Tag Archives: Lake Fort Smith

NSKA

2021 Classic Championship Recap / Angler of the Year

The top 25 anglers of the year in NSKA NWA faced a diabolical test in the end of season Classic Championship. Day one to day two stretched from one end of the NSKA region to the other and set up what would be an interesting and challenging event.

Lake Fort Smith, a.k.a. Snake Fort Smith, a.k.a. Dead Sea South, is always a fun time for anglers and presents a tremendous challenge. I’m not saying Lake Fort Smith can be tough, but Jacob Wheeler would keep driving past it on I-540 and won’t take the exit.

The mysterious Lake Fort Smith.

Day one had bluebird skies and little wind for most of the day, and it was a grinder! All except for Cole Sikes who took control on day one with 76.50″ – a huge lead over Sam McClish in 2nd with 67.75″ on the day. Sam did land what has to be a biological freak for that lake and took Big Bass for the event with a 20.75″ largemouth. As day one ended, the Classic was shaping up like last year’s event where the day one leader with a big lead would try to hold on day two.

Top 10 after day one:

  1. Cole Sikes
  2. Sam McClish
  3. Jacob Webber
  4. Tyler Zengerle
  5. Dwain Batey
  6. Jason Kincy
  7. Terrill Standifer
  8. Jason Cowell
  9. James Shumate
  10. Craig Wood

Day two was up on Table Rock, site of two previous events in 2021. Anglers could put in at Holiday Island or Eagle Rock. In stark contrast to day one, anglers really caught’em on the Rock. Jacob Webber made a big move on day two with 87.50″ followed by Craig Wood with 86.50″ on the day. Cole Sikes pulled a very respectable 80.25″ on day two – would it be enough?

Top 10 day two:

  1. Jacob Webber
  2. Craig Wood
  3. Devon Esry
  4. Dwain Batey
  5. Tyler Zengerle
  6. Jason Fields
  7. Terrill Standifer
  8. Kyle Long
  9. Cole Sikes
  10. Justin Brewer

2021 NSKA NWA Classic Champion

2021 Classic Champion – Cole Sikes.

Cole Sikes had the total needed to take the title with 156.75″ for the two days, followed by Jacob Webber with 153.25″ and Tyler Zengerle with a 147.25″ total.

Final Top Ten

  1. Cole Sikes
  2. Jacob Webber
  3. Tyler Zengerle
  4. Dwain Batey
  5. Terrill Standifer
  6. Jason Kincy
  7. Craig Wood
  8. James Shumate
  9. Jason Cowell
  10. Josh Landreth

Angler Roundtable

The grueling two day tournament was challenging and fun. Cole Sikes, Jacob Webber, Tyler Zengerle and I share some of our experiences from the event in this season-ending roundtable discussion:

Overall, how did you attack Lake Fort Smith and what baits were key in your day?

Cole – I knew Lake Fort Smith was going to be tough so I wanted to make sure to get a limit. I knew my best chance of catching a limit would be fishing on the south end where there are more spotted bass. I started on a community hole and caught two keepers and then I moved to steeper banks to fill out my limit. I had a limit in the first hour and it was a huge relief. For the most part I junk fished and caught fish on 5 different baits (popper, jig, deep diving crank bait, spinnerbait and drop shot) but my most consistent bite was fishing a popper on the steeper banks really slow. I ended up catching almost three-limits worth of fish but most were 11” spotted bass.

Jacob – In practice, I tried fishing the north end and the south end. I did much better on the south end as far as numbers go. I threw some big baits in practice in the direction of the dam and had some quality fish show themselves. The plan was to fish a stretch and try to get a small limit early, then head to the dam end and try to catch a couple of those bigger fish. It was pretty much a junk fishing day, but the ones that mattered came on a fluke, pencil popper, and buzz bait.

Tyler – Going into day one, I knew most people would go left from the ramp, towards the creek. To avoid the larger crowd, I made the decision to go straight across from the ramp and fish to the buoys and back, as I fished this section several years ago. My key baits for the day were a wacky worm, a Jewel PeeWee Football Jig, and a shaky head.

Jason – I wasn’t very confident going into the day, pre-fishing was pretty terrible and really struggled. So going into the day I was just going to try to get a limit and stay in the mix. Having turned into a power fishing angler mostly, I put that stuff away for the most part and focused on using a drop shot on some key areas to secure a limit. After that I tried to find a kicker but had no luck. Had to leave early to get up to the Hill for the big game, turned into a fantastic day!

