NWA fishing report

Wes Sleeper, trout management biologist with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, shows a 22.6-pound brown trout caught and released in September during electrofishing research at the White River below Beaver Dam. The fish measured 33.3-inches long. Results revealed a healthy trout population in the tailwater stream.
(Courtesy photo/Arkansas Game and Fish Commission)
Wes Sleeper, trout management biologist with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, shows a 22.6-pound brown trout caught and released in September during electrofishing research at the White River below Beaver Dam. The fish measured 33.3-inches long. Results revealed a healthy trout population in the tailwater stream. (Courtesy photo/Arkansas Game and Fish Commission)

Beaver Lake

Black bass fishing has improved as the water cools.

Aaron Jolliff at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said anglers report good fishing with crank baits, spinner baits and Alabama rigs. Most bass are less than 10 feet deep.

Striped bass are biting shad or brood minnows on the south half of the lake.

Southtown Sporting Goods reports fair crappie fishing 10 to 12 feet deep with jigs. Average surface water temperature is in the mid-50s.

Beaver tailwater

Beaver Dam Store reports long periods of power generation at Beaver Dam, which creates high water and current. Drift-fishing from a boat is recommended.

Small jigs are working. The best jig color is olive combined with orange or black. Small spoons in red and gold or gold and silver are effective. Try size 5 or 7 countdown Rapalas on the lower end of the tailwater.

The best trout baits are nightcrawlers or Power Bait in bright colors combined with a waxworm.

In low water, try fly fishing with size 16 midges used under a strike indicator. Good colors are copper and black, red and silver or root beer.

Lake Fayetteville

David Powell at the lake office said few anglers are fishing because of the holidays and deer season. He recommends fishing for black bass with crank baits or spinner baits. Work spinner baits slowly.

Try minnows or jigs for crappie. Experiment with depth. Start at the bottom and work up. Use worms for bluegill. Try liver or stink bait for catfish.

Lake Sequoyah

Mike Carver at the lake office recommends fishing for black bass with plastic worms or jig and pigs. Try trolling crank baits to catch crappie. Use worms for bluegill.

Bella Vista

Chip Wiseman at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said fish are moving shallow at all Bella Vista lakes.

Black bass are biting best on Alabama rigs. Try plastic worms in red-shad color at any Bella Vista lake. Crappie are biting jigs or 2-inch Keitech Swing Impact swim baits in the sexy shad color.

Swepco Lake

Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs recommends fishing for black bass at Swepco Lake with plastic worms. Try a spinner baits and swim baits on windy days. Use top-water lures at dawn, dusk and cloudy days.

Crappie may bite minnows or jigs around timber, but the fish could be small. The statewide daily limit of 30 crappie applies at Swepco. There is no length limit.

Illinois River

Stroud recommends fishing for black bass with tube baits, grubs or buzz baits.

Eastern Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports good fishing for black bass at Lake Tenkiller with crank baits, plastic worms, spinner baits or jig and pigs. Fish around brush, docks, points or timber.

Crappie fishing is fair with jigs or minnows worked near brush, docks and timber.

At Fort Gibson Lake, catfish are biting well on minnows of small sunfish in shallow water. Crappie fishing is fair with jigs 12 to 20 feet deep around brush.

Table Rock Lake

Focused Fishing guide service said black bass are biting jigging spoons or swim baits fished over tree tops 25 to 45 feet deep in the center of creek arms. Casting the lure works better than jigging it vertically.

Pee wee football jigs are working well on gravel-rock points. Fish 10 to 15 feet deep on cloudy days and down to 25 feet on sunny days. Crank baits and jerk baits are working along steep banks when it is cloudy and windy.

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