Heber Springs, Arkansas is a relatively small town comfortablly nestled in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. As part of a national flood control and hydro-electric power generation plan, Greer's Ferry Dam was built here in the early 1960's and Greer's Ferry Lake was created. The lake covers an area of about 40,000 acres and has about 400 miles of shoreline. The water is clean, clear and plenty deep. The millions who visit annually recognize it as one of the cleanest and most scenic places in the mid-South. It makes an ideal playground for all kinds of water sports and outdoor recreational activities. Sailing, skiing, swimming, fishing, camping and scuba diving are popular activities all over the lake. Other key summertime attractions at the lake are the Cardboard Boat Races, the Greer's Ferry Lake Parade of Lights, the 4th of July Fireworks Extravaganza and the annual Greer's Ferry Lake/Little Red River Clean-Up. For these and other events, click here for the area calendar of events.
Downstream of the dam, things are a little more quiet and slower paced. This is the domain of the more devoted trout fishermen. The most common fish in this river are Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout. The standing world record Brown Trout was caught very near here on May 9, 1992 by Rip Collins. It weighed in at an incredible 40 pounds, 4 ounces. Read more about that story by clicking here. A federal trout hatchery below the Dam raises thousands of trout, many of which are stocked in the river.
The secret to fishing the Little Red is light tackle and small lures. Ultralight spinning rigs and two to four pound line are popular. Most trout are taken on bait, rather than artificials, simply because more anglers use it. Whole kernel corn, redworms, nightcrawlers, waxworms, salmon eggs, and even Velveeta cheese all take their share.
Favorite artificials for Little Red trout include marabou jigs, small spinners and spoons, and crayfish- and minnow-imitation crank-baits. But one of the most productive techniques involves a curious marriage between bait and artificials. This rig consists of a small, clear bobber rigged about four or five feet above a brown feather jig, on the barb of which is impaled a small white waxworm. The rig is cumbersome to cast, but that's acceptable since the proper fishing technique is to work the lure in as slowly as possible.
During highwater, driftfishing with the current is favored. Bait is cast upstream and allowed to bump the bottom as it drags behind the boat. On low water, stillfishing deep holes, weedbeds, and timber from an anchored boat is preferred. The Little Red is also one of Arkansas's most popular flyfishing streams, and the many shoals exposed during low water periods offer ideal locations to hook a hefty trout on a variety of fly patterns. Arkansas's trout season never closes, but many of the larger fish are taken from October through February.
The water temperature of the Little Red River remains icy cold in the mid-40s year-round. The condition of the river is dependent upon generation periods of the powerhouse at the dam. It becomes very swift and dangerous in spots when water is released, but after generation ceases, the Little Red reverts to a peaceful Ozark mountain stream with long, gentle pools and numerous shoals. During periods of high flow, the river should be floated only by experienced boaters. For recorded information about current water levels and power generation, call the Greer's Ferry Powerhouse at (501) 362-5150.