Where did you put in at Table Rock, how did you approach it and what were your key baits on the day?

Cole – I had no idea what to expect on Table Rock so I fished history. I have done well in the past launching at Holiday Island and going down river towards Eagle Rock so that’s what I did. I started my morning by covering a lot of water throwing a buzz bait and whopper plopper. After about an hour of not having much luck, I picked my trusted jig and starting catching a few on bluffs and points. I struggled on day two and couldn’t really figure them out but I was able to grind enough and put together a decent limit. Thank goodness I had a good lead after day one because the guys caught them on day two!

Jacob – I put in at Eagle Rock and went towards Rock Creek. I caught a few good fish right away on a whopper plopper and never got another bite on it the rest of the day. I switched to the chatter bait and every spot I pulled up to they were smashing it.

Tyler – I put in at Holiday Island and went to my normal section that I fish anytime I go there. At first, I attempted to throw a buzzbait and spook with no luck. I eventually got out a fluke and caught my first fish 30 minutes into the tournament. After a few more casts, I put the fluke away. I knew a jig worked well in that area, so I started throwing a Jewel PB&J finesse jig (what I used when I placed 4th during our TR 2.0 tourney). That’s when I really started catching fish. I had a limit by 7:30am and caught 82.75” by 9:00am. I decided to leave early at 1:00pm because I knew I was really competing for 2nd-5th place, since Cole had a commanding 12” lead to start day two.

Jason – Really have not had as much luck historically at Holiday Island so I chose to go to Eagle Rock even though I’d never fished there. Kyle, Ryan and I just pedaled to a creek we’d never fished and started working it over. Eventually started catching a few on a plopper and got things going. Later on I was able to catch a few on a jig and then when the wind picked up was able to catch a few on a spinnerbait. Little disappointed in the day because lots of people wrecked’em so I clearly missed out on the juice.

Of the two day event, talk about the key fish that put you in the money.

Cole – My key fish was the 19.75″ kicker I caught day one on Lake Fort Smith. I knew when I caught that fish I was going to have a chance to win the Classic because how tough the lake was fishing. I caught that fish on a transition spot on the bluff where it went from a vertical bluff to little small rocky point. I threw my popper right up on the bank and popped it a few times and she sucked it under.

Jacob – I think my key fish came on day one. I started out on a small stretch where I thought I was going to get a fast limit and ended up not getting a bite. I was about to switch everything up and go to a new area, but ended up catching my biggest of the day right before moving. That fish made me stick to the game plan and put together an alright limit.

Tyler – The fish that really gave me a chance to be in the money was the 14.75” bass I caught at 2:15pm on Lake Fort Smith. That put me at being one of the four people with limits over 60” and gave me a 5.75” cushion ahead of 5th place.

Jason – I didn’t finish in the money, but that very first drop shot fish I caught on Lake Fort Smith was a confidence booster and I milked an area for about two hours catching several shorts but eventually getting my limit. What a relief.

Did you do anything or think about anything differently for a two day event?

Cole – Like I mentioned above, I knew Lake Fort Smith was going to be the x-factor in determining the classic winner so that’s what I focused 100% on. I did quite a bite of map studying prior to the tournament expecting to be fishing offshore. I prefished and was able to get some confidence in catching a limit but knew it was going to take a kicker to have a chance to win. Other than that I treated the tournament like any other tournament. Hit high-percentage spots even if it meant covering miles of water.

Jacob – Nothing different. I just spent a little more time pre-fishing.

Tyler – I took this tournament one day at a time. I didn’t really treat it much differently than single day tournaments. I went into each day with the same baits tied on and used the ones that I was most confident in. One thing that I normally don’t do is leave early, but I was really craving Whataburger.

Jason – Like Cole said, I had no doubt this would be won or lost on Lake Fort Smith so it was the only place I pre-fished. Kudos to Cole, we both arrived at our starting spot around the same time and we agreed to share the water and it worked out well for us.

What’s your PB Largemouth, Smallie and Spot?

Cole -My personal best Largemouth was a 23.50” on Lake Elmdale in my second kayak tournament ever back in 2017. The largest Smallmouth I have caught was a 20” on Beaver and my largest spotted bass was 18” on beaver as well.

Jacob – PB largemouth was a 6.5lb in a tournament in Bella Vista. No idea for Smallie and Spot.

