2026 regulation year
Mississippi River main stem 2026 — Arkansas Fishing Regulations
Arkansas statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Mississippi River main stem carries 5 special-regulation overlays on top of Arkansas's 2026 fishing rules — covering Crappie, 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
AR/MS + AR/TN reciprocal compact (anglers fishing the main stem may use AR, MS or TN Fishing Licence). White bass 50 / day; crappie (black + white combined) 50 / day; NO limit on catfish (channel + blue + flathead); all sturgeon must be released immediately. Hogging for buffalo / catfish / carp / drum legal May 1 – Jul 15; ≤100 hooks. AR state-record blue catfish 116 lb 12 oz (Mississippi River, Aug 3 2001 — Charles Ashley Jr.)
Source: Arkansas special-water list
Per-species rules on Mississippi River main stem
50 / day combined white + black crappie
No limit on catfish; AR state-record blue catfish 116 lb 12 oz (Aug 3 2001); AR/MS/TN reciprocal compact
No limit on catfish
Flathead catfish regulations →
No limit on catfish; hogging permitted May 1 – July 15
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 Mississippi River main stem?
- Mississippi River main stem carries 5 special-regulation overlays that override Arkansas' statewide 2026 rules, covering Crappie, Blue catfish, Channel catfish, and Flathead catfish. One of them reads: "AR/MS + AR/TN reciprocal compact (anglers fishing the main stem may use AR, MS or TN Fishing Licence). White bass 50 / day; crappie (black + white combined) 50 / day; NO limit on catfish (channel + blue + flathead); all sturgeon must be released immediately. Hogging for buffalo / catfish / carp / drum legal May 1 – Jul 15; ≤100 hooks. AR state-record blue catfish 116 lb 12 oz (Mississippi River, Aug 3 2001 — Charles Ashley Jr.)." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Mississippi River main stem?
- Yes. Mississippi River main stem 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 Mississippi River; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Arkansas rules.
- Do Mississippi River main stem's special rules replace Arkansas' statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Arkansas' statewide 2026 regulations apply on Mississippi 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 Mississippi River?
- Crappie, Blue catfish, Channel catfish, and Flathead catfish have a water-body-specific rule on Mississippi River main stem, each linking to its full Arkansas regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Arkansas limits.