NWA Fishing Report

BEAVER LAKE

Catfish can be caught with limb lines, trotlines, jug lines or rod and reel on any kind of catfish bait.

James Whittle at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers recommends using small sunfish for bait to catch flathead and blue catfish. Try nightcrawlers, liver or stink bait for channel catfish.

Black bass fishing is best in stained water. Use top-water lures early. Go with spinner baits, crank baits or plastic worms later in the day. Walleye may also bite these lures.

Crappie and walleye are biting crank baits trolled eight to 10 feet deep in creek arms and along points or flats. Striped bass are biting top-water lures, brood minnows or shad early from Rocky Branch park to the dam.

Erica Crafford at Hickory Creek Marina said flathead catfish to 72 pounds have been caught on jug lines or limb lines baited with small sunfish. Crappie are biting minnows 15 feet deep. Black bass fishing is slow.

BEAVER TAILWATER

Carl Caso at the Beaver Dam Store said trout fishing is best from a boat because of high water. Try Power Bait in bright colors. The top lures are countdown Rapalas in silver or gold.

LAKE FAYETTEVILLE

Angela Perea at the lake office said fishing is good for bluegill, catfish and black bass.

Use worms or crickets for bluegill. Try plastic worms or crank baits for bass. Go with stink bait or goldfish for catfish.

LAKE SEQUOYAH

Mike McBride at the lake bait shop said crappie fishing has improved. Use minnows or jigs five feet deep. Black bass are biting buzz baits or spinner baits.

Use crickets or worms for bluegill. Liver or shad are the top catfish baits.

SWEPCO LAKE

Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said black bass are biting top-water lures early and late. Try fishing at night with plastic worms for black bass, but bass will bite during the day, too.

SILOAM SPRINGS LAKE

Stroud recommends using square-bill crank baits or plastic worms to catch black bass.

ILLINOIS RIVER

Stroud recommends working any type of soft plastic lure for black bass. Rooster Tails in chartreuse, brown or black may work.

BELLA VISTA

Justin McClelland at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass fishing is good at all Bella Vista lakes on 10-inch plastic worms or jig and pigs. Fish around brush and rock piles.

Catfish are biting shrimp or nightcrawlers. Use crickets or worms 10 to 12 feet deep for bluegill.

EASTERN OKLAHOMA

Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said black bass at Lake Eucha are biting plastic worms in dark colors.

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports fair crappie fishing at Grand Lake with jigs. Catfishing is fair with shrimp or shad.

TABLE ROCK LAKE

Missouri Department of Conservation reports good bluegill fishing on worms in the backs of coves. Black bass are biting fair on Ned rigs and crank baits in deep water.

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