North Fork River (Norfork Tailwater) is a tailwater in Arkansas, listed as Tailwater trout fishery by Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission lists 2 species, including rainbow trout and brown trout. 8 guides and 2 shops nearby are listed here; the nearest destination hub is White River & the Ozarks.
The North Fork River tailwater downstream of Norfork Dam, Arkansas. Photo: Brandonrush, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
North Fork River (Norfork Tailwater) is a tailwater in Arkansas. Our destination hub White River & the Ozarks is 11 mi away in a straight line and lists it among its waters.
Start from the agency's public access map. Nothing on this page grants or implies access: check the agency map, posted signs and landowner permission before you fish.
Nothing on this page grants or implies access.
Gauges, shops and guides within 40 miles
Map of North Fork River (Norfork Tailwater): gauges, shops and guides
Map of North Fork River (Norfork Tailwater) with 1 USGS gauge, and shops and guides with an exact address within 40 miles.
Restrooms within 2 miles of North Fork River (Norfork Tailwater) in a straight line, nearest first, with what anglers found when they went. The map says a restroom is there, not whether it is clean or open today.
Map of the restroom near North Fork River (Norfork Tailwater)
Skip the map; every place is in the list belowMap of 1 restroom near North Fork River (Norfork Tailwater), numbered as in the list, with the water’s point marked.
Not rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Restroom locations and map details: © OpenStreetMap contributors, Open Database License, read Oct 24, 2026. Ratings, answers and photos are members' own; who shared them is never shown, and every photo is reviewed before it appears. Visits older than 18 months no longer count. Distances are straight-line miles, not driving. Nothing here grants access to private land. Community guidelines.
Tailwater trout fisheryThe White River near Flippin, Arkansas. Photo: James Powers (Jpowersok), CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Agency-named bass waterCrooked Creek at Highway 14 in Yellville, Arkansas. Photo: Brandonrush, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Agency-named bass waterBuffalo National River, Arkansas. Photo: National Park Service, public domain, cropped, via Wikimedia Commons
Agency-named bass water
Agency-named bass waterRepresentative photo · not Norfork LakeFog on Lake Taneycomo, Missouri. Photo: Luke Wisley, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Norfork Lake.
Missouri · about 11 mi
Blue RibbonRepresentative photo · not North Fork RiverThe Eleven Point River, Missouri. Photo: Charlie Llewellin from Austin, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not North Fork River.
Missouri · about 26 mi
Seasons, limits, special regulations and closures for each reach are on the agency pages below. Read them before you go.
Each comes from the agency's own published list; where the list names a reach it is quoted. A designation applies to the listed reach, not necessarily the whole water. Listed in the finder under trout.
On the Trout Waters (AGFC-managed tailwater trout fisheries) list (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, read 2026-10-16). All waters with this designation
On the Trout Catch-and-Release Areas list (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, read 2026-10-16). All waters with this designation
Measured from the NHDPlus High Resolution (flowlines and waterbodies) (U.S. Geological Survey, read 2026-11-04) for this water’s own mapped feature. Rounded figures; they describe the channel, not today’s conditions.
USGS name: North Fork River
Areas the Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), public access (U.S. Geological Survey, Gap Analysis Project, read 2026-11-05) lists as owned or held in easement and open to the public, crossed by the mapped channel. Boundaries are mapped, not surveyed. Nothing on this page grants or implies access: check the agency map, posted signs and landowner permission before you fish.
13.3 of 107.7 mi on public land
Nothing on this page grants or implies access.
Listings marked Unclaimed are built from open map records and the business's own website: confirm licensing, rates, dates and hours directly.
6 guides name it on their website
Mountain Home, AR · 10 mi
Beginners & lessons · White & Norfork Tailwater
Names this water
Cotter, AR · 16 mi
Wade trips · Drift boat · White & Norfork Tailwater
Names this water
Cotter, AR · 17 mi
Drift boat · Beginners & lessons · Snake & White
Names this water
Flippin, AR · 18 mi
Float trips · Drift boat · White & Norfork Tailwater
Names this water
Bull Shoals, AR · 21 mi
Beginners & lessons · White & Norfork Tailwater
Names this water
Bull Shoals, AR · 21 mi
Beginners & lessons · White & Norfork Tailwater
Names this water
Cotter, AR · 16 mi
Float trips · Beginners & lessons · White River
Nearby
The species the agency lists here; presence varies by reach and season.
