Jugfishing Beaver Lake

[Bluecat]

Has anyone went yet this Spring. I know the water is high, but someone ought to be catchin some cats. Its been a couple years since Ive jug fished on Beaver but Im going to go as soon as I get rigged up in the next week or so. when I go Ill put up some pics. I usually would get a couple buddies and we would limit out this time of year with a fish or two in the teens everytime.

[fox9988]

CCAT posted on AR rivers that he was going next weekend.He's supposed to keep us posted.

[CountryHart]

Fridays local paper said the cat bite was good on beaver now. I haven't been, but with the high water i bet you can catch some.
Also, welcome to the BOC.:wink:

[jtrew]

Welcome to the BOC, Bluecat!

[ccat]

Yes, I will be jugging and trotlining this weekend (may 16,17) on Beaver.
I will let you all know how it goes. Looks like a nice weekend is shaping up. Hope the cats know that.

[Bluecat]

Ive Been a member of BOC for a long time I just havent been on the forum for a couple years. When I signed on it said last visited on like February of 2006. Man time flies it seems!! Im getting rigged up to go I will probably go in the next few days. I havent fished my ole hot spots in 2 years so they ought to produce. They always produced good fish in the past this time of year. The fish in the Tank are from 2 different trips. I only took these pics because I wanted to show some folks on the internet. Ive had countless trips like this. Ive only caught 3 flats in the mid 20's on Beaver and the biggest blue was 38. I think the reason I dont catch bigger flats is because I use cut bait. Flats are not suppose to take cut bait, but they do On beaver. But its fresh cut bait and I catch my bait right in the waters Im fishing in. I still think thats why I havent caught bigger flats. Ive caught lots of flats from 15 pounds and down.

[slabmaster]

hey blue cat were you useing perch as cut bait or do you have some trick up your sleev for getting shad on beaver?

[ccat]

Went last night (Friday 5/16) and set jugs and trotlines.
Caught only 4, but one channel was about 7 pounds. The others were just good eating sized. I wondered if they had moved toward mainly rocks. Does anyone know with 65 degree water if they will stay in the brush or move towards rock?
Did catch a lot of turtles and had one trotline (25 hooks) stripped completely between 2:00am and 6:00am. Probably turtles.
Fished mainly cut shad and liver. Fished up in Friendship creek below 412 bridge about 2 miles.
I am heading back out late this afternoon to see if I can't catch some bream or shad to net. Probably will set lines closer to the blue springs creek tonight.
Sure was a good night to sleep out in the boat except for the dew and fog and fell during the night.
Good luck yall.

[jtrew]

Chris, if you're having trouble with turtles stripping your lines quickly, try using chitlings for bait. Cut them into bait sized pieces, then put them into ziploc bags with some kind of flavoring, such as garlic powder, anise, vanilla, shrimp flavoring from packages of Ramen noodles , cheese powder, or anything else that strikes your fancy. Let them sit at least overnight; longer is better. The chitlings will mostly stay on the hook till you take them off. I've had good luck with garlic, anise, and shrimp flavorings; haven't tried any of the others.

[ccat]

I put some garlic and salt on the liver about 5 hours before I used them. I don't think they hardened up enough. I set them out in the sun as I read someone suggesting. I think next time I will let them set out longer.
I think I have seen chitterlings at walmart before. I might try them, but will try beef liver tonight. I am about to head out. I am getting a late start, but will set a few lines out tonight.
Anybody have any thoughts about beef liver as opposed to chicken liver? I am open to suggestions.
Good luck.

[Smellycat]

Ccat I always thought beef liver should work, but have tried it several times and not done very well.

[ccat]

smellycat.....I just read on here that some people swear by beef liver. I will try it so I can atleast say I did.
thanks

[jtrew]

Pork liver did better for me than beef liver, but that still wasn't very good. Another bait that I had luck with, but never would have tried except that I was running out of bait, was a large dead fish I found floating down the river. I cut off fillets and threw the rest of the fish back in the water; cut the fillets into chunks. The turtles ate the meat pretty quickly, but the pieces that had skin on them were hooked through the skin, and the turtles couldn't get it off the hook; and they had to leave about 1/4" of meat still on the skin, which was enough to really attract the catfish.

[slabmaster]

i have had a hard time catching cats on beaver around memorial day in years past. there is so much good structure for them to spawn in that i think it makes the bite really tough. falling water conditions aren't helping either. on the plus side i think you might find some shad in beaver right now. i have had fair success with cut perch on beaver. i am in the group that has never had luck with beef liver.

[CountryHart]

I put some garlic and salt on the liver about 5 hours before I used them. I don't think they hardened up enough. I set them out in the sun as I read someone suggesting. I think next time I will let them set out longer.
I think I have seen chitterlings at walmart before. I might try them, but will try beef liver tonight. I am about to head out. I am getting a late start, but will set a few lines out tonight.
Anybody have any thoughts about beef liver as opposed to chicken liver? I am open to suggestions.
Good luck.
If your in Rogers, stop by Pel-Freeze and get some rabbit livers. They are tough and blues gobble em up. It's located behind hook line and sinker, on 2nd. street if i'm not mistaken.

