NORTHWEST ARKANSAS FISHING REPORT

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Beaver Lake: Walleye are the most cooperative species as the dog days approach.

Aaron Jolliff at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said walleye can be caught by trolling deep-diving crank baits and jerk baits.

Fishing is hit and miss he said. Troll along points and flats. Don’t forget that walleye must be 18 inches or longer to keep and the daily limit is four.

Black bass fishing is best at night on big plastic worms in dark colors.

Try dark-colored spinner baits or buzz baits.

Lee Winkler at Hickory Creek Marina said most black bass fishing is at night on big plastic worms. Work spinner baits at sunset.

Catfish are biting stink bait, worms or liver 5 to 10 feet deep.

Crappie and white bass can be caught at night under lights with minnows or jigs 12 feet deep. Eden’s Bluff is a good place to fish.

Jason Piper at J.T. Crappie Guide Services said crappie fishing is good in the morning with a jig and minnow combination worked along bluffs and standing timber. Work from the bottom up until fish are located.

Another option is to use a minnow under a slip bobber 10 to 20 feet deeep.

Good areas to fish include Horseshoe Bend, Prairie Creek, Monte Ne and Eden’s Bluff.

White River below Beaver Dam: Jessi Eardley at the Beaver Dam Store said trout are biting Power Bait, worms, nightcrawlers and waxworms.

The top lures are small spoons in orange/silver or chartreuse/silver.

Spoons in trout colors also work.

The best flies are midges and San Juan worms.

Lake Fayetteville: Dollie Black at Lake Fayetteville boat dock said catfish are biting liver and nightcrawlers.

Black bass are hitting a variety of lures. Bluegill are biting crickets.

Lake Sequoyah: Albert Lehman at Lake Sequoyah boat dock said blackbass are hitting black buzz baits at sunrise.

Some big fish are biting, but a lot are short strikers, he said.

Bluegill are biting below the Lake Sequoyah dam on worms or crickets.

Lake Elmdale: Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said bluegill fishing is excellent with crickets or worms 4 feet deep. Try the area near Grassy Flats.

Rocky Sisemore of Springdale caught a 4.5-pound channel catfish while bluegill fishing with worms.

Crappie can be caught 8 feet deep with minnows.

Bella Vista: Justin McClelland at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass fishing is good at Lake Windsor on jigs or crank baits 8 to 12 feet deep.

Bluegill are biting at lakes Ann or Avalon on crickets or worms 15 to 20 feet deep. Catfishing is good at Lake Ann with liver or nightcrawlers.

Illinois River: Siloam Springs angler Kenny Stroud said he has been catching largemouth bass with small jig and pigs, small lizards, Baby Brush Hogs and black buzz baits.

Upper Table Rock Lake: J.D. Fletcher at Eagle Rock, Mo., said white bass are being caught with Rooster Tails. Try top-water fishing at sunrise for black bass.

Eastern Oklahoma: Siloam Springs angler Kenny Stroud said black bass are biting early at W.R. Holway Reservoir on big plastic worms 10 to 35 feet deep. Rig them Texas style with a one-half ounce slip sinker.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports good largemouth bass fishing at Grand Lake on crank baits 20 feet deep.

Crappie are fair at Lake Eucha on minnows 12 feet deep. Bluegill fishing is good near grass beds.

At Lake Hudson, black bass are biting plastic worms or spinner baits.