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.
Is the Arkansas River good for 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.
What fish are biting in Arkansas?
Bass are biting minnows, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Catfish have been biting fair late in the day and just after dark on minnows, nightcrawlers and stink baits. Bream are biting crickets and redworms.
Is the Arkansas River muddy?
There are not 100 yards of river that doesn’t produce good numbers of big bass at one time or another, and they’re caught using every fishing tactic and lure. The only certainty is the unstable nature of the river itself. During spring, the Arkansas could be clear and stable, high and muddy, or anywhere in between.
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 the catfish biting in the Arkansas River?
Catfish are good: All species are being caught and biting on anything Try using chicken liver, worms and crawfish. On Thursday, the Corps of Engineers said water flow at the Ormond Lock and Dam was 101,749 cfs. The stage was at 22.39.
Is the Arkansas River catch and release?
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.
How many fish are in the Arkansas River?
Fish counts are near 5,000 per mile through this stretch with about a 70 to 30 percent split between
brown trout
and Rainbow Trout. The Brown Trout population is completely wild and self sustaining. The Rainbow Trout population is also a very healthy and can produce fish exceeding the 20 inch mark.
What is the best month to fish in Arkansas?
November is a great time to fish for trout, particularly on the
white river
below Bull Shoals and Norfork dams, where brown trout make their spawning runs.
Is fishing good today in Arkansas?
According to the Solunar Theory, today is a good day for fishing , but you need to cross check this with the current weather forecast for a final decision. Currently we have a major fishing time. The next best fishing time ( ) starts in 5 hours and 42 minutes. The gray time indicator displays the current local time.
How deep is the Arkansas River at its deepest point?
The depth of water at this point has been known to vary from 27 ft. to only half-a-foot , and the discharge to fall to 1170 cub. ft.
How clean is the Arkansas River?
The Arkansas River is contaminated with sediment, fertilizers and other pollutants, primarily due to stormwater runoff. The river generally is safe for some activities such as canoeing or kayaking, as long as it doesn’t rain After a heavy rain, though, bacteria exceed levels considered safe for most activities.
How far can you boat up the Arkansas River?
The U.S. Coast Guard maintains navigation aids (buoys and daymarks). The lower 445 miles of the Arkansas River is navigable.
Where is the
best crappie fishing
in Arkansas?
Fishhound.com has ranked the top crappie lakes in the United States. The Natural State has six impoundments on the list. Lake Dardanelle was top-ranked for Arkansas and ninth in the country. Nimrod came in as number 12 nationally, followed by Lake Conway, Lake Greeson and Greenwood Lake at 39, 40 and 41, respectively.
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 fishing license do I need in Arkansas?
Fishing: If you are 16 or older, you must carry a valid Arkansas fishing license to take or attempt to take fish and frogs in Arkansas, unless you are fishing in a licensed “put-and-take” pay lake. Anglers 16 and older also must have a valid trout permit to keep trout or fish in certain waters.
Is the Arkansas River a tailwater?
Detailed River Info The Arkansas River below Pueblo Reservoir is a tailwater that flows through the town of Pueblo.
Where can I fish on the Arkansas River in Little Rock AR?
The Arkansas River One of the best stretches is between the David D. Terry Lock and the Murray Lock, in Rebsamen Park. The river holds large stocks of both largemouth and white bass, as well as crappie and catfish that can be caught from a boat or the banks.
What 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.
Where can I catch big fish in Arkansas?
Among Arkansas’s big-lake fishing, Greers Ferry Lake near Heber Springs ranks high. Corps of Engineer dams on the White, Ouachita, Little Missouri, Caddo and Cossatot Rivers have produced almost a dozen large lakes known for their bass, crappie, bream and catfish.
What is the biggest fish in Arkansas?
The species frequently grow longer than 7 feet from tail to snout and can weigh more than 200 pounds. The largest fish ever caught in Arkansas was an alligator gar in the Red River that weighed 241 pounds, over 100 pounds more than the next largest Arkansas catch, a 116 pound blue catfish that once held a world record.
