Rainbow Trout in Arkansas
Code limits, water exceptions and AGFC record entries for rainbow trout.
- 5 a daystatewide
- 19 lbs., 1 oz.state record
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Rainbow Trout in the Natural State, briefly
AGFC sets the baseline for rainbow trout as "Rainbow Trout and Tiger Trout, daily limit of 5, no length limits".
AGFC lists it for 50 built waters, led by Lake Catherine, Reynolds Park Lake and Lake Atalanta. The Code definition of game fish includes it. The AGFC record list holds 1 state record for it.
AGFC Code of Regulations, N1.01(O), effective July 1, 2026 (policy text), read November 8, 2026.
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The reaches below print their own lettered rules under N1.03(B), and fishing them takes a trout permit.
| Tailwater | Reach as the Code words it |
|---|---|
| Narrows Tailwater | Little Missouri River from 100 yards below Narrows Dam to Muddy Fork Road |
| Greers Ferry Tailwater | Little Red River from 100 yards below Greers Ferry Dam to the Arkansas Highway 305 Bridge |
| Norfork Tailwater | North Fork of the White River from 100 yards below Norfork Dam to the confluence of the White River |
| Ouachita River Tailwaters (below Blakely, Carpenter and Remmel dams) | statewide trout limits apply |
| Bull Shoals Tailwater | White River from 100 yards below Bull Shoals Dam to Arkansas Highway 58 Bridge at Guion |
| Beaver Tailwater | White River from 100 yards below Beaver Dam to boat ramp at Houseman Access |
Arkansas record rainbow trout, as AGFC lists them
| AGFC listing | Weight | Division | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trout, Rainbow | 19 lbs., 1 oz. | rod and reel | White River | March 14, 1981 |
Arkansas state record fish as listed by AGFC (record list), read November 8, 2026.
Choosing Arkansas water for rainbow trout
AGFC prints "trout (seasonal stocking)" as a fish to target at each water below, a suggestion rather than a catch record.
Reservoirs and ponds with rainbow trout
- Lake Catherine1,940 acres
- Reynolds Park Lakeabout 38 acres of mapped outline
- Lake Atalantaabout 37 acres of mapped outline
- Redfield City Park Pondabout 13 acres of mapped outline
- Bentonville Lakeabout 11 acres of mapped outline
- Cherrywood Lakeabout 10 acres of mapped outline
- Wells Lakeabout 8 acres of mapped outline
- Tilden Rogers Park Pond 8 acres
- Torraine Lakeabout 7 acres of mapped outline
- Van Buren City Park Pondabout 7 acres of mapped outline
- Mike and Janet Huckabee Youth and Senior Pond about 7 acres of mapped outline
- Lake Dieffenbacher about 6 acres of mapped outline
- Carol Ann Cross Pondabout 5 acres of mapped outline
- Paradise Park Pondabout 5 acres of mapped outline
- Lake Valencia about 5 acres of mapped outline
- Marion Sports Complex Pondabout 5 acres of mapped outline
- Western Hills Lakeabout 4 acres of mapped outline
- Springdale Lake about 4 acres of mapped outline
- Boyle Park Pondabout 4 acres of mapped outline
- Searcy City Lake4 acres
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park Pond about 4 acres of mapped outline
- Cabot Community Pondabout 3 acres of mapped outline
- Rock Creek in Boyle Parkabout 2 acres of mapped outline
- Beebe Community Pondabout 2 acres of mapped outline
Creeks and rivers with rainbow trout
- White RiverArkansas County
- Ouachita RiverBradley County
- Little Red RiverCleburne County
- Little Missouri RiverClark County
- Spring RiverFulton County
- Current RiverLawrence County
- Dry Run CreekBaxter County
- North Sylamore CreekStone County
- North Fork River (North Fork of the White River)Baxter County
- Collins CreekCleburne County
- Rock CreekPulaski County
AGFC public fishing areas map (agfc.com), read November 8, 2026.
Group partners of rainbow trout in the Code
- Brook TroutTrout
- Brown TroutTrout
- Cutthroat TroutTrout
- Tiger TroutTrout
Photo of Rainbow Trout: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Chasing rainbow trout in the Natural State, answered
Is there an Arkansas creel limit on rainbow trout?
The statewide wording is "Rainbow Trout and Tiger Trout, daily limit of 5, no length limits".
Are there water exceptions for rainbow trout?
Yes. N1.03(B) sets other rules on the listed trout waters.
What is the Arkansas state record rainbow trout?
19 lbs., 1 oz., from White River, dated March 14, 1981 on the AGFC list.
Where do rainbow trout turn up in Arkansas?
The 50 pages begin with Lake Catherine, Reynolds Park Lake and Lake Atalanta.
What kind of fish is rainbow trout under Arkansas law?
It is a game fish under Code 01.00-C.
Which Arkansas license covers rainbow trout?
Anglers 16 and older need an Arkansas fishing license; AGFC prints $10.50 for the Resident Fisheries Conservation License and $60 for the nonresident annual license. Keeping trout, or fishing the tailwaters and Spring River reach listed in Code 27.01, adds a trout permit ($10 resident, $20 nonresident).
What counts for an Arkansas rainbow trout record?
The AGFC application covers native or managed fish over 8 ounces; it counts whole ounces only.
Is there a possession limit on rainbow trout in Arkansas?
Code 01.00-C defines daily and seasonal limits only; no possession figure is printed here.
Set up a rainbow trout trip
Ramps and rules sit on each linked water page.