On a steamy Saturday in early June, the NSKA crew crossed the border into Oklahoma to take on Pumpback (a.k.a. Chimney Rock Lake) for the second year in a row. Pumpback is an interesting place and really seems to be an engineering marvel. Whatever it is, the fish are big and feisty on this lake! Shout out to Ginger Rice & Noodle Bar for sponsoring the event!
Pumpback Results
Of all the places NSKA fishes tournaments, I believe the most unpredictable results and chance for anyone to land a giant is highest at Pumpback. It was great to see some varied names on the leaderboard for this one. Overall, it was a feast or famine day with a skimpy 204 fish caught by the 50 anglers. Of the 50 anglers registered, only 24 (48%) turned in a limit, while seven (14%) didn’t turn in a keeper. Those are pretty tough numbers overall compared to most May/June events. I’ve wondered if the fact they really didn’t drop the water much plus the weather made it tougher than usual.
Ryan Paskiewicz didn’t have any trouble finding the fish, finishing first with 89.25″ in total. Josh King cranked his way late in the day to a 86.25″ total for second, followed by Kyle Long also with 86.25″ (those tiebreakers are heart breakers…). Justin Phillips took fourth with 85.50″ on the day.
Here were your top 10 anglers from Pumpback:
- Ryan Paskiewicz 89.25″
- Josh King 86.25″
- Kyle Long 86.25″
- Justin Phillips 85.50″
- Clay Johnson 84.50″
- Dwain Batey 84.50″
- Devon Esry 84.25″
- Jacob Webber 83.75″ (I always think, Jacob Wheeler!?!)
- Nathan Henthorn 83.50″
- Josh Howard 83.00″
Big Bass was won by Justin Brewer with a 20.75″ Smallmouth bass caught on a popper.
One note, we had a little post-event judging discussion on a couple of photos. Advice to everyone involved…watch your photos. Take time with them. Taking the picture and submitting is a part of the sport. Staying well within the guidelines avoids any possible deductions or questions around a submission!
Angler Roundtable
The top anglers for the event share how they did it in this roundtable conversation. Ryan, Josh, Kyle and Justin break it down:
What was your overall plan for the day and did it work out as planned?
Ryan – My initial plan was to head to the back of the long arm where I missed a really big fish in practice, but as I started my commute that morning I wasn’t paying attention to my map and went around the wrong point and ended up headed to a totally different part of the lake. LOL! At that point I just committed to the area for an hour or more and when it only produced two small fish I changed my plan and left. I headed to a stretch where I had caught a few in pre-fishing. I love throwing a jig but it was evident that was not going to be the deal. After cranking and trying a few other things, I made myself commit to throwing a fluke for 2 long stretches of bank. I didn’t have a ton of confidence in the fluke personally but noticed the shad spawn was happening and it made sense to throw it. After 30-40 casts I connected with a 17-incher. This made it easier to stick with. A few casts later I hooked a 20.25-incher. From then on I mostly targeted the middle 1/3 of coves and had success.
Josh – Going into Pumpback I only had two other appearances and they didn’t turn out very well. (Dec 2020 29” and Jun 2020 65”). My plan was to fish a different area than the last time, which had been the same areas and to throw what I know and like for this time of year. That plan failed miserably. The first two hours I didn’t catch a fish. Hooked into three, but they all spit the hook. Feeling discouraged I decided to have a little fun and troll for a striper, since I was crossing the main lake to another area. It worked. I hooked into a nice hybrid and he took me for a ride. First striper/hybrid in a kayak. So I was excited…now back to the bass. I finally landed my first bass at 8:45. It took until 12:59 to get a limit. It was a decent limit of 78.00″. It wasn’t a top 10, but I was happy! Ten minutes later I caught my PB Smallie on a crankbait and jumped to 83.75”. Now I felt it was a top 10 limit and started to develop a pattern so I started grinding and found two more culls.
Kyle – My plan was to throw a fluke early and often and the go back over the areas where I caught some with a shaky head or a jig as the water started falling. But best I could tell, the water never really started falling that much and I was able to get bit on the fluke all day. I tried other stuff plenty but couldn’t get bit on anything else.
Justin – My plan was pretty simple. Get away from everyone and head to the backs and work out from there. The execution was a bit more complex. I was betting the farm I’d get a good topwater bite but I wasn’t sure what might trigger the best reaction, so I tied on a multitude of topwater baits. With all the different rods laying out I remember thinking, “Good grief. I haven’t made a cast yet and it already looks like I’m lost.” For the afternoon I was going to try to gauge the mood of the fish and attempt to figure it out from there.
Key baits you caught them on and anything noteworthy?
