Good Water Near Little Rock- or between LR and Memphis?

I'm an alter kocher whose gone back to school, and sometime between late July & late August (or maybe early Fall) I need to head to LR to do some research at a couple of archives. I'll be damned if I don't use that as an excuse to fish new water- especially since I can get reimbursed for part of the trip

Since time will be a factor-- and so will the fact that they don't reimburse for gas-- I don't want to go to far afield. Another issue is that I'm currently boatless, but hope that won't last long-- so tell me if it's good but you need a boat to take advantage. Also, while I prefer crappie, like most of y'all I cut my teeth on 'cracker, bream, etc. so don't be shy if the crappie are midgets but the other panfish are good. Likewise, I lived out West awhile, and since I've been back I've started fishing the rivers & streams in the Mid-South. Again, it's mostly been for crappie in warm-water rivers like Cold Creek upstream from Arkabutla and I'd prefer hearing about those, but I love smallmouth & don't mind trout; My bid goal is to put a hook in the face of something tasty.

As a P.S., given that tasty part, does Arkansas keep and up-to-date site about water quality and warnings? TN's site is almost 4 years out of date, and given the state of the MS river and this year's flood, I don't know if the AR water between here and Crowley's Ridge got flushed out or contaminated....

Thanks much in advance