Pictured is guide Robert Kennedy with Busch Mountain Fishing Guide Service, with an awesome walleye.
Beaver tailwaters
Fishing hasn’t been easy lately — no point sugarcoating it — but anglers who stay patient and fish clean are still putting some quality bites together.
Trout have slid into the deeper holes and are holding tight. If you’re drifting naturally through those pockets, Fire Bait, Fire Eggs, and Fire Worms are still producing. Presentation matters more than ever right now. With the reduced stocking over the past couple of months, fish are pressured and cautious.
I spoke with a biologist from the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission who confirmed stockings resumed at about 50% capacity in January, with plans to be back near 100% by late March. Once that ramps up — and we get better flows — the trout bite should rebound fast.
Walleye are starting to show signs of pre-spawn staging. Most of the fish being caught are coming from 10–15 ft. of water, especially along channel edges, deeper seams, and transition banks. Pulling crankbaits with slow, controlled passes has been the most consistent pattern, particularly during low-light windows in the mornings and evenings. Jig bites have been inconsistent but should improve as water temperatures settle in. Current temps are hovering around 50°, though they fluctuate depending on Corps generation schedules.
Low water has been the biggest limiting factor. When the Corps isn’t releasing, access upstream past the Hwy. 62 bridge is extremely limited unless you’re running a very shallow draft setup.
Boat positioning and timing have been everything. Electronics aren’t optional right now — they’re essential. These fish aren’t scattered; they’re tight and specific.
Bottom line: we need rain. Or consistent generation. Increased water will open up access, reposition fish, and improve the bite across the board. Until then, slow down, fish methodically, and make every pass count.
Austin Kennedy
Beaver Lake
Striper fishing has been tough with the last cold front we had; south end of the lake is finally thawed out since there was a sheet of ice on the surface and water temps dropped drastically. Mid-lake water temps dropped to low 40s and are slowly climbing up, this should help with the fishing, and it’ll get the stripers to be more active.
Look for shad balls close to a channel swing and work that area to find the feeding fish. Both bait and predator fish have pushed deeper with the cold temps so make sure you adjust your bait to get a reaction from them.
Crappie fishing is picking up with the south end warming up and starting to chase bait again. You might have to slow down your presentation with the colder water temps and be patient. Brush piles and flats are holding these crappie.
Juan Granados
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