August is a prime month for bass fishing, offering anglers a unique challenge as the summer heat pushes bass into specific patterns. Understanding these patterns and adjusting your strategy can make all the difference in landing those trophy bass, or at least not going home skunked.
August bass fishing can still catch a big bite! – kayakfishingfocus.com
1. Early Morning and Late Evening Bites
During August, bass tend to avoid the midday heat, becoming most active during the cooler parts of the day. Target the early morning and late evening hours when the water is cooler, and the bass are more likely to be feeding aggressively. Look for shallow areas with plenty of cover like weed beds, lily pads, or fallen trees.
2. Focus on Deeper Water During the Day
As the sun climbs higher, bass retreat to deeper, cooler waters. Utilize deep-diving crankbaits, Texas-rigged worms, or jigs to reach these bass. Drop-offs, ledges, and submerged structures are key areas to focus on when the sun is high. Most of the time bass anglers are not fishing deep enough in the summer. A great place to start on a highland reservoir is 15-20 feet deep and adjust from there.
3. Choose the Right Bait
In August, natural baits that mimic the bass’s local forage are most effective. Soft plastic worms, crawfish imitations, and shad-like crankbaits are excellent choices. Don’t be afraid to experiment with colors; sometimes a slight change can make a big difference. Generally, bass will chase baits early and late, but during the day they want a slower presentation.
4. Stay Patient and Persistent
August can be tough, with bass sometimes seeming elusive. Patience is key—stay focused, keep moving, and try different spots and techniques. The reward of landing a big summer bass makes the effort worthwhile. Maintain appropriate expectations while bass fishing in August. It’s going to be tougher than in spring, but you can do it!
5. Consider Night Fishing
If you’re up for a new challenge, consider night fishing for bass. As the temperature drops, bass become more active, and night fishing can yield some of the biggest catches of the season. Use dark-colored baits that create a silhouette against the moonlight for the best results. Plastic worms and jigs are my go-to for night bass fishing.
Final Thoughts
Bass fishing in August is all about adapting to the conditions, and not giving up if the bite is tough. By targeting the right times of day, focusing on deeper water, and choosing the right baits, you can increase your chances of success. Embrace the summer heat and get out on the water—the bass are waiting!
“I’m looking high and low, don’t know where to go I got to double back, my friend The only way to find, what I left behind I got to double back again, Pumpback again”
Those lyrics from ZZ Top came to mind as we had to make a late switch from the planned Arkansas River for this event to Pumpback due to some logistical challenges. Pumpback has an up and down history in tournaments regarding to how it has fished in the past. For 2024 it was going to perform pretty well for most anglers!
For the Pumpback event, presented by Toadfish Outfitters, a pretty good turnout of 45 anglers hit the water in an always fun shotgun start. Anyone who has never done one of those of any size has missed out on a few minutes of chaos with furious pedaling, motoring, and jockeying for position.
Will Atchison’s Big Bass, one of two 20.75″ fish on the day!
Tournament Results
The switch to Pumpback led to some good totals at the top. Pumpback has a lot of good fish that are thick and love to fight – and they were on display on this past Saturday. Will Atchison took first place with 88.25″ on the day, followed by Fanny Phomsopha with 86.25″, and Dustin Wheeler in 3rd with 86.25″ by tiebreaker. Will also took Big Bass with TWO 20.75″ tanks, winning in a tiebreaker over Josh Landreth who also had a 20.75″ Pumpback beast.
Bryan Caresia won the Trash Fish prize, and Kase Ingram won smallest limit.
Overall for the field, we saw a 3.89 Fish Per Angler (FPA) which isn’t very strong in the overall scheme of things, while a low 40% turned in a limit. These Top 10 were able to catch some fish:
Will Atchison 88.25
Fanny Phomsopha 86.25
Dustin Wheeler 86.25
Terrill Standifer 85.75
Jacob Webber 84.50
Tyler Zengerle 81.25
James Haeberle 81.25
Josh Landreth 80.75
Kevin Tadda 80.75
Kyle Long 79.75
Angler Roundtable
Here’s how the top anglers on the day did their thing in catching some big limits on Pumpback:
What was your overall strategy going into the tournament?
Will – Coming into the tournament I felt like the fish would be holding on points feeding on shad. I knew the main lake points was going to get hammered by everyone, so I wanted to give the fish a different look, than they would be seeing by the rest of the field.
Fanny – My strategy was to go up to the Dam and get a limit with the first 2 hours then move to opposite side of the lake up in the creek arms to finish the day.
Dustin – I came into this event expecting to scope with a drop shot, ned, and jerkbait but I still brought my glide bait rod just in case. I actually had two different glides, a golden baits hellion and a versatile baits vg2 that I was going to throw.
Any key techniques or baits you used to catch them?
Will – My limit was almost exclusively filled by throwing a white 3/8oz buckeye swim-jig out in deeper water on the main lake points. Slow rolling, bouncing it off the rocks in deeper water, on main lake points turned out to be the key strategy.
Fanny – I sarted out with a buzzbait had blowup on it but no hook up and notice the wind pick up. I change to a jackhammer and slow roll it 19.5″ Largemouth hammer it so I stuck with the jackhammer had several bites only four came from it. Move to new location looking for drop off bank 14ft or less with wind on it throw the jackhammer if deeper no wind throw the shaky head. That was what we stuck with the rest of the day.
Dustin – The hellion caught my first fish in a couple minutes on the south east side of the lake. I followed it with a couple on a crankbait, letting one jump out of the yak on me then I started scoping and managed one each on drop shot and jerkbait. Both back in the creek that feeds into the lake. I decided to leave that creek area and head out to the big island. On my way out I heard a fish bust on a point right on the bank and pulled over with the vg2 and caught a decent fish putting me at 4 fish scored. Fished down that bank a short ways and caught another on the vg2 that was 18” filling my limit.
What’s the story on your key fish for the day?
