Arkansas Fishing Lakes
Lake-by-lake species, seasonal bite, boat access, and regulations for the biggest fishing lakes in Arkansas.
Beaver Lake
Lake Dardanelle
Greers Ferry Lake
Millwood Lake
Norfork Lake
Lake Ouachita
More Arkansas lakes
Tap a lake to open its guide: species, boat launches, bait shops, and size and creel limits.
Beaver LakeBenton, Carroll, Washington & Madison Counties · 28,299 acres
Beaver Lake
An Army Corps reservoir on the White River in the Ozarks of northwest Arkansas, near Rogers and Eureka Springs. It is known for striped bass, along with bass and crappie fishing in clear, rocky water.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Striped Bass
Follow shad schools. Live shad or brood minnows on downlines; topwater and swimbaits early and late. Minimum 20 inches here.
Largemouth Bass
Creek arms and brush in spring. Minimum 15 inches on Beaver.
Smallmouth Bass
Rocky points and bluff ends in the lower lake. Minimum 15 inches on Beaver.
Crappie
Brush piles and docks in creek arms. Minimum 10 inches on Beaver.
Walleye
Spring runs up the White and War Eagle arms, then deep points in summer.
Boat launches
8 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- Prairie Creek MarinaMarinaNear Rogers. Fuel, slips, servicesDirections ↗
- Horseshoe Bend MarinaMarina16168 Hwy 94 East, Rogers. Full-service, fuel, rentalsDirections ↗
- Hickory Creek MarinaMarina12737 Hickory Creek Road, Lowell. Full-serviceDirections ↗
- War Eagle MarinaMarinaSpringdale. Rentals and supplies on the War Eagle armDirections ↗
- Lost Bridge MarinaMarinaGarfield. Rentals, lodging, serviceDirections ↗
- Starkey MarinaMarinaEureka Springs. Rentals, slips, eateryDirections ↗
- Ugly John's Rocky Branch MarinaMarinaRogers. Slips, sales, serviceDirections ↗
- More public accessFeeUSACE parks have boat ramps; $5 day-use fee per carload, card onlyDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.
| Species | Min size | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass Beaver Lake length limit | 15 in | Statewide limit |
| Smallmouth Bass Beaver Lake length limit | 15 in | Statewide limit |
| Crappie Beaver Lake length limit | 10 in | Statewide limit |
| Striped Bass Beaver Lake length limit | 20 in | Statewide limit |
Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Arkansas Game & Fish Commission ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
No shops listed yet for this lake. Use the search link below.
Search more bait shops near Beaver Lake ↗Local tips
- USACE parks charge a $5 day-use fee per carload, paid by card at self-service kiosks.
- Beaver has its own length limits: 15 in for largemouth and smallmouth, 10 in for crappie, 20 in for stripers.
- Watch for gulls and surface boils in fall and winter, a sign of stripers on shad.
Greers Ferry LakeCleburne & Van Buren Counties · 31,500 acres
Greers Ferry Lake
Greers Ferry Lake is a clear mountain reservoir on the Little Red River in north-central Arkansas. It is known for big walleye and hybrid striped bass, including a former world record walleye and a world record hybrid.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Walleye
The river arms produce some of the biggest walleye anywhere.
Wiper
A 27 lb 5 oz world record hybrid came from this lake.
Largemouth Bass
Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.
Crappie
Brush piles, docks and standing timber. Minnows or small jigs.
Boat launches
6 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- Heber Springs ParkPublicCorps park ramp near Heber Springs; some Corps ramps charge $5 day useDirections ↗
- Devils Fork ParkPublicCorps park ramp near Greers FerryDirections ↗
- Sugar Loaf ParkPublicCorps park rampDirections ↗
- Mill CreekPublicCorps ramp with a corrugated low-water laneDirections ↗
- Hill CreekPublicCorps area with ramp near the marinaDirections ↗
- More public accessPublicSee Arkansas Game & Fish or the lake manager's website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.
| Species | Min size | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass Greers Ferry Lake; statewide daily limit | 12 in | 10 / day combined |
| Smallmouth Bass Greers Ferry Lake | 12 in | 6 / day |
| Walleye Greers Ferry Lake and tributaries; 16 in effective July 1, 2026 (was 14 in) | 16 in | 6 / day |
Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Arkansas Game & Fish Commission ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.
