This is a recap of how I caught my keepers in the end of season NSKA NWA Classic in September. See every bait and hear how they were used to catch some bass on Beaver Lake in September.
Tag Archives: Bomber
2020 NWA NSKA Classic Championship Recap / AOY / Sportsman of the Year
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!
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).
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
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:
- Justin Brewer
- Dwain Batey
- Ryan Paskiewicz
- Cole Sikes
- Chris Needham
- Jason Kincy
- Tyler Zengerle
- Jon Wofford
- Roy Roberts
- Michael Burgess
Angler Recaps
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:
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.
PRADCO Acquires War Eagle Lures – News
Some big news in the fishing industry and in the local lure manufacturing front was announced today. PRADCO Outdoor Brands announced they have acquired War Eagle Custom Lures, formerly based in Rogers, Arkansas. War Eagle is a very popular brand with many loyal anglers who love their spinnerbaits and buzzbaits.
When discussing the announcement with a friend, they immediately wondered aloud if the War Eagle name would survive the
acquisition. According to the actual press release distributed by PRADCO for the announcement, War Eagle appears to be remaining as an individual brand as it joins a PRADCO lineup that includes names like Booyah, YUM, Bandit, Bomber, Norman, Smithwick, Rebel and others.
“As part of PRADCO Outdoor Brands, War Eagle Custom Lures will be shipped to customers along with POB’s entire portfolio of brands from PRADCO’s distribution center in Calera, Alabama.”
As a heavy user of both Booyah and War Eagle spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, I’m looking forward to following how this plays out. War Eagle Custom Lures also produces a line of jigs, spoons and jig heads in addition to the famous spinnerbait and buzzbait offerings. This should make it easier in the future when ordering War Eagle lures, which should at some point be available on Lurenet.com along with some of my favorite YUM, Booyah and Norman items.
Although War Eagle Custom Lures has been based in Rogers, Arkansas, the management of the brand is staying local. According to the release:
“All product development, marketing, accounting, manufacturing and purchasing functions will be managed in Fort Smith. Brand Manager Chad Warner will have responsibility for War Eagle.”
Read the full release about the announcement on the Lurenet.com blog site.
Observations from the KBF National Championship
Last week I competed in the Kayak Bass Fishing National Championship on Kentucky Lake for the first time, which was also my first time on Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. During my days pre-fishing and during the tournament itself, I came to a few conclusions. (admittedly, some more obvious than others)
- These lakes are huge, particularly for a kayak angler. We knew going in this was the case and would need to do a lot of scouting. During pre-fishing I probably spent almost as much time in the Tacoma as I did on the water. This is a lesson learned for next year, narrow the scope of water and spend more time scouting fewer areas.
- There are a lot of parts of Kentucky and Tennessee that look like the good parts of Arkansas. And…a lot of parts of Kentucky and Tennessee that look like the bad parts. We appear to all be in this together.
- 362 kayak anglers is a big field, even on Kentucky Lake. Every angler there is a good fisherman, which meant they can also read a topo map. The result was that anglers weren’t as spread out as I had hoped, the good water in many cases was very crowded with kayaks pounding the fish for a week. Those that found good water away from the crowd were rewarded.
- Top baits for me on Kentucky Lake during the week were a Bomber Deep Flat A crankbait, Booyah Buzz 1/2 oz buzzbait, Rebel Teeny Foxy Shad Pop-R, ned rig, Goldens Paddletail on drop shot and YUM Thumpn’ Dinger texas rigged.
- Ledges. I’d heard a lot about ledges and ledge fishing. I think this worked for a lot of folks, but I just really couldn’t get it to happen for me. Might be the wrong time of year, so may try it again my next trip over there. Still was fun to say I’d fished the famous ledges on Kentucky Lake.
- Mom and Pop’s Pizza in Big Sandy is AWESOME. Definitely what is needed after a long day on the water. Check them out next time you are near the south end of the lake. Protip – pay the extra $1 for cheese on the breadsticks.
- The captains meeting the first night was a good event and was important to hear the rules and such. The captain’s meeting the second night seemed completely unnecessary, particularly when they moved it back from 4:00 to 6:30 and people had to wait around for an extra couple of hours instead of getting rest and preparing gear for the next day.
- I’ve never encountered a bigger bunch of rude, obnoxious and aggressive boaters than I did on Kentucky Lake. I’m hearing this as well from many other KBF anglers. Stories of invading fishing space, attempts to swamp kayaks and dangerously close fly-bys were common. Come on man.
- I made a huge mistake this week and really did a lot of exploring to get to know the lake’ instead of my usual strategy of looking for a particular type of water. Although I do know the lake better by fishing in about 10 different areas, it kept me from learning the area I needed to as well as I should have. Lesson learned for next time.
