NWA fishing report

Beaver Lake

Striped bass are moving closer to the dam.

Reese Jones at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said the best striper fishing is now in the area of Lost Bridge South park. The same area is good for walleye.

Brood minnows are the best bait for stripers. There's an early morning bite at first light, then another good period from 10 to 11 a.m. "It's like they want breakfast, and then later they want brunch," Jones said.

For walleye, troll with nightcrawler rigs or crank baits 20 to 30 feet deep. Points and gravel flats are good spots for walleye.

Try top-water lures for black bass from first light until sunrise. Bass can be caught at night with dark-colored spinner baits or plastic worms in dark colors. Try a jig and pig or plastic worm on a drop-shot rig 20 to 25 feet deep later in the day. Points, bluff walls and brush piles are good places to fish.

Crappie are biting 20 feet deep on minnows or jigs around brush piles. Or try trolling medium-diving crank baits for crappie. Average surface water temperature is in the mid to upper 80s, but varies widely around the lake and time of day.

Southtown Sporting goods in Fayetteville reports good fishing for catfish with liver or live bait. Bluegill bite well on worms or crickets. Try crank baits or swim baits for black bass.

Beaver tailwater

Beaver Dam Store reports trout are biting nightcrawlers inflated with a worm blower to keep them off the bottom. Power Bait is good to use. Best colors are white, sunrise or salmon peach.

In the lure category, countdown Rapalas or small jigs in olive or brown may work. Try heavy nymphs for fly fishing.

Power generation at Beaver Dam usually begins in late morning and runs through the day, creating high water conditions.

Lake Fayetteville

David Powell at the lake office said points are good spots to fish for all species. Bluegill are biting best on worms. Fish early with top-water lures for black bass. Catfish are biting glow worms or nightcralwers.

Lake Sequoyah

Mike Carver at the lake office recommends fishing for black bass with plastic worms. Use liver or nightcrawlers for catfish.

Bella Vista

Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista reports black bass fishing is good at night with big plastic worms, jig and pigs and dark-colored spinner baits on all Bella Vista lakes.

Bluegill are biting worms or crickets at all Bella Vista lakes. Use liver or nightcrawlers for catfish.

Please note that fishing in Bella Vista is open only to POA members and their guests.

Swepco Lake

Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said the best fishing for black bass takes place at night with big plastic worms or big tube baits in dark colors. Black spinner baits may also work at night. Top-water lures are good to use between sunset and dark.

Illinois River

Stroud recommends fishing for black bass with tube baits, 4-inch plastic lizards, grubs and buzz baits.

Eastern Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports fair fishing for largemouth bass at Lake Eucha and Grand Lake with crank baits, plastic worms and spinner baits. Catfish are biting well on cut bait or live bait.

At Lake Tenkiller, fishing is fair for black bass with crank baits, spinner baits or plastic worms. Crappie fishing is fair with minnows fished near brush or docks.

Table Rock Lake

Focused Fishing Guide Service reports good walleye fishing on the upstream one-third of the lake. Use a live nightcrawler on a drop-shot rig 18 to 25 feet deep along gravel points. Fish different points until a school of walleye is located.

For black bass, fish the same points 25 to 35 feet deep with a plastic worm on a drop-shot rig or a jig and pig. Bass are hitting top-water lures early in the James River arm along steep banks. Fish are close to shore.

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