NWA Fishing Report

BEAVER LAKE

Striped bass fishing is good, but it takes some looking to find them.

Jon Conklin, fishing guide, said the best fishing is along the entire southern half of the lake. Use electronics to find schools of shad and stripers should be close by.

Crappie are biting minnows or jigs fished on a spider rig at various depths over flats. They are also bunched up around brush 10 to 20 feet deep and biting minnows or jigs. Try jerk baits, jig and pigs or crank baits for black bass. Water temperature is in the low 40s.

BEAVER TAILWATER

Austin Kennedy, fishing guide, recommends fishing for trout with prepared baits such as Berkley Power Bait, Power Eggs or Pautzke Fire Bait. Small spoons or small jigs may also work. The area around U.S. 62 bridge has been good for trout. Walleye fishing should improve through February.

Power generation at Beaver Dam may take place on chilly mornings and also in the evening. This creates higher water and swifter flow.

LAKE FAYETTEVILLE

Lake Fayetteville Marina reports the lake has thawed but there has been little fishing activity. Try for crappie with minnows or jigs at various depths. Go with jerk baits or jig and pigs for black bass.

LAKE SEQUOYAH

Angler Mike McBride said the lake has thawed but there has been no fishing activity and no reports. Crappie usually bite jigs in the winter near the old White River bridge or near the pilings of the one-lane bridge across the lake.

BELLA VISTA

Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista recommends fishing for black bass with Alabama rigs or jig and pigs. Trout are biting well at Lake Brittany on white or yellow Power Eggs or small gold and red spoons.

Please note that fishing in Bella Vista is open only to POA members and their guests.

SWEPCO LAKE

Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said black bass are biting any soft plastic lure rigged any style.

EASTERN OKLAHOMA

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports fair fishing for black bass at Grand Lake. Try small lures or plastic worms along points and in coves. Crappie are biting fair on hair jigs or minnows around brush and docks. The bite is slow for catfish.

At Lake Tenkiller, crappie are biting fair on minnows or jigs around docks or brush on the main lake. Catfish are biting fair on liver, cut bait or shad. Black bass fishing is fair with crank baits, jig and pigs or plastic worms.

TABLE ROCK LAKE

Focused Fishing Guide Service said black bass can be caught 30 to 70 feet deep with a drop-shot rig or jigging spoon. Shallower fish can be caught with crawdad-colored crank baits. Fish where rock transitions to gravel. Jerk baits or jig and pigs may also work.