Will – My key fish, I felt like happened twice. Caught the first 20.75 early, on a point with the swim jig. It’s always a good feeling to get the kicker out of the way on your first three casts. When I finally had filled my limit I knew it was enough for a top ten but I felt like one big one would put me in a good spot. The one that sealed the deal, came later in the day on a crank bait, also on a point. When I finally got him in the boat I knew it could get interesting. The other guys definitely had me scared though, being that they had 86in before the leader board even went off!
Fanny – 30 minutes left came out of the creek sitting at 82.50 caught 2 more no cull 7 minutes left I noticed tree split like a Y in 10ft deep with wind on it took about 2 minutes to get there. The jackhammer came out on the second cast 18” Smallie absolutely crushed it and went airborne three times! I’m a nervous wreck with my history on this lake losing fish after hook up. I had my net out as far as it could reach and caught it in the air on it third jump – pure luck! Thank NWA for always putting on a good tournament. Starting to put names to faces and you guys have been great to me.
Dustin – Now my biggest fish is on my glide so I locked it in my hand figuring I needed to upgrade two more times to secure a win. An hour of glide chunking passes before I catch my biggest, a 19.25” smallmouth at 10:30. I ended up fishing the rest of the day until 1:20 without another bite but at 1:20 I hook into a 20” class fish to only watch it jump off and with it my tournament ended! Had I great time and was a great event! Best day I’ve ever had on pumpback too!
What type of line do you generally use for main techniques?
Will – I usually try to use 12lb Seaguar fluorocarbon on most techniques , but the size of the smallmouth in pump-back caused me to upgrade to 15lb. Turns out I’m glad I did. The two big smallmouth in my limit put up a heck of a fight!
Fanny – I use Berkley Vanish fluorocarbon 10lbs on my shaky head and 17lbs fluorocarbon on the jackhammer.
Dustin – I was using 20lb mono with the vg2 glide and 17lb fluorocarbon with the Hellion.
Heavy Hitters
The Heavy Hitters race is coming into final shape for the year after six events. Anglers keep their best five for the season for their total. With only a couple of events left we have a new leader. Levi can’t get too comfortable, though. Jason Kincy needs only a 20″ in one of the last two events to take the lead, while Josh Landreth is in great position and I predict is the favorite for the title. He can drop two low totals in the last two events and would leap to 1st place! The next two events are not big bass producers, so it’s going to be interesting. I’d rather be sitting in 1st than not at this point!
Angler of the Year Race
Angler of the Year still has a long way to go, but there was a shakeup in the standings after this event. Tyler Zengerle now sits in first place after Levi and Jason failed to deliver a good finish on Pumpback. I’m calling it now, this is a four angler race between Tyler, Kyle, Levi, and Jason. Not saying all the events to now didn’t matter, but if you calculate the best four scores (allowing for two drops), these four are almost all sitting at 388 – basically a dead heat. This is going to go down to the Classic Championship!
Speaking of the Classic, here is your current Top 25 who would make it in if it were today. This Top 25 is going to fluctuate quite a bit with score drops in the next two events, right now I think there are about 35-40 people still in the mix for a Top 25 qualifying ranking!
It is heating up in the Ozarks and it appears that ole Beaver Lake is in full summer pattern based on what anglers saw this past weekend. Some still caught them, and in VERY different ways. No matter how the sport progresses, there’s always opportunity for creativity in catching bass. Read on for the results of Beaver Lake South, sponsored by Capps Mens Cuts.
Tournament Results
This event was a pretty standard warm-weather affair on Beaver Lake. Some good fish caught at the top, but it was a grind for most of the field. The Fish Per Angler (FPA) was a reasonable 4.75, but finding quality was the big challenge. Pretty short story: If you caught a limit with a fish over 17, you did pretty well.
Levi Schneider took first place with 83.50″ caught in a unique fashion (see below), while Tyler Zengerle took second with 78.75″ followed by Jacob Webber in third with 78.75″ on the day (by tiebreaker). Doug Watson took home the Big Bass prize with a mammoth 21.75″ Beaver Lake largemouth bass. Overall, 24 of 44 (55%) turned in a limit, and 41 of 44 (93%) of registered anglers turned in a bass.
2024 Beaver Lake South Champion Levi Schneider
The Top Ten anglers:
Levi Schneider 83.50
Tyler Zengerle 78.75
Jacob Webber 78.75
Jason Kincy 77.75
Doug Watson 76.50
Bobby Hogan 74.50
Cole Sikes 74.25
Christa Hibbs 73.25
John Evans 73.00
Kyle Long 72.50
Doug Watson’s Big Bass from Beaver Lake. This is a giant no matter where it is, but on Beaver is a super giant. Source: TourneyX
Angler Roundtable
Hear from our top three finishers how they did it. Levi, Tyler, and Jacob sat down at the table to share how they did it on a hot June Saturday on Beaver Lake.
What area did you fish and why?
Levi – I fished primarily all the mouths of the small cuts across from Horseshoe Bend marina and Joe’s Creek.
Tyler – At first, I launched at Monte Ne because I practiced there a couple weeks prior and felt confident that I could pick up a quick limit…didn’t happen that way on game day. I only had two fish when I decided to leave at 9:00. I packed up and went to Beaver Shores and picked up the rest of my limit there.
Jacob – I chose to launch at Horseshoe because it’s the area I’m most familiar with and had a couple spots I figured would be good.
Key baits used on the day?
Levi – I caught every fish on either a white or shattered glass flutter spoon.
Tyler – I caught fish on a few things. white fluke, jig, Ned rig, and the trusty shakey head.
Jacob – I caught the most fish on a Freeloader, but the three better fish all came on something different (freeloader, 4” swimbait, and Plopper)
What was your key bass and how’d you catch it?
Levi – My key fish was my 20.50″ I caught around 9:00. I had just switched to the white spoon because the fish weren’t committing well to the shattered glass spoon so I knew I needed to make some kind of change. Within three casts from switching colors that 20.50″ smoked it. I was king of horsing it in because I thought I’d hooked a striper. She also got wrapped up in my livescope pole but I was luckily able to just grab her by the mouth without losing her. I also didn’t catch my last two keepers until 12:30-12:55 and that big fish was my motivation to fill my limit and not let the day go to waste.
