NWA fishing report

BEAVER LAKE

Flathead catfish are on the move in the warming water.

Brian Rusher at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said big flatheads are biting at night. Trotlines and limb lines work best, but fishing with a rod and reel works well, too. The best baits are goldfish or small sunfish.

Anglers are also starting to fish from their boats at night beneath the Arkansas 12 bridge with lights for white bass and other species. Floating or submersible fishing lights attract minnows or shad to the light. Anglers then fish with minnows or small spoons.

Crappie have moved 10 to 20 feet deep. Minnows are working best, but jigs are effective, too. Try top-water lures for black bass early, then use plastic worms or Zoom Flukes later in the day.

Striped bass are biting shad or brood minnows in the Prairie Creek and Ventris areas. Average surface water temperature is in the low 70s.

BEAVER TAILWATER

Lisa Mullins at Beaver Dam Store said power generation and flood gate releases are creating high water conditions. The best trout bait is Power Bait tipped with a waxworm. Nightcrawlers are also working. Good lures to try include small jigs, size 7 countdown Rapalas and small spoons. Red and gold or silver and gold are good spoon colors.

LAKE FAYETTEVILLE

David Powell at the lake office said crappie and catfish are biting. Fish for crappie with minnows or jigs or troll with crank baits. All types of catfish baits are working, including liver, stink bait and nightcrawlers.

LAKE SEQUOYAH

Toby Carroll at the lake office said crappie fishing is good with minnows or jigs 4 to 6 feet deep. Black bass are hitting spinner baits. Try cut bait, liver or nightcrawlers for catfish.

BELLA VISTA

Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista reports good fishing for bluegill and redear sunfish with worms or crickets at lakes Ann, Windsor and Loch Lomond. Try for black bass at Loch Lomond with finesse jigs or finesse plastic worms. After a rain, go for catfish with nighcrawlers, shrimp or stink bait wherever fresh water is pouring into any Bella Vista lake.

SWEPCO LAKE

Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said black bass are biting well on any soft-plastic lure, including plastic worms and plastic lizards. Try top-water lures at dawn and dusk.

SILOAM SPRINGS, CRYSTAL LAKES

Stroud recommends fishing for crappie with minnows or jigs.

ILLINOIS RIVER

Fish for black bass with tube baits, plastic lizards or Rooster Tails when the river is at fishable levels, Stroud suggests.

EASTERN OKLAHOMA

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports good action for catfish at Fort Gibson Lake with cut bait or shad. White bass are biting well on Sassy Shads, jigs or spoons.

TABLE ROCK LAKE

Focused Fishing Guide Service reports high water means black bass can be caught at some unusual places, such as around flooded park picnic tables, parking lots and lawns. Try top-water lures early. Switch to a swim bait later in the day. Work gravel points close to pockets. Fish around bushes and back in thick cover with a floating worm or weightless Zoom Fluke. For deeper fish, use a Ned rig, tube bait or jig and pig.

Sports on 06/02/2020

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