Beaver Lake: Fishing remains on the slow side at Beaver Lake. Average water temperature is 40 to 42 degrees. The water is muddy south of Horseshoe Bend park.
Striped bass are the most cooperative species, reports James Whittle at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers. Some striper fishing is taking place around Deer Island and Bear Island north of the Arkansas 12 bridge. Try brood minnows or shad 20 to 30 feet deep over deeper water. Key is finding stripers on a depth finder first or fish where gullsare feeding on shad.
An angler reported catching a 35-pound striper this week, Whittle said.
Black bass fishing is slow.
Whittle recommends using an Alabama rig, jerk bait or crawdad-colored crank bait.
Crappie have been caught in the midlake portion of Beaver. Try minnows 15 to 20 feet deep around brush.
Garland Villines at Hickory Creek Marina said no one is fishing in that area. The lake is muddy and the water temperature is 38 degrees.
Jason Piper at J.T. Crappie Guide Services said anglersshould find crappie suspended 10 to 20 feet deep over water that is 30 to 40 feet deep.Try a tube jig or Bobby Garland baby shad.
The best fishing will likely be on sunny afternoons.
Water temperature needs to reach the mid 40s before fishing improves.
Good areas to try for crappie include Pine Creek, Eden’s Bluff, Monte Ne and Horseshoe Bend.
White River below Beaver Dam: Lisa Mullins at the Beaver Dam Store said trout are biting Power Bait. It’s best to tip the bait with a waxworm. Worms or nightcrawlers are good to use.
Try small spoons or micro jigs. Good flies to use include olive or black woolly buggers, midges and sowbugs.
Lake Fayetteville: The lake is open after the seasonal closure, but Dolly Black at Lake Fayetteville boat dock said no one is fishing.
Lake Sequoyah: Mike McBride at Lake Sequoyah bait shop said anglers did well catching crappie last week.
Fishing was good with jigs or minnows 4 to 10 feet deep.
Lake Atalanta: James Whittle at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said trout fishing is excellent with white Power Bait.
Swepco Lake: Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said fishing has slowed, but largemouth bass can be caught. Use finesse worms in green colors 2 to 20 feet deep. Rig them on a drop-shot or shaky-head rig for the best results.
Bella Vista: Nick Gann at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said the best fishing in Bella Vista is at Lake Brittany for trout. Use Power Bait orsmall spoons.
All other fishing is “megaslow,” he said.
Upper Table Rock Lake: James Whittle at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said anglers report good black bass fishing with Alabama rigs.
Work them along rocky mainlake points.
Eastern Oklahoma: The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports fair crappie fishing on minnows 14 to 16 feet deep around brush and structure. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastic lures.
No report from Grand Lake.
Outdoor, Pages 6 on 01/23/2014