Striped Bass in the
40, 50 and even 60 pound class are no strangers to Lake Hamilton. Two of the last four Arkansas State Record Striped Bass were caught out of Hamilton.
In March 1997 a 53-lb., 9-oz. striper was caught, four days later,
a striper weighing 53 pounds,13 ounces was caught. Both record fish at the time.
Lake Hamilton's record striped bass caught march 2010 is now is 61.10 pounds.
Lake Hamilton has four public access areas and several private marinas.
Hotels and resorts and provide good access to all parts of the lake.
You need to get on the water and start fishing before first light and fish until 9 or 10 in the morning on Lake Hamilton. The first-light bite on Lake Hamilton mirrors what occurs on Lake Ouachita.
The stripers school pretty regularly for the first hour or two of the morning, before the boat traffic, usually over points or humps.
An alternative approach is to fish at night. If you choose to fish at night
on Lake Hamilton be extremely careful the many shoreline lights make it a
dangerous lake at night.
In 1932, Carpenter Dam was constructed on the
headwaters above Lake
Catherine on the Ouachita River.
The Dam was named after Flave Carpenter, the pioneer peace officer who first discovered the dam site while searching for outlaws along the river.
The resulting lake (Lake Hamilton) was 18 1/2 miles long and covered 7,200 acres.
Lake Hamilton no longer has a direct release nursery pond from the Hulsey Fish Hatchery.
The former nursery pond (four acres) was located on the edge of the Andrew Hulsey State Fish Hatchery
and drained directly into Lake Hamilton.
The nursery pond was incorporated into hatchery ponds during renovation work a few years ago.It was divided into two hatchery ponds and no longer drains directly into Lake Hamilton.
Any stocking of hybrid striped bass or striped bass for Lake Hamilton will be by quick delivery fish truck.
Thanks to
Brett Hobbs:
Arkansas Game & Fish Commission Biologist.
