Trout in Arkansas
Arkansas tailwaters first gained fame for producing lunker rainbow trout in the 1950s and '60s. During that period, five to 10-pound rainbows were commonly caught. In recent years, though, monster brown trout have stolen the limelight and made Arkansas world-famous as a trout-fishing hot spot.
The all-tackle, world record brown (40 pounds, 4 ounces) was caught in May 1992 in the Little Red River below Greers Ferry Lake by H. “Rip” Collins. This and other tailwater trout fisheries produce significant numbers of brown trout topping 30 pounds. Five- to 10-pounders are common.
Several regulations have been implemented to help trout remain for several years in the fertile tailwaters. Currently, a statewide, 16-inch minimum-length limit and two fish daily creel limit apply to cutthroat trout, which commonly reach four pounds. The state record is 9 pounds, 9 ounces caught by Scott Rudolph on the White River.
An identical regulation applies to brown trout in Spring River, and the Bull Shoals, Norfork and Beaver tailwaters. In the Greers Ferry tailwater, a 16- to 21-inch protected slot length and four-fish daily creel limit (with only one 21 inches or over).
The overall daily creel limit on trout is five. There is a 16-inch minimum length limit on brown and cutthroat trout and a 14-inch minimum length limit on brook trout, except in the case of the Little Red River as mentioned above.
Another exciting development is the implementation of five trophy trout areas totaling six miles on Arkansas tailwaters.
These areas are limited to artificial, barbless, single hook lures only, and all trout caught must be released. By allowing fish in these areas to remain in the stream for several years, rainbow and cutthroat trout should exceed four pounds. Exciting catch-and-release fishing will exist for these trophy-class fish, and anglers may be able to keep a trophy as some of these large fish migrate into adjacent waters under normal regulations.
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 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.
For more information concerning fishing reports for certain waters, fishing licenses and trout permits, trout management areas, water conditions and more, click on the hyperlinks below.
Minimum Flow (adequate minimum flow for north Arkansas and Missouri trout waters)