Arkansas’ unspoiled surroundings not only make The Natural State a beautiful place to visit, but also a sportsman’s paradise. Our reputation for waterfowl hunting is legendary. After all, when you’re home to Stuttgart — the town known as The Duck Capital of the World — word tends to get around. This spot on the Mississippi Flyway brings in coveted mallards and avid hunters from across the country. Our fishing scene has its own bona fides, with lakes and rivers filled with striped bass, crappie, catfish and trout. For nearly 20 years, the largest brown trout in the world was pulled from our very own Little Red River. Your next hunting or fishing adventure is waiting right here in The Natural State.
Beaver Dam is on the White River in Carroll County. The dam was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control and hydroelectric power generation and was the last project to be constructed on the White River. Commercial power generation began in May 1965, although the project was not officially completed until 1966. The resulting tailwater flows about 7.5 miles through northwest Arkansas before entering Table Rock Lake. Coldwater releases from Beaver Dam created habitat that was less suitable for native sport fish. Trout stockings began in 1966 to mitigate the loss.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will hold a series of public meetings around Arkansas as part of its process to develop a new statewide plan to guide trout management in The Natural State.
These seven public meetings will be held in an open house format to allow individuals to meet with fisheries biologists and other AGFC staff one-on-one to learn about trout fishing and trout management efforts and how the new plan will influence future decision-making regarding Arkansas’s world-famous trout waters.
