Arkansas has lots of excellent fishing opportunities. According to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the state holds more than 600,000 acres of lakes and roughly 90,000 miles of rivers and streams, plus countless creeks and bayous. You can catch trophy trout in cold Ozark tailwaters, largemouth and striped bass in clear mountain reservoirs, and crappie and catfish in timber-filled lakes. And you can get to all of it in a single trip.
The best fishing is in three main areas. First, you have the Ozarks in the north, where the White, Little Red, and Spring rivers and Bull Shoals Lake are located. The Ouachitas are in the west-central Diamond Lakes region, where you’ll find Lake Ouachita and DeGray Lake. And the southwest Timberlands are home to Millwood Lake. The lakes and rivers are far enough apart that driving from a hotel can often waste your best fishing hours.
That’s where an RV changes the trip. You can park at the water’s edge, roll out of bed for sunrise fishing, store rods and coolers in one place, and move your base camp when you want to fish a new lake. You get an early start, a place to clean and cook your catch, and the freedom to chase the fish instead of worrying about checkout time.
Best Places for RV Fishing in Arkansas
| Fishing spot | Best for | RV camping experience | Good to know |
| White River (below Bull Shoals Dam) | Trophy brown & rainbow trout | Full-hookup riverside sites at Bull Shoals–White River State Park | Cold tailwater; check dam generation before wading |
| DeGray Lake | Bass, hybrid stripers, crappie | Full & partial hookups at DeGray Lake Resort State Park | Arkansas’s only resort state park; big-rig friendly |
| Lake Ouachita | Stripers & largemouth bass | Full hookups at Lake Ouachita State Park | Largest lake entirely within Arkansas; watch for standing timber |
| Spring River | Trout and stream walleye | Private RV parks near Hardy & Mammoth Spring | No overnight camping at state fishing-access points |
| Millwood Lake | Trophy largemouth bass & crappie | Full-hookup sites at Millwood State Park plus Corps campgrounds | Flooded timber; follow the marked boat lanes |
| Little Red River | Wild trophy brown trout | Corps campgrounds around Greers Ferry Lake near Heber Springs | Tailwater below Greers Ferry Dam; check generation schedule |
| Bull Shoals Lake | Largemouth, smallmouth & spotted bass | Bull Shoals–White River State Park serves the lake and the tailwater | Clear, deep Ozark reservoir; crosses into Missouri |
Fishing Spots in Arkansas
Here are some of the best fishing spots in Arkansas. You’ll find plenty of bass fishing in the state, along with a variety of other fish to catch.
White River
The White River begins in the Boston Mountains of northwest Arkansas and runs about 722 miles through the Ozarks and across the state before joining the Mississippi. Its headline fishery is the cold tailwater below Bull Shoals Dam, one of the country’s most famous trophy-trout stretches, holding both rainbow and brown trout. Above and below the trout water, you will also find smallmouth bass, catfish, walleye, bluegill, and sunfish. Fly fishing and drifting from a johnboat are the classic ways to work it.
RV Trip Snapshot
- Base camp: Bull Shoals–White River State Park sits right on the tailwater below the dam near Mountain Home, with riverfront campsites and a trout dock, marina, and Gaston Visitor Center on site.
- Fishing access: Many sites face the river on concrete pads; guided johnboats launch nearby, and there is walk-in river access.
- Hookups: Full-hookup sites with 50-amp electric, plus water and sewer, are available, along with water/electric-only sites.
- RV size & road: The full-hookup loop takes rigs up to about 75 feet, with a few big-rig pull-throughs. Confirm the site length when you book.
- Best for: Trout anglers who want to wake up near the water and fish first light.
- Plan around this: The river is cold and rises fast when the dam generates. Check the generation schedule before wading.
DeGray Lake
Situated near Arkadelphia, DeGray Lake is a man-made lake that offers 13,800 acres of clear waters ideal for fishing, boating, and numerous watersports. The DeGray fishing resort sits south of Hot Springs town in south-central Arkansas. The numerous wooded pockets, islands, and coves make DeGray Lake perfect for bass fishing, and you might also catch crappie or catfish. After a long day on DeGray Lake, spend the night at the lodge or at an RV-friendly campground at the state park. Iron Mountain Recreation Area & Campground is another nearby spot that’s a great place for RV camping.
RV Trip Snapshot
- Base camp: DeGray Lake Resort State Park, Arkansas’s only resort state park, has 113 campsites. Most are RV-friendly, and the park has a lodge, marina, restaurant, and golf course.
