Beaver Lake or Swepco

nwaoutdoorsman · December 13, 2006, 09:26:24 PM

Just curious if anyone has been out on either lake lately. Its suppose to be in the 70's to high 60's here the rest of the week and I'm suppose to get my new TM tommorrow. If it comes in and I get it on I'll have to hang up my bow for a couple days and get out there. Between work and bowhunting I havent seen the lake for a couple months. Just curious if anyones been and what the activity is like. Thanks!

skeeter jay · December 19, 2006, 11:16:59 AM

I'd like to hear a good report on SWEPCO, I've never been up there but have been thinking about making a trip up there sometime soon. It should be about the right time of the year for the power plant fish.

nwaoutdoorsman · December 19, 2006, 06:59:25 PM

It is right from what I'm hearing. The guys that are going are doing well, but two things......one, the ramp is in horrible shape and the lake is extremely low from what I heard today. They're suppose to be building a new ramp and parking area, but who knows when that'll happen. So if you go, be very careful, lots of guys are tearing stuff up just unloading. Everyone I've spoken with said to stay on the left side of the ramp. Two, the fish are very very poor, they're biting good probably because they're starving. Lots of reports of 5lb fish weighing 3lbs. Jan. 1 a slot goes into affect which is state limits with only one fish over 18 inches. So, I hope that helps the lake. Its a great time, but I'm not going with the ramp situation. Good luck if ya go, let me know how ya do!

skeeter jay · December 27, 2006, 03:36:59 PM

ya I saw a post on another site today saying that if you dont have a 4wd then you best not even try it! So thats going to keep me out of there.

I also knew about the over population of fish, people have been complaining about how poor the fish have been on it for at least a year or so. But the plus to fishing it is you will catch lots of numbers of fish.. at least thats what I have been told. Maybe the water will come up some here soon so I can go try it.

weekend warrior · December 27, 2006, 05:57:47 PM

Maybe you guys need to take advantage of the low water levels and look for tackel. You can find a ton of crankbaits on the banks of these lakes when the water is low. Just walk the old high water line and you'll see what I'm talking about. You don't have to buy many crankbaits.

nwaoutdoorsman · January 01, 2007, 07:15:59 PM

A friend and I went to Beaver yesterday, it was cold and rainy, air temp was 35 and water temp was 46 to 48. Despite the cool, wet weather we managed to boat quite a few fish. All spots in the 14 to 16 inch range and all were fat as could be. A few came on a spinnerbait around 4 to 6 ft deep, then we switched to a 1/2 football jig and caught a few in the 12 to 15 ft range. Stucture was chunk rock and pea gravel rock points. We found alot of fish suspended on shad from 30 to 40 ft deep over 60 ft of water in the mouths of creek arms. I woulda loved to fish for 'em, but ran off and forgot my spoons. But if anyone is going it'd be a great place to look for some big spotted bass.

weekend warrior · January 01, 2007, 09:25:51 PM

Sounds like ya had a great trip man. I've been on Beaver one time. The first tournament I ever fished was there. It was a awesome experience and I loved the lake, but what do you expect it's a lot like Greers which is my home lake. Gotta love clear water and spotted bass!

nwaoutdoorsman · January 15, 2007, 09:00:47 PM

We've been hit by an ice storm. Low tommorrow is 10 and high is around 25. If your fishing your a braver man than I. Good luck!

razorbackuphere · January 15, 2007, 11:11:01 PM

I live on Beaver, and from what I could tell today, its up at least 3 feet due to all the precipitation. I hope it stays that way so we can have a real good spawn. I was out 2 Saturdays ago and caught 7 or 8 keeper spots in the afternoon on a crankbait fished about 8feet deep on the main lake. The lake was at normal pool then (1120). I'll be glad when this weather passes, I start getting the itch after a week. I also can't wait for the fish to move up into all this new cover.

skeeter jay · January 16, 2007, 09:46:47 AM

wonder what all this rain/ice did to the water elevation on SWEPCO??

razorbackuphere · January 16, 2007, 01:08:15 PM

I'm sure swepco came up some. Maybe even enough to cover "the ramp". One can only hope.

skeeter jay · January 17, 2007, 01:29:05 PM

Well if its anything like the lakes in the central part of the state it should be high now

nwaoutdoorsman · January 17, 2007, 09:58:18 PM

Even if swepco does come up its gonna go right back down til they fix the leak in the damn. I heard they'd started work on the ramp but I'm sure this weather has stopped that. You know how them state boys work around here. Beaver has come up and is in the bushes, I havent heard what the lake level is. Anyone know? Suppose to be more precip this weekend and spring rains arent even here yet. May be going over the damn again before its over. Remember it did that a couple years back. The lake was so high and the fish so shallow ya couldnt even get a bait to where they were. It sucked, hope thats not thecase again this year.

razorbackuphere · January 19, 2007, 02:50:31 AM

You know swepco lake has been one of this areas best kept secrets for a long time. Meaning, you don't see that many out of towners on the lake. I wish that the state would give it some TLC and get the fishing back to where it was. I am not quite sure what all that would entail but i'll bet it will take a few years and a descent amount of money. I think its great they are working on the ramp and introduced new limits for this year. We need a trophie lake around here, Beaver lakes one little ole 4 pounder a year is getting old.

nwaoutdoorsman · January 22, 2007, 07:01:17 PM

Beaver Lake level is at 1125. 5 foot over pool elev. I've heard reports of bass busting shad on the surface and the outside edges of the flooded brushes. I havent been, but it sounds like a good time to be throwing a coleslaw war eagle spinnerbait to me!! Or flippin and jig or tube. I gotta get out there!!!!

ss454 · January 25, 2007, 11:28:26 PM

Too much water kills the bite in our lake. I went today and got NO bites. I didn't see any activity either. The lake was so high I had to launch from the bank because it was over my knee boots when the boat dropped so I pulled back up and moved over to the bank. That's about 3 ft over normal levels and about 5ft over what it was when Chris went out there with me.

