What Are The Fishing Regulations On The Buffalo?

[Phil Lilley]

Smallmouth bass daily limit is two and each must be at least 14 inches long to keep. From confluence with Clabber Creek downstream to the confluence with the White River, smallmouth bass daily limit is 1 and must be at least 18 inches or longer to keep. Outboard motors may not be used on the Buffalo River upstream from Erbie Ford, nor larger than 10 horsepower from Erbie to the White River.

Daily Limits

Rock Bass - 10

Largemouth, spotted, *smallmouth - 10

*note special rules

Catfish - 10

Bluegill, redear, longear, warmouth

and other sunfishes combined - 10

Missing anything?

[taxidermist]

Smallmouth is the only fish in the river with a size limit... If using live bait i.e. minnows they must come from the Buffalo River drainage.

Some catfish have tags worth a few dollars, these are used to track where the fish go from where they were stocked, so be sure to report the number on the tag.

Now the water has cooled, I dont know if the 24 inch size limit on brown trout applies to those in Buffalo River.

There has been a few caught up at Rush in the last week.

[flytyer57]

I used to use leeches for smallmouth and walleye back in WI.

I tried to buy some down here and was told that the sale of leeches is forbidden. Something to do with introducing a species not common to the local waters.

Now I've heard from several sources that they have witnessed leeches in the rivers down here. I don't know what the reasoning behind the ban is, but I can't find them for sale around Mountain Home.

[gotmuddy]

lampreys freak me out. they look downright evil.

FWIW, I had a leech on me when getting out of the river at dawt mill last year once on NFoW

[1969Larson]

Dobsonflys freak me out. I have seen grown men scream like girls on the banks of the Buffalo River fishing at night when these things came in attracted to our lanterns. They look like a crawfish mated with a dragonfly and can be the size of small birds!

[gotmuddy]

Muddy, Whats up with old flyter57? Haven't heard from him in a long while.

after he tried to kill my dog at a party we quit talking. Sometime last year he was in jail for hot checks, he was on the baxter website.

[Ham]

after he tried to kill my dog at a party we quit talking. Sometime last year he was in jail for hot checks, he was on the baxter website.

Wow, sorry to hear about the conflict. I hate to hear FT57 is going thru some hard times even IF they are largely of his own making.

[Jason R.]

I recall seeing one of those dobson flies get stuck in a kids cheek at Boyscout camp- needless to say... it was hilarious. It was one with the big mandibles- like this one:

Not my picture by the way.

[tjwmarine]

how is the fishing on the buffaloe river for smallmouth this time of year? I was contemplating a camping trip with my friend from work and his son; we plan on kayaking and camping. thanks for any information.

[taxidermist]

The water is clear and cold of course. But small road Runners in white or brown can be down right hot for bass, in the upstream end of the deep holes. A bubble gum colored jerk bait can be super for the smallies. I prefer a small sinking jerk bait.