Lake Conway, AR

About Lake Conway

Lake Conway sits in central Arkansas just outside Mayflower in Faulkner County, a short drive north of Little Rock. Built and managed by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, it is one of the largest lakes ever constructed by a state wildlife agency and has been a regional fishing favorite for generations. The lake is shallow, fertile, and heavily timbered, with flooded cypress, standing stumps, and abundant aquatic vegetation that give it a classic southern bottomland-lake character.

Anglers know Lake Conway above all as a productive panfish and bass water. It is famous for slab crappie and steady largemouth bass action, supported by thick cover and a rich forage base. Because it is shallow and stained, the lake warms early, turns on quickly in spring, and rewards anglers who can read its maze of cypress trees, stump flats, and weed edges. Its proximity to Little Rock makes it one of the most accessible quality fisheries in the state.

Fish Species

Lake Conway holds a well-rounded warmwater fishery with several species that draw anglers year-round:

• Black crappie and white crappie — arguably the lake's signature fish, with strong numbers and quality slabs around brush, stumps, and standing timber.
• Largemouth bass — abundant and a major draw, relating tightly to cypress trees, laydowns, and vegetation.
• Bream (bluegill and redear sunfish) — plentiful and popular, especially around bedding cover in late spring; redear ("shellcrackers") get respectable size.
• Catfish — channel and flathead catfish provide consistent action, with some heavy flatheads in the deeper holes and timber.
• Chain pickerel and bowfin (grinnel) — present as aggressive bonus catches around vegetation and backwaters.

The standouts most visitors target are crappie and largemouth bass, with bream and catfish rounding out reliable family and bank-fishing opportunities.

Best Seasons & Times

Spring is prime time. As water warms, crappie move shallow to spawn around stumps, brush, and cypress, and largemouth follow into shallow cover to bed. This is the most productive and popular stretch of the year, with bream beds firing up into late spring as the water reaches the upper 60s and 70s.

Summer brings warm, often stained water and heavy vegetation. Fish go shallow early and late and slide to shade, deeper timber, and ledges through the heat of the day. Early morning and the last hour of light are clearly the best windows, and night fishing for catfish and bream becomes productive.

Fall cooling pulls bait and predators back toward the shallows. Bass chase shad along weed edges and around timber, and crappie reposition on brush as water temperatures drop, often providing excellent, comfortable fishing.

Winter slows the bite but does not stop it. Crappie group on deeper brush and timber and can be caught slow and vertical, while catfish remain catchable in the deeper holes. Midday, on the warmest, most stable days, tends to fish best in cold weather.

Techniques & Baits

Lake Conway is a cover-fishing lake — success comes from working stumps, cypress, laydowns, and vegetation effectively.

• Crappie: Live minnows under a slip float or jig poles around brush, stumps, and standing timber are deadly. Small jigs (1/16 to 1/32 oz) in chartreuse, black/chartreuse, and shad patterns work vertically and on slow casts. Spider-rigging and tight-lining over brush piles produce numbers, and shooting docks/cover holds fish.
• Largemouth bass: Flip and pitch jigs, Texas-rigged creature baits, and soft plastics to cypress trees, stumps, and laydowns. Squarebill crankbaits and spinnerbaits cover stained-water weed edges, and topwater frogs and buzzbaits shine over vegetation and pads early and late.
• Bream: Crickets and worms under a bobber around bedding cover and cypress are the classic, family-friendly approach; small spinners and poppers on fly or ultralight tackle take aggressive bull bluegill.
• Catfish: Cut bait, nightcrawlers, chicken liver, and prepared dough baits fished on the bottom near timber, holes, and channel edges; live or cut bait targets bigger flatheads.

Because the water is usually stained, lean on darker silhouettes, vibration, and contrast colors, and fish slow and close to cover.

Access & Launches

Lake Conway is a state-managed lake with good public access. As an Arkansas Game and Fish Commission water, it offers public boat ramps around the lake, and you will typically find bank-fishing areas, fishing piers, and shoreline access points distributed near the main access areas. Its location near Mayflower and just off the Interstate 40 corridor north of Little Rock makes it easy to reach for a day trip.

The lake is shallow and full of standing timber, stumps, and submerged cover, so boaters should run cautiously, watch for hazards, and stay alert in unfamiliar water. Bank and pier anglers do well here, and small boats, jon boats, and kayaks are well suited to navigating its timber and backwaters. For current ramp conditions, water levels, and any maintenance closures, check the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission before heading out.

Regulations & Licenses

A valid Arkansas fishing license is required for anglers of applicable age, and you should carry it whenever fishing the lake. Statewide and lake-specific rules apply, and length (slot/size) limits, daily creel/bag limits, and any special regulations for crappie, bass, catfish, and bream can change from season to season.

Before your trip, review the current Arkansas Game and Fish Commission regulations for Lake Conway and statewide warmwater species, including any length and possession limits, bait restrictions, and boating rules. Following posted and published limits keeps the fishery healthy and your trip legal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lake Conway best known for catching?
Lake Conway is best known for its crappie and largemouth bass. The shallow, timber-filled lake produces good numbers and quality slab crappie around stumps and brush, plus consistent bass action relating to cypress trees and vegetation. Bream and catfish are also abundant and popular.

When is the best time to fish Lake Conway?
Spring is the standout season, when crappie and bass move shallow to spawn around stumps, cypress, and brush, and bream beds fire up into late spring. Fall is also excellent. In summer, focus on early morning and the last hour of daylight, and consider night fishing for catfish and bream.

Do I need a license to fish Lake Conway?
Yes. A valid Arkansas fishing license is required for anglers of applicable age. Length and bag limits for crappie, bass, catfish, and bream can vary and change, so check the current Arkansas Game and Fish Commission regulations before you go.

What baits and lures work best on Lake Conway?
For crappie, live minnows and small jigs (1/16-1/32 oz) around brush and timber are top producers. Bass anglers do well flipping jigs and soft plastics to cypress and laydowns, plus squarebills, spinnerbaits, and topwater frogs over vegetation. Bream hit crickets and worms, and catfish take cut bait, nightcrawlers, and liver near timber and holes.