Ryan – The weightless fluke as mentioned. I picked up some ultra cheap Walmart flukes and later went and bought a few more packs! I fished them pretty slow and most strikes came on the fluke sinking down about two feet. In the afternoon I think the fish pulled off and I should have fished it further out a bit more.
Josh – I found that fishing deep points with a Crankbait and steep windblown banks with a weightless wacky senko was the pattern for me.
Kyle – As I said the fluke was the only bait I caught fish on but I did notice that around 9:00 my bite kinda died. Around 11:00 I was just kinda watching my fluke as I was fishing it out deeper and slower and got bit. Then I tried the slower deeper retrieve again and got bit again. From then on I caught plenty by switching up my retrieve by fishing it further out and letting it fall deeper.
Justin – Once I got to my starting area I worked through every single topwater bait to no avail until lastly I picked up a homemade buzzbait. I immediately caught 2 including one that was 19.25”. I kept it in my hand the rest of the morning which gave me a limit by 8:30 a.m. while also pulling in another over 19”. As fate often dictates I lost the buzzbait and tied on another one of the same color that was store bought. Either the fish liked my homemade one a lot better or this bite was waning. The only interest this buzzbait was generating were total misses (I’ve since made more buzzbaits including backups). At this point I tried working a jerkbait off points. No dice. Then I tried throwing a 3XD crankbait and I caught one that didn’t cull. This fish clued me into thinking they may not be actively chasing anymore because he barely caught the rear treble hook. So, I tied on a green pumpkin stick bait and culled twice giving me my daily total.
Most annoying trash fish at Pumpback, hybrids, drum, or catfish?
Ryan – I caught one hybrid and I did think it was a tank Smallie for a minute. I don’t really find them annoying all that much. Those suckers fight and I enjoy that despite the moment when you realize it won’t help…
Josh – Luckily no trash fish were accidentally caught. I was a bit nervous that my Smallie was a drum at first by the way it acted.
Kyle – I have actually never caught a trash fish on Pumpback. I’m not sorry about that.
Justin – The most annoying fish is, without doubt, a hybrid. They fool me into thinking I’ve got a black bass on. Then the disappointment is real once I get them to the yak.
What’s your PB bass, where did you catch it and on what lure?
Ryan – I have 2 22.75”. One on Lake Atkins and one on the asterisk lake, Swepco. Both caught on a Carolina rig. My personal best Smallie is 19.5” with a jig on Beaver Lake. I want to break into that 20” Smallie club really bad.
Josh – I have a hard time with PB. I haven’t weighed many and my longest is like 20.75”. But I think my PB by weight was around a six pounder caught on a private pond with a chatterbait. Last year. Still searching for that 20” and up in a tourney. My longest, a 20.75″ came during practice on Lake Ouachita for the State Championship. Cranking a squarebill right up against the bank.
Kyle – My PB is shrouded in controversy, lol. I caught a 24.25”on a jig on Lake Fork back during the original Tournament of Champions but it was a “mouth open” tourney. However, I do have a pic of that fish touching 25” but for some reason I submitted it at 24.25” with the mouth slightly open. This cost me big bass and a power pole. The only other fish I’ve ever caught that could rival it was an 8-13 I caught behind my house on Swepco and I only got the weight…not the length. So I’m gonna stick with 24.25” since that was what was accepted in that event for length and 8-13 for weight.
Justin – My PB was caught at Lake Windsor in Bella Vista. It was a spring day with muddy water. I was throwing a fire-tiger jerkbait in 4’ of water. She came out, choked it and jumped. A guy who was watching from his docks starts screaming, “That’s a 10 pounder! That’s a 10 pounder!”. Once I got her in we weighed it on the guys dock. Sadly it wasn’t 10 pounds but it was a beauty of an 8 pounder.
AOY Race Update
Well, well, the AOY race is taking shape, sorta. Honestly it is a mess and we can’t tell much right now. We have some really good anglers that have a zero which they will drop later on. We have some really good anglers with a low score they will drop later on. We have some who have some medium scores who will struggle to stay in the race. As of today, the Top 25 looks like this. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THE CLASSIC. Keep grinding, tons of people are still in contention to qualify. Word on the street is this year is going to be next level in regard to trophies and swag bags for the Top 25!
As of today, the Top 25 looks like this:
Right now looking at the board, lots of anglers can compete for AOY but it appears that Dwain, Devon, Michael and Roy are in the best spots. Brewer is a dark horse to watch with two 98s.
Heavy Hitters Update
Heavy Hitters is also looking like an interesting race. Kyle Long is maintaining his lead but Devon and Terrill did good things on Pumpback to improve their position.
This time of the season it is important to look at DROPS instead of biggest fish. Who can improve things the most with big fish in the last three events?
Don’t sleep on Paskiewicz or Zengerle. They could steal it at the end.
