White River · Beaver Tailwater · Norfork · Little Red

Arkansas Trout Waters. Your Guided Trip.

Plan your time on the water: explore our White & Norfork public access map and Arkansas tailwater hatch guide for access details, seasonal insects and preparation tips.

Explore guided fly fishing on the White River below Bull Shoals Dam, Norfork Tailwater and Beaver Tailwater. Your guide helps choose the water around current conditions and your goals.

Aerial view of the White River beside a limestone bluff at Buffalo City, Arkansas
Buffalo City, Arkansas Limestone bluffs frame the White River landscape.

River explorer

Find the water that fits your day.

Select a river for a practical look at its character, best fit and the conditions that shape a guide's plan.

Bull Shoals Tailwater

White River

Our White River guided fly-fishing trips explore the trout water below Bull Shoals Dam throughout the year. Long runs, shoals and varied water give first-time and experienced anglers room to learn, fish and enjoy the day.

Explore Bull Shoals Tailwater Official AGFC river information View guided trips
Fishery
Rainbow and brown trout anchor a varied tailwater fishery.
Best fit
First-time through experienced anglers, and groups that want room to cover water.
Water character
Broad, scenic and diverse, with distinct sections between Bull Shoals Dam and Guion.
Planning note
Bull Shoals water generation changes depth, current and the water available to fish.

Northwest Arkansas

Guided trips below Beaver Dam.

Beaver Tailwater offers another setting for a year-round guided trout trip. Based in Pea Ridge, we welcome guests from Bentonville, Rogers, Fayetteville, Springdale and beyond.

Ask about Beaver when choosing your date. Your guide confirms the river and meeting location around availability, water generation and weather.

Explore Beaver Tailwater

History beneath the surface

The dams behind Arkansas trout fishing.

Bull Shoals, Norfork, Greers Ferry and Beaver dams reshaped the Ozarks. Built for flood control and hydroelectric power, they released cold water that transformed stretches of warm-water river into trout habitat. Stocking and fisheries management helped establish the fishing traditions anglers enjoy today.

Explore Bull Shoals, Norfork, Greers Ferry and Beaver dam history.

01 Bull Shoals Dam

White River · Bull Shoals, Arkansas

Built
1947–1951
Above the riverbed
256 ft
Dam length
2,256 ft

Bull Shoals: a presidential legacy.

Completed in 1951, Bull Shoals contains approximately 2.1 million cubic yards of concrete. President Harry S. Truman dedicated Bull Shoals and Norfork dams together at Bull Shoals on July 2, 1952.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lists Bull Shoals as the fifth-largest concrete dam in the United States. Of the four dams featured here, it is the tallest.

Explore the history: USACE dam comparison · City of Bull Shoals · Truman's dedication address

02 Norfork Dam

Norfork River · Near Mountain Home, Arkansas

Built
1941–1944
Above the riverbed
216 ft
Dam length
2,624 ft

Norfork: the beginning of a trout tradition.

Built during World War II, Norfork is the oldest of the four dams featured here. It is also the longest, stretching almost half a mile across the valley. Its contractors, Utah Construction and Morrison-Knudsen, also worked on Hoover and Grand Coulee dams.

In 1948, an initial stocking of 600 rainbow trout helped establish a new fishery below Norfork Dam. Norfork National Fish Hatchery opened in 1957 to support trout stocking below Norfork, Bull Shoals and other dams.

Explore the history: USACE dimensions · USACE construction history · USACE river location · 1959 fishery history · U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

03 Greers Ferry Dam

Little Red River · Heber Springs, Arkansas

Built
1959–1962
Above the riverbed
243 ft
Main concrete dam
1,704 ft long

Greers Ferry: a place in angling history.

The main dam was completed in December 1962 and dedicated by President John F. Kennedy on October 3, 1963. The powerhouse followed in July 1964. Two additional earthen dams are part of the project, beyond the main concrete structure measured above.

Downstream, the Little Red produced a 40-pound, 4-ounce brown trout in 1992. That fish held the world record until 2009, giving this Arkansas tailwater a place in angling history.

Explore the history: USACE project facts · Kennedy's dedication · USACE trout record history

04 Beaver Dam

Upper White River · Northwest Arkansas

Project construction
1960–1966
Dam height
228 ft
Dam length
2,575 ft

Beaver: trout water in northwest Arkansas.

Beaver Dam contains approximately 780,000 cubic yards of concrete and stretches nearly half a mile. Construction of the project began in 1960; commercial power generation started in May 1965, ahead of the overall project's completion in June 1966.

According to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Beaver was the last project constructed on the White River. Trout stocking began in 1966 after cold-water releases changed the habitat below the dam.

Explore the history: USACE Beaver Lake facts · USACE construction timeline · AGFC Beaver Tailwater history

05 How do their rankings compare?

Of these four dams, Bull Shoals is tallest and Norfork is longest. Beaver is second-longest at 2,575 feet. The Corps' fifth-largest designation for Bull Shoals applies to concrete dams in the United States.

Worldwide rankings depend on what is measured: height, concrete volume, reservoir storage or generating capacity. A national concrete-dam ranking does not establish a current world ranking. The dimensions here give published dam heights and lengths; Greers Ferry's length covers its main concrete dam.

Sources: USACE dam comparison · Greers Ferry specifications

The cold-water connection: Learn how the dams and hatchery changed these fisheries.

Reading the release

What water generation changes.

Water released through each dam affects depth, speed, access and presentation. Tap a condition to see how the day may change.

01 Lower or steady water

Lower flows may open different access and presentation options, including more technical fishing in some sections. Exact conditions—not a single number—determine the plan.

02 Rising or variable water

As a release moves downstream, depth and current change by location. Your guide may adjust the start time, launch, rigging or the section of river being fished.

03 Steady higher water

Higher steady flows can make a boat especially useful for covering water. Depth, current and boat position call for different tackle and presentations.

Water generation schedules are projections, not guarantees. Releases may change without notice, and water takes time to travel downstream.

Official trip resources

Plan with current information.

Use these official sources before your trip. Regulations and temporary orders can change, so current guidance should always take priority.

01 · Required before launch Buy a fishing license and trout permit Arkansas Game & Fish Commission 02 · Rules can change Review current trout regulations Arkansas Game & Fish Commission 03 · Maps and access Explore Arkansas trout waters Official AGFC river directory 04 · Before you travel Check water generation information Southwestern Power Administration

Book the day. We choose the water.

A better trip starts with the freedom to follow the conditions.

Your guide confirms the river, meeting point and start time after reviewing the latest releases and weather. That flexibility gives your group the strongest responsible opportunity available.

Choose your trip length