Fly fishing report · Southeast

Little Red River

A Greers Ferry tailwater report for generation-aware wading, trout tactics, fly selection, access planning, and current Arkansas rule checks.

Check flow & weather

Today's river scoreHigh source confidence

Caution

Best option: Wade.

Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.

Updated Jul 13, 11:17 PM UTCUsually refreshes about every 45 minutes

Recommended approachWade

Mode scores adjust the river-wide score for the risks of wading, bank fishing, or floating.

Wade · Best fit62/100

Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.

Bank / edgeCheck

This report does not describe this as a primary mode. Verify legal access, depth, launches, and retreat options before planning around it.

Float62/100

A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.

Confirm before you leave

Flow and weather right now.

Use the flow trend to confirm the score before you leave. Weather can change the safest and most productive fishing window.

River strategy

Start with generation, not the hatch.

The Little Red is a classic Arkansas tailwater below Greers Ferry Dam. Low water can create wading windows, while generation can quickly turn the same reach into boat water.

Check USACE Greers Ferry release data before choosing a wading access.
AGFC changed trout limits in 2026, so verify current rules before keeping fish.
Midges, scuds, sowbugs, soft hackles, and small streamers are better starting points than big freestone attractors.
Many productive banks are private or resort-controlled, so plan public access before the drive.

Why this score moved

FlowUse caution

USGS shows 641 cfs with a falling about 38% over about 6 hours trend. same-date USGS history (1997-2025, 29 readings) puts normal around 1,300 cfs and the lower quartile near 780 cfs; today's flow is below normal for the date. This is below normal, so edge depth, temperature, and pressure matter.

Water temperatureUse caution

USGS water temperature is about 68F. Fish early and stop if handling stress is likely.

Best mode nowUse caution

Wade: Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.

SeasonHelps score

Summer: Cold tailwater keeps trout in play, but recreation traffic and generation timing decide the day.

Public alertsHelps score

No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.

Read the water

What changes the plan.

Fish the Little Red like a dam-controlled trout river: match your access and rig to generation first, then adjust flies to water clarity, depth, and the amount of angling pressure.

No generation

Look for shoals, slots, and low-water lanes. Use lighter rigs and watch for rising water.

One-unit style release

Edges, seams, and boat drifts become more important. Do not rely on a wade plan if water is rising.

High generation

Treat the river as float water unless you have a safe, local, confirmed bank plan.

Clear pressured water

Lengthen leaders, reduce split shot, and fish small natural patterns close to the bottom.

Field plan

Fish it with intention.

Best flows

Use RiverReports and USGS 07076517 near Dewey for stage context, then check USACE or AGFC generation guidance before wading. Stable low water is best for walk-in plans; rising or generated water favors boats or protected bank edges.

When to skip

Skip or reset the Little Red plan when generation is rising, the intended bank access is private or unclear, current AGFC trout limits are not confirmed, or the day depends on yesterday's release pattern repeating.

Local plan

Choose the release window first, then pick the access. Start near Greers Ferry and Heber Springs for upper-tailwater context, use public ramps and permission-based access only, and keep Collins Creek as a nearby side stop rather than a substitute.

Backup water

If Little Red generation, access, or crowding is poor, compare the White River, Norfork Tailwater, or another Arkansas trout water before forcing the same release window.

Hatches & flies

Bring a flexible box.

TimingWhat to watchUseful flies

WinterMidges and limited surface activityZebra midge, ruby midge, Griffith's gnat, egg, small scud

Reviewed pattern · report says “Zebra midge”Zebra MidgeLook for a very slim tapered thread body, evenly spaced contrasting wire rib, a small bead, and no tail or wing. The reviewed classic is black with silver wire and a silver bead. Red, olive, brown, glass-bead, jig-hook, resin-coated, or tailed forms must remain labeled variations rather than replacing the classic identity.See photos & how to fish it

