All posts by jkincy

NSKA

NSKA Beaver Lake – Tournament Recap

A hot June Saturday greeted the Natural State Kayak Anglers to Beaver Lake along with 90+ degree temps, a poly-flake blend boat tournament, wake boarders and tough fishing conditions on the Dead Sea. The NSKA event produced a big turnout of 63 anglers who scattered across the lake from Twin Bridges down to Beaver Dam.

Brayden Richardson took 1st place in the NSKA Beaver Lake event.

 

Although the lake was stingy, overall the fishing wasn’t among the toughest historically on the Dead Sea, with 23 of 63 (37%) turning in a limit, and a robust 84% (53 of 63) turning in a keeper.  These numbers may seem huge when NSKA returns to Beaver Lake in August.

Top Anglers

Junior angler Brayden Richardson took first place with 77″ on the day with 17″ being his big fish of the day.  Jeriamy Vann took second with 75.5″ followed by Declan McDonald and Roy Roberts with 74.75″ each. Big Bass was won by Toua Khang with a 20.25″ largemouth.

Toua Khang won Big Bass on Beaver lake with this 20.25″ largemouth bass.

 

The top 10 finishers were:
  1. Brayden Richardson
  2. Jeriamy Vann
  3. Declan McDonald
  4. Roy Roberts
  5. John Evans
  6. Jason Cowell
  7. Tyler Zengerle
  8. Lloyd Mize
  9. Clay Johnson
  10. Carson McBride
Angler Recaps

The top finishers of the event share where they went and how they got the fish to bite in this roundtable recap.

Where did you go on Beaver Lake and why did you choose that place?

Brayden – I fished the event at Beaver shores; originally I was going to head to Van Winkle, but with my dad not fishing the event I chose to go to the area I was most comfortable with and prefished some.

Jeriamy – Horseshoe Bend due to familiarity with the area.

Declan – I went to the north end of Beaver lake around Kirk Hollow after seeing the lake went down and the fish weren’t in the bushes I thought it would be my best chance to catch a limit.

Roy – I started the day near the dam at Lost Bridge Marina. I am the most comfortable fishing clear water so this has been my go to area on Beaver Lake. Later in the day I made a move to the mid-lake area.

In general how did you catch them, what techniques and anything noteworthy you did?

Brayden – Early morning treated me well with a 17″ on a Whopper Plopper. Soon after that I realized I left some of my key plastics In the truck and has to pedal back so I missed out on more topwater time. As soon as the sun came out I switched to my old reliable, a 4″ trick worm Neko rigged. I was fishing it right off the rock shelves from about 4 feet of water to 15 feet in the back of coves.

Jeriamy – I fish jigs…mostly. I got lucky.

Declan – I started the morning throwing a Whopper Plopper and a weightless fluke. After I worked a good section of bank and had no bites I picked up a Ned rig and worked a point and got a 18 incher so I fished the rest of the day with the Ned rig.

Roy – I caught 10 keepers on the day. The two baits that were producing for me were a Balsa Pro topwater and a 3/4 oz Jewel Football Jig in PBJ.

What is the key to fishing in the summer in your opinion?

Brayden – To me the key to summer fishing is fishing early in shallow water near deep water where they will head later in the day. All my fish came before 10:00 a.m. so the early bite was key.

Declan – I think the key to summer fishing is to get on the water early morning or late evening into night. For me the bite shuts off around 10:00 or 11:00 a.m.  A big thing for tournament fishing is to keep grinding it out through the day and keep a good mindset.

Roy – Summer is my least favorite time to fish. To me the fish are less predictable and harder to pattern. A couple tips I would suggest are always pay attention to shady areas and don’t be afraid to use big baits. I would much prefer to fish at night this time of year.

Anything else happen you want to mention or say?

Declan – After changing my mind two days before the tournament about where I was going to go I was nervous about it being the wrong move, but after catching a good fish I felt a lot better about it. Later around 8:00 or so the rod I was throwing my Ned rig on broke, it was hard not to be negative about it but I had to get another rod and keep fishing hard. A big key to tournament fishing is to not give up and keep fishing hard.

Roy – Last Saturday I got to practice and noticed several fish hanging out around a particular dock. I started at this dock and caught a double on the topwater right off the bat, a 14.25” and 15.5”. This really gave me a boost for the rest of the morning. I made a move up the lake and picked out a point with lots of wind and waves that I had never fished. This quickly paid off with a 15” and a 15.5” Smallmouth.

Next up for the Natural State Kayak Anglers is the Draw 4 event on July 14th, watch for more information coming soon.

 

RVKA

RVKA Pick Three Road Runner – Tournament Preview

The River Valley Kayak Anglers are hitting the road this week for the Pick Three Road Runner which will take anglers to one of three area lakes to try and catch a limit.

Kayak anglers who dare to enter will choose their fate by drawing from one of three bodies of water: Booneville, Greenwood and New Spiro city lakes. Captains need to be checked in at Gellco Outdoors at 5:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 26, to be ready to participate. Anglers will draw their lake at the meeting and then will take off to fish.  Must be back to Gellco Outdoors by 3:00 to submit your fish and photos.  (3:15 if you went to Booneville)

The Lakes

I’ve only been to one of the lakes among the three, so Chris Jones helped provide a breakdown and a quick look at each destination fishery:

Greenwood Lake – This little lake southeast of Fort Smith features stained water, grass, and flooded timber.  There are two creeks that feed into the lake on the southern end and north of the bridge Greenwood Lake is a bit deeper with steeper banks. There are grass and trees in the water all around the lake. Greenwood Lake was made by flooding Vache Grass Creek and Vineyard Creek – finding the best spots on and around these creek channels is key.

