2026 regulation year
Crooked Creek 2026 — Arkansas Fishing Regulations
Arkansas statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Crooked Creek carries 2 special-regulation overlays on top of Arkansas's 2026 fishing rules — covering Smallmouth bass. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
Ozark Zone Blue Ribbon Stream (Marion County — AGFC's premier stream smallmouth fishery). Smallmouth bass 2 / day, 14 in min; along the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation property near Kelley's Slab smallmouth must be released immediately. Classic Ozark float-stream destination
Source: Arkansas special-water list
Per-species rules on Crooked Creek
2 / day, 14 in min (Ozark Zone Blue Ribbon Stream); C&R near Kelley's Slab
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 Crooked Creek?
- Crooked Creek carries 2 special-regulation overlays that override Arkansas' statewide 2026 rules, covering Smallmouth bass. One of them reads: "Ozark Zone Blue Ribbon Stream (Marion County — AGFC's premier stream smallmouth fishery). Smallmouth bass 2 / day, 14 in min; along the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation property near Kelley's Slab smallmouth must be released immediately. Classic Ozark float-stream destination." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Crooked Creek?
- Yes. Crooked Creek 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 Crooked Creek; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Arkansas rules.
- Do Crooked Creek's special rules replace Arkansas' statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Arkansas' statewide 2026 regulations apply on Crooked Creek 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 Crooked Creek?
- Smallmouth bass has a water-body-specific rule on Crooked Creek, each linking to its full Arkansas regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Arkansas limits.