Beaver Lake: Crappie are biting, but anglers should fish deeper than usual because of a rising lake level.
Garland Villines at Hickory Creek Marina recommends fishing 5 to 10 feet deep for crappie as the water comes up. Try minnows, or jigs with a chartreuse tail and black or red body.
Striped bass have been caught in the White River arm by trolling crank baits, Villines said. White bass are schooling in the Hickory Creek area and can be caught with small top-water lures or spoons. Black bass are biting Alabama rigs, plastic worms or jerk baits.
Catfish have been caught with jug lines. James Gregory caught flathead catfish of 30 and 15 pounds while jug fishing with sunfish for bait.
John Hodge at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said gravel banks are the best places to fish for black bass that are preparing to spawn. Try a plastic worm on a split-shot rig, or use a Senko or Zoom Fluke. Spinner baits and jerk baits are also working.
Crappie are around brush or lay-down trees. Fish 2 to 6 feet deep with minnows or jigs.
Striped bass are biting along main-lake gravel flats 15 to 30 feet deep. Try shad or brood minnows.
Average water temperature is 58 to 62 degrees.
Jason Piper at J.T. Crappie Guide Services said crappie are in all modes of spawning.
Catch them close to shore around lay-down trees, flooded logs and in pockets.
Try a swim bait or tube jig 2 to 5 feet deep. Prespawn and post-spawn crappie are suspended 10 feet deep along gravel banks.
Good areas to try include White River arm, Pine Creek, Eden’s Bluff and Monte Ne.
White River below Beaver Dam: Nancy Rose at the Beaver Dam Store said rainbow and brown trout are biting. Try Power Bait, nightcrawlers or worms.
The top lures are small spoons, micro jigs and Flicker Shads. Top flies are woolly buggers and olive or red midges.
White bass can be caught in the Houseman Access area on minnows or lures that imitate them.
Lake Fayetteville: Dolly Black at Lake Fayetteville boat dock said all species arebiting. Black bass are hitting jerk baits. Bluegill are biting crickets or worms 10 feet deep.
Crappie are biting minnows or jigs 8 feet deep. Try liver for catfish.
Lake Sequoyah: Mike McBride at Lake Sequoyah bait shop said crappie are biting minnows or jigs 1 to 4 feet deep. Spinner baits are working for black bass. Liver or shad are the best catfish baits.
Lake Elmdale: Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said some big largemouth bass have been caught lately.
Mike Silk of Rogers caught an 8-pound largemouth on April 24 with a finesse worm. Jason Cossey boated a 7-pounder on Saturday with a jig and pig.
Crappie are fair with minnows or jigs 5 feet deep.
Swepco Lake: Kenny Stroud at BW Outdoors in Siloam Springs said black bass are biting plastic worms or lizards. Try spinner baits on windy days.
Siloam Springs Lake: Stroud recommends using plastic worms for black bass.
Illinois River: Stroud recommends using tube baits, grubs or small lizards for black bass.
Prairie Grove Lake: Manager Dennis Kruse said black bass fishing was good last weekend with plastic worms, spinner baits and jerk baits. Crappie fishing was slow, but some were caught with minnows.
The lake is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Only paddlecraft or electric motors may be used.
Bella Vista: Justin McClelland at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass fishing is good at all Bella Vista lakes with plastic worms or jig and pigs.
Bluegill fishing is fair at all lakes with crickets or worms 12 to 20 feet deep.
Upper Table Rock Lake: J.D. Fletcher at Eagle Rock, Mo., said spotted bass are biting tube baits and plastic worms along all types of shorelines. Try minnows, jigs or Beetle Spins for crappie.
Eastern Oklahoma: The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation said largemouth bass fishing is good on a variety of lures.
Crappie are biting minnows or jigs 5 to 10 feet deep.
Crappie are biting minnows 5 to 10 feet deep.
At Lake Eucha, crappie fishing is excellent with minnows 4 to 6 feet deep.
Largemouth bass are fair on jerk baits and crank baits.
Outdoor, Pages 6 on 05/02/2013