Tyler – My PB largemouth is a 22.25” from Lincoln. Smallmouth is 18.50, I believe, from Pumpback this year, and my biggest spot is 16.25” caught this year on a section of the Illinois River.

Jason – My personal best Largemouth was a 24″ giant from this year on Possum Kingdom, largest Smallmouth is only 17.50″ from Beaver Lake and largest Spot is 17.25″ on Beaver Lake. Really have a goal this winter into next year to get a 20″ Smallie.

Angler of the Year

The 2021 Angler of the Year race really wasn’t much in doubt halfway through the season. Dwain Batey was a consistent performer all season. Dwain is an exceptional angler and one of the things that makes him so good is he can adapt to any condition and any type of water. His versatility helped him excel all season long to take the crown.

Dwain is not only a great angler, he is a friend and a very giving person. He is always willing to help anyone and has made me a better angler as we’ve talked fishing and I’ve observed how he does things. He’s always willing to teach you a technique – because he knows he’ll still do it better! Really happy for Dwain.

2021 NSKA NWA Angler of the Year – Dwain Batey!

Your 2021 AOY Top Ten:

  1. Dwain Batey
  2. Cole Sikes
  3. Tyler Zengerle
  4. Ryan Paskiewicz
  5. Justin Brewer
  6. Jason Kincy
  7. Kyle Long
  8. Jacob Webber
  9. Devon Esry
  10. Craig Wood

Jacob Webber also took home the Rookie of the Year award and Kyle Long was the 2021 Heavy Hitter Champion. Congratulations to them!

Congratulations to all

Thank you to all anglers who participated in the events, yakpots or just some fun fishing. Hope to see you on the water next year and will be rooting for everyone to catch their personal best!

Next up is the Arkansas State Championship – it’s a fun two-day event and hope many of you can make it.

NSKA

2021 NSKA NWA Schedule Preview and Pre-Season Top 25

It’s about one month out from the season opener for Natural State Kayak Anglers in NW Arkansas. The schedule-makers this year put together an interesting run of tournaments which should provide something for everyone – whether you are just having fun or are trying to win.

What can we expect from the coming schedule? What are anglers saying? Going into the season who is in the top 25 angler list for NWA? Read on and find out!

2021 Schedule Breakdown

This will be my sixth season fishing events in NWA and I think this is the best and most diverse schedule yet. The board did some surveying of anglers after last year and took their feedback to craft this gauntlet of events that will be fun, but will also ensure the Angler Of the Year will have earned it!

NWA Road Runner – March 13

Don’t miss out on the Road Runner.

Road Runners are always a wildcard, this time of year finding the right spot within the 50-mile radius may mean more than how good an angler is at catching fish. With the freezing weather in February it will be interesting to see where things stand on tournament day. Historically the first event gets some big totals, someone will catch ’em but it could be tough for a lot of folks. Don’t over think this one, go somewhere you feel most confident and see what happens. Last year this was won on Oklahoma water, will it happen again? Shout out to Shogun for sponsoring this event!

MLF Beaver Lake – April 10

Very excited to take on an MLF event where everyone is on same water – Beaver Lake. The Dead Sea is no longer dead in recent years, it should be rocking in April and over a zillion bass may be caught on this day. For those who don’t know, an MLF event means you catch as many keepers as possible, not just your best five. Just keep catching and submitting fish. It’s going to be fascinating to see if shallow largemouth or deeper smallmouth will be the key to this one. (Don’t forget those feisty spotted bass!) Size doesn’t matter as much in this one, everybody has a chance if they can generate enough bites. This is the one event this year that there will be a 11″ minimum. Thanks Wasabi of Fayetteville for sponsoring this one!

Table Rock Lake – May 8

This is a new one, an event on Table Rock Lake, considered a much better fishery than Beaver. Anglers will be able to choose from the Beavertown area all the way down covering a good portion of Table Rock. Having an ‘away’ tournament like this should really help even the playing field and as someone who loves to fish new places, I’m really looking forward to this one. Table Rock is known for a great fish population, there should be LOTS of limits turned in. Custom Tees and Graphics is sponsoring this one, thank you!

Beaver Lake South – May 22

Back to Beaver for this late-may slugfest. Bass should be in spawn or post-spawn mode all over the lake so there will be plenty of fish caught. This section of the lake is the most diverse, with skinny water fishing in the War Eagle or White River areas all the way down to the deeper and usually clearer water of Horseshoe to Beaver Shores. In this event you should literally be able to catch bass with almost any technique you prefer. Thank you to Ozark Kayak for their support of this event!

