What Makes the Beaver Tailwater Unique

Parked just above Bertrand on 1 unit of generation.

Nestled in Northwest Arkansas and the beginning of the White River chain of lakes, Beaver Tailwater often takes a backseat to the White River below Bull Shoals Dam and Lake Taneycomo. The short and unique tailwater we have here below Beaver Lake is a very different fishery than the other rivers and makes for some interesting fishing.  

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Water Levels

The first thing to know is that Beaver Tailwater below Beaver Dam exists for the purpose of flood mitigation first and hydroelectric power generation second.  The recreational benefits are a byproduct. There is an entire other post (that I still need to write) about understanding when and why the Corps of Engineers or Southwestern Power Administration either releases or holds back water from the dam, but the general guidelines are that the more rain we have had or the higher the demand on the electric grid means more generation and more high water. 

Parker Bottoms at 918 msl

Water levels on the Beaver Tailwater are best understood by using the term “mean feet above sea level” or msl.  It is a static number that you can use to gauge the height of the river as measured at the dam.  For example, if the tailwater is at 916 msl, there is a fair amount of wadeable water.  If the dam turns on to half capacity, the water will rise to roughly 922.  That is a 7-foot rise in the water level, and an additional 3,750 cubic feet of water per second coming down the river.  This change happens very quickly, and close to the dam you will notice this change almost instantly. 

As the river winds its course, Beaver Tailwater empties into Table Rock Lake.  There is no real defined point at which this happens, however.  It’s not as if you are floating down a river and around the next bend it opens into a big lake.  The transition happens over time and miles as the river gradually slows, widens and deepens. The warmwater fish – walleye, white bass, smallmouth bass, stripers –  begin to mix in with trout and the variety of your catch increases. The level of Table Rock Lake significantly impacts the level in the Tailwater.  Most of the time, when we think about tailwaters and water levels, the only two factors are generation and rainfall.  On Beaver Tailwater, we have another factor to consider – the level of Table Rock Lake below.  

This spring and many others, the water from the lake was high enough to back into the Tailwater.  When water was turned on at the Beaver Dam, the level didn’t noticeably rise.

Parker Bottoms at 926 msl

There was an increase in current, but the level remained the same.  Under “normal” conditions you can expect a 6-9 foot rise in the water level when the generators are on. When wading, that sudden rise should send you running to shore, and will effectively end your fishing for the day.  When fishing from a boat, however, it opens up a whole new world. The flow increases and the holding areas for fish change dramatically. Gravel bars that are dry land during low water can become perfect places to catch fish while drifting over them. We get what is essentially a whole new river to explore every time the dam releases water.  

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Species to Target & When

Day in and day out, trout are the primary target on Beaver Tailwater.  Rainbow trout are stocked monthly by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission and provide the foundation for our fishing.  While rainbows may be plentiful, there are definitely brown trout in the tailwater, too. I’ve laid eyes on a few that I’d be happy to get my hands on. There have been several in the 30” range recorded during AGFC electroshocking surveys and caught by anglers as well. 

With the lake and the tailwater being one continuous piece of water that fish can move freely between, we get two impressive events that the other tailwaters don’t see.  

#1 The Walleye Run

In February and March, we get a big run of walleye that push up out of the lake to spawn. 

Walleye on the Fly

This is no secret, and the tailwater can get very busy with folks coming in to capitalize on the run. Walleye can be finicky fish to target, and they have a bit of a “here today - gone tomorrow” reputation. They can be a fun fish to go after, and if you hear through the grapevine that the bite is on, drop what you are doing and head to the river. 

#2 White Bass Barge In

Shortly after the walleye get done spawning the white bass move in, normally in April.  When they are in the river en masse, you’re in for a lot of fun!  White bass are hard-fighting fish that will eat almost anything that looks like a minnow - clouser minnows, white wooly buggers, zonkers, jigs, etc. 

While these are two big seasonal phenomena, throughout the year there are also paddlefish, gar, stripers, chubs, suckers, and various minnows that make pushes and runs up from the lake and into the tailwater, all contributing to the variety of fishing that we see.

Final Thoughts

Beaver Tailwater is a very unique ecosystem, and is always a blast to fish.  The variable water levels combined with the warmwater fish that run in make it a dynamic river that every angler should experience.  Whether you’ve never been here before, or your only experience is wade fishing the upper river, getting out with an experienced guide in a jet boat will open a whole new world of possibilities and give you a unique perspective on what our Beaver Tailwater has to offer.