Ozark City Lake Fishing in Franklin County, Arkansas

• Overview

  Look for Ozark City Lake in Franklin County, Arkansas. Elevation runs to 633 feet. This is sizeable water at about 408 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. The perimeter runs near 3.8 miles, so plan the walk before you start. It is the biggest water on our Franklin County list. Supplies mean a trip to Ozark, 3.2 miles off. After that come Coal Hill at 11 miles and Mulberry at 12 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Ozark City Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Open biodiversity records for Franklin County list longnose darter, slender madtom, green sunfish, fantail darter and spotted bass. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. The shape of Ozark City Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 80°F; by January the average is down near 37°F. The year never really closes; it just gets uncomfortable in summer. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. That is the shape of the year on Ozark City Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Shores Lake, 10 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Signs at Ozark City Lake carry more weight than any list.