2026 regulation year
Bull Shoals Lake 2026 — Arkansas Fishing Regulations
Arkansas statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Bull Shoals Lake carries 5 special-regulation overlays on top of Arkansas's 2026 fishing rules — covering Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Walleye, Crappie. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
Get change alerts
Watch Bull Shoals Lake (AR) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.
State-level special regulation
Largemouth + smallmouth bass 15 in min; spotted bass 12 in min; largemouth + smallmouth + spotted combined 6 / day (up to 6 may be smallmouth). Crappie (black + white) combined 15 / day, 10 in min. Walleye 18 in min, 4 / day. Health advisory applies to eating walleye 18 in or longer. White River Border Lakes Licence lets the holder fish the Missouri portion without a Missouri nonresident licence. AR/MO joint reservoir on the White River
Source: Arkansas special-water list
Per-species rules on Bull Shoals Lake
15 in min largemouth + smallmouth, 12 in spotted; combined 6 / day; White River Border Lakes Licence
15 in min, 6 / day combined; AR state-record smallmouth 7 lb 5 oz Bull Shoals Lake 1969
18 in min, 4 / day; AR/MO joint reservoir; health advisory applies to walleye 18 in or longer
15 / day, 10 in min; AR/MO joint reservoir
Tournament circuit
Bull Shoals Lake is a recurring stop on one of the pro / semi-pro tournament circuits — BASS and MLF freshwater bass series, FLW (now MLF Toyota Series), or the IFA Redfish Tour inshore-saltwater divisions. Schedules shift year to year — typical-window guidance below, with the official circuit schedule linked for current 2026 confirmation.
MLFMLF Toyota Series — Central Division
Largemouth + smallmouth + spotted bass · Spring (March – May)
45,150-acre White River impoundment — AR/MO boundary reservoir under the AGFC + MDC joint reciprocal compact — recurring Toyota Series Central rotation venue. The Bull Shoals rocky shoreline is one of the country's premier reservoir smallmouth fisheries (AR state-record smallmouth 7 lb 5 oz Bull Shoals 1969); spring tournament strategy mixes the main-lake bluff pattern with the creek-arm pre-spawn pattern. Anglers may use either AR or MO Fishing Licence on the main stem.
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 Bull Shoals Lake?
- Bull Shoals Lake carries 5 special-regulation overlays that override Arkansas' statewide 2026 rules, covering Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Walleye, and Crappie. One of them reads: "Largemouth + smallmouth bass 15 in min; spotted bass 12 in min; largemouth + smallmouth + spotted combined 6 / day (up to 6 may be smallmouth). Crappie (black + white) combined 15 / day, 10 in min. Walleye 18 in min, 4 / day. Health advisory applies to eating walleye 18 in or longer. White River Border Lakes Licence lets the holder fish the Missouri portion without a Missouri nonresident licence. AR/MO joint reservoir on the White River." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Bull Shoals Lake?
- Yes. Bull Shoals Lake 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 Bull Shoals Lake; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Arkansas rules.
- Do Bull Shoals Lake's special rules replace Arkansas' statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Arkansas' statewide 2026 regulations apply on Bull Shoals Lake 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 Bull Shoals Lake?
- Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Walleye, and Crappie have a water-body-specific rule on Bull Shoals Lake, each linking to its full Arkansas regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Arkansas limits.
- Does Bull Shoals Lake host fishing tournaments?
- Yes. Bull Shoals Lake is a recurring stop for MLF circuit. Typical windows and the official schedule links are in the Tournament circuit section above; exact 2026 dates are confirmed on each circuit's official schedule.