Beaver Lake
Live bait is working best for striped bass.
Jon Conklin, fishing guide, recommends fishing for stripers from Prairie Creek park south to Point 12 where the White and War Eagle arms of the lake meet.
Brood minnows or shad are working best. A good way to locate stripers is to watch for flocks of gulls feeding on shad. Stripers may be feeding on those shad, too.
For crappie, use minnows or jigs around brush in the main lake channel 12 to 15 feet deep. As with stripers, crappie can also be found in open water around shad schools. These tend to be large crappie. Average surface water temperature is in the mid to upper 40s.
Southtown Sporting Goods in Fayetteville reports walleye are starting to migrate into the White and War Eagle tributaries. Anglers report catching small male walleye in the White River tributary. Trolling crank baits or nightcrawler rigs may work. Black bass are biting fair on jerk baits, jig and pigs or spinner baits. Hair jigs are the best type of jig.
Beaver tailwater
Trout fishing is good one day, slower the next, reports Austin Kennedy, fishing guide. Overall, fishing is good. Water levels in the tailwater are better so navigation by boat is easier.
Prepared trout baits including Pautzke Fire Bait, Pautzke Fire Worms and Berkley Power Bait are working well. Small spoons are a good lure to use. The area between U.S. 62 bridge and Houseman Access is fishing well.
Some small walleye have been caught in the Holiday Island area by jigging soft plastics or minnows near the bottom.
Power generation at Beaver Dam takes place mainly on cold mornings.
Lake Fayetteville
Angela Perea at the lake office said black bass are biting plastic worms or jig and pigs. Try for catfish with liver, nightcrawlers, stink bait or any catfish bait. Crappie are biting jigs six feet deep.
Lake Sequoyah
Angler Mike McBride said fishing for crappie from the old bridge has been productive. Use minnows or hair jigs. All other fishing is hit or miss.
Bella Vista
Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista recommends fishing for trout at Lake Brittany with Power Bait or small spoons. Try for black bass at any Bella Vista lake with crank baits, jerk baits or jig and pigs.
Please note that fishing in Bella Vista is open only to POA members and their guests.
Swepco Lake
Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs recommends fishing for black bass with Ned rigs or plastic worms on a drop-shot or shaky-head rig. Jerk baits may also work.
Eastern Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports fair black bass fishing at Grand Lake with Alabama rigs, crank baits or spinner baits around brush, docks or rock.
At Lake Tenkiller, black bass fishing is good with crank baits, jerk baits or plastic worms around brush, rocks or docks. Catfish are biting well on cut bait or stink bait on the main lake. Crappie are biting well on hair jigs or minnows around brush, rocks or docks.
Table Rock Lake
Focused Fishing Guide service said black bass fishing is good. Fishing deep produces the best numbers of fish. Find shad and use a jigging spoon, ice fishing jig or Scope Spin 50 to 70 feet deep. Locating shad is key.
Alabama rigs are working for shallower fish along points or jerk baits on breezy days. Try crawdad colored crank baits in creek arms seven to 10 feet deep along chunk rock banks.
-- Compiled by Flip Putthoff