What about walleye?

Tasty fish dish is often overlooked by Arkansas anglers

By Randy Zellers AGFC Communications LITTLE ROCK — Talk to an Arkansas angler about the best-tasting fish, and you’re likely to hear the word “crappie” nine times out of ten. That last response probably will come from someone who’s had the opportunity to fish for walleye and sample what this member of the perch family has to offer at the dinner table.

Walleye are much more streamlined than bass, crappie and other warmwater fish, taking on more of a torpedo shape than that of a football. Their mouths are filled with small peg-like teeth that help them grasp prey and their namesake eyes are equipped with a silvery membrane, called a tapetum lucidum, which helps gather light when these fish are feeding in dark, deep water. Walleye spend most of the year swimming in deep water, but each spring they move shallow to spawn. This is the time when bank anglers can capitalize on the resource and see what all the fuss is about.

Northwest Prospects

Anglers near Rogers and Beaver lake have quite a few options available for walleye fishing, thanks to the White River and War Eagle Creek, which feed the lake. On the upstream end of the White River, Twin Bridges Access at Arkansas Highway 45 can offer an excellent fishing opportunity for shorebound anglers. In addition to launch ramps for boats, kayaks and canoes, the area has plenty of walking space to spread out along the bank and cast.

“Anglers can walk up and down the shoreline and look for rocky shoals to cast to,” Jon Stein, AGFC fisheries supervisor in Northwest Arkansas, said.

“The males will move up in early to mid-March, and the fishing is usually at its peak by the third week in March.”

Stein says War Eagle Creek also offers an excellent opportunity for walleye in early spring at a hotspot known as the “Two-dollar hole.”

“The access is just downstream from War Eagle Mill where a landowner offers access for a small fee,” Stein said. “It’s really one of the best locations to access that part of the river by land, so we’re very thankful that the landowner allows access through their property for a small $2 fee at the entrance of their property.

Another hotspot for walleye in the northwest corner of the state is the tailwater below Beaver Dam. While locally known as a troutfishing hotspot, walleye running upstream from Table Rock Lake will be stopped by the dam, which makes them possible targets for anglers who walk in from below the dam.

Beaver Dam Access, Bertrand Access and Houseman Access all offer a place to get to the water by foot, but anglers should be aware that a trout permit is required to fish this section of the White River, even if you’re targeting walleye. A special fishing regulation area also exists for trout in the tailwater which applies to all anglers, and anglers should familiarize themselves with the regulations concerning trout before heading to this walleye-angling option.

Stein also lists the Romp Hole Access on the Kings River as another great destination for walleye anglers.

“Table Rock Lake has a tremendous amount of walleye, and some great spawning areas for that lake are right here in Arkansas,” Stein said.

“Spring is the best time to catch them for bank anglers here in the northern half of the state.”

Northeast Nooks

The upper-right corner of the state also is a haven for walleye anglers, but it lacks the large reservoirs found to the west. Its river systems more than make up for that absence when you are talking walleye fishing.

The Strawberry, Spring and Eleven Point rivers are hot spots that can’t be overlooked when you are looking to hook into a few spawning walleye. Brett

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