NWA FISHING REPORT

Beaver Lake: Jerk baits are the top lure for black bass, reports John Hodge at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers.

Work shad-colored jerk baits around points and chunk rock banks, he advises.

Crawdad-colored crank baits are also working.

Points and rocky banks are the best places to fish.

Crappie fishing is fair on the south end of the lake with jigs. A black jig with a chartreuse tail is a good color. Work jigs 5 feet deep under a float in 15 feet of water.

Stripers are biting in the Monte Ne and Prairie Creek areas on shad 15 feet deep.

Average water temperature is 44 degrees.

Garland Villines at Hickory Creek Marina said a few crappie have been caught with jigs and minnows, but fishing is slow.

Try a black or red tube jig with a chartreuse tail 10 to 20 feet deep.

Few anglers are fishing for black bass, he said.

Jason Piper at J.T. Crappie Guide Services said crappie fishing is best in the afternoon. Look for crappie suspended around bluffs and pole timber or large

docks. Use a small swim

bait or grub a few feet

deep.

Good areas to fish include

White River arm, Pine Creek,

Eden’s Bluff and Monte Ne.

White River below Beaver Dam: Lisa Mullins at the Beaver Dam Store said trout are biting nightcrawlers injected with air. Orange or yellow Power Bait is working, she said.

The top lures are gold spoons, Flicker Shads or micro jigs. Fly fishermen are catching trout with olive or red midges, gray sowbugs or scuds and black woolly buggers.

Lake Fayetteville: Dollie Black at Lake Fayetteville boat dock suggest fishing and deep with jigs for crappie.

Lake Sequoyah: Mike McBride at Lake Sequoyah boat dock said black bass are biting crank baits and plastic worms fished deep.

Crappie fishing is good with jigs or minnows 3 to 5 feet deep.

Lake Elmdale: Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat recommends trying for black bass with a jig and pig. Green or brown are good colors.

Swepco Lake: Kenny Stroud at BW Outdoors in Siloam Springs said black bass are biting plastic worms 1 to 20 feet deep. Rig them Carolina or shaky-head style.

Bella Vista: Justin McClelland at Hook, Line and Sinker said fishing is good for black bass with jerk baits at all Bella Vista lakes. Alabama rigs are starting to work, he said.

Trout fishing is excellent at Lake Brittany with Power Eggs or Little Cleo spoons.

Upper Table Rock Lake: J.D. Fletcher at Eagle Rock, Mo., recommends trying for black bass with jerk baits, crawdad-colored crank baits, jig and pigs or tube baits.

Work them along chunkrock banks.

Eastern Oklahoma: The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation said catfishing is excellent at Grand Lake with cut bait fished deep.

Black bass at Grand are fair on plastic worms or jigs.

Lake Eucha is 15 feet low.

Crappie are fair on minnows or jigs 14 to 16 feet deep.

Outdoor, Pages 5 on 01/24/2013

Upcoming Events