It’s a fishing day

Norfork River fishing conditions · Arkansas

Today, 1 pm–8 pmRainbow trout

The bite peaks at 86. Water is 54°, close to the 55° rainbow trout like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 76 for rainbow trout, worth the tripTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Rainbow trout, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 762 am
  2. 76
  3. 76
  4. 765 am
  5. 76
  6. 76
  7. 768 am
  8. 76
  9. 76
  10. 7611 am
  11. 76
  12. 86
  13. 862 pm
  14. 86
  15. 86
  16. 865 pm
  17. 86
  18. 86
  19. 768 pm
  20. 76
  21. 76
  22. 7611 pm
  23. 76Tue
  24. 76
  25. 762 am
  26. 76
  27. 76
  28. 765 am
  29. 76
  30. 76
  31. 768 am
  32. 76
  33. 76
  34. 7611 am
  35. 86
  36. 86
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
54°F

Rainbow trout range 45–68°

Wind
0 mph

From the

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:25 am

Sky
Mostly Cloudy

No rain expected

Air
55°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Arkansas regulations for these waters.

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

86GoToday, 1 pm–8 pm

Water

54°
35°45–68° · ideal 55°78°

Why

Right in rainbow trout's ideal range. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

14" maximum · 2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Arkansas (since Feb 1, 2026): on the Norfork tailwater and the White River from Bull Shoals Dam to the Norfork Access, 2 rainbow trout a day, both under 14"; every other trout must be released. From the Norfork Access to the Hwy 58 bridge at Guion, 2 trout with only 1 over 14". Elsewhere the statewide limit is 5 trout a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Arkansas

Season here: May–Dec (no water record for Jan–Apr), from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on rainbow trout

Brown Trout

Brown trout

Salmo trutta

78Worth the tripToday, 1 pm–8 pm

Water

54°
35°45–68° · ideal 55°78°

Why

Right in brown trout's ideal range. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Brown trout feeds less actively under bright moon. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

no harvest

Catch and release only today. Arkansas: on the Norfork tailwater and the White River from Bull Shoals Dam to the Norfork Access only rainbows under 14" may be kept, so every brown trout must be released. Below the Norfork Access a brown must be at least 24" and counts as the one fish over 14" in the 2-trout limit.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Arkansas

Season here: May–Dec (no water record for Jan–Apr), from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on brown trout

The water

  • Water temperature54°F
  • Barometer30.34 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:25 am
  • Sunset today6:19 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:30 am–8:30 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:10 pm–2:10 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:50 pm–6:50 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Arkansas Game & Fish has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

A short, intensely productive tailwater below Norfork Dam that joins the White at Norfork — famous for wild brown and rainbow trout in clear, cold, weedy water. A technical wade fishery and a perennial trophy-brown destination.

AR: 2 rainbow trout a day, both under 14"; every other trout must be released. From Long Hole down to the River Ridge walk-in access is catch and release with artificial lures and barbless hooks. Dam-generation flows change quickly.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

White River (Bull Shoals tailwater)16 mi · ArkansasBest today 1 pm–6 pm
74Worth the trip
Bull Shoals Lake22 mi · ArkansasBest today 1 pm–6 pm
68Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Norfork River?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Norfork River you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Norfork River?

Norfork River is listed on this site for 2 commonly-targeted species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Norfork River?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Norfork River against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Norfork River have?

Norfork River has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. AR: 2 rainbow trout a day, both under 14"; every other trout must be released. From Long Hole down to the River Ridge walk-in access is catch and release with artificial lures and barbless hooks. Dam-generation flows change quickly.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Norfork River?

state agency regulations apply at Norfork River. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Norfork River tidal water?

No. Norfork River is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.