The field is set for the third annual NWA NSKA end of season Classic Championship. As is tradition, the top 25 anglers for the regular season in AOY points qualify for the end of season clash for the crown – but this year a new wrinkle is in play as we held a last-chance shootout to take a 26th spot.
Eleven NSKA anglers took to a section of Table Rock to see who could out-duel the others to earn a spot. It was a pretty, but tough day with blue-bird skies and light winds which made fishing a bit tough. Eight of the eleven turned in a limit, with a FPA of 5.18 which was pretty average for an August summer day.
Levi eventually culled this giant. Honestly maybe the smallest submitted bass I’ve seen in NSKA. (Pic NSFW – lol!)
Levi Schneider took the win and will fish with the Classic field this September. He had 78.50″ on the day, cruising to secure his spot. Tony Sorluangsana came in second with 72.50″ and Kevin Tadda came in third with 71.00″ on the day.
There was no Big Bass prize, but Anthony Bertschy had the biggest bass with a 18.00″ good-looking Largemouth.
Angler Roundtable
We spoke to Levi about his win and he shared how it happened:
What were your thoughts on what it would take to win?
Going into the Shootout I never really thought about what it would take to win I just had the idea that I wanted to put a good limit to where someone would have the really catch ’em to pass me because other than during the fall I know Table Rock well enough to find and catch fish (When it’s not continuously blowing 30-40mph!)
Any key baits that worked for you?
My go-to baits we’re a spook a Berkley Choppo and a football jig.
Talk about your key fish catch, what happened?
I really had two key fish catches cause I had that dinky 4.25” and I believe a 12” to cull – and within 30 minutes I caught a 16.50″ and a 17.50″ to cull those with the jig and was lucky enough to land both because they both wrapped me around all the submerged timber I was fishing.
Back to Beaver Lake…now that you’ve made it in what are your thoughts on the upcoming Classic?
Everyone knows my distaste for Beaver Lake and my main focus going into the Classic now is to just forgot about what’s happened to me there in the past. Just take it head-on as a brand new lake I’ve never fished before and try to break it down as I see it happening.
Classic Championship Preview
Going back to the history books for the NWA NSKA Classic Championship we can see what it has required to take the title. When you get 26 of the top anglers in the club on the water to battle it out, competition gets serious.
It will take a minimum of 150″ over two days to be in the hunt, and based on the last two years I think you target is 158″ to win.
Big Bass is pretty consistent in the 20-21″ range and I think we’ll see that again this year, but no bigger.
This year the field will be on Beaver Lake and on Table Rock – but nobody knows exactly where quite yet. The lakes are divided into zones and the zone locations will be drawn the Thursday night prior to the tournament – after pre-fishing ends. Should make it interesting for those who like to scout things out and gives an advantage to those who just show up and fish.
Because Table Rock is in play, those totals should beat out Beaver Lake. Key to the win will be who can get a good total on Beaver and hold on at the Rock. Every year the Classic has been held there has been a weak day and a strong day and I expect Beaver to be the weak day this time around. Be in the top few on that day and you have legitimate shot.
2023 NSKA NWA Classic Field
Levi is IN and he’ll join the regular season Top 25 AOY on the water. Don’t forget, the AOY race is not over…the Classic counts double, so there’s more to be wrapped up to find out who was the most consistent angler this season. Good luck, tight lines and be safe to all of the competitors. Congratulations on making it!
The 2020 kayak fishing schedule in Arkansas came to a close with the State Championship held on beautiful Beaver Lake in the Ozarks. As one of the most well-known lakes in the state thanks to previous FLW Tour stops, Beaver Lake was a tough test for locals and visitors alike as they tackled the two day format.
The first state-wide Championship held at Beaver Lake in the modern kayak fishing area brought together anglers from clubs around Arkansas. The two-day format required anglers to fish south (upper end) of the lake one day and north (lower end) on the other day, with the Hwy 12 bridge as the dividing line. This approach did give some NSKA NWA anglers a bit of a home field advantage since it was very similar to the end of season Classic just a few weeks earlier.
Beaver Lake is a great lake and I love it. There are times you can catch them there and there are times where it will burn you. Patterns don’t hold very well day to day, so advice to those not from here, pre-fishing needs to be more about scouting than trying to lock in a pattern. Wait until tournament morning to see what they want for sure.
State Championship Results
On day one of the tournament the lake was its usual stingy self but did allow some good limits to anglers, mostly who were in the upper ends of the rivers. Only 45% of the 51 anglers submitted a five fish limit on Saturday, with Dwain Batey turning in the largest bass with a 20″ tank. The top five after day one:
Dwain Batey – 84.5″
Kyle Long – 77.25″
Cole Sikes – 77.25″
Ryan Paskiewicz – 76.50″
James Schumate – 76.00″
Dwain Batey’s day one 20″ tank from Beaver Lake helped him build day one lead. – source: TourneyX
On day two, it got even tougher as only 43% of anglers submitted a five fish limit. Colton Shumate struck lightning with a 22″ Big Bass (won for the event) which is an absolute giant on this body of water. Day two leaders were Kyle Long, Justin Brewer, Cole Sikes, Jeriamy Vann, and John Wofford.
Most of the names who were on top in day one had a good day two and the local NSKA NWA anglers took all of the top five spots and seven of the top 10 overall. Dwain Batey’s day one lead held on as he won with 160.75″ followed by Kyle Long with 158.25″ for the event.
The top three finishers for the State Championship spilled the info on how they did it over two days on Beaver lake. These are three of the most consistent and best anglers in NSKA NWA and really know what they are doing on this fishery.
How did you prepare for the event which took place on both ends of the lake?
Dwain – I only went to the lake one time a couple weeks before the event, and fished a couple of hours at Prairie Creek just to see if I was going to miss anything if I ran with my plan. I caught just enough to confuse myself, an 18.75” and a 15” off one dock, but I decided to ignore that and stick with my plan ultimately.
Kyle – I didn’t really have much time to pre-fish so my original plan was to fish where I did in the classic the 3 weeks before.
Cole – I didn’t prepare much for this tournament. Beaver Lake can be difficult and everyday is different. I did pre-fish a couple of hours on the north end because I wasn’t 100% sure where I was going to go. I was able to find some fish dirt shallow in the afternoon while pre-fishing and was able to catch them in the high-bright sun. It gave me confidence that I would be able to catch them early in the morning there during tournament day.
What parts of the lake did you fish and why did you choose them?
Dwain – I fished way down in the river and way up by the dam again similar to our NSKA Classic event. Basically I used this as a do-over for correcting the mistakes I made in the Classic and I was hoping that as fall progressed the things I had done there before would only get better.
Kyle – The one plan I was questioning was my south plan. So the one day I pre-fished I went all the way down to Twin Bridges. I caught like 71-72” which was ok and I didn’t blast it…but leaving there I thought I’d likely go back down the river a ways. But the morning of I decided to go back there and hope for a kicker. North I went to Indian Creek. I was pretty confident in that area.
Cole – On the south side, I chose to fish near Highway 412 bridge. We recently fished there for the NSKA Classic and it’s the area I have most confidence in. I knew I would be able to catch a limit there but wasn’t sure if I would be able to get into any quality. On the north end, I fished near point 5 because I had a pretty solid day pre-fishing up shallow. There was a little color in the water so it would fit my style of fishing better.
What was your key bait and technique on your best day and why do you think it worked?
Dwain – I fished a swim jig more recently than ever in my life, and though I’m still learning the subtleties of the technique I’m starting to figure it out and it was the key bait for me this weekend accounting for the majority of my length. I think the swim jig is a big deal late in the year because it’s so subtle and the fish have been pounded by people throwing spinnerbaits and crankbaits all season. The more success I have with a swim jig the more I want to keep figuring out when, where, and to incorporate it into my arsenal.
Kyle – Both days was Buzz Bait and Spinnerbait. I mean shad is the deal in the fall right? Down south was dirty so I wanted them to have a good target and up north the wind blew so that was pretty much textbook with the spinnerbait.
Cole – My key bait for both days was a strike king buzz bait. It accounted for around 90% of my fish during the tournament. The fish were up dirt shallow on both ends of the lake for me. Typically in the fall, bass will start feeding on shad so I just covered water with it and had it in my hand majority of the tournament.
Those from NSKA NWA dominated the top five, we haven’t seen that before. Is Beaver lake that tough for someone out of the area? If so why?
Dwain – Beaver is a crazy tough place to fish, but at the same time the area I fished for the South I’d only been to one time before this event, and the place I went to in the North I’d been to 2 times before this event. So I can’t really say that I had any advantage as far as knowing the waters I was fishing. I also caught my fish on 2 baits that I’d never thrown on Beaver successfully before so at least in my case it really didn’t help me to be local. I could have went with what I know, fishing history and areas that I know and probably finished ok, but I felt like doing something out of my comfort zone was my best shot even though if it hadn’t worked I could have been at the bottom of the leader board.
