NWA fishing report

Beaver Lake

Cooling water finds crappie moving shallower and more eager to bite. Average water temperature is in the mid-70s.

Mike Whitehouse at Hickory Creek Marina said crappie are biting minnows better than jigs. Fish 15 feet around brush. Numbers and the size of crappie have improved, he said.

Whopper flathead catfish are being caught with small sunfish or goldfish for bait. Flatheads to 50 pounds have been brought by the marina, Whitehouse said.

James Whittle at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said trolling, tightlining and spider rigging are all working to catch crappie. The magic depth seems to be 17 feet.

Troll crankbaits or tightline with minnows or jigs. Try minnows on a spider rig.

Top-water action for black bass has improved. Whopper Ploppers and Zara Spooks are working well at first and last light. Walleye are biting nightcrawler rigs.

Beaver tailwater

Lisa Mullins at Beaver Dam Store said trout are biting well on Power Bait in bright colors. Combine the bait with a waxworm for best results.

Good lures include Buoyant spoons in watermelon or pink. Suspending Rapalas or Husky Jerks are worth a try. The best flies are midges, white Clouser minnows or woolly buggers in brown or olive.

Lake Fayetteville

Angela Perea at the lake office said crappie and catfish can be caught by trolling crank baits. All other fishing is slow.

Lake Sequoyah

Mike Carver at the lake bait shop said black bass fishing with plastic worms has improved. Bluegill are biting well on worms one to four feet deep close to shore.

Use liver or stink bait for catfish. Crappie fishing is slow.

Bella Vista

Nick Gann at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass are biting deep-diving crank baits and plastic worms at all Bella Vista lakes.

Try for bluegill with crickets or worms 10 to 15 feet deep.

Swepco Lake

Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs recommends fishing for black bass 20 feet deep with plastic worms.

Illinois River

Stroud recommends using small tube baits or grubs for black bass. A small black buzz bait may also work.

Eastern Oklahoma

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports fair fishing at Fort Gibson Lake for largemouth bass. Try crank baits, plastic worms and Biffle Bugs.

Table Rock Lake

Missouri Department of Conservation reports catfish are biting well on nightcrawlers and cut bait. Try plastic worms or jigging spoons for black bass 30 feet deep along points.

Sports on 09/18/2018

Upcoming Events