New Spiro Lake – This lake just south of Spiro, is fed by Holi-Tuska Creek coming in from the northwest and is just over 2,000 acres with a max depth of 23 feet. Features stained water year round with  grass banks around most of the lake. Lake is very shallow except by the dam. The vast majority of this lake is less than 10 feet deep. It is well known as a big time bluegill lake with some giant slabs lurking in the waters. It’s a place where it is common to throw topwater all day long.

Booneville Lake – This is the largest of the three, with flooded grass
around almost all of the southern end of the lake. The upper part is a shallow, but wide creek area. This is also the only lake of the three with Spotted bass in the waters. Booneville Lake is the clearest of the three lakes as well. Hosting huge schools of shad, it is not surprising to find fish in 20-30 feet of water on this lake.

This should be an interesting event and for me will be a chance to explore some new waters. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids and watch out for dehydration as the weather starts to turn warmer. As always, wear your PFD!

 

NSKA

2018 NSKA Road Runner – Tournament Recap

The annual NSKA Road Runner was predicted to produce a lot of fish and big limits – and it delivered.  The Kentucky Derby of the NSKA schedule produced a dark horse lake which ran away from the field in producing the big limits.

What makes the Road Runner the premier event is that every angler can pick the body of water where they feel like they have the best chance to catch fish. Previous statistics showed that Beaver Lake would play into the top totals, but this year it was Siloam City Lake which stole the show.

NWA Road Runner FPAA and Results

As expected, there were a lot of fish caught and most anglers found success on a beautiful May Saturday. Almost all of the 60 anglers who participated (93%) turned in a keeper, with a strong 65% (39) turned in a limit.  A very big indicator of how successful anglers were on the day was the high FPAA (Fish Per Angler Average) of 5.22 for the event. This compares to a FPAA of 3.72 for Beaver Lake South and 2.5 for Lake Fort Smith.

Bo Sarratt took first place at Siloam City Lake in the 2018 NSKA Road Runner.

First place on the day went to Bo Sarratt with a whopping 93.5″ (Siloam City Lake) followed by Dwain Batey with 87.50″ (Siloam City Lake). Third place was Carson McBride with 85.25″ (XXX) with Roy Roberts taking fourth with a total of 83.25″ (Siloam City Lake and Illinois River).  Big Bass on the day was a 22″ giant caught by Justin Brewer at the big bass factory known as Lincoln Lake.

The top 10 was as follows:

  1. Bo Sarratt
  2.  Dwain Batey
  3.  Carson McBride
  4.  Roy Roberts
  5.  Josh Goforth
  6.  Robert Murphy
  7.  Justin Brewer
  8.  JeriamyVann
  9.  Josh Sherrill
  10.  Chad Warford
Top Angler Recaps

The top finishers Bo Sarratt, Dwain Batey, Carson McBride and Roy Roberts shared how they made the most of their day on the water:

Where did you go and why?

Bo – I went to Siloam City Lake because it is the lake I fish the most in my kayak and I have some confidence in the fact I have caught some big fish there.

Dwain – I wound up fishing at Siloam Springs City Lake. It was not in the plan, but I had a phenomenal day on the last day we could practice there and made a last minute change of plans.

Carson – I went to Hickory Creek because it was muddy and the water was up and I knew the big fish would be moving, and Beaver historically is the winner of this tournament.

Roy – I pre-fished Elmdale and Lincoln and couldn’t get on anything solid. I wanted to fish Beaver but the wind and boat traffic changed my mind. I decided I would just fish the Illinois river and its tributaries. I figured the river bite would be good all day so I started my day on Siloam City Lake because it was nearby. I was looking for a topwater bite early before I shuttled over to the river.

In general how did you catch your fish? early? Late?

Bo –  I caught my fish doing all different stuff. I started out with a spook in the morning with no luck. Once the wind started blowing I went to an area where I had caught some pre-spawn females the Sunday before the tourney in hopes that they would still be around. They were. I was able to catch two of my 18” fish there. At 11:00 I found an 18.5” fish on a bed that I caught the first flip. In the afternoon I only caught two fish but they both culled a couple 15 inch fish I had and the last one was the 21.25 incher.

Dwain – I caught fish all day long, and even caught my largest at 2:00 pm.

Carson – I caught my fish flipping buck brush with a beaver and a Rage Menace and with a chartreuse spinnerbait. All of my fish were in 3ft or less of water. I caught some fish early but still caught them all day.

Roy – Early I caught my fish at the lake on a frog, later at the river I was having success on a crankbait and Ned rig.

What was the one fish you caught that was critical and what did you catch it on?

Bo – Obviously, the big fish I caught at the end of the day was a game-changer. I caught that fish at 1:30 and culled up about 5.5 inches. Once that happened I knew it was going to be tough for anybody to catch me. I caught that big fish on a swimbait rigged on a 1/4 oz War Eagle grubber jighead.

Dwain – That last fish that I culled up with at 2:00 gave me 3 more inches, and secured 2nd place instead of 3rd so that fish would have to be the key fish. I was catching fish on a YUM soft plastic in practice, and had a secret backup bait which turned out to be the only bait that I got bit on during the tournament. I have a few more fish to catch for an online event currently running so I’m not going to spill the beans on my backup bait that became primary in the tourney, sorry. Overall it was a great event, and it was good to see City Lake show out that way because that’s not normal, while it has a lot of fish they are really hit or miss. It could have just as easily been the worst place to be that day. It was a big gamble that just happened to be a good one.

