Fishing Lake Hamilton

AKA: Hamilton lake

Popular Fish Species
Lake Hamilton Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Amenities
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Lake Hamilton, AR

Popular Fish Species Lake Hamilton, AR

Lake Hamilton Popular Fish - Striped Bass

Striped Bass Fishing

Everyone loves to catch a big striped bass, and they are a favorite of many locals and fishing guides at Lake Hamilton. They are plentiful, run in schools and can grow to bragging size. In Spring and Fall work the upper end of the lake where water is flowing into the lake. Look for deeper water in the river channel, as a holding place for stripers. In Summer and Winter, stripers hang out in deeper water during the day and feed close to the bottom, 50 feet or deeper. Morning often draws the stripers to the much shallower water, look for them around the 20-foot range as they feed on shallow-running schools of bait. The lake is filled with plenty of baitfish and sunfish to to keep the fishery thriving. Being successful at fishing for stripers is a matter of locating schools of bait, and the wolf packs of stripers which are likely to be nearby. Fish finders, and forward facing sonar, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Live bait is very effective here, and stripers can be caught year round.

Lake Hamilton Popular Fish - Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass Fishing

Fishing in Lake Hamilton for largemouth bass can run hot and cold at times. Lately the fishing has been better than usual. Big bass are thriving in Lake Hamilton due to excellent fisheries management and plenty of cover for both baitfish and bass. When the bite is good, bass are typically shallow and aggressive. If you find them shallow and they are not tempted to bite, slow down and use smaller, lighter baits. Fishing for largemouth bass is good virtually any time they are shallow - in spring, mornings in summer, and during warm Fall afternoons. Use shallow crankbaits around rip rap. Around grass use worms, jigs, topwater and spinnerbaits. In deeper water, big worms, jigs and spoons are three good weapons. In winter, spend your time fishing Lake Hamilton on deeper structure where the bass spend much of their time. Spotted bass also reside here in good numbers.

Crappie Fishing

Both black crappie and white crappie reside in Lake Hamilton, and crappie are a very popular species this year. Crappie fishing is on the rise and they can be found in sizeable schools. Crappie always like cover and structure, so locate brush and vegetation. Using a fish finder can help locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. Live bait and small jigs are the most common method for crappie here. In spring and fall focus on the 8 to 12 foot range. As the crappie move deep in summer and winter, follow points out deep, as well as find ledges near channels in deeper water.

Lake Hamilton Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, blue catfish, black crappie, white crappie, walleye, rainbow trout, bluegill, redear sunfish, white bass, yellow bass, striped bass and hybrid striped bass at Lake Hamilton in Arkansas.

Well over 100 miles of shoreline outline Lake Hamilton, a 7,200-acre lake located mid-state, immediately south of Hot Springs. Areas of the lake are developed with residential and commercial properties, while many other areas are natural settings with greenery and rolling hills.

Boat ramps, marinas, rental boats and handicapped-accessible fishing piers are open to the public. Over a dozen popular fish species reside in this fertile fishery. These waters have more fish per acre than any lake in the state. Bass, stripers and wipers get a great deal of attention here, but there is also good fishing for crappie, catfish, trout, walleye, bream and sunfish.

Primary fish species residing in Lake Hamilton

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Lake Hamilton Amenities

Marina: YES
Boat Rental: YES
Boat Launch Ramp: YES
Campgrounds: NEARBY
RV Hookups: YES
Lodging: YES
Convenience Store: YES
Bait & Tackle: YES
Restaurant: YES

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

Salty Dog Boat Rental
Rentals: Pontoon boats
501 525-6400

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Energy Park Boat Launch Ramp
Located in the northeast corner of the lake, off Lakepark Drive, this is a two-lane, concrete ramp with paved parking.

Hill Wheatley Boat Launch Ramp
Located in the northwest section of the lake, south side, off Hill Wheatley Park Lane, this is a three-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking.

Lake Hamilton Public Boat Launch Ramp
Located in the southeast corner of the lake, off Fish Hatchery Road, this is a four-lane, concrete ramp with docks and paved parking.

Treasure Isle Boat Launch Ramp
Located in the northwest section of the lake, north side, off Treasure Isle Road, this is a two-lane, concrete ramp with gravel parking.

Marinas

Hot Springs Marina
301 Lakeland Dr
Hot Springs, Arkansas 71913
501 525-7776