JEVSkeeter · February 03, 2007, 07:33:16 PM

No Missouri jokes now but, Where is Swepco?

nwaoutdoorsman · February 03, 2007, 10:45:19 PM

Swepco is located west of Gentry, AR. I think its Hwy 12, you follow that for about 3-4 miles til you come to Cripps Rd. Take a left on Cripps and go another couple miles to the boat ramp. Its a power plant lake, great winter fishing. Its overpopulated right now, lots of people going and all the reports are that they are sick looking and lacking size. You can catch what should be a 4lber and its closer to being a 2lber. Use to have some monsters in it before everyone found out about it. Its definitely overfished and undermanaged. They've imposed some new regulations that may help. For years its been catch and release, now you can keep a limit with only one over 18 inches. Problem is, most bass fisherman practice catch and release most of the time as you know. And the ones that would keep 'em wont keep 'em cause they look so skinny and sick. So who knows what'll happen. I hope it makes a come back, the bass are floridas since northerns cant withstand the heat so it has some potential to grow some big 'uns. I've seen the water temp well over a 100 degrees. Even in winter it can be in the high 80's to low 90's near the outlet. You should check it out and take some back to MO with ya!

JEVSkeeter · February 04, 2007, 08:35:10 AM

Thanks,

I was cutting through from Miami OK over to Springdale on Friday wondered if I was close.

Stump bumper · February 12, 2007, 06:13:06 PM

If you were on 59 thru Gentry you were about 2 miles away, in the town of Gentry take a right on route 12, you will have no problem seeing the power plant on the left, about another 2 miles you will see an eagle wathching point, and a way to walk into the lake. Go about another mile down the road and you will find the acess road to the Lake. If you follow these directions on the Yahoo maps you can get a good satellite picture of the Lake. Good
Luck.

nwaoutdoorsman · February 12, 2007, 10:51:10 PM

Saw an article in bassmaster today about swepco. Wasnt that informative to a local, but gives someone from outta the area a little foresite about the lake. Feb. issue

Stump bumper · February 13, 2007, 12:01:13 AM

Has anyone braved the weather enough to get out and see if the water is up on swepco, I'm getting Cabin fever and need to get out. Even thinking about some Beaver Lake Stripers. Any new reports.

nwaoutdoorsman · February 13, 2007, 08:11:45 PM

I've been at the sports shop almost everyday for the last month. To cold to fish and work is still nonexisitant for me, and I hate sittin at the house. Hardly no one is fishing on Beaver and the few that are arent doing any good. I dont think striper fisherman are doing much either. At swepco you can catch a few if your willing to brave the cold. I've heard reports of flukes and split shot rigged centipedes catching them over there. As for the lake level it hasn't come up and wont until they fix the leak in the damn. Weather reports call for a warm up next week starting on Sunday. Theres a shad kill going on right now due to 38 to 40 degree water temps. Once the lake levels out from the corp dropping it and its warm enough to go I believe the fishing will be on fire. Theres a central pro am coming up around weekend after next and it'll be interesting to see how they do.

ilbass77 · February 17, 2007, 09:41:00 AM

New to the forum and wanted to say hi. This Beaver lake topic caught my eye because I 'm fishing that Central pro am as a co-angler next weekend. It will be my first time on the lake. Any advice or some info on what the fish maybe doing would help me out so much. I know I'm at the mercy of my boater on what I will be fishing but any info would help me make some better decsions on what to throw behind them. I heard the lake was way up and muddy. I saw the weather forcast for next week and the temps were going to rise pretty good. There was some rain in there too. Will this warm up jump start the fishing again and would this move the fish into more shallow water?

Stump bumper · February 17, 2007, 12:16:44 PM

The water is up better than it has been in 2 years and we finally have flooded brush. There is no lake grass so the flooded grass is a welcome site. I have always fished backseat on this lake and 2 years ago in Feb was the only 8lb fish I caught on this Lake. I would suggest natural color jerk baits, sloooow. The big fish I took that year was behind a flooded tree with grass all around it and the front seater had been on it for a few minutes than turned the boat and went for deeper water. I threw a clear white husky jerk behind him and opened the bail and feed line to keep the bait in that spot. I had a 22 pound bag that day.
Also a trick worm weightless fished as slow as possible is never a bad choice this time of year. The big largemouth will get up in the brush no matter how cold, the Kentuckies will move with the shad.
Good luck and let me know how you do.

P.S. I've never done good north of route 12 bridge except for Prairie creek.