Rule: On Corps reservoirs, the licence of the state where the reservoir sits governs fishing — there is no Corps fishing permit, but day-use, boat-launch, and camping fees may apply at developed sites.
- Corps reservoirs (Lake Texoma, Truman, Wappapello, Tenkiller, Sardis, J. Percy Priest, etc.) follow the host state's fishing rules.
- Multi-state Corps reservoirs that span a state line (Lake Texoma OK/TX is the classic example) have their own joint-licence arrangement issued by both states — check before crossing the line.
- Federal day-use and boat-launch fees may be discounted with the Interagency America the Beautiful pass.
Army Corps reservoirs fishing page →·Official source: usace.army.mil
Rule: Beaver Lake in northwest Arkansas runs on an Arkansas fishing licence — there is no Corps fishing permit. The US Army Corps of Engineers (Little Rock District) operates Beaver Dam and the recreation areas; the fishing rules are set by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.
- Beaver Lake is the uppermost impoundment on the White River and a strong striped-bass, black-bass, and crappie fishery; Arkansas sets all limits.
- The lake is a drinking-water source for much of northwest Arkansas, so some shoreline areas carry access restrictions — check on-site signage and the Corps lake page.
- Corps day-use, launch, and camping fees apply at developed recreation areas and are separate from the fishing licence.
Beaver Lake fishing page →·Official source: agfc.com
Rule: Bull Shoals Lake runs on an Arkansas or Missouri fishing licence — there is no Corps fishing permit. The reservoir straddles the Arkansas–Missouri line on the White River, and the two states maintain a reciprocal agreement on their shared boundary waters.
- Bull Shoals is a trophy bass and walleye fishery; the Bull Shoals tailwater of the White River below the dam is a world-class stocked trout fishery with its own special Arkansas regulations.
- Arkansas and Missouri honour each other's licences on the lake's boundary waters under a reciprocal agreement — verify the current terms and covered area with both agencies before crossing the state line.
- The US Army Corps of Engineers (Little Rock District) operates Bull Shoals Dam and the recreation areas; site fees are separate from the fishing licence.
Bull Shoals Lake fishing page →·Official source: agfc.com
Rule: Carlyle Lake runs on an Illinois fishing licence — there is no Corps fishing permit. The US Army Corps of Engineers (St. Louis District) operates the dam and recreation areas; the fishing rules are set by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
- Carlyle, on the Kaskaskia River, is the largest man-made lake within Illinois and a strong white-bass, crappie, and catfish fishery; the state sets all limits.
- It is a major sailing and boating lake — Corps day-use and launch fees apply at developed areas and are separate from the fishing licence.
- Verify the current Illinois statewide and lake-specific limits before a trip.
Carlyle Lake fishing page →·Official source: dnr.illinois.gov
Rule: Fort Peck Lake runs on a Montana fishing licence — there is no Corps fishing permit. The US Army Corps of Engineers (Omaha District) operates Fort Peck Dam on the Missouri River; the fishing rules are set by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
- Fort Peck is the largest lake in Montana and an exceptional walleye, chinook-salmon, lake-trout, and northern-pike fishery; it also holds a limited paddlefish snagging season with its own tags and rules.
- The surrounding Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge governs land access around much of the shoreline — fishing still runs on the Montana licence, but check the refuge's access rules.
- Corps day-use and boat-launch fees apply at developed recreation areas and are separate from the fishing licence.
Fort Peck Lake fishing page →·Official source: fwp.mt.gov
Rule: Greers Ferry Lake runs on an Arkansas fishing licence — there is no Corps fishing permit. The US Army Corps of Engineers (Little Rock District) operates the dam and recreation areas; the fishing rules are set by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.
- Greers Ferry is known for walleye and hybrid striped bass; the Little Red River tailwater below the dam produced a former world-record brown trout and carries its own special trout regulations.
- Arkansas sets all reservoir and tailwater limits — verify the current-year rules, which differ between the lake and the trout tailwater.
- Corps day-use and launch fees apply at developed sites and are separate from the fishing licence.