Carson – One fish I caught that was critical was a 17.75″ at the end of the day and gave me a 5.25 inch cull. He was way, way back in some buck brush and I almost never got him out.

Roy – I was catching lots of 12-14 inch Smallmouth, not able to cull up much. At about 1:00 I caught a 18.5 inch Kentucky on the Ned rig and that was a huge momentum swing and help for me.

If you didn’t win, what was something you would have or wish you had done differently?

Dwain – ]I fished clean and caught a phenomenal number of fish for city lake. I don’t know of anything that I would have changed. I didn’t catch any fish on a crankbait which is unusual for me so I guess I could wish that was working for the tourney.

Carson – I would have set the hook harder on a real nice one I hooked about midday. It wasn’t a great hookset and the hook popped out when he turned.

Roy – Obviously looking back I probably should have stayed at Siloam all day. I had 4 quality bites there early but missed 2 of them. I stuck with my original game plan and had a blast catching around 50 fish on the day so no regrets.

 

NSKA

Hitting the Road – NSKA Road Runner Tournament Preview

The best tournament of the year on the Natural State Kayak Angler (NSKA) schedule takes place on May 12 when anglers hit to road to their favorite fishing hole in search of the best limit. The NWA Road Runner taking place right in the middle of the spawn is likely to produce the most limits and the highest totals of the season.

Every angler should be able to find water to fish that fits their style or strategy. In the road runner format, anglers will be able to choose from almost any publicly accessible body of water within a 30 mile radius. Private water, farm ponds, Bella Vista lakes and SWEPCO Lake are off limits!  For a breakdown of the key lakes in play for the tournament, check out last year’s road runner preview article.  Another thing to keep in mind is the further out in the radius you go, the higher risk you have of not making back to weigh in or cutting out fishing time.

IMPORTANT NOTE – Because this is a road runner, ALL eligible water is off limits after Wednesday in this week, not just where you plan to fish.

2018 NWA Road Runner radius is 30 miles from Lowell, Arkansas.

NWA Road Runner Means Big Totals

Choosing your own water generally leads to good results for anglers and there are some common bodies of water which have been key to success the past few years:

In 2015 Beaver Lake produced the winning total of near 80″, with Lake Bob Kidd producing 2nd place, Crystal Lake 3rd, and Lincoln Lake producing 4th and 5th.

In 2016, Beaver Lake produced first place again with the Dead Sea giving up a strong 86″ with Lake Bob Kidd, Siloam City Lake and SWEPCO Lake rounding out the other money placements.

Last year in 2017, Lake Elmdale was the big dog in the road runner. First place with a huge 93.75″ as well as second place came out of Lake Elmdale. The same lake also produced a 23.5″ monster for Big Bass.  Third and fourth place came from SWEPCO Lake (off limits this season). Overall, a strong 67% of anglers caught a limit, with 93% turning in a keeper – by far the best performance in recent tournaments by the field.

This 23.5″ tank was caught by Cole Sikes at Lake Elmdale in the 2017 NWA Road Runner to win Big Bass.

2018 Angler Preview and Predictions

I asked two of the most successful NSKA anglers over the past year to join me in previewing and predicting the upcoming event.  Dwain Batey (last year’s champ), Taylor Frizzell and Cole Sikes shared their thoughts in this roundtable discussion.

Name the two lakes which will most likely produce the winning limit.

Dwain – The two lakes that I think are most likely to hold the winning fish are Lincoln Lake or Lake Elmdale. Both of these lakes have a great population of larger fish, though at times both can be very stingy, and the recent inflow of flooded waters could really change things in the area. This is typically good for Elmdale, and bad for Lincoln, but to be honest I haven’t fished either one enough this year to get a good feel of what’s going on.

Taylor – I think someone fishing Lincoln Lake or Shadow Lake has a great shot at the winning limit. This time of year is always a great time for both spots.

Cole – Lincoln Lake or Elmdale.

Jason – The numbers don’t lie, history shows it likely will be Beaver Lake. If not there Elmdale or Lincoln for those who can find the best fish.

How do you decide or narrow down where to go when a road runner gives you so many options?

Dwain – I will probably just wake up that morning, if I go to sleep at all, and randomly pick which lake feels right for the day and go all in on that one. I pre-fished Elmdale recently and I plan to fish Lincoln before the event off limits, this will give me a good idea on which lake I should hit for the event. Hey, if they’re both fishing poorly I might go somewhere crazy like Siloam Springs City Lake for the tournament, we’ll see.

Taylor – When I get a chance at a road runner I tend to look at my favorite spots to fish and then go back and see how I did in those areas in years past. This year though things seem to be happening a little later with the up and down weather we have had so it could work or be a bust.

Cole – How do you decide or narrow down where to go when a road runner gives you so many options? I typically pick lakes I have confidence in and know they have big ones.

Jason – Probably one that I don’t throw…honestly jigs should be the key with fish up and around cover.

What will be some of the key baits to catch fish this week?

Dwain – I would say that my key bait would be a Skirmish Baits M9 squarebill crankbait, but with the recent heavy rains it might wind up being a jig or spinnerbait if the water is really muddy. There may be enough time to let it clear back up some in a few lakes, and then I would probably be targeting fish with the squarebill, and probably a topwater since it’s post spawn for the most part in our area now. I had a little something figured out before this rain that I am holding on to, but we’ll see if it plays in the event, if it does I’ll spill the beans afterwords.

