BEAVER LAKE
Crappie can be caught by trolling crank baits or fishing with minnows and jigs. James Whittle at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said a popular lure for trolling is a Bandit Glo Plug crank bait. Creek arms with timber are the best places to troll, with the lure running along the edge of timber. Minnows are also working for crappie. Fish them 15 feet deep around brush. Black bass are biting top-water lures at dawn or plastic worms at midday. Stripers are biting brood minnows at dawn 25 feet deep between Point 5 and Beaver Dam. Mike Whitehouse at Hickory Creek Marina said trolling with crank baits on the south end of the lake is the way to catch crappie. Troll in the creek arms or in the War Eagle river arm. Crank baits that run 10 to 15 feet deep are working. A lure with some chartreuse in the color pattern is good. Crappie are also biting Bobby Garland Baby Shads fished 15 to 18 feet deep around manmade brush piles or submerged timber. Good colors are electric chicken, avocado splatter and blue ice.
BEAVER TAILWATER
Tom Steinke at Beaver Dam Store said trout are biting a Power Bait and waxworm combination. The top lures are small spoons. Power generation has increased to 12 hours per day with one generator, usually from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
LAKE FAYETTEVILLE
Angela Perea at the lake office said bluegill are biting well on crickets or worms. Crappie fishing has improved. Use jigs or minnows four to six feet deep. Black bass are biting top-water lures at dawn and soft plastic lures at midday. Catfishing is good on all types of catfish bait.
LAKE SEQUOYAH
Mike McBride at the lake bait shop said catfish are biting liver, shad or sunfish. Black bass are biting spinner baits and buzz baits. Crappie fishing is slow.
SWEPCO LAKE
Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said black bass fishing is good day or night with plastic worms. Try top-water lures at dawn and dusk.
ILLINOIS RIVER
Stroud recommends using tube baits, grubs or plastic lizards to catch black bass.
SILOAM SPRINGS LAKE
Stroud recommends using top-water lures at dawn for black bass.
BELLA VISTA
Nick Gann at Hook, Line and Sinker said night fishing is best for catching black bass at all Bella Vista lakes. Use deep diving crank baits such as a Bill Norman DD-22 or 10-inch plastic worms. Locate brush piles for the best fishing.
EASTERN OKLAHOMA
Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said black bass at Lake Eucha are biting top-water lures at dawn. Go with soft plastic lures at midday.
TABLE ROCK LAKE
Missouri Department of Conservation reports fair fishing for black bass along points with plastic worms, jig and pigs or swim baits. Catfish are biting nightcrawlers, stink bait, liver or cut bait. Crappie fishing is good in the James River arm with minnows or jigs eight to 12 feet deep around brush.