NWA fishing report

Fishing on the lake at sunset. Fishing tile / Getty Images
Fishing on the lake at sunset. Fishing tile / Getty Images

Beaver Lake

Anglers can fish any color of water they prefer, from muddy on the south end of the lake to clear on the north end. The lake level is high so beware of floating debris.

Reese Jones at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said black bass are biting well in shallow and deep water. Try buzz baits and spinner baits around flooded bushes and timber. Plastic worms or jig and pigs are good for deeper fishing.

Jones has heard few reports on crappie, but said they should be from one to six feet deep. Use minnows or jigs. A red or black body with a chartreuse tail is a good jig color. Fish for walleye by trolling crank baits.

Striped bass are scattered all over the lake. Brood minnows are a good bait. White bass have been surfacing in the Rocky Branch area. Try small top-water lures or white jigs. Catfish are biting well on nightcrawlers. Average surface water temperature is in the mid to upper 60s.

Southtown Sporting Goods in Fayetteville reports crappie are spawning in shallow water. Fishing is good with minnows or jigs. The black bass spawn has started. Try top-water lures, plastic worms, plastic lizards or spinner baits.

Beaver tailwater

Beaver Dam Store reports trout are biting well on Power Bait in bright colors. Nightcrawlers are a good trout bait. For fly fishing, drift in a boat and cast size 12 to 14 nymphs and scuds.

Lake Fayetteville

David Powell at the lake office said the crappie are biting one to four feet deep on minnows or jigs. A jig with chartreuse in the color pattern is good. Black bass fishing is good with spinner baits in shallow water. Use worms for bluegill. Catching catfish is tough.

Lake Sequoyah

Mike Carver at the lake office said crappie fishing is fair with jigs or minnows four to five feet deep. Black bass are biting swim baits and plastic worms. Bluegill are scattered all over the lake and are biting worms.

Bella Vista

Chip Wiseman at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said catfish are biting well on all types of catfish bait such as nightcrawlers or liver. Black bass are spawning. Fish with Zoom Flukes three to four feet deep. Bluegill are biting worms 12 feet deep.

Please note that fishing in Bella Vista is open only to POA members and their guests.

Swepco Lake

Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said black bass fishing is good with a plastic worms rigged any way a person likes to rig them. Top-water lures may also work.

Siloam Springs,

Crystal lakes

Stroud recommends fishing for black bass with plastic lizards around cover. Try for crappie with minnows or jigs.

Eastern Oklahoma

Fish for black bass at Lake Eucha with spinner baits worked around bushes, Stroud suggests. Try flipping a jig and pig or a creature bait near bushes. Fish for catfish with cut shad, liver or nightcrawlers.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports fair largemouth bass fishing at Grand Lake with crank baits, plastic worms and top-water lures around brush and structure. Crappie are biting well on hair jigs around brush, docks and structure. Blue catfish are biting cut bait or liver.

At Lake Tenkiller, black bass fishing is fair with Alabama rigs, crank baits, jig and pigs or top-water lures around brush and docks. Crappie fishing is fair with jigs or worms around brush and docks. Catfish are biting fair on liver, cut bait or shad.

Table Rock Lake

Focused Fishing Guide Service said black bass can be caught with swim baits, Ned rigs, tube baits or plastic worms rigged shaky-head style. Top-water lures are starting to work. Try the sides of points as well as pockets. There is lots of debris in the James River arm.

-- Compiled by Flip Putthoff


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