Taylor –  I think some of the key baits are going to be jigs, chatterbaits, and a Ned rig because let’s be honest everyone is throwing it even if they won’t admit it.

Cole – This time of year when the fish are in all stages of the spawn you can catch them on about anything. I think it will be a junk fishing type tournament.

Jason – Scouting is difficult because you can’t get to many places to check them out. So I’d go somewhere you are the most comfortable with and familiar. No reason to risk a tournament day on a lake where you don’t have some spots.

Predict the winning total, and Big Bass.

Dwain – Winning length will be 89.5 inches and 21.25 inches for Big Bass.

Taylor – I think anyone with around 86 inches is going to be in a good position to win and big bass will be 21 inches.

Cole – The winning total will be 81.50” and 20.25” for Big Bass.

Jason – This is usually some of the biggest totals of the year, so I’d say 85.25″ for the winning limit and 22.5″ for Big Bass.

 

 

RVKA

RVKA Ozark City Lake Tournament Recap

Ozark City lake hosted the RVKA night bass fishing tournament in late April under a full moon. The lake did pretty well in giving up some good numbers to the 22 anglers on hand.

Carson McBride took first place with 82.5″, with Declan McDonald taking second place with 77.5″ and Chris Jones finishing third with 71.25″ overall. Big Bass was won by Chris Jones for a 23″ monster caught  after dark.

Ozark City Lake winners Carson McBride and Declan Mcdonald used the ned rig to catch their bass. - Courtesy Aaron McBride.
Ozark City Lake winners Carson McBride and Declan Mcdonald used the ned rig to catch their bass. – Courtesy Aaron McBride.

The top 10 anglers were:

  1.  Carson McBride
  2.  Declan McDonald
  3.  Chris Jones
  4.  Toby Bogart
  5.  Trey Rogers
  6.  Josh Childress
  7.  Gavin Collins
  8.  Jason Kincy
  9.  Lloyd Mize
  10.  Brandon Crippen
23" Big Bass caught by Chris Jones.
23″ Big Bass caught by Chris Jones.
Angler Recaps

The top three finishers from the Ozark City Lake event, Carson McBride, Declan McDonald and  Chris Jones, shared some of their insights on the tournament and how to successfully compete in these type of events.

How did you catch your fish and what were the key baits? 

Carson –  I caught my fish in 5 feet or less of water bouncing a Ned rig off of the bottom.

Declan –  I caught all my fish on the bottom on ned rigs, just popping it off the bottom just covering the same spots multiple times.

Chris – I threw a popper for first four fish before dark, then caught 2 on a chatterbait after dark.

What was your strategy for the night tournament, how was it different than a regular tourney that starts in the morning?

Carson – My strategy for the night tourney was to start out finesse since it was three in the afternoon with bluebird skies and not much wind. This is instead of throwing a topwater or moving bait in the morning like I would in any other tournament.

Declan – My strategy was to find fish fast and catch a early limit then upgrade later. I knew the blue bird skies and mid-day conditions would be tough so I thought the fishing would improve later toward dark so I just tried to capitalize on the fish I could find.

Chris – My strategy was get around the whole lake and try to locate the biggest baitfish action for a topwater bite and see if it carried into the night.

What is your advice for someone new in preparing for tournaments?

Carson – My advice for someone preparing for tourneys is to throw what your most confident with and stick to that when fishing gets tough.

Declan – My advice would be to just stay confident and throw what you have confidence in if your going to a new lake Google maps is always a great resource.

Chris – Watch the weather and ask questions about the lake and Google search for past tourney results and information.

What’s one specific tip you would give for finding fish on a lake?

Carson – One specific tip I would give for finding fish on a lake is to cover water with what your most confident with.

Chris – Look for bait fish.

Declan – A specific tip would be to pay attention to water temp and weather conditions.

Congratulations to all who came out and fished the event!
J
Reviews

Stormr STRYKR Jacket Review

I just finished up my second late winter and early spring fishing season using my Stormr STRYKR Jacket on the worst weather days. It has kept me warm and functioning on the water in extreme conditions. Most recently this year in a KBF tournament on Lake Bull Shoals it protected me in windy and snowy weather with water temps in the 20s. Hours on the water were made much more comfortable with this piece of equipment.

The Stormr STRYKR jacket was great protection against the wind and snow on Bull Shoals. - kayakfishingfocus.com
The Stormr STRYKR jacket was great protection against the wind and snow on Bull Shoals. – kayakfishingfocus.com

When kayak fishing in freezing and windy conditions I wanted to have a jacket that was warm, stopped the wind but wasn’t too bulky to wear and move freely while in the kayak seat. The waterproof and windproof Stormr STRYKR jacket is an impenetrable shield against the elements.

Stormr STRYKR Jacket Specs

What makes the Stormr STRYKR jacket so effective in protecting against foul weather are the materials and construction. The water and windproof neoprene exterior is an excellent outer shell, while the fleece lined interior is comfortable and holds in body heat. This is the warmest thing I’ve ever owned – hands down. Many other elements contribute to the warmth and comfort:

  • Two-way Adjustable Hood
  • Fleece-Lined Interior
  • Non-Corrosive Splash Proof Zipper
  • Full-Length Interior Storm Flap
  • Glued, Blind-Stitched and Thermal Taped Seams
  • Internal Neoprene Cuffs
  • Abrasion Resistant Material for High-Use Areas
  • Adjustable Velcro Cuffs
  • Adjustable Waistband with Two Interior Cord Locks
Practical Usage and Functionality

