Pictured is Busch Mountain Fishing Guide Austin Kennedy with this very nice Beaver Lake smallmouth bass.
The Beaver tailwaters have continued to produce good fishing this week, but conditions across the system have definitely been changing. Over the past several weeks, limited generation schedules created warmer than normal water temperatures throughout the river, which had trout scattered out and less concentrated in the typical deeper runs and shoals anglers are used to targeting this time of year.
The good news is that the Corps of Engineers has once again started releasing colder water through the conduit system while continuing to work alongside Arkansas Game&Fish biologists to closely monitor conditions throughout the tailwaters. Over the last couple of days, those colder releases have already started bringing river temperatures back down into a much healthier range for the fishery.
As those cooler temperatures continue moving through the system, trout activity should continue improving and fish will gradually begin repositioning into more traditional holding areas again. The overall outlook for the tailwaters is definitely moving in a positive direction.
Rainbow trout are still being caught consistently using light terminal setups paired with Pautzke Fire Bait, especially during the early morning hours and lower light periods. Clear water conditions continue rewarding anglers who slow down, use natural drifts, and focus on covering water carefully instead of rushing from spot to spot.
Walleye fishing remains steady following the spawn, but fish have become much more pattern-oriented lately. Many are sliding away from the shallow spawning structure and relating more to chunk rock, transition banks, current seams, and slightly deeper holding areas during low flow periods. Slower presentations are continuing to outperform aggressive retrieves right now.
The biggest factor lately has simply been timing and patience. Feeding windows have been shorter under the low, clear conditions, but anglers staying persistent are still finding quality mixed-bag action with trout, walleye, bass, and a few surprise species mixed in throughout the system.
With colder water now returning to the river and biologists continuing to monitor conditions closely, the Beaver tailwaters should continue stabilizing as we move deeper into late spring and toward summer fishing patterns.
Austin Kennedy, Busch Mountain Fishing Guide Service
Beaver Lake Stripers
Lake Level: 1121.43 | Water Temp: 69.8° – 71.7°
The transition from late spring to early summer can make fishing tough, but certainly not impossible.
Stripers are currently scattered throughout the lake, stretching from deep within both river arms all the way to the dam. Anglers are catching them in a wide variety of environments—from shallow flats and coves in just 10 feet of water, to deep channels reaching 180 feet.
Baits & Tactics
Live Bait: Trolling live bait such as shad, minnows and bream, is successfully producing fish.
Artificials: Several artificial lures that mimic shad are working well. The tried-and-true colors are bone white, chrome, white and chartreuse.
Speeds: All speeds are proving effective, ranging from a slow drift to a low idle with the gas motor.
LiveScope: Anglers using LiveScope are reporting good catches with spoons and bucktail jigs—provided they can locate the fish first.
What to Look For
Fish are blitzing the surface every day. Unfortunately, they aren’t sticking to the same locations, so make sure you always have your favorite topwater lure tied on and a full tank of gas! While some stripers are swimming in schools of several hundred, others are roaming as individual loners.
Right now, every square inch of the lake could be holding fish, however, they will soon start seeking deeper, colder water as lake temperatures continue to rise. When checking your electronics, the best sight is active, streaking, and feeding fish.
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And join us for a ribbon cutting at 1264 County Road 107 on Friday, June 5, from 5–7, showcasing the Busch Mountain Fishing guides and lodge!