Beaver Lake visit

[SheldonS]

Hello from Texas! Native Arky here though.

May go next week, during the weekday to visit my mom in Springdale and was thinking to drag my boat up there and fish for some crappie on Beaver. Would like to take my mom fishing like we used to... Grew up in the area and fished Beaver many many years ago but more from a simple fishing standpoint.

Anyway, nowdays I focus entirely on crappie using various methods year round fishing all kinds of structure. Caught about 70 to 80 crappie last Sunday on Ray Roberts Lake in Texas with over 50 keepers but just kept 30. Caught them in 15 to 20 feet of water on standing timber suspended down about 10 feet.

Could certainly use some general help.

We would probably put in Hickory Creek area? Or is there a better place to access closer to good crappie locations?

How are the "fish atractors/brush piles" marked on the maps? Down here most are deteriorated that are listed on the maps. I've got the Hot Spots map.

My general idea was to put in at Hickory Creek, check the Corps brush piles/atractors and check for brush piles/structure back in coves. How about standing timber?

Also, anybody ever troll for sandbass/hybrids/stripers using a HelPet rig? Might be an alternative to catch some fish.


Thanks for any help!

Regards,

Sheldon

[Jason Piper]

Night fishing has been productive for all the species you listed by tieing off under the Hwy 12 bridge and using green lights.
Day fishing has been good in the day in The Monte-NE area and along Edens Bluff. Fish have been tight to cover (trees, brush and docks). Black and green grubs or tubes are a must. Minnows work also. Most of the fish have been suspended 8' to 20' in 15' to 30' of water.
Good Luck,
Jason

[SheldonS]

Thanks for the info J.T.

Are there shootable docks nowadays on Beaver? Sorry for the silly question but it's been a long time since I was on that lake. Or by docks do you mean marinas?

Thanks

[Jason Piper]

Marinas are off limits. There are plenty of private docks around the lake to fish. I always look for a bigger dock in at least 25' of water. The deeper the better!

[minnowman]

Sheldon, JT knows best. I went out with him last night and we caught some dandy fish....if you get under the highway 12 bridge i would probably try and get there early enough (7 p.m.) to tie to the far west bridge pillar, you can actually catch all those fish you were referring to trolling for right that in that centrally located spot.....you can't go wrong with putting in at hickory creek...if you so choose to venture south, i have fished there a bunch and my buddies in the past few weeks (down around War Eagle marina...) I'll be out on Friday of this week, through Wednesday of next week camping at Horseshoe bend.....should be a GREAT time! Good luck and hopefully you'll get to take your mom like the old days.....MinnowMan :D