Does the Arkansas River dry up?
Drought has set in early and hard across the Midwest, parching the Arkansas River basin. The river trickling out of the mountains is dry before it reaches some of the major agricultural uses downstream And the drought is torching crops, sapping tourism and threatening supplies of drinking water.
Does the Arkansas River feed the Mississippi?
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River.
Is the Arkansas River man made?
Through Oklahoma and Arkansas, dams have artificially deepened and widened the Arkansas River to build it into a commercially navigable body of water.
Is it legal to noodle catfish in Arkansas?
Statewide Season Daily catfish limit is half the daily statewide limit or half the limit of the waters being fished (pages 58-79), whichever is smaller. Open season for hogging and noodling is as follows: The portion of the state north and west of U.S. Highway 67 open July 15-Oct. 31.
What kind of trout are in the Arkansas River?
The trout population in the Arkansas is 90 percent self-reproducing brown trout and 10 percent Colorado River rainbows , which are introduced as fingerlings. Expect about 2,000 fish per mile on the average. The fishing is best when the flows are lower and the water is clear.
Where is the best place to catch catfish in Arkansas?
In the southwest quadrant of the state, the Little River is one of the best catfishing waters. This stream, which now is divided by the impounded waters of Lake Millwood, has been churning out big channel, blue and flathead catfish for decades.
How big do catfish get in the Arkansas River?
Of the catfish sampled, nearly 20 percent were over 24 inches long and nearly one in 10 fish were over 10 pounds. The heaviest fish was a flathead weighing in at 31.5 pounds (pictured above).
Where is the best place to catch catfish right now?
During the day, look for catfish in muddy water areas, such as a tributary and its outflow Also good are deep structures, like river bends, the base of drop-offs, deep holes, and humps. Catfish will also hold around cover, like standing timber and deep weed edges. Night brings excellent fishing.
Are there bass in the Arkansas River?
What many people do know is that the Arkansas River serves up extraordinary largemouth bass fishing for anglers in the know. Spotted, or Kentucky, bass also are common in many stretches of the river.
What month do bass spawn in Arkansas?
‘ beginning in late February and early March every year.” White bass typically start concentrating near the mouths of streams feeding lakes and rivers each year as the surface water temperature begins to reach 50 degrees.
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.
Where are trout stocked in Arkansas?
While browns can reproduce and there is some evidence that a couple of the other trout species may be able to as well, the trout fisheries are sustained by stocking. Trout fishing action is found in the tailwaters of Beaver, Bull Shoals, Norfork, Greers Ferry, and Greeson lakes and the Ouachita River.
Do trout reproduce in Arkansas?
Brown trout can reproduce successfully in Arkansas , but rainbow trout populations require annual stockings.
Are there sturgeon in Arkansas?
The lake sturgeon reaches the southern limit of its range in Arkansas and is very rare here Of the five records known for the state, one came from the Little Missouri River, two from the Mississippi River and two from the lower White River.
Is there salmon in Arkansas?
The Salmon River offers some of the finest sportfishing in the country Two major fish records have been set in the Salmon River: the Great Lakes record Chinook salmon (47 lbs. 13 oz.) and the world record Coho salmon (33 lbs.
What lives in the Arkansas River?
Glorious bald eagles, golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, great horned owls, and ospreys are some of the most common birds you’ll see over the river. They hover high above the swiftly flowing water, searching for trout and small mammals to fill their bellies.
What’s the best time to fish today?
- Early Morning. 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
- Late Morning to Afternoon. 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Afternoon to Dusk. 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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 Full Moon good for fishing?
When the moon is full, there is an increased amount of tidal water that comes in during the rising tide. Extra water can be great if you’re an angler who’s looking to land a big one With increased tidal volumes, some bigger fish swim inland for longer distances than they normally would.