Listed by the state agency
Species guide
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), illustration by Duane Raver for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo: Duane Raver, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Species guide
Brown trout (Salmo trutta), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service illustration. Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Cotter and Mountain Home sit on the White River below Bull Shoals Dam in the Arkansas Ozarks, with the North Fork tailwater below Norfork Dam and the Buffalo National River to the south-west.
Destination hub · 11 mi away in a straight line
Matched on the fish the agencies list for both waters first, then the same water type, an official designation or flagship listing on both, and a similar mapped size where USGS hydrography covers both.
At most two waters per country. A shared fish is a listing, not a promise: presence varies by reach and season.
Like the North Fork River (Norfork Tailwater)? Same fish, overseas.
Flagship waterThe Meander River in Deloraine, Tasmania. Photo: Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Flagship waterThe Tekapo–Pukaki hydro canal, Mackenzie Country, Canterbury. Photo: Avenue, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
TailwaterThe Grand River just north of Paris, Ontario, looking upstream. Photo: JustSomePics, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
TailwaterThe lower Clutha River / Mata-Au and Inch Clutha from Kaitangata. Photo: Andrewrutherford, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
TailwaterRepresentative photo · not Río CalcurrupeThe Río Toltén at Pocoyán. Photo: Maxbalter, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Río Calcurrupe.
TailwaterRepresentative photo · not Brumbys CreekThe South Esk River, Tasmania. Photo: Michael Coghlan from Adelaide, Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Brumbys Creek.
Southern seasons open while ours close.
Flagship waterPenstock Lagoon, Central Highlands, Tasmania. Photo: Mike Cline, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Freestone riverRepresentative photo · not Río PetrohuéThe Río Puelo at Las Gualas, Cochamó. Photo: Nicolás from seno de reloncaví, Chile, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Río Petrohué.
Lake or reservoirRepresentative photo · not Lago LlanquihueThe Río Simpson passing Coyhaique, Aysén. Photo: Manxuc, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Lago Llanquihue.
Lake or reservoir
Flagship waterRepresentative photo · not Mataura RiverThe Oreti River near Lumsden, Southland. Photo: Krzysztof Golik, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped, via Wikimedia Commons Not Mataura River.
Flagship waterGreat Lake, Tasmania. Photo: Peripitus, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What to bring on a guided float fishing trip: rain gear, polarized sunglasses, sun protection, a dry bag and your license. Most guides supply rods and flies. Estimated prices and where to buy.
Usually supplied by the guide; a 9′ 5–6 weight if you bring your own · Trout on most western float rivers
Open the checklistSeams, shelves and soft water, shown on real rivers.
Public YouTube videos from established channels, chosen by us to support this page. Not sponsored; the creators are not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear.
Not sponsored All videos on reading water
Indicator rigs, depth and detecting the take.
Public YouTube videos from established channels, chosen by us to support this page. Not sponsored; the creators are not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear.
Not sponsored All videos on nymphing
Trip stories anglers chose to share publicly and tagged with North Fork River (Norfork Tailwater).
No stories from here yet.
Not a statement of access, fish presence or conditions.
A water page organises discovery. It does not assert public access, legal access, current fish presence, guide availability or fishing conditions.
Flows, gauge statistics and flood stages come from USGS and the National Weather Service when the page is shown. Regulations, stocking, species and season statements link to the agency that publishes them; this page copies only the species names and the quoted sentences. Guide and shop listings come from the Legendary directories. Position: the USGS site record North Fork Riv US of Dry Ck bl Norfork Dam, AR. Water type is our own classification.
Limited data: Trout-friendly temperature: no flow comparison here
No flow statistics here.
At North Fork Riv US of Dry Ck bl Norfork Dam, AR (USGS 07060000) Provisional USGS data
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Norfork Dam, at the head of the North Fork tailwater
Average for the hour ending Nov 5, 2:00 PM CST · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers data as published
| When (as published) | Generation |
|---|---|
| Thu, Nov 5 | |
| 12 AM – 3 PM (hours ending 1–15) | 0 MW |
| 3 PM – 7 PM (hours ending 16–19) | 33 MW |
| 7 PM – Midnight (hours ending 20–24) | 0 MW |
Megawatts by hour ending, as posted (hour ending 14 is 1–2 p.m.). Not yet posted for 2026-11-06. SWPA's project table: 2 units, 92 MW capacity, about 7,200 cfs at full power. SWPA: “all generation releases posted above are subject to change”, and the Corps “may schedule releases for purposes other than hydropower.”
