Mississippi and Arkansas reciprocal agreement

As you read this Catfish Hotspot report on Tunica Lake, you will see that some of the top spots listed require crossing the Mississippi River to Arkansas and its waters.

Thanks to a Reciprocal License Agreement on the Mississippi River between the state of Arkansas and the state of Mississippi, your Mississippi license will cover your needs.

The rule reads:

“The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission hereby enter into a cooperative agreement to recognize the resident sport fishing licenses, resident hunting licenses and the resident commercial fishing licenses of the two states on the flowing waters of the Mississippi River and all public waters between the main levees of the Mississippi River of the two states, excluding the St. Francis, White and Arkansas Rivers, this exclusion also includes all oxbow lakes whose entrance requires passage through the mouth of the St. Francis, White and Arkansas Rivers.

“Resident hunting and resident sport fishing licensees of either state shall abide by all laws and/or regulations pertaining to seasons, daily bag and creel limits, possession limits, size limits, tagging requirements and all other laws and/or regulations of the state in which the hunting or fishing takes place.

“Resident Sport Fishing — A sport fishing licensee shall abide by the creel limits, size limits, and shall use trotlines and other fishing equipment in accordance with the laws and regulations of the state in which the person is fishing.

“Resident licensees of either state shall have unrestricted ingress and egress through the other state for the purpose of hunting and fishing in accordance with the provisions of this agreement.”