Tyler – My key bass was my 3rd fish. It was only a 12.75” fish, but it gave me the boost and confidence I needed to keep fishing the rest of the day. I kept my head down after that and caught my 5th around 11:00 and it was a 19.50” chunk.
Jacob – I think I had a key spot rather than a key bass. I pulled up to a main lake brush pile and caught three fish in about 10 minutes, with two of those being 18”. I would have been in trouble if I didn’t stumble upon that brush pile.
What’s something you wish you had tried that you thought about after the tourney ended?
Levi – I usually ask myself what I would’ve done different every tourney and the only things I wish I would’ve tried or even just given more time with would’ve been a weighted glide bait, a deep diving jerkbait or a slimmer profile hair jig. I threw some really large hair jigs that they wanted nothing to do with.
Tyler – I tried many other baits and nothing worked, so there wasn’t really anything else that I wish I would’ve tried. I do wish I would’ve just went to Beaver Shores first, though, and maybe I also need to learn how to fish a flutter spoon…
Jacob – I wish I just covered more water. I fished a pretty small stretch all day. I knew there was more good fish in that brush pile and decided to come back to it a couple times and try and pull 1 more out. I threw almost everything I brought with me at them but couldn’t get bit.
Heavy Hitters Race
At this point in the season, we now have five events to get the official five best fish limit. There will be opportunities ahead for anglers to drop smaller fish. Technically there are lots of anglers who have a shot remaining – you want lots of green blocks to be in contention. Four anglers in particular I believe have the best chance with three events to go: Jason Kincy, Levi Schneider, Josh Landreth, and Bobby Hogan. They each have at least one 20″ and several other green-rated bass. As always, going to be tight!
Angler of the Year
This has been an incredibly unusual season so far, with all five wins from only three anglers. The consistency at the top of the AOY chart is amazing, with the top four anglers being in the top ten in each event. Because of this, what should be a solid lead is razor-thin, with Levi, Kyle, and Tyler all within easy striking distance. Because you can drop a couple of events, and, the Classic counts double, there are other anglers in the mix as well. If you have 3-4 green rated finishes and do very well here on out, you have a shot.
More importantly, it is going to start being crunch time for the top 25 to get into the end of year Classic. Hard to tell where veryone stands because of drops, etc., but right now, here are your Top 25.
Event four on the season was the first of back to back trips to the Dead Sea for the NSKA NWA crew. Beaver Lake has actually done pretty well in recent years and put out some good limits. The northern stop was likely to be the smaller winning total over the southern stop coming up on June 22nd. With road closures, runaway docks and marinas, and summer boats everywhere, it wasn’t quite as wide open as usual in fishing options. But as usual, the NSKA anglers found a way.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Going forward, the tournament recap will be emailed to NSKA subscribers 48 hours before posted live to Kayakfishingfocus.com. If you want to receive the recap sooner than later, GO SIGN UP HEREto receive the club emails.
The smallest bass award and $42 goes to Bryan Caresia – A 3.75″ Largemouth, congratulations!. This is way harder to do than to catch a 20″ Largemouth! Source: TourneyX
Tournament Recap
On the heels of a stormy week in Northwest Arkansas, the fishing was pretty good for some and pretty tough for others. It seemed to come down to location as a key factor – as several of the Top 10 fished within sight of each other.
Kyle Long won his second event in a row with a good 83.00″ limit! Dwain Batey was second with 80.75″, and Josh Landreth third with 80.25″ for the event. Big Bass also went to Josh Landreth for a 20.50″ largemouth.
The Top Ten Finishers:
Kyle Long 82.00
Dwain Batey 80.75
Josh Landreth 80.25
Levi Schneider 80.25
Tyler Zengerle 80.00
Jason Kincy 79.00
John Hall 79.00
Mike Zajicek 78.50
Jobie Vongpraphanh 77.75
Justin Brewer 77.50
Josh Landreth’s Big Bass from Beaver Lake North – 20.50″ Good thing this wasn’t by weight. Source: TourneyX
Angler Roundtable
Pull up a chair and learn how the top finishers found and caught their bass. Thanks to Kyle, Dwain, Josh, and Levi for sharing their experiences with us.
Where did you go and why?
Kyle – I went to Prairie Creek. I had to leave early for my daughter’s dance recital so that was the closest place to be able to stay the longest before I had to go. And because it’s a great area of the lake.
Dwain – I fished Prairie Creek, if the event had been later in the summer I would have went further north, but because of the time of year I wanted to stay mid-lake. It’s always super busy in PC, but I felt like I could fish differently enough to still catch fish.
Josh – I fished a creek arm with the most stain I could find. Thursday evening I fished there for about an hour and found really high quality fish.
Levi – I went to Indian Creek because I knew it’d be the clearest water I could fish that also suits my strengths.
What were some of the key baits or techniques you used to catch your bass?
Kyle – Three baits got almost every bite. Fluke early, shakyhead midday, and spinnerbait late.
Dwain – I started off using a buzzbait, then caught one on a fluke, then one on a carolina rig, then a few pitching a creature bait, and even caught a key fish or two on a wake bait. Basically I was 100% junk fishing after the first run with the buzzbait stopped working.
Josh – I caught my big fish on a chatterbait in about two feet of water. Other than that, it was just junk fishing all day. Two of the fish in my bag were on a wacky rig and two were on a shakyhead. I knew from my hour of pre-fishing that if the fish were still there on Saturday, I’d be in contention.
Levi – I caught my best five on a spook and a flutter spoon but caught others on a Damiki rig and a hair jig.
Describe when you knew you might be in contention for a trophy.
Kyle – I’d say at around 1:00. Culled an inch on a spinnerbait with a 16” which doesn’t seem like much, but based on where I was and the conditions, I knew if I made enough casts in the highest percentage areas I had a chance to upgrade some more. I knew I was in contention for a Top 5 before that, but when I caught that 16 I really believed I was gonna place top three with a chance to win.
