When is smallmouth bass season in Arkansas?

Arkansas keeps smallmouth bass 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 smallmouth bass?

The Arkansas daily bag limit for smallmouth bass is 4 / day statewide; 2 / day on AGFC Ozark / Boston Mountain / Ouachita Zone Quality + Blue Ribbon streams; 1 / day on 18-in trophy reaches; 6 / day reservoir black-bass combined. 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 smallmouth bass can you keep in Arkansas?

The Arkansas size rule for smallmouth bass is 12 in min in the Ozark Zone, 10 in elsewhere (statewide); 14 in on Ozark Zone Blue Ribbon + Quality streams; 12 in on Boston Mountain + Ouachita Zone Quality streams; 18 in on trophy reaches; 15 in on Beaver / Bull Shoals / Table Rock, 12 in on Ouachita / DeGray / Greeson reservoirs. Trophy rule: 1 / day, 18 in min on the lower Buffalo National River (below Clabber Creek), the Kings River (Trigger Gap – Hwy 62) + the Little Missouri Narrows tailwater; AR state-record smallmouth 7 lb 5 oz Bull Shoals Lake 1969; Beaver Lake rocky shoreline one of the premier reservoir smallmouth fisheries in the Ozarks.

Do you need a license to fish for smallmouth bass in Arkansas?

Yes. Arkansas requires a valid fishing license to fish for smallmouth bass, 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 smallmouth bass in Arkansas?

Yes. In Arkansas, smallmouth bass fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; float-fishing dominant tactic on Ozark + Ouachita streams; Snagging prohibited for black bass; Catch-and-release reaches on listed stream segments (e.g. Crooked Creek at AGFC Foundation property near Kelley's Slab) — smallmouth released immediately; On Buffalo National River: NPS rules restrict bait to fish caught on the Buffalo / its tributaries; hogging / noodling / spearfishing prohibited; AGFC Fisheries Conservation Licence required ages 16+ ($11 res / $50 NR annual); Confirm current-year AGFC Fishing Regulations for the Quality / Blue Ribbon stream zone list.

Do specific Arkansas waters have different smallmouth bass rules?

Yes. 12 named Arkansas waters carry rules that override the statewide smallmouth bass regulation, including Crooked Creek, Buffalo National River, Kings River, and 9 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Arkansas Smallmouth bass 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

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Last updated June 8, 2026

Arkansas smallmouth bass fishery is anchored by the AGFC-managed Ozark + Ouachita stream system — Crooked Creek (Marion County — AGFC's premier stream smallmouth fishery, an Ozark Zone Blue Ribbon Stream), the Buffalo National River (153-mile NPS-designated first National River, an Ozark Zone Blue Ribbon Stream), the Kings River + War Eagle Creek + Eleven Point River + Illinois River (Ozark Zone Quality Streams), the Mulberry River (Boston Mountain Zone Quality Stream), and the Caddo + Cossatot + Saline + Little Missouri + Ouachita rivers (Ouachita Zone Quality Streams). The statewide smallmouth daily limit is 4, with a 12-inch length limit in the Ozark Zone and 10 inches elsewhere. On the managed Quality + Blue Ribbon streams the daily limit drops to 2 with a 14-inch minimum on Ozark Zone streams (Crooked Creek, Buffalo, Kings, War Eagle, Eleven Point, Illinois, Spring) and a 12-inch minimum on Boston Mountain (Mulberry) + Ouachita Zone streams (Caddo, Cossatot, Saline, Little Missouri, Ouachita). Trophy reaches tighten further to 1 fish / day at 18 inches: the lower Buffalo below the Clabber Creek confluence, the Kings River from Trigger Gap to Highway 62, and the Little Missouri Narrows tailwater. The reservoir tier (Bull Shoals + Beaver + Norfork + Table Rock + Lake Ouachita + Lake DeGray + Lake Greeson) carries reservoir smallmouth on the rocky shoreline + offshore structure (15-inch minimum on Beaver / Bull Shoals / Table Rock, 12-inch on Ouachita / DeGray / Greeson) — Beaver Lake's clear-water rocky shoreline is one of the premier reservoir smallmouth fisheries in the Ozarks. On Lake Catherine smallmouth must be released immediately. AR state-record smallmouth 7 lb 5 oz (Bull Shoals Lake, 1969).

