Van Buren, AR Anyone else around this area?

Lived here for quite a while but I really don't know what/where to fish in this place. I always take my trips up to Beaver Lake or Tenkiller. I'm curious if there are lakes nearby that are good fishing. Crappie or Walleye would be nice but honestly I don't care. I'd just like to be able to go somewhere that doesn't take me 2 hours to get to like Beaver or maybe is not quite as crowded as Tenkiller. I live real close to the river but having never fished the river before I'm just clueless how to navigate it. I sometimes put in right at Lee Creek, was there just yesterday but didn't get so much as a single bite. Fished the right side of the bank from the Railroad bridge up to the I40 bridge. Water is just dark brown, temp in the 80's already. Probably why there wasn't much to catch. Actually the current was pushing me up river the entire way to I 40.

I've been to the Lee Creek resevoir, but it was not all that great for me. Tried up at the new Fort Smith Lake near Mountainburg. Not bad but I just have not really figured it out to catch a lot of fish. Would be nice to maybe meet up with some people, go out fishing with them. Perhaps learn some things for fishing on the river or maybe go to some new lakes that are nearby that I didn't know anything about.

Just thought it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Thanks,

Brian

Brian,

I was born and raised in VB and hunted and fished all over the area. I've been in Little Rock over 40 years but remember that Wister Lake in Oklahoma and Blue Mountain Lake were MAJOR crappie producers. Try up Garrison Creek just up from the Lee Creek ramp. It is small and doesn't go far but I've caught crappie there. Try all over back waters out from the Clear Creek (Frog Bayou) ramp and from there go upriver and access the back waters. I occasionally caught some out of the Mulberry ramp. Good luck.

Never heard of Wister or Blue Mountain. I will definately google these and find out where they are and check them out.

Thanks,