It’s a fishing day

Lake Ouachita fishing conditions · Arkansas

Tonight, 6 pm–7 pmLargemouth bass

The bite peaks at 82.

Log a trip here
Right now: 72 for largemouth bass, worth the tripTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Largemouth bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 723 pm
  2. 72
  3. 72
  4. 826 pm
  5. 58
  6. 58
  7. 589 pm
  8. 58
  9. 58
  10. 58Sun
  11. 58
  12. 58
  13. 583 am
  14. 58
  15. 58
  16. 586 am
  17. 58
  18. 58
  19. 589 am
  20. 58
  21. 58
  22. 5812 pm
  23. 58
  24. 58
  25. 583 pm
  26. 58
  27. 58
  28. 586 pm
  29. 58
  30. 58
  31. 589 pm
  32. 58
  33. 58
  34. 58Mon
  35. 58
  36. 58
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Largemouth bass range 55–85°

Wind
0 mph

From the

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:14 pm

Sky
Mostly Sunny

No rain expected

Air
65°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Arkansas regulations for these waters.

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

82Worth the tripTonight, 6 pm–7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

13" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No largemouth or smallmouth under 13"; 6 black bass a day combined, plus 10 spotted bass.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Lake Ouachita

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Feb–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

82Worth the tripTonight, 6 pm–7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Striped bass bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 3 striped bass a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Lake Ouachita

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on striped bass

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

82Worth the tripTonight, 6 pm–7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

30 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Arkansas statewide: 30 crappie a day, no minimum. Beaver, Bull Shoals and Norfork are 10" and 15 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Arkansas

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

82Worth the tripTonight, 6 pm–7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Arkansas: 10 catfish a day (channel, blue and flathead combined), no limit on bullheads. Some small lakes and community ponds are 3 or 5 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Arkansas

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

82Worth the tripTonight, 6 pm–7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Arkansas treats common carp as a rough fish. Its statewide length and daily limits do not include carp.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Arkansas

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.17 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:14 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:39 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:40 pm–4:40 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:10 pm–12:10 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:50 am–6:50 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Arkansas Game & Fish has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

Arkansas's largest lake, a clear 40,000-acre reservoir near Hot Springs — largemouth and striped bass, crappie, catfish, and bream across hundreds of islands.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Broken Bow Lake89 mi · OklahomaBest now until 7 pm
100Go
Norfork River128 mi · ArkansasBest now until 7 pmFrost Advisory
65Marginal
Bull Shoals Lake132 mi · ArkansasBest now until 7 pmFrost Advisory
59Marginal
Beaver Lake133 mi · ArkansasBest now until 4 pmFrost Advisory
71Worth the trip
Table Rock Lake140 mi · MissouriBest now until 7 pmFrost Advisory
65Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Lake Ouachita?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Lake Ouachita you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Lake Ouachita?

Lake Ouachita is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish, and 1 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Lake Ouachita?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Lake Ouachita against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Lake Ouachita have?

Lake Ouachita has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Lake Ouachita?

state agency regulations apply at Lake Ouachita. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Lake Ouachita tidal water?

No. Lake Ouachita is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.