Rules for the Arkansas River: All Rainbows are catch and release. In Chaffee, Fremont, and Lake Counties — From the Highway 24 Bridge overpass downstream to lower boundary of Hayden Ranch: Fishing with artificial flies and lures only. The bag, possession and size limit for trout is 1 fish 12″ in length or longer.
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What flies to use on the Arkansas River?
- Blue Wing Olive, dry, sizes 16-20.
- Blue Wing Emergers, sizes 16-20.
- Parachute Adams, sizes 14-20.
- Adult midges, dry, sizes 18-20.
- Tungsten bead pheasant tail, sizes 16-18.
- Tungsten bead Copper John, sizes 14-18.
- Bead head, flashback goldenstone, sizes 10-12.
Is Arkansas River Good fishing?
The Arkansas River has gained national recognition for the quality of its fishing and the many aquatic insects that are the source of its consistent dry fly fishing. From April-October, most days provide opportunities to work the surface with mayflies, caddis, stoneflies, midges or hoppers.
Where is the best place to fish on the Arkansas River?
Some favorite fishing spots are along Highway 24 (north of Buena Vista) and Highway 285 (south of Buena Vista), both which follow the river’s path closely. The section of the Arkansas River running into Canon City has produced the greatest number of fish over 18 inches in length of any fishing spot along the Arkansas.
Can you keep fish from the Arkansas River?
Fishing regulations on the upper Arkansas River The bag, possession limit is four fish, no size limit. All rainbow trout must be returned to the water immediately.
Can you use live bait on the Arkansas River?
Bait angling is particularly effective during runoff when most fish are close to the bank where the current is less. Bait angling is allowed most places on the Arkansas River except for a five mile stretch in Hayden Flats below Leadville and a 7.5 mile stretch below Salida from Stockyard Bridge to Badger Creek.
Are there trout in Arkansas River?
Trout are not native to Arkansas. Arkansas’s trout fisheries are the result of cold-water discharge downstream from many U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dams. Before these dams, the White River was full of smallmouth bass and other warmwater fish. The coldwater discharge wiped out the smallmouth fisheries.
How do you catch brown trout on the Little Red River?

What is the world record brown trout?
In October 2020, Seumas Petrie landed the new IGFA all-tackle world record brown trout weighing 44 pounds, 5 ounces.
How cold is the Little Red River in Arkansas?
The Little Red River is a year-round, world-class, tailwater fishery that flows for approximately 82 miles before it meets the White River in east-central Arkansas. The constant 50-degree cold water from Greers Ferry Lake provides approximately 45 miles of some of the most productive trout water in the United States.
What fish are caught in Arkansas River?
Fish found in Arkansas River: blue catfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish, sauger, largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass, white bass, spotted sunfish, striped sunfish, bluegill sunfish, crappie, and redear sunfish.
What kind of fish are in the Arkansas River in Kansas?
About Little Arkansas River Little Arkansas River is a stream near Wichita. The most popular species caught here are Channel catfish, Flathead catfish, and Common carp.
How many trout can you keep in Arkansas?
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has accepted five new changes to trout fishing regulations, after a year of discussion. Now the daily limit in all trout species combined is five, and only one of those fish may be longer than 14 inches.
Do I need a trout permit in Arkansas?
A trout permit is required to fish for trout in certain waters (tailwaters below Beaver Lake, Bull Shoals Lake, Norfork Lake, Greers Ferry Lake, Lake Greeson or east of Highway 59 on Spavinaw Creek) or to keep trout from any Arkansas waters.
Is there a trout season in Arkansas?
There are no closed fishing seasons. However, some sections of trout waters are closed during spawning seasons. No matter what time of year, remember that the best times to fish are whenever you have the time. The fish are always biting somewhere.
Are limb lines legal in Arkansas?
Arkansas regulations for limb lines state that the angler’s name and address, or vehicle license plate number, must be on each line. Fish must be removed daily. The same rules apply to trotlines, which are strung under the water, like a clothesline with hooks.
Are jug lines legal in Arkansas?
Up to 25 jugs or similar devices may be used per person and must be clearly marked with either the user’s name and address, driver’s license number or current vehicle tag number.
Are fish traps legal in Arkansas?
AR ADC 002.00. 1-26.02Arkansas Administrative Code Click here for the updated version. It is unlawful to possess or use wire baskets, wire traps, log nets, box traps or other fish-trapping devices not considered legal commercial fishing tackle.
How many rods can you fish with in Arkansas?
It is legal to fish with 2 rods in Arkansas.
Is it legal to use bluegill as bait in Arkansas?
The following species, if legally caught by fishing, netting, seining, trapping, or dipping, can be used as both live and dead bait: Minnows, bluegill, hybrid bluegill, carp, sunfish, gizzard shad, sculpin, white and longnose suckers, yellow perch, and rainbow smelt.
Can you catch trout year round in Arkansas?
Living in Arkansas, we are lucky to have some of the most famous fly fishing water in the world. The Little Red River, White River, Norfork River and the Spring River are our four rivers that produce amazingly beautiful trout year round.
Is trout fishing good in Arkansas?
Cutthroat Trout | White River Arkansas Fishing All of the different, spectacular trout subspecies mean trout fishing in Arkansas offers some of the best freshwater fish you’ll ever taste.
Is there good trout fishing in Arkansas?
Trout Waters The White River is one of the most popular trout streams, particularly below Bull Shoals Dam and on the North Fork of the White River below Norfork Dam. The Little Red River below Greers Ferry Dam is another hot spot. Anglers hit the waters with fly rods or spinning rods, wading or fishing from a boat.
Where can I trout fish on Little Red River?
The Little Red offers 29 miles of ideal trout habitat below Greers Ferry Dam at Heber Springs. The brown trout spawning run occurs from mid-October through November, making these especially good times to fish. Stocked rainbow trout provide the bulk of the Little Red River’s fish population.
Can you float the Little Red River in Arkansas?
The Middle Fork of the Little Red River, located in Shirley, Arkansas, is a hidden treasure nestled in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. This premier floating destination is ideal for your casual to intermediate floater.