Page 11 - Crappie NOW | June 2015

Arkansas’ I-40 Crappie

stump-laden waters accessible only by boat.
In June, I usually start fishing jigs or minnows
in shoreline cover near one of the boat ramps, Interstate 40 Trivia
then move to stump fields where the biggest
fish often hide. • Interstate 40 is third-longest
interstate overall (2,554.22 miles
Two exits on Interstate 40 at Morrilton across eight states), surpassed only
provide access to the lake. Turn north at Exit by Interstates 80 and 90.
107 to follow Highway 95 to Lakeview Landing. • Tennessee has more miles of
To reach Overcup Landing, turn north at Exit I-40 within its boundaries than any
108 and follow Highway 9 to its junction with other state, with 455 miles traveling
Highway 915. Turn west on Highway 915 to through 20 counties.
the lake. • Major cities along I-40 include
For additional information, including a
map, visit the AGFC website, www.agfc.com. Flagstaff, AZ; Albuquerque, NM,
Amarillo, TX; Oklahoma City, OK;
Lake Conway Little Rock, AR; Memphis, TN;
This 6,700-acre Game and Fish Nashville, TN; and Raleigh, NC.
Commission lake adjacent I-40 just east • Interstate 40 in Arkansas is
of Conway serves up great action for slab named the Veteran’s Memorial
crappie. Fishing can be superb in June, with Highway.
some crappie staying shallow following the
spawn to feed on shad and other baitfish. • I-40 in New Mexico has been
Crappie weighing 1-1/2 to 2-1/2-pounds are designated the Purple Heart Trail
fairly common, and during recent years, I’ve to honor veterans who have been
seen several Conway crappie exceeding 3 injured or lost their lives defending
pounds. our country.
Perhaps the best thing for the traveler
making a stop is the variety of fishing areas
accessible without a boat, all of which are
marked on the lake map you can download at on Highway 89. There’s another, the Gerald
www.agfc.com. Good bank-fishing areas are Ward fishing pier, just south of the Lawrence
available at Lawrence Landing on the lake’s Landing access off West Street, and a third
west side, at the Palarm Creek and Adams adjacent the Adams Lake access. Small jig/
Lake access areas on the east side, and at the spinner combos worked around brush or
Highway 89 bridge on the south. The latter site timber flats in these areas often prove deadly
is especially popular with local crappie fans, on big crappie.
as heavyweight slabs haunt flooded timber Exit 135 (Mayflower) on I-40 offers
adjacent deeper boat lanes there. Anglers access by way of Highway 365 (on the west
can fish from the bank on both sides of the side of I-40) to docks on the west side of the
highway bridge. This is a great place to pull off lake, or by State Highway 89 and Clinton Road
I-40 for a few minutes of fishing and a respite (east of I-40) to docks on the east side.

from interstate travel. Lakes Dunn And Austell
Also available are two handicapped- The 90 miles of I-40 from Little Rock east
accessible fishing piers. One is on the Pierce to Forrest City cross flat-as-a-pancake delta
Creek arm, just a few miles east of the interstate

11 Crappie NOW June 2015