2026 regulation year
Arkansas River 2026 — Arkansas Fishing Regulations
Arkansas statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Arkansas River carries 5 special-regulation overlays on top of Arkansas's 2026 fishing rules — covering Largemouth bass, Blue catfish, Channel catfish, Flathead catfish. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
McClellan-Kerr Navigation System (Oklahoma state line to Wilbur D. Mills Dam No. 2). Largemouth bass shorter than 14 in must be released immediately. Striped + hybrid striped bass combined 10 / day; ten channel catfish may be taken in addition to the daily limit. Between Dam 2 and the Yancopin bridge statewide daily limits apply; from the Mississippi confluence to the Yancopin Railroad Bridge no limit on catfish. Hogging / noodling May 15 – Oct 31. AR state-record flathead 80 lb (Arkansas River, 1989)
Source: Arkansas special-water list
Per-species rules on Arkansas River
Largemouth shorter than 14 in must be released immediately; McClellan-Kerr Navigation System
10 / day combined catfish + 10 additional channel catfish; no limit from the confluence to the Yancopin bridge
10 channel catfish in addition to the combined catfish daily limit
Flathead catfish regulations →
10 / day combined catfish; AR rod-and-reel state-record flathead 80 lb (1989)
Official source
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) publishes the authoritative 2026 Arkansas fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Arkansas fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's emergency-order feed — check it before any Arkansas trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in Arkansas
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Arkansas River?
- Arkansas River carries 5 special-regulation overlays that override Arkansas' statewide 2026 rules, covering Largemouth bass, Blue catfish, Channel catfish, and Flathead catfish. One of them reads: "McClellan-Kerr Navigation System (Oklahoma state line to Wilbur D. Mills Dam No. 2). Largemouth bass shorter than 14 in must be released immediately. Striped + hybrid striped bass combined 10 / day; ten channel catfish may be taken in addition to the daily limit. Between Dam 2 and the Yancopin bridge statewide daily limits apply; from the Mississippi confluence to the Yancopin Railroad Bridge no limit on catfish. Hogging / noodling May 15 – Oct 31. AR state-record flathead 80 lb (Arkansas River, 1989)." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Arkansas River?
- Yes. Arkansas River is in Arkansas, so a valid Arkansas fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Arkansas River; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Arkansas rules.
- Do Arkansas River's special rules replace Arkansas' statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Arkansas' statewide 2026 regulations apply on Arkansas River by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
- Which species have special rules on Arkansas River?
- Largemouth bass, Blue catfish, Channel catfish, and Flathead catfish have a water-body-specific rule on Arkansas River, each linking to its full Arkansas regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Arkansas limits.