- Fishing access: Boat ramps are in the park; the islands between the lodge and Iron Mountain hold schooling fish, especially at dawn and dusk in summer.
- Hookups: Class AAA sites offer full hookups with 50-amp electric, water, and sewer; Class B sites have 30-amp hookups and water.
- RV size & road: It’s about an hour southwest of Little Rock via I-30 on easy roads, and the park welcomes big rigs. Some sites even accommodate very long vehicles. The Corps-run Iron Mountain campground on the south shore adds around 69 more RV sites with electric hookups.
- Best for: Families and mixed groups who want serious bass fishing and resort amenities.
Lake Ouachita
Lake Ouachita is a man-made reservoir near Hot Springs in the west-central region of Arkansas and the largest lake in the state. Boasting more than 40,000 acres of crystal-clear water, Lake Ouachita sits in Ouachita National Forest and is renowned for stripers and largemouth bass fishing. While fishing here, keep in mind that this lake still holds the remnants of a drowned forest, so watch out for shallow water markers and treetops. Lake Ouachita is among the most famous destinations for scuba diving, particularly during the spearfishing season. The state park offers RV camping with full hookups.
RV Trip Snapshot
- Base camp: Lake Ouachita State Park on the east side of the lake has 93 campsites, 58 with full hookups, plus a marina and lakeside visitor center.
- Fishing access: Boat ramps at the park put you right on the water; troll the river channel near the dam for stripers.
- Hookups: Class AAA premium sites with full hookups are available; reserve early for waterfront spots.
- RV size & road: Additional Corps and national-forest campgrounds are around the lake if the state park is full.
- Best for: Anglers who also want clear-water boating or diving between fishing sessions.
Spring River
The Spring River offers an ideal environment for many varieties of fish. It’s one of the unique bodies of water among Arkansas trout waters and is known for walleye fishing. There are over 10 miles of pristine trout fishing with numerous access points. The fish respond well to fly fishing. If you enjoy fishing while wading or from the bank, the three-mile stretch between Dam 3 and Mammoth Spring is the ideal place for you.
RV Trip Snapshot
- Base camp: Overnight camping is not permitted at the state fishing-access points, so plan to stay at a private RV park or resort around Hardy and Mammoth Spring. Mammoth Spring State Park itself is day-use.
- Fishing access: Wade or fish from the bank near the state hatchery and below Dam 3; canoe rentals are available for the floatable stretches.
- Hookups: Vary by private park — confirm whether your campsite has 30/50-amp, water, and sewer when you book.
- Best for: Anglers who want a scenic, year-round float stream for trout and walleye and don’t mind camping at a private campground.
Millwood Lake
Millwood Lake in the southwest Timberlands, about a half hour northeast of Texarkana, is one of Arkansas’s premier bass destinations. Its roughly 29,000 acres of flooded timber, marshes, and oxbow cutoffs create outstanding cover, and the lake consistently produces trophy largemouth. Crappie run large here too, alongside white bass, bluegill, and catfish.
RV Trip Snapshot
- Base camp: Millwood State Park offers 45 campsites, including full-hookup, Class AAA sites, and a marina that sells bait and rents boats. Eight U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds also ring the lake, and you can book those on recreation.gov.
- Fishing access: Boat lanes are marked through the timber, and there is a boat ramp at the state park.
- Hookups: Full hookups are available at the state park’s premium sites.
- RV size & road: If the park is full, there are Army Corps campgrounds around the lake as backup options.
- Best for: Serious bass and crappie anglers who want water with plenty of cover. Follow the marked lanes and watch for submerged obstructions.
Little Red River
Below Greers Ferry Dam in central Arkansas, the Little Red River is a tailwater trout stream that runs about 30 miles through the Ozark foothills near Heber Springs. It’s stocked heavily with rainbow trout each year, and its brown trout are a wild, self-sustaining population. They were introduced decades ago and are now reproducing on their own. The river is world-famous for a 40-pound, 4-ounce brown trout caught in 1992, which is still the Arkansas state record.
RV Trip Snapshot
- Base camp: Greers Ferry Lake has 18 parks along the shore with modern Army Corps campgrounds, boat ramps, and marinas, several within reach of the tailwater near Heber Springs.
- Fishing access: Multiple public access points are along the tailwater. You can wade in when water is low and float on it when the dam generates.
- Hookups: Vary by campground. Confirm your electric, water, and sewer hookups before booking.
- Best for: Fly anglers chasing wild trophy browns. Check the Greers Ferry Dam generation schedule before wading, as the river can rise several feet quickly.
