Planning a trip this summer, who has been ? What should we do / not do ? Thanks in advance fellas, as always.

I've fished it it but its been years. Maybe one on the young men on THF can help. Sorry.

It is pronominal with a W instead of a Q. Wichita. Say I it over several times and you will catch on. It will be like drawing a photo in your head. Surprise, surprise, you pronounce photo with an F.

It’s pronounced “Wash-i-taw”. My wife learned to swim there when she was little. Her family would tent camp there and fish for 2 weeks each year. We took the travel trailer there a few years back, to visit the places she went as a kid. We stayed at Denby Point Campground, a beautiful park, in site 6. You want site 6, trust me, unless your TT is too big. Mount Ida (town) is close by and they had a cafe.

We were in site 6 for about a week, and every day somebody would come ask when we were leaving so they could move into the site.

I've been a couple of times, but over thirty years ago. It is a big beautiful lake. If I remember correctly it could have been easy to get lost. I would suggest a GPS.

Ive been a bunch and went last year for my birthday. We rent some cabins near Mt Ida and rent a boat. Beautiful lake that never seems too crowded and the fishing is pretty good.

We went last September and had a striper trip canceled due to rain. We rented a condo near the mountain harbor spa and resort at Joplin on highway 270 E near Mt. Ida. Beautiful country.

We been going to Crystal Springs Resort for years. I always rent pontoon for my family, and I pull my boat behind it to fish. Get a lake front cabin.

https://www.crystalspringsmarina.com/





The striper's are huge! Pic below is 2005 I used a guide, I got my limit in pretty short order, and they were all huge, 6 was the limit back then. Not sure if that guide is there any more, but if you call the resort, they have guides they will recommend, and that is probably your best referral. Ask for Donna, she has been there forever, and she will tell you the who the best guides are...



Bluegills are huge, you can fish right off the docks, this is my daughter 2006.



My son, 2005, showing these boys how to catch bluegill...

Years ago, when I was in college.
We'd go Scuba diving there..
Had a friend, who's parents had a place on the lake..
It's big, cold, and simply beautiful.

Thanks Everyone and thanks Guy that place looks great

Rent a houseboat. Spend a week up there years ago on a 66’ houseboat. Was an awesome experience.

It’s the only lake up there near Hot Springs that had jet skis to rent too, about 10 years ago. Stay away from bath houses. It gets awkward unless that’s what you’re Into.

Fisherman’s Wharf on Hamilton. Coconut shrimp. Get the sauce. I still dream about it.

Check this place out as well, this was a 2018 trip. We stayed at Crystal Springs resort, but we rented a a really nice Sea Ray wake boat from this place, and I told myself I might want to stay here one trip...



This is me getting up on a wake board. Its pretty funny because I was way over weight then, I was about 218 pounds, after this year I lost a lot of weight, I'm down below 185 now, I been as low as 178, which is 40lb loss. I'm trying to get back down below 180. But we also rented a ski boat at Lake Lewisville that year, and that boat did not have horse power to get me up, but this Sea Ray, ripped me right up. I laugh at this pic, because I felt like a water melon on wake board. I want to give it another shot now that I lost weight...



Bonus pics from that trip....

I second the house boat as the way to go but is the most expensive. Been going for 25 years and parents going before that. Some of the older resorts are a little run down and some have been updated. Always have caught fish and been all times of year except waterfowl season. Stripers, largemouths, spots, and even a few smallmouth. That lake will always be my first pick over other Arkansas and southern Mo lakes. I like it a lot more than the crowded cabin/traffic/business/lake cluster I believe Broken Bow has become as well.

Great lookin pup Guy

Thanks, she is a gorgeous creature. Bonus pics...

I would break my neck on those water skies.

We spent our summers on beaver lake. Love Arkansas.

I grew up going to Hamilton. Back when they had Para-sailing. “Everybody wants to rule the world” played as I ran off the sandy beach. Such a cool place back then. Now it seems Hot Springs is nuthin but a biker town. It’s beautiful, just different now

Guy, you’re blessed sir.

We love that area so much we bought a second home in Royal that should become our primary home within the next year. Got 20acres that has Ouchita National Forest bordering 3 sides of the property. We are 10 min below Crystal Springs Marina, 20 min to the edge of Hot Springs.

Alot to do there depending on what your hobbies are. Tourist down town area, casino/track (horse race season is over), off road park if you have a jeep, dirt bike, or atv, wolf pen gap for utv/SxS trails, crystal digging at colemans or in Mt Ida, mountain bike trails at Northwoods, and of course the lake is amazing. You can get a free printed arkansas visitors guide at arkansas.com

We are still learning and exploring. I dont think we will ever run out of new things to discover around there.

I have seen a lot of turkey hunters on that lake, and I have seen turkeys flying while I'm on the water.