To help the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s staff better manage the state’s streams, regulations for Arkansas’s native smallmouth bass were approved by the Commission in April, and made effective July 1, 2026, that simplify the state’s smallmouth bass regulations, placing them into two clear categories. Here is what you need to know before you hit the water:
By Jim Harris, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
Blue Ribbon Streams Regulation
- The Rule: Daily limit of 1 Smallmouth Bass, with a 15-inch minimum length limit.
- Applicable Waters: Buffalo River, Caddo River, Crooked Creek, Current River, Eleven Point River, Illinois River, Kings River, Spring River, War Eagle Creek, and the White River.
Statewide Flowing Water Regulation
- The Rule: Daily limit of 2 Smallmouth Bass, with a 12-inch minimum length limit.
- Applicable Waters: All other flowing waters not listed as Blue Ribbon Streams.
One thing anglers will note from the information above is the list of Blue Ribbon Streams. The AGFC added eight streams to its list, giving Arkansas 10 steams that are designated as “Blue Ribbon” for smallmouth bass. Previously, the Buffalo River and Crooked Creek were the two streams in the state designated as “Blue Ribbon.” Some of these other steams listed were under different designations depending on their locations, such as steams in the “Ozark Zone.” Those designations are no longer being used.
Rather, this move brought all 10 similar streams under the same regulations, with the same daily creel limit of smallmouth and the minimum length limit allowed.
The Science Behind the Change
These new regulations are backed by data from the AGFC’s Stream Black Bass diversity project conducted in partnership with the University of Arkansas.
The study identified that Arkansas is home to several distinct, smallmouth-like populations. This includes the smallmouth bass and Neosho bass, as well as the Ouachita and Little River bass — a diverse group collectively dubbed the Smallmouth Bass Complex.
While the Ouachita and Little River strains are not recognized as official species, these new rules act as a proactive guide to help preserve their unique native lineages while the research continues.
Please keep these new regulations in mind to help preserve one of Arkansas’s great natural resources.
