Fishing in Desha County, Arkansas
County seat: Arkansas City. Population 11,395 (2020).
- 3lake pages
- 9launches
- 3river pages
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Fishing Desha County at a glance
The 2020 count put Desha County at 11,395 residents, with Arkansas City as its seat. Of 3 lakes in the county with a page, Kate Adams Lake covers the most water.
The access layers show 9 boat or paddle launches and 7 pier or bank sites for the county. River anglers can start with White River, Arkansas River and Mississippi River. Lock-and-dam water reaches the county at Pool 2.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (TIGERweb) and the 2023 Gazetteer, read November 8, 2026. AGFC access layer (ArcGIS service), read November 8, 2026.
Where the AGFC points fall across Desha County
AGFC boat-and-kayak and fishing access layers and AGFC fishing-area lake points, checked November 8, 2026.
Choosing a lake in Desha County
| Lake | Size | Ramps | Kind | AGFC target fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kate Adams Lake | about 806 acres of mapped outline | 1 | lake | black bass, bream, catfish |
| Morgan Point Bendway Lake | about 628 acres of mapped outline | 1 | lake | black bass, bream, catfish |
| Rocky Hole Lake | about 30 acres of mapped outline | 1 | mapped pond | black bass, bream, catfish |
Lakes just over the Desha County boundary, nearest to Arkansas City first.
| Lake | From Arkansas City | Size | Ramps | Kind | AGFC target fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Wallace | 18 miles southwest | 362 acres | 2 | lake | black bass, bream, catfish |
| Lake Chicot | 20 miles south | 5,500 acres | 7 | reservoir | black bass, bream, catfish |
| Lake Village Community Pond | 21 miles south | 4.3 acres | 0 | FCFP pond | bream, catfish, channel catfish |
| Seven Devils Swamp | 22 miles west | about 1,366 acres of mapped outline | 0 | mapped pond | black bass, bream, catfish |
| Grampus Lake | 28 miles southwest | 350 acres | 1 | oxbow or natural lake | black bass, bream, catfish |
| Post Lake | 30 miles north | not stated | 0 | lake | alligator gar, black bass, bream |
Acreage and depth as AGFC states them in its description of this water (AGFC page), read November 8, 2026. Sizes AGFC does not state print as mapped outline area. Target fish as AGFC lists them.
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Out to 50 miles from Arkansas City, AGFC names bream on more lake pages than any other fish.
AGFC public fishing area target species, counted per lake page within 50 miles; a listing, not a catch survey.
Lakes in Desha County waiting on more AGFC facts
25 more lakes in Desha County have a name on the maps but few published facts.
| Water | Size | Kind | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Whittington | about 3,329 acres of mapped outline | lake | Arkansas City |
| Lake Beulah | about 980 acres of mapped outline | lake | Arkansas City |
| Old River Lake | about 327 acres of mapped outline | lake | Watson |
| Austin Brake | about 255 acres of mapped outline | oxbow or natural lake | Reed |
| Callie Lake | about 197 acres of mapped outline | lake | Watson |
| Silver Lake | about 189 acres of mapped outline | lake | Mitchellville |
| Belcoe Lake | about 166 acres of mapped outline | lake | Watson |
| Echubby Lake | about 152 acres of mapped outline | lake | Mitchellville |
| Coono Brake | about 142 acres of mapped outline | oxbow or natural lake | Watson |
| Bar Lake | about 113 acres of mapped outline | lake | Arkansas City |
| East Moon Lake | about 106 acres of mapped outline | lake | Watson |
| Ozark Lake | about 105 acres of mapped outline | lake | Watson |
| Bar Lake North | about 83 acres of mapped outline | lake | Arkansas City |
| Lake Cheatham | about 81 acres of mapped outline | lake | Watson |
| Pothole Lake | about 58 acres of mapped outline | lake | Arkansas City |
| Lake Lenox – North | about 32 acres of mapped outline | lake | Mitchellville |
| Minnie Anderson Old River | about 26 acres of mapped outline | lake | Watson |
| Lake Lenox – South | about 25 acres of mapped outline | lake | Mitchellville |
| Jefferson Lake | about 22 acres of mapped outline | lake | Watson |
| Old River – Choctaw Island WMA | about 17 acres of mapped outline | lake | Arkansas City |
| Davis Lake – Desha County | about 13 acres of mapped outline | lake | Watson |
| Bobs Blue Hole | about 7 acres of mapped outline | lake | Arkansas City |
| Webfoot Lake | about 6 acres of mapped outline | lake | Watson |
| McGehee City Lake | about 3 acres of mapped outline | mapped pond | McGehee |
| McGhee City Pond | not stated | mapped pond | McGehee |
Outline area from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (GIS polygon area, not an AGFC surface-acre figure), read November 8, 2026. AGFC public fishing areas map (agfc.com), read November 8, 2026.
