Bull Shoals-White River State Park
Camping, hiking and mountain-bike trails, and a riverside marina and store that rents john boats, canoes and kayaks (the marina closes December and January).
River guide · Lakeview, Arkansas
The White River below Bull Shoals Dam
Where to stay, how to fish it, and what to know before you go, from the riverbank at Newland's Lodge.
Newland's Lodge is a riverfront group of 8 independently owned vacation rentals (5 four-bedroom cabins and 3 units in the historic lodge) at 295 River Road in Lakeview, Arkansas, on the White River about a mile and a half below Bull Shoals Dam. Guests share a private boat dock, ramp and covered slips, and book directly with each owner. Bill Newland started guiding float and fishing trips here in 1954.
- Bull Shoals Dam
- About 1.5 miles upstream, a 7-minute drive
- Trout
- Rainbow and brown, stocked since 1955
- You'll need
- Arkansas fishing license + trout permit
- Water temperature
- Cold all year, about 50–62°F most days
- Is the water on?
- SWPA schedule or 866-494-1993
- State park
- Bull Shoals-White River, 3 minutes away
Trout fishing below Bull Shoals Dam
The White River below Bull Shoals Dam is a cold tailwater trout river. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has stocked rainbow and brown trout here regularly since 1955, a few years after the dam was finished.
Newland's sits on this water about a mile and a half below the dam. You can bank fish from the grounds, or launch at the private ramp and fish from a boat without trailering anywhere.
How you fish depends on the water. When the dam is generating, the river runs higher and faster and most anglers drift from a boat. When the generators are off, the river drops and the gravel bars and shoals open up for wading.
Sources: AGFC: Bull Shoals tailwater
Licenses, trout permits and limits
Anyone 16 or older needs an Arkansas fishing license, plus a trout permit to fish the tailwater below Bull Shoals Lake. Nonresidents can buy a 1-day ($15), 3-day ($30) or annual ($60) license and a $20 trout permit; residents pay $10.50 for the license and $10 for the permit.
Buy licenses online from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission before you arrive. The rules below are the AGFC's as of 2026. They change, sometimes mid-season, so check the current regulations before you fish.
- From the dam down to Norfork Access, keep no more than 2 rainbow trout a day, 14 inches or shorter, and release every other trout. AGFC says this limit stays in place until further notice.
- No fishing, boating or wading within 100 yards of the dam.
- February 1 to October 31: the Bull Shoals Dam Catch-and-Release Area, from 100 yards below the dam to the state park's upstream boundary, is artificial lures or flies only, barbless hooks, no natural or scented bait, and every trout goes back.
- November 1 to January 31: the river from 100 yards below the dam to the wing dike at the state park trout dock is closed to fishing and wading, and brown trout must be released from the wing dike to the park's downstream boundary.
- Between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise, only rainbow trout may be kept.
Sources: AGFC: license fees · AGFC: 2-rainbow limit (July 2026) · AGFC trout code N1.03 (May 2026)
Generation schedule and water levels
Bull Shoals Dam releases water to make electricity, and the river below it can rise fast once the generators start. Check the schedule before you wade or anchor.
The Southwestern Power Administration posts each day's projected generation by the hour, and you can hear it by phone at 866-494-1993. The schedule can change, and the Corps of Engineers sometimes releases water for other reasons. At full power the dam can release about 26,400 cubic feet of water per second.
MountainHomeArkansas.com shows today's schedule with live lake and river levels from the Corps, SWPA and USGS, updated every 30 minutes.
- Wade only when the dam isn't generating, and keep an eye on the water line.
- If the water starts rising, head for the bank right away.
- No swimming at the Newland's dock: the water is cold and changes quickly.
Sources: SWPA generation schedules · MountainHomeArkansas.com lake levels · City of Lakeview
How cold is the river?
Cold, all year. The tailwater near Newland's runs about 50 to 62°F on most days, which is why trout thrive here and why swimming isn't a good idea.
