"Lake Frierson is the best lake in northeast Arkansas for big bass," asserted the AGFC's Sam Barkley. "There are not a lot of bass in that lake. It's a very muddy lake, but the bass that are present are huge. It does produce some double-digit fish. It's a really shallow lake. Because of the drought, it was almost inaccessible in the fall of 2006."

In 1976, Mallard Lake produced the state record, Aaron Mardis' 16.25-pounder. However, the 300-acre reservoir near Big Lake Wildlife Management Area hasn't produced any big fish in a while. Renovated several times in the past 30 years, it can still, according to Barkley, produce bass in the 7-pound range.