Dwain – I was on top of the leader board most of the day and having the board showing was nice, several of us had a good back and forth going towards the end of the event and even though I usually don’t look at the leader board anyway it was exciting to watch it go down real time.
Josh – When I caught the 20.5″ at 6:20am, I knew I’d have a chance if I could get enough bites. I have a feeling it was a fish I shook off on Thursday night.
Levi – Whenever I pulled up to a point and caught my two biggest on back to back casts I knew I had a shot to win because they jumped me to second at the time. Unfortunately I jumped my biggest bite off in the last 10 minutes that would’ve sealed the deal. It still stings a little but I’m always grateful for the opportunity to be in contention
What’s your favorite rod and reel setup and what do you use it for?
Kyle – That new spinnerbait rod y’all got me last year has been phenomenal. It’s without question the best quality set up I own. But after that one, it’s got to be my shaky head rod. Reel is just a spinning reel from Walmart, the rod is a BPS rod that isn’t fancy, but I sure love the way it puts them in the boat.
Dwain – I would probably have to go with an 8:1 gear ratio bait cast reel, I’m not brand loyal but I have a lot of the white BPS reels. I like a MH 7′ 6” rod with that and even though this sounds like a single rod, depending on the brand the vary wildly in how light or heavy their MH rods are. So I have several different brands to cover different techniques. For example the way I rig and fish a fluke I need a MH rod that’s on the heavy side of MH, but for a Chatterbait I might go with a MH rod that is more on the light side of MH.
Josh – My equipment needs an overhaul, honestly. I spend a lot of time on the river, and the river is hard on stuff. And I’m cheap. So, I don’t have the best equipment. If I could avoid ever having a spinning rod in my hand, I would. So those need to be thrown in the trash. Right now, my favorite setup is a 7′ MH TPO Professional rod that I won in a drawing at the Classic in 2022. It’s paired with an old RevoX reel. I’ve been using it as my chatterbait rod. Pretty soon, I’ll swap over to using it for topwater. It’s just a good utility setup.
Levi – My favorite combo is my flutter spoon setup which is a 8.3:1 Johnny Morris platinum with a 7’6” MH bass pro cranking stick that’s equipped with 17lb fluorocarbon.
Heavy Hitters
There were some good fish caught on Beaver Lake, but only one 20, so it didn’t do too much to shake up the Heavy Hitters race. This was Landreth’s second 20 of the year, so it definitely puts him in a good position to move up. With four events left, it is still pretty much anybody’s to win.
Green means it is a “great” score and yellow means a “good” score – no color means it needs replaced by another score if possible.
Angler of the Year Race
It has been an unusual season so far, with all four events being won by only two anglers. This has resulted in a couple of leaders, but others have also had consistent top finishes. With four events to go and the ability to drop two, there SEVERAL anglers in serious contention. More importantly, almost the entire field has a chance for the Top 25 and a Classic spot. Theoretically, with four events to go, an angler would only have to keep two of their first two scores. It’s going to go down to the wire!
Green means it is a “great” score and yellow means a “good” score – no color means it needs replaced by another score if possible.
Yakpots in NW Arkansas
Summer Yakpot season is underway, with the first one of the summer at Hwy 412 ramp on Wednesday, June 5 at 6:00pm. We will set up a Yakpot schedule for the next 2-3 months. Stay tuned! In the interim, be sure to join the NWA WEEKLY YAKPOT FACEBOOK GROUP to stay on top of days and locations going forward.
This year’s edition of the NWA NSKA Road Runner had one of the largest areas in-bounds in several years. With a 55 mile radius in play, the Jackson Safety Systems Road Runner meant kayak anglers had more than 100 public water options to choose from for the day! Conventional wisdom was that the May event would yield bigger totals than the heat of the summer – did that come true?
Jacob Wilkie’s 22″ beast for Big Bass.
Tournament Results
Being a 10 fish event, it’s a little difficult to evaluate the overall fishing vs an average NSKA NWA event. We do have the last couple of years for a comparison, but as mentioned above this one was in July and not May. In 2023 the average Fish Per Angler (FPA) was 9.06 in 2023, and in 2024 it was 8.02 FPA. First three places in 2023 were 170.75, 170.50, and 155 – how did that compare to this year’s event?
Kyle Long took first place with 173.25, Dwain Batey was second with 170.75, and Jake Simmons third with 166.00 on the day. Big Bass was a 22.00 monster caught by Jacob Wilkie. He caught in on Little Sugar Creek on a fluke, and on a lightweight rod it was quite a battle!
So, overall, May 2024 gets the slight edge over July of 2023.
The Top Ten Finishers:
Kyle Long – 173.25
Dwain Batey – 170.75
Jacob Simmons – 166.00
Josh Landreth – 164.00
Jason Kincy – 160.00
John Hall – 157.75
Andrew Newsom – 157.50
Tyler Zengerle – 157.25
Levi Schneider – 157.00
Jacob Wilkie – 151.75
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Angler Roundtable
The top finishing anglers share their secrets of how they did it on tournament day. Thank you to Kyle Long, Dwain Batey, Jake Simmons and Josh Landreth for sharing with us!
1) Where did you go to fish and why?
Kyle – I went to Pumpback. I love that place so much. I know it’s been pretty bad but I also remember what it’s like when it’s good so I wanted to take the risk. I hadn’t prefished at all so it was 100% a gut feeling call. I was prepared to move if it didn’t work out but I didn’t have to.
Dwain – I started at Siloam Springs City Lake, no surprise there. I had plans to move midday to another lake, but by that time I was already too tired to move so I just kept grinding it out.
Jake – I really wanted to go to Spavinaw but I just never had a chance to get over there and get a permit so I wound up at Pumpback which is just five minutes from the house.
Josh – I went to Siloam City Lake. I had pre-fished there about 10 days prior to the event and had 173″ with two dinks in less than four hours. I also pre-fished Spavinaw and had a great day there too, but it was a long drive. I knew I’d kick myself if Siloam produced the winner and I didn’t try, even though I was worried about not being able to find 10.