Greers Ferry Lake fishing page →·Official source: agfc.com
Rule: Grenada Lake runs on a Mississippi fishing licence — there is no Corps fishing permit. The US Army Corps of Engineers (Vicksburg District) operates Grenada Dam and the recreation areas; the fishing rules are set by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks.
- Grenada is widely regarded as one of the best trophy-crappie lakes in the country, producing exceptional 'slab' white and black crappie; Mississippi sets the crappie length and creel limits.
- Verify the current-year crappie minimum-length and daily limits before a trip — they can differ from statewide rules on this lake.
- Corps day-use, launch, and camping fees apply at developed recreation areas and are separate from the fishing licence.
Grenada Lake fishing page →·Official source: mdwfp.com
Rule: Lake Barkley runs on a Kentucky or Tennessee fishing licence — there is no Corps fishing permit. The reservoir spans the Kentucky–Tennessee line on the Cumberland River, and the two states maintain a reciprocal-licence agreement on Barkley and adjacent Kentucky Lake.
- Barkley and neighbouring Kentucky Lake (linked by a canal) form one of the South's biggest crappie and largemouth-bass fisheries; the host states set the limits.
- Kentucky and Tennessee honour each other's fishing licences on Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake under a long-standing reciprocal agreement — verify the current boundary terms before crossing the state line.
- The US Army Corps of Engineers (Nashville District) operates Barkley Dam; day-use and launch fees are separate from the fishing licence.
Lake Barkley fishing page →·Official source: fw.ky.gov
Rule: Lake Cumberland runs on a Kentucky fishing licence — there is no US Army Corps of Engineers fishing permit. The Corps (Nashville District) operates Wolf Creek Dam and the recreation areas; the fishing rules are set by the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources.
- Lake Cumberland is one of the South's premier striped-bass fisheries; Kentucky sets the striper, black-bass, and trout limits.
- The Cumberland River tailwater below Wolf Creek Dam is a stocked trout fishery with its own special regulations — check the Kentucky regs for the exact section you plan to fish.
- Corps day-use, launch, and camping fees apply at developed recreation areas and are separate from the fishing licence.
Lake Cumberland fishing page →·Official source: fw.ky.gov
Rule: Lake Lanier runs on a Georgia fishing licence — there is no Corps fishing permit. The US Army Corps of Engineers (Mobile District) operates Buford Dam and the recreation areas; the fishing rules are set by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
- Lanier, on the Chattahoochee River north of Atlanta, is a top spotted-bass and striped-bass fishery; Georgia sets all limits.
- It is one of the most heavily used recreation lakes in the country — boating-traffic and access rules at Corps day-use areas are separate from the fishing licence.
- Verify the current Georgia black-bass and striper regulations before a trip; limits can differ from other Georgia reservoirs.
Lake Lanier fishing page →·Official source: georgiawildlife.com
Rule: Lake Oahe runs on a South Dakota or North Dakota fishing licence — there is no Corps fishing permit. The reservoir straddles the South Dakota–North Dakota line on the Missouri River behind Oahe Dam (Omaha District).
- Oahe is one of the country's great walleye and chinook-salmon fisheries; each state sets the seasons and limits for its own portion.
- Because the lake crosses the state line, confirm each state's boundary-water licence rules before fishing across it — the side you launch from and the side you fish may require different credentials.
- Corps day-use and boat-launch fees apply at developed recreation areas and are separate from the fishing licence.
Lake Oahe fishing page →·Official source: gfp.sd.gov
Rule: Lake Sakakawea runs on a North Dakota fishing licence — there is no Corps fishing permit. The US Army Corps of Engineers (Omaha District) operates Garrison Dam on the Missouri River; the fishing rules are set by the North Dakota Game & Fish Department.
- Sakakawea is the largest lake in North Dakota and a premier walleye and chinook-salmon fishery; the state sets all seasons and limits.
- The Garrison Dam tailrace and the national fish hatchery below the dam are popular spots with their own access rules — check on-site signage.
- Corps day-use and boat-launch fees apply at developed recreation areas and are separate from the fishing licence.
Lake Sakakawea fishing page →·Official source: gf.nd.gov
Rule: Lake Texoma is governed by the host states' fishing rules, but it has its own twist: a regular Oklahoma or Texas licence covers only that state's portion. To fish the entire lake on one credential you need the Lake Texoma fishing licence, sold by both Oklahoma and Texas. There is no Corps fishing permit.
