Arkansas is known for Hot Springs National Park, the majestic Ozark Mountains and hundreds of beautiful lakes. The biggest lake in the state, Lake Ouachita, is surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest so it is extremely peaceful and serene. Bull Shoals is not entirely in the state but is another large lake in Arkansas. This manmade lake is on the northern border of the state with Missouri. But are the biggest lakes in Arkansas also the deepest? What is the deepest lake entirely in the state? Let’s find out all about the deepest lake in Arkansas.
What is the Deepest Lake in Arkansas?
The deepest lake in Arkansas is Lake Ouachita. This is the deepest lake entirely in the state with the deepest point being near the Blakely Dam. Lake Ouachita is the largest lake in Arkansas as well with an area of 40,000 acres. What is truly remarkable about the lake is that the entire lake is surrounded by the beautiful Ouachita National Forest, no residential homes are located on the shores. You can set up camp on many of the islands and coves around the lake making for a private camping excursion.
©mwesselsphotography/Shutterstock.com
How Deep is the Deepest Lake in Arkansas?
The deepest lake in Arkansas is 200 feet deep. In comparison, an average hockey rink is about 200 feet long, that gets to be pretty deep! Lake Ouachita is the deepest, largest and cleanest lake in the state. The waters are some of the cleanest in the whole US making for amazing scuba diving and excellent swimming. There are two official beaches on the lake, Spring Beach and Lake Ouachita Marina Beach as well as several designated swimming areas. There are also several diving spots including one where you can swim through a sunken school bus!
What else is at the Bottom of Lake Ouachita?
Besides the sunken school bus there are interesting dive sites with a sunken houseboat and sailboat as well as an underwater memorial. Fearless Rock was built to honor Adam Lee Brown who was a Navy SEAL that was killed in action in Komar Province, Afghanistan. Brown was serving as part of Operation Enduring Freedom and was killed on March 16, 2010. The memorial is located near the Blakely Dam and due to the clear waters of the lake, scuba divers get a good view of the laser-etched black granite memorial. Chief Special Warfare Operator Brown was from Hot Springs, AR.
Are there any Campgrounds on Lake Ouachita?
Yes! There are many different campgrounds on the lake including 93 sites at the Lake Ouachita State Park. Some of the sites are even right at the water’s edge! The State Park also has eight fully equipped cabins and four more basic camper cabins. But for some of the best camping plot out a spot on one of the private coves of the lake and set up your own campsite. If you are lucky, your camping cove may also be one of the hottest fishing holes on the lake!
©iStock.com/Kathy Byrd
How is the Fishing on Lake Ouachita?
Just think how amazing a freshly caught catfish from one of the clearest lakes in the country would taste (Cajun fried with a side of coleslaw…of course!). The fishing in Lake Ouachita is epic with a variety of good catches like catfish, crappie, bream, largemouth bass and stripers (striped bass).
Are there any Fishing Records from Lake Ouachita?
Yes! There are two state records from Lake Ouachita with one being set just this year. The biggest channel catfish ever caught in Arkansas was pulled from Lake Ouachita on June 3, 1989. The record breaker channel cat weighed in at 38 pounds even, caught by Joe Holleman, from Waldron, AR. Channel catfish are the smaller of the three most common catfish found in Arkansas. Flatheads are typically bigger and blue catfish are usually the biggest of the three. The biggest flathead catfish in Arkansas was 80 pounds (caught in the Arkansas River) and the biggest blue cat was 116 pounds 12 ounces (caught in the Mississippi River).
The second state record from Lake Ouachita was a big fish for its species but not exactly a big fish when compared to catfish. Just this past January, on January 26, 2022 the yellow bass record was set by Craig Viscardis, from Hot Springs, AR. His yellow bass weighed in at 2 pounds 4 ounces. This is an impressive catch because the world record yellow bass is only a few ounces more. According to the International Game Fish Association, the biggest yellow bass was 2 pounds 9 ounces, caught by John Chappell on the Duck River in Waverly, Tennessee.
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How Deep is Bull Shoals Lake?
Bull Shoals Lake is 210 feet at the deepest point. The average depth of the manmade lake is 75 feet. The lake is part of the chain of lakes along the White River that are used for flood control. The other lakes include Table Rock Lake, Lake Taneycomo and Beaver Lake. Bull Shoals is not entirely in Arkansas with the northern portion of the lake in neighboring Missouri.
Is the Fishing in Bull Shoals Better on the Arkansas Side or the Missouri Side?
Well, you can’t argue with the stats. When you compare the state fishing records, Missouri has more records from Bull Shoals than Arkansas. Missouri has five rod and reel state records from Bull Shoals Lake and Arkansas has two. An impressive 65 pound 2 ounce striped bass was caught on the Missouri side of Bull Shoals along with the record breaking walleye (21 pounds 1 ounce), largemouth bass (13 pounds 14 ounces), quillback (5 pounds 13 ounces) and yellow perch (2 pounds 7 ounces).
On the Arkansas side the two record breakers from Bull Shoals are a 7 pound 15 ounce spotted bass and a 7 pound 5 ounce smallmouth bass. For now it looks like the fishing is better on the Missouri side but there might be a 14 pound largemouth bass just waiting for you to snag on the Arkansas side…keep at it!
How does the Deepest Lake in Arkansas Compare to the Deepest Lake in the US?
The deepest lake in Arkansas, Lake Ouachita, is 200 feet deep. Crater Lake in Oregon is the deepest lake in the US with the deepest spot being 1,949 feet deep! That really is quite a bit deeper. How does a lake in the US get that deep? While Lake Ouachita is a manmade reservoir, created when the White River was dammed, Crater Lake was formed when an ancient volcano erupted and created a crater in the top of the volcano. The crater filled with fresh water from rain and snow melt to create the lake. Crater Lake is also incredibly clear and the beautiful blue coloration of the water makes Crater Lake a popular destination.
Is there a Sunken School Bus in the Bottom of Crater Lake?
No. There are no school buses, houseboats or sailboats in the bottom of Crater Lake. Access to the lake is very limited. The only legal way to hike down to the lake’s edge is along the Cleetwood Cove Trail. The trail is only open from mid-June to late October due to snow cover so plan ahead if you want to make it down to the lake’s shoreline.
You can fish from shore but be sure to use only artificial lures and bait, no live lures to be sure to keep invasive species out of the pristine lake. The only two kinds of stocked fish that are still in Crater Lake are Kokanee salmon and rainbow trout. You won’t find salmon or trout at the bottom of Crater Lake, 1,949 feet is just too deep for these fish. Researchers have found moss and bacteria at the bottom of Crater Lake, not nearly as exciting as a school bus!
Up Next
- The 10 Best Fishing Spots in Arkansas This Summer
- The 15 Deepest Lakes in the United States
- The 5 Best Places to Camp in Arkansas this Summer
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