Beaver Lake: Crappie fishing is steadily improving on the south end of Beaver Lake, reports Garland Villines at Hickory Creek Marina.
Minnows or jigs are working 5 to 15 feet deep around brush. Villines said he caught eight keeper-sized crappie on Monday and found the fish scattered. Crappie must be 10 inches or longer to keep at Beaver Lake. The daily limit is 15.
Black bass are biting jerk baits, crank baits and Alabama rigs, Villines said.
Aaron Jolliff at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said black bass are biting Alabama rigs, shad-colored jerk baits or crawdad-colored crank baits.
Good places to fish include points and creek arms.
Crappie are biting 6 to 12 feet deep around lay-down trees and other timber on the south end of the lake. Try a red jig with a chartreuse tail in the War Eagle arm.
Jason Piper at J.T.
Crappie Guide Services said the crappie bite has slowed with the chilly weather this week.
Try fishing for suspended crappie with minnows or jigs 10 to 15 feet deep close to pole timber near channels or ditches.
Good areas to fish include White River arm, Pine Creek, Point 12, Eden’s Bluff and Horseshoe Bend.
Lake Fayetteville: Dolly Black at Lake Fayetteville boat dock said white bass and crappie are biting minnows or jigs. Try crank baits or jerk baits for black bass.
Lake Sequoyah: MikeMcBride at Lake Sequoyah bait shop said crappie fishing is good with jigs or minnows 2 to 8 feet deep.
Try jerk baits or crank baits for black bass. Use liver for catfish.
Swepco Lake: Kenny Stroud at BW Outdoors in Siloam Springs said the Flint Creek Power Plant is shut down until May. Black bass fishing is tough.
Siloam Springs, Crystal lakes: Stroud said crappie are biting jigs 6 feet deep.
Illinois River: Stroud recommends using tubebaits to catch black bass.
Bella Vista: Justin McClelland at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said jerk baits or jigs are working for black bass at all Bella Vista lakes.
Crappie fishing is fair at lake Windsor and Ann on minnows or jigs 8 ot 10 feet deep.
Trout are biting at Lake Brittany on Power Bait or small spoons.
Upper Table Rock Lake: J.D. Fletcher at Eagle Rock, Mo., recommends using jerk baits for black bass. Work them around main-lakepoints or points in coves.
Eastern Oklahoma: Kenny Stroud at BW Outdoors in Siloam Springs said crappie are biting at Lake Eucha on minnows or jigs 10 feet deep. Try jerk baits for black bass.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports excellent catfishing with cut bait 10 to 30 feet deep on the north end of the lake.
Black bass are biting Alabama rigs, jigs or jerk baits.
Outdoor, Pages 9 on 03/21/2013