Lake Pickthorne, AR

Neighboring the city of Jacksonville, Holland Bottoms Wildlife Management Area’s 5,558 acres are only a short drive from Little Rock.  Deer, turkey, squirrels, rabbits and other wildlife have adapted to the nearby traffic, and migrating birds join them in colder parts of the year.  Hunt and fish at adjacent Sproles/Pickthorne Lake, which holds a number of bass, crappie, catfish and bream.  The management area was obtained by the AGFC in 1985 in a land trade with the Arkansas Forestry Commission. An ecologically significant 632 acres is managed by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission as Willow Oak Preserve.

Plenty of baits are recommended to try out here, including minnows, Carolina-rigged lizards and crawfish imitators, crankbaits, chicken livers, floating worms, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, nightcrawlers and stinkbaits.