Creeks running through Desha County
- White RiverAGFC trout water, 53 AGFC accesses, 15 USGS gauges
- Arkansas River43 AGFC accesses, 9 USGS gauges
- Mississippi River12 AGFC accesses
Unpaged streams across Desha County (1)
- Old White Riverstream
River stages across Desha County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas River At Pendleton, Ar | 26.28 ft gage height | Nov 12 8:15 pm |
| Bayou Bartholomew Near Mcgehee, Ar | 0 cfs, 0.44 ft gage height | Sep 19 2:00 am Not updated since Sep 19, 2026. |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 12, 2026 8:32 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
AGFC public fishing areas map (agfc.com), read November 8, 2026. USGS Water Data for the Nation, live through the site, retrieved on page view.
Lock-and-dam pools that reach Desha County
- Arkansas River Pool 2pool on the McClellan-Kerr system
AGFC public fishing areas map (agfc.com), read November 8, 2026.
Public ramps in Desha County
- Buzzard Beach Boat Ramp on Morgan Point Bendway LakeMorgan Point Bendway Lake, boat ramp, concrete surface
- Choctaw Island WMA Boat Ramp on Mississippi RiverMississippi River, boat ramp, concrete surface
- McCallie Boat Ramp on Mississippi RiverMississippi River, boat ramp, concrete surface
- Moore Farms Kate Adams Lake Boat RampKate Adams Lake, boat ramp, concrete surface
- Pendleton Bridge Boat Ramp on Arkansas River Pool 2Arkansas River Pool 2, boat ramp, concrete surface, camping, picnic tables, recreational area
- Pendleton Park Boat Ramp on Arkansas River Pool 2Arkansas River Pool 2, boat ramp, concrete surface
- Rocky Hole Boat RampRocky Hole Lake, boat ramp, concrete surface
- Cole Pile Spur Levee Boat RampArkansas River – Pool 2, boat ramp, gravel surface
- Wargo Landing on Callie LakeCallie Lake, boat ramp, concrete surface
Where to fish from the bank in Desha County
- Kate Adams Access Fishing PierKate Adams Lake, fishing pier
- Choctaw Camping Area Fishing Access on Mississippi RiverMississippi River, fishing area, rv
- McGhee City PondMcGhee City Pond, fishing area
- North Camping Area Fishing Access on Mississippi RiverMississippi River, fishing area, rv
- Old River Ramp Camping Area Fishing Access on Mississippi RiverMississippi River, fishing area, rv
- Riverside Camping Area Fishing Access on Mississippi RiverMississippi River, fishing area, rv
- Rocky Hole Trail Parking Area Fishing AccessRocky Hole Lake, bank fishing
AGFC access layer (ArcGIS service), read November 8, 2026. Lanes, fees and hours are not fields in the AGFC layers.
Gear stops just outside Desha County
- The Wild Goosebait and tackle shop, Tichnor, 30 miles
- Pine Haven Bait Tacklebait and tackle shop, Monticello, 35 miles
- Ed's Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Holly Grove, 57 miles
Yellow Pages listings; straight-line miles only for shops with an exact address point.
What Desha County anglers may keep
For most Desha County water the statewide Code limits below are the ones to follow. A resident angler spends $10.50 and a nonresident $60 on the yearly AGFC license.
