Beaver Lake
Trolling is a good summertime tactic for catching crappie and walleye.
Aaron Jolliff at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers recommends trolling crank baits along points and in creek arms 10 to 15 feet deep. For striped bass, try top-water lures in the Rocky Branch area from first light to sunrise.
Black bass are biting plastic worms worked along points and steep banks five to 15 feet deep. Anglers report catching an occasional walleye while fishing for black bass. Average surface water temperature is in the mid-80s.
Southtown Sporting Goods in Fayetteville reports good bluegill fishing with worms or crickets. Crappie are biting fair on minnows or jigs. Catfish are biting well on liver or big minnows.
Beaver tailwater
Fishing guide Austin Kennedy said trout fishing is good with Power Bait and other prepared trout baits. Try small spoons, small crank baits and small jigs. Power generation at Beaver Dam is mainly in the afternoon, creating high water conditions.
Lake Fayetteville
David Powell at the lake office said bluegill are biting well on crickets or worms. Black bass are biting fair on plastic worms. Use glow worms or nightcrawlers for channel catfish. Crappie fishing is slow.
Lake Sequoyah
Mike Carver at the lake office said catfish are biting well on all types of catfish bait, such as stink bait, nightcrawlers or worms. Bluegill fishing is good with crickets or worms. Black bass are biting jig and pigs or plastic worms. Crappie fishing is slow.
Bella Vista
Please note that fishing in Bella Vista is open only to POA members and their guests.
Chip Wiseman at Hook, Line and Sinker said fishing is good for redear and bluegill at all Bella Vista lakes, especially Lake Windsor. Use worms in shallow water. Black bass are biting top-water lures early at Loch Lomond and jig and pigs later in the day. Smallmouth bass fishing is good in Little Sugar Creek on tube baits.
Elk River
Big Elk Floats and Camping reports black bass fishing is good with peanut butter and jelly tube baits. The best fishing is in the shade. Catfish can be caught in deep pools.
Swepco Lake
Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said all types of soft plastic lures are working. Try top-water lures or square-bill crank baits early.
Siloam Springs, Crystal lakes
Stroud recommends fishing for bluegill with crickets or worms.
Illinois River
Fish for black bass with tube baits, 5-inch plastic lizards, Zoom Baby Brush Hogs and Ned rigs, Stroud suggests. Watermelon red or green pumpkin are good colors. For top-water action, try a Tiny Torpedo or Whopper Plopper.
Eastern Oklahoma
Stroud said black bass fishing is good at night at Lake Eucha with 10-inch plastic worms in tequila color or on dark-colored spinner baits. Top-water lures may work early.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports largemouth bass fishing is good at Grand Lake with crank baits, plastic worms and top-water lures worked around brush and docks. Blue catfish are biting well on liver or cut bait.
Lake Tenkiller is fishing well for largemouth bass with crank baits, jig and pigs, jerk baits, plastic worms and spinner baits. Crappie fishing is good with minnows or jigs around brush and docks. Catfish are biting liver, cut bait, stink bait and hot dog chunks.
Table Rock Lake
Focused Fishing Guide Service said black bass are biting top-water lures early. Work them along gravel points or the outside edges of bushes. Try swim baits along the bottom of gravel points 10 to 20 feet deep. Plastic worms or jig and pigs may also work.
Bass are starting to bite drop-shot rigs over deep tree tops and along gravel points.
-- Compiled by Flip Putthoff