NWA Fishing Report

Beaver Lake: White bass are biting from the bottom to the surface. Spotted bass are somewhere in between.

John Newlun at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers reports that spotted bass are suspended 15 to 20 feet deep over deeper water. Newlun said he's been catching them along steep gravel points in the Rocky Branch area. He's using a small plastic worm on a drop-shot rig or a Spin Bait 80 crank bait.

White bass are biting jigging spoons worked 25 to 35 feet deep near the bottom in the midlake area during the morning. Try gravel points, bays or flats. Bob Ross caught and released a 45-inch striped bass on Sunday with a jigging spoon in the Rocky Branch area.

Look for schools of white bass to surface anytime, anywhere on the lake, Newlun said. All lures that resemble shad should work for surfacing white bass.

Crappie fishermen report catching crappie in the shade of docks 10 to 20 feet deep. Jigs and minnows may both work.

Walleye fishing is fair, Newlun said. One method is to troll Bandit 300 crank baits in creek arms or over flats.

Average water temperature is 81 to 83 degrees.

Garland Villines at Hickory Creek Marina said catfish are biting stink bait or sunfish.

Crappie can be caught by trolling Bandit 300 crank baits or by fishing black/chartreuse jigs 20 feet deep near brush.

Beaver tailwater: Nancy Rose at the Beaver Dam Store said trout fishing is good with white or pink Power Bait tipped with a waxworm.

Action on flies has slowed, she said. Try midges or small woolly buggers.

The top lures are small jigs in dark colors of gold/nickel Colorado spoons.

Lake Fayetteville: Dolly Black at Lake Fayetteville boat dock said all fishing is slow. Try worms or crickets for bluegill.

Lake Sequoyah: Mike McBride at Lake Sequoyah bait shop said the lake is muddy from rain and should remain muddy through the weekend.

Muddy water has turned on the catfish, he said. Catfish are biting liver, sunfish or goldfish.

Lake Elmdale: Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said black bass fishing is best at night with plastic worms or spinner baits in dark colors.

Try liver or cut bait for catfish. Go with minnows for crappie fished 7 feet deep.

Prairie Grove Lake: Dennis Kruse, lake manager, said fishing has improved with rain and cooler weather. Bass are biting buzz baits or other surface lures. Use spinner baits later in the day.

Bluegill are biting well on crickets or worms. Catfish are biting live bait or cut bait.

Bella Vista: Harvey Horne at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass are biting plastic worms, spinner baits or deep-diving crank baits at all Bella Vista lakes.

Bluegill are biting crickets or worms 12 to 18 feet deep at lakes Ann and Windsor. Catfish are biting well at Loch Lomond and Lake Windsor on cut bait or liver.

Siloam Springs Lake: Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said black bass are biting top-water lures early and plastic worms later in the day.

Eastern Oklahoma: Stroud said black bass are biting at night at Lake Eucha on spinner baits or large plastic worms in dark colors. Deep-diving crank baits may also work.

At Grand Lake, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation said catfishing is fair with stink bait or cut bait along flats.

Black bass are slow. A few have been caught with crank baits or plastic worms.

-- Compiled by Flip Putthoff

Outdoors on 08/14/2014

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