NWA Fishing Report

Beaver Lake: Summertime fishing tactics are the norm this week at Beaver Lake.

James Whittle at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said black bass are biting top-water lures at dawn and dusk. Use jigs or plastic worms 10 to 25 feet deep later in the day.

Jigging spoons continue to produce a mixed catch of fish that may include white bass, black bass, walleye or stripers. Work gravel points and flats 20 to 35 feet deep.

Crappie are biting 8 to 25 feet deep on minnows and jigs fished in the shade of docks or around brush piles. The midlake area is the best place to fish.

Mike Whitehouse at Hickory Creek Marina said the lake was busy with recreational traffic over the holiday weekend and not much fishing. Garland Villines at the marina said last week said a few crappie had been caught 20 to 25 feet deep with minnows or jigs around brush piles. The top jig color is a chartreuse tail with a red or black body.

Beaver Tailwater: Nancy Rose at the Beaver Dam store said trout fishing is good on Power Bait in bright colors. Tip the bait with a waxworm for even better fishing.

Effective lures include small spoons and small jigs. The hot jig color is orange and chartreuse.

The top flies are midges, or small woolly buggers in olive or black.

Lake Fayetteville: Dolly Black at Lake Fayetteville boat dock said all fishing is slow.

Lake Sequoyah: Mike McBride at Lake Sequoyah boat dock said catfish are biting liver, nightcrawlers or cut bait. Try buzz baits, spinner baits or plastic worms for black bass.

Bluegill are biting worms or crickets at any depth.

Lake Elmdale: Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said fishing is good for bluegill and redear with crickets or worms. Try minnows or jigs 6 feet deep for crappie. Go with shallow-diving crank baits or dark-colored plastic worms for black bass.

Siloam Springs Lake: Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs recommends using top-water lures at dawn and dusk for black bass. Go with plastic worms at midday.

Illinois River: Stroud recommends using small tube baits, Zoom Tiny Brush Hogs or Rooster Tails to catch black bass.

Bella Vista: Harvey Horne at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass are biting top-water lures and single-tail grubs at dawn and dusk. Try plastic worms or deep-diving crank baits later in the day.

Catfish are biting fair at Loch Lomond and Lake Windsor on liver or nightcrawlers.

Eastern Oklahoma: Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said black bass are biting top-water lures at first light. Use large plastic worms in dark colors for nighttime fishing.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation said catfish are biting fair on cut bait and stink bait around flats. A few largemouth bass have been caught with crank baits and plastic worms.

-- Compiled by Flip Putthoff

Outdoors on 09/04/2014

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