Beaver Lake
It's a panfish parade at Beaver Lake.
Reese Jones at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said bluegill fishing is good in shallow water with crickets or worms. The bluegill spawn is on and anglers report good catches.
Black bass can be caught with plastic worms, spinner baits and top-water lures. Customers report catching bass deep and in shallow water around bushes and debris. Try a drop-shot rig for deep fishing. Use a jig and pig or spinner bait around flooded bushes. Fish top-water lures early and on cloudy days.
Crappie are starting to bite crank baits trolled slowly in creek arms south of the Arkansas 12 bridge. That bite should improve on the north end of the lake soon, Jones said.
Try for walleye with nightcrawler rigs along gravel points 15 to 20 feet deep. Striped bass are hitting top-water lures at first light in the Rocky Branch area. Channel catfish are biting nightcrawlers. Flathead catfish go for small, live sunfish.
Average surface water temperature is in the low to mid-70s, but varies widely around the lake.
Beaver tailwater
Beaver Dam Store reports nightcrawlers are the best bait for trout. Inflate a 'crawler with a worm blower for best results.
Size 7 Flicker Shad crank baits are good to use. Fly fishermen have been drifting in boats and fishing with heavy nymphs. Power generation has been frequent at Beaver Dam, so anglers can expect high water conditions, especially in the afternoon.
Lake Fayetteville
David Powell at the lake office said bluegill fishing is good with crickets or worms in shallow water. Black bass are biting plastic worms best, but top-water lures may work. Try nightcrawlers or glow worms for catfish. Crappie fishing is slow.
Lake Sequoyah
Mike Carter at the lake office said some big crappie have been caught by anglers fishing for black bass. Bass, and the occasional large crappie, are biting Ned rigs, spinner baits and other black bass lures.
Bluegill and redear are scattered, but are close to shore. Use crickets or worms. Fishing is slow for catfish.
Bella Vista
Nick Gann at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass are biting top-water lures early at all Bella Vista lakes. Ned rigs and swim baits are worth a cast.
Bluegill fishing is fair with worms or crickets 15 to 30 feet deep.
Swepco Lake
Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said black bass are biting all types of soft-plastic lures. Top-water lures and square-billed crank baits are good to use.
Try for crappie with minnows or jigs. Stroud said some big channel catfish and blue catfish prowl Swepco Lake. Fish for them with cut bait.
Siloam Springs, Crystal lakes
Stroud recommends fishing for bluegill with crickets or worms.
Eastern Oklahoma
Black bass fishing is good at Lake Eucha with buzz baits and other top-water lures early and on cloudy days, Stroud says. Spinner baits and plastic worms are also working.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports largemouth bass fishing is good at Grand Lake with crank baits, plastic worms, top-water lures and Alabama rigs fished around brush and docks. Blue catfish are biting well on liver or cut bait.
Lake Tenkiller is fishing well for largemouth bass with crank baits, jig and pigs, plastic worms and spinner baits. Flathead catfish are biting well on goldfish, live shad or small sunfish. Try worms for channel catfish.
Table Rock Lake
Focused Fishing Guide Service reports black bass are biting well on top-water lures around flooded bushes. Flipping a jig and pig around bushes is also good. Work a spinner bait around bushes on windy days.
For deeper fish, use a swim bait or a shaky-head plastic worm eight to 15 feet deep along gravel banks. Fishing is toughest on the lower end of the lake.