Cotter, Arkansas -- Thomas Smith landed this 23-inch brown trout out of the White River while fishing out of Cotter Trout Dock recently. He was guided by Dakota Weaver.
The mild temperatures of May have led to some terrific fishing on the White River around Cotter, our friends at Cotter Trout Dock tell us, both in quality and quantity. Steady minimum flow is moving from Bull Shoals Dam, as Bull Shoals Lake has hardly budged from 655-656 feet msl water level for several weeks.
The Cotter Trout Dock folks say the brown trout bite "has been exceptional for late spring, with catches in the double-digits some days. Sculpin and shad are being favored by the brown trout."
This note on White River trout allows us to clear up any confusion among anglers and guides (admittedly, we may have caused some of that confusion between the emergency regulations established late in 2025 and the "permanent" --- re: until further notice -- regulations that were passed by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission late in 2025 to go into effect back last Feb. 1.
So, straight from Christy Graham, the AGFC's Trout Management Program supervisor, here's a rundown of the regulations now on four of Arkansas's famed trout tailwaters:
* On the Little Red River/Greers Ferry tailwater: Anglers may keep TWO trout (any trout) daily. All trout 14 inches and longer, however, must be released immediately.
* On the Beaver tailwater below Beaver Lake Dam: Anglers may keep TWO trout (any trout) daily; all trout 14 inches and longer must be released immediately.
* On the White River/Bull Shoals tailwater in north Arkansas: From the dam to Norfork Access boat ramp, anglers may keep TWO RAINBOW trout daily; all trout 14 inches and longer must be released immediately. From the Norfork Access boat ramp to Arkansas Highway 58 (at Guion), anglers may keep TWO TROUT OF ANY SPECIES, only one may be longer than 14 inches. Brook trout must be at least 14 inches to keep. Brown, cutthroat and tiger trout must be 24 inches or longer to keep.
* On the Norfork tailwater: Anglers may keep TWO RAINBOW TROUT daily; all trout 14 inches or longer must be released immediately.
These regulations are in effect until further notice.
The need for urgent limit changes by the Commission arose when two Arkansas hatcheries (Jim Hinkle Spring River State Fish Hatchery at Mammoth Spring and Norfork National Fish Hatchery) suffered severe losses in stocking numbers last year. In the Hinkle Hatchery case, it was due to a major flood on the Spring River in April 2025; at Norfork, late summer water temperatures and lack of dissolved oxygen in water from the lake were among the major problems that led to a significant loss in trout production.
