Arkansas Administrative Code
Agency 002 - Game and Fish Commission
Division 01 - Legal Division
Rule 002.01.22-120 - NL01 Game Fish Daily Limits

Universal Citation: AR Admin Rules 002.01.22-120

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 9, September, 2024

Code Book

The regulations in this Code Book are hereby adopted by the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission under authority of Amendment 35 to the Constitution of the State of Arkansas. All laws, rules, regulations, or orders in conflict with the regulations in this Code Book are hereby repealed by the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission.

N1.01 Game Fish Daily Limits

Species

Statewide Daily Limit

Alligator Gar

1 Under 36 Inches

1 Over 36 Inches Annually with Tag

Black Basses

10 (including no more than 4 Smallmouth)

Bream (over 4 inches length)

50

Catfish (except Bullhead)

10

Crappie

30

Rock Bass

10

Paddlefish

2

Sauger

6

Saugeye

6

Shovelnose Sturgeon

No Limit

Striped Bass or Hybrid (Combination)

6

Trout

5 (including no more than 2 Brown, 2 Cutthroat, 2 Brook)

Walleye

6

White Bass

25

EXCEPTIONS:

A. The following bodies of water are restricted as follows:
1. Horseshoe Bend Pool (Strawberry River in Izard County) - 1/2 the daily limit for all sportfish.

2. Lake Poinsett - All game fish except catfish must be released immediately, with a catfish daily limit of 5. Effective January 1, 2022, all game fish except bream and catfish must be released immediately, with a bream daily limit of 25.

3. Mercer Bayou (Sulphur River WMA) - All game fish must be released immediately.

4. Big Lake NWR - EXEMPT FROM ALL GAME FISH DAILY LIMITS. Pursuant to Emergency Minute Order adopted on June 30, 2022, there are no game fish daily limits for Big Lake NWR during the draining of the lake. This emergency action temporarily suspending enforcement of game fish limits shall be in effect for a period of ninety-two (92) days, beginning on July 1, 2022 and ending at 11:59 p.m. on September 30, 2022, so that the public may harvest all fish prior to their loss due to water drainage and hot temperatures. Beginning at 12:00 a.m. on October 1, 2022, the original regulations for game fish limits for Big Lake shall be fully in effect and enforceable.

B. BLACK BASS (LARGEMOUTH, SPOTTED, SMALLMOUTH):
1. Smallmouth bass:
i. Ozark Zone (Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Clay, Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Newton, Randolph, Searcy, Sharp, Stone, Van Burenand Washington counties) - smallmouth bass minimum length limit of 12 inches with a daily limit of 4, except Bull Shoals, Beaver, Greers Ferry, Table Rock, and Norfork lakes (see Ex. 1(B) below). Greers Ferry Lake - smallmouth bass minimum length limit of 12 inches, daily limit 6.

ii. Ozark Zone Blue Ribbon Streams - Crooked Creek from Arkansas Highway 101 bridge downstream to the confluence with the White River; between the U.S. Highways 62-412 and U.S. Highway 62 Spur bridges at Pyatt - smallmouth bass minimum length limit 18 inches, daily limit of 1; Buffalo River from confluence with Clabber Creek downstream to the confluence with the White River - smallmouth bass minimum length limit 18 inches, daily limit of 1; all other water of Crooked Creek and Buffalo River - smallmouth bass minimum length limit of 14 inches, daily limit of 2.

iii. Ozark Zone Catch-and-Release Area - Crooked Creek, along boundary of Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation property near Kelley's Slab Access.

iv. Ozark Zone Quality Streams - Kings River from Trigger Gap to U.S. Highway 62 bridge -smallmouth bass minimum length limit of 18 inches, daily limit of 1; all other water of the Kings, Illinois, Spring, South Fork of the Spring and Eleven Point rivers and War Eagle Creek - smallmouth bass minimum length limit of 14 inches, daily limit of 2.

v. Ouachita/Boston Zone (all Arkansas counties not included in the Ozark Zone) - smallmouth bass minimum length limit of 10 inches, daily limit of 4.

vi. Ouachita/Boston Zone Quality Streams - (Mulberry, Caddo above DeGray Lake, DeGray Lake, Cossatot River, Ouachita River upstream from Lake Ouachita, Ouachita River downstream from Remmel Dam, Saline River, including its 4headwater forks in Saline, Perry and Garland counties, South Fork/Ouachita, Little Missouri above Lake Greeson) - smallmouth bass minimum length limit of 12 inches, daily limit of 2.

vii. Ouachita/Boston Zone Catch-and-Release Area - all smallmouth bass caught in Lake Catherine must be immediately returned to the water.

