breeves2245

You're right, I might need to revise my plan!

Reserved a campsite by Parker's Bottom for tomorrow evening. Figure I'd do some river fishing and the next morning make the long 13 min drive over to the Indian Creek boat launch. See if I can scare up a stripper or two before the sun gets up. First time trying this with the new rig, but if it works out like I think, I'll do it on a regular basis. I'll hook up my 16' Crestliner. Should be nice to fish either the river or lake without the hour drive. Camp site cost $20.

Great suggestions. Thanks for the feedback. I'll copy paste all the comments into Word for future reference.

My house in Bella Vista is scheduled to sell next month. I'll be relocating to my rental in Fayetteville for up to a year while my new house in Bella Vista is being built. Currently when I go to Beaver, I launch out of Prairie Creek. Where would ya'll advise to launch coming out of the west side of Fayetteville? In past years I have used Hickory Creek and recently tried Twin Bridges. Wouldn't be too excited about using Twin Bridges on a regular basis. I like secure areas with a dock to tie up the boat after launched. Also, any suggestions on other lakes like Bob Kidd, Lake Sequoyah, etc? Thanks.

Thanks for the detailed info. It's really helpful for someone like me that has done much exploring around Beaver.

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated. If I change up and start heading to Indian Creek, you think Quillback will be ok with me fishing his creek?

I'm a simple man. I like chunking tiny/baby torpedoes, crazy shad, poppers, spooks, buzz baits, etc for top water bass. I've tried to adapt to these highland lakes around here but the fact of the matter is I just don't care much for using my electronics to determine if the fish are holding in 15 or 30 FOW. Figure out how long I need to let the Ned rig drop before retrieving. I just want to ease out at first light, throw my preferred assortment for three to four hours and get back to the house. Just retired so I got the time now. Think I'll concentrate on heading to south Arkansas, maybe East Texas. But for the times I want to just stay local, where on Beaver is my best choice for top water? I usually launch at Prairie Creek and hit Bear/Deer island. Had some success the last few years but figure there are better areas. Any advice is appreciated.

I guess since I got retired last week of March, I'll be contributing some on this board. "Got retired" is another way of saying laid off. Oh well, was going to retire this time next year, so close enough. My curiosity got the best of me, had to make a run to Twin Bridges yesterday. Just an exploratory trip since this was my first time. Got there about 1:00 pm. About 15 boats out, many were kayaks. Not the best launch, but I've used worse. Not knowing where to go or what to throw I beat the banks and out 15 feet or so with the Ned and a blue/silver Flicker Shad. Even threw a Mepps spinner. Beats me how this place is on fire and I get blanked after three hours of chunking those lures. Maybe the switch from SW to NW wind, I don't know. And I hear whites are either off/on sometimes. Didn't see any other boats catching either. I liked that part of the river, easy to fish with plenty of brush to target. Didn't go all the way up to the War Eagle arm. I'll fish it again sometime. One question - I know there is a White River forum, does this post belong there?

I was reading my AGFC email this morning. I sure would rather launch at Prairie Creek than trying to figure out how to get way down to the south end to 45 or Twin Bridges. We get much of a white bass run further up here as opposed to down south? A time for White Bass White Bass fishing is on fire in tributaries of Beaver Lake! White Bass can be found in good numbers in the upper White River (above Highway 45 or Twin Bridges Access), and on War Eagle Creek by War Eagle Mill on Beaver Lake. Don’t forget that the smaller tributaries can have a White Bass run as well (Prairie and Indian creeks). Did you know that White Bass spawn on larger rip-rap by the dam? We have observed White Bass actively spawning in this area of the lake! The White Bass population in Beaver Lake continues to provide great fishing opportunities and there is no creel or length limit on White Bass in the lake.

I just got to ask because I see most of your posts about Indian Creek. Do you fish that area of Beaver exclusively? Always wondered about it and figured I'd just up and ask!

Just wanted to get out of the house so I head over the Rayburn about 4:30 to chunk it around some. Threw a Bomber Fat A crawdad color. First fish, real nice sized crappie. Second one, nice sized blue gill, third a channel cat and the fourth a small bass. All on the crank, go figure.

Quillback, all your Indian Creek posts got me lathered up to give it try. Went over last weekend. Ok overall, caught several LM but no size. Did have on goodun' get off. I tell you, that clear water just zaps my confidence. Feel much better down south around the Hwy 12 bridge. Plus PC marina or Hwy 12 launch is about a 28 minute drive from southeast BV. So I'll leave you to your domain up there and just be satisfied to read your posts.

