NWA Fishing Report

BEAVER LAKE Crappie and stripers are biting, but black bass fishing is slow.

James Whittle at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers recommends using Alabama rigs, jerk baits or crawdad-colored crank baits for black bass. A two-day tournament Feb. 3-4 was won with a two-day weight of 30 pounds for 10 bass.

A shad kill is taking place at the lake because of extremely cold water that is 38 to 42 degrees. That has slowed the striper activity on the south end. Anglers speculate that stripers are gorging on dying shad and aren’t biting as much.

For crappie, try the midlake area with minnows or jigs 15 to 20 feet deep around wood cover.

Mike Whitehouse at Hickory Creek Marina said crappie are biting Bobby Garland crappie lures 12 feet deep around wood cover. An angler caught a 25-pound striper while fishing for crappie with a jig, Whitehouse said.

He recommends using shad, brood minnows or jigging spoons to target stripers in the Point 12 area.

BEAVER TAILWATER Lisa Mullins at the Beaver Dam Store said power generation takes place most mornings and evenings.

Try nightcrawlers or Power Bait in low flows. The top lures are small spoons or Flicker Shads. The best flies are pheasant tails, midges and hare’s ears.

A shad kill is taking place at Beaver Lake and shad are coming through the dam during power generation. Try fishing during generation with small white jigs or other lures that resemble shad.

LAKE FAYETTEVILLE David Powell at the lake office said black bass are biting jerk baits and crank baits.

Joe Kelly of Fayetteville fished from shore Feb. 1 along the dam and caught eight black bass with jerk baits.

Try small jigs for crappie 18 to 24 feet deep. Anglers report having to weed through lots of small crappie to get 10-inch keepers. LAKE SEQUOYAH

Mike McBride at the lake bait shop said crappie are biting fair on jigs or minnows eight feet deep. Try liver for catfish. Black bass fishing is slow.

SWEPCO LAKE Kenny Stroud said big largemouth bass have been caught in the evening with soft plastics. An angler caught a 7-pounder one evening and a 5-pounder on another evening trip.

Plastic worms rigged any style are working.

EASTERN OKLAHOMA Black bass at Lake Eucha are biting Alabama rigs and jerk baits, Stroud said. Try for crappie with minnows 10 to 15 feet deep. SILOAM SPRINGS, CRYSTAL LAKES

Stroud recommends using minnows for crappie 10 to 15 feet deep.

BELLA VISTA

Nick Gann at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said trout at Lake Brittany are biting well on Power Bait or Buoyant spoons.

Black bass are Lake Windsor are biting Alabama rigs, jerk baits or swim baits.

TABLE ROCK LAKE Pete Wenners at Pete’s Professional Guide Service said black bass fishing is tough. Try Alabama rigs, jerk baits, or jig and pigs 10 to 20 feet deep. Work bluff ends and channel swings.