Howdy y'all.  I live up in Michigan, but I grew up in Arkansas when I was little.  Recently, my folks moved back, and my mom heard about a butcher job I might land.  Well, I know that area real well, but I ain't fished in those parts since I was 10!  Well, with the prospect of having to move back for a great job, I need to make sure I can still have fun like I used too.  I fished off Whilamena lake as a kid, out in Rocky outside Mena.  I rarely caught fish, I didn't even really know nothin then either. So, going back this summer I hope to see more fish than ever and get a chance to unwind.  First off, who can tell me how the fisheries are doing?  What fish are abundant and where? Is there ANY fly-fishing locations out that way or am I best off just saying forget it and pulling out the bait-casters?  And by fly-fisheries, I mean streams and rivers that might require waders and a high quality fly.  Please understand, I ain't fished these waters in almost 12 years.  Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Hey Wayne, I'm not from down in that part of the state, but I'll try to help you out some.
You won't be that far from Lake Ouachita, which is supposed to be one of the best lakes in the state. Here's a list of what can be caught there from the AR game & fish.

Fish Found in Lake Ouachita*
Blue Catfish
Bluegill
Channel Catfish
Crappie
Flathead Catfish
Largemouth Bass
Rainbow Trout
Redear Sunfish
Spotted Bass
Striped Bass
Walleye
White Bass

Something on that list should catch your interest.

And for fly fishing, not sure if this is what you had in mind, but the Ouachita River starts out there and runs into the lake. Never have fished it myself, but it is supposed to be one of the best Smallmouth Bass rivers down here. They do float trips down it, so I would guess it would have some good wadeing spots. A good sized smallmouth on a fly rod sounds like a real hoot to me.
Here's what I found on it.

The Ouachita has been a favorite fishing spot among sportsmen for decades. Heavy stringers of
 smallmouth and spotted bass come from the stream year round, although the best angling for big
bass (four-pounders are not uncommon) is usually during the cooler months from October through March.
 In the lower reaches just above Lake Ouachita, the spawning runs of white bass always attract
large numbers of spring fishermen, and, as might be expected, this cool stream supports large
numbers of green and longear sunfish. Anglers will also land an occasional walleye, largemouth bass,  rock bass, catfish or bluegill.

I'm not for sure, but if that lake has trout stocked below the dam or not, (the cold water comming from the bottom of the dam is just right for trout to live in for a few miles). But there are 3 lakes right there, and I seem to remember at least one of them having them. Up farther north in the state, below the dam at Greers Ferry Lake, the Little Red river has some awesome rainbow, brook, and brown trout fly fishing. The world record brown came from there.

So it looks to me like your could be moving to a great place to fish.

Good luck and keep us posted on how it goes.

Larry

Holy cow larry!!!  Thanks a ton!!!  That was a better answer than I had anticipated....  I guess I got used to MI's bb not quite getting the idea that "I need some help" means how much can you tell me....  If nothing else, this is great knowledge for when I go to fish with my siblings on a visit!!!  More than I had anticipated. Thank you.

good write up and info!!!

ouichita lake is BIG so you need to know more before you just got running around her on a whim!  try to keep posting in here, i know Ouachitabassangler(jim)and Justin freeman live right around hot springs, justin was gitting into canoing the river last i heard...and jim(oba) well his name says it all, if there is something to know about that lake he is the ONE to ask or tell you... but i have not seen him on in awhile(hope all is well JIM?) i have cuaght gar and cats and tons of perch on Ouachita as a kid..but even with a prolike OBA we got skunk'd the one time i had the pleasure to go out with him,  winter turn over can suck.... i would bring as many rigs as possible! try for striper/trout/cats in the spill way,from ouachita to lake hamilton..

 lots of little stream abound,but snakes and ticks are thick too!

if you want small stream search a map of the area and zoom down to mark a few, i bet you could mark 100 streams that are close to roads, mark every bridge on a road and then just stop to check um out...  wish i could help more....if all else fails BAIT AND WAIT...cuz somethin will eat it in ouachita, if time is all you got, and any fish will do... if it's perch/bream/sunfish use  worms, baccon or anything even flies and jigs ....then use those fish for a bait to catch big  cat/striper/bass/gar!lol

good to see post in AR!  i was tryin to go this summer but will see...

Hey there! Sure hope you get the job down here.  There are several spinning/baitcasting fishing and fly fishing opportunities around the Hot Springs/Arkadelphia/Amity/Glenwood area along the Caddo, Ouachita, and I suppose even the Cassatot (never fished the Cossatot but dont know why you couldnt heh). Then a little further south the Lil Missouri is another opportunity.  Right now from what I hear the trout fishing below Carpenter Dam (Lake Catherine) should be in full swing and it is still low and completly wadable for a good distance below the dam.  Below Remmel Dam (Ouachita River) should be similar.  I havnt gotten out lately but the fishing should actually be quite good right now around this area and its not too far from your prospective area.  Again I sure hope you get a chance to come down and join us! Best of luck! Let me know if I can help you in anyway.

-Justin