The Arkansas River used to smoke across the state of Arkansas at a high rate of speed for much of the year and was often extremely muddy. But in 1971, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finished the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation Project. A dozen locks and dams were constructed on the river between Arkansas' borders. Navigation improved, as did flood control. More importantly for bass fishermen, the current slowed and water clarity improved. Largemouth fishing exploded. In 1984, pro Rick Clunn seined the Pine Bluff Harbor area (also known as Lake Langhofer) for over 75 pounds of bass in the Bassmaster Classic to set a record total weight for the event.

But like many rivers controlled by dams, a tune-up was required to keep the fishery's quality high. Following Clunn's record-setting catch, siltation problems in backwater areas began to significantly limit spawning habitat for the river's bass. Thankfully, the Army Corps and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission cooperated to execute dredging, flow alterations, and stocking. Fishing is again good up and down the river. There is a 15-inch size limit on largemouths and a 12-inch size limit on spotted bass.

The Arkansas offers diverse habitat, including backwater and main-current wood, rock, and some grass. The river's many wing dams often give up bass in the summer. Even fishing around barges and commercial navigation structures produces fish. Lake Dardanelle is formed by Lock & Dam 10 and covers over 34,000 acres. Although this site is dedicated to river bass fishing, Dardanelle does contain some current and is relatively shallow. Most of the time, it fishes more like a river than a lake. Dardanelle hosts many tournaments during the year.