Beaver Lake Striper / Walleye Report

BAILEY'S BEAVER LAKE GUIDE SERVICE(479)366-8664 The water will be stained so may need to dip the tail of your bait in a chartruse dye to make it easir to find.

The striper are scattered and you will have to check multiple locations to get your fish. The striper have also moved back towards the main lake in search of bait seeking refuge from the cold temps. 

Stripes can be caught by bottom fishing and by adding a 1/4 to 1/2 oz weight about 2feet ahead of your live bait this week. Run your baits about 100-150ft back of the boat with weight. Use gizzard shad about 3-4inches long. If using balloons tie the balloon on about 15 feet ahead of your bait and use no weight allowing the bait to swim freely where it is comfortable. Troll baits at about 1/4 to 1/2 mile an hour, go slowly the cold water has the fish very sluggish. Baits need to be positioned from 8-20ft deep.

Most shad were near the surface this week but will go deeper and I expect another shad kill later this week.

When bottom fishing position so you can fish baits in 10-25ft of water. Use a egg sinker to create a slip rig and use live or cut shad. It would not surprise me if cut shad was more productive.....there are dead shad laying on bottom right now that will not float for several days due to decreased bacterial activity. A cut bait and live bait will stand out from the rest of the shad laying there. But the cut bait provides an easier meal for an opportunistic feeder....they will not have to expend energy to chase it. Also use the wind to your favor by fishing the area's the wind is blowing into as this will concentrate bait.

Stripers can also be taken with #9 rapala original's or Husky jerks and/or rogues 3-5inches long flat line trolled, use planer boards in order to spread your lines giving you the ability to fish more rods but also allowing you to cover shallow water near the bank as you troll.  Move rapalas at a speed of about 1.5-2 mph.

You can not mix different baits such as live and rapala in your trolling spread due to the different actions required for the proper presentation of each.


Know your species and make sure you identify any fish you keep. There is no limit on white bass, there is a 3 fish limit on striper/hybrid and a 20 inch minimum length on striper. You may not keep more than 3 striper and hybrid in combination.

Fish location is greatly influenced by lake level and current flow, current in the lake from generation will generally position fish on upstream or down stream edges of structure.....check the daily lake level and flow data link on my web site.


Live Gizzard shad as always on Beaver Lake when fishing for Trophy Stripers is the go to approach. Stripers are hitting smaller shad in the 3-4 inch range.


The following area's will be holding striper at different times during the day.

On the mid and lower sections check out these area's. Water surface temps are in the low 40s.

Indian creek- Striper caught using balloons and rapala spreads.

Big Clifty arm- Striper being caught near the mouth on balloons and rapala spreads.

Rocky Branch-A lot of bird activity in this area and there are a lot of large schools of shad. Striper are holding in the area and you need to try fishing the road bed to the island and the flat around the island and near the marina. Also check the Van Hollow and Rambo creek arms!

Copper mine-some fish in the area check near the flats and the area near Larue known as striper island.


Upper section-

Prairie creek-A lot of bird activity in this area, the birds are feeding on dying shad.  This area is holding a lot fish right now, try fishing around the islands and the hwy 12 bridge, also look to the south of the bridge and fish the large gravel bar that is in the Beaver shores area.

Coose Hollow-is holding striper and lots of shad. Some nice fish taken in this area!

Blackburn creek-is holding shad and stripes. Some nice fish taken in this area!

Beaver shores-Walleye and stripers being caught. Look in the channel between the bluffs and the rearing pond.

Horseshoe bend-Walleye and striper caught. Check the rocky shore line on far side, along bluffs and near the channel on points/flats in the area. The area known as "striper alley" is hot right now with loads of striper, walleye and shad stacked up.

Hickory creek-

War Eagle-

War eagle marina-

Blue springs area- 



WALLEYE
Most walleye will be about 20-30ft deep, fish are being taken off the points and on mid stream humps. Check upstream and down stream edges of humps and points.

Walleye are concentrated in the mouth of the War Eagle river.

3 way rigs fished with crawlers or rapalas are producing. Use a 14inch dropper to your sinker. And a 4ft leader to your bait.  

If you are familiar with lead core or wire lines then now is the time to use them in conjunction with a rapala or rogue.

Chart/orange color variations for your crawler harnesses and rapalas in natural blue or black back combos are also producing. Try rogues in clown flash also.

Troll crawlers and rapalas at about 1/4 to 1/2 mph moving just fast enough to keep your lure from hanging up. Pull the lure forward in 2-3ft sweeps as you go just to give it action, the bite will occur on the drop back.




TIGHT LINES!