Lake Chicot is a lake in Arkansas, near Chicot County.
Lake Chicot is one of the Arkansas waters where it is worth slowing down and learning one section at a time..
| County | Chicot County, AR |
|---|---|
| Water type | Lake |
| Surface area | Not reliably published in the current record |
| Maximum depth | Not reliably published in the current record |
| Storage | 45,080 acre-feet |
| Recorded fish | 43 |
Lake Chicot is Arkansas's largest natural lake and one of the biggest natural oxbow remnants of the Mississippi River in the country. The lake runs for about 20 miles through the Delta, and the cypress-lined shoreline gives it a completely different feel from the clear, rocky reservoirs in the Ouachitas and Ozarks.
The fish list is broad enough that you do not need to force the trip into one style, when i am learning this one, i would keep the plan easier than the lake looks so I leave with something useful for next time. Recorded species include Alligator Gar, American Eel, Bigmouth Buffalo, Black Bullhead, Black Crappie, Blacktail Shiner, Blue Catfish, Bluegill, Bowfin, Brook Silverside, Chain Pickerel, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Dollar Sunfish, and Flathead Catfish, along with 28 others, on a first trip here, i would keep the first few choices easy to undo instead of pretending one answer fits the whole lake.
On a first look, I'd treat the first trip as a scouting day with a rod in hand, and let the water show me what is worth a second look.
On a lake this important, I would also check current water conditions and the managing agency's access information before leaving home. That is not about making fishing complicated, on a first trip here, i would keep the first few choices easy to undo instead of pretending one answer fits the whole lake. It is just a good way to avoid showing up to a closed ramp, unusual drawdown, or changing reservoir condition.
It is an old bend of the Mississippi River that was cut off when the river changed course.
Yes. Arkansas State Parks identifies it as the state's largest natural lake.
Arkansas State Parks describes the oxbow as about 20 miles long.
It is a Delta oxbow with cypress-lined water rather than a deep mountain reservoir carved into rocky hills.
Explore nearby waters, including local Featured destinations. Check each page for access and fishing restrictions.
Distances are straight-line estimates between mapped water locations.