2. Largemouth bass:
i. Lake Terre Noire, Lake June, and Lake Sylvia - daily limit 5.

ii. Lake Millwood - daily limit 6.

iii. Mallard Lake - daily limit 1.

iv. Marion McCollum Lake, Lake Sylvia - Largemouth bass caught must be immediately returned to the water.

3. Black Bass (all species combined):
i. Beaver, Bull Shoals, DeGray, Norfork, Table Rock lakes, Lake Jack Nolen, Ouachita, Ashbaugh - daily limit 6.

ii. Lake Lou Emma - daily limit 5.

iii. War Eagle Creek - daily limit 2.

iv. Lakes Ouachita, DeGray, and Greeson - in addition to the daily limit of black basses, 10 spotted bass may be taken.

C. BREAM: No limit on bream 4 inches or shorter.

D. CATFISH:
1. No limit on catfish on Grand Lake - Chicot County, Lake Chicot (including that portion of Connerly Bayou downstream from Connerly Dam to the bayou's mouth and Ditch Bayou from the inlet on Lake Chicot to Ditch Bayou Dam) and between the main levees of the Mississippi River, from the confluence of the Mississippi/White rivers upstream to the Benzal Railroad Bridge, and from the confluence of the Mississippi/Arkansas rivers upstream to the Yancopin Railroad Bridge.

2. No limit on blue and channel catfish from Little River (below Millwood Dam) Red and Sulphur rivers.

3. No limit on channel catfish on Marion McCollum Lake Greenlee - Monroe County and Lake Erling.

4. Catfish daily limit - 5 in DeWitt City Park Lake (Arkansas County); Lake Atalanta (Benton County); Hidden Lake (Carroll County); Big Timber Lake and Gurdon Lake (Clark County); Hubble Lake (Clay County); Lake Bailey (Conway County); Lake Cambadelle and Lake Lou Emma (Crawford County); Marion City Park Lake (Crittenden County); Village Creek State Park Lakes (Cross and St. Francis Counties); Lake Bennett (Faulkner County); Lake Clearfork (Garland County); Crowley Ridge State Park Lake and Reynolds Park Lake (Greene County); Newark City Lake (Independence County); Lake June (Lafayette County); Ward City Park Lake (Lonoke County); Hindsville Lake (Madison County); Blytheville City Park Lake (Mississippi County); Donald Branch Fishing Pond (Monroe County); Lake Sylvia (Perry County); Shady Lake (Polk County); Twin Lakes A and B, Camp Ferncliff (Pulaski County); Old Davidsonville State Park Lake (Randolph County); Forrest City Park Lake (St. Francis County); Truman Baker Lake (Scott County); Cave City's Lakes (Sharp County); Gunner Pool and Hayden Bend Pond (Stone County); Devils Den State Park (Washington County); Spring Lake, Kingfisher, Clubhouse Lakes in Petit Jean WMA (Yell County) and posted USDA Forest Service ponds and lakes.

5. In addition to daily limit, 10 channel catfish may be taken on the Arkansas River.

6. In addition to daily limit, 10 blue catfish may be taken in Lake Erling.

E. CRAPPIE:
1. Crappie daily limit - 15 in Beaver, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Norfork reservoirs, Cane Creek Lake (Lincoln County),Gurdon Lake (Clark County) and Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois d'Arc Lake.

2. Crappie daily limit - 50 between the main levees of the Mississippi River, from the confluence of the Mississippi/White rivers upstream to the Benzal Railroad Bridge, from the confluence of the Mississippi/ Arkansas rivers upstream to the Yancopin Railroad Bridge and on Horseshoe Lake (Crittenden County).

3. Crappie daily limit - 20 in Lake Chicot and Blue Mountain Lake.

4. No crappie daily limit on Lake Charles, Lake Frierson, and Lake Hogue.

F. WALLEYE:
1. Beaver Lake and its tributaries; Table Rock Lake and its tributaries to Beaver Dam; Bull Shoals Lake, and Norfork Lake - minimum length limit of 18 inches, daily limit 4.

2. In compliance with Addendum N1.02 and Code Chapter 28.00.

G. WHITE BASS, STRIPED BASS, HYBRID STRIPED BASS:
1. White bass:
i. Between the main levees of the Mississippi river, from the confluence of the Mississippi and White rivers upstream to the Benzal Railroad Bridge, and from the confluence of the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers upstream to the Yancopin Railroad Bridge - daily limit of 50, possession limit of 100.

ii. Beaver Lake and its tributaries; Bob Kidd Lake; Greers Ferry Lake and its tributaries; Lakes Ashbaugh, Sequoyah, and Monticello - no limit.

