Bob Kidd Lake in Northwest Arkansas - Great Fishing from Shore or Boat

Bob Kidd Lake is one of Arkansas best kept secrets. Located between the towns of Prairie Grove and Lincoln, it is easy to get to. Admission, parking, and the boat launch are free. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the beauty of the lake while fishing.

Directions

It is easy to find Bob Kidd Lake. Take interstate 540 to the Farmington exit. When you exit, head west on route 62. You will pass through the towns of Farmington and Prairie Grove. Keep on route 62 and make a right onto Bob Kidd Lake Road. The entrance to the lake is about a quarter mile on the left. There is a picnic area just before the entrance to the parking lot.

Amenities

Bob Kidd Lake offers a fishing dock with benches for shore fisherman and a double wide concrete boat launch. A bait shop is located at the corner of route 62 and Bob Kidd Lake Road. Shore fishing is best from the dam and the north shore timber stands. There is plenty of bottom structure, man made and natural, for fish to use as cover. The most popular fish are channel catfish, largemouth bass, crappies, redears, and bluegills.

Special Programs

The Arkansas Fish and Game Commission is studying the success of the channel catfish stocking program in lakes across Northwest Arkansas. Bob Kidd Lake is one of the stocked lakes. Some of the channel catfish are tagged. If you catch one of the tagged fish, follow the directions on the tag and call the phone number listed. Provide your name, date, location, time of day, and length of the fish. A reward of $10 t0 $100 will be provided to you once the tag is received by the Fish and Game Commission. The amount of the reward is randomly determined.

History

The lake is named for Bob Kidd. He was born into slavery in 1824. After the Civil War, he worked hard and purchased 40 acres where the lake is now located. Bob Kidd raised his family on these 40 acres. He died in 1924 and is buried at the Bean Cemetery in Lincoln, Arkansas.

Bob Kidd Lake is a man made lake constructed in 1975. It is a 200 acre lake maintained by the Arkansas Fish and Game Commission. The boat dock and fishing pier were made possible by the family of Mr. Claud Nations.

Other Local Attractions

Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park and Lincoln Lake are two nearby attractions worth visiting. Prairie Grove Battlefield offers a museum, picnic area, playground, and a 19^th century Ozark Village. Lincoln Lake offers mountain biking, hiking trails, fishing, rock climbing and bouldering.

Bob Kidd Lake is worth visiting. Why not spend the day fishing and enjoying the quiet serenity that this lake has to offer.

Sources:

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Lake Bob Kidd