Week of September 20, 2026
Fishing remains productive across the Beaver Tailwaters and Beaver Lake, although changing water conditions are rewarding anglers who stay mobile, use their electronics and adjust presentations throughout the day.
Beaver Tailwaters
The trout bite continues to be inconsistent, requiring anglers to remain mobile and work several areas to locate active fish. Pautzke Fire Bait has been producing, along with ¼-ounce spoons and Flicker Shads. Changing colors, retrieve speeds and presentations can make a noticeable difference once fish are located.
Trout numbers remain lower than normal because of the continued reduction in stocking. If an area is not producing, anglers should be prepared to move rather than waiting for fish to become active.
With very little rainfall recently, the river is becoming quite low. Boaters should use extra caution around shallow shoals, gravel bars and exposed or near-surface structure. Lower water can concentrate fish in deeper runs, holes and areas with stronger current, making those locations worth additional attention.
Walleye continue to be caught between Beaver Town and Holiday Island. Slower presentations have been the most productive, with soft plastics continuing to account for fish. Concentrate on deeper holes, current seams, depth transitions and areas where faster water meets slower water. Keeping presentations close to the bottom and working them patiently has generally been more effective than fishing aggressively.
Overall, anglers willing to cover water, adjust their presentations and pay close attention to changes in depth and current are continuing to find fish throughout the Beaver Tailwaters.
Beaver Lake
Lake Level: 1,113.99 feet
Surface Temperature: 79.3°F–85.8°F
Stripers are feeding throughout the day, with the strongest bite windows occurring around sunrise and shortly before sunset. Periods of activity are also being reported between those major feeding windows.
With surface temperatures remaining warm, most fish are holding in deeper water from the Highway 12 bridge downstream to Beaver Dam. Productive areas to scan include deep coves, main-lake and secondary points, channel swings, bluffs, humps and island drop-offs.
Slow-drifting or trolling live shad, minnows and bream continues to produce. Deep-diving chrome-colored lures are also catching fish on certain days, making them a worthwhile alternative when the live-bait presentation slows.
Stripers are moving frequently, so anglers should use their sonar to locate fish before setting lines. Begin searching in water ranging from approximately 40 feet to more than 200 feet deep, paying close attention to baitfish concentrations and the thermocline.
Because of the elevated water temperatures, anglers are encouraged to catch their limit and call it a day. Minimizing handling time and avoiding unnecessary catch-and-release fishing will reduce stress and improve fish survival.
Beaver Lake striper information provided by Hooked On Fishing LLC.
For additional information, biweekly Beaver Tailwaters and Beaver Lake fishing reports are available on the Busch Mountain Fishing Guide Service website.
Busch Mountain Fishing Guide Service
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
— Austin Kennedy, Busch Mountain Fishing Guide Service