Don’t touch the tail this year, body groping only. That red Ketch board looks hot!

Pumpback – June 5

If you have never caught a smallmouth, especially a giant smallmouth, this is the tournament to enter. Pumpback is a really interesting place and holds a lot of fish and some BIG smallies. Don’t sleep on the largemouth though, there are some real tanks in this lake. It was really cool, yet bizarre, to have this lake drop several feet in a couple of hours during the tournament last year. We may see some Oklahoma Kayak Anglers entering this one, it should be a lot of fun! Ginger Rice and Noodle Bar is the presenting sponsor of this one.

North Beaver Lake – June 26

Ah, my jet-ski and wakeboat friends…we meet again. Beaver Lake will be party central by late June and the fishing is going to start to get tougher. This time we’re up North in the big water. Unlike the South end, there are almost unlimited places to put in and fish, giving everyone plenty of room and options. Smallmouth may be a factor down by the dam, or you might chase bigger largemouth in Prairie Creek. Turn in a limit and you’ve had a good day. A big kicker will be needed though to be in the money.

Nice jet-ski bro. Thanks for showing it to me fifty times.

River Road Runner – July 17

A River Road Runner is back on the schedule for the first time since 2017, and immediately controversy began. What’s a river? What’s not a river? Is this drainage pipe a river? That’s not a river, it’s a lake! And so is that one! To clean up the debates, boundaries have been set for sections of the White River between Twin Bridges to Blue Springs, White River from Beaver Dam to the Beaver Bridge, Elk River from Pineville to Mt Shira, and the Illinois from some random place I can’t identify on the map to Siloam Springs. July is a great time for a river event, glad to see it back on the schedule.

Beaver Lake – August 14

Beaver Lake in August is the crucible that tests an angler’s patience, spins some out, and can break your confidence in two. And I LOVE it! Going on the Dead Sea in the dog days of summer and catching a limit is a rewarding achievement. And our friends the jet-skiers and wake boarders? Yes, they will be there as well. Will anglers find their winning bag dirt-deep in the rivers, or in the cooler blue waters near the dam? This one will be key for those on the edge of making the NSKA Classic 25 angler field.

End of Season Classic

The 25 anglers who finish highest in the AOY will get to compete in this end of year, two day Championship event. Making the Classic is an achievement in itself and culminates a successful season. This season the Classic is going to be amazing! One day on the wild waters of Lake Fort Smith (a.k.a. – Snake Fort Smith) and one day up by the Missouri line around Holiday Island. If you win this one, you’ve done something! We are also hearing there may be more rewards in store for Classic anglers this season…

Wild and mysterious Lake Fort Smith is back this year for the Classic!

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Season Preview Angler Roundtable

We asked veteran NSKA NWA anglers Billy Bowden, Kyle Long, and Tim Hotchkin to join me in sharing some thoughts on the season and advice for new tournament anglers:

What event are you looking forward to the most and why?

Billy – I am for sure looking forward to our Table Rock event due to the fact that I’ve never fished there. From what I have heard, Table Rock fishes much better than Beaver but also sets up a lot like Beaver which is what everyone in our group is used to.

Tim – This one is a tough one for me. I am looking forward to both the MLF Event on Beaver and then the Pumpback Event in Oklahoma the most. The MLF Event on Beaver because I love the format and I think it will create some excitement. The Pumpback event because its just a unique lake and has the potential of catching some trophy sized Smallmouth like John Wofford caught last year.

Kyle – Usually I’m always looking forward to the first event because I’m so anxious to get going, but this year I think I’ve thought more about the MLF than any other event. Where can I go on Beaver and catch 40 fish? Also Pumpback again just because…tank smallies.

Jason – The River Road Runner, because it is going to be the most unpredictable one due to the different options. The flowing rivers of the Elk and Illinois versus the lesser current sections of the White River offer good contrasts. No matter where I wind up, it will be water I’m not as familiar with, which is always fun to explore somewhere new.

Best advice for someone new to tournaments?

Billy – Best advice for new anglers…Make sure your fish is legal before submitting it to TourneyX and make sure the place you plan on launching from is public and accessible according to the rules. Navionics and Google maps sometimes run right into people’s back yards so watch for that.

