August 7, 2026 | Beaver Tailwater Fishing Report
We had a great break to the heat earlier this week, but summer has come back with a vengeance. The water is dropping and is incredibly clear. The bite has been a bit spotty, but there are still fish to be caught for sure. Read on below to see how and where to catch them!
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Fishing Report - Beaver Tailwater Levels & Conditions
Beaver Lake has continued its steady drop and is at about 1119.5 msl right now. We have plenty of room in the lake to absorb some fall rains, and they would be a welcome relief. The river is incredibly clear right now, and holding at a wonderful cold temperature. We are seeing consistent, daily releases of both units (or around 7700 cfs) for 3-4 hours starting around 4:00 in the afternoon. As our general flows have dropped off a bit in the last few weeks and Table Rock Lake below is doing the same, the water has dropped out of the tailwater significantly. It's getting pretty skinny in places out there, and if you aren't familiar with the river you need to take your time. If you are in a prop boat, I wouldn't suggest trying to get above the Bertrand boat ramp very far at all, unless you don't mind beating up a prop or lower unit. Even in the jet boat, you need to know where to zig and where to zag and keep the boat moving fast and up on plane. Be safe out there and watch out for rocks!
Heron keeping watch on Beaver Tailwater Fog on the water Beaver Tailwater
What's Working
The fishing has been interesting this week and we are having to focus on very different techniques to find success throughout the day. Early mornings before the fog has burned off my best success has been coming from fishing small midges and sowbugs in shallow water and gravel flats. The fish have been spooky and I have had to break out 3 weight rods and fish lighter tippet than normal to find success. It's probably been over a year since I've had to fish 6x, but here we are! I'm fishing Tailwater Sowbugs in size 18, and dropping a size 20 Rootbeer or Ruby midge behind it. We are fishing the smallest and lightest indicators we can as well. In this type of water, you need to move slow get your cast away from the boat and use your eyes to look as much or more than you cast.
Once the fog is off the water and the sun is up, we are finding plenty of fish by running downriver and focusing on deeper water in and around moss beds. Strangely, this bite doesn't seem to be going until later in the morning, but it has been pretty steady after 10:00. We are fishing leeches, Micro Jigs, and Beaver Buggers around 8-10 feet below an indicator and stripping them erratically to find fish.
Overall - the fishing has been good, but you have to be willing to move around the river and change things up to find success.
Check out the store portion of our website for flies, and if you need something you don't see there...don't hesitate to reach out! I can make it happen.
Beaver Bugger Streamer Deep leech jig fly.
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