2) What were some of your main baits and techniques that performed for you?
Kyle – Spinnerbait was the only thing I could get bit on early. After the shad spawn was over though, it kinda went pretty dead. Later in the day, the wacky worm on steeper “bluffier” type banks got me two huge culls.
Dwain – I caught most of my fish on a topwater, and a few pitching, and late in the day when everything was slow I found a cull or two with a wacky rig.
Jake – I started off with a buzzbait and had a bunch of blowups but they just never would get it, I switched to a fluke and that’s what things took off. I caught them early working it right on the top of the water, as the day went on I had to fish it deeper in the water column.
Josh – I caught all my fish on either a chatterbait or shaky head rigged with a senko style worm, both in practice and during the event. Exactly like Dwain said, I had planned to fish until mid-morning and then leave if things weren’t going great. I expected to catch quality, but didn’t know if I could get enough bites. The day was kind of the opposite. I caught 5-6 small fish early, but wasn’t finding the quality.
3) What was the key fish you caught and talk a bit about that catch.
Kyle – I had a good bag already but I had a few 14’s I wanted to get rid of. It had been several hours between good bites but I saw a fish blow up on something in front of me. I tossed a wacky worm in there and let it soak for a while. It finally bit and that clued me into slowing down which got me three other big bites later in the day.
Dwain – I caught my key fish on a topwater very early and it’s always good to knock out a kicker really early in the day for confidence.
Jake – My key fish was the first one I caught, it gave me confidence in a fluke and was my first fluke fish ever.
Josh – At about 10:00, I was trying to decide whether to stay or go, and I caught a 17.75″ on a chatterbait. After that, I slowed way down in the same area with the shaky head and caught a 20″ within minutes off the same patch of grass and filled my limit from there. It was a cool bite too. When I set the hook, the fish took off into the grass, pulling drag. Fun bite! I didn’t get a bite for the last two hours.
4) In retrospect, was there a bait or technique you should have used?
Kyle – In retrospect, I don’t think I would have done one thing different. It was a magical day and I had a blast all day long.
Dwain – I didn’t fail to utilize any bait or technique, but I did have some issues with getting fish in the kayak, I lost quite a few fish that would have helped me significantly, most of them very early so they didn’t seem nearly as significant at the time but later on they were sorely missed at the end of the day. I usually have to analyze why I lose fish and try to adjust something, rod, line size, drag, hook or bait choice to improve for next time. But honestly I don’t think any of the fish I lost were due to equipment or technique, just how the fish were biting funny that day and after my first two events I’m more than happy to finish up on the podium.
Jake – My regret comes from not spending enough time on the water in general. I lost a 7lber early because I didn’t realize how hard I have to set the hook with a fluke. I lost a 17+ right after and learned pretty quick!
Josh – In hindsight, I should have changed things up. Another angler was fishing a flat and caught a few good fish in the afternoon. I just didn’t know how to do that and didn’t want to invade his area. But going two hours to end the day without a bite, I should have done something different. I lost a 20″ ish and an 18″ ish as well. Like Dwain said, they were just biting weird that day. The bite was so light, and I just didn’t get them stuck good.
Heavy Hitters Standings
Three events in and there aren’t many 20s on the board, which means there is a lot of opportunity for anglers to get in the race. Everyone is 100% in the running because it is only best five fish and you have five more events to go. Here are the top 20 after three events:
Angler of the Year Race
Here are your current top 25 anglers, and there’s a long way to go in the Angler of the Year race. Several anglers are very much in it, and really almost everyone is because you can drop two events. While interesting to look at, these rankings don’t mean much at this point. But, I should point out I’m in front of Kyle Long, which does matter. 😉
Next Up
The next event is on June 1 – Black Creek Electric Beaver Lake North. Check it out and get signed up today. Time to head to our home lake for some fun tournament action.
My Dad has always said that April is the toughest month for fishing in this part of the country – the bass may not have moved up as much as you think they have, or have moved up faster. It can be feast or famine depending on the day and location. This seemed true leading up to the Lake Tenkiller kayak tournament for NSKA, presented by H2 Heat and Air. Several who pre-fished were finding it stingy, and seemingly behind other lakes like Table Rock or Beaver. Tenkiller wouldn’t be a pushover on tournament day.
Tournament Results
Overall, it was a case of the have and the have nots among the anglers on Lake Tenkiller. Of the 48 registered anglers, only 38 (79%) turned in a bass, while a paltry 20 (42%) turned in a five fish limit. The Fish Per Angler (FPA) metric was really low as well with a 3.71 FPA. This FPA rate is much lower than the 6.18 we had for the NSKA Table Rock 1.0 event in March and among some of the lower FPAs in recent seasons.
For the second straight event, Jason Kincy took first place with a total of 87.25″ on the day. Justin Brewer took second with 84.50″, Tyler Zengerle third with 84.25″, and Christa Hibbs fourth with 83.75″. Abraham Garcia took the Big Bass prize with a 20.00″ Smallmouth!
Abraham Garcia’s Big Bass from the Lake Tenkiller kayak tournament
Top 10 Lake Tenkiller Anglers:
Jason Kincy 87.25
Justin Brewer 84.50
Tyler Zengerle 84.25
Christa Hibbs 83.75
Levi Schneider 83.75
John Evans 83.50
Cole Sikes 81.75
Caroline Hibbs 81.50
John Hall 80.25
Will Atchison 80.00
Angler Roundtable
The four top anglers from the Lake Tenkiller kayak tournament shared how they did it on a very, very windy day in Oklahoma. Here are the deets from Jason, Justin, Tyler, and Christa.
Where did you go on Tenkiller and why?
Jason – I went to the Snake Creek area, as it was about the only place I caught a fish in pre-fishing, and was going to be a bit more out of the wind on the east side of Tenkiller.
