Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

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Fishing

Trout Permit & Regulation Information

In addition to a fishing license, anglers 16 and older must have a trout permit to retain trout from any Arkansas waters or to fish in the following waters:

Licensing and Permits

  • White River, from Beaver Dam to Houseman Access
  • White River, from Bull Shoals Dam to Highway 58 bridge at Guion
  • Little Red River, from Greers Ferry Dam to Highway 305 bridge
  • North Fork of White River, entire stream below Norfork Dam
  • Little Missouri River, from 100 yards below LakeGreeson (Narrows Dam) to Muddy Fork Road (lowwater bridge)
  • Spavinaw Creek (Benton County) east of Highway 59

Trout Permits

  • Trout Permit (resident 16 and older) $5.00
  • Trout Permit (nonresident 16 and older) $12.00
  • 65-Plus Lifetime Trout Permit (for holders of 65-plus fishing or combination licenses) $5.00

General Trout Regulations

  • Anglers may keep up to five trout (rainbow, brown, cutthroat, brook and lake combined) in one day. Trout length limit regulations differ between trout fisheries. Please check the specific trout area you will be fishing.
  • A trout permit is required to keep trout from any state waters or to fish in the tailwaters below Beaver Lake, Bull Shoals Lake, Lake Norfork, Greers Ferry Lake, Lake Greeson or east of Highway 59 on Spavinaw Creek. Anglers under 16 or holders of the $1,000 Lifetime Resident Hunting and Fishing Sportsman’s Permit do not need a trout permit.
  • Trout may not be driven, harassed or pursued with noise, objects, boats or by wading to concentrate them.
  • A guide may not give away his or her fish if it causes the recipient to exceed his or her daily limit.
  • Trout that are filleted or have head or tail removed may not be in possession while fishing from the shore or from a boat or while transporting fish by boat on trout waters.
  • Rainbow trout placed on a stringer, in a livewell or in a fish basket, may not be subsequently released or culled. The only exception is that a rainbow trout longer than 16 inches may be temporarily retained in a livewell for measuring, weighing and photographing before being released when fishing Bull Shoals and Norfork tailwaters (except in catch-and-release areas).
  • Trout may not be used as bait.
  • Certain waters have restrictions on gear, bait and chumming.

Catch-and-release area rules:

  • Trout must be released immediately to the water.
  • Only artificial lures with one, single barbless hooking point per pole may be used. Some commercial lures must be modified to suit this rule.
  • Natural or scented baits are not allowed. These include baits such as marshmallows, salmon eggs and moldable substances (Power Bait, Power Eggs or Zeke’s Gold).
  • Chumming is not allowed catch-and-release areas, artificial lures only areas and areas where natural or scented baits are prohibited. Chumming is allowed in all waters except those listed above. Chumming is defined as dislodging or depositing any substance not attached to a hook which may attract fish. One common example of chumming is tossing canned corn into the water to stimulate feeding. Shuffling one’s feet to dislodge material from the streambed (the “San Juan Shuffle”) is also considered chumming. 

Link to Beaver Tailwater Regulations in Trout Guidebook

Link to Bull Shoals Tailwater Regulations

Link to Greers Ferry Tailwater Regulations

Link to Narrows Tailwater Regulations

Link to Norfork Tailwater Regulations

Link to Spring River Regulations

Link to Trout Guidebook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

Trout Release Tips

Handling & Release Tips

  1. Use the heaviest tackle appropriate and land the fish as soon as possible. 
  1. If possible, avoid touching the fish with your hands. If you must hold the fish, wet your hands before attempting to land it. Never use a towel (dry or wet) to hold the fish.
  1. Use nets made of soft materials such as cotton or soft nylon and wet the net before landing your fish.
  1. When unhooking a fish, handle it gently and keep it in the water as long as possible. Do not place your fingers in the fish’s gills.
  1. If the fish swallows the hook, cut the line as close to the hook as possible instead of trying to remove the hook. 
  1. When releasing an exhausted fish, hold it in the water facing upstream until the fish swims away on its own.

 

 

 

Invasive Species Concerns

 

Equipment Cleaning Guidelines

  1. Remove all clumps of algae and sediment from gear prior to leaving an affected water body.
  1. Clean all gear that came into contact with the water with one of the following solutions (2 percent bleach, 5 percent salt solution, or dishwashing detergent). All surfaces must be in contact with the cleaning solution for at least a full minute.
  1. If you cannot wash your gear, then next best thing is to let it dry for at least 48 hours before entering another water body (if possible wash and dry for 48 hours).

 

 

Link to Website for additional Information

http://protectyourwaters.net/