Best channel catfish lakes in Arkansas
19 Arkansas waters hold channel catfish, 5 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Scent-driven bottom feeder. Holes, channels and inflows — best after dark.
- Table Rock Lake — 218 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 19 public access sites
- Norfork Lake — 176 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
- Bull Shoals Lake — 210 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
- Mississippi River — Memphis — 135 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Lake Dardanelle — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Lake Ouachita — 200 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- DeGray Lake — 200 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Lake Hamilton — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Lake Greeson — 100 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Blue Mountain Lake — 36 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Millwood Lake — 30 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Nimrod Lake — 42 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Lake Chicot — 20 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Lake Maumelle — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Lake Conway — 15 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Buffalo National River — 8 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rock BassWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 14 public access sites
- Lake Ferguson — 44 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
- Lake Beulah — 30 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Hannaberry Lake — 11 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
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How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See Arkansas waters with public access data
When to fish channel catfish in Arkansas
- Spring 3–12 ft — Warm inflows and shallow mud flats after rain.
- Summer 8–25 ft — Deep holes by day; cats roam shallow flats to feed at night.
- Fall 10–30 ft — Fish concentrate in river/creek channels and deeper holes.
- Winter 20–40 ft — Stacked in the deepest holes; slow natural baits.
Also in Arkansas: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best striped bass lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best spotted bass lakes
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