Tim – Take your time reviewing the rules and if you have questions reach out to someone for clarification. Also, while on the water take your time and not get into a rush while taking pictures. Make sure and ask plenty of questions, everyone was new at one point. Also don’t get upset if you get a fish DQ’d or a deduction. It has happened to all of us when we are learning how to submit correct photos. Anyone that is new is welcome to reach out to me directly if they have questions. If I don’t know the answer I can probably help point them in the right direction.

Tim in the hot tub in Gentry.

Kyle – Best advice is watch some tournament videos (Shameless plug: Kyle Long Fishing) and just familiarize yourself with everything that doesn’t have to do with actually the catching of the fish. Fishing is fishing. Kayak fishing is just fishing but from a kayak. Learning the rules, how to measure a fish, how to photo, TourneyX…that’s the part that every newcomer needs to get familiar with and practice. Also have a good organization system that fits what you do and what you like.

Jason – If you are new to tournaments overall or kayak tournaments, most importantly just go have a good time. Tournaments make you better, but they are supposed to be fun. You don’t have to win to meet personal goals. Don’t get frustrated if you lose a fish off the board or mess up a photo submission. We’ve ALL done it and it’s a part of the sport. Finally, ask questions of others – kayak anglers are friendly and willing to help out!

Do you have a personal goal for the season?

Billy – Personal goal for this season is to win an event. I feel I’ve been so close for a while now. Just looking forward to getting it done!

Tim – Just to fish all of the NSKA NWA Events. The last couple of years have been really difficult for me to fish and now that things are somewhat settling down I am really looking forward to fishing with everyone more. My stretch goal is to do well enough to finish in the Top 10 for AOY, but I know that will be incredibly difficult with the quality of anglers we have in this club.

Kyle – I’d love to break PB’s, love to win ’em all, love to make a ton of money…but I guess if I had to narrow it down, my goal is this…at the end of each tournament, I wanna feel like I have a chance to place/win with what I have in my bag regardless of what anyone else has. If I don’t then I don’t but I wanna know my bag has a legit shot when 3:00 hits. If someone else wins then hats off for beating me…but you had to earn it.

Jason – Really want to improve in a couple of type of events. I always stink early in the year, so want to do better in the pre-spawn timeframe. The MLF-style events have been disasters for me with a total of eight fish in two tournaments. Really am hoping to improve upon that one in particular!

Pre-Season NSKA NWA Top 25 Anglers

This list means nothing and is done just for fun! It really means nothing once it is lines in for the first tournament – the fish will do the talking then. Until then, thought it would be fun (and controversial) to list out a pre-season Top 25 for NSKA NWA.

This is NOT the Angler of the Year ranking and will not be a recurring list. Every year new anglers jump in and win events and do very well. For this list I took the 2020 regular season finish, Classic finish and State Tournament finish averages. Then I did a bit of nudging up and down in a few places to get the list right. It’s not perfect.

But as of today…this is the list.

RankAngler
1Dwain Batey
2Justin Brewer
3Ryan Paskiewicz
4Cole Sikes
5Roy Roberts
6Jason Kincy
7Kyle Long
8Tyler Zengerle
9Chris Needham
10Jeriamy Vann
11Devon Esry
12Michael Burgess
13James Shumate
14Jason Coleman
15Justin Phillips
16Jeff Malott
17Andrew Newsom
18Billy Bowden
19Josh Howard
20Craig Wood
21Danny Dutton
22Jon Swann
23Chad Warford
24Wayne Johnson
25Jason Cowell

Not on the list? Don’t worry, it’s not a real list and doesn’t matter when the first tournament starts! There are some anglers who didn’t fish much last year such as Tim Hotchkin, Bo Sarratt, Brandon Prince and Taylor Frizzell that easily could be in this list with a full season.

John and Hope Wofford are not on the list because they will be competing in NSKA Central this year (we’re going to miss you!). A few anglers such as Chris Needham, Andrew Newsom and Jason Coleman got bumped up because they couldn’t fish either the Classic or State but deserved to be ranked higher. Finally I just moved a few around based on gut feel.

Dwain deserves to be number one based on winning the State Championship, but honestly take the top five and you can put them in any order!

GLHF

It’s almost go-time! If you are a new kayak angler or an old-school yakker, hope to see you on the water and have some fun fishing with you this year. Tournaments aren’t everything, let’s get out and do some fun fishing as well! Good Luck, Have Fun!

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NSKA

NSKA NWA Beaver Town Recap

Orlando Bloom on the bridge on the Beaver bridge…probably dreaming about a giant Table Rock bass.