2. Striped bass and hybrid striped bass (combined):
i. Beaver and Norfork Lakes; Lake Ouachita - daily limit 3.

ii. Arkansas River and connecting lakes - daily limit 10.

iii. Lake Monticello - no limit.

H. ALLIGATOR GAR:
1. Alligator gar longer than 36 inches may not be harvested from noon May 1 - noon July 1 statewide.

2. Alligator Gar Tag is required to harvest alligator gar over 36 inches (Code 26.28).

I. TROUT (BROOK, BROWN, CUTTHROAT, RAINBOW, TIGER):
1. Brown trout:
i. White River from Bull Shoals Dam to Arkansas Highway 58 Bridge (Bull Shoals Tailwater) and North Fork White River (Norfork Tailwater) - minimum length 24 inches, daily limit 1; only 1 of trout daily limit may be longer than 14 inches.

ii. Spavinaw Creek (Benton County) west of Arkansas Highway 59 - minimum length 16 inches, daily limit 2.

iii. Spring River (from 100 yards below Dam No.1 at Mammoth Spring State Park to the mouth of Myatt Creek.) - minimum length 14 inches, daily limit 1; only 1 of trout daily limit may be longer than 14 inches.

iv. Little Red River from Greers Ferry Dam to Arkansas Highway 305 Bridge (Greers Ferry Tailwater) - daily limit of 5 (only 1 of trout daily limit may be longer than 16 inches).

v. White River from Beaver Dam to boundary signs at Houseman Access (Beaver Tailwater) - protected slot limit of 13-16 inches, daily limit of 5 (only 1 of trout daily limit may be longer than 16 inches).

vi. Little Missouri River from Narrows Dam to Arkansas Highway 27 Bridge (Narrows Tailwater) - all brown trout must be released immediately.

2. Cutthroat trout:
i. White River from Bull Shoals Dam to Arkansas Highway 58 Bridge (Bull Shoals Tailwater) - minimum length 24 inches, daily limit of 1; only 1 of trout daily limit may be longer than 14 inches.

ii. North Fork White River (Norfork Tailwater), Spavinaw Creek (Benton County) west of Arkansas Highway 59 - minimum length 16 inches, daily limit of 2.

iii. Little Red River from Greers Ferry Dam to Arkansas Highway 305 Bridge (Greers Ferry Tailwater) - only 1 of trout daily limit may be longer than 16 inches.

iv. White River from Beaver Dam to boundary signs at Houseman Access (Beaver Tailwater) - protected slot limit of 13-16 inches (only 1 of trout daily limit may be longer than 16 inches).

3. Brook trout:
i. White River from Bull Shoals Dam to Arkansas Highway 58 Bridge (Bull Shoals Tailwater), North Fork White River (Norfork Tailwater) - minimum length 14 inches,daily limit of 1; only 1 of trout daily limit may be longer than 14 inches.

ii. Spavinaw Creek (Benton County) west of Arkansas Highway 59 - minimum length 14 inches, daily limit 2.

iii. Little Red River from Greers Ferry Dam to Arkansas Highway 305 Bridge (Greers Ferry Tailwater) - only 1 of trout daily limit may be longer than 16 inches.

iv. White River from Beaver Dam to boundary signs at Houseman Access (Beaver Tailwater) - protected slot limit of 13-16 inches (only 1 of trout daily limit may be longer than 16 inches).

4. Rainbow trout:
i. Lake Atalanta (Benton County) - daily limit of 5.

ii. White River from Bull Shoals Dam to Arkansas Highway 58 Bridge (Bull Shoals Tailwater), North Fork White River (Norfork Tailwater), Spring River - daily limit of 5 (only 1 of trout daily limit may be longer than 14 inches).

iii. Little Red River from Greers Ferry Dam to Arkansas Highway 305 Bridge (Greers Ferry Tailwater) - daily limit of 5 (only 1 of trout daily limit may be longer than 16 inches).

iv. White River from Beaver Dam to boundary signs at Houseman Access (Beaver Tailwater) - protected slot limit of 13-16 inches, daily limit of 5 (only 1 of trout daily limit may be longer than 16 inches).

5. Tiger trout:
i. White River from Bull Shoals Dam to Arkansas Highway 58 Bridge (Bull Shoals Tailwater) and North Fork White River (Norfork Tailwater) - minimum length 24 inches, daily limit 1; only 1 of trout daily limit may be longer than 14 inches.

All fish measurements must follow procedures listed in the definition of "Length Limits" in Code 01.00-C.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Arkansas may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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