NWA FISHING REPORT

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Beaver Lake: Anglers are finding fair crappie fishing in the middle portion of Beaver Lake.

James Whittle at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said crappie are biting 20 feet deep on jigs or minnows around submerged trees or brush piles. The best fishing is from Hickory Creek park to Horseshoe Bend park.

Black bass fishing is tough. Try top-water lures at first light. Go to a small plastic worm on a drop-shot rig and fish along points later in the day.

Walleye are biting nightcrawlers rigged on a bottom bouncer. Striped bass are biting at night near Point 5. Anglers are running Bomber crank baits behind downriggers 30 to 40 feet deep, Whittle said.

Jason Piper at J.T. Crappie Guide Services said crappie are suspended off the bottom in the middle portion of Beaver Lake. Use a curly-tail grub, tube jig or minnow near timber in 30 to 40 feet of water. Fish from the bottom up toward the surface.

Garland Villines at Hickory Creek Marina said catfish are being caught with jug lines. Use sunfish for bait to catch flatheads. Use hot dogs to catch channel catfish.

White River below Beaver Dam: Nancy Rose at the Beaver Dam Store said trout are biting corn, red worms or Power Bait. Yellow, orange or white are good Power Bait colors.

The top lures are black/ white micro jigs, Flicker Shads and gold spoons. Fly anglers are doing well with red zebra midges, or woolly buggers in black or olive.

Lake Fayetteville: Dolly Black at Lake Fayetteville boat dock said bluegill are biting worms or crickets 2 to 12 feet deep. Try spinner baits or plastic worms for black bass.

Lake Sequoyah: Mike McBride at Lake Sequoyah bait shop said fishing is good for bluegill. Use crickets or worms 3 to 10 feet deep.

Black bass fishing is fair with spinner baits or plastic worms. Catfish are fair on liver or cut shad.

Lake Elmdale: Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said bluegill are biting worms 2 to 8 feet deep. Try a slowsinking wacky worm for black bass.

Prairie Grove Lake: Dennis Kruse, lake manager, said there was little fishing activity during Labor Day weekend. Try crickets or worms 2 to 10 feet deep near weeds or brush.

The lake is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Only paddlecraft or electric motors are allowed.

Siloam Springs Lake: Kenny Stroud at BW Outdoors in Siloam Springs said black bass are biting fair on soft plastics. Keep a small topwater lure tied on in case bass school on the surface.

Illinois River: Stroud recommends using a tube bait, 4-inch plastic lizard or a Zoom Tiny Brush Hog for black bass.

Bella Vista: Harvey Horne at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass are biting plastic worms, jigs or crank baits at lakes Ann, Windsor and at Loch Lomond. Try a small plastic worm on a drop-shot rig at all other Bella Vista lakes.

Bluegill are biting 12 to 20 feet deep at all the lakes on crickets or worms. Catfish are biting cut shad or nightcrawlers at all Bella Vista lakes.

Upper Table Rock Lake: J.D. Fletcher at Eagle Rock, Mo. reports little fishing activity. Try top-water lures at first light. Use plastic worms or jigs along rocky points later in the day.

Eastern Oklahoma: The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports fair largemouth bass fishing at Grand Lake with spinner baits. White bass are surfacing and can be caught with spoons, jigs or crank baits.

At Lake Eucha, crappie fishing is fair with minnows or jigs 10 feet deep. Catfish are fair on worms.

Outdoor, Pages 6 on 09/05/2013