- The Lake Texoma Licence is valid lake-wide on both Oklahoma and Texas water; it is sold by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and Texas Parks & Wildlife and through their online licence vendors.
- Striped bass are the signature fishery — Texoma is one of very few inland reservoirs with self-sustaining natural striper reproduction. Bag and length limits are set by the states; verify the current year before keeping fish.
- The US Army Corps of Engineers (Tulsa District) operates Denison Dam, the shoreline, and recreation areas. Day-use, boat-launch, and camping fees are separate from the fishing licence.
- Age exemptions, short-term-licence options, and boundary details change year to year — confirm with both state agencies before a trip.
Lake Texoma fishing page →·Official source: wildlifedepartment.com
Rule: J. Percy Priest Lake runs on a Tennessee fishing licence — there is no Corps fishing permit. The US Army Corps of Engineers (Nashville District) operates the dam and recreation areas; the fishing rules are set by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
- Percy Priest, on the Stones River just east of Nashville, is a popular largemouth, crappie, and white-bass fishery; Tennessee sets all limits.
- Several Corps recreation areas and a wildlife management area border the lake — day-use and launch fees are separate from the fishing licence.
- Verify the current Tennessee statewide and reservoir-specific limits before a trip.
Percy Priest fishing page →·Official source: tn.gov
Rule: Sam Rayburn Reservoir runs on a Texas fishing licence — there is no Corps fishing permit. The US Army Corps of Engineers (Fort Worth District) operates the dam and recreation areas; the fishing rules are set by Texas Parks & Wildlife.
- 'Big Sam' is the largest reservoir wholly within Texas and a premier largemouth-bass tournament fishery; Texas sets the bass length and bag limits.
- A Texas freshwater fishing licence (with the freshwater package) is the controlling document; verify current limits and any ShareLunker-program handling rules before keeping a trophy bass.
- Corps day-use and boat-launch fees apply at developed recreation areas and are separate from the fishing licence.
Sam Rayburn fishing page →·Official source: tpwd.texas.gov
Rule: Sardis Lake runs on a Mississippi fishing licence — there is no Corps fishing permit. The US Army Corps of Engineers (Vicksburg District) operates Sardis Dam and the recreation areas; the fishing rules are set by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks.
- Sardis, on the Little Tallahatchie River, is a major north-Mississippi crappie and catfish fishery; the state sets all limits.
- It is one of four large Corps flood-control reservoirs in north Mississippi (with Enid, Grenada, and Arkabutla) that share the host-state licence.
- Corps day-use and launch fees apply at developed sites and are separate from the fishing licence.
Sardis Lake fishing page →·Official source: mdwfp.com
Rule: Table Rock Lake runs on a Missouri or Arkansas fishing licence — there is no Corps fishing permit. The lake lies mostly in Missouri with arms reaching into Arkansas, and the two states maintain a reciprocal agreement on their shared White River boundary waters.
- Table Rock is a nationally known black-bass fishery (largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass) on the White River system; bass limits are set by the host states.
- Missouri and Arkansas honour each other's licences on the lake's boundary waters under a long-standing reciprocal agreement — confirm the exact covered area and current terms with both agencies before fishing across the state line.
- The US Army Corps of Engineers (Little Rock District) operates Table Rock Dam and the recreation areas; day-use and launch fees are separate from the fishing licence.
Table Rock Lake fishing page →·Official source: mdc.mo.gov
Rule: Truman Lake runs on a Missouri fishing licence — the US Army Corps of Engineers (Kansas City District) operates Truman Dam and the recreation areas but does not sell a fishing permit. The fishing rules are set by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
- Truman is one of Missouri's top crappie and white-bass fisheries, with extensive flooded standing timber; Missouri sets all seasons, length, and daily limits.
- The reservoir sits immediately above Lake of the Ozarks on the Osage River; the two are managed separately, but both fish on the Missouri licence.
- Corps day-use and boat-launch fees apply at developed sites and are separate from the fishing licence.
Truman Lake fishing page →·Official source: mdc.mo.gov