NWA FISHING REPORT

Beaver Lake: Catfish are on the prowl at night and can be caught with trotlines, jug lines, limb lines or rod and reel.

Aaron Jolliff at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said trotlines have been the best method lately. Small sunfish are the best bait.

Black bass fishing is tough, he said. Best to be on the water at first light and use top-water lures. After sunrise, go with a 4-inch plastic worm on a drop-shot rig 20 to 25 feet deep. Points are good places to fish. Deep-diving crank baits are worth a try for bass, Jolliff said.

For nighttime bass fishing, use dark colored spinner baits or big plastic worms. The best striper fishing is at night with shad or brood minnows 20 to30 feet deep.

Trolling for crappie remains good with Bandit 300 crank baits. Troll in creek arms that have timber.

Jason Piper at J.T. Crappie Guide Services said first light is the best time to fish for crappie. Fish with minnows, jigs or curly-tail grubs 20 feet deep under docks and along bluffs and pole timber.

Trolling crank baits over main lake flats has also been productive, Piper said.

Night fishing under lights has been good 10 feet deep over water that is 25 to 50 feet deep. Good areas to fish include White River arm, Eden’s Bluff, Horseshoe Bend and Monte Ne.

Mike Whitehouse at Hickory Creek Marina said walleye arebiting nightcrawler rigs near the cut at Horseshoe Bend.

Crappie are scattered and few are being caught. Try minnows or jig 10 to 20 feet deep.

White River below Beaver Dam: Nancy Rose at the Beaver Dam Store said trout are biting a combination of yellow and orange Power Bait.

The top flies are black or olive woolly buggers or gray sowbugs. Best lures are gold Flicker Shads or micro jigs.

Lake Fayetteville: Dolly Black at Lake Fayetteville boat dock said bluegill are biting crickets or worms 6 to 10 feet deep. Crappie and white bass are biting minnows or jigs 6 to 10 feet deep.

Lake Sequoyah: Mike McBride at Lake Sequoyah bait shop said black bass arebiting top-water lures, plastic worms or spinner baits at sunrise. Crappie have slowed, but a few are coming in on jigs or minnows 8 to 10 feet deep.

Catfish are biting liver, shad or sunfish. Use worms or crickets for bluegill.

Lake Elmdale: Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said worms are working to catch bluegill, redear, catfish and crappie.

For black bass, try buzz baits or top-water frogs at sunrise. Use plastic worms later in the day.

Prairie Grove Lake: Dennis Kruse, lake manager, said black bass are biting topwater lures early. Bluegill fishing is excellent with crickets or worm.

The lake is open Saturdays and Sundays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Only paddlecraft or electric motors may be used.

Bella Vista: Harvey Horne at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass are schooling at first light at lakes Windsor and Loch Lomond.

Catch them with small topwater lures or curly-tail grubs.

Try buzz baits for bass at sunrise or sunset at all Bella Vista lakes. Go with plastic worms or Bass X Jigs later in the day.

Siloam Springs Lake: Kenny Stroud at BW Outdoors in Siloam Springs suggests using top-water frogs or buzz baits at first light and dusk.

Use plastic worms during midday.

Illinois River: Stroudrecommends using tube baits, Rooster Tails or Zoom Tiny Brush Hogs for black bass.

Upper Table Rock Lake: J.D. Fletcher at Eagle Rock, Mo., suggests using top-water lures at first light for black bass. Try tube baits later in the day.

Use jig and pigs at night for black bass.

Eastern Oklahoma: Stroud said black bass at Lake Eucha are biting at night on plastic worms, jigs or spinner baits in dark colors.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports good largemouth bass fishing at Grand Lake with crank baits and spinner baits.

Catfishing is excellent on cut bait.