[fox9988]

Talked to a buddy who used to T-line there in the late '70's.Used live bait gills and goldfish only.He said the gills were always better.Caught lots of blues mostly 1/2 to 3lbs,and an occaisional flat,usually upper teens.His PB was 36lb flat.Couse this fishing report is a little dated:wink:Time flies!Thanks for the info CCAT and everyone else.

[ccat]

I haven't heard anyone using rabbit livers. Didn't know you could get any except when hunting them. I don't get up the rogers way much, but I wrote this info down in a book/journal I keep and will have it in my truck whenever I am up there, then I'll stop and get some. It is always worth a try.
I think I will be going out tomorrow night in the blue springs area and jug until about midnight.
I am heading to Canada to fish for smallmouth as soon as we get out of school on June 4, but after that, my catfishing will turn up in a big way. A man can get pretty whipped on this catfishing.
I will need yalls help on the where-abouts to fish this summer. I am just getting started with this catfishing and haven't fished seriously for them in the summer months. I will fish a lot at night, but will need a starter from someone as to where they hang out in the heat. Thanks and good luck.

If your in Rogers, stop by Pel-Freeze and get some rabbit livers. They are tough and blues gobble em up. It's located behind hook line and sinker, on 2nd. street if i'm not mistaken.

[slabmaster]

i have good luck from horseshoe bend to hickory creek in the summer on beaver lake. a word of warning . after about the end of june deep trotlines are fish killers on beaver. the water will start to get hot and there is not enough oxygen for the fish to survive on a trot line set deeper than 20 feet. it's been my experience that you can catch them deep but if you aren't right there to run your line they will die. on the plus side you can tear em up on jug lines.i catch my biggest fish in the summer. hope this helps

[poisonpits]

ive started fishing with the spleens out of cows for bait.its as bloody as chicken liver but stays on the hook a whole lot better.only place i have found it is at the processing house.2 bucks a peice and 1 will last me all nite long.

[Bluecat]

Sorry I didnt get back on here sooner but here is what Ive found out so far on Beaver. I went juggin twice. The first night I went to a old hot spot of mine. There was limb lines about every 40ft and someone else was juggin there too. Anyway the water is muddy so we had a hard time catchin Bluegill. We caught several but didnt have enough so I pulled out the Shad trawling net Went up a big cove all the way and in about 20 minutes i had about 60 shad. So we baited up. I always use cut bluegill, but Im going to start using live and cut. But anyway I will not use shad again although I caught two flatheads biggest being 6 pounds. But I also caught 3 carp on the shad, I know I know carp shoudlnt do that but they did. Ive fished cut bluegill for years and never caught a carp. That was the worst juggin trip Ive ever had in my life. So a couple night later we went to clearer water right by the Dam. Caught the Gills and baited up and wound up catchin 14, 3 was channels the rest were flat heads. The biggest being 9 pounder. We had several lines get tangles in the trees and lost the fish off them so we should have had more.
I think the best time to catch bigger fish is when the water is from 55degrees up to 70. When the water is warmer than that the fish seem to get smaller. and the numbers go down.
I know Flats are not suppose to take cut bait, but they do on Beaver as long as its fresh and you catch it where you are fishing. But I dont think the big flats will bite it My personal best Flat on Beaver was 26 pounds and Ive caught 3 of em about that size lots em in the teens. My person best Blue was 38 pounds I usually catch one in the teens every time I go when the water temp is under 70.
When the water is cooler I catch em on rock walls with lots of trees. as the water warms they start moving into the coves when the water is about 65 secondary points and the backs of deep coves with rocks and trees is where I catch em. When the water gets to 70 the size of the fish goes down and the numbers go down to about half. After the bedding and spawing is over the bite picks back up. Late summer is Rock walls around deep water or drifting for Blues and channels out across the main channel. Last Sunday the water was 72 Degrees.
On my first spot I tried the other day I think It had been getting fished hard. The water was real muddy and it was dark it was cloudy there was no moon. The next time I went it was clear and when the moon came up the fishing got good. I personally think that right around the full moon is the best time to catfish.
I place my jugs along the shoreline in about 6 feet of water.
I read some of the other posts about using liver and stuff I personally quit using liver 10 years ago I beleive in using bait caught from where you are fishing Ive found it is best. I also started catching bigger fish when I did that. I also used to use Shrimp it works for little Channels and a few blues. But I dont use it anymore either. One person mentioned cow splean they do work and they are tough on a hook, but I only use them in our farm ponds. Rabbit liver works, but I think chicken liver is the best in the ponds. All there is in there is channels. But in the lake I use bait caught from where Im fishing. Cut bluegills being my favorite or live. Cut will catch more fish Live will catch bigger and fewer fish. I tried the shad I caught they work, but for some reason I caught more carp than I did cats. Ive never tried it yet, but I think If I put out some crawdad traps in Beaver and then used some crawdads that they would work really good. every flat head Ive caught out of Beaver and looked at what he had for supper it was always crawdads and occasionally a Bluegill.