Kyle – Beaver is tough. I mean I love it but it’s still really really tough. It just seems like every day has a thing that’s working and if you aren’t doing that thing that day it can be bad. I mean you can catch fish but that quality you need is so hard to come by most days. It helps to fish it as much as we do but we don’t really have many other options.
Cole – Beaver lake can be intimidating if you have never fished it. Everything looks fishy and water can be super clear. The key is to find areas that fit your style of fishing and just cover water. Overall, Beaver Lake has a bad reputation but it is getting better every year.
You had a good day 1, how do you carry that good mentality into day 2?
Dwain – I was figuring that I needed 75” to make anyone chasing me have to really earn if they wanted to win. That being said on Beaver 75” isn’t that easy to get especially going from the dirty river on day 1 to the gin clear water up north on day 2. Basically I just set my mind to fishing one bait all day, and I almost made it happen, honestly I took a 30 minute break to fish a shaky head trying to get one more cull, but never got a bite on it. As soon as I picked up my primary bait again and went back to work I caught my fifth fish, then a nice cull at around 1”00 and 1:30 PM. And another one at around 1:30 on it. I absolutely didn’t feel good about the plan working at times during the day because it was so slow, but I was willing to fail to stick it out and give my plan the full tournament day to develop. It’s a good thing I didn’t freak out and try something else though because I wound up basically needing every bite I got in the kayak to win. Having a good day 1 only added more pressure, and made me have to force myself to stick to the plan and give it time to work.
Kyle – My day one I had a tiny limit within 23 minutes. I checked my time stamps. And I also caught fish most of the day including a kicker so I was riding pretty high. Day 2 I had two fish by 7:07 including a 17.5” and didn’t catch another one until 9:41. I was sweating it. I slowed down and picked apart a few trees with a jig and caught a couple but they were barely keepers. I got my 5th on a buzzbait at like 10:30 and even though it was a small limit it was a huge relief. That’s about the time the wind picked up which was what I had been waiting on all morning. From there I just went to work with both the spinnerbait and the buzzbait because I was confident I’d catch them eventually and those are big fish baits which is what I needed. Having caught so many the day before on those exact baits and having the conditions be almost perfect for it, I had the utmost confidence I’d catch them I just needed to keep throwing them. 4 of my 5 day two keepers came after 11:30. It’s amazing what confidence does.
Cole – In this format where you are forced to fish a different section of the lake the following day, it’s all about fishing instincts and where you’re comfortable. Because you have to fish different sections of the lake, I knew it was still anyone’s ballgame even with Dwain’s huge lead which gave me some motivation to keep grinding.
That’s a wrap
Thank you to all the anglers who participated in the 2020 Arkansas State Championship, especially those who came in from other clubs around the state. Several of these out of town sticks like Jeff Otts, Christa and Caroline Hibbs and Chris Jones had very good showings and got the most out of Beaver Lake. We hope you come back soon and give me a ring and will be happy to go fishing with you in NWA.
The second annual NSKA NWA Classic Championship took to Beaver Lake for a two-day tournament that stretched from the dirt and wood of the White River to the open crystal clear rocky waters near Beaver Dam. A great angler Jeriamy Vann won the 2019 Classic and the field was strong and set for a showdown in September. The Classic Championship was a great idea and has really gained traction in the club as a goal to qualify for many anglers. The Top 25 were invited to fish, and 23 were able to take on the lake in 2020. Special thank you to Nite Ize who sponsored the event yet again and to Chad Warford for his help in making this all happen.
On a personal note, I was very concerned about preparing and competing in the Classic because my Hobie 360 Drive broke down halfway through the Beaver Lake North event and needed replaced. As the days ticked by working with Hobie on a replacement I was getting very nervous but the new drive arrived a few days before the event and I was all set. Thank you to Dave at Oklahoma/Tulsa Kayak – they have been great to work with and he’s had my back every step of the way!
Classic Results
Being a two-day event it’s a bit difficult to capture the action from both days, but it is important to recognize individual daily performances by these anglers.
Day One – Hwy 412 and Twin Bridges
It’s unclear if any anglers went to the Twin Bridges launch area, it sure seemed like everyone was at the 412 launches on Saturday morning. This day we’d be battling the Elites boat tournament for water as well. As expected from this strong group of anglers, 87% turned in a limit and everyone had a keeper. Nobody knew what each other had, but Taylor released the rank order and the top five were: Jason Kincy (83.75″), Cole Sikes (78″), Chris Needham (76.5″), Justin Brewer (76.25″), and Ryan Paskiewicz (75.5″) .
There were some big fish caught on day one. I was able to land a 20.25″ largemouth in the first half hour which got the juices flowing for the day. That Beaver Lake bomb held up for Big Bass of the weekend. Jon Swann also pulled a nice 19″ Largemouth to put him in the top ten for day one!
This big Largemouth hit my War Eagle lure like freight train. – Photo: Kayakfishingfocus.com
Day Two – Indian Creek and Beaver Dam
The conventional wisdom that day one would be the big fish day and day two would be the dinkfest didn’t really play out that way. Monster Smallmouth came to play on day two. Ryan Paskiewicz, sitting in fifth after day one had a monster day two, leading the top five: Ryan Paskiewicz (83″), Devon Esry (77.5″), Cole Sikes (77″), Dwain Batey (76.75″) and Roy Roberts (76″). Ryan pulled the biggest bass for day two with a 19.5″ Smallmouth, and others caught some tanks up north: Devon Esry (19), Roy Roberts (18.5), Cole Sikes (18.5, 17.25), and Tyler Zengerle (18.75).
Ryan’s big smallie from day two almost shook up the Classic. What a Birthday present! – Photo: TourneyX
In the end, it was close close close! I did just enough to hold on with 75.75″ on day two to win the Classic by one inch over Ryan. He sent me a picture of his giant smallie with some smack in the middle of the day and had me FREAKED out! Just knew he was going to catch me and I tip my hat to him for a dominating day two.
Your Top 10 finishers for the Classic Championship:
Jason Kincy 159.50
Ryan Paskiewicz 158.50
Cole Sikes 155.00
Chris Needham 149.50
Dwain Batey 148.25
Michael Burgess 146.75
Tyler Zengerle 145.00
Jeriamy Vann 145.00
Jon Swann 144.75
Billy Bowden 144.25
Receiving the hardware from the legend himself, Taylor Frizzell. Photo: Kayakfishingfocus.com
Angler of the Year Race
The Classic plays a huge role in the AOY points race, contributing double the points as a usual event. The race really came down to how a couple of anglers were going to finish in this event unless both of them completely tanked. Dwain Batey or Justin Brewer were most likely to take the AOY title, and it was a razor-thin margin in the end. Dwain had a strong tournament, finishing 5th overall. Justin’s strong day one gave him a leg up to survive Dwain’s day two push. Justin Brewer is your 2020 NSKA NWA Angler of the Year!
The Top 10 AOY finishers qualify for the All-American Classic on Harry S. Truman Lake:
The top finishers from the Classic shared their stories of how they did it on the opposite ends of Beaver Lake:
Overall, which way/where did you go on day one and day two?
Jason – On day one I launched from the smaller 412 ramp and chose to fish in that general area and didn’t go too far south or north. Really just covered a lot of water on day one zipping around running a pattern or two. On day two I put in at the dam, thinking there would be a lot fewer anglers up in that area for more empty water.
Ryan – On day one launched out of the north ramp at Ramsey and headed north near War Eagle Marina. Day two I went across the main lake and through the cut. I fished my way back to the ramp both days at around 12:00.
Cole – Day one, I ran south because it’s probably the area I know best of the entire lake and I prefer dirtier water. On day two, I ran to the very back of Indian Creek hoping there would be some stain in the back and possibly get into some Largemouth. I was able to get a very small limit first thing but didn’t like the way it looked so moved to the main lake and started fishing for Smallmouth.
Chris – I put in at the southern ramp at 412 and worked my way north. Found a very specific pattern early which gave me confidence. On day two I just winged it. I’ve never fished that area before and made my decision on where to go when I got to the ramp and saw there was more wind than projected. I went east from Indian Creek and focused on wind blown banks.
Did you change any approach when it came to strategy or pre-fishing with a two day tournament?
Jason – Unlike some of these other guys I have to really work on pre-fishing to figure out what’s going on. So I did pre-fish both areas in advance and pre-fishing was terrible, especially the south. Since I didn’t find anything good, especially in the south, I just stayed around some water I was just familiar with.
