NWA FISHING REPORT

Beaver Lake: Much-needed rain that fell last week has brought muddy water to the south end of the Lake.

Garland Villines at Hickory Creek Marina said the water is muddy at Hickory Creek park and areas upstream. The water begins to clear in the Eden’s Bluff and Horseshoe Bend areas, he said.

Villines said anglers are trying for crappie near Horseshoe Bend. They report catching a few, but the fishing is slow. Try jigs 5 to 20 feet deep around bluffs.

Black bass are biting near Horseshoe Bend on Alabama rigs and spinner baits, he said.

John Hodge at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said black bass are biting jerk baits, jigs and Alabama rigs worked along points and rocky shorelines.

Striped bass are biting around the islands north of the Arkansas 12 bridge and near Point 5. Try shad or troll an umbrella rig.

For crappie, try the Horseshoe Bend area with jigs 8 to 10 feet deep.

Jason Piper at J.T. Crappie Guide Services said crappie bite best on warm, sunny afternoons. Work tube jigs, curly-tail grubs or swim baits 10 feet deep around docks and bluffs.

Good areas to fish include Pine Creek, Eden’s Bluff and Monte Ne.

White River below Beaver Dam: Lisa Mullins at the Beaver Dam store said trout are biting Power Bait tipped with a waxworm.

The top lures are Super Dupers or Colorado spoons in red and gold or fire-tiger Rapalas.

Midges or woolly buggers are the best flies.

Lake Fayetteville: Dollie Black at Lake Fayetteville boat dock recommends jerk baits for catching black bass.

Lake Sequoyah: Mike McBride at Lake Sequouyah bait shop said the lake is clearing after being muddy from last week’s rain.

Black bass fishing is good with crank baits. Catfishing is good with shad or liver.

Crappie are slow.

Lake Elmdale: Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat suggests using a green jig and pig for black bass. Fish the jig slow 15 to 25 feet deep on the bottom.

Swepco Lake: Kenny Stroud at BW Outdoors in Siloam Springs said largemouth bass are biting plastic worms and lizards or Zoom Brush Hogs rigged Carolina style. Shakyhead plastic worms are also working.

Siloam Springs Lake: Stroud said crappie are biting minnows 6 to 8 feet deep.

Bella Vista: Harvey Horne at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass fishing is good at all Bella Vista lakes on jigs or crawdad-colored crank baits. Bass are shallow, he said.

Trout fishing is good at Lake Brittany on Power Bait or small spoons. Big trout continue to be caught, Horne said.

Upper Table Rock Lake: J.

D. Fletcher at Eagle Rock, Mo., recommends using spinner baits or jerk baits in the backs of coves and along points.

Eastern Oklahoma: The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports fair crappie fishing at Lake Eucha on minnows or jigs near the dam. Largemouth bass are fair on plastic worms.

The lake is 11 feet below normal.

At Grand Lake, crappie fishing is good in the Neosho River arm on black/chartreuse jigs. Catfishing is excellent with cut shad. Largemouth bass fishing is slow.

Outdoor, Pages 6 on 02/07/2013

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