When is crappie season in Arkansas?

Arkansas keeps crappie open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the Arkansas bag limit for crappie?

The Arkansas daily bag limit for crappie is 30 / day combined white + black crappie statewide; reduced to 15 / day on Beaver, Bull Shoals, Norfork + Table Rock; 20 / day on Lake Chicot + Blue Mountain; 50 / day on the Mississippi River. The possession limit is Triple the daily limit in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size crappie can you keep in Arkansas?

The Arkansas size rule for crappie is No statewide minimum; 10 in min on Beaver + Bull Shoals + Norfork + Table Rock + Chicot + listed lakes; 9 in min on Blue Mountain Lake. Trophy rule: 15 / day + 10 in min on Beaver / Bull Shoals / Norfork / Table Rock protects trophy crappie size structure; the eastern Arkansas Delta oxbow tier (Lake Chicot + Horseshoe + Mississippi backwaters) carries the densest oxbow crappie fishery in the state.

Do you need a license to fish for crappie in Arkansas?

Yes. Arkansas requires a valid fishing license to fish for crappie, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Arkansas license — compare resident and non-resident Arkansas fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for crappie in Arkansas?

Yes. In Arkansas, crappie fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; jig pole + multi-pole spider rigging permitted (no statewide pole limit); Live minnow + jig + small spinner + small crank-bait standard tactics; Trotlines + jugline NOT permitted for crappie; AGFC Fisheries Conservation Licence required ages 16+ ($11 res / $50 NR annual); Confirm current-year AGFC Fishing Regulations for the reduced-bag + minimum-length lake list.

Do specific Arkansas waters have different crappie rules?

Yes. 8 named Arkansas waters carry rules that override the statewide crappie regulation, including Bull Shoals Lake, Beaver Lake, Norfork Lake, and 5 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Arkansas Crappie 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Pomoxis spp.

Last updated June 8, 2026

Arkansas crappie fishery is one of the densest in the South. Historically Lake Conway (Faulkner County) was the premier crappie lake, but it has been DRAINED since November 2023 for a 5-year reconstruction and does not currently exist as a fishery — anglers have shifted to the major reservoirs and the eastern Arkansas Delta oxbows. The reservoir crappie tier (Bull Shoals + Beaver + Norfork + Table Rock + Lake Ouachita + Lake DeGray + Lake Hamilton + Lake Greeson + Lake Dardanelle) runs alongside the bass + walleye + catfish fisheries, while the eastern Delta oxbow + bayou tier (Lake Chicot + Horseshoe Lake + the Mississippi River backwaters + Bayou Bartholomew) carries the densest oxbow crappie fishery in the state. The AGFC statewide crappie daily limit is 30 fish combined white + black, with no statewide minimum on most waters. The reservoir reductions are 15 / day + a 10-inch minimum on Beaver, Bull Shoals, Norfork and Table Rock; 20 / day + 10-inch on Lake Chicot; 20 / day + 9-inch on Blue Mountain Lake; and a generous 50 / day on the Mississippi River. A 10-inch minimum (without a reduced bag) also applies on several listed lakes (Lake DeGray, Cane Creek, Overcup, Harris Brake, Gurdon). Open year-round statewide.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide; March – May pre-spawn + spawn densest fishing window; June – August deep-water summer schooling secondary window; November – February winter brush-pile window.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 30 / day combined white + black crappie statewide; reduced to 15 / day on Beaver, Bull Shoals, Norfork + Table Rock; 20 / day on Lake Chicot + Blue Mountain; 50 / day on the Mississippi River
Possession: Triple the daily limit in possession

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum; 10 in min on Beaver + Bull Shoals + Norfork + Table Rock + Chicot + listed lakes; 9 in min on Blue Mountain Lake
Trophy rule: 15 / day + 10 in min on Beaver / Bull Shoals / Norfork / Table Rock protects trophy crappie size structure; the eastern Arkansas Delta oxbow tier (Lake Chicot + Horseshoe + Mississippi backwaters) carries the densest oxbow crappie fishery in the state

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; jig pole + multi-pole spider rigging permitted (no statewide pole limit)
Live minnow + jig + small spinner + small crank-bait standard tactics
Trotlines + jugline NOT permitted for crappie
AGFC Fisheries Conservation Licence required ages 16+ ($11 res / $50 NR annual)
Confirm current-year AGFC Fishing Regulations for the reduced-bag + minimum-length lake list

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Arkansas waters:

Bull Shoals Lake
15 / day, 10 in min; AR/MO joint reservoir
Beaver Lake
15 / day, 10 in min
Norfork Lake
15 / day, 10 in min; AR/MO joint reservoir
Table Rock Lake
15 / day, 10 in min; AR/MO joint reservoir
Lake Chicot
20 / day, 10 in min; Arkansas's largest natural oxbow lake
Blue Mountain Lake
20 / day, 9 in min
Lake DeGray
30 / day, 10 in min
Mississippi River main stem
50 / day combined white + black crappie

Official source

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) publishes the authoritative 2026 Arkansasfishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

The crappie rules on this page are sourced from Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC)'s official crappie regulation page.

Visit official Arkansas fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Crappie closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's emergency-order feed — check it before any Arkansas trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is crappie season in Arkansas?: Arkansas keeps crappie open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the Arkansas bag limit for crappie?: The Arkansas daily bag limit for crappie is 30 / day combined white + black crappie statewide; reduced to 15 / day on Beaver, Bull Shoals, Norfork + Table Rock; 20 / day on Lake Chicot + Blue Mountain; 50 / day on the Mississippi River. The possession limit is Triple the daily limit in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size crappie can you keep in Arkansas?: The Arkansas size rule for crappie is No statewide minimum; 10 in min on Beaver + Bull Shoals + Norfork + Table Rock + Chicot + listed lakes; 9 in min on Blue Mountain Lake. Trophy rule: 15 / day + 10 in min on Beaver / Bull Shoals / Norfork / Table Rock protects trophy crappie size structure; the eastern Arkansas Delta oxbow tier (Lake Chicot + Horseshoe + Mississippi backwaters) carries the densest oxbow crappie fishery in the state.
Do you need a license to fish for crappie in Arkansas?: Yes. Arkansas requires a valid fishing license to fish for crappie, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Arkansas license — compare resident and non-resident Arkansas fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for crappie in Arkansas?: Yes. In Arkansas, crappie fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; jig pole + multi-pole spider rigging permitted (no statewide pole limit); Live minnow + jig + small spinner + small crank-bait standard tactics; Trotlines + jugline NOT permitted for crappie; AGFC Fisheries Conservation Licence required ages 16+ ($11 res / $50 NR annual); Confirm current-year AGFC Fishing Regulations for the reduced-bag + minimum-length lake list.
Do specific Arkansas waters have different crappie rules?: Yes. 8 named Arkansas waters carry rules that override the statewide crappie regulation, including Bull Shoals Lake, Beaver Lake, Norfork Lake, and 5 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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