Ryan – My biggest concern was day one because you can’t win it on day one but you can certainly lose it. My goal was to simply find a limit hopefully a kicker. I fished history mostly on day one and it paid off. I didn’t pre-fish the South end. I eliminated some water pre-fishing on the north side. I chose to go away from the crowd and fish a relatively quiet area. I thought they’d be shallow and I knew I had ground to make up so I stuck with my jig and it produced some solid bites.
Cole – I was only able to pre-fish two weeks prior to the tournament because my wife and I were on vacation in Montana. I was able to get a rough idea of what could potentially work for tournament day and just ran areas I felt comfortable and confident in.
Chris – My approach didn’t change for a two day event. I just went fishing and was hoping to execute my game plan and fish clean which I did. I didn’t have any time to pre-fish since we just had a baby.
Of all the fish catches for the weekend, talk about the one that meant the most to you.
Jason – You would think it would be the 20.25″ which was huge, but I was really upset with myself later over a mental mistake. On day one I had a really good limit in the afternoon and was trying to cull. I threw back THREE bass between 15-15.25″ thinking my smallest was a 15.25″. Late in the day I looked at my limit and saw I had a 14.75″ and was just sick and wanted to puke right then in my kayak. Instead of panicking, I knuckled down and caught a 16.25″ with a Bomber crankbait to cull that smaller one and then I just knew it was my day.
Ryan – It was my Birthday and I really just wanted to have a good day up north. I seem to always catch fish but at times struggle to find size. About 8:00 on day one I caught my PB Smallmouth. I knew then I had a chance to make a run. It went 19.5″ and was I couldn’t ask for a better gift!
Cole – I had two fish catches this weekend that meant the most to me. On day one, I was able to catch a 16.25” at 2:58 pm that slightly separated me from the pack of 74 to 76 inch anglers. On the final day, I was really struggling and went hours without culling any fish. I moved to the main lake and was able to catch an 18.50″ Smallie which gave me more confidence to keep pushing and not quit.
Chris – The fish that meant the most to me was a 16” smallie on Sunday. I was hardcore struggling getting bites but as soon as I caught the fish my confidence came back. I instantly caught another decent one then another. I went up and down this 75 yard stretch of bank for hours. Every time I got bit or caught one. It was unreal it kept replenishing like that.
Making the Classic was an achievement, what was your favorite event from the year and why?
Jason – Love, love, love the Classic format that puts everyone on equal footing. And I’m not sure if there’s another kayak event in the country like this that put anglers in dirty river water on day one and big clear water on day two. It’s the ultimate test. Just not a fan of the road runners, Beaver Lake (a.k.a. Dead Sea) is an iconic fishery and always feels like a big-time bass event. Hope the King of the String is on Beaver only next year.
Ryan – This year started off horribly with a zero….. but I turned it around and had my best year yet. This Classic was amazing even though I came up an inch short. That being said, winning and getting Big Bass in Beaver South has to be my favorite this year. It’s incredibly hard to win, much less cash checks on this trail and I’m proud to say I’ve won one.
Cole – The Classic was by far my favorite tournament. I feel like the way we have the Classic set up makes it an equal playing field and really challenges the anglers. Everyone is dealt the exact same conditions and whereas some other tournaments it is all about if you’re on the hot lake or not.
Chris – I really enjoyed our MLF style format. That format suits my style of fishing. Catching numbers usually isn’t a problem but quality is.
159.9″ and 20.25″ won this event, what are your predictions for winning total and Big Bass for the State Championship on Beaver?
Jason – Beaver Lake is fishing pretty well lately, but it’s going to be tough for those coming in from the other clubs to get up to speed and some are going to get smacked right in the face by the Dead Sea. However, there are great anglers in Arkansas and Beaver heats up in the fall. BIG bag needed to win this one: 161.75″ and a 21″ for Big Bass.
Ryan – I think Beaver is gonna fish well for State. I’m predicting 157.5” will win. Big Bass will go 20.75”.
Cole – I personally think it will take an average of 80” a day to win but would not be surprised to see someone catch close to 163”. Big bass will also be about the same in the 20″ to 21.50″ range.
Chris – 155” and 20.5” for the W.
Sportsman of the Year – Kyle Long
This season’s Sportsman of the Year is Mr. Kyle Long. He’s very deserving of the honor and many people don’t know, he was key in getting us back on Beaver Lake with the permits and paperwork needed because of Covid. Asked Kyle a few questions about this honor:
Me with Kyle Long at Lake Fork, Texas.
What does it feel like to be named SOTY? I value it up there with any accomplishment or accolade I’ve ever received. I am so appreciative.
What does the club mean to you? I can’t even explain it fully but when you get to be my age, and that all the stuff you once had that’s gone can be found again…It’s overwhelming. It’s emotional. I didn’t know a single person in this club three years ago…and now it’s my team. My guys I’d go into battle with. I love it to my core. And when I say it…I mean the people. A club is only as good as the people that make it up. And this club has elite people.
For people new to the club or to kayak fishing, any advice to find your place? I’m not saying the way I did it is the best but it worked for me. I tried to integrate slowly. A lot of these relationships seem to have been built and fire tested so I didn’t want to be off-putting lol. I went to every meeting and tournament on the schedule. I hung out and visited and formed relationships at the weigh-ins and then volunteered to help if the need arose. When it did, I jumped on it. Then I just tried to fill the role of a good team player. As we get bigger, we’re going to need more people to help so if you think you have a passion for it…work your way in, find a role that needs filled…and fill it.
Performance Points Rankings
Performance Points show the history of competition finishes over a rolling 5 year and 3 year trend. This recap article got waaaay too long, so watch for an update on end of season standings on Performance Points coming next week.
As the crazy 2020 calendar keeps rolling along with the ‘Rona and all of its side effects causing chaos in the kayak tournament circuits. The latest disruption this past weekend was not pandemic, murder hornets or ‘Karen’ driven – it was the Bella Vista Bass Club scheduling a boat tourney on Lake Fort Smith on the same date, causing NSKA to make a move to the deep water of Oklahoma on Pumpback.
Pumpback Lake (or Chimney Rock Lake) is an interesting and confusing place. According to an old article in the Tulsa World, it uses more electricity to pump the water uphill into the lake than is generated when the water is released back into Lake Hudson. I guess it’s a profit deal that they do when there’s peak demand and can charge more for the electricity. Which explains the unpredictable timing of when water goes up and down. But I digress…
Preparing for a “shotgun” start on Pumpback. Photo: kayakfishingfocus.com
NSKA Pumpback Tournament Results
For a lake that not a ton of NWA anglers had fished very often and a very tough, hot day, a lot of good fish were caught. This is a testament to the fish population and angler skill. The numbers reflected a strong showing by the lake with 91% of anglers turning in at least one fish and a respectable 51% posting a five fish limit.
When the lake was announced my immediate thought was that all of the Okies were going to get paid with NSKA making the trek over into their territory. This was flat wrong – in fact – the top 13 finishers were from Arkansas even though there were at least a dozen Oklahomans in the field.
First place was won by John Wofford with a whopping 93” on the day including TWO Smallmouth over 20” contributing to his total. Dwain Batey was second with 89.5” and Justin Brewer third with 85.25”.
John Wofford’s 21″ Smallmouth that won Big Bass. Photo: TourneyX
John also won Big Bass with his 21” bruiser Smallmouth and Justin Phillips took second Big Bass with a 20.75” Largemouth caught late in the day.
The top 10 were as follows:
John Wofford – 93”
Dwain Batey – 89.5”
Justin Brewer – 85.25”
Cole Sikes – 83.25”
Kyle Long – 83.25”
Michael Burgess – 82.50”
Jason Coleman – 82.25”
Billy Bowden – 82”
Roy Roberts – 81.25”
Danny Dutton – 81”
Angler Profile – John Wofford
John Wofford dominated the day on Pumpback with his first-place finish and Big Bass. This is another good day in a recent string of good performances by John (we’ll forget the bracket challenge…) in competition with a second place finish in King of the String and first place on Pumpback. In this tourney recap I thought we’d focus a bit on getting to know John and how he’s been catching them.
John with his giant Smallmouth on Pumpback. Photo: John Wofford
First of all, what happened on Pumpback!? How’d you catch those monster Smallmouth?
Pumpback was literally a magical day. I had only fished the lake one time and only caught 3-4 fish so my expectations were not high at all and I was just concerned about getting a limit.
First thing in the morning I noticed a Shad spawn happening so I automatically began throwing shad-like baits. Right off the bat I missed a MONSTER Smallie bigger than my 21” because I was using a rod that was too light for what I was doing. Shortly after losing the first big one I noticed on my graph I was coming up on a ledge at the end of a flat/point. My first cast into there I caught my 19.5” Smallmouth. Between losing the first Smallie and catching the 19.5” one I realized I had stumbled upon my patterns for the day. I fished out that whole cove losing more and more fish and one Largemouth that would’ve went 18-19” at least.
