Looking to come down this spring or early summer and fish and scout out for a place to retire in about 5 years.Wondering what kind of fishing and boating pressure are on these lakes on a yearly basis.Its been about 15 years since I been on Greers Ferry and it seems a lot of development has gone on since I have been down there.Just looking to catch fish and not targeting any one type,as I will fish whats biting.Could anyone give me an overview on these lakes and tell me which lake is least busy or are they all about the same.I'm sure the holiday weekends are a zoo just like up here in northern Wisconsin.Thanks TOM
fishing pressure-Degray,Greers,Ouachita
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Hog, here is what I know. You would not be disappointed on any of the three lakes. But remember you cannot build ON Degray or Ouachita. I'm not sure about Greers because I've only been there one time and I was pretty young. Ouachita is much larger than degray and you can ALWAYS find an area to fish where you are not getting ran over by ski boats (even on holiday weekends!). Also, Ouachita is just outside of Hot Springs so that would be a huge + too. Lots of places to eat, lots of things to do, and even a decent airport. Good luck and I'm sure someone else can provide some better info. :thumb: Start practicing on calling those hogs! :thumb: :thumb:
never been on greers but degray and ouachita get a lot of traffic in the summer.if you can fish on weekdays it is not nearly as bad. there are a lot of bass tournaments on both lakes all year long, both having night tournaments as well. ouachita is big enough you can get away from the majority of ski boats. if you bass fish, during the heat of the summer nighttime is much more productive as they are both clear deep lakes. also, neither lake has any homes on them so if you're looking for a lake home you'll have to try somewhere else.:thumb:
Thanks for the replies.I checked the web for real estate as I knew about the corps lands around the lakes.Greers ferry does have homes near the lake with some having private docks.The others I would have to rent a slip or just launch my boat when I fish,so those are things I need to look at.As far as busy lakes,I must admit this can be very subjective.I have had friends come up to northern Wisconsin and fish Muskies with me and tell me how great it was not having a ton of boats bothering you while at the same time I felt the lake was busy at the time.So I guess its whats you are used to.I always felt Ouachita was the prettiest lake down there and with all the islands and national forest lands it was easy to get away from others.I have never been to Degray so I am curious.Greers Ferry would give me the only chance to have a home with my own dock,so unless the other lakes offered something way better than Greers thats were I am leaning.Ouachita is just so tempting,thats why I was wondering how things have changed in 15+ years.Renting a slip would not be that bad as long as I live close.Thanks TOM
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3,294 Posts
I live close to Greers Ferry and there has been and still is a lot of building going on.Still great place. Only problem during summer on weekends and holidays is best to stay home because of so many pleasure boaters and jet skies. During week and other times it great to be out there.and not too bad. A large lake with plenty of room. You can only build up the red or white line around the Lake since the Corp of Engineer ownsa all the land bordering the Lake. Can't clear or altar brush or trees anywhere beyond that line to the waters edge.
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Ouachita is the best place for the reasons stated above, and it's closer to all the services you'll ever need....great fishing year round[an excellent population of Striped Bass]...if it was me....that's the place I'd be!:wink:
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Lake Ouachita
http://www.actionrealtyar.com/ Enjoy.
This is a link that I enjoy looking through on occasion for property close to Lake Ouachita, Cadron Creek, and Ouachita River. One property mentions Denby point which is recreation area on the Lake. These are also close to Ouachita National Forest and Muddy Creek WMA.
http://www.actionrealtyar.com/ Enjoy.
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Lake gresson
Hey you might look at a place on Lake Gresson it has some good fishing and most of the house are set at a good price and it is a super nice place to live.The lake did have some great crappie fishing but in the last cople of years 2 crappie guides have moved here and made crappie fishing super hard.
Hey you might look at a place on Lake Gresson it has some good fishing and most of the house are set at a good price and it is a super nice place to live.The lake did have some great crappie fishing but in the last cople of years 2 crappie guides have moved here and made crappie fishing super hard.
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Denby Point is a real nice place. Its all privately owned. We have a place right there on the water we stay at all the time. You cant build any new homes in there though. Boat slips arent that bad. Mt. Ida down the road is a real nice place.
He's talking about on Lake Ouachita if you didn't know Hog. :thumb:
Thanks
Hey thanks for all the replies.Lake Greeson was brought up but I know very little about it.I see its smaller but still good size at about 7000 acres and its in what looks like the foothills like Degray,seems interesting.Can anyone compare it to the other lakes and overall are most of these lakes about the same fishing wise other than some having stripers while others have Hybrids and some walleyes.Thanks TOM
Hey thanks for all the replies.Lake Greeson was brought up but I know very little about it.I see its smaller but still good size at about 7000 acres and its in what looks like the foothills like Degray,seems interesting.Can anyone compare it to the other lakes and overall are most of these lakes about the same fishing wise other than some having stripers while others have Hybrids and some walleyes.Thanks TOM
Greeson is a pretty lake, but farther from any town of decent size than the other lakes you mentioned. But it is a nice lake!
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I would highly recommend Greers Ferry if you will be retiring there. I have a lakehouse on Greers and have been going there since I was 6 y/o. The lake has world class hybrid fishing (holds the world record), great walleye fishing(another world record), decent bass and crappie, and world class trout fishing on the tail waters (yep...another world record Brown trout).
The dam site area is the very busy part of the lake. However, there are some advantages like being close to the river, Heber Springs is a decent town, and very good smallmouth fishing.
The west side of the lake has MUCH less traffic! During the week I may only see 10 boats total and the weekends aren't bad either.
There are some great golf courses and the people can't be beat. Nearly half of the people I talk to while fishing are from up north also.
The dam site area is the very busy part of the lake. However, there are some advantages like being close to the river, Heber Springs is a decent town, and very good smallmouth fishing.
The west side of the lake has MUCH less traffic! During the week I may only see 10 boats total and the weekends aren't bad either.
There are some great golf courses and the people can't be beat. Nearly half of the people I talk to while fishing are from up north also.
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I've lived about 20 miles south of Greers my whole life and love it hre and don't ever plan on move'n ,I fish Greers alot and like it, have also fished Degray and Ouachita quite a bit and they are both great lakes, all that said, if I was going to relocate somewhere for the fishing it would be to Bull Shoals. On busy holiday weekends when we want to get away and go fishing we go to Bulls, it big and I have never seen it crowded. Norfork is close by and will be full of ski boats and pleasure boats so will Table Rock on the other side of Bulls, but we have never run into crowds on Bulls like we have to fight on Greers on holidays and weekends. I hit Greers in the middle of the week and at night in the summer, but we go to Bulls Shoals to hide. Great fish'n too. Nothing against Greers or Degray or Ouachita, they're all great and I fish all of them, but Bulls is just not nearly as crowded.
While smaller, at times Greeson has a lot of fishing pressure on it. Every year around the first of April the Howard County Children's Center hosts a bass tournament and there are at least 100 boats entered. There is usually a tournment every weekend along with jet skis and ski boats from Texas.
Unless your looking for water recreation mostly, look at Dardanelle Lake. It is part of the Arkansas River system and is a # 1 Bass Lake. Most larger tournaments with 5 limits fish usually take over 20 lbs to win. It is great Catfishing and said to have good Crappie too.
The area has homes around the lake and there are several good sized cities close to it. The pressure is low except during larger Bass tournaments.:thumb:
The area has homes around the lake and there are several good sized cities close to it. The pressure is low except during larger Bass tournaments.:thumb:
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