Bois d'Arc Lake (pronounced bow-dark) is a 650-acre impoundment located in southwest Hempstead County, Arkansas, approximately 6 miles south of Hope. Created in 1961 by damming Cedar Creek, the lake is part of the larger Bois d'Arc Wildlife Management Area, a 5,843-acre bottomland hunting and fishing complex. The name comes from the French term for wood of the bow, referring to the Osage orange tree that was once used by Native Americans for making bows and is locally abundant in the area. With an average depth of 5-6 feet and a maximum depth of 15 feet, this relatively shallow lake features diverse aquatic habitat including standing timber, stumps, water lilies, and riprap along the levees, creating an ideal environment for multiple fish species.