Beaver Lake: The best fishing is early morning or at night for all species, including catfish, black bass and crappie.
James Whittle at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said channel catfish are biting well for rod and reel anglers. Liver is the best bait. Other options are nightcrawlers and stink bait. The backs of coves are good places to fish.
The best way to catch flathead catfish is with jug lines or trotlines baited with small sunfish.
Black bass are biting big deep-diving crank baits from Monte Ne south into the White and War Eagle tributaries. Shad is a good color. So is chartreuse with a blue back. Work the lures 15 to 20 feet deep around points and ledges.
Crappie fishing is slow. Anglers are catching a few crappie around brush 15 to 25 feet deep with minnows or jigs. Trolling crank baits is another way to catch crappie, Whittle said. The most popular lure for trolling is the Bandit 3oo. The Bandit Mistake is the most popular color. One side of the lure is red and the other chartreuse.
Mike Whitehouse at Hickory Creek Marina said trolling is the best way to catch crappie and catfish. Bandit 300 crank baits and Flicker Shads are popular lures.
Walleye are biting nightcrawler rigs in the Horseshoe Bend area, he said.
Beaver tailwater: Tom Steinke at the Beaver Dam Store said the best trout fishing is early. Power generation takes place in the afternoon.
The top flies are nymphs, hare's ears, pheasant-tails and midges. The best lures are countdown Rapalas and Super Dupers. Power Bait combined with a waxworm is the best bait.
On the lake side of Beaver Dam, black bass are biting jig and pigs and plastic worms.
Lake Fayetteville: Angela Perea at the lake office said catfish are biting well on stink bait and worms. Bluegill fishing is good with crickets and worms. Try plastic worms or spinner baits for black bass.
Lake Sequoyah: Mike McBride at the lake bait shop said black bass fishing is best at dawn. Use top-water lures or spinner baits.
Catfish are biting liver or shad. Bluegill are biting all varieties of bait including crickets and worms.
Swepco Lake: Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said black bass at Swepco Lake are biting plastic worms two to 20 feet deep. Try top-water lures at dawn and dusk.
Illinois River: Stroud suggests using small tube baits or plastic worms for black bass.
Bella Vista: Justin McClelland at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass fishing is good at night on crank baits, spinner baits and large plastic worms. Try top-water lures at dawn and dusk.
Bluegill are biting well on crickets or worms 12 to 15 feet. There is fair fishing for catfish with shrimp or nightcrawlers.
Eastern Oklahoma: The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports good fishing for crappie on Grand Lake with minnows or jigs 10 feet deep around docks and brush. Blue and channel catfish are fair on shad at 15-45 feet deep in the main lake and around rocks.
Table Rock Lake: The Missouri Department of Conservation reports fair fishing for black bass with crank baits around shad schools. Bluegill fishing is good with worms or Beetle Spins. Catfishing is good with cut bait, minnows or small sunfish.
Sports on 07/26/2016