Beaver Lake: Scratch the surface for black bass.
Reese Jones at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said bass fishing with top-water lures has improved. Popular surface lures at Beaver Lake include Zara Spooks, Pop Rs and buzz baits. Best fishing is between first light and sunrise or between sunset and dark.
Try plastic worms, Ned rigs or other soft-plastic lures for bass between sunrise and sunset.
Troll with crank baits to catch crappie, walleye and catfish. Troll slowly over flats and in creek arms. Walleye and catfish can be caught by trolling a nightcrawler harness behind a bottom bouncer weight 25 to 30 feet deep. Troll brood minnows or live shad on the north half of the lake to catch striped bass. Use crickets or worms for bluegill.
Southtown Sporting Goods in Fayetteville said the best fishing for black bass is at night or early morning. At night, use jig and pigs, spinner baits or plastic worms in dark colors. Try top-water lures early.
Beaver tailwater: Austin Kennedy, fishing guide, said anglers are moving around a lot to find trout. Trout seem to be traveling in schools. Once they are located, it's possible to catch some big trout 18 inches long and larger. Prepared trout baits such as Berkley Power Bait or Pautzke Fire Bait may work. The river between Parker Bottoms and Bertrand access has been fishing well.
Fly fishermen report success using white midges. Power generation at Beaver Dam has been minimal.
Lake Fayetteville: Angela Perea at Lake Fayetteville Marina said the catfish bite has improved. Worms or stink bait are the best baits. Black bass are biting fair on plastic worms or crank baits. Crappie fishing is fair with minnows or jigs.
Lake Sequoyah: Angler Mike McBride said black bass are biting top-water lures early or plastic worms later. Bluegill are biting crickets or worms. Fishing is tough for both species. Crappie fishing has picked up a bit. Try minnows or jigs.
Bella Vista: Nick Gann at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said black bass are biting a variety of soft plastic lures around docks and seawalls at all Bella Vista lakes. Try for bluegill with crickets or worms 10 feet deep, but fishing has slowed down. Catfish are biting all types of bait at all Bella Vista lakes.
Please note that fishing in Bella Vista is open only to POA members and their guests.
Elk River: Big Elk Floats, Camping and Lodging reports black bass are biting top-water lures such as Jitterbugs, Pop Rs or small Zara Spooks. White Zoom Flukes are working. Tube baits in dark colors are good to use. Anglers report fair numbers of fish but big ones are scarce.
Swepco Lake: Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs recommends fishing for black bass with soft plastic lures day or night. Try top-water lures at dawn and dusk.
Illinois River: Stroud said black bass fishing is good with 4-inch plastic lizards or tube baits in dark colors. Tiny Torpedo top-water lures are good to use. Buzz baits or crawdad crank baits may also work..
Eastern Oklahoma: The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports fair fishing at Grand Lake for largemouth bass with crank baits, plastic worms or top-water lures along rock, timber or weed beds. Crappie are biting fair on jigs or minnows around brush or structure.
At Lake Tenkiller, black bass are biting fair on top-water lures, jig and pigs, crank baits or plastic worms along points or brush. Crappie are biting fair on minnows or jigs around docks or timber on the main lake. Try cut bait, worms or stink bait for catfish.
At Lake Eucha, black bass fishing is fair with top-water lures or spinner baits in coves and near weed beds. Crappie fishing is fair with minnows or jigs around brush. Bluegill are biting fair on crickets or worms.
Table Rock Lake: No report this week from Focused Fishing Guide Service. Last week's report said black bass were biting small plastic worms on drop-shot rigs. Fish vertically along gravel and rock points 22 to 32 feet deep. Long tapering points are best.
Jig and pigs in green or brown were working 18 to 25 feet deep on the main lake or 12 to 20 feet deep in creek arms. Plastic worms were working at those depths as well.
-- Compiled by Flip Putthoff