As already stated, the jacket isn’t bulky or heavy, both a major benefit for a winter coat for the kayak angler. Aside from keeping me warm and protected, the jacket comes with many extras that were well thought out and make it easy to manage my gear. Some of my favorite features include all of the convenient pockets that allow me to safely store my phone, keys, and anything else I want to keep on me with easy access. Worried about wearing a jacket if going into the water? The Stormr STRYKR jacket has 5 lbs of positive buoyancy which, along with your PFD, will help keep you afloat if you capsize. Some of the other key convenience and safety features:

  • Interior Cell Phone Pocket
  • Two Chest Gear Pockets
  • Two Fleece-Lined, Waterproof Exterior Pockets with PU Coated Non-Corrosive Zippers
  • Two Interior Mesh Gear Pockets
  • Adjustable Waistband with Two Interior Cord Locks
  • Two D-Rings for accessories or kill switch tethers
  • 3M Reflective graphics for high visibility
  • Available in Smoke, Orange or Black and White edition
The Bottom Line

The Stormr STRYKR jacket is a top of the line foul weather solution for kayak fishing. It’s not cheap, but is a piece of equipment that will protect you for years on the water. The only negative I have on this jacket is I wish there was a way to remove the hood for days where I don’t need my head covered but want the warm jacket on my body. The hood will lie back and I don’t have to wear it, so not a big deal but it would be better if I could detach it.

Staying warm and protected in a jacket that also allows you to be nimble in your kayak is worth the investment. Before the next winter season comes, check out the Stormr STRYKR jacket for ultimate foul weather protection. I don’t use them, but Stormr also offers STRYKR bibs as well that would cover you head to toe.

 

Uncategorized

NSKA Lake Fort Smith Tournament Recap

The NSKA tournament on Lake Fort Smith for 2018 is in the books, resulting in a strong turnout on a cloudy day in the Boston Mountains. Warmer weather combined with fish moving shallow made for a day where the lake gave up a decent number of fish to the 64 anglers who took to the water.

Tournament Results

A historically stingy Lake Fort Smith was a little better this time around with 49 (77%) of anglers carding a keeper. Limits were still pretty tough to come by with only 14 (22%) of anglers turning in five keepers. Christa Hibbs won her second NSKA Lake Fort Smith tournament in a row with 81.5″, while Cole Sikes took 2nd with 73.5″ and Declan McDonald finishing 3rd with 71.5″ total.  Big Bass was won by Josue Rodriguez with a 20″ Largemouth.

The top ten anglers were:

  1. Christa Hibbs
  2. Cole Sikes
  3. Declan McDonald
  4. Shane Oakes
  5. John Evans
  6. Craig Wood
  7. Ryan Paskiewicz
  8. Toby Bogart
  9. Dwain Batey
  10. Roy Roberts
NSKA Fort Smith Big Bass caught by Josue Rodriguez – 20″
Angler Recaps

Top finishers Christa Hibbs, Cole Sikes, Declan McDonald and Shane Oakes share what worked for them and how they got results on the tricky Lake Fort Smith:

In general what part of the lake did you fish?

Christa – I fished mainly the upper part of the lake the majority of the day.

Cole – I primarily fished Shepherd Springs but did dabble in the mid-lake area.

Declan – I started my day on the north end of the lake I wasn’t getting bit there so I moved to the south end towards the dam and fish there the rest of the day.

Shane –  I fished the upper end creek and creek channel. I selected this area because it best suits my style of fishing, which is some current along with a channel that has various types of structure and depth. With the water temperature around 56-57 degrees I figured some bigger fish could possibly be hanging out on structure along the mouth of the creek.

What were the main baits that worked for you?

Christa – The baits that worked for me were a topwater early in the morning and a small crankbait throughout the rest of the day.

Cole – All but one of my fish came on a jig by our sponsor Slowtown Custom Lures. My one other fish came on a red squarebill.

Declan – I threw a ned rig most of the day just popping it off the bottom hoping to get it in front of fish so they would bite.

Shane – I used some typical pre-spawn/spawn baits in that they were big bodied dark colored baits that big females do not want near their beds. Unfortunately, I mostly came across small males.

Any particular approach or strategy you wanted to employ to try to win?

Christa – My main approach was to find where the fish were holding and adjust to them. I wasn’t able to pre-fish prior to the tournament to try and search. Once I found some I noticed they were full of eggs and found a 100 yard stretch of bank that I picked through for a few hours to pull my keeper fish out of.

Cole – My main approach to the tournament was to try and capitalize early. The lake is decent in size but I knew the banks would get pressured quickly so catching as many as you could early would help. Also, I focused on the west side of Sheppard Springs because it had less blown up debris from the recent heavy rains.

Declan – My main strategy was to go out and throw my confidence baits and I knew the muddy water would only hurt, so I just tried to stay confident and cover the same spot 2 or 3 times.

Shane – As all of those who were at the final weigh-in now know, and much to the displeasure of one competitor in particular, my approach was to launch from a [very] public access point in the upper end of the creek in order to get a jump on the competition. With almost 60 competitors on this body of water I felt getting a limit as early as possible was going to be the key. From there I could focus on culling. For the most part this worked out, except that I was culling 12 inch fish with 12.5 and 12.75 inch fish and simply couldn’t find the bigger ones.

What do you think the key was to your overall success? 

Christa – The key to my overall success was being able to adjust to the fish throughout the day. My topwater bite died once the wind picked up. Next I picked up the small squarebill and they were wanting it ripped through the wood and rock with a pause. My biggest fish reacted best with a fast retrieve and with the bait deflecting off of the rock and wood.

