NWA Fishing Report

BEAVER LAKE

The water is cooling, but not enough to chill summertime fishing methods.

Aaron Jolliff at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said black bass fishing is still best at night with dark-colored spinner baits or big plastic worms. Work plastic worms around brush piles.

Top-water fishing for bass may be productive from first light to sunrise.

Try trolling crank baits for crappie. Use nightcrawler rigs or jigging spoons for walleye. Average surface water temperature is in the upper 70s.

Striped bass fishing is best on the north end of the lake with shad or brood minnows. Fish 20 feet deep over deeper water. Use crickets or worms for bluegill.

BEAVER TAILWATER

Lisa Mullins at Beaver Dam Store reports good trout fishing with Power Bait in bright colors. Combine it with a waxworm for best results. Nightcrawlers injected with air are good to use.

Fly fishing for trout is good with size 16 midges. Red and silver or copper and gold are good colors. Brown is a good choice.

A white streamer that imitates threadfin shad is worth a try.

The best lures are size 6 or 7 Flicker Shads or small spoons. Gold and red or gold and silver are good spoon colors. Power generation at the dam has decreased significantly so wade-fishing conditions are good.

LAKE FAYETTEVILLE

David Powell at the lake office said the water is cooling down. Black bass are biting spinner baits and crank baits.

Try a spider rig for crappie. Bait the rig with minnows 8 feet deep over deeper water. Jigs may also work. Blue and white is a good color.

LAKE SEQUOYAH

Mike Carver at the lake office said catfish are biting well on cut bait or nightcrawlers. Bluegill fishing is good with crickets or worms fished close to shore.

Black bass are moving into shallower water and biting plastic worms. Crappie fishing is slow. Catching them by trolling crank baits is a possibility.

BELLA VISTA

Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista recommends fishing for bluegill with worms or crickets six to 20 feet deep at all Bella

Vista lakes. For black bass, try deep-diving crank baits, swim baits or plastic worms. Top water lures may work between first light and sunrise.

SWEPCO LAKE

Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said top-water action for black bass has improved. Strikes on surface lures are possible any time of day or night.

Night is still the best time for black bass fishing. A variety of soft-plastic lures are working.

ILLINOIS RIVER Stroud recommends fishing for black bass with buzz baits, Tiny Torpedo top-water lures, tube baits or grubs.

EASTERN OKLAHOMA

Fish at night for black bass at Lake Eucha with big plastic worms. Try top-water lures at first light and sunset, Stroud recommends.

TABLE ROCK LAKE

Focused Fishing guide service reports black bass are hitting top-water lures from first light to sunset. Work them along steep, rocky banks. For deeper fish, try a drop-shot rig 25 to 30 feet deep along gravel banks.