McMahan Lake Fishing Guide, Sebastian County, Arkansas

• Overview

  Out in Sebastian County, Arkansas, sits McMahan Lake. The surface lies 463 feet up. It covers about 5 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Sebastian County. Start from Barling, 0.2 miles down the road. The nearest city of size is Broken Arrow, 98 miles away. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on McMahan Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Fish documented in Sebastian County include green sunfish, bluegill, largemouth bass, channel catfish and Rio Grande longear sunfish. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On McMahan Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 81°F and January at 38°F. It fishes twelve months of the year. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. It holds true on McMahan Lake more years than not. A grey, mild day is often better than a bright, still one.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Parking is mapped about half a mile from the bank. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Willies Lake, 2.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Ask locally about McMahan Lake if anything is unclear.