6 Best Crappie Fishing Lakes In Arkansas

So What are the 6 best Crappie fishing spots?

• Beaver Lake
• Lake Nimrod
• Lake Conway
• Lake Dardanelle
• Lake Greeson
• Lake Hamilton
• DeGray (Bonus)
• Lake Maumelle (Bonus)
• Lake Millwood (Bonus)

Beaver Lake

Beaver Lake is located in northern Arkansas Near Rogers. It boasts a shoreline of nearly 500 miles and is a lake that is man-made by a dam that crosses the white river. You can catch many species of fish there including crappie, largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, blue catfish, Flathead catfish. In the summertime, you will do well with a chartreuse jig On a 1/16th ounce jig head. Fish under the docks and let it drop all the way to the bottom and then reel it up slowly. Bam! Fish on!

Arkansas, a southern state that borders the Mississippi River. There are many parks and wilderness areas, encompassing rivers, caves, mountains, and hot springs. There is one other thing that Arkansas is well known for; crappie fishing! Arkansas actually boasts 6 of the countries top 50 crappie lakes; which we will cover in more detail. 

Here is a Crappie Fishing Resources Checklist

Resident, non-resident, and lifetime fishing licenses for age 65 and older will cost $10.50. You must have a fishing license if you are 16 years of age or older. The limit on crappie in Arkansas is 30 a day, but anything under 10 inches MUST be returned to the water as soon as possible. There are some exceptions on certain waters, so make sure you check all the rules and regulations when you pay for your license. 

Some of the top rated crappie fishing lakes in Arkansas that any angler can enjoy are –

Lake Nimrod

Lake Nimrod: 3,550 acres and it is the oldest lake created by the U.S.. Army Corps of Engineers. Boasting 77 miles of shoreline, Lake Nimrod ranked number 12 on the list of the top 50 crappie fishing lakes. This is one of the lakes in Arkansas with area-specific regulations, though they do not affect the limit or anything.

 1. legal to use spears

 2. handicapped-accessible fishing piers 

There are a large number of venues to fish on Lake Nimrod, making it feel as though you are crappie fishing from many fisheries at one time. You have miles upon miles of backwater, tributaries, and river bringing in anglers from all over the United States. Each evening, from the Anderson Branch Tournament area, Lake Nimrod hosts tournaments from 5:30-9:00 p.m. at $22 a boat. You can catch many species of fish, including crappie. Anglers can sometimes catch up to 100 white crappies a day. Minnows and jigs or anything small that easily fits in their mouth is the best bait to use.

These Jigs Work Very Well

The best time to catch crappie is when they are having a feeding frenzy, so i hope you are a night owl, because it is from midnight to 2 a.m.. But you can catch them fairly easily before dawn and before dusk. 

Lake Conway

Lake Conway: Approximately 8 miles long with 52 miles of shoreline on 6,700 acres. The average depth coming in at 18 feet. Lake Conway is home and host to the Crappie Masters State Tournament, which is held every spring. Logs, snags, and stumps throughout Lake Conway, have provided havens for the crappies. Weighing in at 1 1/2 to 2 pounds, visitors from all over the country come here for the abundance of crappie. It is recommended to fish for crappie around live Cyprus trees in spring. Crappies grow quickly in this area due to the abundance of forage. A  2 1/2-year-old crappie, on average, will be 11.4 inches long. As with other lakes in Arkansas, crappie prefer small live minnows, they will very rarely bit on dead bait. Make sure that you purchase crappie minnows that are no bigger than 2 inches long. To make your minnows swim more quickly, take a pair of nail clippers and clip off a tiny piece of their lower tail fin. This will make the crappie swim faster.

Lake Dardanelle

Lake Dardanelle: top-ranked in Arkansas, number 9 on top 50 lists for best crappie fishing spots in the United States. It is nestled in the River Valley. 34,300-acre reservoir with over 315 miles of shoreline. Dardanelle can be an anglers paradise with all the different species available, but a challenge because of its size. Two hot spots on Lake Dardanelle; Spadra Creek and Little Spadra Creek. These areas offer 5-10 foot depths that will jump to 2-3 foot flats. Half pound to 1 pound crappie can be found in the woody cover on the flats. In clear water, it is suggested that you use clear colored lures making sure they resemble what the crappie would feed on normally. Use bright-colored lures on sunny days and in darker water. For a double whammy, use a jig and a live minnow together. 

Lake Greeson

Lake Greeson:  a prime recreational resource in Arkansas, it is 12 miles long and 7,000 acres, located on the little Missouri River. Giving you clear waters and steep rocky ridges that form islands and peninsulas. The max depth is 180 feet and it is one of the five diamond lakes in Arkansas. Some specific regulations for Lake Greeson;

 1. No fishing within 100 yards of Narrows Dam

 2. No more than one rod or pole at a time

 3. No other devices can be used to catch fish

Lake Greeson is also one of the lakes that is located within the Ouachita River. Not only can you do some great crappie fishing, there is also 15 parks that offer; biking, boating, swimming, and camping. You can use 10-16 foot jigging poles, that way you are less likely to get hung up on the treetops and brush piles. Once again, small live minnows or jigs that resemble minnows are going to be your best bet to catch the crappie on Lake Greeson. A jigging pole specifically made for Crappie is the B’n’M Sam Heaton Super Sensitive 11-Feet 2 Piece IM6 Rod

Lake Hamilton

Lake Hamilton: another one of the lakes also located on the Ouachita River it is a 7,200 acre reservoir near Hot Springs, AR. Not only is it a great place for crappie fishing but it is a huge tourist attraction as well. Crappie are normally in huge schools in the deeper brush, about 45 feet under water. Some anglers are using slip bobber rigs and small minnows. You want to position your bait over the school, but prepare for subtle strikes.

Lake Hamilton is hosting the first ever Crappie Expo and tournament this year. October 4-6, registration begins at 7 in the morning on the 4th and the tournament starts at 11 a.m on the 5th. In between you can visit over 100 crappie related companies. What better wat to learn some tips, tricks, and see the hottest new lures, and participate in a huge crappie fishing tournament. 

There ya go! The top 6 places in Arkansas to catch crappie. If you take a family vacation and there are others who are not as big into fishing as you are, there are many other things for them to see and do, while you are at one of these beautiful lakes catching dinner. 

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