NWA fishing report

BEAVER LAKE

Time to chow down on some Ozark surf and turf with the white bass biting and morel mushrooms popping.

Reese Jones at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers recommends fishing for white bass in the White River and War Eagle tributaries of the lake. White bass may be in the backs of large creek arms as well. Use small white grubs, white jigs, minnows or small live crawdads to catch white bass.

Black bass fishing has improved, Jones said. Good lures include crank baits, spinner baits, chatter baits or jig and pigs. Crappie fishing is fair 4 to 10 feet deep around brush. Best fishing is in the White and War Eagle tributaries.

For striped bass, fish in the Prairie Creek area with shad or brood minnows. Average surface water temperature is in the mid 50s.

Southtown Sporting Goods in Fayetteville reports fair walleye fishing with yellow or white curly-tailed grubs on a pink jig head. White bass are spawning and can be caught with small crawdads or white grubs.

BEAVER TAILWATER

Guide Austin Kennedy recommends fishing for trout with small spoons and small crank baits. Add some Pautzke Firegel to the lure for best results. Good fishing is happening in the Spider Creek area. Various trout dough baits such as Power Bait are always good to use.

For walleye and white bass, fish near the town of Beaver 13 feet deep with Alabama rigs, white grubs or Flicker Shad crank baits.

LAKE FAYETTEVILLE

David Powell at the lake office said bluegill are biting well on crickets 2 feet deep all over the lake. Crappie fishing is good with minnows or jigs eight feet deep or shallower. All types of black bass lures are working, including plastic worms.

LAKE SEQUOYAH

Mike Carver at the lake office said crappie have moved close to shore and are biting minnows or jigs. Bluegill fishing is good near the old White River bridge with crickets or worms. Try spinner baits or shallow-diving crank baits for black bass.

BELLA VISTA

Nick Gann at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass are biting Alabama rigs, swim baits or jerk baits at all Bella Vista lakes. Bass can be found shallow and deep. Bluegill are biting well 15 feet deep on crickets or worms on all Bella Vista lakes.

SWEPCO LAKE

Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs recommends fishing for black bass at Swepco Lake with soft plastic lures. For crappie, try minnows or jigs around wood cover. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission submerged lots of brush in the lake two years ago. Find these brush piles with a depth finder and fish near them.

ILLINOIS RIVER

Stroud recommends fishing for black bass with football jigs, spinner baits, tube baits, grubs or chartreuse Rooster Tail spinners.

ELK RIVER

Big Elk Floats and Camping reports black bass are biting three to five fee deep on soft plastic lures, jerk baits or live nightcrawlers fished on a drop-shot rig. Cast to the same area multiple times for best results.

EASTERN OKLAHOMA

Stroud recommends fishing for crappie at Lake Eucha 10 feet deep with small jigs or minnows. Try for bass with soft plastic lures, spinner baits or shallow-diving crank baits. Try a buzz bait at first light.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports crappie fishing is good at Lake Tenkiller with minnows, jigs or inline spinners. Black bass fishing is good with plastic worms, crank baits or jig and pigs.

At Grand Lake, black bass fishing is fair with Alabama rigs, crank baits or spinner baits fished around brush and docks. Catfish are biting well on liver or cut bait.

TABLE ROCK LAKE

Focused Fishing Guide Service reports black bass are biting swim baits fished near the bottom. Jerk baits and spinner baits are good to use. Plastic worms, Ned rigs or jig and pigs are working 12 to 20 feet deep. Points of rock and gravel are good spots to fish.

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