NWA Fishing Report

BEAVER LAKE

Bundle up and go fishing because winter is when some of the biggest largemouth bass of the year get caught.

Aaron Jolliff at Hook, Line and Sinker recommends using jerk baits, crank baits, spinner baits or jig and pigs to land a lunker bass. Alabama rigs are good tao use during winter.

Jerk baits and crank baits are also good for catching walleye. Points and rocky shorelines are good places to fish for walleye or black bass.

Try for striped bass from Prairie Creek park upstream into the White and War Eagle tributaries. Some big stripers, including a 30-pounder, have been caught near Point 12. Find schools of shad with a depth finder and stripers should be near.

Southtown Sporting Goods reports fair crappie fishing around timber along main river channel drop-offs. Use minnows or jigs 15 to 25 feet deep.

BEAVER TAILWATER Austin Kennedy, fishing guide, reports trout fishing is good one day, poor the next. Try Pautzke Fire baits on light tackle. The area around Spider Creek has been a good place to fish.

Try for walleye downstream near the town of Beaver. Work crank baits or jerk baits around weed lines and drop-offs.

LAKES FAYETTEVILLE, SEQUOYAH

Both lakes are closed. They will reopen on Jan. 15.

BELLA VISTA

Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista recommends fishing for black bass with jerk baits or Alabama rigs at all Bella Vista lakes. Try for bluegill with worms six to 10 feet deep. Trout at Lake Brittany are biting Power Bait or small spoons.

SWEPCO LAKE

Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs recommends fishing for black bass at Swepco Lake with plastic worms or swim baits.

ILLINOIS RIVER

Stroud recommends fishing for black bass with small jerk baits, jig and pigs or shad-colored grubs.

EASTERN OKLAHOMA Fish Lake Eucha for black bass with jerk baits, Stroud suggests.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports fair fishing at Lake Tenkiller for largemouth bass with jig and pigs, jerk baits and plastic worms. Fish around docks, points and ledges. Try for crappie with minnows or jigs around brush and docks.

TABLE ROCK LAKE

Focused Fishing guide service reports black bass continue to bite well 35 to 65 feet deep over the tops of trees in the middle of creek arms that have shad. If there are no shad, go to a different creek arm. Work a jigging spoon or swim bait over the treetops.

Jerk baits get bass to bite on windy days. Wind with cloud cover is even better. Channel swing banks with some timber are good places to fish.

Try a spider jig and trailer in the shade of docks 10 to 20 feet deep.