THE MURKY DEPTHS : NWA Fishing Report
Posted on Friday, May 9, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/Sports/64975/
Scritch. Scratch. Yep, that’s the sound of the broken record that continues to play unabated in Northwest Arkansas. Wednesday night’s rains weren’t too bad but high water and muddy conditions persist. Sometimes we must ignore the bad and, well, go fishing anyway. Good luck !
Beaver Lake Southtown Sporting Goods — Frank Divis reports decent bass fishing despite high, muddy water. The main problem is bass tend to be in flooded areas that are tough to get at. Spinnerbaits and dark floating worms should work in the stained water and shaky head worms might produce in the clearer water towards the dam. The bass are at the tail end of the spawn. Crappie are around brush but a little deeper than before. A few hybrids and whites are in the rivers but the run is about done. Bream fishing is real good.
Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers — Aaron Jolliff reports dirty water all the way to Starkey. Spinnerbaits and dark jigs fished in the bushes are catching bass. Nearer to the dam, Carolina rigs and Flukes are working around bushes and points. Crappie fishing is pretty good on minnows fished near flooded grass. White bass continue to be caught near War Eagle Mill. One angler caught an 8-pound bass in the same area.
Hickory Creek Marina — Lee Winkler reports good catfish action on jug lines and trotlines baited with perch or chicken liver. A few stripers continue to be caught on shiners up both river arms but they’re scattered. Crappie are biting minnows down to 25 feet. Bass are hitting spinnerbaits and black / blue jigs in the backs of coves. Beaver Tailwaters — Lisa Mullins at Beaver Dam Store reports high water and tough fishing. The use of a boat is an angler’s best bet. White woolly buggers are the top flies. Trolled Shad Raps and Countdown Rapalas are catching trout, including a 15-pound brown. Bait anglers are using air-injected night crawlers or Power Bait (yellow, white ) tipped with a wax worm.
Lake Fayetteville — Jim Black reports an algae bloom cluttering up a section of the lake but for the most part, the lake’s in good shape. Bass are hitting topwater baits. Blue gill fishing is good on crickets and worms. A few crappie are also being reported.
Lake Sequoyah — Jackie Smith says a few nice stringers of crappie are being caught on tubes and minnows. Bass action is good on spinnerbaits and plastics. Bream are fair on worms and crickets. Behind the dam, a few white bass and crappie continue to be caught.
Bella Vista Lakes — Nick Gann at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bentonville reports good bass action in the shallows on trick worms and shaky head finesse worms. The bass are currently trying to spawn. Blue gill are biting crickets and worms in 20-foot depths. Crappie prefer 15-feet and will take minnows.
Prairie Grove Lake — Bob Keen says bass up to four pounds are biting crankbaits. Red ear are biting well on worms. Crappie are hitting jigs. Lake hours are 6 a. m. to 7 p. m. on Saturdays and Sundays. No gas motors.
Upper Table Rock Lake — J. D. Fletcher suggests secondary points in coves as prime target areas for bass, although the extra water makes finding them tough. Finesse worms, tubes and spinnerbaits will work once fish are located. Crappie are biting minnows fished around boat docks. The white bass run is about over but a few will bite small jerkbaits or eighth-ounce marabou jigs.
Kings River — J. D. Fletcher says folks are beginning to float the river and finding the smallmouth cooperative on tube baits and Rebel Wee-Rs.