Thread: Lake Ouachita

Anyone on this board fish Ouachita very often? Being new to the sport and since Ouachita is my home lake i was hoping someone could give me a couple of pointers as how to attack this big body of water. Especially in late winter/early spring and summer.

Brother, Ouachita is the David and Goliath story. It's a great lake but takes devine influence to conquer it. I've heard that the crappie are pretty good in the creek arms on the upper end (at or past Mt. Ida) but that's all I know. Come on over to Greeson and we'll get you on some nice slabs. We'll even put you to work sinking some bamboo condos and then you'll know for sure where they are.

Darryl's right about the tough to conquer part. I have been fishing out from North Shore/Navy Landing for the last several years, almost always on a hot summer night. I have never caught a bunch, but the biggest I have ever put on a hook have come from Ouachita. What kinda fishing do you want to try? If you want to fish minnows, or jigs, the water temp makes a big difference, and since it is such a clear lake we can generally attract them to us at night with lights near the main lake points and creek arms. Fishing where there are grass mats and structure is always good if you try spinning rigs like road runners. What part of the lake are your near?

This is one of my favorite ultra light lakes. About the end of February on up into June, I like to cast black 1/16 to 1/8 onz roostertails. In the spring you don't know what you will catch...bull bream, spawning bass, crappie, pickeral, etc. In the summer time, I like to drown crickets or minnows about 18 to 25 feet; just at the depths the grass quits growing. All of my experience is out of Crystal Springs. I understand you fish the upper and lower ends differently.
DP

hey drpepper you may have to teach me how to catch them big bream on Quachita i have always heard about them.

I've fished there quite a bit out of Mt. Harbor over the last few years. There's so much cover in that lake, it's hard to know where to start. The main and secondary points will usually hold some fish. Look for moss flats, too. Crappie there seem to like the Tennessee Shad color twist tail grub.

Originally Posted by crappieknot

hey drpepper you may have to teach me how to catch them big bream on Quachita i have always heard about them.

You got it. I don't vary much from what I have already posted. Sometimes when I accidently scatter them off of their beds, I will check on them later from a distance and they are willing to hit my offering. I usually have some crickets or salad shrimp just in case my roostertail is moving too fast for them.
DP

I am coming out of Mt. Harbor so getting to either end of the lake is not that big of a deal. What effect does the water being so clear have? Is line size a real big deal? Should i use really long rod/poles when jigging? Since Ouachita can get deep, what is considered shallow and what is considered deep for the different seasons?

Originally Posted by ballgamedrink

I am coming out of Mt. Harbor so getting to either end of the lake is not that big of a deal. What effect does the water being so clear have? Is line size a real big deal? Should i use really long rod/poles when jigging? Since Ouachita can get deep, what is considered shallow and what is considered deep for the different seasons?

If your out of Mt. Harbor, we need to visit some this summer and fish the docks The clear water just means the crappie activity is different compared to the dingy, or staind water, which is more common in the smaller lakes, plus Ouchita is just crystal clear and that's why there is so many dive operations on this lake. Crappie have a vision advantage over their prey at certain times of the day, so finding out where the prey is, in combination of the time of day is the key really no matter what color the water is. If your going to pick out a jig pole for fishing with live bait, jigs and bobbers, I would recommend a longer jig pole, something like 10-12 feet. BnM has some nice ones. Line size is a preference thing, can you feel the bite, or see the line react to a hit? 4,6,8 are all popular choices. 6 seems to be the all purpose size. The deep question is a deep question Too many variations to list really. I have fished mostly in the 6-30ft range, it can depend on what the prey is doing. You have come to the right place to soak up advice, be careful though you'll end up hooked.

Originally Posted by ballgamedrink

I am coming out of Mt. Harbor so getting to either end of the lake is not that big of a deal. What effect does the water being so clear have? Is line size a real big deal? Should i use really long rod/poles when jigging? Since Ouachita can get deep, what is considered shallow and what is considered deep for the different seasons?

Come to think of it, all of my success in shallow (5 to 10') has been casting away from my boat. I have done very well at times tight lining the deeper edge of the moss (15 to 25). But, last summer, I caught some over moss flats (10 / 15') casting a live offering under slip corks as far away from the boat as I could..
DP