It’s a fishing day

White River (Bull Shoals tailwater) fishing conditions · Arkansas

Today, 1 pm–6 pmRainbow trout

The bite peaks at 74. Water is 60°, inside their 45–68° range, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 64 for rainbow trout, marginalTap 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. 642 am
  2. 64
  3. 64
  4. 645 am
  5. 64
  6. 64
  7. 648 am
  8. 64
  9. 64
  10. 6411 am
  11. 64
  12. 74
  13. 742 pm
  14. 74
  15. 74
  16. 745 pm
  17. 64
  18. 64
  19. 648 pm
  20. 64
  21. 64
  22. 6411 pm
  23. 64Tue
  24. 64
  25. 642 am
  26. 64
  27. 64
  28. 645 am
  29. 64
  30. 64
  31. 648 am
  32. 64
  33. 64
  34. 6411 am
  35. 74
  36. 74
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
60°F

Rainbow trout range 45–68°

Wind
0 mph

From the

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:27 am

Sky
Mostly Cloudy

No rain expected

Air
54°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

74Worth the tripToday, 1 pm–6 pm

Water

60°
35°45–68° · ideal 55°78°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside rainbow trout's active range. 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

66MarginalToday, 1 pm–6 pm

Water

60°
35°45–68° · ideal 55°78°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside brown trout's active range. 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 temperature60°F
  • Barometer30.35 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:27 am
  • Sunset today6:20 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

The cold tailwater below Bull Shoals Dam in the Arkansas Ozarks — one of the great trophy trout rivers in America, holding state-record-class brown trout and dense rainbow populations in its long, generation-driven flows. Drift-boated and waded from Bull Shoals down through Cotter and Calico Rock.

AR: from Bull Shoals Dam to the Norfork Access, 2 rainbow trout a day, both under 14"; every other trout must be released. Below the Norfork Access to the Hwy 58 bridge at Guion, 2 trout with only 1 over 14". The first stretch below the dam is catch and release Feb 1–Oct 31 and closed Nov 1–Jan 31. Flows swing fast with dam generation — watch the horn.

Nearby

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

Bull Shoals Lake9 mi · ArkansasBest today 1 pm–6 pm
68Marginal
Norfork River16 mi · ArkansasBest today 1 pm–8 pm
86Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at White River (Bull Shoals tailwater)?

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

What fish are commonly targeted at White River (Bull Shoals tailwater)?

White River (Bull Shoals tailwater) 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 White River (Bull Shoals tailwater)?

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 White River (Bull Shoals tailwater) 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 White River (Bull Shoals tailwater) have?

White River (Bull Shoals tailwater) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. AR: from Bull Shoals Dam to the Norfork Access, 2 rainbow trout a day, both under 14"; every other trout must be released. Below the Norfork Access to the Hwy 58 bridge at Guion, 2 trout with only 1 over 14". The first stretch below the dam is catch and release Feb 1–Oct 31 and closed Nov 1–Jan 31. Flows swing fast with dam generation — watch the horn.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at White River (Bull Shoals tailwater)?

state agency regulations apply at White River (Bull Shoals tailwater). 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 White River (Bull Shoals tailwater) tidal water?

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