Justin – I chose to go to Chicken Creek and fish the mid-lake section. I would normally got to the river area because I’m not a clear water guy but that area hasn’t been fishing well and I got good bites in practice mid-lake.
Tyler – I chose to fish between Snake Creek and the State park, primarily to be protected from the wind.
Christa – I fished in Snake Creek. I selected this area to have a little bit of a break from the strong winds.
How did you catch your fish, what techniques or baits?
Jason – I caught a keeper on my first cast with a Booyah Covert spinnerbait, and all of my other keepers came on a Carolina rig. I had a feeling a Carolina rig would play, so had to drive to the Tahlequah Walmart the night before to pick up some beads, swivels, and hooks. Didn’t have a c-rig weight so I used a flipping weight instead.
Justin – I caught fish a a few different baits but the majority and bigger fish came on a War Eagle heavy finesse jig with Yum Craw Chunk trailer. One keeper in my limit was on a 6” Magdraft swimbait.
Tyler – First fish was on a 6” Swimbait and the rest of them were on a shakey head.
Christa – I caught all of my fish on a jigging spoon. I focused mainly on the tire reefs and used my xi3 to position my boat in the wind.
What was the key fish for you and how did it go down?
Jason – I should say the 18.00″ one that put me in first, but honestly it was a 14.00″ that was my third bass that day. I’d gone a while without catching a fish, so I relocated to a different area to find some activity. Caught this one on my second cast in that area which told me I was on the right track. I stayed the rest of the day in a stretch probably no more than 40 yards long.
Justin – A 17.00” cull fish around 1:00 that helped me settle in to my spot after I made the risky decision to go across the lake. I went on to catch another 17.00” cull a few minutes later to bump me to my final length of 84.50”.
Tyler – Key fish was around 1:30. I went back to the area I started in and when I got there, boats were leaving and some were entering, so I knew it had been fished over pretty well. First dock I pulled up to, I threw my shakey head at the front corner and let it sink to the bottom. Few seconds later, line started moving and set the hook on a decent smallmouth. I fought it for a few minutes, thinking it was my PB (it wasn’t), and was doing whatever I could to keep the fish from jumping and spitting the hook. It was a glorious feeling to get her in and also catch her in front of a bass boat
Christa – My key fish was a 19-incher I caught later in the day. I was on the far wind blown edge of where I was fishing at that time. The fish hit it on the fall and quickly ran off with it. If I wasn’t spot locked in place, that fish would have probably never made it in the boat in that wind.
Is that the windiest tournament you’ve been in? If not, what was?
Jason – This was probably the one where I was exposed to the most wind, I fished wind all day long and was so tired by the end! But the windiest was several years ago on Swepco. Everyone knows that place is a wind tunnel in March and that day I quit before the day was over because I couldn’t hardly go against the wind and it was just dangerous.
Justin – Pretty close if not. There was a tournament on Lake Fork I fished that was pretty close but I can’t remember which was worse. All I remember is waves coming over the front of the kayak.
Tyler – Honestly, I think last Tenkiller tournament was worse than this one. Either that, or the TOC on Lake Fork in 2018 – this one probably felt worse because I was paddling at the time!
Christa – The windiest tournament I’ve fished was a few years ago on Dardanelle. I was fishing in a cut off of the main river channel most of the day. When the day was over, I came back to the main river to head back to the launch. The wind had picked up as the day went on. The combination of the current and wind made it unmanageable to cross the river safely. I no longer could control any direction I was moving. I banked the boat and waited a couple hours to cross safely.
How can anglers and fans of big bass keep up with you in social media?
Two events in and the early part of the season is taking shape. There’s a looong way to go – anyone off to a bad start can even drop these first two events. If you haven’t fished an event yet, you still can fish the rest and be in the AOY race. It’s not too late to sign up for a membership – contact Kyle Long for more information.
Here are your current Top 25 AOY rankings after two events. The Top 25 make the end of season Classic Championship!
Heavy Hitters still is up for grabs. Not many 20s have been caught and nobody is running away with it yet. The Heavy Hitters total is best five for the season, so plenty of time to make a move. Long season to go!
The 2024 season has started for NSKA NWA and it began on a frigid day at Table Rock Lake. With a cold front, 37 degrees at lines in, and winds out of the NNW, it would be a good challenge for the mix of Arkansas and Missouri anglers hitting the water. The event was presented by Moments by Mandie photography – thank you for the support!
The other day I was telling a guy at work that we had a tournament coming up on Table Rock. “What’s it like?” he asked me. “Well, it’s a lot like Beaver Lake but with way more fish and bigger fish.” Beaver has actually really picked up as a bass fishery, but Table Rock was going to be a great place to start the season in pre-spawn conditions due to the large fish population.
Tournament Recap
Even with the cold, harsh conditions, 56 anglers signed up for the kickoff event. Kudos to the tournament director for launching us at 7:00, there was no reason to get out into the cold earlier than that! For a March event, it was a pretty prolific fish fest. More than 96% of registered anglers turned in a bass, with a strong 71% turning in a limit. Overall, a very high FPA of 6.18 dwarfed previous March tournaments over the past couple of years – 5.95, 3.95, 3.52, 2.99, and 1.72. (looking at you, Pumpback)
Kyle Long’s Big Bass from Table Rock 1.0 – Source: TourneyX
Jason Kincy took 1st place with 84.50″ in a tiebreaker with Micah Funderburgh who also had 84.50″ on the day. Corey Sims took third place with 84.00″ followed by Kyle Long with 83.25″ – Kyle did win Big Bass with a 19.75″ largemouth.
Top 10 Table Rock Anglers
Jason Kincy 84.50
Micah Funderburgh 84.50
Corey Sims 84.00
Kyle Long 83.25
Stony Floyd 82.75
Levi Schneider 82.50
Terrill Standifer 82.00
Trevor Motzkus 81.50
Caleb Derryberry 79.50
Jim Hall 79.00
Angler Roundtable
The top finishers from Table Rock 1.0 gathered to share how things went down on the ‘Rock on a blustery and cold March Saturday. Here is the 411 from Jason Kincy, Micah Funderburgh, and Corey Sims.