The region where the tailwaters from Beaver Dam merge into Table Rock Lake is one of the most scenic spots in Northwest Arkansas. The waters from Beaver Town to Holiday Island provided a lot of diversity for anglers as they took on the final regular season event of 2019. The most striking feature of the area is the yellow bridge in Beaver, Arkansas, which was the backdrop in some key scenes for Orlando Bloom in the pretty terrible movie called Elizabethtown from 2005. Hopefully director Cameron Crowe and Orlando hit the water while they were on set.

This year’s regular season finale had a lot of drama as the top AOY contenders entered crunch time and had to catch’em. Additional drama was in the air as the rest of the field tried to solidify their spot in the top 25 for the NSKA Classic coming up in September. The final 25 isn’t out yet, but based on some initial calculations there were risers and fallers based on this event.

Beaver Town Results

It was a hot, hot day in the Ozarks but the fish cooperated with a few of the anglers while they frustrated others. Overall, 39% of anglers turned in a limit while a very strong 84% turned in at least one keeper. Once again some familiar names finished at or near the top. Cole Sikes took first place with 83.75″, Dwain Batey took second with 77″ and Jeriamy Vann third with 73.25″. Sikes also took home the Big Bass prize with a 19.5″ kicker.

Top Ten Finishers:

  1. Cole Sikes
  2. Dwain Batey
  3. Jeriamy Vann
  4.  Chad Warford
  5.  Craig Wood
  6.  Michael Sandlin
  7.  Kyle Long
  8.  Tyler Zengerle
  9.  John Wofford
  10.  Jonathan Brewer

Big Bass from Beaver Town in 2019 was caught by Cole Sikes.

Beaver Town Angler Recaps

So how did the top finishers catch ’em on tournament day? The top four finishers – Cole Sikes, Dwain Batey, Jeriamy Vann and Chad Warford spill the tea on how they conquered this picturesque fishery. As the anglers did their interviews, one shared some words I felt were appropriate for the amazing natural setting and the blessings we all have to participate in this sport.

“Thank you Jesus
For your beautiful creation
And your sacrifice
‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’”

What was your overall strategy going into the Beavertown tournament?

Cole – More or less my strategy for the tournament was the same as the year before. Try to cover water early with topwater early to catch a limit, then switch to a jig and try to upgrade throughout the day. I didn’t pre-fish before the tournament but was able to figure out a pattern around 10:00 to catch some quality and for the remainder of the day I just ran that pattern.

Dwain – I had never been to Beaver Town before, So I peeked at Navionics on the computer, didn’t see anything special, just decided to go to the closest ramp, and fish it like I would any river this time of year.

Jeriamy – My overall strategy was to try to capitalize on the early bite and get a limit…and stay really focused on trying to cull before lines out. I focused on shade and ambush points mostly.

Chad – Since I had never been to Beaver Town and didn’t get a chance to pre-fish, the first part of my strategy was to pray…a lot as I needed at least a top 15 finish to secure my spot in the upcoming Classic. With that, the pressure was on. I haven’t fished rivers much for bass but overall, find structure on a shady bank and start there. Also, in doing my homework, I knew there would be good water movement at just after 11:00 as that is when the generation cycle for the day was set to start. Knowing that, I also keyed in on ambush spots. At least initially that was the plan.

What time of day did you catch your largest fish and what on?

Cole – I caught my biggest fish just after noon next to a boat dock with a Slowtown Custom jig.

Dwain – My largest fish at 17.75” was around 9 am. It was already hot and I had already put up the topwater and started using the chicken rig at that point.

Jeriamy – My largest fish was my last fish between trying to take a picture and trying to get service I barely got it in on time. I caught that one on a jig.

Chad – My big fish were scattered throughout the day up until about 1:30. Not knowing the river and where to fish, I simply headed up-river towards the dam. The fishing was slow at first with a few small ones but as the morning progressed, the bigger they got. My primary baits were the Strike King KVD 7” Super Finesse Worm on a Shaky Head Jig (multiple colors) and their new Thunder Cricket, mostly bluegill color. I had to be on the fast track to learning the water and I can’t stress enough to always watch and adapt to the changing conditions, and on that river, they changed a lot for the short time we were there. From which way the river flowed (stumped me in the morning it was moving uphill), to where the shade and limited wind was, the water temperature change, the slight rise in the river to how fast it was flowing and when. Lots of variables to consider but I quickly put the puzzle together and ended up catching my biggest fish in some very specific conditions.