I'm trying to get acquainted more with Beaver. Fished the islands yesterday at Hwy 12 and had a good time with some small bass, a smallmouth and it got real exciting when I hooked up with an eight pound striper in my ned rig. Spinning rod with six pound test. I want to explore around the Indian Creek area. Where is the best place to launch? It's about the same distance to Prairie Creek or Indian Creek from my house in Bella Vista, so I want to start splitting the two locations.

I appreciate your Indian Creek reports. I'm heading that way next Saturday if the weather allows. I got a new rig this year with the idea of hitting small lakes at state parks and other areas within a few hours drive of Bella Vista. I need one more trial run with the camper so I made a reservation at Indian Creek Campground next Saturday around. I think it would be cool to just get up in the morning, down some coffee and cereal and hit the lake. We'll see how this adventure pans out over the spring/summer.

No, just two other boats. Looked like they were bass fishing.

Figured I'd better get some fishing in while I can before the rain comes. Hit Lake Ann about 7:30 and tried some off shore stuff. No soap. Went back to my way of fishing, beating the bank. Chunked a spinner and caught four in about an hour. They were real tight to the bank. One the usual dink, two solid 2 pounders and the fourth required a net. Had to go close to 4 lbs. Felt good catching something with some size for a change. Rain on the horizon, so I bugged out. So nice to have a decent fishing trip eight minutes from the house.

I usually only fish BV lakes. I admit I'm a bank beater, so that probably contributes to the size of bass I catch. But I'm intrigued about what it would feel like catching something over 2lbs. Heck, most outings if I catch a two pound bass instead of the usual dinks, I feel like it was a good day. What is the learning curve on stripers or hybrids? Hard to even remember the feeling of a fish hooked up and stripping line. Last time I had that feeling it was 30 yrs ago when I lived in Houston and wade fished the Galveston bay fishing for reds and speckled trout. May need a bigger boat too.

Took a vacation day Friday, decided to give Windsor a shot. Caught the usual dink bass on top water and my favorite crankbait, at DT-6 crawfish color. What I didn't expect to happen was to get a good strike on the crankbait and feel like I had a two pound bass on fighting hard only to boat this 1lb 6oz redear. Biggest I ever caught by a wide margin. Using www.postimage,com, so not sure if the pic is going to show or not.

Tried some early morning top water at Brittany and Ann over the weekend. Just a few small bass at each lake. Maybe it's still too warm for larger bass but it's discouraging to work hard for four or so hours and only come up with dink bass. Don't care for night fishing, that I expect would be a better outcome. I think I'll re-direct my efforts to the tail waters below the dam for the next few times out. Never camped out there but may give it a go this weekend now that Labor Day is past.

Six kayaks out today. One pair had a score of 30 to 4 at one point. Casting what looked like Flicker Shad or similar along the bank. I finally tried out my record mode on my I-Pilot Terrova. Recorded a path from the launch to the back end and then replayed it back. Very relaxing fishing my way back with no effort to maintain boat position. I will be using this going forward, it's absolutely the best way to fish for me. Put four shorts in the live well. Trying to carry out the lake biologists' request to harvest the dinks to help the population grow.

I bought a new boat last fall with a couple of HB Helix 9's to help me start fishing off the bank. So should I just cruise the lake looking for structure and use a drop shot or similar rig? I have only been on Windsor so far and there is not much structure to find, a few here and there.

Short trip, but hooked up with three slot bass running a crawdad color crank off the bank in about 12ft. Beautiful day and the lake was fairly busy with seven or so boats. Looked like a few other boats were throwing a jerk bait.

Beat the banks with the usual Tiny T. Put four dinks in the livewell for lunch. Back to Windsor next time, just had to get it out of my system.

Got the new boat motor broke in Saturday at Loch Lomond. So this morning I did my usual, beat the bank with a tiny t. Caught a couple of dinks but one real nice spotted bass, about 2 1/2 lbs. Reports from other fisherman did not sound encouraging as of 9 am or so. Fishing from a stick steer Crestliner. New experience getting up on plane and sitting up front. So far so good. I'm thinking it will make a good river boat, so I may explore the white river next weekend going north from Houseman Access.

Driving up to White's Marine in Pittsburg, Mo this Saturday to pick up my Outlook 1657 Stick Steering boat. So I'll be chiming in here in the next few weeks with some reports. Figured that rig is about right for the BV Lakes and surrounding smaller lakes.