September 26, 2025 | Beaver Tailwater Fishing Report

Anybody else waterlogged after this week? We've clocked right at 6" of rain, and thankfully it looks like we are going to get a break for a bit and settle in to some great fall weather...clear skies with lows in the upper 50's and warming up nicely into the 70's for the next 10 days.

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Beaver Tailwater Levels & Conditions

With all the rain we've gotten there is definitely some color to the water right now. I haven't ventured below the Hwy 62 bridge this week and have focused on the upper river looking for cleaner water. Don't let dirty water stop you though, fish have no problem eating in it and many of my bigger fish over the years have come in off-color water. There is still some dirty water coming in from Spider Creek, but it seems to be tapering off. Above Bertrand access is clean and clear.

The tailwater level has risen about a foot from this time last week, hanging right around 917.3 feet when the dam is shut down. Above the dam, the lake seems to have crested right around 1123.35. This puts the lake almost two feet above power pool. As of October 1, the target level for the lake drops another foot, and we will be almost 3 feet over power pool. Downstream of us, Table Rock Lake seems to have crested just about a half a foot over their power pool. What does all this mean? I would expect that we will see an increase in generation to get the lake back down to accommodate our fall rains. The Friday 9/26 schedule already shows one unit around the clock.

This will put a hard stop on wading, but will be absolutely great water for throwing streamers and drifting deep nymph rigs from the boat....and I can't wait. The extra flow will likely be just what we need to get our bigger fish moving and feeling comfortable with a little more water over their backs.

Click here to see the predicted generation schedule.

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What's Working

What has been working, and what will be working in the coming week are likely to look a little different. The small size 18 or 20 Perdigon below a Tailwater Sowbug has been wrecking fish. I'm hanging these about four feet below a small Palsa indicator on 5x. This has been the only two fly rig I've fished, and have only had to change the Perdigon a couple times after fish chewed through it. Aside from this rig, the old reliable Micro Jig in 1/124 oz. in black or olive is always a producer and gets the nod anytime I'm fishing a little deeper water.

In the coming weeks, I'm sure I'll continue to fish the above rigs if I get any low water windows, but I'm looking forward to some higher water fishing. I'll be throwing streamers every chance I get. Double Deceivers are always a contender, and Brown/Yellow or Olive/Yellow are my favorite colors this time of year. Streamers are hands down my favorite way to fish, and I'll be adding a bunch to the website over the coming days, so check back in and grab a few.

Drift fishing deep water nymph rigs is always a safe bet when the dam is releasing water. My go to is a Y2K with your favorite flavor of sowbug behind it. As we inch closer into fall and winter, I will often rotate the Y2K out and change that over to an egg. I've added lots of different colors the store, and I'm sure you can find something you like. I find that fish have a marked preference for one color or another on a particular day, so it pays to have several different shades in your box. Sometimes it can change hour to hour as clouds move in and out, the sun climbs higher in the sky, and conditions change a little.

Guide Insights

I, for one, am super excited for the higher flows that it looks like we will be seeing over the next few weeks. The streamer bite should pick up dramatically and I expect to see some quality fish over the next month. I also don't mind throwing a heavy nymph rig in bigger water, as I tend to see some quality fish when fishing that way. If you are struggling to get into fish in higher flows, the first thing you should do is add some weight. We are almost never getting as deep as we think we are. I routinely fish big BB size split shot, with a tungsten beaded nymph 8' below an indicator. You will need something like a stout 6wt rod to handle it. If big and heavy isn't your cup of tea, try fishing the same rig you would in lower water, but focus on the banks. There are plenty of places where fish are still holding in a couple feet of water, but they are generally close to the bank. Target gravel flats on inside bends and you won't have any trouble finding fish.