AGFC Northwest Arkansas Fishing Reports

Spotlight on Beaver Lake and surrounding waters

Arkansas Wildlife

• Beaver Lake — As of May 29, the Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,129.73 feet msl (normal conservation pool: 1,121.00 feet msl).

Jon Conklin with FishOn Guide Service (479-233-3474) says, “Rain and more rain. Holiday boat traffic and high water are making fishing a little on the tough side.

“Stripers are good. Short periods of topwater are happening in mid-lake area early and late. Good spots are Rambo, Rocky Branch and Fords Creek. Walleye are still fair/good. You need to hit all points on lower end with crawler harnesses.

Bass are setting up in postspawn areas. I have graphed some big schools of spots as of late and picking them off of big boulders on main lake points that have those large rocks in 25-30 feet of water.

Crappie are fair to good.

Again you have to move to find them. Some are really shallow and some very deep. Be flexible when targeting crappie. We also have been pulling Bandit 300s in mid-lake arms, catching some big crappie last week with white bass mixed in. Catfishing is a bright spot with some large fish caught on jugs and trotlines. Rivers are going to come up next few days, pushing muddy water into river arms. Catfishing up in those areas should be fantastic this week. Bream are starting to bed and can be caught throughout the lake.”

• Beaver Tailwater — Guide Austin Kennedy (479-244-0039) says this past week “has been a weather roller coaster. The river is swollen and the water is moving. Fishing for multiple species has proven to be quite the task, so I just focused on the trout. If you can find the right areas by boat, you can get on a few fish. Most fish were caught with light terminal tackle, fished with various PowerBaits.

Trolling crankbaits also produced some numbers as well, if you could get past all the debris.

“I really could not narrow down a hot spot this week.

I can tell you that I got

Continued on Page 9 FISHING (cont.)

most of my fish above Highway 62 bridge. Sorry I do not have more to report.

I am afraid the conditions are only going to get worse with all the rain we have received. The Corps of Engineers has opened all seven spillway gates a halffoot as on today, the 26th.

If you get out and fish, be safe and be mindful of the conditions.”

For more information, contact Austin through his Facebook page (Busch Mountain Fishing Guide Service).

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— Loy Lewis with War Eagle Creek Outfitting (479-530-3262) says smallmouth bass are biting excellent this week from Withrow State Park/Arkansas Highway 23 North bridge access to War Eagle Mill area on live worms or plastic worms. White bass are excellent below the mills to Beaver Lake, and there is great snagging from Mills Bridge for sucker and red horse. In Big Clifty arm and the Rambo area of Beaver Lake, Kentucky bass fishing is excellent in the clear-water portions and some white bass have been caught in the Hogs Scald area, along with excellent flathead catfishing using perch. Follow War Eagle Creek Outfitting on Facebook for photos; call 479-530-3262 for guided trips and for free water access and parking.

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— The lake is open to fishing, but there have been no reports on how the fishing is at Lake Fort Smith or the Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock.