Named for the river forming its eastern boundary, Mississippi County is an excellent place for catching big-river catfish. Blue and flathead catfish up to 50 pounds and more are not an uncommon catch when fishing the Mississippi River here. Ramps at Barfield and San Souci are heavily used. Other landings are present, but may be on private property or unusable due to shifting sandbars.

In addition to the river fishing, numerous oxbows along the Mississippi offer prime fishing for bass, crappies, and bluegills. One should inquire locally about access which is frequently controlled by landowners or club leases.

County Parks

Lake Neark: Ajacent to Osceola, 8.5 mile long lake with 17 miles of shoreline fishing and hunting.

State Parks

There are five state parks in the Osceola area that offer a variety of activities. Herman Davis and Hampson Museum State Parks provide the visitor with a historical perspective of the surrounding country. Crowley's Ridge State Park provides some of the most picturesque views in the state. Lakes Frierson and Poinsett offer some of the best fishing in the state of Arkansas. Come experience the wonders of our state parks, and find out why Arkansas is "The Natural State."

National Parks/Reserves

Big Lake National Wildlife Reserve

Approximately 2,100 acres of the 11,038 acre Big Lake NWR was designated as a wilderness area in 1976. The habitat within the wilderness area consists of timbered swamplands and bottomland hardwoods. Towering stands of cypress dominate the overstory with a mixture of green ash, hackberry, cottonwood, box elder, and some scattered oak species. The area is utilized by waterfowl during high water and provides habitat for resident species such as white-tailed deer, raccoon, and beaver. The endangered southern bald eagle and osprey have successfully nested immediately adjacent to the Wilderness Area.

Big Lake, a 6,500 acre natural lake in Big Lake National Wildlife Reserve, offers seasonal fishing for bluegills, catfish, crappie, and largemouth bass. The refuge is also a popular bird watching area where visitors can see huge concentrations of wintering ducks and eagles and an astounding variety of spring and fall warblers. Inquire about the fishing season, current fishing conditions, and wildlife viewing at the Refuge Headquarters east of Manila.

Location: 20 miles northwest of Osceola on State Highway 18.
Phone: 870-564-2429.

Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge

A forrested wetland area, includes 600-acre Wapanocca Lake and some farmland.

Location: 32 miles southwest of Osceola on State Highway 42. Day use only.
Phone: 870-343-2595.