2026 regulation year
Arkansas Largemouth bass 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules
Micropterus nigricans
Last updated
Arkansas's largemouth fishery centers on Lake Ouachita, Lake Hamilton, DeGray, and the Arkansas River navigation pools. Trophy-management lakes (Ouachita, Greers Ferry) carry 12–16 inch or 14–18 inch slot limits — releases inside the slot are mandatory.
Season
Open year-round Open year-round statewide; trophy-lake slots enforced year-round.
Bag & possession
- Daily bag
- 6 / day (statewide)
- Possession
- 12 in possession (2-day limit)
Size, slot, trophy rules
- Size
- 12 in minimum on most public waters; 12–16 in slot on trophy lakes
- Slot
- Lake Ouachita: 12–16 in slot; Greers Ferry: 14–18 in slot — release inside slot
- Trophy rule
- 1 fish over the slot top permitted on listed trophy lakes
Gear restrictions
- Hook-and-line on most waters
- No trotlines or yo-yos for black bass species
Named water-body overrides
Where statewide rules differ on specific Arkansas waters:
Lake Ouachita
12–16 in slot; 6 / day; 1 over 16 in
Greers Ferry Lake
14–18 in slot; 6 / day; 1 over 18 in
Lake Hamilton
Statewide 12 in min; 6 / day; reservoir fishery
DeGray Lake
Statewide 12 in min; 6 / day; spotted bass also present
Arkansas River (navigation pools)
Statewide rule; pool-by-pool boat-access
Official source
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission 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.