2026 regulation year
Lake Erling 2026 — Arkansas Fishing Regulations
Arkansas statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Lake Erling carries 3 special-regulation overlays on top of Arkansas's 2026 fishing rules — covering Blue catfish, Channel 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
Lafayette County flooded-timber reservoir. Crappie shorter than 10 in must be released immediately. NO limit on channel catfish; 10 blue catfish may be taken in addition to the combined catfish daily limit. Legal to take game fish with spear guns during season
Source: Arkansas special-water list
Per-species rules on Lake Erling
10 blue catfish in addition to the combined catfish daily limit; no limit on channel catfish
No limit on channel catfish (plus 10 blue catfish above the combined limit)
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 Lake Erling?
- Lake Erling carries 3 special-regulation overlays that override Arkansas' statewide 2026 rules, covering Blue catfish and Channel catfish. One of them reads: "Lafayette County flooded-timber reservoir. Crappie shorter than 10 in must be released immediately. NO limit on channel catfish; 10 blue catfish may be taken in addition to the combined catfish daily limit. Legal to take game fish with spear guns during season." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Lake Erling?
- Yes. Lake Erling 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 Lake Erling; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Arkansas rules.
- Do Lake Erling's special rules replace Arkansas' statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Arkansas' statewide 2026 regulations apply on Lake Erling 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 Lake Erling?
- Blue catfish and Channel catfish have a water-body-specific rule on Lake Erling, each linking to its full Arkansas regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Arkansas limits.