Army Corps reservoir

Lake Dardanelle

Pope, Yell, Logan, Johnson & Franklin Counties, Arkansas

An Arkansas River reservoir behind Dardanelle Lock and Dam, between Russellville and Dardanelle in the Arkansas River Valley. It is a busy bass tournament lake, with a weigh-in pavilion at Lake Dardanelle State Park, and anglers also target crappie, catfish and white bass.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Surface area34,300 acres

Max depth—

Shoreline315 mi

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Largemouth Bass●●●●○

Fish creek arms, backwaters and riprap along the river channel. Current from the dam often turns the bite on.

Crappie●●●●○

Brush and wood cover in the creek arms in spring, deeper brush and bridge pilings in summer and winter.

Blue Catfish●●●●○

Drift or anchor with cut shad along channel ledges and below current breaks.

Flathead Catfish●●●○○

Live bait around logjams and rock in summer, mostly at night.

White Bass●●●○○

Spring runs up the tributaries, then schools chasing shad in open water in summer and fall.

When they bite

Month-by-month activity for each target species.

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Largemouth Bass
Crappie
Blue Catfish
White Bass

SlowFairGoodHot

Boat launches

6 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Lake Dardanelle State Park (Russellville)Public
Arkansas State Parks. Year-round ramp, fishing pier, tournament weigh-in pavilionDirections ↗
Lake Dardanelle State Park (Dardanelle)Public
Arkansas State Parks. Boat ramp, picnic area and campgroundDirections ↗
Shoal BayPublic
Army Corps park near New Blaine with campground and day-use areaDirections ↗
Piney BayPublic
Army Corps park near London with campground and day-use areaDirections ↗
SpadraPublic
Park near Clarksville with campground and day-use areaDirections ↗
Old Post RoadPublic
Army Corps campground near RussellvilleDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Lake Dardanelle are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Arkansas Game & Fish Commission ↗

Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

Marina Road Bait & OutdoorNearby
1010 Marina Rd, Russellville(479) 967-2091 Directions ↗
Academy Sports + OutdoorsNearby
1355 E Main St, Russellville(479) 465-4100 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Lake Dardanelle ↗

Local tips

This is a working river with barge traffic; stay clear of the navigation channel and the lock and dam.
Outside the main channel, watch for stumps, shallow humps and rocky points, and read ramp signs during low water.
Lake Dardanelle State Park hosts many fishing tournaments, so its ramp can be busy on weekends.

Angler reports

Water temp, what's biting, and anything else other anglers should know about Lake Dardanelle.

Loading reports...