Pictured is Antoine from Arkansas, with this beast 8.5 lb. rainbow, caught with Robert of Busch Mountain Fishing Guide Service.
Beaver Tailwaters — Early September
Fishing on the Beaver tailwaters continues to produce a good mixed bag despite the ongoing challenges with trout stocking across Arkansas.
Rainbow trout are still being caught consistently, with recent trips producing roughly 10–20 trout. The bite has generally improved as the morning progresses. Fly fishing has been productive, particularly once the fish become more active, while traditional presentations with jigs and bait continue to put fish in the boat.
The brown trout bite has been a bright spot recently, with several quality browns showing up. Anglers looking for larger trout should continue working deeper runs, current seams and areas where fish have good access to cover.
The tailwaters are also producing more than trout. Walleye have been showing up regularly, including fish over 20 inches, and we’ve continued catching smallmouth and spotted bass, as well. Walleye have been caught using both traditional tackle and occasionally on the fly, making the river’s multi-species opportunities particularly good right now.
Overall, the Beaver tailwaters remain productive. Trout numbers aren’t currently what we’d normally expect because of the statewide hatchery and stocking situation, but anglers willing to adjust presentations are still catching fish—and the recent quality of the brown trout and mixed-species fishing has made for some excellent days on the river.
Austin Kennedy, Busch Mountain Fishing Guide Service
Beaver Lake
Beaver Lake is currently sitting at an elevation of 1,157.78 feet, with surface water temperatures ranging between 85.4°F and 90.2°F.
As the water level drops, hazardous rockpiles, treetops, and sandbars are becoming exposed. Keep a sharp eye out while navigating, and utilize reliable electronics equipped with detailed topography and depth shading to stay safe on the water.
Striper Fishing
Beaver Lake stripers are actively feeding, but they remain on the move. To find them, cover long stretches of water to locate holding fish, then work those specific areas thoroughly.
Target Depth: 30 – 50 ft. deep.
Effective Tactics: Trolling at both slow and fast speeds with anything that mimics threadfin shad. Swimming or jigging chrome spoons off the bottom is also producing consistent bites.
Peak bite times are Sunrise to 10 a.m. and 5 – 8 p.m.
Xieng Chanthavong, Hooked on Fishing
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