NWA fishing report: Colder water has improved fishing

Fishing rod, spinning reel on the background pier river bank. Sunrise. Fog against the backdrop of lake. Misty morning. wild nature. The concept of rural getaway. Article about fishing day. fishing tile / Getty Images
Fishing rod, spinning reel on the background pier river bank. Sunrise. Fog against the backdrop of lake. Misty morning. wild nature. The concept of rural getaway. Article about fishing day. fishing tile / Getty Images

Beaver Lake

Jon Conklin, fishing guide, said colder water has improved fishing for a variety of species.

Striped bass fishing is good with lots of 20-pounders being caught. Try the Prairie Creek area, Arkansas 12 bridge area and waters south of there. Trolling brood minnows or shad is the best way to catch stripers. Conklin said many of his recent clients have caught their first striper.

Fishing has improved for crappie, Conklin said. Fish around brush with jigs or minnows 17 feet deep or shallower. Cover lots of brush. Some brush will have schools of crappie and others won't. A jig with a black body and chartreuse tail is a good color. Use crank baits of jerk baits for black bass along points or shorelines with a mix of gravel and rock. Average surface water temperature is in the low to mid-50s.

Southtown Sporting Goods in Fayetteville suggests trying for crappie with minnows or jigs around bush seven to 20 feet deep. Striped bass are migrating toward the south end of the lake. Try trolling crank baits, brood minnows or shad.

Beaver tailwater

Austin Kennedy, fishing guide, said increased power generation at Beaver Dam has made for safer boating. Fish for trout with prepared bait such as Pautzke Fire Bait or Power Bait. Use light tackle. The area around Houseman Access is fishing well.

For walleye, fish between the town of Beaver and Holiday Island. Try jigging minnows or soft plastic lures close to the bottom 10 to 15 feet deep.

Lake Fayetteville

Lake Fayetteville Marina recommends fishing for crappie with hair jigs or tube jigs. Try a variety of depths.

Lake Sequoyah

Angler Mike McBride reports little fishing activity. Try for black bass with spinner baits or jerk baits. Use minnows or jigs for crappie.

Bella Vista

Chip Wiseman at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista recommends fishing for crappie at any Bella Vista lake. Minnows are the best bait. Fish six to 12 feet deep around brush. For black bass, try a spinner bait, jig and pig or plastic worm. Go with Power Bait, worms or small spoons for trout fishing at Lake Brittany.

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

Siloam Springs,

Crystal lakes

Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs recommends fishing for crappie with minnows 10 to 12 feet deep.

Swepco Lake

Fish for black bass with Ned rigs, suspending jerk baits or small plastic worms on a drop-shot rig, Stroud suggests..

Eastern Oklahoma

Stroud recommends fishing at Lake Eucha for crappie with minnows or jigs 12 to 15 feet around brush. Try jerk baits, Alabama rigs or jig and pigs for black bass.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports fair fishing at Grand Lake for largemouth bass with crank baits around brush, rocks and docks. Crappie are biting fair on hair jigs around brush and docks. Blue catfish can be caught with chicken liver or shad.

At Lake Tenkiller, crappie are biting fair on jigs or plastic worms around brush, rocks or docks. Crappie are biting fair on minnows, jigs or worms around brush and docks.

Table Rock Lake

Focused Fishing Guide service said black bass fishing is good. Fish 30 to 50 feet deep near the bottom or above tree tops where there are shad with a jigging spoon, drop-shot rig or Scope Spin.

Try a crank baits or jig and pigs on breezy days along transition banks, ledge-rock banks or gravel points. Lots of smallmouth bass are being caught this way. The lake between Baxter and Big M areas has been good. Fishing should be good for the next four to six weeks.

-- Compiled by Flip Putthoff


Upcoming Events