When is walleye season in Arkansas?

Arkansas keeps walleye 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 walleye?

The Arkansas daily bag limit for walleye is 6 / day statewide; 4 / day on the trophy-management lakes (Beaver + Bull Shoals + Norfork + Table Rock + Kings 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 walleye can you keep in Arkansas?

The Arkansas size rule for walleye is No statewide minimum; 18 in min on Beaver + Bull Shoals + Norfork + Table Rock (and tributaries) + Kings River; 14 in min on Greers Ferry + tributaries. Trophy rule: 18 in min + 4 / day on Beaver / Bull Shoals / Norfork / Table Rock / Kings River; Greers Ferry 14 in min (release under 14 in) — despite being the IGFA all-tackle world record walleye lake (22 lb 11 oz, March 1982, Al Nelson).

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

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

Yes. In Arkansas, walleye fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted (deep-water summer trolling June – August primary tactic on Greers Ferry + Beaver); Live minnow + nightcrawler + crawfish + jig + crank-bait standard tactics; Spring spawning run March – April: jigging tributary mouths dominant tactic on Greers Ferry (Devils Fork + South Fork + Middle Fork); AGFC Fisheries Conservation Licence required ages 16+ ($11 res / $50 NR annual); Confirm current-year AGFC Fishing Regulations for the per-lake minimum-length list.

Do specific Arkansas waters have different walleye rules?

Yes. 6 named Arkansas waters carry rules that override the statewide walleye regulation, including Greers Ferry Lake, Beaver Lake, Bull Shoals Lake, and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Arkansas Walleye 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

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Last updated June 8, 2026

Arkansas walleye fishery is anchored by Greers Ferry Lake (Cleburne / Van Buren counties — 31,500 acres on the Little Red River) — the world-record walleye water. The IGFA all-tackle world record walleye (22 lb 11 oz, March 1982 by Al Nelson) was caught from Greers Ferry, and the Little Red River tributary arms (Devils Fork + South Fork + Middle Fork) support naturally-reproducing walleye runs every March – April, supplemented by AGFC stocking. Bull Shoals Lake, Norfork Lake, Beaver Lake and the AR portion of Table Rock Lake carry the trophy-management walleye tier alongside their largemouth + smallmouth + striper fisheries; the Kings River carries a stream walleye run. The AGFC statewide walleye daily limit is 6 with no statewide minimum length. The trophy-protection tier is an 18-inch minimum + 4 / day on Beaver, Bull Shoals, Norfork, Table Rock (and their tributaries) and the Kings River — while Greers Ferry, despite being the record lake, runs the LOWER 14-inch minimum (walleye less than 14 inches must be released immediately in Greers Ferry and its tributaries). AR state-record walleye 22 lb 11 oz Greers Ferry March 1982 by Al Nelson (still the AR state record and the IGFA 12-lb-line-class world record). Open year-round statewide; the March – April spring spawning run on the tributaries is the densest fishing window.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide; March – April pre-spawn + spawn spawning run on Greers Ferry, Bull Shoals + Beaver tributaries densest fishing window; deep-water summer trolling June – August secondary window.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 6 / day statewide; 4 / day on the trophy-management lakes (Beaver + Bull Shoals + Norfork + Table Rock + Kings River)
Possession: Triple the daily limit in possession

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum; 18 in min on Beaver + Bull Shoals + Norfork + Table Rock (and tributaries) + Kings River; 14 in min on Greers Ferry + tributaries
Trophy rule: 18 in min + 4 / day on Beaver / Bull Shoals / Norfork / Table Rock / Kings River; Greers Ferry 14 in min (release under 14 in) — despite being the IGFA all-tackle world record walleye lake (22 lb 11 oz, March 1982, Al Nelson)

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling permitted (deep-water summer trolling June – August primary tactic on Greers Ferry + Beaver)
Live minnow + nightcrawler + crawfish + jig + crank-bait standard tactics
Spring spawning run March – April: jigging tributary mouths dominant tactic on Greers Ferry (Devils Fork + South Fork + Middle Fork)
AGFC Fisheries Conservation Licence required ages 16+ ($11 res / $50 NR annual)
Confirm current-year AGFC Fishing Regulations for the per-lake minimum-length list

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Arkansas waters:

Greers Ferry Lake
14 in min, walleye under 14 in released; IGFA all-tackle world record walleye 22 lb 11 oz March 1982 by Al Nelson; Little Red River tributary spring run
Beaver Lake
18 in min, 4 / day; deep-water summer trolling June – August primary tactic
Bull Shoals Lake
18 in min, 4 / day; AR/MO joint reservoir; health advisory applies to walleye 18 in or longer
Norfork Lake
18 in min, 4 / day; AR/MO joint reservoir; health advisory applies to walleye 18 in or longer
Table Rock Lake
18 in min, 4 / day (Table Rock and tributaries); AR/MO joint reservoir
Kings River
18 in min, 4 / day (Ozark Zone Quality Stream)

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

Visit official Arkansas fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Walleye 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 walleye season in Arkansas?: Arkansas keeps walleye 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 walleye?: The Arkansas daily bag limit for walleye is 6 / day statewide; 4 / day on the trophy-management lakes (Beaver + Bull Shoals + Norfork + Table Rock + Kings 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 walleye can you keep in Arkansas?: The Arkansas size rule for walleye is No statewide minimum; 18 in min on Beaver + Bull Shoals + Norfork + Table Rock (and tributaries) + Kings River; 14 in min on Greers Ferry + tributaries. Trophy rule: 18 in min + 4 / day on Beaver / Bull Shoals / Norfork / Table Rock / Kings River; Greers Ferry 14 in min (release under 14 in) — despite being the IGFA all-tackle world record walleye lake (22 lb 11 oz, March 1982, Al Nelson).
Do you need a license to fish for walleye in Arkansas?: Yes. Arkansas requires a valid fishing license to fish for walleye, 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 walleye in Arkansas?: Yes. In Arkansas, walleye fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted (deep-water summer trolling June – August primary tactic on Greers Ferry + Beaver); Live minnow + nightcrawler + crawfish + jig + crank-bait standard tactics; Spring spawning run March – April: jigging tributary mouths dominant tactic on Greers Ferry (Devils Fork + South Fork + Middle Fork); AGFC Fisheries Conservation Licence required ages 16+ ($11 res / $50 NR annual); Confirm current-year AGFC Fishing Regulations for the per-lake minimum-length list.
Do specific Arkansas waters have different walleye rules?: Yes. 6 named Arkansas waters carry rules that override the statewide walleye regulation, including Greers Ferry Lake, Beaver Lake, Bull Shoals Lake, and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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