Generation scheduled 3 PM – 7 PM (hours ending 16–19) on Thu, Nov 5 (33 MW): expect rising water downstream; check the release schedule before wading.
“Use caution near dams. A large amount of water may be discharged without warning at any time.” Nashville District hydropower release schedule notice (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
Norfork Lake: hourly data (Little Rock District) Data source (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
USGS 07060000
USGS gauge on the North Fork below Norfork Dam. It reports water temperature only; the dam's release is in the Corps card.
What the agencies suggest
anglers should carry a pocket thermometer and check the water periodically while fishingArkansas Game and Fish Commission
General guidance from the readings and the published lines named above, not a fishing forecast. Local rules and closures come first.
No flow at this gauge. USGS does not publish discharge here, so there are no flow statistics either; it reports what is shown. We found no other gauge on the same river that publishes flow.
Reading Nov 5, 1:15 PM CST · provisional USGS data
The National Weather Service has no flood-stage gauge here, so no official flood category is shown.
Under Arkansas Game and Fish's 65°F line. Water 55.6°F now; the highest in the last 24 hours was 57.6°F. That is under the 65 to 67°F at which Arkansas Game and Fish suggests anglers “may consider fishing only in the morning”. It asks anglers to “carry a pocket thermometer and check the water periodically while fishing.”
Keep Your Trout Healthy for the Next Angler on the Line (9 June 2026) (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission)Species the agency lists for North Fork River (Norfork Tailwater): rainbow trout, brown trout.
Source: Norfork Tailwater • Arkansas Game & Fish Commission (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission).
Cold water. Water 55.6°F. NWS: “Cold shock can be just as severe and dangerous from water temperatures of 50-60°F (10-15°C) as it is from water at 35°F (2°C).” “Always wear a life jacket in and around the water.”
Cold Water Hazards and Safety (National Weather Service)Turn Around Don't Drown. “A mere 6 inches of fast-moving flood water can knock over an adult.” No flow number makes a crossing safe; if in doubt, stay out.
Turn Around Don't Drown (National Weather Service)Guidance from the readings above and the published thresholds named with each line; not a fishing forecast, a safety guarantee or a statement about access. Local rules and closures come first.
Dam releases and lake levels are the operators' own provisional numbers, shown as published; observations refresh at most every 15 minutes and schedules hourly. Schedules can change without notice.
Checked Nov 5, 2:28 PM CST; readings refresh at most every 15 minutes and statistics daily. Provisional USGS data can be revised. Conditions change: re-check before you go. This is general guidance, not a fishing forecast, a safety guarantee or a statement about access.
Tailwater trout fisheryThe White River near Flippin, Arkansas. Photo: James Powers (Jpowersok), CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Running well nowCrooked Creek at Highway 14 in Yellville, Arkansas. Photo: Brandonrush, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Arkansas · about 26 mi
Smallmouth bass, largemouth bass & panfish
77.2cfsFlow now · normal for the date
Agency-named bass waterBuffalo National River, Arkansas. Photo: National Park Service, public domain, cropped, via Wikimedia Commons
Arkansas · about 34 mi
Smallmouth bass, largemouth bass & panfish
360cfsFlow now · normal for the date
Agency-named bass waterAgency-named bass waterRepresentative photo · not Norfork LakeFog on Lake Taneycomo, Missouri. Photo: Luke Wisley, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Norfork Lake.
Missouri · about 11 mi
Blue RibbonRepresentative photo · not North Fork RiverThe Eleven Point River, Missouri. Photo: Charlie Llewellin from Austin, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not North Fork River.
Salesville, Arkansas
Fishing lodge · 0.7 mi
Salesville, Arkansas
River cabins · 1.5 mi
Elizabeth, Arkansas
River cabins · 3.1 mi
Norfork, Arkansas
River cabins · 3.4 mi
Norfork, Arkansas
Fishing lodge · 3.5 mi
Norfork, Arkansas
Fishing lodge · 3.9 mi
Norfork, Arkansas
Fishing lodge · 3.9 mi
Norfork, Arkansas
River cabins · 4.2 mi