I was almost spinning out in my head after losing the Largemouth but I took a second to compose myself and changed gears. Started throwing my fluke on a MH power rod and only lost maybe 1-2 fish the rest of the day. After fishing the back of my first cove I had a few people come in on me so I decided to leave and make some runs to areas that my graph looked similar to where I hooked up with the big fish – and man did that pay off. I believe it was on my second cast in the second spot that I hooked into the 21” and the fight was on! I swore I had a Drum or a Striper on because it took forever for her to come up but once she did I about had a heart attack as I did everything in my power to get her in the net. Once I got her in a wave of emotion came over me and I had a feeling that today just might be my day. Thankfully, Ryan Paskiewicz was nearby and I hollered at him to come get a picture because I not only just broke my Smallmouth PB but I broke my kayak bass PB with a 21” Smallie!
After getting my pictures we let her go and I thanked Ryan and we went our separate ways. I tried to calm my nerves for a moment before getting back to fishing and it wasn’t two casts after the 21” I hooked into the 20.25” on a ledge 20 yards down the cove. This one I was sure was a drum but to my surprise it was the hardest fighting smallmouth I’ve ever caught. It took longer to get this one in the boat than any bass I’ve ever caught. That last big bite came at about 9:15 and from then on it was a dink fest. I moved to the north side of the lake and found some shaded areas with deeper pockets adjacent to them and managed to cull some 14’s with a 15.5” and a 16.75” around noon but other than that the bite slowed down and what I was catching were all smaller than 15.5”. I had an amazing time fishing Pumpback and it is a heck of a fishery!
You seem to have really taken a step forward in tournament finishes this year, what’s been the biggest change or contributor to that?
I lost my Grandpa at the beginning of the season this year and I decided that I was going to dedicate this year to him. Also, I have really been working on myself to stay out of my head to not put too much pressure on myself and just fish. I ask the good Lord before every tournament to keep everyone safe for the day and to allow me to fish clean and give me the knowledge to fish to the best of my abilities.
I know you fish a lot with your wife, Hope, can you talk a bit about that and how that’s helped your fishing and/or relationship?
Haha! Oh man…kayak tournament fishing with my wife has been fun and a strain at the same time. I love taking her out with me and seeing her learn new techniques and catching fish on bodies of water she used to zero on. I’m probably a little hard on her at times but that’s because I want her to do the best she can do and she has really surprised me this year and has learned a lot each time we fish a tournament. I do worry about her sometimes though when we are on the water if there’s a lot of boats around with the weather starts to turn a little, I’ll make my way around the corner or where I can see her and she’s just out there fishing away not letting any of it bother her. I really do love the fact that she has that competitive drive like I do and we are always competing against one another in the tournaments as much as we are the rest of the field and I think that has made both of us better anglers.
John with a Beaver Lake Largemouth Bass. Photo: John Wofford
What’s the biggest thing you’ve improved on this year from a fishing standpoint?
My biggest improvement this year has just been getting back to my strengths and not trying to go out and fish other techniques that are other people’s strengths. And I am always studying bass fishing every single day, it’s almost as if that is all I think about anymore. Anytime I talk with someone, read an article or watch a YouTube video I soak up every bit of information I can and then I try to apply that to my style of fishing. And most importantly I have been able to stay out of my head for the most part this season and just went out and fished the conditions that were dealt to me instead of getting upset the conditions aren’t the exact same they were when I pre-fished.
What’s the best advice you can give an angler who is struggling halfway through a tournament? Take what you’ve done earlier and try to learn from it, make your changes and go catch some fish…but most importantly, never give up. I didn’t cull out my smaller fish until right at noon, but if I would’ve given up before that Dwain and I would’ve tied for first instead of winning.
Heavy Hitters Update
More big fish are in the books after Pumpback. I’m still lucky enough to be in the lead (75.5) followed by Michael Burgess (71.75), but there are some strong moves being made, especially by John Wofford (69.5) with his two 20+ and Cole Sikes (70.5) and Justin Phillips (71) who have 20+ inch fish on the board. It’s still anyone’s crown to win.
NSKA Angler of the Year Update
Things are starting to take shape and contenders are emerging for AOY for NSKA. After four events the contenders and pretenders are starting to separate. There is a long way to go and some big events coming up but so far it looks like Roy Roberts, Dwain Batey, Justin Brewer, Jason Coleman and Michael Burgess are best positioned. Cole Sikes is still within striking distance but has no more room for error.
Here are the top 25 anglers if the Classic were held today. Green indicates a “good” points total, yellow “fair” and pink “poor” and needs replaced by a better score.
For a myriad of reasons, most of them tied to the ‘Rona, the second Road Runner of the year took place, this time with a 30 mile radius around Rogers, Arkansas. Once again some familiar bodies of water played a big role in the outcome.
Tournament Results
Another large field of 84 anglers spread out over the 30 mile radius to their favorite fishing holes in search of big bass. As usual for a Road Runner there were a lot of fish caught – 57% of anglers turned in a limit and a strong 87% were able to catch a scoreable bass.
Dwain Batey took first place with 93.5″ followed by Ryan Paskiewicz who had 85″ for second place. Third place was Chris Needham with 84.75″ and Nathan Henthorn took fourth with 82.75″.
Chris Needham also took home Big Bass with a 21.75″ tank, followed by Kyle Long who had second Big Bass with 20.25″.
Angler Recaps
The top anglers from the event took some time to share how they were able to be successful on a sunny Saturday in April. Dwain Batey, Ryan Paskiewicz, Chris Needham and Nathan Henthorn share their thoughts below. (You can tell it’s getting serious…they are being a bit more secretive…)
Where’d you go and why’d you choose that place?
Dwain – I hadn’t had a chance to pre-fish at all so I just picked a lake at random where I have confidence I can do well if the fish are cooperating, and there aren’t too many people fishing there at once.
Ryan – I chose a lake that I was confident that if i got 5 bites I’d have a chance at a good finish. It’s also a lake that can humble you in a hurry. All my pre-fishing was on Beaver before the switch to a Road Runner. I had to punt and go with my gut.
Chris – I fished close to Prairie Creek. I pre-fished the area a week prior and caught a couple around 15 inches. I didn’t think I could win but thought I could make it competitive. I figured Siloam Springs City Lake would get it done again.
Nathan – I chose a river because I know the quality of fish that live there and it’s where I’m most confident fishing.
What baits (technique or specific) were key to catching your fish?
Dwain – I basically had to junk fish, catching some on a fluke, wacky rigged senko, jackhammer, Skirmish Baits M9-OK Squarebill, a hollow body swimbait, and a Texas rigged Reaction Innovations Smallie Beaver. I believe most fish were spawning, though I only caught one while looking at it, and that one was smaller than I thought and didn’t help me.
Ryan – I started in an area I know I thought would produce a good one early, it didn’t in the first 45 minutes or so and I moved to some clearer water that before the sun got up. I threw a wacky rig at a lay down and hooked up to a solid 18+ but my drag was a bit tight and it broke me off. Had to take a few to regroup but calmed down and retied. I threw back at it and caught an 18.5 followed by a 13.75. Once the sun got up I moved back to my start and fished a chatterbait and was able to catch a 19.5 and a 20” on it. I struggled to find a 5th fish and was worried the one I broke off would haunt me. I finally slowed down and fished some bedding areas and found a 13” on a drop shot.
Chris – I caught my first one at 6:19 on a jig and had my limit in 30 minutes. I tore them up with the jig the first two hours of the day. One of my keepers came off a fluke but once I had a decent limit I stuck with the jig hoping for another stud.
Nathan – My best 5 came on a wacky rigged stickbait fished very slow.
Any interesting or good story from the day with a fish or location?
Dwain – I caught an 18.75” bass on the way back to the ramp on a swimbait that I had thought about trying all day and finally tied on with just a few minutes left in the day. I wound up with mostly male bass and if I had done that earlier I may have been able to find some bigger females offshore, but at least it worked out in the end.
Ryan – I had 6 bites all day. Lost the one good one. It was a good day to work on the mental side of a tourney day. In the past losing the first big one could have wrecked my day. I chose to put my head down and stay positive. It paid off.
Chris – My day started out like a nightmare. I figured I would start my day throwing a Whopper Plopper. The first cast I got it stuck in my net and bungee cord on my front hatch. It took me awhile to get it unstuck. My second cast my line snapped and I absolutely launched the bait deep in the woods. I sat there dumbfounded as to what was taking place. I picked up my jig and threw it in a tree. My first actual cast that landed in the water I caught a 21.75” 5.5 pound bass! When I got the big girl on my board she almost flopped off into the water. I tackled her and got her calm enough for a picture. If she would have fallen in the water I would have just went home for a good cry.
