Arkansas Administrative Code
Agency 002 - Game and Fish Commission
Division 01 - Legal Division
Rule 002.01.24-011 - N1.03 Specific Trout Water Regulations

Universal Citation: AR Admin Rules 002.01.24-011

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

A. Beaver Tailwater (White River from 100 yards below Beaver Dam to boat ramp at Houseman Access):

1. No fishing, boating, or wading within 100 yards of Beaver Dam.

2. An angler shall use no more than one fishing rod or pole and must attend it at all times. No other devices shall be used to catch fish other than as specified for the paddlefish-snagging season.

3. Bait fishing allowed only with a single, hooking point.

4. From April 15 - June 15, snagging game fish is legal only from 100 yards below Beaver Dam from the Corps of Engineers "No Fishing Beyond This Point" sign downstream to the first Corps of Engineers boat ramp on the left descending bank to the first boat-launching ramp. Snagging must cease after half the daily limit of any game fish has been snagged. Snagged fish of any species shall not be released.

5. Special Regulation Area: Artificial Lures Only Area/No Bait Zone from approximately 0.5 mile below Beaver Dam to approximately 100 yards upstream of Parker Bend Access, as indicated by signs.
i. Only artificial lures or flies shall be used. All hooking points must be barbless. Natural or scented baits are prohibited.

ii. Chumming is prohibited.

6. Only Rainbow Trout may be harvested from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.

B. Bull Shoals Tailwater (White River from 100 yards below Bull Shoals Dam to Arkansas Highway 58 Bridge at Guion):

1. No fishing, boating, or wading within 100 yards of Bull Shoals Dam.

2. An angler shall use no more than one fishing rod or pole and must attend it at all times. No other devices shall be used to catch fish. Only a single hooking point per pole may be used for bait fishing.

3. Special Regulation Areas:
i. Bull Shoals Dam Catch-and-Release Area - Open to fishing from February 1 - October 31 from 100 yards below Bull Shoals Dam to the upstream boundary of Bull Shoals/White River State Park, as indicated by signs.
a. All trout caught must be immediately released.

b. Only artificial lures or flies shall be used. All hooking points must be barbless. Natural or scented baits are prohibited.

c. Chumming is prohibited.

ii. Bull Shoals Dam Closed Area - the area 100 yards below Bull Shoals Dam to the wing dike at the Bull Shoals/White River State Park Trout Dock. This area is closed to fishing or wading November 1 - January 31.

iii. Bull Shoals Dam Seasonal Brown Trout Catch-and-Release Area, November 1 -January 31. From the wing dike at Bull Shoals/White River State Park Trout Dock to the downstream boundary of the Bull Shoals/White River State Park.
a. All brown trout must be immediately released.

b. Only artificial lures or flies shall be used. All hooking points must be barbless. Natural or scented baits are prohibited.

c. Chumming is prohibited.

d. No fishing 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.

iv. Rim Shoals Catch-and-Release Area (near Cotter). From sign immediately above mouth of Jenkins Creek to the first electric power line downstream, as indicated by signs.
a. All trout caught must be immediately released.

b. Only artificial lures or flies shall be used. All hooking points must be barbless. Natural or scented baits are prohibited.

c. Chumming is prohibited.

4. Only Rainbow Trout may be harvested from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.

C. Norfork Tailwater (North Fork of the White River from 100 yards below Norfork Dam to the confluence of the White River):

1. No fishing, boating, or wading within 100 yards below Norfork Dam.

2. An angler shall use no more than one fishing rod or pole and must attend it at all times. No other devices shall be used to catch fish. Only a single hooking point per pole may be used for bait fishing.

3. Special Regulation Areas:
i. Norfork Catch-and-Release Area - from the downstream end of Long Hole to the Bill Ackerman River Ridge Walk-in Access (about 1-2 miles), as indicated by signs.
a. All trout caught must be immediately released.

b. Only artificial lures or flies shall be used. All hooking points must be barbless. Natural or scented baits are prohibited.

c. Chumming is prohibited.

4. Only Rainbow Trout may be harvested from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.

D. Greers Ferry Tailwater (Little Red River from 100 yards below Greers Ferry Dam to the Arkansas Highway 305 Bridge):

1. No fishing, boating, or wading within 100 yards of Greers Ferry Dam.

2. An angler shall use no more than one fishing rod or pole and must attend it at all times. No other devices shall be used to catch fish. Only a single hooking point per pole may be used for bait-fishing.

3. Special Regulation Areas:
i. JFK Catch-and-Release Area (at John F. Kennedy Park below Greers Ferry Dam) - from 100 yards downstream from Greers Ferry Dam to approximately 0.5 miles downstream to the last Greer's Ferry National Fish Hatchery effluent outfall in John F. Kennedy Park, as indicated by signs.
a. All trout caught must be immediately released.

b. Only artificial lures or flies shall be used. All hooking points must be barbless. Natural or scented baits are prohibited.

c. Chumming is prohibited.

ii. Cow Shoals Catch-and-Release Area - from the head of Cow Shoals to the mouth of Canoe Creek, as indicated by signs.
a. All trout caught must be immediately released.

b. Only artificial lures with a single, barbless hooking point per pole shall be used. Natural or scented baits are prohibited.

c. Chumming is prohibited.

d. Closed to night fishing from October 1 - December 31 (No fishing one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise).

iii. Mossy Shoals Catch-and-Release Area - from the head of Dunham Shoals downstream to the end of Mossy Shoals, as indicated by signs.

iv. All trout caught must be immediately released.

v. Only artificial lures or flies shall be used. All hooking points must be barbless. Natural or scented baits are prohibited.

vi. Chumming is prohibited.

