YakSlacker

That might be one of the prettiest smallies I’ve seen from Beaver.

Went out last night, put in at Ventris. Little choppy just at sun down but water was calm within an hour. WT 50. Worked 10-20 FOW following the bank to the tip of that peninsula where Ventris Road Ends. Really really thought I might run in to some “eyes”. I was running Smithwick and HJ14safew feet off the bottom and bouncing a red headed fluke with chartreuse tail whenever I ran across a rocky area. Not a bite. On the return journey, moved out to stay between 20 and 40 FOW kinda figure 8’d the course, staggering some umbrella rigs and then switching back to the Rogue and Husky jerk. I marked some fish surprisingly deep in the channels and that was about it. Was a very nice evening to be on the water but I was not a good fisherman last night.

Put in at Hwy 12 Bridge, late afternoon, most of this past week. Topwater bite has truly been amazing for the last hour/hour and a half before dark...around the islands. Pure fun for those that don’t mind sacrificing quantity for size every now and then. What has been really cool is that the schooling by species, comes in waves. On Tuesday, I observed some popping going on around me, threw out a micro-spoon, and started bringing in a mix of LM and spots, literally every cast. Action stopped for a few minutes, then started up again...but this time larger whites. Cooled off a bit, then the small whites/sand bass owned the scene for the rest of the evening. Thursday and Friday evenings, same places, larger whites then smaller walleye. Tons of fish, tons of fun...no wall-hangers...but I was in desperate need of some action so I’ll take it. This post has been promoted to an article

Nice. Worms with names catch more fish. Doesn’t everybody do that?

Got out last night. Went back to Indian Creek/Pine Log area. I observed a number of fish working on top real close to the boat ramp...and there were still a number of boats on the water causing all sorts of waves, so I hung out right there for a bit to see what kind of fish they were. They were all spots. Caught 7 between 12 and 15" on a small spoon. Fun though. Those buggers have a chip on their shoulder. Once the water settled down, I pedaled around the Indian Creek horn, cut across the channel, and started working 20 FOW just east of the Lost Bridge marina. Just as the sun got below the hills, I started marking Walleye on every point. I caught a few fat ones on my first pass ENE along the Pine Log area. Unfortunately, that was about it for quite a while. I moved out a little deeper maintaining 25-35 FOW and went up and down the same stretch again. Saw a couple of boats working in what I figured to be 40-60 FOW...so, thinking they knew something I didn't, I made a pass out even deeper. Nothing. So, I went exploring and worked around the north horn of the Pine Log area. Lost 2 expensive lures on some deep structure. Figuring it just wasn't my night, I went back around the Pine Log horn and trolled in 10-15 FOW back to where I started near Lost Bridge marina. They just weren't there. I called it quits and cut back across the channel and trolled 30 FOW off the Indian Creek Rec Area. Caught a 23" Striper and a 26" Striper within 3 minutes of each other. Made a couple of loops there but that was it. Water temp has dropped 1 degree since last weekend, sitting at 73 everywhere I went. There were other boats up that way fishing last night, was hoping I'd see some others reporting. I should note that I saw "0" stripers on my screen last night until right at the end...whereas exactly a week ago, I marked quite a few in the same area.

No, I did not...but had the spoon ready!

Boy...just when I think I'm figuring something out. Such a great outing Sunday evening only to be disappointed last night. Mainly... I out-thunk myself. I found fish 4 days ago in a certain area...and then, yesterday afternoon, convinced myself that they had probably spent the last couple of rainy days moving closer to mid-lake so put in at Lost Bridge South. I also convinced myself that I needed to fish a little deeper...and offer some different presentations. All that thinking resulted in one 2lb White. Evening was beautiful, I did have 2 boats speed past me about 9pm-ish so somebody was trying. Water Temp was 76. I stuck mostly to 20-30 FOW and fished 12-20 feet deep. When I marked fish they were most often suspended at 8ft and I was too hard-headed to change out and fish at that depth. I covered all the 20-30 FOW I could find between the Lost Bridge to Starkey area.

More of a drive than I like, coming out of Rogers...but felt compelled to put in at Indian Creek Rec Area boat ramp and try out that side of the lake for some Stripes. Fished mid-lake a week ago and didn't even mark any so...just wanted to see if I could find them further away. I put in just after sundown and worked the western bank (north of boat ramp) and marked plenty of fish of some sort but had no takers. I then pedaled east across the channel to the "ruins" on the north point of the Pine Log area. I just worked S patterns, up and down the slope of that point and noticed 20-40 FOW to be where I was most routinely marking fish...so I split the difference and pedaled in 30 FOW southeast along the western bank of the Pine Log area. That was the ticket. Between 8:30pm and 10pm I caught 3 Stripes, all between 22 and 26 inches (ok, NOT trophies, but fun), 3 very thick Walleye...all keepers, and one 18" Smallie. All were caught on a deep diving Smithwick Rogue in blue/black and all released healthy and alive after short battles. Water Temp was 74 degrees, wind was almost calm from the SE even though weather channel was calling for 7-10mph. I believe I was alone out there. SO...my take is that there are plenty of fish up there and I'm anxious to hear others report evidence of when the mid-lake area heats up.

