Book a Fishing Charter to Fort Smith, AR

Fort Smith is the third-largest city in Arkansas near the Arkansas–Oklahoma state border. It was named after General Thomas A. Smith and was designated as a western frontier military post in 1817. Fort Smith is a perfect family vacation destination, with numerous museums and historical sites available for sightseers of any age. The Fort Smith National Historic Site is the most prominent landmark in Fort Smith and possesses the remains of the original 1817 fort on the Arkansas River. This site also includes Isaac C. Parker's courtroom, also known as the Hangin' Judge, and the Hell on the Border jail. Aside from its historical past, Fort Smith is also involved in the performing industry. Various bands and dance groups hold regular live performances in the area. Tourists also look forward to Fort Smith's annual fair and festivities, from the Old Fort Days Rodeo to the Fort Smith Airshow.

Fort Smith Fishing: Angling in the Wild West

Fort Smith is famous for trophy bass and catfish caught in the area. Fort Smith is near the Arkansas River, making it a proper place for anglers to cast their line. The Arkansas River is a primary branch of the Mississippi River. It is home to various fish like blue catfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish, sauger, largemouth bass, striped bass, white bass, spotted bass, striped sunfish, bluegill sunfish, crappie, rainbow trout, and redear sunfish. Anglers catch crappie, yellow perch, spotted bass, redear sunfish, and white bass in Lake Fort Smith, while Jack Nolen Lake brags sportfish like bluegill, crappie, redear sunfish, channel catfish, saugeye, and largemouth bass. Aside from trophy fish, green sunfish, warmouth, longear sunfish, bullheads, common carp, grass carp, and blue catfish are also caught in the 208-acre lake. An artificial lake was built in the Fort Smith area back in the 1940s for the construction of Fort Chaffee. The lake was named Wells Lake and the spot for catching channel catfish and largemouth bass.

Shadow Lake is where anglers can target largemouth bass, crappie, redear sunfish, warmouth, and bluegill. Anglers interested in crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish, blue catfish, and bluegill can choose to fish in the Greenwood Lake area. Other fishing locations in the Fort Smith area are Frog Bayou, T J House Reservoir, Booneville Lake, Sugar Loaf Lake, James Fork, Wofford Lake, and Hollis Lake. The most commonly caught fish in these areas are crappie, bowfin, alligator gar, crappie and sunfish fishing, pumpkinseed, bass, catfish, black bullhead, Australian bass, and yellow bullhead. Anglers interested in catfish and bass fishing are encouraged to visit Vineyard Creek, Vache Grasse Creek, Lee Creek, Adamson Creek, Hester Creek, Heartsill Creek, Williamson Creek, Massard Creek, Cedar, and Mill Creek. Anglers use bank fishing, baitcasting, fly fishing, and light tackle fishing when fishing across these sites.

Tour the Magnificent City of Fort Smith

1. Spend Time at the Park

The Lake Fort Smith Park offers scenic and challenging trails for hikers, backpackers, and mountain bikers looking for adventure-packed activities. The park also consists of campsites with full hookups and available water and electricity. There is also a 2,660-square-foot swimming pool that features an adjacent wading pool, a splash pad, and a bathhouse with changing areas and lockers. It is also a kid-friendly park as it includes a playground, a pavilion, picnic areas, and exhibits.

2. Pedal Power

Fort Smith offers bikeways and trails for bike enthusiasts who want to travel across the area; the Fort Smith Bikeway lets visitors to Fort Smith's parks and libraries. Riverfront Skate & Bike Park features bikeway areas for beginner, intermediate, and advanced-level bikers and skaters. It is a one-of-a-kind park that overlooks the Arkansas River. Lastly, the bike trail in Ben Geren Regional Park is dubbed as one out of eleven premier mountain bike trail systems that have been built in Arkansas. It is definitely a perfect spot for bikers of any age.