4. Only Rainbow Trout may be harvested from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.

E. Collins Creek (from its source in John F. Kennedy Park below Greers Ferry Dam to the confluence of the Little Red River):

1. An angler shall use no more than one fishing rod or pole and must attend it at all times. No other devices shall be used to catch fish.

2. Catch-and-Release Stream. All trout caught must be immediately released.

3. Only artificial lures with a single, barbless hooking point shall be used. Natural or scented baits are prohibited.

4. Chumming is prohibited.

5. Fishing is limited to youths upstream of the wooden vehicle bridge in John F. Kennedy Park.

6. Fishing is allowed from sunrise to sunset.

7. Downstream of the wooden vehicle road bridge in John F. Kennedy Park, fishing is limited to youths under age 16, anglers with a fishing license and a trout permit who are accompanying a youth under age 16 in the act of fishing, and mobility impaired anglers.

8. Mobility impaired anglers shall fish from the mobility impaired access piers only.

9. Mobility impaired card is required for mobility-impaired anglers in compliance with Addendum C1.11.

F. Dry Run Creek (from its source on the east side of Norfork National Fish Hatchery below Norfork Dam to the confluence with the North Fork of the White River):

1. An angler shall use no more than one fishing rod or pole and must attend it at all times. No other devices shall be used to catch fish.

2. Catch-and-Release Stream. All trout caught must be immediately released.

3. Only artificial lures with a single, barbless hooking point shall be used. Natural or scented baits are prohibited.

4. Chumming is prohibited.

5. Fishing is limited to youths and mobility impaired anglers.

6. Fishing is allowed from sunrise to sunset.

7. Mobility impaired anglers shall fish from the mobility impaired access pier or boardwalk only.

8. Mobility-impaired card is required for mobility-impaired anglers in compliance with Addendum C1.11.

G. Blanchard Spring Mirror Lake (in Ozark National Forest Blanchard Spring, from its source to the confluence with North Sylamore Creek):

1. An angler shall use no more than two fishing rods or poles and must attend them at all times. No other devices shall be used to catch fish.

H. Spring River (from 100 yards below Dam No. 1 at Mammoth Spring State Park to the mouth of Myatt Creek):

1. An angler shall use no more than one fishing rod or pole and must attend them it all times. No other devices shall be used to catch fish.

2. Only Rainbow Trout may be harvested from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.

I. Spavinaw Creek (Benton County) (from its source downstream to the Arkansas Highway 59 bridge):

1. An angler shall use no more than one fishing rod or pole and must attend it at all times. No other devices shall be used to catch fish.

2. Catch and Release Stream. All trout caught must be immediately released.

3. Only artificial lures with a single, barbless hooking point shall be used. Natural or scented baits are prohibited.

4. Chumming is prohibited.

J. Narrows Tailwater - Little Missouri River from 100 yards below Narrows Dam (Lake Greeson) downstream to the low-water bridge (Arkansas Highway 27 Bridge):

1. An angler shall use no more than one fishing rod or pole and must attend them it all times. No other devices shall be used to catch fish.

2. Special Regulation Areas:
i. Narrows Catch-and-Release Area - from 100 yards below Narrows Dam downstream to the upstream boundary of Riverside Park Access.
a. All trout caught must be immediately released.

b. Only artificial lures with a single, barbless hooking point per pole shall be used. Natural or scented baits are prohibited.

c. Chumming is prohibited.

ii. Narrows Summer Catch-and-Release Area - May 1 -October 15. Downstream from the upstream boundary of the Riverside Park Access to the gas line crossing above River Ridge Pool.
a. All trout caught must be immediately released.

b. Only artificial lures with a single, barbless hooking point per pole shall be used. Natural or scented baits are not allowed.

c. Chumming is not allowed.

iii. Narrows Winter Catch-and-Release Area - October 16 -April 30. From approximately 300 yards downstream of Hinds Bluff Access to approximately 300 yards upstream of Old Factory Site (Weir 2), as indicated by signs.
a. All trout caught must be immediately released.

b. Only artificial lures with a single, barbless hooking point per pole shall be used. Natural or scented baits are prohibited.

c. Chumming is prohibited.

K. Big Spring (at Cotter) from its source to the confluence with the White River:

1. Fishing is limited to youths and disabled anglers. Youths must be accompanied by an adult when fishing. Adult disabled anglers must carry proof they are 100 percent permanently and totally disabled (Code 01.00-C) and possess a sport fishing, lifetime fishing, or combination hunting and fishing license, plus a trout permit.

2. An angler may use no more than one fishing rod or pole and must attend it at all times. No other devices may be used to catch fish.

3. All fish caught must be released.

4. Only artificial lures with barbless hook(s) may be used. Natural or scented baits are prohibited.

5. Chumming is prohibited.

6. Fishing is allowed from sunrise to sunset.

7. No fishing in the swimming hole at the upstream end of Big Spring, as indicated by signs.

8. No motorized boats allowed in Big Spring.

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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