Skip to main content
Arkansas

Fishing

Fishing

Arkansas › Fishing › Daily Limits

Daily Limits

Alligator Gar:

  • All Alligator Gar Fishing
    • Call 1-800-482-9262 to report any harvest of alligator gar. All harvested alligator gar must be tagged by an AGFC fisheries biologist before transporting from the waterbody where taken.
    • Daily limit of 1 alligator gar under 36 inches.
  • Trophy Alligator Gar (over 36 inches)
    • An Alligator Gar Trophy Tag (AGT) is required to harvest alligator gar over 36 inches.
    • Fishermen may apply for a free Alligator Gar Trophy Tag (AGT) Nov. 1-Dec. 31 through the AGFC Licensing System. A limited number of Alligator Gar Trophy Tags will be drawn Jan. 2. A valid Arkansas fishing license (unless exempt) is also required
    • If received, the Alligator Gar Trophy Tag (AGT) allows for the harvest of 1 alligator gar over 36 inches for that calendar year.
  • Alligator Gar over 36 inches may not be taken from noon May 1-noon July 1.

Black Bass (largemouth, spotted, smallmouth combined): 10

Smallmouth Bass (including hybrids of smallmouth and other bass): 4
Length limit in Ozark Zone is 12 inches long; otherwise, length limit is 10 inches long.

Rock Bass (Ozark and shadow bass): 10

Bream (bluegill, redear, longear, warmouth and other sunfishes combined): 50
No daily limit on bream shorter than 4 inches.

Catfish (channel, blue, flathead combined): 10
No daily limit on bullhead catfish.

Crappie (black and white combined): 30

Paddlefish: 2

Sauger: 6

Saugeye: 6

Shovelnose Sturgeon: No limit
Length limit is 21 inches or longer. All sturgeon caught between the levees of the Mississippi River must be released immediately.

Striped Bass and hybrid stripers: 6 combined

Trout: (No more than 2 brown trout, 2 cutthroat trout and 2 brook trout): 5

Walleye: 6

White Bass: 25

Possession Limit: Triple the daily limit

Snagging Limit:

  • Snagging game fish may be done only from a bank within 100 yards below a dam.
    Exceptions:
    • Snagging from a boat may be done only on the Arkansas River from 100 yards below a lock and dam to the downstream entrance point of the lock and from 100 yards below Dam No. 2 to the boat ramps immediately below the dam.
    • Snagging is prohibited below Upper White Oak Lake Dam.
    • Snagging is allowed from the bank below Beaver Dam from the “No Fishing Beyond This Point” sign downstream to the first boat ramp only April 15-June 15.
    • Snagging is allowed for catfish on the Black River (from the Missouri state line to the Spring River confluence) and the St. Francis River (from the Missouri state line to the Payneway Structure) with a daily limit of five catfish (no more than two flatheads and no more than one paddlefish) Jan. 1-Feb. 15.

Spearfishing Limit:

  • Spearfishing season for game fish is open June 15-March 15, sunrise to sunset, in lakes Beaver, Blue Mountain, Bull Shoals, Catherine, Conway, DeGray, De Queen, Dierks, Erling, Greers Ferry, Gillhan, Greeson, Hamilton, Harris Brake, Millwood, Nimrod, Norfork, Ouachita, Table Rock and impoundments created by the locks and dams on the Arkansas River.
  • Spearfishing for largemouth, spotted or smallmouth bass is not allowed in lakes Beaver, Bull Shoals, Norfork and Table Rock.
  • Rough fish (see Page 12) may be taken by spearfishing all year on the waters mentioned above. Spearfishing season for flathead catfish is open July 15-March 15.
  • When spearfishing, half the game fish daily limit, or the lesser number nearest half, may be taken.
  • Spearfishers must abide by length and slot limits and may not have a spear gun in public waters other than those specified above.
  • Spearfishermen must display a standard diver’s flag and spearfish no more than 100 yards from it. The flag must be at least 12-inches-by-12-inches and at least 12 inches above the water.
  • Spearfishermen must complete spearfishing activities and leave the body of water where fish were taken before cleaning or dressing fish.

Meanmouth bass (hybrids of smallmouth and other bass) share the same regulations and limits as smallmouth bass.

Daily Limit − The total limit of a certain fish species that may be taken in one day.

Possession Limit − The total limit of a certain fish species that is in your possession at any time, whether on your person or stored in another location. Fish and wild game (other than migratory game birds) that have been processed and stored at a residence do not count toward a person’s possession limit. A residence is defined as a house or house trailer that is permanently in place and is owned, leased or rented by an individual; it does not include mobile travel trailers, tents, vehicles or temporary rental units (motels, lodges, cabins, resorts, etc.).

Arkansas
Fishing Hunting