Nathan – Although I caught several fish, it was still a tough day. I squandered the morning bite trying to figure them out and got really frustrated by a nice fish getting off. I found a perfect stump on the bank that created current break and cast my squarebill to it but got stuck on the stump. As I popped it free a big one inhaled it on top. Unable to get a good hookset, it spit it when it jumped. Next cast with stickbait I caught a keeper. I let the spot rest for an hour and came back, first cast caught my 18.5 which I believe was the same fish that spit it earlier. This was a crucial upgrade late in the day
What’s the best advice you could give a new angler?
Dwain – Your photos are just as important as catching the fish, get a good system down for taking them so you’re both efficient and accurate. It’s hard enough to catch fish sometimes, you want them all to count.
Ryan – In the short couple of years I’ve been fishing seriously I’ve found that surrounding yourself with anglers who have been at it a while is very helpful. Ask questions! Many guys in our club are willing to share advice on the different aspects of bass fishing. Also, try not to be too hard on yourself. Learning this thing is a process and takes time. Also, every 1/4” matters. I fought hard on every fish to get that extra 1/4” and ended up securing 2nd instead of 3rd because of it. Take your time and get good pics and make the most of each fish.
Chris – Just have fun and be thankful we can experience God’s creation in the way we do.
Nathan – My best advice for new anglers is practice taking pictures, and figure out what works best for you. I prefer the board to span the kayak instead of having it in the lap. The lap can cause a terrible angle and if holding the camera overhead, you are taking pictures blind. Also, if the fish flops in your lap, there is a greater chance of him going back in the water. Also, if you are serious about fishing, make your second kayak your first kayak. If not, either you will get frustrated and not want to kayak fish, or most likely, get addicted and wish you had something better!
Lake Ouachita in Arkansas was the site of the Hobie BOS – Tournament of Champions and it presented a great challenge on a beautiful lake. The stacked field is arguably the most concentrated group of top kayak anglers ever assembled for a major event.
This is the fifth Tournament of Champions in a row that I have qualified for and was by far my worst performance. Although I caught some fish in practice, my primary mistake for the weekend was to try and find fish the way I wanted to catch them and not the way they wanted to be caught. Lesson learned. On Friday afternoon I had a black cat cross the road in front of me just east of Story, AR…I should have known what was coming.
One of the better Lake Ouachita Largemouth Bass I caught during the week and like many was healthy and chunky, feeding up. This one came on a Cotton Cordell 1/2 oz spoon. Source: kayakfishingfocus.com
Lake Ouachita is a massive and beautiful lake. Being from the Ozarks I felt right at home with the clear, deep water and rocky shorelines. The water was down about 9 feet a week prior to the event but rose a couple of feet during the week after some heavy rains on Thursday, although most of the cover was still out of the water on the bank. Although very accessible by boat, moving your yak from one side to the other easily took more than an hour of drive time. Moving spots or covering different areas in pre-fishing involved serious windshield time.
Hobie TOC Shootout
A total of four spots in the TOC were up for grabs as 40 anglers took to the water on shootout Friday. Fishing conditions weren’t ideal…rains from Thursday were moving out and a cold front was moving in, however, there was some wind and some cloud cover early. Of the 40 entrants in the event, 32 (80%) submitted a keeper while only 14 (35%) turned in a limit. The four slots were filled out by Jim Harding (83.25″), Justin Patrick (80.25″), NSKA’s Caroline Hibbs (78.75″) and Mel Ashe (76.25″).
Tournament of Champions
2019 Hobie BOS – Tournament of Champions winner Jody Queen. Source: Hobie BOS FB
With a complete field of 50 set for championship weekend, the post-front conditions were in full effect. Freezing temps to start the day along with sunny blue-bird skies met the anglers on both days. While this made it tough on the field, there were some anglers who were able to generate the right size bites. On Saturday, anglers tried to adjust to changing patterns to put together a good total – resulting in 25 (50%) turning in a limit, much lower than I expected with this stacked field. Jody Queen led day one totals with 85″ while Justin Patrick of Memphis, TN caught a 23.5″ Largemouth for big bass of the weekend. On Sunday, day two, the bite seemed to be even a bit tougher on anglers with almost zero wind until the last few hours. On this day 23 (46%) of anglers turned in limits with Jody Queen once again turning in the top total with 84″ in length. Jody Queen dominated the event from start to finish taking first place with 169″ for the two day total.
This 23.5″ tank caught by Justin Patrick of Memphis, TN, was the Big Bass for the 2019 Hobie TOC. Source: Justin Patrick
Top Angler Recaps
Some of the top finishers for the 2019 Hobie TOC share their experiences and how they did it in this roundtable discussion and recap. Jody Queen (1st), Cody Milton (3rd) and NSKA’s own Cole Sikes (9th) spill the tournament tea.
What general part of the lake did you choose to fish on tournament days and why?
Jody – The southwest part of the lake, it is the South Fork of the Ouachita River arm.
Cody – I chose to fish the Iron Fork area. I decided to fish that area because it offered the best deeper bite with a close shallow option as well. And the water color was stained in that area for a good mile or two. I also felt like it wasn’t going to get as much attention as other parts of the lake with stained water. It wasn’t the best area of the lake by any means but it had a lot less pressure and still held a good amount of fish across the water column. I’m a big believer that you don’t have to fish the best area of a lake to do well as long as you find an area with lots of options close by.
Cole – I ended up choosing to fish mid-lake and out on the main lake. With the weather changing each day, I felt as if the main lake would be more consistent throughout the event and the water temp was overall warmer and shouldn’t fluctuate as much as the dirtier water.
The weather changed dramatically from mid-week to the weekend, how did that affect your approach?
Jody – Actually, the weather almost through me a curve. Because of the cold front, I made the decision to pre-fish brush piles on the main lake points and creek mouths in 18 to 25 feet of water. I did find fish on these areas but on the day of the Shootout tournament I couldn’t hardly find a bite on this pattern. I decided to make a move to the head of a creek that was close and that’s where I found the pattern that would carry me through to the win at the TOC. The pattern was actually pretty simple. I threw a Z-Man Jackhammer in Green Pumpkin (3/8 oz) with a Z-Man Razor Shad in a “The Deal” color for the trailer. I slowed the retrieve way down and bumped it off brush, sticks, stumps and anything that was on the bottom anywhere from 2 to 7 feet of water. Mainly in an area on a large flat, located between two large creek channels.
Cody – If the weather hadn’t did what it did I would’ve been in a different part of the lake. For me the weather really killed the shallow water topwater and spinnerbait bite. But In turn it put a lot of bait fish right against bluff walls and made them easy to catch with an Alabama rig. So I opted for an area with better deep fishing and semi-good shallow fishing.
Cole – I was able to find some good schools of fish during practice out on main lake points. During the tournament, the fish were still there but I couldn’t get the schools to fire up and I think the weather had to be a contributing factor. I ended up having to really bounce around and junk fish to fill out a limit each day. I caught fish from 8 inches of water all the way to 40 feet.
During the week what baits or equipment were critical for your success?
Jody – I was using a 7’ 3” Muse Black rod from 13 Fishing with a fast tip equipped with a Lews Tournament MB with a 7.3:1 gear ratio, spooled with Berkeley vanish flourocarbon 14lb test. My most used tool however, was my Lowrance 7 TI2 unit. I used my sidescan to mark over 70 pieces of cover on that large flat and just ran from waypoint to waypoint for two days. It was instrumental in my win. I never caught more than two fish off any waypoint at any one time but found that by the time I made my circuitous route back to my starting point the cover had reloaded with another fish. It was a perfect setup for my style of fishing…just move, fish, and catch. I was very fortunate.
Cody – The Hog Farmer Harvester Rig was key for me in being able to catch a lot of fish quickly. Each day I caught a double that helped greatly. When the shallow fish finally set up right on the afternoon of day 2, my key fish all came on an Accent Fishing River Special spinnerbait and a bladed jig.
Cole – The most critical equipment for me during the tournament was my Garmin depth finder. I relied on it all weekend to find bait, fish and brush piles. In the mornings I would start on my schools and throwing moving shad baits such as YUM Flash Mob Jr. rigs, jerk baits, crankbaits, etc., but as the day would go on I would graph over points from 10-30 feet looking for brush piles. Once I found a brush pile I would spin around and throw a Slowtown jig in there and could almost always catch one fish out of it then I would have to move on to the next point.
