Arkansas Walleye Fishing Tips and Tactics

On the whole, Arkansas does not appear to have much to offer in the way of walleye fishing. This is not all together discouraging. The state record walleye came out of Greers Ferry Lake weighing in at a whopping 22 pounds, 11 ounces. This is just 2 pounds shy of the world record walleye.

Where to Find Arkansas Walleye

Out of the initial limitations come great bodies of water for producing Arkansas walleye. Starting with where the state record walleye was found, Greer Ferry Lake. This 32,000 acre lake is situated in north-central Arkansas approximately 80 miles north of the popular hot spot of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Another walleye hot spot is Bulls Shoals Lake located in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Standing at a massive 45,000 acres, the lake sits in the northern center portion of the state. Rounding out the top three walleye hot spots in Arkansas is Lake Ouachita. Just 25 miles north-west of Hot Springs, this lake consists of 40,000 acres.

Outside of lake structures, there is one key river that offers prime walleye pickings for Arkansas. This is the Saline River tucked away among highway crossing, county roads and various ferry boat sites. All work together to provide unlimited access to this river. Adding to its accessibility, the state game and fish commission created several access points around the river. These access points are on land and water.

The Saline River is by far is Arkansas' tucked away little walleye fishing secret. In addition to a healthy walleye stock, there are channel catfish swimming the waters as well. Many fishers who are aware of all that the river has to offer practice a technique of wade a little, fish a little.

This calls for unconventional fishing methods. For starters, canoes take the place of standard fishing boats on open waters. Standard boat motors will not do much good either. Small trolling motors can provide useful in trolling situations.

Northern Arkansas is home to several viable walleye locations. Among these are the Eleven Point, Upper White Beaver Dam, Middle White River and Black River. Other portions of the state are just as popular with walleye. Lake Hamilton, Lake Catherine and Lake Greeson all boast healthy walleye populations. Off the wall drainage systems have provided unique opportunities to come across separated walleye who may have taken awrong turn somewhere along the way.

Arkansas Walleye History

The attribution of walleye population emerged onto the Arkansas radar is linked to the White River drainage system. Larger populations resided in rivers, streams and lakes with warmer temperatures. It is believed that the walleye did not migrate to downstream locations because of the cooler water temperatures.

Walleye Preferences

Walleye do not require fancy dishes on their culinary menu. For the most part, this toothy fish will each virtually anything dangled in front of them. Ideal meal choices are small in nature. This includes small crawfish, worms and insects. Minnows are their absolute favorite.

In terms of location, walleye prefer the safety afforded by deep waters. The best times to fish for walleye are typically from sundown to midnight. This is when they feel safe moving about under the cover of darkness.