NWA Fishing Report

BEAVER LAKE Fishing is good for crappie and striped bass.

Mike Whitehouse at Hickory Creek Marina said crappie are biting 15 feet deep around submerged timber, man-made brush piles and docks. Bobby Garland crappie lures work well. Good colors are electric chicken, glacier and double-silver rainbow.

Stripers are biting in the area of Point 12 on brood minnows or shad. Anywhere seagulls are seen feeding on shad is a good place to try.

James Whittle at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said black bass are starting to hit crawdad-colored crank baits. Popular brands are the Spro Rock Crawler, American Original G-5 and Storm Wiggle Wart crank baits.

Crappie are biting well in the Prairie Creek area on jigs 20 to 30 feet deep.

BEAVER TAILWATER Lisa Mullins at Beaver Dam Store said the top bait for trout is Power Bait combined with a waxworm.

Small spoons in gold-silver or gold-red are the top lures. Effective flies include pheasant-tails, black or olive midges, hare’s ears and San Juan worms.

LAKES FAYETTEVILLE, SEQUOYAH

Both lakes are closed. They will re-open Jan. 15.

SWEPCO LAKE Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said plastic worms rigged any style are good to use for black bass. Rat-L-Traps and swim baits may also work.

ILLINOIS RIVER

Stroud suggests using jerk baits or hair jigs for black bass. Work any lure slowly.

EASTERN OKLAHOMA Stroud suggests fishing for black bass at Lake Eucha with Alabama rigs or jerk baits.

BELLA VISTA

Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista reports black bass are biting swim baits or jig and pigs at all Bella Vista lakes.

Try for trout at Lake Brittany with small spoons or Power Bait.

TABLE ROCK LAKE Pete Wenners at Pete’s Professional Guide Service said black bass are biting jerk baits or crawdad-colored crank baits along points.

Bass are following shad into the creek arms. Use swim baits 10 to 20 feet deep over deeper water.