[Bluecat]

Sorry I didnt get back on here sooner but here is what Ive found out so far on Beaver. I went juggin twice. The first night I went to a old hot spot of mine. There was limb lines about every 40ft and someone else was juggin there too. Anyway the water is muddy so we had a hard time catchin Bluegill. We caught several but didnt have enough so I pulled out the Shad trawling net Went up a big cove all the way and in about 20 minutes i had about 60 shad. So we baited up. I always use cut bluegill, but Im going to start using live and cut. But anyway I will not use shad again although I caught two flatheads biggest being 6 pounds. But I also caught 3 carp on the shad, I know I know carp shoudlnt do that but they did. Ive fished cut bluegill for years and never caught a carp. That was the worst juggin trip Ive ever had in my life. So a couple night later we went to clearer water right by the Dam. Caught the Gills and baited up and wound up catchin 14, 3 was channels the rest were flat heads. The biggest being 9 pounder. We had several lines get tangles in the trees and lost the fish off them so we should have had more.
I think the best time to catch bigger fish is when the water is from 55degrees up to 70. When the water is warmer than that the fish seem to get smaller. and the numbers go down.
I know Flats are not suppose to take cut bait, but they do on Beaver as long as its fresh and you catch it where you are fishing. But I dont think the big flats will bite it My personal best Flat on Beaver was 26 pounds and Ive caught 3 of em about that size lots em in the teens. My person best Blue was 38 pounds I usually catch one in the teens every time I go when the water temp is under 70.
When the water is cooler I catch em on rock walls with lots of trees. as the water warms they start moving into the coves when the water is about 65 secondary points and the backs of deep coves with rocks and trees is where I catch em. When the water gets to 70 the size of the fish goes down and the numbers go down to about half. After the bedding and spawing is over the bite picks back up. Late summer is Rock walls around deep water or drifting for Blues and channels out across the main channel. Last Sunday the water was 72 Degrees.
On my first spot I tried the other day I think It had been getting fished hard. The water was real muddy and it was dark it was cloudy there was no moon. The next time I went it was clear and when the moon came up the fishing got good. I personally think that right around the full moon is the best time to catfish.
I place my jugs along the shoreline in about 6 feet of water.
I read some of the other posts about using liver and stuff I personally quit using liver 10 years ago I beleive in using bait caught from where you are fishing Ive found it is best. I also started catching bigger fish when I did that. I also used to use Shrimp it works for little Channels and a few blues. But I dont use it anymore either. One person mentioned cow splean they do work and they are tough on a hook, but I only use them in our farm ponds. Rabbit liver works, but I think chicken liver is the best in the ponds. All there is in there is channels. But in the lake I use bait caught from where Im fishing. Cut bluegills being my favorite or live. Cut will catch more fish Live will catch bigger and fewer fish. I tried the shad I caught they work, but for some reason I caught more carp than I did cats. Ive never tried it yet, but I think If I put out some crawdad traps in Beaver and then used some crawdads that they would work really good. every flat head Ive caught out of Beaver and looked at what he had for supper it was always crawdads and occasionally a Bluegill.

Ive fished Beaver my whole life Im 36 started jugging Beaver when I was 18. I dont know everything thats for sure, but Ive figured out a trick or two over the years Tell me what you guys think I like picking up new Ideas and tricks.

[fox9988]

What size shad where you using?I've never cat fished Beaver,nor am I an expert but I prefer live BG for big Flats,and shad for Blues.I fish the AR River.I catch bigger Flats than Blues,I think the reason is most people won't mess with live bait,therefor they don't catch the bigger flats, leaving them to get bigger and me to catch them:wink:This weekend I didn't have live bait so I was using 9in shad.One shad makes two fillets and a head,baiting three hooks.Heads/fillets fished to same this weekend.Anyone feel free to disagree and teach me something:ooooh:

[Bluecat]

The shad I were using were small about 4 inches but that is all I could come up with at the time. I was really suprised to catch the carp. I did catch the 2 small flats on the shad though. Ive been going to bait up with cut bait and live Bluegills on the same jug line I just havent done it yet. I know the big flats will take the live BGs Ive just never tried it yet. 25 pounds is the biggest flat Ive taken on fresh cut BG. I think later on in the summer Ill take a trip to the Arkansas River Down around Ozark and check it out.

[fox9988]

If you wait too long they won't be running any water at the AR River.I catch half the number of fish on the river when they stop running water.Right now the river is very high but I think it will be about righ by this weekend.Do a search here for a link to current river conditions.