What part of Table Rock did you fish, and why?
Jason – I fished the Big M to Rock Creek area of the White River arm. Usually fish at Owl Creek or Holiday Island. This time around I just decided to try something different and I hadn’t fished there much before.
Micah – I put in near Shell Knob and tried to do exactly what I did to win last year but quickly figured out that it wasn’t going to work.
Corey – I decided to put in a Campbells Point and I was originally looking for warmer water in the coves to see if the fish were starting to move up. Big Bay is just north of Campbells Point and there is a cove just south of Campbells Point that had some shallow water with creek beds in them. When I got there the plan changed 100%.
Cold front came in the day before the tournament and it was COLD that morning. How did that change anything you were doing?
Jason – First of all, I dreaded getting out there in such cold temps and wind, but that probably hurts the fisherman more than the fish, lol. I expected any fish that had been super shallow to pull out a bit, or, for most fish to sit tight offshore. Because of this, I started fishing out deeper for the first couple of hours but only caught one that way. In reality, I only caught one keeper deep and my others came in fairly shallow water along the bank.
Micah – The water level and clarity was much different so I had to junk fish the whole are instead concentrating on two very specific spots like last year. The main pattern for me was main lake banks with chunk rock.
Corey – It was colder that morning than I though it would be, the wind was blowing harder than I though it would be. Right straight across the lake from Campbells Point is a bluff with timber and it sits right on the channel swing. The stars couldn’t have line up more perfect to fish that stretch of bluff than it did yesterday.
In general, what baits worked for you in catching most of your fish?
Jason – I caught about a dozen bass on the day, and as I mentioned above the vast majority were shallower than 10ft. My catches mostly came on a crankbait and a couple of jigs. In pre-fishing it was the A-rig that dominated, but that just didn’t work for me on tournament day.
Micah – The bass were relating to whatever wood could be found on those banks and I caught them on finesse jigs and jerkbaits. Unfortunately I only caught a handful of largemouth and probably 30+ spotted bass so it was hard to upgrade throughout the day. I’ll be uploading a video of the day on my YouTube channel in the next day or so.
Corey – I started the morning off chucking a crank bait, catching several fish around 15” or so. Then I switched to a shad color chatterbait and that’s when the two big girls decided they wanted to eat. I got to the end of the bluff and went ahead and motored down to the south cove to see if the water was warmer since by that time the sun came out. Threw a crankbait for about 10 minutes and turned around and headed back to the bluff. Fished the bluff side again changing to a spinnerbait and caught a few more. After that it was about 1 o’clock, so I decided to go north and fish the bluff side right before Big Bay. All I threw there was a crankbait and caught several spotted bass and at 2 o’clock I headed back to the Campbell Point bluff to see if I could pull a couple more inches out of it but just kept getting the 15” fish. It was an awesome day to fish.
How can anglers and fans of big bass keep up with you in social media?
Angler of the Year and Heavy Hitters races have begun. It is a long season and these current rankings don’t mean a lot. As a reminder, AOY is best six events and the Classic, so you don’t even have to count this first one if you don’t want to. It’s also not too late to sign up for a membership if you want to be in these competitions going forward – sign up before Tenkiller!
Here are your current Top 25 AOY rankings. The Top 25 make the end of season Classic Championship!
Heavy Hitters is off to a slow start without a giant. That means everyone is still in good shape to compete this season. Your five largest fish from each individual event will make up your HH limit – lots of time left to get going on this.
See you at the next event: Lake Tenkiller, April 6
Fishing a kayak bass tournament is exciting, challenging, frustrating, and rewarding all at once. I’m also convinced there’s not a better way to get better at fishing than to enter kayak bass tournaments because of the time on the water and focus it generates. For some, the point is to win, and for others it’s just to have fun and fill some competitive spirit. Either way there are some basic tips that can make the most of your experience.
Step Out and Get Signed Up!
The first step to anything is to commit. I remember my first kayak bass tournament and it was a cold day in December and I only caught one fish. But it was a BLAST and I was hooked from there. You won’t know if you have fun until you try it. Kayak tournaments and anglers are much more accepting than the boat circuits. Low to no pressure, only about you and personal goals to get better. The first NSKA NWA event in March 9, you can sign up here on Tourney X, or try a different upcoming tournament.
Set Personal Goals
Every angler at all levels of skill and experience has personal goals they are trying to achieve. New kayak bass tournament anglers can set whatever goal based on their situation. First goal might be to just enter a tournament, or to successfully submit a bass. For others it could be to catch a limit, or finish in the money. The key is to identify where you are in the process and set goals that are a challenge but that you can strive to meet. As time goes on you can keep raising the bar. Many kayak fishing club members started very slowly (like myself) and have turned into seasoned competitors over time.
Meet Other Anglers
If you’ve ever fished in the bass boat tournament world, one thing is clear – nobody helps you or talks about anything that happened on the water. The kayak bass fishing community is different. Anglers share tips and ideas, will help you with information about a lake, and after an event will be more open about what worked for them. Participating on the Natural State Kayak Anglers Facebook page, or talking with other anglers at the post-tournament weigh-ins is a way to make some great friends but also to accelerate your skill set growth. There is not one great angler in the club that hasn’t learned something from another angler. Many of my friends I’ve met through fishing, so get out there and get social.
Get the Basic Gear
For a kayak fishing tournament there are only a few things you absolutely need to compete. (beyond a kayak!)
For safety purposes, you have to have a personal flotation device (PFD), safety whistle, and a light visible from a 360 perspective if it is still dark in the morning – either on a pole, or a headlamp. Complete rules including safety are found here.
To submit your catches you would use the TourneyX app on your smartphone, and would need a Ketch measuring board to measure your fish.
Dress for the day, either with warmer clothing or when it is hot have skin protection and plenty of water.
Don’t forget a fishing license!
