Fishing at Lake Elrod, Cleveland County, Arkansas

• Overview

  Look for Lake Elrod in Cleveland County, Arkansas. This is pine and hardwood ground. This is a pocket water of some 7 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Our Cleveland County list holds plenty of bigger water. Supplies mean a trip to Rison, 2.1 miles off. Little Rock is the closest city, 56 miles away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lake Elrod

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Public wildlife records from this area list common carp, rock bass and walleye. Presence in the area does not guarantee a fish on the day. Read Lake Elrod before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 41°F to 81°F. The year never really closes; it just gets uncomfortable in summer. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Lake Elrod fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Van Sadler Lake at 2 miles is the sensible second choice. Rules at Lake Elrod are worth checking on the day.