Fishing at Forest Lake Number 5, St. Francis County, Arkansas

• Overview

  Forest Lake Number 5 sits within St. Francis County in Arkansas. The bank is 358 feet above sea level. It covers about 2 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by St. Francis County standards. Forrest City sits 1.8 miles from the bank. New South Memphis sits 40 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Forest Lake Number 5

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across St. Francis County include green sunfish, cypress darter and rainbow darter. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Read this water before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 38°F in January and 81°F in July. Heat sets the pattern from late spring onward. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. The season on this water rarely departs from it. Water temperature lags behind air temperature by days, not hours.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Forest Lake Number 4 is 0.7 miles distant. The position on this water is worth confirming on the day.