Practice Catch-Photo-Release
The unique aspect of kayak bass fishing tournaments is that we don’t hold on to the bass. After you catch it, you should then take a photo of it and submit into the app to record your catch. There are specific rules for this, including keeping the mouth closed, don’t cover the eye or the tail, make sure your identifier is in view, and more. A video from Kyle Long helps with more details. Most importantly, PRACTICE managing your fish on the measuring board and taking photos before you have a tournament. Seven Sins of Catch Photo Release Submissions covers the basics, but note it shows a non-Ketch board in the examples. Every time you catch a bass, measure and take a photo. You’ll lose one in a tournament, happens to everyone, but practice makes a huge difference.
Bonus Tip – Watch Game Film
Like I said above, kayak bass anglers love to share and help others. There are several in Natural State Kayak anglers that share their tournament experiences in video form. You can learn A LOT from watching these videos that will help you know what a tournament is like, and what to do and sometimes not do! For some great YouTube tournament videos, check out KayakFishingFocus, Josh Landreth Fishing, Kyle Long Fishing, or TZ Kayak Fishing. There are more, but these are some of the most consistent in sharing tourney videos.
Every few years, nature treats us to a phenomenon that leaves anglers buzzing with anticipation for cicada fishing action – the periodical cicada emergence. In 2024, the cicadas are set to make their grand entrance, and bass fishing enthusiasts have a unique opportunity to capitalize on this natural event. In this article, we’ll explore the impact of the periodical cicada emergence on bass fishing and share some tips to make the most of this extraordinary fishing season.
The timing of the cicada hatch in 2024 varied depending on the specific brood and geographic location. Different broods of cicadas have different emergence cycles, with some emerging every 13 or 17 years. Each brood has its own distinct emergence pattern, with some appearing in spring and others in summer. The first brood of cicadas in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri area begins in April to May and will run throughout the summer.
Cicada Fishing Information
The Cicada Spectacle: Periodical cicadas, known for their synchronized emergence in large numbers, create a spectacle that’s hard to ignore. These insects spend years underground feeding on tree roots before emerging en masse for a few weeks to mate. As they emerge, they provide a protein-rich feast for fish, including bass.
Timing is Everything: To make the most of the cicada emergence, timing is crucial. Keep a close eye on local reports and entomological predictions to pinpoint when the cicadas will start appearing in your area. Typically, this event occurs during the warmer months, usually in late spring or early summer, when water temperatures are ideal for bass activity.
Topwater Extravaganza: One of the most exciting aspects of the cicada emergence and cicada fishing is the opportunity for explosive topwater action. Bass are known to aggressively strike at these large insects as they clumsily make their way to the water’s surface. Equip yourself with topwater lures such as buzzbaits, poppers, and prop baits to mimic the movement and sound of the cicadas. This surface action can lead to heart-pounding strikes that make for unforgettable fishing experiences.
Natural Color Imitations: Cicadas are known for their distinctive black bodies, transparent wings, and orange-veined accents. When selecting lures, choose those that closely resemble the appearance of cicadas. Black or dark-colored soft plastics, topwater lures, and even crankbaits can effectively mimic these insects, increasing your chances of enticing bass in the midst of the cicada emergence.
Focus on Shaded Areas: Cicadas often seek shade when they emerge, and bass are quick to follow. Target shaded areas such as overhanging trees, docks, and vegetation where cicadas are likely to congregate. Casting your lures near these areas can yield impressive results as bass lurk in the shadows, waiting for an easy cicada meal.
Be Patient and Observant: While the cicada emergence can create a cicada fishing feeding frenzy, bass can also become selective. Be patient and observe the water for signs of bass activity. Look for subtle ripples, splashes, or any disturbances on the surface that may indicate bass are actively feeding on cicadas. Adjust your techniques based on what you observe to maximize your chances of success.
The 2024 periodical cicada emergence is not just a natural wonder; it’s also an exciting opportunity for cicada fishing for bass fishermen. By understanding the timing of the emergence, using topwater lures that mimic cicadas, and targeting shaded areas where bass are likely to gather, you can elevate your bass fishing experience during this unique event. So, gear up, stay informed, and get ready to witness and capitalize on the buzzworthy bass fishing season that the cicada emergence brings.
As winter holds its grip, many anglers might be tempted to stow away their gear, but February offers a unique opportunity for bass fishing in a unique time of year. In this article, I’ll tell you why February can be an excellent time for bass fishing, along with some essential tips to make the most out of your winter boat or kayak fishing adventures.
Why Bass Fishing in February?
Contrary to popular belief, bass fishing in February can be surprisingly rewarding. As the water temperatures drop, bass tend to gather in specific areas, making them more predictable and targetable. Understanding the seasonal patterns and adjusting your approach can lead to some big catches during the colder months.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race:
In colder waters, bass metabolism slows down, making them less active. Opt for a slow presentation with your lures or bait to entice lethargic bass. Working the bait methodically to match the lethargy of the bass is what you want to do.
Targeting Deep Structures:
Focus on deeper structures such as points, ledges, and drop-offs where bass gather to find more stable water temperatures. Use fish finders to locate these structures, and target them strategically for increased success. Shad can also stack up in areas near drops, and that will attract the bass.
Special lures come into play:
In colder water fishing, there are some lures that excel during this period better than almost any time of year. Some of my favorites include a jigging spoon, Alabama rig, or a blade bait.
Weather Monitoring:
Keep an eye on weather patterns as bass activity can be influenced by temperature changes. Warmer days, even if rare, can trigger increased bass activity, with some even moving shallow. Plan your fishing trips around milder weather conditions for optimal results.
Patience and Persistence:
February fishing requires patience. Bass may not be as aggressive, so persistence is key. Work your chosen area thoroughly and be prepared to wait for that subtle strike.
Get out and do some winter bass fishing!
Don’t let the winter blues keep you indoors. Winter bass fishing presents a unique challenge and an opportunity to experience the thrill of landing some impressive catches. Armed with the right knowledge and tactics, you can turn the colder months into a rewarding time on the water. Embrace the winter wonders of bass fishing this February, and you might just reel in a memorable catch.