What advice do you have for other kayak tournament anglers in how to improve their mental approach to big time events?
Jody – Try not to get spun out. When things aren’t going your way, try to take a breath and make adjustments. Have more than one confidence bait. The more baits you feel you can catch fish on it just increase your chances. Research the upcoming lake through videos, local blogs or podcasts…and by all means visit the local tackle stores. You can usually find a wealth of information there. I can’t stress this last one enough – Time on the water. Fish local clubs and partner organizations. I fish a lot of the KBF Challenges to stay in shape and know what’s going on with the fish in between the bigger tournaments you will learn a lot just by being on the water.
Cody – Stay in it! Continually keep putting yourself in the best place for whatever bite is trending. This time of year that can drastically change in a short amount of time. A lot of tournaments get lost in the first few hours but never won.
Cole – Decision-making and having a solid mental game are the biggest factors to being a successful tournament angler. One of the best ways to really improve your mental game is to practice fishing when the conditions are the most difficult. We all love to catch fish and want to be out there when they are biting the best, however you’ll learn the most when things are tough. Whether it’s fishing 45 degree water temperature and below in the winter or fishing post-frontal conditions, get out on the water and try to learn how to catch fish during these tough conditions. This will help you give you the mindset of never giving up and also you’ll learn how to catch fish when conditions are tough. You’re typically not going to learn as much when fish are active and feeding on about anything you throw in front of them.
Top Ten Observations and Wrap-Up
The 2019 Hobie TOC was arguably my worst tournament performance in the past few years, but I had a great time. It was well-run, first class and I really enjoyed it. Want to say thanks to my fishing partner and roommate for the tournament, Cole Sikes (congrats on top 10!), we had a good time pre-fishing and hanging out. Also got to see some other friends that I don’t run into very often and met some new ones, which is part of the culture of our sport. In conclusion, here are final takeaways:
AJ McWhorter and Hobie ran a fantastic event, one of the best I’ve ever attended. This matched my experience at Lake Fork. They really have it together and I thank them for their leadership in the industry.
Kayak fishing is becoming a more respected and recognized sport as evidenced by how many boat anglers and locals I talked to who knew about the TOC event or asked questions and talked about how they would like to try kayak angling. Growth over the next few years is going to be exponential.
Mountain Harbor was a great HQ. Parking was a bit tight in spots but it was affordable, had decent lodging and friendly staff who put up with my multiple “I lost my key” visits to the office.
If you want to get a cup of coffee or breakfast at a gas station before 6:00 a.m. on the weekend, good luck.
The Shootout seemed to be a really cool event, and it was very exciting for me to root for my fellow NSKA friends throughout the day.
Ouachita represents all that the Natural State has to offer. I saw deer, turkeys, a wild hog, eagles, foxes, beavers and of course the black cat…
I believe iAngler is faster and simpler to upload fish than TourneyX, but doesn’t have as many features. One thing I really wish it did was allow you to look at all of the fish of all the anglers like TourneyX does. Maybe I don’t know how to use it?
Geared in Hot Springs is a great tackle shop and they were awesome every time I’ve been there.
The 2018 KBF National Championship is in the books as 752 kayak anglers took on Kentucky Lake. The fishing was tough for many and good for some – and for almost everyone it was a grind.
Conditions were very challenging with temperature fluctuations of more than fifty degrees and water level changes of more than 12 feet within one week. The numbers show that it was a tough event for many. On day one only 12.5% (94) turned in a limit, while a full 33% (248) did not turn in any keepers. On day two, many anglers who were out of the money due to a poor day one performance headed home, and this impacted the numbers. Day two only 10% (75) of registered anglers turned in a limit, while 49% (370) turned in no fish.
My story is related to those who didn’t turn in any keepers. I struggled in pre-fishing and never could figure anything out. On tournament day I took a chance and tried some water that I hadn’t been on yet and although I caught some bass, I just couldn’t find any keepers to turn in. Out of the race for prize money, I took the chance to head home and not fish on day two. I just never could adjust to what was going on and didn’t get a place I felt comfortable on day one. It was a disappointing outing for me but we’ll move on to the next event for 2018.
The old trestle near Cane Creek on Kentucky Lake. – Kayakfishingfocus.com
KBF National Championship Obersvations
Overall the 2018 KBF National Championship seemed to go over successfully, even with the huge number of anglers. The water definitely seemed crowded in some areas, and the event center at the fairgrounds could barely hold all of the anglers. There were some improvements I appreciated from the previous year and you could tell they were working to make things run more smoothly. There were only a few suggestions I’d like to put out to the KBF powers that be:
Consider a different time of year and/or a different body of water. Kentucky Lake this early in the year is just too volatile and is an off-shore fishing lake prior to the spawn. Fish can be caught, but the unpredictability of the TVA in drawing water and Kentucky weather in March is a wildcard.
During the rules meeting, the importance of checking in at the captains meeting was not covered sufficiently, nor a method provided for anglers to check in if they were not attending the meeting. This held us up for a long time on Friday night as KBF tried to track down anglers.
The vendors and such in the different building was a good change and the food trucks were a good addition.
A couple dozen members from the Arkansas and Oklahoma area competed in the KBF National Championship, with varying levels of success. Carson McBride was the top-ranked Arkansas angler, finishing 39th and also was the top junior angler. Fellow Arkansans Cody Milton (59th) and Robert Murphy (89th) finished in the top 100 anglers.
KBF National Championship Angler Roundtable
Local kayak anglers Faron Davidson, Dwain Batey, Robert Murphy and Carson McBride share their experiences at the National Championship in the Q&A roundtable below.
Going into the tournament what was your strategy in finding water to fish? Where did you wind up fishing and why?
Faron – I relied on Google and Navionics to locate a few areas I wanted to check out. I arrived on Thursday morning and drove around and looked at the potential spots I had identified and after giving the first couple a thumbs down because the water was so low I moved on to the the 3rd spot, Johnathon Creek, I made a couple of cast from the bank and caught 2 fish and called it good. There were no kayaks at the ramp so I chose this spot to fish as it had fish and not much pressure.
Carson – My strategy going into this tournament was to go fish everything I could…ledges, points, flats, pea gravel, chunk rock and throw everything I can to find what they are eating and then adjust to it and dial them in. I ended up fishing in Panther Bay after a place named Sugar Bay wasn’t very good to me. I caught a few at Sugar and knew what kind of banks they were on and Sugar didn’t have enough of it so on day one I went in blind to Panther Bay. From seeing it on the maps I saw it had good looking structure. I ended up with a limit there on day one and had confidence I could do it again on day two.
Robert – I wanted to fish south hoping for warmer water in creeks, mainly on Barkley. Finding nothing but lots of white bass I had to go north. That, and Barkley moves so fast even with my motor it was sketchy. Day one I picked a spot I knew had fish but not much size and close to a couple other spots if I wanted to move. Rocks was my point of attack. They seemed to be hiding in them staying warm. Flicker shads and ned rigs is what I used to catch them.
Dwain – I did some research on Google Earth and Navionics app, and then we drove around and looked at a few ramps the day we arrived at the lake. I wound up fishing Cane Creek, and it was mostly because it had a lot of rip rap, and I felt that cranking a squarebill would be my best option. It’s what I have the most confidence in and I had no idea about the zebra mussels being in the lake going in.
All of you were in contention after day one, what was your approach going into day two? Anything change?
Faron – I ended day 1 in 75th place, the last paying spot. The area I fished on day was fished very hard and I wasn’t sure I could get a limit on day 2. I moved to a new spot I had not even layer eyes on, it looked very promising once I got there.
Carson – My approach going into day two was to just get a limit. I had lots of confidence in my Ned rig and was hoping for five. And, I was planning on hitting the same places I did day one and to cover more water throughout the day.
Robert – On day two, I wanted bigger fish and decided to start out at a spot mid-lake that I knew had lots of pressure and lots of rocks. When I saw no fish on my graph after trolling around the rocks before the first cast I realized I made a big mistake. Had to make a hard choice then to leave 30 minutes after first cast and miss the morning bite to head back north over an hour away.
Dwain – I had to adapt for the strong winds that were beating my best area on day two. I fished there early, before the wind made it almost impossible to do so, but the bite was later in the day so that was a wash. I was forced to fish the other side and so was everyone else, so fishing pressure made it difficult. When I finally found the fish on day two it was too late, and I lost the first one, and caught the second one, but then I was out of fishing time for the day.
What surprised you about the lake or the tournament, if anything?
Faron – I was very surprised when I showed up and the lake was dropped back to winter pool after the recent flooding.
Carson – what surprised me about the lake was how it was tough for everyone that fished just about. It also surprised me for how clear it was since it was just flooded not too long ago.
