Beaver Lake
Summer fishing means deep fishing.
Reese Jones at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said black bass fishing is fair 20 to 30 feet deep along points and bluff walls. Swim baits, jig and pig or plastic worms on a drop-shot rig are good lure choices.
Striped bass fishing is fair from Rocky Branch park to Beaver Dam 20 to 60 feet deep. Brood minnows are the best bait. Large spoons are the best lure.
Try for crappie on the south half of the lake. Troll with crank baits that run 15 to 25 feet deep. Walleye fishing is fair from Rocky Branch park to Beaver Dam. Troll nightcrawler rigs or crank baits 25 to 30 feet deep along gravel points and gravel shorelines. Bluegill fishing is good using worms fished in shaded areas. Average surface water temperature is in the upper 80s.
Beaver tailwater
Austin Kennedy, fishing guide, said trout fishing is good with prepared trout bait such as Pautzke Fire Bait or Power Bait fished with light tackle. Try small spoons on sunny days. Deep holes between Beaver Dam and Spider Creek are good spots to fish.
Walleye are biting in the Holiday Island and town of Beaver areas. Troll with deep diving crank baits. If a walleye is caught, fish that area by jigging a minnow or plastic grub near the bottom.
Power generation has been from late morning or early afternoon and continuing through the day. Conditions are good for wade fishing in the morning, then drift fishing in a boat during generation.
Lake Fayetteville
David Powell at the lake office recommends fishing for black bass with plastic worms. Blue is a good color. Catfish are biting stink bait. Bluegill are biting crickets or worms.
Lake Sequoyah
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission reports bluegill are biting fair on worms. Catfish are biting well on liver nightcrawlers or stink bait. Try top-water lures for black bass from first light to sunrise.
Bella Vista
Nick Gann at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said bluegill fishing is good 15 to 20 feet around brush with worms or crickets. Catfish are biting well on worms or nightcrawlers.
Black bass fishing is best at night with spinner baits and chatter baits. Try a plastic worm on a drop-shot rig for daytime bass fishing.
Please note that fishing in Bella Vista is open only to POA members and their guests.
Swepco Lake
Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs recommends fishing for black bass at night. Best lures are big plastic worms in dark colors worked 15 to 20 feet deep. Deep-diving crank baits in dark colors may also work. Stroud recommends fishing near the dam where the water is coolest.
Illinois River
Stroud recommends fishing for black bass with creature baits such as a 4-inch plastic lizard or a tube bait. Buzz baits or small crank baits are other good choices.
Eastern Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports fair fishing for crappie at Lake Tenkiller with hair jigs or minnows worked around brush and docks. Bluegill fishing is good with worms or small jigs along rocky shorelines. Black bass are biting fair on plastic worms, crank baits or jig and pigs along points.
At Grand Lake, black bass fishing is fair with buzz baits, crank baits and top-water lures in coves and around docks. Crappie are biting fair on hair jigs or minnows around brush and docks. Catfish are biting well on stink bait and cut bait along rocky shorelines.
At Lake Eucha, black bass fishing is fair with crank baits or plastic worms worked around points and rocky shorelines. Black bass are biting fair on crank baits or jig and pigs. Catfish are biting fair on liver, stink bait, shrimp or worms in coves.
Table Rock Lake: Focused Fishing Guide service reports black bass are biting plastic worms on a drop-shot rig early in the shade of docks 20 feet deep. Try a nightcrawler on a drop-shot rig to target walleye and catfish.
Drop-shot rigs are also working over the tops of trees 20 to 30 feet deep over deeper water. Swim baits fished 20 feet deep are worth a try.