Fishing & Hunting

Two men in fishing gear holding a fish by a river.

1 /

From Trout Streams to Duck Timber

With its rich variety of habitat and an abundance of game and fish species, Arkansas has a lot to brag about when it comes to hunting and fishing.

Arkansas Fishing

Arkansas waters welcome every angler, whether you prefer dangling a worm from a cane pole, working a fly rod on a flowing river or racing a bass boat to your favorite hot spot. The Natural State’s more than 600,000 acres of lakes and 90,000 miles of rivers and streams give ample opportunity to land a trophy or catch a limit.

Arkansas’ trout waters rival the best in the country. Below towering dams, tailwaters run cold. Hydroelectric releases shape the depth and current, creating an ever-changing yet ideal habitat for trout. Browns grow massive and rainbows fight like they belong in wilder waters. More than 1.5 million trout are stocked in Arkansas waters each year. Add the natural reproduction of Arkansas’ brown trout, and you’ve got a premier coldwater fishing scene. Trout fishing in Arkansas lives up to the hype.

Trout waters aren’t the only game in town. The Arkansas River, cutting across the state from west to east, is a year-round fishery famed for catfish, hard-fighting bass and seasonal sauger and walleye. The mighty Mississippi, spanning the eastern border, is renowned for monster catfish. Hit smaller streams like Crooked Creek, the Caddo, the upper Cossatot, and America's first national river, the Buffalo National River, for exceptional smallmouth bass action in stunning settings.

For big-lake fishing, start with the state’s largest, Lake Ouachita. With more than 48,000 acres of clean, clear water, the quality of fishing here makes it a year-round destination. Millwood Lake in southwest Arkansas has produced numerous trophy largemouth bass. Across the state, Corps lakes thrive with bass, crappie, bream, walleye and catfish.

Hunting in Arkansas

The Natural State’s diverse geography, from the Delta flats to the rugged plateaus of the Ozarks and Ouachitas, offers a rich mix of habitat and large and small game that sets Arkansas hunting apart from other states.

Hunting season opens with doves, followed by archery deer season, then muzzleloading. Modern gun season arrives in November and marks the peak of the season. The Natural State boasts an estimated one million deer and liberal bag limits - six in some zones. Duck season in Arkansas kicks off soon after, launching a full-throttle stretch that runs into February. The mallard is king in the Delta, which lies in the Mississippi Flyway. It’s celebrated in cities like Stuttgart, known as the “Duck and Rice Capital of the World” and home to the annual World Championship Duck Calling Contest and Wings Over the Prairie Festival.

But the pursuit doesn’t end with deer and ducks. Arkansas has 3.2 million acres of public land comprising high-quality habitat for wildlife. Hunters in Arkansas also have the chance to go after bear and all sorts of small game like rabbit, squirrel and quail. Plus, Arkansas is the only state in the U.S. that has both an alligator season and elk season. While some areas of the United States are known for a certain type of hunting, the beauty of Arkansas is its variety.

A handful of game are open season all year long, but most are regulated. Seasons vary by species and sometimes by zone. Don’t be afraid to call Arkansas Game and Fish Commission regional offices to ask questions about hunting in particular areas or when you need to apply for specific permits. Wildlife Management Area managers are a wealth of knowledge too.

From local guides and outfitters to resorts by the water and hunting lodges, you’ll find plenty of help getting on the water, and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission makes it easy to buy hunting and fishing licenses and plan your trip online.