Robert – I was surprised how low the water was and how they kept draining it. It kept me from fishing my old spots.
Dwain – If anything, it was the Zebra Mussels, and hearing that some of the leaders were fishing topwater baits, and describing a level of fish activity that just wasn’t present where I chose to fish.
If you could do it over again, what would you change about your strategy or approach for the KBF National Championship?
Carson – If I could do it over again I would just cover more water trying to get more bites.
Faron – If I could do it over again I would have went back to my day 1 spot and finesse fished for a limit.
Robert – If I could change anything. Not going there would be it.
Dwain – I would get there a few days earlier and check out a lot more of the lake. It’s a huge lake and I’ve only seen a fraction of it. I would also probably have fished pea gravel and chunk rock banks close to deeper water, rather than rip rap.
Do you have a suggestion for KBF on how to improve the event or make it better or anything?
Faron – I feel like the event went pretty well considering the size, a couple of late starts had us waiting around more than I would have liked too though. An idea I did have was that the badges they gave us should have a unique QR code that we could use to check in with that would allow only anglers present to be drawn for prizes. I feel like it would speed things up.
Carson – I think that KBF could improve on timing to make things go faster.
Robert – I did like how KBF gave us extra time to check in but I wish the cut-off time to submit fish could be extended for people with bad service or just from the app. Crashing with so many people on TourneyX at the same time.
Dwain – The timing could be improved on the events so they start on time, but I’m sure they already know that one. I think they could get a more professional looking stage to make a better look for video, and maybe improve the production with a few changes in the way the top anglers were announced. Perhaps model it more after FLW or B.A.S.S. Events, but with obvious changes since we don’t have our fish to show on stage. Overall it was great, and although I’ve qualified every year since I started kayak fishing, this was the first time I got to actually enter the National Championship and it was awesome. I heard several people talking about how much better it was conducted than the year before, so I think they know where they want to take it and will continue to go in that direction every year.
As the temperatures turn cooler and the leaves begin to reveal their fall colors, the time is at hand for many of the nation’s top tournament kayak anglers to descend on legendary Lake Fork for the Yak4It Tournament of Champions (TOC) presented by Mariner Sails. This invitation-only event pits the best kayak anglers from various qualifying groups around the country. Year five of the TOC will potentially be its biggest and most competitive event – and as always requiring the biggest keeper size in tournament kayak fishing at 14” long.
Competition will begin on Friday, November 3, for anglers who are trying to fish their way in to the exclusive Main Event that weekend. Because the TOC is not open to the public for entry, this is a last chance to earn the right to compete for the big prize over the weekend. This will be my third year pre-qualified for the Main Event through AKA/NSKA, and I’m glad I don’t have the pressure that’s on these anglers to make it happen in the one day qualifier. Those who are not pre-qualified and want to give it a go, check out the Open sign up page on iAnglerTournament.com.
The weekend of November 4/5 brings the Main Event which is for all the marbles and the bragging rights. In 2015 and 2016, there was a total payout in cash and prizes of more than $23,000 – meaning lots of cash and prizes to be claimed by successful anglers. A similar prize pool should be available in 2017 and will be a career highlight for the winner. Anglers already qualified for the Main Event should register at iAnglerTournament.com prior to the event date and will need to attend the captain’s meeting on Friday night at 7:00 p.m.
There will be several changes this year to the event based on angler feedback to make it smoother and a better angler experience. The biggest change is moving the scoring over to the iAnglerTournament app allowing for mobile photo submissions, live leaderboard, and speeding up the flow of weigh-in. Some other notable changes are the extended off-limits period, opening the lake to any public launch site, and there will be a change to the identifier process to simplify the photo taking process. More details about the event itself will be made in coming weeks. Follow the news at the TOC Facebook page.
What Makes TOC Special?
For me, it is because it is different than any other event I fish all year long. For a more big-picture perspective, I asked the tournament director, Cody Prather. “The Yak4it Tournament of Champions is a special tournament that has grown through the commitment of anglers from across the country into one of the highest level events that kayak bass fishing has ever seen,” he explains. “I consider this a very organic tournament because no one person has made it one of the best events we have. It has been cultivated, embraced, and influenced by every angler from every region coming out to help it grow. It is a meeting place for anglers to see old friends, make new friends, and share a passion for a sport we a love. The Tournament of Champions really stands out because it is not always easy to earn a spot, and there is a lot of prestige in that invitation.”
What Will It Take To Win?
In short, maybe a little or maybe a lot will take home the main prize. Both have been true in past events. One of the things that make this tournament difficult is the requirement for a 14” keeper, which is generally larger than most kayak circuits. The TOC in 2015 only 43 of the 91 entrants (47%) even recorded a keeper, and only three anglers (3%) turned in a limit. Clinton Holstein took first place with 90.75” in this one-day tournament. Fish were more cooperative in the 2016 two day event. On day one, 84 of the 122 (69%) recorded keeper and 13 anglers (11%) turned in a limit. On day two it got tougher, with only 40% turning in keepers and 3% with a limit. Only four anglers had a limit on both days. Aaron Spry took the top spot with 91” on day one and 89” on day two totaling 180” for the weekend.
What about big bass? Yes, Fork has them. Last year the largest bass turned in was a 25.50” behemoth and there were 35 bass 20” or larger turned in.
Cody Prather, tournament director, believes this could be a breakthrough year. “Lake Fork is historically known as one of the best big bass lakes in the world, and there have been a lot of big fish caught during the Tournament of Champions,” said Prather. “In the past, it has been hard for anglers to break that 90 inch mark during the tournament because we have never hit the perfect conditions. I think this year we have the potential for it to take a two day total of over 200 inches, but I bet it takes at least 194 inches to win. Look out for a big bass to push 26 inches to take the Big Bass prize.”
About Lake Fork
Pedal drives beware what lurks beneath the water at Lake Fork. Photo credit: Lake Fork Resort
This will only be my third trip to Lake Fork, so I in no way have it figured out. It’s a big lake in a kayak, with many creek arms feeding an always windy main lake area. With more than 80% of the original timber still standing in the lake from when it was flooded and stocked in its first few years with more than 735,000 fish, it makes a fantastic fishing habitat and is known for growing giant double-digit bass. Talking with successful anglers from previous years, there doesn’t seem to be a reliable spot or pattern to depend on, it will be important to figure out the conditions during tournament week in order to find the fish. Weather conditions have made fishing difficult during the last two trips with a severe cold front in 2015 and post-front bluebird skies in 2016. Owners of pedal-powered kayaks beware – last year many Hobie drives (and a few PDL prop blades) were wrecked by the underwater stumps and trees. The tournament home base is the Lake Fork Marina & Motel, which is a nice little fishing haven – read my review from last year.
A Brief History of the TOC
2016 Yak4It Tournament of Champions winner Aaron Spry.
One of kayak bass fishing’s premier events sprung from humble beginnings. The Professional Kayak Anglers Association (PKAA) with Rob McFarren began the event in 2013 as the “PKAA True Tournament of Champtions” which included 22 anglers from the area. The next year, Beau Reed and Capital City Kayak Fishing (CCKF) took over the TOC and made some key changes, creating the “Tournament of Champions” and making it an invitation-only style event. This is where the TOC took off and gained in participation – bringing together elite kayak anglers and had 52 anglers in 2014, and showed even more growth in 2015 with 91 entrants. Beau Reed passed it to current tournament director Cody Prather for the 2016 event, which grew to a field of 122 top kayak fishermen.
What is in store for 2017 and what will the field look like?
Unfortunately KBF also has a competing event scheduled on the same weekend at Toledo Bend, which could draw some anglers away from TOC. Cody Prather believes TOC will see similar participation levels thanks to many who have committed to return and due to some new club affiliations and promotional partners. “It is much more difficult to earn an invitation to the TOC than it is to qualify for the KBF National Championship,” Prather explains. “I personally consider the TOC to be the true National Championship event in the country because it truly represents the top anglers in the country.”
I as a participant also agree that TOC has an important place in the kayak fishing landscape and I’m pleased to have earned the right to fish both in the TOC at Lake Fork in November and in the KBF National Championship next March at Kentucky Lake. This year I’ve fished four KBF in-person events and 14 online KBF challenges and really enjoy the KBF events. Hopefully both the TOC and KBF can continue to thrive many years into the future.
