When is trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) season in Arkansas?

Arkansas keeps trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) 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 trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook)?

The Arkansas daily bag limit for trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) is 5 / day combined (no more than 2 brown, 2 cutthroat and 2 brook trout); reduced to 2 / day on the White / Little Red / Norfork / Beaver tailwaters. 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 trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) can you keep in Arkansas?

The Arkansas size rule for trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) is No statewide minimum; lower White River (Norfork access – Guion): brown / cutthroat / tiger 24 in min (1 / day), brook 14 in min (1 / day); upper Bull Shoals / Little Red / Norfork / Beaver tailwaters: 2 trout, none over 14 in (Little Red + Beaver up to 14 in). Slot limit: Lower White River (Norfork access to Guion): brown / cutthroat / tiger trout 24 in min protected slot, 1 / day TROPHY MANAGEMENT — the AGFC trophy brown-trout rule replaces the old (incorrect) statewide 16-in framing. Trophy rule: Lower White River brown / cutthroat / tiger trout 24 in min, 1 / day; IGFA all-tackle world record brown trout 40 lb 4 oz Little Red River May 9, 1992 by Howard 'Rip' Collins (held the record 1992–2009); the White-Little Red-Norfork system has produced more 30+ lb brown trout than any other US fishery; USFWS Norfork + Greers Ferry National Fish Hatcheries + AGFC stock ~1.5 million trout annually.

Do you need a license to fish for trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) in Arkansas?

Yes. Arkansas requires a valid fishing license to fish for trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook), 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 trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) in Arkansas?

Yes. In Arkansas, trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) fishing carries these gear rules: AGFC Trout Permit required to fish for or possess trout statewide ($5 res / $12 NR — supplements the Fisheries Conservation Licence); Catch-and-release zones (Bull Shoals + Rim Shoals + seasonal brown-trout C&R on the White; JFK + Cow Shoals + Mossy Shoals on the Little Red; Norfork C&R; Collins + Dry Run creeks): artificial lures / flies, barbless single hook, no scented bait; Live bait permitted outside C&R zones (single hooking point for bait on the tailwaters); After 30 min past sunset only rainbow trout may be harvested on the White / Little Red / Norfork tailwaters; AGFC Fisheries Conservation Licence required ages 16+ ($11 res / $50 NR annual); Confirm current-year AGFC Fishing Regulations for the C&R zone boundaries.

Do specific Arkansas waters have different trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) rules?

Yes. 6 named Arkansas waters carry rules that override the statewide trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) regulation, including White River main stem, Little Red River, Norfork Tailwater, and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Arkansas Trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Oncorhynchus mykiss / Salmo trutta / Oncorhynchus clarkii / Salvelinus fontinalis

Last updated June 8, 2026

Arkansas trout fishery exists almost entirely below the cold-water releases from Bull Shoals Dam (White River), Norfork Dam (North Fork River), Greers Ferry Dam (Little Red River) and Beaver Dam (Beaver Tailwater) — the four major USACE tailwater systems that converted formerly warm-water Ozark rivers into the country's premier inland trout fishery, plus the spring-fed Spring River and the Little Missouri Narrows tailwater below Lake Greeson. The AGFC statewide trout daily limit is 5 (no more than 2 brown, 2 cutthroat and 2 brook trout), but the famous tailwaters run reduced 2-trout limits with detailed length rules. White River (Bull Shoals Tailwater): daily limit 2 trout, none over 14 inches kept on the upper reach (Bull Shoals Dam to Norfork access); the lower reach (Norfork access to Guion / Hwy 58) allows 2 trout, only 1 over 14 inches, with the trophy rule that brown, cutthroat and tiger trout must be 24 inches or longer (1 / day) and brook trout 14 inches (1 / day). Little Red River (Greers Ferry Tailwater): 2 trout up to 14 inches. Norfork Tailwater (effective Feb 1, 2026): 2 trout, none over 14 inches. Beaver Tailwater: 2 trout up to 14 inches. Spring River: 5 trout, only 1 over 14 inches. Extensive catch-and-release zones protect the size structure: Bull Shoals + Rim Shoals (near Cotter) + the seasonal Bull Shoals brown-trout C&R (Nov 1 – Jan 31) on the White; JFK + Cow Shoals + Mossy Shoals on the Little Red; the Norfork C&R Area on the Norfork; and the Collins Creek + Dry Run Creek youth-only fly waters. The IGFA all-tackle world record brown trout (40 lb 4 oz, May 9, 1992 by Howard 'Rip' Collins) was caught from the Little Red River, and the White-Little Red-Norfork system has produced more 30+ lb brown trout than any other US fishery. The AGFC Trout Permit ($5 res / $12 NR) is required to fish for or possess trout statewide.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round on the tailwater systems (White + Little Red + Norfork + Spring + Beaver) + the Little Missouri Narrows; AGFC Trout Permit required statewide; reduced 2-trout limits on the major tailwaters with detailed length / C&R rules.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 5 / day combined (no more than 2 brown, 2 cutthroat and 2 brook trout); reduced to 2 / day on the White / Little Red / Norfork / Beaver tailwaters
Possession: Triple the daily limit in possession