Bull Shoals Lake
Bull Shoals Lake is in the Ozark Mountains along Arkansas’s northern boundary and extends into Missouri. It’s one of the country’s biggest bass fisheries, with largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass, along with crappie, walleye, white bass, catfish, and trout. The clear, deep water draws divers as well as anglers, and there are marinas, boat rentals, and well-stocked tackle shops around the lake.
RV Trip Snapshot
- Base camp: Bull Shoals–White River State Park, at the southern end of the lake near the dam, is an excellent choice. You get a hookup site with access to both the lake and the White River trout tailwater below the dam.
- Fishing access: Boat ramps are along the lake; the tailwater fishery starts right below the dam.
- Hookups: Full-hookup and water/electric sites are available, plus a marina with boat rentals.
- RV size & road: Army Corps campgrounds such as Buck Creek on the Arkansas side add more electric-hookup sites around the lake.
- Best for: Anglers who want a trophy bass lake and a world-class trout river while staying at a single base camp.
How to Plan an RV Fishing Trip in Arkansas
Here are tips to plan the a great RV fishing trip in Arkansas.
Choose an RV-Friendly Campground
Keep your fishing plans in mind when planning your camp. For trout, camp below the dam on the tailwater. For reservoir bass, camp at the lakeside state park or an Army Corps campground with a boat ramp.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Reserve early – Arkansas State Parks book up for summer and fall weekends. Popular parks like DeGray, Lake Ouachita, and Bull Shoals–White River can be reserved up to 12 months ahead. Be especially sure to reserve waterfront and full-hookup sites well in advance.
- Check length limits – Many state-park hookup loops have restrictions on RV length. This is sometimes around 40 feet on standard loops and up to 75–85 feet on select sites. Confirm your total length, including a tow vehicle, before booking.
- Army Corps campgrounds surround the big lakes – Greers Ferry has 18 shoreline parks, Millwood has eight, and DeGray has several. Book these on Recreation.gov.
- Some river access points don’t allow camping – State fishing-access sites, such as those on the Spring River, are day-use only. Plan to stay at a nearby private RV park.
- Ozark roads are best for smaller rigs – Winding mountain highways can be tight for large Class A motorhomes, and a compact Class C or a towable handles them more easily.
Pack Your RV for a Fishing Trip
Instead of a generic checklist, here’s how to pack practically for an Arkansas road trip:
- Cold-water gear – The White and Little Red tailwaters run in the 40s and 50s year-round. Bring waders and quick-dry layers even in summer.
- A plan for your catch – Clear some fridge and freezer space and pack sealed containers or vacuum bags so you can freeze fish between meals. A fillet board and sharp knife make cleaning at camp easy.
- Boat coolers and ice to keep fish cold until you get back to the RV.
- Check the dam’s water-release schedule before wading – Trout rivers rise fast when the dam generates power, sometimes several feet in minutes. Call the Southwestern Power Administration’s automated line or check their website for timing, and fish from a boat when water is being released.
- The right tackle for two fisheries – Light line for tailwater trout, heavier gear for reservoir bass and crappie.
- Bear-aware storage – Bear activity is increasing in the Ozarks. Be sure to store food inside your RV, not in exterior coolers or on picnic tables.
- Licenses, PFDs, sunscreen, and bug spray.
Know Before You Go
You need a fishing license to fish Arkansas’s public waters; it’s required for anglers 16 and older. You also need a trout permit to keep trout on the tailwaters. Fishing is open year-round, though size and creel limits apply. Some waters have specific rules. There are crappie length limits on certain lakes and defined spearfishing seasons, to name a few.
Regulations change from season to season, so check current rules, seasons, and limits with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission before you go.
Find an RV for Your Arkansas Fishing Trip
Arkansas fishing is spread across three regions and dozens of world-class waters. It’s the kind of trip that’s far easier with your lodging on wheels. An RV lets you:
- Camp right on the tailwater or lakeshore and fish at sunrise and sunset.
- Haul rods, tackle, waders, coolers, and a fillet station with plenty of room.
- Set up a base at one park, like Bull Shoals–White River, and fish a lake and a trout river from the same site.
- Clean and cook your catch at camp, then do it again the next morning.
- Bring the whole crew and give everyone room to fish, float, or relax on their own schedule.
Ready to plan one? Browse Arkansas RV rentals to find the right rig. If you’re building a trip around the Diamond Lakes, RV rentals in Hot Springs put you just a few minutes from the water.
