Several New Arkansas Fishing Regulations Go into Effect

   01.08.14

Several New Arkansas Fishing Regulations Go into Effect

With the arrival of a new year, several changes in Arkansas sport fishing regulations have gone into effect.

Most of the changes apply to specific waters. One is statewide. Bait fish now can be collected at night. This change came after requests by anglers and with the endorsement of the fisheries and Enforcement divisions of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

The other changes:

Lake Columbia, remove the protected slot limit and reduced creel limit on largemouth bass. New daily limit is the 10-fish statewide limit but only one bass can be over 20 inches long.

Lake Hindsville, discontinue the catch-and-release regulation on largemouth bass and return to the statewide 10-fish daily limit.

Add Lake Bentonville, Paradise Lake near Jacksonville and Community Center Pond in northern Pulaski County to the Community Fishing Program regulations. Lake Bentonville is an 11-acre reservoir in Benton County and is owned by the city of Bentonville. Paradise Lake is a 7-acre lake owned by the city of Jacksonville. Community Center Pond is a 1-acre pond owned by Tommy Majors who operates the land as North Pulaski Community Park. All three lakes now have a three-fish daily limit on catfish.

Add Monticello High School Pond to the Family Fishing Program. This is a 2-acre lake on Clyde Ross Drive that is owned by the Monticello School District.

Lower White Oak Lake, daily limits of 50 bream and five channel catfish. The lake has been renovated extensively.

Beaver Lake, the 12-inch minimum length limit on spotted bass has been removed.

Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge, the 13-inch minimum length limit on largemouth bass has been removed on four small impoundments fished mostly by children, senior citizens, and mobility-impaired anglers.

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The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission plays an important role in keeping The Natural State true to its name. During the last 100 years, the agency has overseen the protection, conservation and preservation of various species of fish and wildlife in Arkansas. This is done through habitat management, fish stocking, hunting and fishing regulations, and a host of other programs.

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