Looking back on the season, what was your favorite event and why?

Cole – My favorite event of the year was the Road Runner. I decided to float War Eagle with the mindset of just trying to get a top ten finish. I knew I would catch fish but I was shocked to catch 89.25 inches with a mix bag of Largemouth, Smallmouth and Spots.

Dwain –  Probably Beaver Lake North, not only was it a win, but I got to catch some great fish on a swimbait, and that’s always really fun, especially on a lake like Beaver where it’s rare.

Jeriamy – My favorite tournament every year is the Road Runner. I like that format and I like how everyone is spread out. I would like to see the River Road Runner come back for 2020.

Chad – My favorite tournament this year (I can already hear the groans) was Lake Ft. Smith. I am always up for a good challenge and that lake seems to be the most challenging for NSKA anglers each year…except for a select few (Cole/Christa).

With the classic coming up, what are your thoughts on it and how you approach a two day cumulative tournament?

Cole – I’m excited to fish the classic, I think it will be a fun way to end the year. My approach for a two-day cumulative tournament will not change, I will treat each day as if they are just another tournament and I’ll go out there and just try to catch fish and have fun!

Dwain – I really like having it in two different areas and being two days, it will really give us a nice challenge. Multi day events are good because someone who just wanders into some fish can win a single day event, but catching fish two days in a row in two different areas is going to really give us a good idea of who was able to adapt to the different areas, and conditions. I think it will really be a fun event because of this format, and I’m looking forward to it.

Jeriamy – I really think it’s cool to have the top 25 for the season battle it out for the NSKA classic trophy. Even if you can’t win AOY you still have a shot at winning “The Classic”.  Two day tournaments are tough, and I think the most important thing is to get a limit the first day then you have a chance of winning because anything can happen. I want to thank Jeff Malott for everything he’s done for our club. I know he is looking forward to fishing more events next year and his shoes will be hard to fill.

Chad – For the upcoming NSKA Classic, I am thrilled with the new format to help determine the ultimate NSKA AOY for 2019! One lake, different launch each day, 25 of the very best for the year grinding to be the last one standing. This new format gives everyone something to compete for all season to earn one of those coveted 25 spots. I will stay with my same approach I take to each tournament with one exception, it’s a marathon and not a sprint like the others. That may change the approach slightly but going against the very best of the best NSKA anglers, the grind must be 100% focus, 100% of the time to have any chance against these great anglers!

 

NSKA

NSKA/RVKA Lake Fort Smith Recap – Dead Sea, Mountain Edition

Lake Fort Smith really is a beautiful place, lush mountains surrounding water with all types of rock and wood cover…if only the fish would cooperate. Once again Lake Fort Smith lived up to its reputation of being notoriously stingy to kayak anglers on tournament days. The pre-tournament predictions from anglers were so cute and optimistic, with some predicting more than 80” to win and saying that a lot of fish would be caught. Once again, the lake had the last laugh.

Anglers from NSKA and RVKA getting ready for launch at Lake Fort Smith.

History said it would be a tough day. Back in 2016, only 14% (10) of the field turned in a limit and 61% (45) submitted a keeper. In 2018 only 22% (14) turned in a limit and 77% (49) carded at least one keeper. For this year’s early-season visit to Lake Fort Smith, there were zero limits submitted and a paltry 55% (37) of anglers turned in a keeper. A group of 67 anglers caught a total of 68 fish.

Tournament Results

Cole Sikes took first place four keepers totaling 58.50”, with David Byrd second with 46.25” and John Evans third with 43.75”. Craig Wood caught a 22” tank to take the Big Bass prize.

 The top ten anglers were:

  1. Cole Sikes
  2. David Byrd
  3. John Evans
  4. Lloyd Mize
  5. Craig Wood
  6. Josh King
  7. Jacob Hudson
  8. Chris Jones
  9. Erik Sanchez
  10. Thor Rooks

The top anglers of the day from Lake Fort Smith.

Angler Recaps

Top finishers Cole Sikes, David Byrd and John Evans talk about how they did it and keys to kayak fishing:

How do you generally approach Lake Fort Smith, or, what were you thinking about before the tournament?

Cole – My game plan doesn’t change much from one body of water to another. I typically try and put the odds in my favor and fish high percentage spots. This may mean you’re spending more time bouncing around but you’re skipping water that is most likely dead.