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide; March – May pre-spawn + spawn densest fishing window on Ozark streams; no spring spawning closure.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 4 / day statewide; 2 / day on AGFC Ozark / Boston Mountain / Ouachita Zone Quality + Blue Ribbon streams; 1 / day on 18-in trophy reaches; 6 / day reservoir black-bass combined
Possession: Triple the daily limit in possession

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 12 in min in the Ozark Zone, 10 in elsewhere (statewide); 14 in on Ozark Zone Blue Ribbon + Quality streams; 12 in on Boston Mountain + Ouachita Zone Quality streams; 18 in on trophy reaches; 15 in on Beaver / Bull Shoals / Table Rock, 12 in on Ouachita / DeGray / Greeson reservoirs
Trophy rule: 1 / day, 18 in min on the lower Buffalo National River (below Clabber Creek), the Kings River (Trigger Gap – Hwy 62) + the Little Missouri Narrows tailwater; AR state-record smallmouth 7 lb 5 oz Bull Shoals Lake 1969; Beaver Lake rocky shoreline one of the premier reservoir smallmouth fisheries in the Ozarks

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; float-fishing dominant tactic on Ozark + Ouachita streams
Snagging prohibited for black bass
Catch-and-release reaches on listed stream segments (e.g. Crooked Creek at AGFC Foundation property near Kelley's Slab) — smallmouth released immediately
On Buffalo National River: NPS rules restrict bait to fish caught on the Buffalo / its tributaries; hogging / noodling / spearfishing prohibited
AGFC Fisheries Conservation Licence required ages 16+ ($11 res / $50 NR annual)
Confirm current-year AGFC Fishing Regulations for the Quality / Blue Ribbon stream zone list

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Arkansas waters:

Crooked Creek
2 / day, 14 in min (Ozark Zone Blue Ribbon Stream); C&R near Kelley's Slab
Buffalo National River
2 / day, 14 in min; 1 / day + 18 in below Clabber Creek (Ozark Zone Blue Ribbon Stream); NPS overlay
Kings River
2 / day, 14 in min; 1 / day + 18 in from Trigger Gap to Hwy 62 (Ozark Zone Quality Stream)
War Eagle Creek
Black bass 2 / day; smallmouth 14 in min (Ozark Zone Quality Stream)
Eleven Point River
2 / day, 14 in min (Ozark Zone Quality Stream)
Mulberry River
2 / day, 12 in min (Boston Mountain Zone Quality Stream)
Caddo River
2 / day, 12 in min (Ouachita Zone Quality Stream, above DeGray Lake)
Cossatot River
2 / day, 12 in min (Ouachita Zone Quality Stream)
Saline River
2 / day, 12 in min (Ouachita Zone Quality Stream)
Bull Shoals Lake
15 in min, 6 / day combined; AR state-record smallmouth 7 lb 5 oz Bull Shoals Lake 1969
Beaver Lake
15 in min, 6 / day combined; clear-water rocky shoreline one of the premier reservoir smallmouth fisheries in the Ozarks
Lake Catherine
Smallmouth bass must be released immediately

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

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Emergency-order channel

Smallmouth bass 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 smallmouth bass season in Arkansas?: Arkansas keeps smallmouth bass 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 smallmouth bass?: The Arkansas daily bag limit for smallmouth bass is 4 / day statewide; 2 / day on AGFC Ozark / Boston Mountain / Ouachita Zone Quality + Blue Ribbon streams; 1 / day on 18-in trophy reaches; 6 / day reservoir black-bass combined. 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 smallmouth bass can you keep in Arkansas?: The Arkansas size rule for smallmouth bass is 12 in min in the Ozark Zone, 10 in elsewhere (statewide); 14 in on Ozark Zone Blue Ribbon + Quality streams; 12 in on Boston Mountain + Ouachita Zone Quality streams; 18 in on trophy reaches; 15 in on Beaver / Bull Shoals / Table Rock, 12 in on Ouachita / DeGray / Greeson reservoirs. Trophy rule: 1 / day, 18 in min on the lower Buffalo National River (below Clabber Creek), the Kings River (Trigger Gap – Hwy 62) + the Little Missouri Narrows tailwater; AR state-record smallmouth 7 lb 5 oz Bull Shoals Lake 1969; Beaver Lake rocky shoreline one of the premier reservoir smallmouth fisheries in the Ozarks.
Do you need a license to fish for smallmouth bass in Arkansas?: Yes. Arkansas requires a valid fishing license to fish for smallmouth bass, 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 smallmouth bass in Arkansas?: Yes. In Arkansas, smallmouth bass fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; float-fishing dominant tactic on Ozark + Ouachita streams; Snagging prohibited for black bass; Catch-and-release reaches on listed stream segments (e.g. Crooked Creek at AGFC Foundation property near Kelley's Slab) — smallmouth released immediately; On Buffalo National River: NPS rules restrict bait to fish caught on the Buffalo / its tributaries; hogging / noodling / spearfishing prohibited; AGFC Fisheries Conservation Licence required ages 16+ ($11 res / $50 NR annual); Confirm current-year AGFC Fishing Regulations for the Quality / Blue Ribbon stream zone list.
Do specific Arkansas waters have different smallmouth bass rules?: Yes. 12 named Arkansas waters carry rules that override the statewide smallmouth bass regulation, including Crooked Creek, Buffalo National River, Kings River, and 9 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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