Cole – My key for overall success was to “fish slow, fast”. When I know they are shallow and tight to cover, I try to make as many cast by the cover and only move jig a few times before making my next cast. Typically the fish will hit my jig within the first couple of seconds. Also, I finished out my limit around 1:30 with 66” and knew I would need a kicker to have a chance to win. Most of the anglers were working their way back to the ramp so I took advantage of that and headed the opposite direction to less pressured water. I found some good spawning pockets earlier in the day and fished those for a kicker. I flipped my jig into a tight-narrow opening of the log jam and hooked into the 19 inch kicker. She took me under the logs and I had to keep my line tight and work my kayak back to get to her. Luckily for me she stayed pegged and I was able scoop her in the net. Little did I know I needed two more kickers to catch up to Christa! Congratulations Christa Hibbs!

Declan – I think the key to my success was my confidence, going into this tournament I knew from previous events that it was going to be a finesse bite and I felt that I could catch a limit.

Shane – With as tough as this lake has been on all of us over the last several years I wouldn’t say any of us had an edge, except maybe one lady angler. I simply like this lake and have a lot of confidence when we come here because of the many memories made as kid, fishing it with my best friend when it was known as Lake Shepherd Springs.

 

 

NSKA, Uncategorized

NSKA Lake Fort Smith Tournament Preview

I remember fishing Lake Fort Smith for the first time in April of 2015 and it was a beautiful mountain lake with extremely clear water and I caught about 10 keepers that afternoon. No idea whatever happened to that lake I visited on that day – every time I’ve been there since has been a nightmare in comparison. High water, flooding, debris, chocolate milk and scattered fish have been the norm since that first misleading visit.

Some of the worst weather tournaments I’ve fished in have been at this venue.  All of that said, when the NSKA tournament committee was planning the schedule for this year, I lobbied to get us back to Lake Fort Smith and am glad it was put on the agenda by the powers that be. It’s a great central location and is a test of fishing mettle.

I have a love/hate relationship with Snake Fort Smith. Everything above the water line is amazing at this lake. The mountains are a great view, waterfalls and forested creek run-ins are incredibly scenic, and the ramp and parking area are great. Under the water, the fish can be hard to find and I think this is one of the snakiest lakes I’ve been on.  (looking at you Lincoln Lake…)  I’ve been fooled by White Bass more on this lake than anywhere else. They seem very aggressive here and will make more than one angler curse on Saturday.

Tournament Stuff

So, if you plan to take on the challenge, sign up for the NSKA Lake Ft. Smith event on TourneyX.  Captains meeting will be at 6:00 a.m. and lines out is at 3:00 p.m.  Weather is looking like rain based on the current forecast.  One thing to be excited about is the shotgun start from the ramp, that’s always fun and a bit of chaos.

Previous events have been pretty tough on anglers. The RVKA tournament earlier this year was a grinder, with only nine of 38 anglers turning in a keeper, and no anglers turning a limit.

In 2016, 74 anglers took on Lake Fort Smith with 45 (61%) turning in a keeper, and only 10 (14%) turning in a limit. Big Bass was only 17″ which is tiny for 74 anglers.

Angler’s Preview & Predictions

Arkansas kayak anglers Tim Hotchkin and Brandon Ward agreed to help me out with the pre-tournament roundtable discussion where we take a look at what might happen.

Lots of rain recently has the lake up and muddy, how do you think this will affect the tournament this Saturday?

Tim – I think it will throw people off of their game. I have the feeling for many anglers it will be a long grind to land a limit. It will require people to adapt to the conditions and the person who can put a pattern together will have a great chance to win.

Brandon – I’ve never been able to fish Lake Fort Smith without it being muddy. The guys that fish the river often shouldn’t have a problem with it. It may be a little tough for some clear water guys though. With the temps this week leading up to the tournament the big fish will be moving on up. I doubt the small front on Saturday will have much effect on them this time around. They’ve been wanting to spawn for a few weeks now and I think rain or shine this is the week/weekend to be on the water in our area.

Jason – Honestly I think it will just scatter the fish and make them harder to catch, rising water will keep some on the old bank and will make some move up.

For a lot of anglers, this will be their first tourney on Lake Fort Smith, do you have any advice for them to tackle this unusual lake?

Tim – The lake is essentially two lakes combined into one. One side will get shallow and have flats. The other stays deeper and had more submerged trees. It has water for everyone to fish their strengths and I have watched anglers do well on each end.

Brandon – Don’t get down on yourself early. I’ve fished and finished well in all three tournament’s I’ve had on this lake. There’s been a few where I didn’t have a fish before noon. Over the last three years I’ve seen a lot of folks get off the water early due to doing poorly in the first few hours.

Jason – The lake is bigger than you would think looking on a map. Lots of room to spread out if you venture away from the ramp. There are hidden little waterfalls that show up during rain that could be a key, you just have to find them.

What’s something about the lake that many people may not know? Or what’s something to be aware of?

Tim – My best tournament ended up consisting of me weighing in almost a entire limit of Smallmouth. Finesse anglers have fared well in tournaments at this lake even in previous years with muddy high water as well.

Brandon –  Lake Fort Smith is a very deep lake but there are a few key places (North and South) that will serve as good spawning ground. There’s a ton of standing timber if you like fishing those areas as well. Only thing I would be aware of is the motor boats. The lake is a lot bigger than it looks when you take off across the middle of it. Just be aware and stay visible to those guys that are zooming around.

Jason – There are two big creeks that run into the north east end of the lake, the most dominant features to create any current or new water. The southwest end has a buoy barrier that keeps you from the dam.

