Arkansas Ozarks Fishing-White River-Bull Shoals-Norfork Lake-Buffalo-North Fork

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These are the big Arkansas fish that didn't get away!

Big Fish Caught In The Arkansas Ozarks*

- World, State, & Line-Class Records -

* Which lake, and which river, has the biggest fish? Tough question! While the records all seem to point to Bull Shoals Lake, Norfork Lake fish are usually just ounces behind. Unofficial Striped bass caught in Norfork are generally larger than the Bull Shoals stripers. When discussing river trophies, its also a tough call. Both the North Fork River and the White River have produced lots of records. Either lake, or either river, offer an excellent chance at new records.

Big Trout


Here's a 34.8 pound brown caught on a nightcrawler in the
North Fork river. It was a world record for a short time
until the big brown next photo down was caught.


The former all-tackle World Record Brown, still the
Arkansas state record at 38.9 pounds. It too was taken
on the North Fork River. It was beaten out by another Arkansas
Brown weighing 40.4 pounds taken in the Little Red River.


Another view of the current State Record Brown. This Brown
is still the second largest ever recorded, world-wide.


Here's the current State Record All-Tackle Brook Trout.
It was caught in the North Fork River and weighs 3 pounds
10 ounces. John Stark was on hand to make it official.


5 to 7 pound Rainbow are fairly common in the catch & release areas.
The current state record Rainbow is a 19 pounder caught in the White River.

Stripers


This 53 pound Striped bass taken in Bull Shoals Lake
was a State Record for several years.

Tiger Muskies


A 23.12 pound Tiger Muskie (not the one shown here but
this fish is similar in size) was taken in the Spring River. It made the
Fresh Water Hall of Fame as an All-Tackle World Record

Bass


Current state record Hybrid bass, 22 pounds, 13 oz, caught on Bull Shoals Lake.

Line-Class & Other Records

1. Smallmouth Bass - 7 pounds 4 oz. -state record caught on Bull Shoals Lake

2. Spotted Bass - 7 pounds 15 oz - state record caught on Bull Shoals Lake

3. White Bass - 5 pounds, 5 oz. - state record caught on Bull Shoals Lake

4. Cutthroat Trout - 9 pounds 9oz. - state record caught on White River

5. Ozark Bass - 1 pound 4 oz. - state record caught on North Fork River

6. Black Crappie Line-Class World Records:

  • 8# test: 1 pound 1 oz. - Bull Shoals

  • 10# test 1 pound 11 oz. -Bull Shoals

  • 12# test 1 pound 11 oz. - Bull Shoals

  • 14# test 1 pound 13 oz. Bull Shoals

7. Striped Bass - 50 pounds on 6# test - World Line-Class Record - Bull Shoals

8. Blue Catfish - 68 pounds on 8# test - World Line-Class Record -Bull Shoals

9. Walleye - 19 pounds 13 oz. on 4# test - World Line-Class Record - Bull Shoals

10. Catch & Release Line-Class World Record Browns - White River

  • 34 inches World Record All-Tackle

  • 23 inches on 2# test

  • 32 inches on 4# test

  • 32 inches on 6# test

  • 34 inches on 8# test

  • 33 inches on 10# test

11. Cutthroat - Catch & Release World Record - 20 inches on 2# test - North Fork River