What Will Happen
Who knows which angler will win, or if they will be peddle or paddle, or if many limits will be caught? I do know a few things will happen at TOC:
• There will be many, many slices of pie eaten at Tiffany’s restaurant
• Someone will be stock-blocking the shelves at the tackle shops
• Many Hobie drives will lose a battle with a tough Texas tree
• Big ones will be caught, and some will get away
• Anglers will greet, meet and compete at a world-class event
Watch for post-event coverage after the TOC on kayakfishingfocus.com
Bella Vista, Arkansas, hosted its first ever kayak bass fishing event with the Kayak Bass Fishing (KBF) night tournament on June 3. Bella Vista lakes are accessible by members, their guests or others who purchase a public use pass from the POA. Anglers could choose from five different lakes and fished from 4:00 p.m. until midnight. Six states were represented on the water for this unique KBF Trail stop.
The tournament started off with a rain shower and thunderstorms which cleared up as the evening wore on. Anglers were fairly spread out among the five lakes, with the most at Lake Ann, which totaled 15 by my count. After all the fishing wrapped up, we were left with a LOT of small bass and one gigantic largemouth.
Of the 39 registered participants, 22 (56%) turned in a limit, while 32 (82%) carded a keeper. Big fish were in short supply, and smaller ones dominated the limits – with only NINE of almost 200 fish submitted being 16″ or larger. In the weeks leading up to the event, I had predicted 77″ to win the tournament, and almost got it right on the nose.
Dwain Batey took first with 76.25″, Chris Jones second with 74.25″ and Cody Milton turned in 74″ for third. Cody also took big bass with a 24.75″ monster bass caught at Lake Brittany. Watch for an article later this week for more details about how he caught this 10+ lb behemoth.
The top ten finishers were as follows:
Dwain Batey
Chris Jones
Cody Milton
Jason Cossey
Roy Roberts
Justin Phillips
Nathan Henthorn
Jason Adams
Brendan Johnson
Chad Warford
I made a very last minute decision and started out with Lake Ann, overall having a poor performance. Finishing 13th, it didn’t help that I lost at least 5-6 fish off the hook, but none would have put me on top. Overall, a scattered and not very clean tourney on my end.
Here are some recaps by the top three anglers:
Dwain – Having only pre-fished one day on Lake Ann, which didn’t impress me, I chose to fish lake Rayburn, only because someone had said it had some color to it, and wasn’t as clear as the others. (Author’s note – this may have been me, Dwain probably owes me a %) My original plan was to switch over to Lake Brittany after dark, but based on the live scoring at TourneyX I decided that Brittany wasn’t fishing any better other than Cody’s monster of course, so I stuck it out the whole time at Rayburn. I started off fishing a Skirmish Baits prototype glide bait that has been on fire last month for me. I had heard that these lakes had a lot of small fish, and I was trying to attract above average fish. I had several fish swipe at that bait and even stuck what would have easily been my biggest fish, but it pulled off under the boat. After sticking with that bait for about two hours I finally caught three on it, including one of my best fish for the night. I finally switched over to the Skirmish Baits M9-OK (one knocker) squarebill, and filled out my limit, and started culling fish. This bait too seemed to be catching fish above average for me, and I found a few places that seemed to be holding better fish than most of the lake. After dark, I switched over to a buzz bait and caught another 15 fish or so, but only one of them would cull up for me.
Cody – I chose Brittany because of how clear the water was. I thought it would be slow during the day but have a chance at better fish at night. During the daylight hours I fished in the middle of the lake over 60-70 feet. The fish would stay suspended in 7 feet if they weren’t schooling. You could mark 3-5 fish and throw back to them and catch them pretty easy. I used a wacky rig senko to catch all of them. After dark I threw a jig with a black D bomb trailer. I focused on any hard bottom that was close to 60ft of water. The most hard bottom was the dam, so I just went back and forth on it. I assumed the trout had to be in that deepest area and I wanted to stay close to them. Especially after hearing of the giants that live in Brittany. Thankfully I came across one throwing directly at the boat ramp next to the dock.
Chris – I chose Ann mainly due to word of mouth from the bait store up there and I liked that it was bigger in size. I threw a popper in the rain under the trees for some keepers then when the sun came out I threw a 5-6 foot crankbait bluegill colors for a lot of fish mostly small though. 2 of my best fish came after dark on the new 110 size whopper plopper, loon(black) was the color. I noticed a lot of bait in 2 coves and I mainly focused on them. I caught about 20 fish but most were 12″ fish.
Overall this was a cool event and gave several anglers their first taste of Bella Vista fishing. The Bella Vista POA seemed pleased with the outcome and it may lead to another tournament in the future. Although it likely dispelled the rumors of lakes stocked with schools of big bass, this event did show the lakes have a good keeper sized fish population – and at least one giant.
A unique event is coming to the Ozarks with the Kayak Bass Fishing (KBF) Trail stop in Bella Vista, Arkansas. This is the first KBF event of this kind – a live night fishing tournament with a road runner format allowing anglers to choose where they fish among five of the Bella Vista area lakes.
The KBF Trail – Bella Vista tournament takes place from 4:00 p.m. until 12 midnight and will start and end from the Lake Avalon pavilion. The lakes in play for Bella Vista include:
Lake Avalon – 67 acres/50 feet maximum depth
Lake Ann – 112 acres/53 feet maximum depth
Lake Britney – 37 acres/75 feet maximum depth
Lake Rayburn – 45 acres/75 feet maximum depth
Lake Norwood – 33 acres/79 feet maximum depth
From my experience in Bella Vista fishing, these lakes are well managed and most anglers will definitely catch fish. Finding bigger fish is going to be key, as they can be somewhat rare in these five lakes. Four average fish and a good kicker might win the event. All of the Bella Vista lakes are managed by the Property Owners Association (POA) and are accessible to members, guests and the general public who purchase a use permit.
Jason Adams, kayak angler from the Bella Vista area, has been key in helping establish this KBF Trail stop. We asked Jason for his insights on the area and the upcoming tournament.
What made you want to bring a KBF tournament to Bella Vista?
We wanted to bring an event to Bella Vista because not many people have fished these lakes. The lakes are very well managed and beautiful docks line the most of the banks making for great cover for bass. These lakes are very small in scale and kayaks can reach every piece of water better than a bass boat.
I approached the Bella Vista POA about allowing kayak tournaments on Bella Vista lakes about a year ago. It wasn’t not something that just happened. Once I was able to walk them through the process, they responded very favorably. Rick, the Lake Biologist, really liked the idea that the fish are photographed and released immediately. That way we can share the catch data we collect from the tournament results back to them for a better understanding of the fish population. The overall vision was to create something that could benefit Bella Vista and kayak anglers alike. We got approval for two dates, one for this event in the spring and one in the fall. If the first one is a success, we may get an opportunity to host additional events.
We also knew we had to swim upstream by providing the kayak community something different than what has been done in the past. We have been working on hosting an event in Bella Vista for some time when KBF announced they were looking for additional opportunities to grow the Trail events. So we jumped at the opportunity. KBF has blazed the path on creating and standardizing kayak bass tournaments with rules that are widely accepted across the nation. When someone travels to the different KBF Trail events, they know what to expect because rules are the same.
Can you explain the options for anglers to pre-fish the lakes?
Anyone can enjoy fishing at Bella Vista lakes by purchasing a fishing permit. For pre-fishing, just go by the POA office during business hours and purchase your permit in person, or call (479) 855-8000 to purchase and receive by mail. Mention you are with KBF and that you need to get a use permit. Lake Rangers patrol the boat ramps and fishing docks, and if stopped, they will ask for your permit. Its best to have your permit in advance through the POA office, but the rangers can issue permits on the spot as well. Pre-fishing permits are available for the day ($6), week ($17) or month ($39) with a kayak daily ($8) or weekly ($17) registration. Lake use permit for tournament day is payable when registering through TourneyX.
Why a night tournament, and what do you think makes a night event special?
Bella Vista lakes are perfect for night fishing. There are many docks on these lakes and the lights shimmer across the water making it a beautiful sight. The moon phase will be at 67% that night so it will be even more beautiful. The fact these lakes are small in size and are no-wake lakes makes them safer and more accessible to kayaks at night than larger bodies of water.
What are some other important aspects of the KBF Bella Vista event participants should know?
In addition to the opportunity to win prize money and spots in the 2018 KBF National Championship, there will also be a drawing for a Nucanoe Pursuit, and all participating anglers will be automatically entered. If we reach 100 registered anglers, the tournament winner will also walk away with a NuCanoe Pursuit!
There is a Big Bass Brawl for an additional $20 that benefits Heroes On The Water. This helps fund events like the one taking place on June 4th at Lake Norwood in Bella Vista, where the Northwest Arkansas HOW Chapter will be taking out veterans and first-responders for a relaxing day on the water to fish out of a kayak.
The tournament is being put on and hosted by the Fish It Forward.Fish It Forward is a non-profit organization created to put a fishing pole in the hands of kids regardless of their ability to pay. We have a strong community of volunteers in Northwest Arkansas and major supporters like the Walton Foundation.