Predicted winning length and big bass?

Tim – I think it will take 78″ inches to win and I think someone will find a fish at 20″ to win Big Bass.

Brandon – I predict 76″ and Big Bass 21.25″

Jason – Based on history, I’m looking at 75.5″ to win and a big bass of 19.25″

 

KBF

KBF Bull Shoals Tournament – Ice Bowl Recap

When I signed up to enter the Kayak Bass Fishing (KBF) Trail event to be held on Bull Shoals in April, I had visions of clear water, 60 degree water and bass beginning the spawn in my head.  Boy was I wrong about that. What 53 anglers encountered on the beautiful Arkansas lake was a blast of winter that may not have bothered the fish, but it froze the butts off a lot of anglers.

It was my first trip to fish this lake and I had heard a lot of great things. Upon arrival I saw that the rumors were correct, it was a beautiful fishery with clear water and lots of rock and some shoreline cover in the form of flooded bushes almost everywhere you went. The communities of Bull Shoals and Lakeview did a fantastic job of hosting the event and really rolled out the red carpet for us. Quick shout out to Gaston’s White River Resort which was a great place to stay, definitely want to get back there and do some trout fishing on the White River.

Tough Day of Fishing – Dominant Performances

Overall the results showed a difficult day, partly due to the weather I would assume. A major cold front moved in overnight and brought with it sleet, snow and 27 degree temps at lines in. Temps didn’t get above freezing until almost noon.  It seems that Smallmouth and Spotted bass were key for a lot of the anglers who did well.

Of the 53 anglers who entered, only 12 (23%) turned in a limit of five bass, and only 30 (57%) turned in at least one keeper. This is on a lake that is recognized as being crammed with bass and usually is a pretty easy touch.

This 20.50″ Largemouth bass caught by Brian Hillman was the biggest fish turned in for the 2018 KBF Trail on Bull Shoals.

The top finishers were Jason Adams (Ark.) with 89.25″, Josue Rodriguez (Okla.) with 79.5″ and Garrett Morgan (Ark.) with 79″ overall. This was a very large margin for the winner, making it not close for first place.  You can see the full 2018 Bull Shoals results here. Read below for some insight and video of Jason’s winning day.

Here is a recap of the top 10 finishers:

  1. Jason Adams (Ark.)
  2. Josue Rodriguez (Okla.)
  3. Garrett Morgan (Ark.)
  4. Ben Spangler (Ark.)
  5. Roy Roberts (Ark.)
  6. Hans Bentz (Mo.)
  7. Cody Milton (Ark.)
  8. Brad Case (Ms.)
  9. Brian Hillman (Mo.)
  10. Dorman Hughey (Mo.)

Angler Recaps

The top three finishers participated in a roundtable to share some thoughts on how they did it. Jason Adams, Josue Rodriguez and Garrett Morgan answered my questions about the event.

Where did you go and why did you choose that part of the lake? 

Jason – I wanted to go to the furthest area that was in bounds but still in Arkansas. I was looking for dirty water and found it in the mouths of the creeks.

Josue – I went to look at several spots before the tournament and just fished from the bank trying to figure out some type of pattern. We decided on the east side of the lake, close to the check in.

Garrett – I went to Coon Creek and fished secondary points as I knew fish have been making there way to the backs of creeks as the spawn is approaching. I knew the cold front would push them out a bit but didn’t feel they would travel too far away. So, midway back toward the lake seemed like a good way to spend my time on deeper points of flats near deep water once the sun came out.

Main baits that worked for you?

Jason – I used a Ned rig on a Solid Tackle jig head and a senko cut in half. The big bites later in the day were on a Skirmish one-knocker square bill in chartreuse.

Josue – Drop shot and an A-rig.

Garrett – My two baits I caught fish on were an A-rig and a wiggle wart.

Any particular approach or strategy you wanted to employ to try to win?

Jason – To try and get a limit at my first location was my primary strategy. Then move to another location to fish with a crank bait to try and catch larger fish to upgrade. I wanted to crank and cover water.

Josue – When I started to fish I was having problems right off the bat with my micro guides, they were freezing over. So fishing slow was difficult for me because the line kept getting stuck. I caught my first fish on a drop shot, it was only 9.5 inches and I was just happy to catch a fish at the time. Then I picked up an A-rig and fished a pocket and caught two fish back to back…after that i went looking for similar pockets. I had three fish at the time and that’s when it kinda went south for me. I was really cold and wanted to get out and walk around a bit. I couldn’t feel my legs so when I stood up in my kayak I fell in the water. Lucky for me only my legs got wet but I was still freezing at this point. I was ready to call it quits and I couldn’t fish because of how cold I was. I started to paddle back to the truck. On the way back I saw a good looking cove and I wasn’t very far from it so I decided to fish it really quick. I’m glad I did because I caught my last two fish and cull my smallest one.

