Anglers can navigate the chute to/from the river when the river is at, or
above, 6 feet on the Arkansas City Gauge, but they should be careful of snags
when doing so. As the river drops below 6 feet access through the chute gets
extremely difficult and treacherous, and Boaters are advised not to try to
navigate the chute when the river is below 6 feet ( Arkansas City Gauge). When
the lake is at a level equivalent to 6 feet (Ark. City Gauge) one can get from
one end of the lake to the other, but anglers need to be aware that at this
water level very shallow water is present at the flats at Burnt Island (up lake
from Benoit Outing Club & Goat Island).
At a lake level equivalent to 3 feet
(Ark. City Gauge) a narrow channel runs through the flats at Burnt Island; and
very shallow water is present above the ironwood forest (begins where the barge
is at below the Outing Club), and further down the lake in the flat below the
old pump pier (where the poles are). Although reference is made to lake level
from RIVER level on the Arkansas City Gauge the two may not be the same at
stages below 16 feet as the constriction at the chute causes a delay in the
falling, or rising, of the lake. Anglers should also take note that when the
river is on a fast fall (or rise) a large difference in elevation may be present
between the lake and the river. This can create such a high water velocity in
the narrow chute that boats with large outboards will find it difficult to
navigate and impossible for small outboards to negotiate.
Lake has two fee ramps open to the public: Nebletts Landing (dificult to
launch when water level is below 11 feet equivalent to Ark. City Gauge) and
Little Man's (closed at high water).
There is currently no public access to Whittington, as the Nibblet's landing boat ramp has been purchased by the Merigold Hunting Club and is now a private ramp. Little Man's landing, which is south of the Outing Club, is closed during the winter but is expected to open back up at the begining of May.