Buffalo National River Fishing Map & Spots (AR)

Hatch outlook

Willow fly (summer mayfly)Active window

Typical here: Apr 1 – Oct 31 · recurring broods all summer — the heart of it is June–July, famously around July 4th on the Tennessee River lakes; any one hatch lasts days to ~3 weeks

dunhatches at dusk — clouds of bugs just before dark, continuing into the night — after hatching they fly to shoreline foliage — trees near lighted docks get covered; the feeding zone is the water under bug-loaded overhanging bushes and willows
spinnerthe following days: mating, egg drop and spent flies falling from the overhangs — the bream bite under the bushes runs as long as the bugs do

A two-level event: bream stack under the bug trees, and the big bass stack under the bream. Fish the same bushes twice — small for bream, big for the bass just outside them.

Crickets or small poppers under a float tight to the bug-covered bushes for bream; beetle spins and hair jigs just under the surface; for the bass, run a bluegill-pattern topwater or squarebill down the outside edge of the overhangs.

The event happens over under and just outside overhanging willows and bushes on steep banks; trees near lighted docks after dark

Next on this water

Spring crawfish emergence · forageFeb 15 – May 15 · in ~6 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Buffalo National River

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Buffalo National River on the board.

Fishing Buffalo National River: what the data says

Ponca to Gilbert: America's first national river. Bluff-pool smallmouth and goggle-eye. The river tops out around 8 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.

The outline encloses 3,784 acres, worked by 132.6 miles of shoreline. An index of 15.4 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. Tip to tip the water measures near 35.5 mi with a 5.6-mi widest point. It sits in Newton County. If the bite dies, Bull Shoals Lake is 36 mi to the north.

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Buffalo National River

When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 2 to 8 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 8 ft, winter 2 to 8 ft. Start at Riffle & run (mile 0.6). It's a rock pile holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	2 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday	Current seam (mile 24.9) (4 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Rock Bass fishing at Buffalo National River

Start shallow in spring: rock bass sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 8 ft covers summer, 2 to 8 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Riffle & run (mile 0.6), a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for rock bass in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening. Throw a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft)	1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner
Summer	2 to 8 ft	dusk	Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft)	Ned rig (small), Marabou jig
Fall	2 to 8 ft	midday	Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft)	Small tube jig, Inline spinner
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday	Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft)	Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike

Channel Catfish fishing at Buffalo National River

Come spring, look for channel catfish tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 8 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 8 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Outside-bend hole (mile 3.4): a creek channel around 6 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 8 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 3.4) (6 ft)
Summer	2 to 8 ft	night & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 3.4) (6 ft)
Fall	2 to 8 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 3.4) (6 ft)
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 3.4) (6 ft)

Notable structure

The chart marks 24 structure features on Buffalo National River; the deepest is Outside-bend hole (mile 3.4) at about 6 ft.

Outside-bend hole (mile 3.4): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 6.5): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 10.0): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 12.4): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 14.6): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 17.1): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 19.6): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 22.4): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 26.7): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 29.2): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 31.4): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 35.8): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 37.9): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 42.0): creek channel, around 6 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Baker Ford Access Point — ramp (unpaved)
Boat launch — ramp
Boat launch — ramp (unpaved)
Carver River Access Point — ramp (gravel)
Erbie River Access Point — ramp (unpaved)
Grinders Ferry River Access Point — ramp (gravel)
Hasty River Access Point — ramp (gravel)
Mt Hersey River Access Point — ramp (unpaved)
…plus 6 more mapped sites.

Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

Buffalo National River fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Arkansas waters are set by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission — and special regulations can apply to Buffalo National River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Arkansas fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Buffalo National River?

Buffalo National River is about 8 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in Buffalo National River?

Anglers target smallmouth bass, rock bass, channel catfish on Buffalo National River.

Where is the best fishing spot on Buffalo National River?

Riffle & run (mile 0.6) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish Buffalo National River?

For smallmouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Buffalo National River?

Fishing on Buffalo National River is regulated by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. Check the official Arkansas regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Bull Shoals Lake 36 mi, MO/AR · White River (Bull Shoals) 40 mi · Lake Taneycomo 46 mi, MO · Table Rock Lake 49 mi, MO/AR · Lake Dardanelle 50 mi · Norfork Lake 52 mi, MO/AR · Beaver Lake 54 mi · Norfork River 56 mi · Greers Ferry Lake 57 mi · North Fork of the White 67 mi, MO · James River 67 mi, MO · Little Red River 73 mi

See how Buffalo National River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Arkansas · best channel catfish lakes in Arkansas

Browse all Arkansas fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.