Study looks at paddlefish
Beaver Lake has yielded two state record paddlefish in five years. That's prompted Arkansas Game and Fish Commission biologists to take a closer look at paddlefish in the reservoir.
Biologists are drafting a Beaver Lake Fisheries Management Plan that will address any changes needed in managing paddlefish and other fish at the lake, said Jon Stein, district fisheries supervisor. Potential changes may include adjusting the paddefish snagging season and stocking rates.
The most recent state record is a 118-pound, 9-ounce paddlefish caught at Beaver on Aug. 27 by James Johnson of Minnesota. A 105-pound paddlefish was caught in 2015 by Jessie Wilkes of Springdale.
The new Beaver Lake plan will be available in a few months, Stein said.
Fox tops Elite anglers
Travis Fox won the Beaver Lake Elite Series bass tournament held Sept. 19 at Beaver Lake. His five bass weighed 13.91 pounds.
Jeff Epley placed second with five bass at 12.55 pounds. Jared Gobel was third with five bass at 11.7 pounds. Landon Edwards had big bass at 5.3 pounds.
Fourth through 10th, all with five bass, were: fourth, Nick Frakes, 11.55 pounds; fifth, Lee McLean, 11.04; sixth, Kirk McClelland, 11.03; seventh, Rick Watkins, 10.47; eighth, Jay Nyce, 10.36; ninth, Steven Meador, 10.2; 10th, Matt Emeterio, 10.13.
Lake tops for 'cats
Lake Sequoyah in southeast Fayetteville is a great lake to fish for channel catfish and crappie, a study by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission revealed.
Biologists sampled the lake in June collecting fish in baited hoop nets. Some 175 channel catfish were caught and released after they were measured, said Jon Stein, district fisheries supervisor with Game and Fish.
"The most impressive thing about the fishery," Stein said, "is the average size of catfish was over 20 inches and 3 ¼ pounds. Channel catfish ranged from 10.5 inches to 27.5 inches long, with the largest being over 9 pounds."
Angler reports and a Game and Fish study in 2018 shows the lake has a healthy population of crappie.
A total of 949 white and black crappie were collected in over several days in trap nets. White Crappie are the most dominant species. Fish collected ranged from 2.5 inches long to 14.5 inches. The study showed Lake Sequoyah as good natural reproduction of crappie.
Part of greenway closed
A section of the Razorback Greenway that runs under North Walton Boulevard and Interstate 49 in north Bentonville is closed because of construction on the Bella Vista bypass.
The section is expected to reopen in the fall of 2021.