Beaver Lake: Black bass are biting a variety of lures at all areas of the lake, reports John Hodge at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers.
Bass are hitting top-water plugs, buzz baits or spinner baits worked around shallowcover. Jigs or plastic worms are an option for deeper fish. Try points 5 to 15 feet deep.
The crappie spawn is over, but crappie can be caught around pole timber with jigs or minnows. Trolling with a Bandit 300 Series crank
baits or Rapalas will work for crappie, Hodge said. A good color is red with a black back or the purple-tiger color. Troll near timber for
crappie. Troll along main-lake flats to target walleye and white bass.
Striped bass are schooling at the mouth of Cedar Creek and near the islands north of the Arkansas 12 bridge.
Catch them with top-water lures. Garland Villines at Hickory Creek Marina said catfish are being caught with jug lines and trotlines baited with sunfish.
For black bass, try spinner baits or crank baits shallow along points. Crappie fishing is slow.
Jason Piper at J.T. CrappieGuide Services said small curly-tailed grubs are the top lure for crappie.
Fish 8 to 15 feet deep over water that’s 20 to 25 feet deep.
Good areas to fish include Pine Creek, Eden’s Bluff, Monte Ne, Prairie Creek and Avoca Hollow.
Chris Johnson at Cabela’s said black bass fishing is good with top-water lures worked around bushes. White bass are schooling in the Rocky Branch and Horseshoe Bend areas. Catch them with top-water lures.
A few walleye have been caught by trolling crank baits 12 to 15 feet deep in the midlake area.
White River below Beaver Dam: Carl Caso at the Beaver Dam Store said trout are biting Power Bait, waxworms, red worms or nightcrawlers.
Good lures to try include gold/red spoons, white/ yellow Rooster Tails or Rapalas with a gold body and black back.
The top flies are midges and streamers.
Lake Fayetteville: Dolly Black at Lake Fayetteville boat dock said bluegill are biting crickets or worms. Try small jigs or minnows for crappie. Go with spinner baits or plastic worms for black bass.
Lake Sequoyah: Mike McBride at Lake Sequoyah bait shop said black bass fishing is good with spinner baits, crank baits and top-water lures.
Catfish are biting liver and shad.
Bluegill are biting worms or crickets fished close to shore
Lake Elmdale: Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said black bass are biting plastic worms or spinner baits.
For crappie, try minnows 18 inches deep near the boat ramp. Bluegill are biting crickets or worms 6 feet deep.
Prairie Grove Lake: Bluegill were the hot species over the holiday weekend, said DennisKruse, lake manager. Limits were caught with crickets, worms and small jigs.
Catfish are biting crickets or worms, along with stink bait.
For crappie, fish deep with minnows or jigs. Go with spinner baits or plastic worms for black bass.
The lake is open from 6 a.m.
to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Only paddlecraft or electric motors may be used.
Swepco Lake: Kenny Stroud at BW Outdoors in Siloam Springs recommends fishing slowly with plastic worms for black bass. Try top-water lures at sunrise and sunset.
Siloam Springs Lake: Stroud recommends using plastic worms for black bass.
Illinois River: Stroud recommends using grubs, tubes or small lizards for black bass.
Bella Vista: Black bass are biting well at all Bella Vista lakes on jigs or crank baits, reports Justin McClelland at Hook, LIne and Sinker in Bella Vista. Bluegill fishing is good at all the lakes with worms or crickets. Try liver or worms for catfish.
Upper Table Rock Lake: J.D. Fletcher at Eagle Rock, Mo., recommends using top-water plugs or buzz baits around cover at sunrise and sunset.
For midday fishing, try tube baits or soft jerk baits along gravel shorelines.
Eastern Oklahoma: Kenny Stroud at BW Outdoors in Siloam Springs said black bass at Lake Eucha are biting well on plastic lizards or worms.
Medium-diving crank baits are working, too.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation said largemouth bass at Grand Lake are biting jig and pigs.
Crappie are biting well on minnows or jigs.
Outdoor, Pages 6 on 05/30/2013