Garrett – It was a roller coaster day of highs and lows and highs! My rods, reels and feet were locking up from the cold. I managed to catch a nice Smallmouth in the same area an hour later and lift my spirits a bit. A few hours and spots later my feet were so numb I couldn’t feel them. I headed to the opposite side of the creek channel from where I had caught my first fish, rolled up on a flat reached for the wiggle wart and caught another Smallmouth! A few minutes later I managed my only Largemouth on the A-rig. By this time it’s 11:30 and I’ve got three fish and feeling much better. I tried my spots again and noticed other folks headed in, I turn my phone on, check the time and see it’s about 2:30 and decided to head back toward my first spot one more time on the way in. I fish it about ten minutes and then head in with three fish for the day. As I approach the gravel ramp I see a nice breeze catching the front of the first drop out in front of it, which I noticed on my graph when I headed out that morning and never fished. At 2:43 I cast out in front of the gravel ramp area and hook up with a Smallmouth. I quickly grab my phone to take a pic, only to realize it has 1% because it’s been searching for signal and I never turned it off after the last time I checked the time. On low battery mode it had enough to snap a quick pic. I cast out at 2:46 and three revolutions of the reel later I’m hooked up with a another Smallmouth. I boat-flipped it in my lap, threw it on measuring board, prayed my phone would take a photo, and it did! Released the fish in the water and with the help of fellow competitors was loaded in less than 6 minutes.

Anything else interesting that happened or you wanted to mention? Thoughts on Bull Shoals?

Jason – When the sun finally came out and the fish moved up on shallow road beds – I happened to be in the right place when it happened. I quit fishing at 2:00 but knew I could keep upgrading if I had kept going, I’d caught around 30 fish at my second location and culled 7 times.

Josue – Overall I really like the lake. First time fishing it and I see that it has a lot of potential living up to the hype.

Garrett – This game is 10% skill and 90% mental in my opinion. I’d say I was tested harder mentally than any other tournament. I may have cursed a few times, but I was able to reset and never believed I couldn’t get back in contention as long as there was time left to fish. Adjusting little things like the color of my swimbaits at 2:00 pm when the sun popped out and I only have three fish, is not giving up! You got to believe it can still happen on any cast! I was glad it did on my last one!

Final Thoughts

I definitely hope that KBF comes back to Bull Shoals next year, it was a great lake and venue and the town really seemed to care that the tournament was in town. I was asked several times over a couple of days about the tournament by locals and they were genuinely interested.

The event was well-run and really turned out to be cold, but a fun experience on the water overall.

 

kayak bass fishing

KBF Bull Shoals Preview

The first Kayak Bass Fishing (KBF) Trail event of the year in Arkansas will take place on Bull Shoals, a 45,000 acre reservoir on the White River in Arkansas.

The 2018 KBF Trail – Bull Shoals will take place on Saturday, April 7. Anglers will be able to use any ramp in the lake to launch and chase their limit of winning bass. Participants should register for the event using TourneyX by Friday, April 6.

Tournament Schedule and Meeting Information

The captains meeting and check in will be at Beacon Point Restaurant located at 3553 AR-178 in Lakeview, AR 72642.

Friday April 6
* 4:00 p.m.: Prefishing ends
* 6:00 p.m.: Event ID Code Released
* 6:00 p.m.: Captains Meeting at Tournament HQ
* 6:00 p.m.: Registration Deadline
Saturday April 7
* 5:00 a.m.: Earliest Launch; registration deadline
* 6:15 a.m.: Start-of-competition; first cast/lines in water
* 3:30 p.m.: End-of-competition; lines out
* 4:00 p.m.: Photo upload deadline (Shows on TourneyX as “end of competition” time)
* 4:00 p.m.: Check in to Tournament HQ. (Late or Failure to check in will result in disqualification.)

Event sponsors include:

  • *Bull Shoals Lake & White River Chamber of Commerce
  • *Ozark Mountain Trading Company
  • *Beacon Point Restaurant
  • *Enterprise Printing
  • Gerber Gear, NuCanoe, Torqeedo,  Yeti, NRS, Nines Optics, Lowrance, Power Pole, YakAttack, APR, BooneDOX* Title sponsors – please tag in when posting in social media at this event
Bull Shoals Dam at the south end of the lake.
Bull Shoals Tournament Analysis

Jason Adams, event tournament director, previews the tournament and what anglers may expect on Bull Shoals.

What do you expect from Bull Shoals, lots of fish? Big fish? Will it be primarily largemouth or a mix of largemouth, spotted bass and smallmouth?

I believe catching a five fish limit will be the most important aspect and could come from a limit of Smallmouth. These are the first fish to move up for spawning as temperatures start to rise. We saw that at the National Championship this year where a limit each day was key to placing high. One thing to note was the minimum length at that event was 12″, however, for the Trail and Challenge events, the minimum length is back to 8″. This should really be encouraging to anglers who fished the NC and went home skunked.

Is there anything that makes bull shoals unique?

Bull Shoals is a deep and clear highlands reservoir impoundment located in on the border of Arkansas and Missouri. It is centrally located in the United States and has hosted numerous elite bass tournaments. This will be the first time a major kayak tournament has been held on this lake and the locals are ecstatic about the idea. We partnered with the Bull Shoals Lake White River Chamber of Commerce late last year and have had an some great dialogue on the future of Kayak Bass Fishing in this area.

What should anglers coming in from outside of the area know about the Bull Shoals region?

People coming into this area will be welcomed by banners provided by the local Chamber as they drive into this world famous fishing destination. The place will be packed with bass boat and kayak anglers, as well as fly fisherman. This place is nostalgic and knows how to keep you dreaming of coming back. Ozark Mountain Trading Company is the closest kayak shop, located in Cotter just a few blocks from the White River. Area native Brad Eubanks is the store manager and has been known to put people on fish. He said mum is the word, but I bet you can charm him into sharing a few local secrets.

What’s the guaranteed prize for first? Is there a big bass element? 

Payout is to 10% of the field with $1,000 minimum to first place. There is no Big Bass side pot collected on TourneyX.

Bull Shoals Links

Bull Shoals Wikipedia

Bull Shoals Chamber of Commerce

Things To Do