Beaver Lake: Striped bass are on the move to the south end of the lake.
Jon Conklin, fishing guide, recommends striper fishing in the Prairie Creek and Monte Ne areas and farther south into the White and War Eagle river tributaries. The river arms are loaded with threadfin shad and that should attract stripers to those tributaries. Live shad or brood minnows are the top baits. Average surface water temperature is in the low to mid 60s.
Crappie are moving close to brush and rock near the main river channel. Fish with minnows or jigs 20 feet deep or shallower. Watch for white bass and spotted bass chasing shad on the surface. Catch them with small top-water lures or jigs. Watch for hazards as the water level drops until some significant rain falls.
Southtown Sporting Goods in Fayetteville reports black bass are biting fair on small crank baits or jigs along rocky banks. Crappie fishing is fair around brush. Catfish are biting live bait such as nighcrawlers, worms or small sunfish.
Beaver tailwater: Guide Austin Kennedy recommends trout fishing with prepared trout bait. He's had good luck with Pautzke Fire Worms threaded on a one-16th ounce jig head. Work the worm close to the bottom.
Try for walleye in the Holiday Island area by trolling crank baits or jigging minnows.
Lake Fayetteville: David Powell at the lake office said crappie are biting 4 to 6 feet deep on jigs or minnows. Fish the same depth for bluegill using crickets or worms. Black bass are biting spinner baits. Try for catfish with liver.
Lake Sequoyah: Angler Mike McBride said black bass fishing is good with soft plastic lures. Try top-water lures for bass early. Catfish are biting liver. Crappie fishing is slow. The lake is open sunrise to sunset.
Bella Vista: Chip Wiseman at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass fishing is good at all Bella Vista lakes on crank baits, swim baits and Alabama rigs. Top-water lures are working early.
Crappie can be caught 18 to 20 feet deep around brush with minnows or jigs. Catfish are biting well on all types of catfish bait.
Please note that fishing in Bella Vista is open only to POA members and their guests.
Illinois River: Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs recommends fishing for black bass with tube baits or spinner baits. Anglers report catching spotted bass as well as smallmouth bass.
Swepco Lake: Stroud recommends fishing for black bass with any type of soft plastic lure such as plastic worms or Ned rigs. Crank baits and top-water lures may also work.
Eastern Oklahoma: The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports good largemouth bass fishing at Grand Lake on Alabama rigs and spinner baits around brush and docks. Crappie are biting fair on minnows or jigs around docks and brush. Catfish are biting chicken liver or shad.
At Lake Tenkiller, all three species of black bass are biting fair on jigs, plastic worms, jerk baits and top-water lures around brush and along points. Crappie are biting well on jigs or minnows around brush and docks.
Table Rock Lake: Focused Fishing Guide service reports black bass are biting jig and pigs early on gravel or gravel-rock points. As the sun climbs, fish shady areas. Small plastic worms on a drop-shot rig worked in tree tops or around rock piles, timber and docks 25 to 35 feet deep.
-- Compiled by Flip Putthoff