The USGS gauge about half a mile from Newland's recorded daily averages from about 42°F to 63°F over the past five years. Bring layers for the boat, even in summer.
Sources: USGS gauge 07054527
Getting to Newland's Lodge
Newland's is on River Road in Lakeview, a 7-minute drive below Bull Shoals Dam and 3 minutes from the state park. Drive times are estimates by car from the lodge.
| From Newland's to | Miles | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Bull Shoals-White River State Park | <1 | 3 min |
| Bull Shoals Dam · 1.5 mi as the crow flies | ≈2.1 | 7 min |
| Mountain Home (downtown) | ≈16 | 32 min |
| Cotter | ≈17 | 34 min |
| Branson, MO | ≈81 | 1 hr 50 min |
| Springfield, MO | ≈124 | 2 hr 45 min |
| Little Rock | ≈148 | 3 hr 40 min |
Nearest airports
| From Newland's to | Miles | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Baxter County Airport (BPK), Mountain Home | ≈10 | 23 min |
| Branson Airport (BKG) | ≈84 | 2 hr 10 min |
| Springfield-Branson National (SGF) | ≈132 | 2 hr 55 min |
| Northwest Arkansas National (XNA) | ≈138 | 3 hr 5 min |
| Clinton National, Little Rock (LIT) | ≈152 | 3 hr 45 min |
Off the water
Things to do near Bull Shoals Dam
Bull Shoals Dam & visitor center
See the dam from above and visit the state park visitor center on the overlook, with exhibits and a theater. Highway 178 across the dam sometimes closes for a few days for maintenance.
Bull Shoals Lake
The big clear-water reservoir above the dam, for boating, bass fishing, camping, paddling and diving.
Bull Shoals Caverns & Mountain Village 1890
A guided cave tour (the cave stays about 59°F) and a recreated 1890s Ozark village in Bull Shoals. Seasonal hours, so call 870-445-7177 before you go.
Cotter & Big Spring Park
The river town that calls itself Trout Capital U.S.A.: a spring-fed swimming hole, riverfront walk, boat launch and a Saturday farmers market from May to October.
Rim Shoals Trail
A short riverside trail to one of the White River's best-known shoals, with a year-round catch-and-release area.
Norfork National Fish Hatchery
Walk the trout raceways below Norfork Dam. Dry Run Creek next door is reserved for young and mobility-impaired anglers.
Buffalo National River
America's first national river: 135 free-flowing miles of paddling, hiking, camping and limestone bluffs.
Mountain Home
The nearest bigger town, for restaurants, groceries, shopping and the area's events.
Off the water
Visit MountainHomeArkansas.comPlan the rest of your trip
MountainHomeArkansas.com is the local guide to the Bull Shoals, Mountain Home and Twin Lakes area: attractions, events, live lake levels and dam generation, and local businesses.
Live lake levels & dam generation ↗Is the water on? Today's Bull Shoals Dam generation schedule and White River conditions, updated every 30 minutes.Things to do near Bull Shoals ↗Caverns, the dam visitor center, state parks, marinas, trails and more.Events this week ↗Festivals, live music, markets and fishing events around the Twin Lakes.Lakeview, Arkansas guide ↗Our hometown: local businesses, events and outdoor recreation.White River visitor guide ↗Public access, guides, camping and how the dam-controlled river changes.Fishing the Twin Lakes & White River ↗Trout, bass and striper trips, licenses and water conditions.Local restaurants & businesses ↗Where to eat, fly shops, guides, groceries and services nearby.
Where to stay
Read the FAQRiverfront cabins below the dam
8 rentals on one stretch of river, sharing a private dock and ramp. Book straight with the owner.
Gold buttons book directly on the owner's own website, with live availability.
Cabin 1
Cabin 2
Cabin 3
The BoathouseBook Online
Cabin 5
The Lodge
The Lodge
The LodgeFacts on this page were last checked 2026-11-05. Rules and schedules change, so confirm with the official sources before you go.