BEAVER LAKE
Fishing is good for all species, reports Steve McClelland at Hickory Creek Marina.
Striped bass are biting in the area of Point 12 and upstream into the White and War Eagle river arms. Use shad or brood minnows 2 to 15 feet deep.
Crappie fishing is good with minnows or jigs. A good jig color is a black or red body with a chartreuse tail. The best fishing depth varies from day to day, McClelland said.
Black bass are biting plastic worms fished on a Carolina rig, or crank baits.
James Whittle at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said crappie fishing is good on the south end of the lake, from Hickory Creek park upstream into the river arms. Minnows are working best. Jig fishermen should use a black and chartreuse jig, Whittle said. Limits of large crappie are reported. The daily limit is 15 at Beaver Lake and crappie must be 10 inches or longer to keep.
Black bass fishing is good with crank baits and spinner baits along chunk-rock banks. Striped bass are biting shad or brood minnows in the Prairie Creek and Rocky Branch areas. The white bass run isn’t in full swing yet, Whittle said.
BEAVER TAILWATER
Lisa Mullins at Beaver Dam Store said trout fishing is good with Power Bait in bright colors. Tip the bait with a waxworm or nightcrawler for best results.
The top lures for trout are Flicker Shads, countdown Rapalas or small spoons. The best fishing with lures is downstream from Bertrand access, Mullins said. Productive flies include pheasant-tails, hare’s ears or egg patterns.
LAKE FAYETTEVILLE
Angela Perea at the lake office said fishing is good for bluegill, crappie and black bass.
Use jigs or minnows 15 feet deep for crappie. Try crickets or worms five feet deep for bluegill. Black bass are biting Zoom Flukes.
LAKE SEQUOYAH
Mike McBride at the lake bait shop said crappie are biting jigs or minnows six feet deep. Black bass fishing is good with spinner baits or crank baits. Try liver or shad for catfish.
LAKE ELMDALE
Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said black bass are biting plastic worms in dark colors. Crappie fishing is fair with minnows or jigs.
SWEPCO LAKE
Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said black bass are biting plastic worms or swim baits two to 20 feet deep.
BELLA VISTA
Harvey Horne at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass are biting jerk baits, jigs and Alabama rigs at all Bella Vista Lakes. Bluegill are biting worms or crickets eight to 12 feet deep.
EASTERN OKLAHOMA
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports excellent crappie fishing at Grand Lake with minnows or jigs 10 to 15 feet deep around docks. White bass fishing is excellent in the Spring and Neosho river arms with minnows or minnow-style lures.
At Lake Eucha, crappie fishing is fair with minnows or jigs around brush. Catfish are biting cut bait or shad.
TABLE ROCK LAKE
Pete Wenners at Pete’s Professional Guide Service said black bass are biting spinner baits, grubs and crank baits. Try creek arms and main lake points.