Fishing Lake DeGray from the Arlie Moore Boat Ramp

If you're launching at Arlie Moore, you're starting in a good spot. You're putting in where the fish already are instead of running twenty minutes to find them.

Here's what the reports say and what our guests tell us when they come off the water.

Why the Arlie Moore ramp is a good place to start

The ramp is less than a mile from the cabins, and no other cabins on Lake DeGray sit closer to it. On a Saturday morning that's the difference between being on the water at daylight and still waiting in line to launch.

More to the point, it puts you in the right part of the lake. Arkansas Game and Fish reports regularly describe schooling fish through the middle of Lake DeGray, roughly from Caddo Point across to Arlie Moore. You are launching into productive water.

There's also bank fishing right at the recreation area if you didn't bring a boat, and the coves and points nearby fish well from shore.

What's biting

Lake DeGray is a clear water lake, which shapes everything. Presentation matters more here than on a stained lake, and natural colors generally out-fish bright ones.

Bass. Largemouth, spotted and hybrid stripers all share this water, and the main lake points outside the ramp are known for schooling activity where multiple species feed together. AGFC reports have had success on finesse worms and Carolina rigs in five to fifteen feet, plus wacky-rigged soft plastics and crankbaits. Early morning and evening are when the surface activity happens.

Crappie. Hold tight to brush piles and submerged structure. Recent reports put them in the ten to twenty-five foot range. Small minnows fished vertically are the reliable choice, and small jigs in natural colors work well given the water clarity.

Bream. The easiest fish on the lake and the best one for kids. Crickets or worms under a float, fished shallow around structure. AGFC reports have called bream fishing on DeGray "very good" in spring.

Also in the lake: walleye and catfish.

Where to buy bait

Depends which way you're coming in. Grab what you need on the way rather than assuming you'll find it closer to the water.

Closest full-service stop: DeGray Lake Resort State Park Marina. About 5 or 6 miles, roughly ten minutes. 2027 State Park Entrance Rd, Bismarck. Live bait, terminal tackle, fishing licenses, ice, fuel and boat slips. If you need one stop that has everything, this is it.

Quickest: the gas stations on AR-7 in Bismarck. About 3.5 miles, five minutes, straight up Arlie Moore Road. Convenience stores along AR-7 carry the basics: live worms, crickets, artificial lures and terminal tackle. Fine if you just forgot something.

Lake DeGray Bait and Grocery in Bismarck is another good option, though it's off the direction most people approach from.

Coming from the south, or crossing the lake: Iron Mountain Lodge and Marina. 134 Iron Mountain Marina Dr, Arkadelphia. About 12 to 14 miles by road, or straight across by boat. Full-service marina with live bait, tackle, gas and boat rentals.

Coming from the west: Point Cedar Grocery. 107 Hwy 347, Bismarck, in the Point Cedar area. About 11 miles. Country store with basic bait, tackle and supplies.

For specialty gear: Hot Springs. About 20 miles, 25 minutes north. Walmart Supercenter and local outfitters for heavier catfish and bass tackle or anything specific you can't find closer.

Before you go

Check the current report. Conditions change week to week. The Arkansas Game and Fish weekly fishing report covers DeGray, and the Arkadelphian runs local DeGray reports through the season.

You'll need an Arkansas fishing license. Available online from AGFC.

Boat parking is at your cabin. You are not leaving your rig somewhere overnight and hoping. Each cabin has room alongside it for the boat and trailer, so you can be hitched up and on the water before the coffee cools.

Rentals. If you didn't bring a boat, the marina at DeGray Lake Resort State Park rents fishing boats and party barges and carries bait, tackle and fuel.

Book a cabin

We're less than a mile from the ramp, which is the closest any cabins on Lake DeGray sit to it. Check dates here.