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum; lower White River (Norfork access – Guion): brown / cutthroat / tiger 24 in min (1 / day), brook 14 in min (1 / day); upper Bull Shoals / Little Red / Norfork / Beaver tailwaters: 2 trout, none over 14 in (Little Red + Beaver up to 14 in)
Slot: Lower White River (Norfork access to Guion): brown / cutthroat / tiger trout 24 in min protected slot, 1 / day TROPHY MANAGEMENT — the AGFC trophy brown-trout rule replaces the old (incorrect) statewide 16-in framing
Trophy rule: Lower White River brown / cutthroat / tiger trout 24 in min, 1 / day; IGFA all-tackle world record brown trout 40 lb 4 oz Little Red River May 9, 1992 by Howard 'Rip' Collins (held the record 1992–2009); the White-Little Red-Norfork system has produced more 30+ lb brown trout than any other US fishery; USFWS Norfork + Greers Ferry National Fish Hatcheries + AGFC stock ~1.5 million trout annually

Gear restrictions

AGFC Trout Permit required to fish for or possess trout statewide ($5 res / $12 NR — supplements the Fisheries Conservation Licence)
Catch-and-release zones (Bull Shoals + Rim Shoals + seasonal brown-trout C&R on the White; JFK + Cow Shoals + Mossy Shoals on the Little Red; Norfork C&R; Collins + Dry Run creeks): artificial lures / flies, barbless single hook, no scented bait
Live bait permitted outside C&R zones (single hooking point for bait on the tailwaters)
After 30 min past sunset only rainbow trout may be harvested on the White / Little Red / Norfork tailwaters
AGFC Fisheries Conservation Licence required ages 16+ ($11 res / $50 NR annual)
Confirm current-year AGFC Fishing Regulations for the C&R zone boundaries

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Arkansas waters:

White River main stem
AGFC Trout Permit required; 2 trout (upper, none over 14 in); lower reach (Norfork – Guion) brown / cutthroat / tiger 24 in min 1 / day, brook 14 in min 1 / day; C&R zones (Bull Shoals, Rim Shoals)
Little Red River
Greers Ferry Tailwater; AGFC Trout Permit required; 2 trout up to 14 in; IGFA all-tackle world record brown trout 40 lb 4 oz May 9, 1992 by Howard 'Rip' Collins; C&R zones (JFK, Cow Shoals, Mossy Shoals)
Norfork Tailwater
AGFC Trout Permit required; effective Feb 1, 2026 daily limit 2 trout, none over 14 in; USFWS Norfork National Fish Hatchery; Norfork C&R Area
Beaver Tailwater
AGFC Trout Permit required; 2 trout up to 14 in; cold-water Beaver Dam release above Table Rock Lake
Spring River
AGFC Trout Permit required; 5 trout, only 1 over 14 in (cutthroat 2 / day); only naturally cold-water trout river in Arkansas
Little Missouri River
Narrows Tailwater below Lake Greeson: rainbow trout 5 / day, all brown trout released; Narrows year-round / summer / winter C&R areas (artificial lures + flies, barbless)

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 trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) rules on this page are sourced from Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC)'s official trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) regulation page.

Visit official Arkansas fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) 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 trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) season in Arkansas?: Arkansas keeps trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) 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 trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook)?: The Arkansas daily bag limit for trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) is 5 / day combined (no more than 2 brown, 2 cutthroat and 2 brook trout); reduced to 2 / day on the White / Little Red / Norfork / Beaver tailwaters. 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 trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) can you keep in Arkansas?: The Arkansas size rule for trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) is No statewide minimum; lower White River (Norfork access – Guion): brown / cutthroat / tiger 24 in min (1 / day), brook 14 in min (1 / day); upper Bull Shoals / Little Red / Norfork / Beaver tailwaters: 2 trout, none over 14 in (Little Red + Beaver up to 14 in). Slot limit: Lower White River (Norfork access to Guion): brown / cutthroat / tiger trout 24 in min protected slot, 1 / day TROPHY MANAGEMENT — the AGFC trophy brown-trout rule replaces the old (incorrect) statewide 16-in framing. Trophy rule: Lower White River brown / cutthroat / tiger trout 24 in min, 1 / day; IGFA all-tackle world record brown trout 40 lb 4 oz Little Red River May 9, 1992 by Howard 'Rip' Collins (held the record 1992–2009); the White-Little Red-Norfork system has produced more 30+ lb brown trout than any other US fishery; USFWS Norfork + Greers Ferry National Fish Hatcheries + AGFC stock ~1.5 million trout annually.
Do you need a license to fish for trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) in Arkansas?: Yes. Arkansas requires a valid fishing license to fish for trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook), 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 trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) in Arkansas?: Yes. In Arkansas, trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) fishing carries these gear rules: AGFC Trout Permit required to fish for or possess trout statewide ($5 res / $12 NR — supplements the Fisheries Conservation Licence); Catch-and-release zones (Bull Shoals + Rim Shoals + seasonal brown-trout C&R on the White; JFK + Cow Shoals + Mossy Shoals on the Little Red; Norfork C&R; Collins + Dry Run creeks): artificial lures / flies, barbless single hook, no scented bait; Live bait permitted outside C&R zones (single hooking point for bait on the tailwaters); After 30 min past sunset only rainbow trout may be harvested on the White / Little Red / Norfork tailwaters; AGFC Fisheries Conservation Licence required ages 16+ ($11 res / $50 NR annual); Confirm current-year AGFC Fishing Regulations for the C&R zone boundaries.
Do specific Arkansas waters have different trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) rules?: Yes. 6 named Arkansas waters carry rules that override the statewide trout (rainbow + brown + cutthroat + brook) regulation, including White River main stem, Little Red River, Norfork Tailwater, and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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