It’s a fishing day

Beaver Lake fishing conditions · Arkansas

Sit it outno largemouth bass window clears the bar in 36 hours

Water is 49°, below the 55–85° largemouth bass like.

Log a trip here
Right now: 23 for largemouth bass, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Largemouth bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 232 am
  2. 23
  3. 23
  4. 235 am
  5. 23
  6. 23
  7. 238 am
  8. 23
  9. 23
  10. 3311 am
  11. 33
  12. 33
  13. 332 pm
  14. 33
  15. 33
  16. 335 pm
  17. 33
  18. 33
  19. 238 pm
  20. 23
  21. 23
  22. 3311 pm
  23. 33Tue
  24. 23
  25. 232 am
  26. 23
  27. 23
  28. 235 am
  29. 23
  30. 23
  31. 238 am
  32. 33
  33. 33
  34. 3311 am
  35. 33
  36. 33
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
49°F

Largemouth bass range 55–85°

Wind
0 mph

From the

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:32 am

Sky
Mostly Cloudy

No rain expected

Air
59°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Arkansas regulations for these waters.

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

49°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Below largemouth bass's active range (55–85°F). Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Arkansas statewide: 10 black bass a day combined, no statewide minimum on largemouth. Beaver and Bull Shoals are 15" and 6 a day; Ouachita is 13" and 6 a day, plus 10 spotted bass.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Arkansas

Season here: Mar–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

49°
45°55–78° · ideal 68°88°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Below smallmouth bass's active range (55–78°F). Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Arkansas: 12" minimum on smallmouth; 6 a day in reservoirs, 2 a day in flowing water, and 1 of at least 15" on blue-ribbon streams. Beaver and Bull Shoals are 15", 6 black bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Arkansas

Season here: Mar–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

49°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Below striped bass's active range (50–72°F). Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Arkansas statewide: 6 striped and hybrid bass a day combined, no minimum. Beaver allows 3 with a 20" minimum on striped bass; Ouachita allows 3 striped bass.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Arkansas

Season here: Apr–Jun, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on striped bass

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

49°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Below walleye's active range (50–72°F). Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Arkansas statewide: 6 walleye a day. Beaver, Bull Shoals and Norfork are 18" and 4 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Arkansas

Season here: Feb–May, Nov–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

49°
40°50–80° · ideal 65°90°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Below crappie's active range (50–80°F). Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

30 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Arkansas statewide: 30 crappie a day, no minimum. Beaver, Bull Shoals and Norfork are 10" and 15 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Arkansas

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

49°
42°52–86° · ideal 72°96°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Below common carp's active range (52–86°F). Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Arkansas treats common carp as a rough fish. Its statewide length and daily limits do not include carp.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Arkansas

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperature49°F
  • Barometer30.34 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:32 am
  • Sunset today6:25 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:40 am–8:40 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:10 pm–2:10 pm
  • Minor solunarTonight 6:00 pm–7:00 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Arkansas Game & Fish has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

A clear Ozark reservoir in northwest Arkansas near Fayetteville — largemouth, smallmouth, and stripers on the main lake, with crappie and walleye in the creek arms.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Table Rock Lake32 mi · MissouriBest today 2 pm–8 pm
74Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Beaver Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Beaver Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Beaver Lake?

Beaver Lake is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Striped Bass, Walleye, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Beaver Lake?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Beaver Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Beaver Lake have?

Beaver Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Beaver Lake?

state agency regulations apply at Beaver Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Beaver Lake tidal water?

No. Beaver Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.