’s surface.
But just as polarity and superstition can surround the bait and artificials of preference, so too can it encompass one of the most important decisions of all: where to fish. Here are a few of our favorites, broken down by species.
Walleye
Like with trout, the Natural State is well-known for its ample and sizable population of walleye. And also like trout, walleye are cool water fish, commonly found in streams, rivers, clean lakes and tailwaters.
Lakes
– Bull Shoals Lake
– Greers Ferry Lake
– Lake Catherine
– Lake Greeson
– Lake Hamilton
– Lake Ouachita
– Lake Norfork
Rivers
– Black River
– Current River
– Eleven Point River
– Kings River
– Spring River
– White River
State Record 22 pounds, 11 ounces; Greers Ferry Lake (1982)*
*Also the 12-pound-line-class World Record.
Crappie
Many anglers consider the crappie as the hidden gems of the fishing world, so to speak. Not only is the species one of the best-tasting freshwater fish around, it generally takes a little more work to find. However, crappie typically congregate in schools, so once tracked down it’s bound to be a productive day on the water.
Lakes
– Beaver Lake
– Bull Shoals Lake
– Cane Creek Lake
– Lake Conway
– Lake Dardanelle
– Lake Greeson
– Lake Overcup
– Nimrod Lake
Rivers
– Mississippi River
– Spadra Creek
– White River
State Record White Crappie • Mingo Creek 5 pounds (2011)
Trout
The state is probably most renowned to visitors for its abundant trout fishing opportunities, thanks in large part to the fisheries developed over the past 50 years by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC).
Tailwaters (dams)
– Norfork Lake
– Bull Shoals
– Beaver Lake
– Lake Ouachita
– Greers Ferry Lake
Rivers
– Little Missouri River
– Little Red River
– Spring River
– White River
STATE RECORD
• Cutthroat Trout: 10 pounds, 2 ounces; White River (2018)
• Lake Trout: 11 pounds, 5 ounces; Greers Ferry Lake (1997)
• Rainbow Trout • White River 19 pounds (1981)
Bass
Arkansas also has a very good track record when it comes to bass fishing, especially largemouth bass. The species is very available practically anywhere in the state, but a few spots can churn out bigger splashes than others. And as the warmer weather turns the clock on the largemouth’s return to shallower waters, this time of year is perfect for anglers.
Tailwaters (dams)
– Beaver Lake
– Bull Shoals Lake
– DeGray Lake
– Greers Ferry Lake
– Lake Chicot
– Lake Conway
– Lake Dardanelle
– Lake Greeson
– Lake Millwood
– Lake Norfork
– Lake Ouachita
– Mallard Lake
– Table Rock Lake
Rivers
– Arkansas River
– Buffalo National River (smallmouth)
– Cossatot (smallmouth)
– Little Red River (smallmouth)
– White River
STATE RECORD
• Largemouth Bass: 16 pounds, 8 ounces; Mallard Lake (1976)
• Striped Bass • Beaver Lake 64 pounds, 8 ounces (2000)
Catfish
If crappie is among the most delicious fish to eat from Arkansas’ waters, then catfish have just as much a case to make on that front. (Which is best probably comes down mostly to personal preference.) Catfish is also one of the largest game fish in the state and among the most plentiful species as well.
Tailwaters (dams)
– Degray Lake
– Greers Ferry Lake
– Lake Atalanta
– Lake Conway
– Lake Greeson
– Lake Hinkle
– Lake Millwood
– Lake Ouachita
– Lake Wilhelmina
– MacArthur Park Lake
– White Oak Lake
Rivers
– Arkansas River
– Little River
– Mississippi River
– St. Francis River
– White River
State Record
• Blue Catfish: 116 pounds, 12 ounces; Mississippi River (2001)
• Channel Catfish: 38 pounds; Lake Ouachita (1989)
• Flathead Catfish • Arkansas River 80 pounds (1989)
