BEAVER LAKE
Black bass are biting shallow and deep, reports James Whittle at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers.
Try top-water lures at dawn and dusk. Anglers report success on Zara Spook and Whopper Flopper top-water lures.
Go with a small plastic worm on a drop-shot rig after sunrise. Bass are scattered. Fish near humps, rock piles and points.
Jigging spoons are catching a mixed bag of fish including white bass, striped bass and walleye, Whittle said. Look for schools of shad on a depth finder and work a spoon near the school. Flats are good places to fish.
All methods are working for catfish. Small sunfish are best for catching flathead catfish. Use stink bait, nightcrawlers or liver for channel catfish.
Mike Whitehouse at Hickory Creek Marina said trolling with crank baits remains the best way to catch crappie. Bandit 300 series crank baits are good to use, he said. No report on other species.
BEAVER TAILWATER
Carl Caso at the Beaver Dam Store said trout are biting Power Bait. Good colors are white, yellow, orange, pink and chartreuse.
Small jigs and countdown Rapalas are the top lures. Good jig colors include white, olive, black and chartreuse. Size seven countdown Rapalas are best to use during power generation. Flicker Shads are also working. Top colors are red tiger, blue tiger or chartreuse and white.
Effective flies include pheasant tails, Copper Johns, hare’s ears and midges.
On the lake side of the dam, black bass are biting small plastic worms and Ned rigs.
LAKE FAYETTEVILLE
Angela Perea at the lake office said catfish are biting well on stink bait, nightcrawlers, minnows and goldfish. Bluegill fishing is good with worms, crickets and small jigs.
Black bass are biting plastic worms, spinner baits and Zoom Flukes.
LAKE SEQUOYAH
Mike McBride at the lake bait shop said black bass are biting fair on buzz baits. Bass to seven pounds were caught last week, he said.
Flathead catfish are biting small sunfish. “California” Mike Carver caught flatheads from 12 to 40 pounds last week on sunfish. Crappie and bluegill are slow.
SWEPCO LAKE
Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said plastic worms are the top lure for black bass, fished two to 20 feet deep. Swim baits are working. Try top-water lures at dawn or on cloudy days.
ILLINOIS RIVER
Stroud recommends using small plastic lizards, tube baits or Rooster Tails for black bass.
BELLA VISTA
Justin McClelland at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass are biting fair on jigs or plastic worms eight to 12 feet deep at all Bella Vista lakes.
Bluegill are biting crickets or worms 12 to 18 feet deep. Catfish are biting fair on shrimp.
EASTERN OKLAHOMA
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports catfish are biting well at Lake Tenkiller on liver, stink baits and worms. Black bass fishing is slow. Try plastic worms or crank baits.
TABLE ROCK LAKE
The Missouri Department of Conservation reports good fishing for bluegill with worms. Black bass are hitting top-water lures at dawn. Try plastic worms 20 feet deep after sunrise.
Channel catfish are biting fair on nightcrawlers, blood bait and cut bait.