Bull Shoals Lake is an artificial lake or reservoir which was created when Bull Shoals Dam was finished in 1951. Located in the Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas and southern Missouri, it has hundreds of miles of lake arms and coves perfect for boating, water sports, swimming, and fishing. Nineteen developed parks around the shoreline provide campgrounds, boat launches, swim areas, and marinas.

Bull Shoals Fishing

Bassmaster magazine ranked Bull Shoals Lake as the 44th best fishing lake in the U.S. in 2015. Bull Shoals is the last lake in the White River chain of lakes, bordering southern Missouri and North Arkansas. It is famous for its expansive, crystal clear waters, sheer bluff banks, and lack of development along hundreds of miles of shoreline. The most popular species that bring anglers to the lake are stripers and walleye. Both smallmouth and largemouth bass, as well as crappie, can be found in large amounts as well. Bull Shoals Lake has delivered many state records that include striper, yellow perch, and walleye. Bull Shoals makes up 1/2 of the Twin Lakes area along with Norfork Lake where Bassmaster held their Bull Shoals/Norfork elite tournament in April of 2016. The White River is the inflow and outflow of the Lake and is the #1 trout location in the country.

Bull Shoals Camping

Along with the Bulls Shoals-White River State Park that offers many camping and lodging choices the lake is surrounded by a plethora of resorts that offer a variety of cabin choices, activities, boat docks, and boat rentals.

Bull Shoals Attractions

Many attractions can be found in the Twin Lakes area. Aside from the world-class fishing and boating one can find one of the top 100 golf courses at the Big Creek Golf and Country Club in Mountain Home, AR. Kayaking and canoeing on the White and Buffalo Rivers is a popular local water sport. The Blanchard Spring Caverns and Mystic Caverns are close by and are some of the best in the country. The city of Branson, MO. is just 1-2 hours away and offers every type of entertainment and dining choices one can imagine.

Lake Ouachita is the biggest lake located entirely within Arkansas at just over 40,000 acres. It is famous for its scenic beauty and clear waters. It was created in the late 1940s when Blakely Mountain Dam dammed the waters of the Ouachita River near Hot Springs, AR. Lake Ouachita is nearly surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest and has around 970 miles of Arkansas’s most pristine shorelines. At forty miles long it has large stretches of open water that make it a favorite spot for sailors. Scuba divers from all over the world enjoy the crystal clear waters as well as the special spearfishing season.

Recreational boating, water skiing, and other water sports are also very popular on Lake Ouachita, which boasts more than 100 uninhabited islands for primitive camping. Available rentals include houseboats, sailing crafts, fishing rigs and more. Contributing to make the lake one of Arkansas’s finest outdoor destinations is Lake Ouachita State Park which offers cabin rentals, marinas and a plethora of resorts along with more than 400 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ campsites.

Lake Ouachita Fishing

Bassmaster Magazine selected Lake Ouachita as the 88th best bass lake of the country’s Top 100 Bass Lakes (May 2015). Millwood Lake, Bull Shoals Lake, and Lake Dardanelle are 3 more Arkansas Lakes that made the top 100. Anglers will enjoy a wide variety of fishing opportunities such as largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, bream, crappie, catfish, walleye and world-class trophy striped bass. Lake Ouachita is known as the striped bass capital of the world and is consistently ranked in the top ten nationally for largemouth bass fishing. Fishing guides are available. Ouachita’s acres are at normal pool level, with a crooked, rugged shoreline and an abundance of islands, especially in the lower (east) end of the lake. There are also many shallow areas that provide excellent feeding and holding places for bass, with deep-water escape just a few fin strokes away. Bass fishermen do well around these islands and shallow areas using surface lures, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jigs, and plastic worms. Deep, crystal-clear, with a floor of rocks, trees and other cover, and plenty of baitfish, Ouachita is ideal for big stripers. One of the most successful methods used for catching them is trolling with downriggers along the river channel near the dam to where it is joined by the Little Blakely and Big Blakely creek channels. The month of May the stripers also congregate in the upper end of the lake, especially in the area around the Ark. 27 bridge.

One of the more unusual features of the lake was created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is the Geo-Float Trail, a marked route that can be followed by boaters guided by a brochure that details prominent geologic features to be seen on the lake.

Lake Ouachita Attractions

The city of Hot Springs which can be found near the east end of the lake is Arkansas’s #1 tourist destination. It is home to Hot Springs National Park and many other tourist attractions. At the west end of Lake Ouachita is Mount Ida which is famous for its rock shops and quartz crystal mines, many of which are open to the public for a fee.

Lake Dardanelle is one of the most easily reached and beautiful recreation areas in Arkansas. Located about the midpoint between Little Rock and Fort Smith and near the city of Russellville, the lake stretches some 50 miles as part of the $1.2 billion Arkansas River Navigation System. With just over 34,000 acres of boating and fishing waters, 315 miles of shoreline, and rimmed by choice picnic and camping areas, it offers many recreational opportunities. Parks offer drinking water, toilet facilities, boat launching ramps, parking areas, and tables. Several have trailer dump stations, electrical outlets, and group picnic shelters. Public boat docks offer boat and motor rental services, fuel, food, and other supplies and services.

Some 250 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campsites are available around the lake, plus Lake Dardanelle State Park welcomes visitors at two shoreline locations. For the birdwatchers, the river valley is a favorite wintering area for the American Bald Eagle. From late fall through early spring, eagles are often seen perched in large trees and on snags along the river as they hunt for their prey. Old Post Road Park in Russellville and Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge are popular viewing areas for these majestic creatures.

Lake Dardanelle Fishing

Lake Dardanelle was named the 34th best lake by Bassmasters in 2015. The lake has one of the most consistent bass habitats in the Arkansas River system. One of the better-known spots for largemouth is near the river mouth on the lake near Russellville. The lake is extremely popular with anglers going big catfish as well. White bass is native to the river, with adults traveling in schools and feeding near the surface. Bream fishing is excellent in the lake, which has also been stocked with crappie and largemouth bass. With no closed season and mild winters, fishing is good year-round. The lake has one of the most consistent bass habitats in the Arkansas River system.

Lake Dardanelle Attractions

There are many attractions in close proximity to Lake Dardanelle. The city of Russellville offers golfing, 160 miles of shopping including yard sales, flea markets, antique shops, and collectibles. If none of that excites you, try hang gliding at the Mt. Magazine State Park, or biking and hiking at the Bona Dea Trails.