| Species | Statewide rule as printed | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Alligator Gar | daily limit of 1 with 36-inch maximum length. | N1.01(C) |
| American Eel | daily limit of 2 fish with no length restrictions. | N1.01(D) |
| Black Bass (Largemouth, Spotted, And Smallmouth) | daily limit of 10 black bass (all species combined) with no length restrictions. Reservoir Smallmouth Bass, daily limit of 6, 12-inch minimum; Flowing Waters Smallmouth Bass, daily limit of 2, 12-inch minimum. | N1.01(E) |
| Bream | Daily limit is 50 fish over 4 inches, no limit on bream 4 inches or shorter. | N1.01(F) |
| Catfish (Except Bullhead) | daily limit of 10 catfish (all species combined) with no length restrictions. | N1.01(G) |
| Crappie | daily limit of 30 crappie (all species combined) with no length restrictions. | N1.01(H) |
| Paddlefish | daily limit of 2 Paddlefish with no length restrictions. | N1.01(I) |
| Rock Bass | daily limit of 10 Rock Bass with no length restrictions. | N1.01(J) |
| Sauger | daily limit of 6 Sauger with no length restrictions. | N1.01(K) |
| Saugeye | daily limit of 6 Saugeye with no length restrictions. | N1.01(L) |
Water-specific limits across Desha County
- Arkansas RiverBlack Bass (Largemouth, Spotted, And Smallmouth): Largemouth Bass 14-inch minimum.
- Mississippi RiverCrappie: Daily limit of 50.
- White RiverBlack Bass (Largemouth, Spotted, And Smallmouth): Daily limit of 1 Smallmouth Bass 15-inch minimum.
Every Arkansas water-specific limit
AGFC Code of Regulations (regulation library), read November 8, 2026. Fishing license prices as printed on the AGFC license descriptions and fees page (agfc.com), matching Code Addendum D1.01, read November 8, 2026.
Arkansas record list entries close to Desha County
| Species | Weight | Division | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Bass | 5 lbs., 6 oz. | rod and reel | Mississippi River | Oct. 27, 2005 |
| Blue Catfish | 116 lbs., 12 oz. | rod and reel | Mississippi River | Aug. 3, 2001 |
| Flathead Catfish | 80 lbs., 0 oz. | rod and reel | Arkansas River | Oct. 28, 1989 |
| Alligator Gar | 215 lbs., 0 oz. | rod and reel | Arkansas River | July 31, 1964 |
| Sauger | 6 lbs., 12 oz. | rod and reel | Arkansas River | Dec. 15, 1976 |
| Gizzard Shad | 2 lbs., 14 oz. | rod and reel | White River | May 9, 1992 |
| White Sucker | 1 lb., 14 oz. | rod and reel | White River | June 16, 2025 |
| Rainbow Trout | 19 lbs., 1 oz. | rod and reel | White River | March 14, 1981 |
Arkansas state record fish as listed by AGFC (record list), read November 8, 2026.
Organizer events held in Desha County
The calendar holds 1 entries on Desha County water, with 0 to come.
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 20, 2026 | Fishers of Men Arkansas Central Classic, Arkansas River 2026-06 | Arkansas River | Fishers of Men National Team Trail |
Organizer schedule and results pages, checked November 2026.
Around the Desha County area
Bases for a trip in Desha County
- Dumaspop. 4,001
- McGeheepop. 3,849
Counties beside Desha County
- Lincoln County30 miles west
- Drew County32 miles southwest
- Arkansas County33 miles north
- Chicot County39 miles south
What Piscifun sells that suits a trip to Desha County
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Natural State water near Desha County, on camera
Photo: Keith Yahl, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Magnolia677, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Brandonrush, CC0 1.0
Photo: Chetblong, CC BY 3.0
What Arkansas anglers ask about Desha County water
Can I put a johnboat in somewhere in Desha County?
9 launches on the AGFC layers, with directions links above.
Which Desha County lake tops the size list?
That is Kate Adams Lake, about 806 acres of mapped outline.
Which fish lead AGFC lists near Desha County?
AGFC lists bream on the most lake pages within 50 miles, then catfish, black bass and crappie.
Does Desha County have a bait and tackle counter?
No bait shop is listed in the county itself.
Which Arkansas town is seat of Desha County?
The seat is Arkansas City.
What will a license cost me in Desha County?
AGFC sells the Resident Fisheries Conservation License for $10.50; a visitor buys the nonresident annual at $60.
Which other Arkansas county pages lie near Desha County?
Closest by centre point: Lincoln County, Drew County and Arkansas County.
Is there a crappie limit in Desha County?
Statewide: daily limit of 30 crappie (all species combined) with no length restrictions. Waters with their own Code line differ.
Where do limits change in Desha County?
3 waters with a page here carry their own Code line, starting with Arkansas River.
Is an Arkansas tournament coming up in Desha County?
1 organizer entry on file, none with a date still ahead.
Has Desha County produced a record fish?
White Bass, 5 lbs., 6 oz. (rod and reel), from Mississippi River.
Pick an AGFC lake or river in Desha County
Each AGFC launch page opens with a map link for directions.