I’ve sure enjoyed all your posts. Beaver is a tough lake. I wish I knew how to catch Beaver Lake Crappie on purpose...in numbers. You’ve figured it out. I used to change what species I was after about every time I went out. This year, decided to start learning walleye. I learned that I have a lot to learn. Crappie is my next target in which to humiliate myself...so I’ll be looking for your posts with great interest...keep ‘em coming.

Man...I'm going to have to learn how to catch Crappie on Beaver Lake on purpose. Obviously takes know-how...and I don't have it!

Somehow convinced my wife that Fathers Day starts Friday evening and goes right on through Sunday. I got 2 kitchen passes without a lot of fuss and hit Prairie Creek Friday evening and this (Sunday) evening. Found a lot of baitfish close to the wind blown banks Friday and caught 4 good LMB, one 17" Smallie and 3 keeper Eyes. All on a deep diver crank, shad pattern, and the magic depth was 20 fow. Different wind direction this evening but applied the same strategy for awhile...kept it at 20 fow, same cranks...nothing. From 7-8:30pm I fished a 3-5ft depth crank...still a shad pattern, kept my lure in 8-12 fow and that was the ticket. Caught my best LMB of the year at 5.5lbs and 3 others between 2 and 3 lbs...at least 3 more "pounders". That was the most action I've had for an hour and a half worth of work this year. Oh, and never left PC, no reason to. HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

Water looked great at War Eagle. Whatever mini White Bass run that occurred between Sunday and yesterday...is not "on" right now. 30-40 people surrounding the falls to 200 yards downstream...I only saw 5 whites caught in 3 hours this evening. Spoke to a number of guys who "tore it up" the last few days. Anyone else routinely a day late out there? On a side note...a few bow fishermen and one fisherwoman...were having no problem finding gar to shoot at. Sure looks fun!

Chocolate Milk at Hwy 12 Bridge

I'm with you on the "surprised" part. Showed me more pics of a nice White stringer from yesterday evening...so I'm going out there myself this afternoon to try my luck. I will report those results.

I went up to Lost Bridge area yesterday evening, in and out of numerous coves...fish were hangry and the water was a little stained and very fishable. Fishing spinners and cranks, caught 6 healthy Smallies and 2 Spots. Buddy of mine hit War Eagle, at the mill, and said water was a little stained too. Also showed me pic of 12 nice whites and one 24" striper.

Nice. Whites or LM?

Doing this on the phone, don't have my readers, and can't find a post someone had put on here about "cheap" Chinese reels. Alllll that said, THAT post inspired me to conduct my own experiments. So, I like keeping a bunch of ultra-light spinning rods/reels ready to go in case my family or one of my boys wants to gear up and take a bunch of their friends out. I used to have a bunch of abu garcia, Diawa...host of others, that were intended for me. As my boys were growing up, they and their friends ruined-lost-broke many fine combos. I decided to rebuild my arsenal this year and (after reading that post) I basically bought 1 of every 500, 1000, and 2000 "Cheap" overseas spinning reel I could find on Amazon. When I say cheap...I mean not one of them was over $15! First, I am NOT a professional fisherman. I fish a lot, but not for food or money. I have been an avid recreational fisherman for 40 years. I have tried out most of the reels I brought in over the last 2-3 months. I intentionally put them through the test and I know how to. I fished trout, walleyes, Panfish, White Bass and Crappie over this period and caught many. I trolled, casted, cranked hard, manipulated the drags, back reeled intentionally...and whatever else you can think of. Here is the scoop. If you need a new spinning reel for 2 - 10lb test "type of fishing", if your budget is for a "under $100" reel, Every single one of these reels are working out absolutely fine. "0" complaints. I have fished very expensive reels that will out perform these reels, but not by much. For the average fisherman, comparing against every cabelas or Bass Pro light spinning reel LESS than $100, you will not go wrong with any of the $10-$15 dollar spinning reels you can find on Amazon. There you go.

All Proceeds go to NWA Children's Shelter 6 fish categories: Largemouth, "Other" Bass, crappie, Whites, trout, panfish free custom Hawg Trough, required...and must pick up at front desk of Central States Mfg in Lowell by 4pm tomorrow $50 for fishing boat w/motor $25 for paddlers $10 for waders/bank fishermen Picture Proof - upload your one Best (longest) Fish per category - all 6 categories if you want choose ANY 6 continuous hour time frame you want between 4pm Friday and 4pm Sunday any PUBLIC body of water within 75 miles of Lowell, AR if you want in, register at www.nwacs.org/fishing i will email ALL DETAILS to you if you email me to let me know you registered bgriffin@centralstatesmfg.com

I went out last night from 5pm - 7:30pm. Fished south and west side of Deer Island entire time. Worked bottom, mid and top. First time in a very, very long time that I got skunked. Marked one fish on the bottom in 2.5 hours. Windchill seems to get progressively colder as the fish don't cooperate! Did enjoy watching a group of 5 hunters help each other drag 3 deer off the island though. Water temp was 60/61.