- Greers Ferry Bait & TackleNearby7544 Greers Ferry Rd, Greers Ferry, ARDirections ↗
- Dewdeen's Bait & MercantileNearby425 AR-110, Heber Springs, ARDirections ↗
Local tips
- In late winter and early spring, fish the upper river arms for spawning walleye.
- Look for hybrids chasing shad on the main lake and troll or cast where birds are working.
- The Little Red River tailwater below the dam is a noted brown trout fishery.
View on interactive map
Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.
Millwood LakeLittle River, Hempstead, Howard & Sevier Counties · 29,200 acres
Millwood Lake
An Army Corps lake on the Little River in southwest Arkansas, about 9 miles east of Ashdown. Its thousands of acres of standing timber, marshes and oxbows make it a well-known largemouth bass lake.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Largemouth Bass
Stumps, timber and oxbows. In summer and during drawdowns, try creek mouths, points and Little River early in the morning.
Crappie
Planted brush in Little River at 10 to 16 ft. Minnows work best.
White Bass
Follow shad schools along the river channel. Jigging spoons work well.
Channel Catfish
Channel edges and flats with cut bait or prepared baits. Blue catfish are also present.
Bluegill
Bream bite well above Jack's Isle on crickets and redworms.
Spotted Bass
Mixed in with white bass along the river on spoons.
Boat launches
8 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- Millwood State ParkMarinaArkansas State Parks, west of the dam on Hwy 32. Boat ramps and marina (marina open March to October)Directions ↗
- Beards BluffPublicUSACE park with boat rampDirections ↗
- CottonshedPublicUSACE park with boat rampDirections ↗
- Paraloma ParkPublicUSACE park with boat rampDirections ↗
- SaratogaPublicUSACE park with boat rampDirections ↗
- White CliffsPublicUSACE park with boat rampDirections ↗
- Okay LandingPublicUSACE park with boat rampDirections ↗
- Wilton LandingPublicUSACE park with boat rampDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Millwood Lake are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Arkansas Game & Fish Commission ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.
- Millwood State Park MarinaNearby1564 Hwy 32 East, Ashdown(870) 898-5334Directions ↗
Local tips
- Stay in the marked boat lanes; standing timber and stumps sit just under the surface over much of the lake.
- During Corps drawdowns, stumps are at or near the surface and some main-lake boat lanes become unusable.
- Summer bass bite is best early, until about 9 a.m., before the heat slows them.
Norfork LakeBaxter & Fulton Counties · 22,000 acres
Norfork Lake
A large Army Corps reservoir on the North Fork River east of Mountain Home, with its upper end reaching into Ozark County, Missouri. It is known for striped bass, black bass, crappie and walleye in clear Ozark water.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Striped Bass
Follow shad schools in open water. Live bait and topwater at dawn are popular; fish go deep near the main channel in summer.
Largemouth Bass
Brush piles, chunk rock and flooded cover in the creek arms. Spring is the best shallow bite.
Crappie
Brush piles and docks in the creek arms. Shallower during the spring spawn.
Walleye
Gravel points and flats in spring, deeper main-lake structure in summer.
Channel Catfish
Cut bait or nightcrawlers on flats and in creek arms, especially at night in summer.
Boat launches
7 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- Cranfield ParkPublicUSACE park with boat ramp, marina and campground east of Mountain HomeDirections ↗
- Bidwell Point ParkPublicUSACE park and campgroundDirections ↗
- Henderson ParkPublicUSACE park and campgroundDirections ↗
- Panther Bay ParkPublicUSACE park and campground; Panther Bay Marina nearbyDirections ↗
- Robinson PointPublicUSACE park and campgroundDirections ↗
- Quarry Park (Dam - Quarry)PublicUSACE park near Norfork Dam; Quarry MarinaDirections ↗
- Cranfield MarinaMarinaConcession marina with ship store and bait and tackleDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Norfork Lake are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Arkansas Game & Fish Commission ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.
- Cranfield MarinaNearby2028 Cranfield Pl, Mountain HomeDirections ↗
Local tips
- The upper lake is in Missouri, where MDC rules differ (for example walleye 18 in and striped bass 20 in minimums); know which state's water you are in.
- Some USACE facilities charge fees; check the Corps or Recreation.gov before you go.
- The North Fork River below the dam is a cold-water trout stream, a separate fishery from the lake.