Down in Jefferson County, not far from Pine Bluff, you can pick from nine Corps areas, all of which offer good catfishing -- Tar Camp, Dam Site 5, Ste. Marie, Sheppard Island, Trulock, Rising Star, Huffs Island, Little Bayou Meto and Big Bayou Meto. Nice mixed catches of blues, channels and flatheads are likely to be taken no matter where you set up along the river in Arkansas.

My favorite stretch of the Arkansas, and probably the best stretch in terms of good catfishing, is the lower 40 miles below Dam 2 in Arkansas and Desha counties. This is the only stretch where barge traffic is absent, and when the water level is right, there are plenty of big white sandbars where you can pitch a tent and camp. Be warned, though, that the water level can fluctuate wildly from hour to hour, as much as 8 to 10 feet, so camp only on the high ground if you plan to stay overnight. Mosquitoes are rough in these bottoms, too; so carry plenty of insect repellent.

That stretch is full of huge blue catfish, channel cats and flatheads. The water and cover are ideal for trotlining, limblining, yo-yo fishing and jug-fishing. I've taken my sons on three weeklong excursions there, and during each trip, we caught scores of eating-sized cats.

There are boat ramps and campsites on both sides of the river at Dam 2, just south of Tichnor, for those who prefer a motor home campout or more developed tent camping. These areas provide a starting point for any catfish trips, and you should plan to motor back to these ramps for takeout unless you're prepared to travel 40 miles down the Arkansas and then another 20 down the Mississippi to the first takeout downstream.

Whatever you do, don't attempt this trip unprepared. The river in that area rages at times, rising and then falling, and the hapless angler can get stranded in the mosquito-infested bottoms if he's careless. There are lots of black bears there, too, so if you camp, keep your food and waste where the bruins can't get to them.

HENRY GRAY/HURRICANE LAKE WMA
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's wildlife management areas offer excellent possibilities for a summer catfishing/camping excursion. This is primitive camping to be sure -- no electric or water hookups, no paved roads, no amenities of any sort other than a cleared piece of ground where you can pitch a tent or park a camper. But there are dozens of WMAs statewide where you can camp and go after big whiskerfish.

One of my favorites is Henry Gray/Hurricane Lake WMA, just east of Bald Knob in White County. Nestled in the overflow bottoms at the juncture of the White and Little Red rivers, this 16,808-acre area encompasses an enchanting world of oxbow lakes, rivers and meandering sloughs.

Within the WMA are eight oxbows accessible from roads during dry weather. Big Hurricane Lake is the largest at 60 acres, followed by Whirl Lake (30 acres), Mallard Pond (18 acres), Big Bell Lake (16 acres), Honey Lake (16 acres), and then Bollie Pond, Three Sisters Lake and Little Green Tom, each between 5 and 10 acres in size. All harbor healthy populations of channel cats, and visiting anglers catch plenty using rod and reel, limblines, trotlines and juglines. Best of all, there are campsites close to several lakes so you can have easy access to fishing.