After looking at DeGray Lake and the surrounding area, fishermen have to make a decision. Should they go fishing, or just go have fun? Well, the answer that most come up with is “both”. Fishing on the clear blue waters of Lake DeGray offers anglers a chance to catch bunches of bass — largemouths, striped and hybrid — as well as offering family friendly catches of crappie, bream and catfish. The 13,400 acre lake is also a prime location for a weekend getaway or family vacation in the beautiful Ouachita Mountains. Nearby Hot Springs is also a national draw, and when you mix the two together you can have your limit of fishing and fun. Lake DeGray is located in central Arkansas just eight miles out of Arkadelphia in Clark and Hot Springs counties. During some times of the year, anglers don’t have to spend much time deciding which types of bass to fish for. When the fish are schooling and actively chasing shad, the lake’s largemouths, stripers and hybrid bass sometimes all run in the same areas. When you toss out a big topwater bait, spoon or bright-colored jig, you never know what you might catch.

Fishing Lake DeGray

For the most part, the largemouths stay in the more shallow areas of the lake much of the year. Largemouths do move from shallow to deep with the change in water temperatures and oxygen levels. Fishing in the spring and fall, many anglers go further north where the lake becomes more narrow and has pockets and inlets to find fish in. The northern-most parts of the lake narrow down into beautiful areas surrounded by steep bluff walls. One advantage of fishing for largemouths in more shallow areas is that fishermen can actually see the structure they are casting to instead of having to feel their way and use electronics to pinpoint structure. In the springtime, crawfish colored lures work well, in the summer shad color lures are best and in the fall, baitfish colored crank baits produce good catches. Popular bass fishing areas are found around the State Park, Arlie Moore and Point Cedar and Goat Island. While largemouths move some from area to area, biologists on this lake have found that schools of hybrids actually migrate from one end of the lake to the other, usually chasing schools of baitfish as the seasons change. The hybrid and striped bass do not reproduce in the lake, but the population is maintained by stocking of both hybrids and stripers. Some purebred bass anglers think that the additional fish compete with largemouths for food, but biologists believe that there is enough food to go around for all the types of bass. And when the stripers and hybrids start schooling, the only thing anglers think about is grabbing a rod and reel. Crappie fishing is best on this lake in February, March and into early April. Shallower areas like Brushy Creek and other small tributaries are great spots to find the crappie spawning and easier to catch. There is a good amount of timber and brush in the coves around Brushy which holds crappie in the spring. Some of the other top spots include Big Hill Creek and Point 15. Big Hill Creek enters the lake on the north-central side and is one of the larger spots to crappie fish shallow. Point 15 is further up the river and offers more typical river type fishing along the shores and shallow structure. Minnows work well here as do all kinds of jigs and plastic trailers. Whatever you fish for here, you’ll also find that beyond the visible rocks and trees, there is a lake full of underwater ridges, islands and other habitat close to points. These are top spots for fishing. The lake’s natural fish cover has been enhanced over the years by the addition of natural fish attractors. Most of them here are made up long sections of corrugated plastic pipes wrapped in irregular shapes around PVC frames that hold all kinds of fish.

Visiting DeGray Lake

DeGray has two excellent lodging and marina facilities, the Iron Mountain Lodge on the southern side of the lake and the Lake DeGray Lake State Park and Resort on the north central side. There are also several other private lodges and rentals dotted around or near the lake. The State Park offers boat rentals from paddle boats to jet skis to house boats, a 96-room lodge and conference center and camping sites for tents, trailers and even rent-a-yurts. There’s an 18-hole golf course, hiking trails, mountain biking, horseback riding and more. Just 30 minutes away, the city of Hot Springs is known for just that - naturally heated springs, many of which are located in Bathhouse Row alongside the Hot Springs National Park. Some of the bath houses are more than 100 years old. Lodging, entertainment and a huge choice of restaurants are available in the area, and nearby Garvan Woodland Gardens is also a great place to visit any time of the year.