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DeGray Lake

With almost 14,000 acres of beautiful water along the Ouachita Mountains near Arkadelphia, DeGray Lake has become a popular spot for fishing, camping, water-skiing, and other recreational activities for residents and visitors alike. DeGray Lake, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir on the Caddo River, also is accessible to Scenic Byway 7, and it offers the only resort state park in Arkansas on its shores. Anglers come to enjoy the bass fishing, as it is one of the country's Top 100 Bass Lakes designated by Bassmaster Magazine in 2012.

Fishing

This is one lake where novice anglers can learn that striped and hybrid striped bass often run together as they feed on schools of shad. If you see thrashing on the water's surface near the dam or around the islands between the state park and Iron Mountain, rig your rod with a topwater lure, spoons, or crankbaits, and go to town -- remember that your daily hybrid limit currently is six fish.

Anglers also can fish for walleye, crappie, bream, and catfish. The lake is host to hundreds of local and national fishing tournaments and park rangers hold fishing derbies for local kids. A state record sixteen-pound, one-ounce northern pike was caught in this lake in 1973.

       

  Search DeGray Lake Resources
    DeGray Lake Arkansas Coordinates:
34.2365N -93.1242W
Map It:
Lake Type:
Reservoir
Surface Area:
13,800 acres
Maximum Depth:
145 ft
Elevation:
397 ft
Normal Water Clarity:
6-10 ft
Major City:
Hot Springs
Airport:
Hot Springs
Boating

It's possible to fly into Arkansas, rent a car, drive to the lake and be out fishing that evening -- a full-service marina is located at DeGray Lake Resort State Park, complete with boat rentals, fuel station, dock space, fishing licenses, and bait-and-tackle shop. Renters can choose from a wide variety of boats ranging from flat-bottom boats to party barges. If you bring your own boat, you still can use the free launch ramp, and plenty of parking is available here as well as at Caddo Bend and DeRoche Ridge camping areas within the park. Marina rentals can be confirmed for up to one year in advance of your visit, too.

Other areas on the lake where boaters can put into DeGray Lake include the Shouse Ford Use Area, Arlie Moore Landing Use Area, and Iron Mountain Recreation Area for a grand total of eighteen boat ramps. All those recreation areas also have camp sites.

       
Lodging

The ideal place to stay at the lake would be DeGray Lake Resort State Park, which maintains a fully-modern 94-room lodge with a hot tub, indoor swimming pool, and convention and meeting facilities that can accommodate up to 300 attendees. Other accommodations at this state park include camp sites at Caddo Bend and at DeRoche Ridge. If you'd prefer to camp at another site along the lake, you can find nine other campgrounds in addition to a group use area. These areas hold a total of 724 camp sites and twelve swimming beaches.

If you'd prefer to stay in Arkadelphia or even in Hot Springs, your lodging options are wide open for hotels, resorts, cabins, lodges, and any other accommodations across a wide range of budgets.

Review the Lake Resource Guide for additional lodging.



Communities

Extending across Clark and Hot Spring Counties in Arkansas and just eight miles from Arkadelphia, this easily-accessible lake also is located near Alpine, Amity, Bismarck, Caddo Valley, and is just over 28 miles from Hot Springs. The closest airport is at Hot Springs. If you desire a larger airport with more carriers, Little Rock is located about 74 miles from the lake via I-30.

Fun times at DeGray Lake  DeGray Lake

DeGray Lake  DeGray Lake



 
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