DeGray Lake
DeGray Lake is about 30 to 45 minutes from Hot Springs, Arkansas depending on what part of the lake you are visiting. This is a good-sized lake that covers more than 13,000 acres. There are a variety of species to target here like many of the other popular lakes in this area. The primary fishery consists of crappie, bass, hybrid striped bass and catfish.
Lake Catherine
Lake Catherine is a smaller lake on this chain, but it still covers more than 1,900 acres, so you have a lot of water to fish. There are a lot of homes on the lake, so you have plenty of docks to fish and you will see plenty of other anglers too. Lake Catherine provides some pretty good bass fishing for largemouth bass and spotted bass. Stripers and white bass are here too. Crappie are here in limited numbers. You may find some walleye also.
Lake Greeson
Lake Greeson was formed by the damming of the Little Missouri River. The water levels do fluctuate quite a bit here depending on the time of year and how much water is being drawn. This lake has clear water and rocky bottoms. There isn’t a lot of shoreline cover here unless you are here during a period of heavy rain and flooding going on at the lake. Brush piles are the major form of cover as many anglers place them all over the lake to provide better crappie habitat. The crappie fishery is excellent here, but anglers also catch a lot of catfish plus largemouth bass, spotted bass, smallmouth bass, white bass, striped bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, walleye and bluegill. Anglers also target rainbow trout in the Little Missouri River tailwaters just below the dam.
Lake Hamilton
Lake Hamilton is a very popular lake to fish. With its location right in Hot Springs and all the homes on the water, this lake gets so much angling pressure. The lake still provides a lot of action with some big fish too, but don’t expect to find too many spots to have all to yourself while fishing here. Anglers target a variety of bass, crappie, catfish, walleye and bream.
Learn more about Lake Hamilton
Lake Ouachita
Lake Ouachita is a huge lake that cover 40,000 acres. It is a popular lake, but there is plenty of room here to handle a lot of boaters. Anglers target crappie, bluegill and other sunfish, catfish, striped bass, largemouth bass, spotted bass and smallmouth bass.
Learn more about Lake Ouachita
Ouachita River
Upper Ouachita River
The Ouachita River starts in the Ouachita Mountains. This part of the river ends at Lake Ouachita. The stretch of river between Eagleton, Arkansas and Lake Ouachita is a popular float stream for smallmouth bass and spotted bass. The smallmouth bass fishery is what really stands out in the upper part of the river, however, the white bass spawning run gets a lot of attention in the spring every year. Walleye runs occur in the upper stretches as well in the spring and fall, but the spring run is better.
Lower Ouachita River
Below Lake Ouachita, the Ouachita River continues through the Ouachita Mountains. There are 2 dams on this part of the river. Blakely Mountain Dam (Lake Ouachita) and Carpenter Dam (Lake Hamilton) both offer a cold water fishery for a short stretch below the dams. Rainbow trout are stocked below both dams and they provide some excellent seasonal fishing opportunities for them. As you head further south on the river, anglers target largemouth bass, spotted bass, some smallmouth bass, catfish, crappie and bream.
Tailwater Fisheries
There is a seasonal trout fishery here in the tailwaters below the dams in this area. If you’re looking to learn more about the trout fishing here, take a look at our tailwater fisheries page.