Reviewed family · report says “ruby midge”Midge Patterns by StageMidge wording can mean a threadlike larva, wing-padded pupa, film emerger, tiny adult, or visible cluster. Those profiles fish at different depths.See family guide + 3 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box

SpringMidges, caddis, sowbugs, scudsScud, sowbug, soft hackle, caddis pupa, pheasant tail

Reviewed family · report says “Scud”Scud Fly PatternsScud patterns typically use a curved hook, tapered dubbed body, shellback, rib segmentation, antennae, and brushed legs. Olive, tan, gray, orange, weighted, bead-body, and pregnant forms remain labeled—not aliases for one recipe.See family guide

Reviewed family · report says “sowbug”Sowbug and Cress Bug PatternsSowbug and cress-bug flies are generally flatter and more oval than scuds, with a segmented back and legs along both sides. Soft-hackle, dubbed, ostrich-herl, fire-bead, hot-bead, and pink forms remain labeled.See family guide + 3 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box

SummerMidges, caddis, terrestrials near banksMidge emerger, elk hair caddis, ant, beetle, micro streamer

Reviewed family · report says “Midge emerger”Midge Patterns by StageMidge wording can mean a threadlike larva, wing-padded pupa, film emerger, tiny adult, or visible cluster. Those profiles fish at different depths.See family guide

Reviewed pattern · report says “elk hair caddis”Elk Hair CaddisLook for a tented elk- or deer-hair wing, clipped hair head, dubbed body, rib, and hackle palmered along the body. The body color should be labeled because tiers often match different natural caddis colors.See photos & how to fish it + 3 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box

FallMidges and low-light baitfish movementZebra midge, leech, woolly bugger, sculpin, soft hackle

Reviewed family · report says “leech”Leech PatternsLeech patterns share an elongated moving silhouette, but material, weighting, hook orientation, and retrieve vary. Pine-squirrel, rabbit-strip, balanced, and Woolly Bugger forms remain separately labeled rather than being presented as one recipe.See family guide + 3 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box

Read generation data before driving and again before stepping into the river.

If the river starts rising, leave the wade position early rather than trying to finish a run.

On low water, fish small nymphs with light weight and long drifts through slots and shoals.

During release, fish protected banks, inside bends, and boat-friendly streamer lines.

Avoid redds and visibly spawning trout during winter and fall.

Access & responsibility

Know the entry. Know the exit.

Check AGFC trout regulations before fishing. AGFC announced 2026 limits for the Greers Ferry Tailwater: a daily limit of two trout, and trout longer than 14 inches must be released. These rules can change, so verify the current AGFC page before keeping fish.

Greers Ferry Dam tailwater

The upper tailwater is the water-level decision point. Check generation before assuming a wade route is safe.

Public ramps and shoals near Heber Springs

Use public sites or permission-based access. Many convenient banks are private.

Collins Creek area

A useful nearby trout stop for some anglers, but it is not a substitute for checking Little Red tailwater rules.

Downstream resort corridors

Can be productive for floating or guided plans. Confirm launch, takeout, and private-property rules.

Transparent sources

Check the facts behind the plan.

Last material review: 2026-05-31

flowRiverReports: Little Red River near Dewey flowUSGS monitoring location: Little Red River near Dewey backgroundAGFC Greers Ferry Tailwater regulationAGFC trout regulations and 2026 limits accessAGFC trout waters and generation reminder safetyNational Weather Service forecast point near the Little Red

Common questions

Before you leave.

Can you wade the Little Red River?+

Yes, during low-water windows at suitable public access points, but dam generation can make the same water unsafe. Check USACE release data first.

What flies work on the Little Red River?+

Start with zebra midges, scuds, sowbugs, pheasant tails, soft hackles, eggs, and small streamers.

What flow source should I use?+

Use RiverReports for a quick chart, then verify Greers Ferry Dam release information from USACE before wading.

Are the 2026 trout limits different?+

Yes. AGFC announced reduced 2026 trout limits for Greers Ferry Tailwater. Confirm the current AGFC rule before harvesting trout.