BEAVER LAKE
Crappie are biting on all areas of the lake. John Newlun at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said crappie are shallow and deep, from 2 to 12 feet deep. Use minnows or jigs along gravel banks with some stick-ups and timber.
The area between Monte Ne and Hickory Creek park is good. The largest crappie are coming from the clear water on the north end of the lake. Crappie anglers also catch an occasional walleye by accident.
Black bass are in all phases of the spawn, Newlun said. Some have spawned, others are spawning and bass are also in prespawn. Good lures to use include plastic worms, spinner baits, jerk baits, wake baits and top-water lures.
Mike Whitehouse at Hickory Creek Marina said crappie are moving into shallow water. Anglers are having to weed through lots of small crappie to get keepers 10 inches or longer.
Striped bass are moving north and can be caught with shad or brood minnows.
BEAVER TAILWATER
Lisa Mullins at the Beaver Dam Store said trout are biting bait, lures and flies. Effective flies include Pheasant tails, hare’s ears, Copper Johns and San Juan worms. Best lures are small Flicker Shad crank baits and small spoons in gold-red or gold-silver.
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission stocked trout in the river on April 14.
LAKE FAYETTEVILLE
Angela Perea at the lake office said crappie fishing is good with minnows or jigs four to six feet deep. For bluegill, use small jigs, worms or crickets.
Black bass are biting plastic worms or minnows. Catfish are biting all varieties of catfish bait.
LAKE SEQUOYAH
Mike McBride at the lake bait shop said big catfish are biting. “California Mike” Carver caught two flathead catfish more than 40 pounds last week using small bluegill for bait. He’s caught several other flathead and blue catfish from 8 to 15 pounds with bluegill for bait.
Black bass are biting all varieties of bass lures. Bluegill are biting crickets or worms. White bass fishing is slow, he said.
LAKE ELMDALE
Lucky Key at Duck Camp Fishing Retreat said bluegill fishing is good. Heavy stringers of bluegill are being caught with crickets or worms.
Crappie fishing is fair with minnows 5 to 8 feet deep. Catfish are biting liver or nightcrawlers. For black bass, try plastic worms in bubble gum color or a 4-inch green plastic lizard.
Key reminds anglers his bait shop is closed Tuesday through Thursday.
SWEPCO LAKE
Kenny Stroud at Hook, Line and Sinker in Siloam Springs said black bass are biting all varieties of soft plastic lures two to 20 feet deep. Use large plastic worms at night.
SILOAM SPRINGS LAKE
Stroud said crappie are biting minnows 5 to 8 feet deep. Try square-billed crank baits for black bass.
BELLA VISTA
Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista reports fair black bass fishing at all Bella Vista lakes with plastic worms or jig and pigs. Bluegill fishing is fair at all lakes with worms or crickets 15 to 20 feet deep.
EASTERN OKLAHOMA
Stroud said crappie are biting at Lake Eucha near the dam. Use small jigs or minnows 5 to 10 feet deep around brush. Black bass are biting soft plastic lures or jig and pigs.
TABLE ROCK LAKE
The Missouri Department of Conservation reports good crappie fishing with minnows around docks and timber. Black bass are biting spinner baits, swim baits and crank baits. Gravel banks in coves are good areas to fish.