Hello all,

I'm a fairly inexperienced fisherman and I'm about to make the road trip down from Vermont to Arkansas to camp on the shores of Lake Ouachita (Big Fir campground on the west shore, if it's of any relevance) in December and I keep reading that the bass fishing there is wonderful. Now I've fished before and I've caught a few bass but I've never done anything remotely specific to try to alter my fishing; I just slap a bobber and a hook on the line and throw on either a plastic or live worm. Do you have any suggestions to improve a bass fishing experience in that particular area of the country or any tips in general that will help me catch fish? Thanks in advance!

Aint been on Ouachita since the late 60s!

Let me send out some texts!

I fish there occasionally, haven't done it in December before though.  Will you have access to a boat or are you bank bound?  I don't know for sure if guides operate that time of year, but there are a lot of good guides in the area.  I was there in July last and they were hitting medium diving cranks in chartreuse color, I'm sure it will be different in December though.  If you have access to a boat, a lot of people fish flats at the mouths of different coves.  Sorry, don't know specific areas too well as I'm usually with a buddy who knows the area when I go so I don't study it too much.  It is a huge lake.  For that time of year I'd stick to working T-Rigged plastics and jigs slow.  I sometimes have success fishing a rebel craw crankbait real slow in other parts of the state that time of year.  They sometimes get on the craw bite when it's colder, similar craw imitation red cranks work well too.  

Enjoy your stay, it is a beautiful area!  That lake has a TON of islands and is absolutely gorgeous.  

Thanks a bunch, I will be stuck on land on the western banks of the lake. Really appreciate the help!

19 hours ago, Matt Cortigiani said:

Thanks a bunch, I will be stuck on land on the western banks of the lake. Really appreciate the help!

You are new to bass fishing in general from your opening post on fishing skills. You probably have spinning tackle that may not be suited well for specific bass fishing lures and techniques. My suggestion is to set up your spinning tackle and use one of the following presentations; drop shot, split shot or slip shot/finesse C-rig. Do some research on this site using those terms. The bass should be in deeper water areas in December.

Hope you have good weather for your camping vacation. Any one of the big marinas can suggest a guide for you.

Tom

Look up Hugh Albright out of Mtn Harbor marina he's great. I haven't fished it much in December. But always heard a red rattle trap was good in winter on that lake. Rip it off the bottom at let it fall back. A shakey head is always good there as the lake is full of spotted bass. Would try to find some live crawfish too. I'd be more help in spring. Beautiful lake. 

Oh yeah. Forgot to mention ,if weather and water is right, a float down the ouachita river would be great for winter smallmouth. There are canoe rentals up river from where your staying. 

Big Fir Campground is a primitive campground on the west side of Lake Ouachita. The campground is one of the most secluded campgrounds on the lake. The campsites are all non-electric. There is a boat ramp & restrooms within the park.

Lake Ouachita bass will normally move from the mid-depth creek channels and suspend. They will be in deeper water 20-25'.

There in lays the bank fishermen's problem!