Crain Hyundai of Fort Smith

Nov 12, 2021

A fishing rod connected to the edge of a boat on a lake with trees and the sun setting in the background. | Fishing around Fort Smith, AR.Fort Smith, AR, boasts some of the best fishing waters in the state. The Arkansas River and nearby lakes are teeming with numerous fish species that anglers can hook from the shores or fishing boats. Here you will find countless fishing spots to reel in largemouth, hybrid striped, and white bass, channel, blue, and flathead catfish, bluegill, sauger, and crappie.

1. Arkansas River

The Arkansas River, home to the famous Arkansas Big Bass Classic, is the ideal spot to hook largemouth, hybrid striped, and white bass. The river holds spotted, striped, and redear sunfish and channel, blue, and flathead catfish. You can also reel in bluegill, sauger, and crappie.

It’s one of the best spots in the state to cast your line with locks and dams all along the river and regularly stocked by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The shallow backwaters at Fort Smith are teeming with bass early in the season, and white bass and sauger are easy to catch during the winter months.

2. Ozark Lake

The 10,600-acre Ozark Lake is on a bend in the Arkansas River with 173-miles of shoreline. The flowing water holds all the native game fish species. The lake is a top spot to catch blue, channel, and flathead catfish, largemouth and white bass, spotted, striped, and redear sunfish, sauger, warmouth, and crappie. Here you can fish along the shoreline or from a boat all year round. The lake has boat ramps

3. Wells Lake

Wet a hook in the 12-acre manmade Wells Lake at the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center. The lake is a Family and Community Fishing Program lake and is regularly stocked. Here you can reel in largemouth bass, channel catfish, redear sunfish, and bluegill. Rainbow trout are stocked annually in February. The center supplies loaner poles and tackle boxes. All you have to do is bring your own bait.

4. Lake Fort Smith

The 1,390-acre lake is another great place to wet a hook, especially if you want to angle from a boat. The lake has a double-lane boat launch ramp and a marina where anglers can rent fishing boats and buy tackle and bait. The most common fish species caught here include largemouth bass, redear sunfish, and channel catfish. The Lake Fort Smith State Park provides easy access to the marina and the lake.

5. Lake Devil

Never be fooled by the size of a lake in Arkansas. Many of the smaller lakes offer excellent fishing opportunities. The 8-acre Lake Devil in the Devil’s Den State Park might be the smallest of the Arkansas state park lakes, but if you’re after largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, and channel catfish, you will be pleasantly surprised. The park rents canoes to fish on the lake and offers a pleasant angling experience in scenic surroundings.

To fish in Arkansas waters, you need a fishing license if you are 16 years and older. You will find information on fishing licenses and limits on the Arkansas Game and Fishing Commission website. Visit Crain Hyundai of Fort Smith today for top-quality new and pre-owned vehicles, exceptional customer care, and expert maintenance and repair services.

 

Image via Pixabay.