- Day one, I roll up an hour early to my selected spot, 449 miles from home and after a week of looking around for the prime location to begin. What do I see? Fellow Natural State Kayak Anglers member Jeff Mallot sitting there in the exact place I’m headed. Small world. If only I’d gotten there two hours early…ha!
- Lake Barkley looks really really good. People had told me to go fish there and I tried it. Loved how it looked. I just couldn’t catch fish there. Maybe next time.
- If you lose your assault paddle out of your yak on the crest of the big bridge crossing the lake, it will be gone by the time you go back to get it.
- Crazy Chicken night (every Tuesday) is definitely worth the $9.43 at Paris Landing State Park Lodge.
- There is a lot of talk about how long it took to judge fish and get final results out. I agree that this was a bit frustrating, but really, if you aren’t in the top contenders, it doesn’t matter that much to get your rank after a day or two. I’m more concerned about talk I’m seeing from some about wanting to implement a cut day after day one, or raising the fish limit to 15″ to limit the number of fish to be scored. In my opinion, this is supposed to be a fun, rewarding event, and both of those changes could really reduce the fun of the overall event for most anglers. People like to catch and card fish, and people like to know they will be fishing two full days before they travel. These changes would depress attendance, I know I may not pay the entry fee and travel over there for only one day. For the ‘hardcore’ anglers asking for these changes, guess what? Fewer participants means less entry fees which means less prize money for you to win. Hopefully everyone will see the big picture that a huge event where everyone has fun is the best thing for the sport.
- Can’t wait for next year!
Spotlight: Yak4It Tournament of Champions, Heddon Video, Fishing with Kids, Lurenet.com
This recent spotlight features one of the most exclusive kayak bass fishing tournaments in the country, a product feature, tips for fishing with kids and one of my favorite tackle sources:
The Yak4It Tournament of Champions at Lake Fork, Texas, is coming up in November and I’m excited to have qualified again this year to compete. This tournament is by invitation only and qualifiers are selected from tournament circuits or events around the country 
based on how the anglers have performed in those events. This is the second year in a row I will be competing representing Arkansas along with other qualifiers from the state. The tournament is held at famous Lake Fork and Lake Fork Marina and Motel serves as the epicenter of the event. Last year was my first time on the lake, am hoping for a better finish this year.
As the tournament season begins to close, I want to thank brands who have shown the support for me this year on the tournament trail: Bending Branches, Dobyns Rods, YUM, Booyah, Rebel, Norman, Smithwick, Arbogast, Cotton Cordell, Bandit, Bomber, Heddon, Fish Allure and Stormr.
Heddon is an old school fishing brand that I love to throw because I simply catch fish with these lures. Here is a nice video from Heddon showing off some pond fishin’ with a Pop’n Image.
Kayak Fishing Blog is my favorite website for reading about kayak fishing topics and once again they have a great article, this one on 15 Tips for Kayaking with Kids. Taking kids out on the water is a great way to create a legacy and grow the sport. Make it a great trip by using the tips in their handy infographic.
If your local big box store doesn’t carry some of the plastics or lure variations you need, check out Lurenet.com for baits. This site carries only certain product lines (including some big ones like YUM and Booyah) but has the deepest selection from within their offerings. For example, I like to use the YUM 10″ Ribbontail worm in Black/Blue flake, but this is a hard one to find. Lurenet.com has it and a lot more.
Norman Lures Acquired
One bit of news in the tackle business world caught my attention as Norman Lures was recently acquired. Norman Lures is a local company (based in Greenwood, Ark.) and has been producing
baits for more than 50 years. This news is interesting to me because of the fact Norman Lures is a local company, one of the oldest and well-respected bass fishing brands and is a producer of some of my favorite crankbaits.
Depending on the time of year, my kayak has several Norman lures on board including the Deep Little N, Thin N and Fat Boy in particular. It’s been announced that the specific Norman lures like the DD22, Deep Little N, Mad N, Flat Broke, and Fat Boy will be continued. No definitive word yet on some of their other lures. I’m personally a big fan of the Thin N, so I hope they keep it around. The Thin N has a unique “coffin-bill” shaped lip that combines with the thin profile to give it a different wiggle than many other squarebills. This could mean I need to stash some more Thin N lures just in case they become unavailable.
Overall, this seems like positive news and will allow a great brand and some great baits to continue to be available to fishermen. Norman Lures was purchased by PRADCO Outdoor Brands, and you can read more about the acquisition in the Southwest Times Record. PRADCO produces many brands that I love to use including Booyah, Yum, Smithwick, Bomber, Bandit, Heddon, Rebel and Arbogast.