Beaver Lake

Water is muddy on the upstream end, stained at midlake and clear on the downstream end.

Jon Conklin, fishing guide, said stripers are scattered from Horseshoe Bend park to Point 5. Locate schools of shad with a depth finder and stripers should be nearby. Troll slowly with shad, brood minnows or small sunfish. Crappie are moving into brush 10 to 15 feet deep. Best fishing is from Point 12 to Horseshoe Bend park with minnows or jigs. The bite is best in the afternoon.

Black bass are biting top-water lures and chatter baits. Bass are located from the bank down to 25 feet deep. Average surface water temperature is in the mid-70s.

Beaver tailwater

Austin Kennedy, fishing guide, said trout fishing is good one day, tough the next. Prepared trout baits are working. Try Pautzke Fire Worms or other prepared baits on light tackle. Try for walleye by trolling medium-diving crank baits coated with Pautzke Fire Gel in the Holiday Island area or near the town of Beaver.

Lake Fayetteville

Angela Perea at Lake Fayetteville Marina reports fair fishing for all species. Catfish are biting all types of bait. An 11-pound channel catfish was caught this week. Crappie are biting fair on minnows or jigs, but the size has been small. Try for black bass with plastic worms, spinner baits or top-water lures.

Lake Sequoyah

Angler Mike McBride said the lake is back to a normal level so boat navigation is easier. Black bass are biting most every kind of lure. Liver is the best catfish bait. Crappie fishing has improved. Use minnows or jigs.

Bella Vista

Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista reports black bass are biting a variety of soft plastic lures. Try top-water lures early and late. Use crickets or worms for bluegill 10 feet deep. Try nightcrawlers, liver or stink bait for catfish

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

Elk River

Big Elk Floats and Camping reports black bass are biting well on top-water lures such as Tiny Torpedos, Whopper Ploppers and black buzz baits. Tube baits in peanut butter and jelly color are working well.

Swepco Lake

Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs recommends fishing for black bass with soft plastic lures. Square-billed crank baits may also work. Try top-water lures at dawn and dusk.

Illinois River

Stroud said black bass fishing is good in low water with 4-inch plastic lizards or tube baits in dark colors. Buzz baits or crawdad-colored crank baits may also work.

Eastern Oklahoma The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports black bass fishing is fair at Grand Lake with crank baits or plastic worms. Crappie fishing and paddlefish snagging are slow.

At Lake Tenkiller, black bass are biting well on plastic worms, jerk baits, crank baits and spinner baits. Crappie are biting well on minnows or jigs around docks or timber on the main lake. Catfish are biting well on all types of bait.

Table Rock Lake

Focused Fishing Guide Service said black bass are biting well on top-water lures in shallow water less than five feet deep. Whopper Ploppers, buzz baits or chatter baits are good to use.

Jig and pigs or plastic worms are working 10 to 20 feet deep along gravel and rock points.

— Compiled by Flip Putthoff