NWA Fishing Report

BEAVER LAKE

Black bass are biting shallow and deep.

Reese Jones at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said bass are biting top-water lures at dawn and dusk and on cloudy days. Fish deeper with crank baits, spinner baits, plastic worms or jig and pigs. Creek arms are good areas to fish.

Crappie are biting 20 to 30 feet deep around brush and docks. Striped bass fishing is slow. Brood minnows are the best bait trolled 20 to 30 feet deep between Rocky Branch and Lost Bridge parks. Reports are spotty on walleye and catfish. Average surface water temperature is in the upper 60s.

Southtown Sporting Goods in Fayetteville reports fair striped bass fishing with top-water lures at dawn and dusk. Crappie are biting minnows 10 to 12 feet deep around brush.

BEAVER TAILWATER

Guide Austin Kennedy recommends fishing for trout with Firebait and Fireballs. Fishing is good on all seven miles of the tailwater. The best fishing is early morning. Fish the deep pools on sunny days.

For walleye, head downstream to Holiday Island and troll with Flicker Shads that run 10 to 15 feet deep.

Power generation at Beaver Dam has been minimal, creating good conditions for wade fishing.

LAKE FAYETTEVILLE

David Powell at the lake office said crappie can be caught in shallow water on jigs from the public fishing dock. Bluegill are biting worms. Go with plastic worms rigged wacky style for black bass.

LAKE SEQUOYAH

Mike Carver at the lake office said flathead catfish are biting. Fish with live sunfish near the old White River bridge. Bluegill are biting all over the lake on crickets or worms. Try for white bass by trolling chrome-colored lures. Black bass fishing is best on the upstream end of the lake on a variety of lures.

BELLA VISTA

Chip Wiseman at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass are biting at all Bella Vista lakes on crank baits, jerk baits, plastic worms and Alabama rigs.

Catfish are biting nightcrawlers or cut bait. Try for bluegill 10 to 15 feet deep with worms. For crappie, fish near rock ledges 10 to 12 feet deep with minnows or jigs.

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 all types of soft plastic lures including plastic worms and grubs. Try top-water lures at dawn and dusk.

SILOAM SPRINGS, CRYSTAL LAKES

Stroud recommends fishing for black bass early with squarebill crank baits, top-water lures or plastic worms.

ILLINOIS RIVER

Black bass are biting tube baits, Rebel Wee Crawfish lures, grubs and buzz baits, Stroud suggests. Fishing is best in low water.

EASTERN OKLAHOMA The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports good fishing at Grand Lake for largemouth bass with crank baits and spinner baits around brush and docks. Catfish are biting well on cut bait.

At Lake Tenkiller, fishing is fair for black bass with jerk baits, spinner baits and plastic worms. Crappie are biting fair on minnows or hair jigs around brush and docks. White bass fishing is fair with Alabama rigs or crank baits.

TABLE ROCK LAKE

Focused Fishing Guide Service reports black bass fishing is good on square- bill crank baits and spinner baits in the Long Creek arm. Best fishing is on the Arkansas side of the arm.

Over the rest of the lake, try top- water lures, spinner baits, crank baits or jig and pigs. Banks and points of gravel and rock mix are good to try. Flip a jig and pig around docks. Bass are moving into shallow water lakewide.