Fishing in Arkansas

Fishing in Arkansas

PiscaMaps covers 2,026 public fishing venues across Arkansas in 5 regions — 525 lakes and reservoirs and 1,486 rivers. The largest is Bull Shoals Lake, at 48,302 acres. Ouachita River is the longest mapped river, running 577 km. Delta has the most venues on file, with 505. 23 venues are documented trout waters.

The most commonly recorded species across Arkansas's public waters are Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Bluegill, Flathead Catfish, White Bass, Bowfin, Spotted Bass and Smallmouth Bass — the exact mix varies by water type and region. 201 venues have a real boat ramp on file, 145 have nearby camping, and 409 have mapped parking — sourced from OpenStreetMap and recreation.gov's federal facilities database (RIDB) where available.

Fishing Regions in Arkansas

Arkansas's public fishing venues are spread across 5 regions on PiscaMaps:

Species Recorded in Arkansas

The most frequently recorded species across Arkansas's public venues on PiscaMaps:

Fishing Licence in Arkansas

Anyone 16-64 needs an Arkansas Game & Fish Commission fishing licence — the resident annual Fisheries Conservation licence is about $11, the resident 'Resident Sportsman's' packages more, and the non-resident annual is about $50 (non-resident 3-day and 7-day trip licences are sold). A trout permit (about $10) is required to fish for or possess trout anywhere in the state, including the White, North Fork, Little Red and Little Missouri tailwaters and the winter-stocked lakes. Arkansas residents 65 and older buy a low-cost Resident 65-Plus lifetime licence; residents born before 1 Jan 1933 and disabled residents fish free. Buy from AGFC at agfc.com. An Arkansas fishing licence covers navigable rivers. The Mississippi River is fished on an Arkansas, Mississippi or Tennessee licence in the border reaches. A trout permit is required on the White, North Fork, Little Red and Little Missouri tailwaters and the Spring River.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many public fishing venues are there in Arkansas?+
  PiscaMaps covers 2,026 public fishing venues across Arkansas in 5 regions — 525 lakes and reservoirs and 1,486 rivers. The largest is Bull Shoals Lake, at 48,302 acres. Ouachita River is the longest mapped river, running 577 km. Delta has the most venues on file, with 505. 23 venues are documented trout waters.
• Do I need a fishing licence in Arkansas?+
  Anyone 16-64 needs an Arkansas Game & Fish Commission fishing licence — the resident annual Fisheries Conservation licence is about $11, the resident 'Resident Sportsman's' packages more, and the non-resident annual is about $50 (non-resident 3-day and 7-day trip licences are sold). A trout permit (about $10) is required to fish for or possess trout anywhere in the state, including the White, North Fork, Little Red and Little Missouri tailwaters and the winter-stocked lakes. Arkansas residents 65 and older buy a low-cost Resident 65-Plus lifetime licence; residents born before 1 Jan 1933 and disabled residents fish free. Buy from AGFC at agfc.com. An Arkansas fishing licence covers navigable rivers. The Mississippi River is fished on an Arkansas, Mississippi or Tennessee licence in the border reaches. A trout permit is required on the White, North Fork, Little Red and Little Missouri tailwaters and the Spring River.
• Are there boat ramps and camping near Arkansas's fishing lakes?+
  201 venues have a mapped boat ramp and 145 have nearby camping on PiscaMaps, sourced from OpenStreetMap and the federal RIDB database.

Notable Lakes & Reservoirs in Arkansas

Rivers in Arkansas

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