 David – It was the first time I was ever on Lake Ft. Smith. So, I had planned on just fishing any points I came across. Mainly finesse fishing to put together a 5 fish limit.

 John – I try to find out what the lake conditions are like and revisit it on Google maps. Also will check the weather forecast to see how many layers I’ll need to wear to keep warm.

How did you catch your fish and what on?

Cole – I caught all my fish on a 1/2 ounce wobble-head jig paired with a small crawdad trailer. Every fish I caught was between 5 to 12 feet.

David – I caught  mine out in 10-12 foot of water. Used my Lowrance to locate brush on the bottom and dragged a KVD deep diving crank bait in a red craw pattern. It was my first time ever on Lake Ft. Smith. Only had 4 bites all day.

John – My go-to is a finesse rig, straight tail worms and craws.

What is the biggest challenge in kayak fishing tournaments?

Cole – The biggest challenge in fishing kayak tournaments is that it’s difficult to change game plans mid tournament. You’re typically committing to a plan prior to the tournament starting and once you’re out there it can be difficult to change. I fish bass boat tournaments as well and there has been times when I’ll be fishing dirty water in the river and if I’m struggling midday I may run up to clear water and really change things up. This can be done while kayak fishing tournaments however it takes more time to change locations.

David – The biggest challenge for kayak fishing is your limited to how much water you can cover if you make the wrong choice on starting locations.

John – For me it is the travel. Gauging the travel time and how early I’m leaving the house, having the truck packed with what I need…can’t forget the kitchen sink!

Does your strategy change at all when you know the bite is super tough?

Cole – Overall my strategy stays about the same, like I mentioned above, I like to hit high percentage spots but for this tournament I did scale my jig down from a normal football jig to a wobble-head which is a much smaller profile since I knew the bite would be tough.

David – The best strategy for a super tough bite is to slow down and watch those electronics. This helps you find the fish further off the bank that most people are not even fishing for. Most people are beating the banks and never look away from the shoreline.

John – I’m constantly changing up baits to see what will entice those tight lipped bass! That’s why the bottom of the kayak looks like a war zone of tried and failed baits.

Next Up

The next tournament for NWA NSKA is at Beaver Lake on April 20th.

NSKA

2019 NSKA Tournament Schedule Announcement

The Natural State Kayak Anglers have released the upcoming kayak bass fishing tournament schedule for 2019 and it has some interesting changes from previous years which should make for an exciting season.

Here is a quick look at the scheduled events and some quick analysis from key NSKA anglers. This article covers the NSKA Northwest Arkansas schedule, watch for more coming on the Central Arkansas Schedule.

NSKA Tournament Dates and Locations

March 2,  Beaver Lake South – Cold water on the upper end of Beaver Lake will be an challenging start to the year, but past history shows there will be big fish caught along with good limits for some and zeros for many. #deadsea

March 16, Lake Fort Smith – Next stop is a joint tournament event with the River Valley Kayak Anglers on this mysterious mountain lake. Pulling a high limit here proves your mettle as an angler. Don’t miss the best shotgun start of the year.

Lake Fort Smith can be a riddle wrapped in a mystery. One thing is clear, the water will be milk chocolate in March.

April 20 , Beaver Lake – The full lake is in bounds at a time when the fish should be biting. Spawn will be on somewhere, and there should be lots of limits.

May 4,  Beaver Lake North – Smallmouth and Spot country for this one, but some will chase the largemouth for the win. In May this should not be the #deadsea on the bottom end and there should be a lot of fish caught.  Some good fishing to be had before the wake boats and party barges take over the lake for the summer.

June 29, Bella Vista Road Runner (Night) – A night event from 4 p.m. to midnight on the Bella Vista lakes. Should be an interesting and fun night on the water.

July 13, NWA Road Runner – Kayak anglers from NSKA terrorize the streets as they hit the road to their favorite honey hole. A road runner in July could be tough tough but the bass are always eating. Do you swing for the fences at a big fish lake or go for the guaranteed limit?

August 17, Beavertown – The traditional season-ending tournament comes a bit earlier. Clear water, bridges, trestles, river channels galore!

The bridge at Beavertown spans the White River entering Table Rock Lake.

September 14, NSKA Classic – Inaugural NSKA Classic will bring together the top 25 anglers from the season for a finale to crown a Classic champion. AOY to be crowned after the event. Location TBD.

October 5 & 6,  State Championship on Lake Ouachita – New venue for the State Championship. Plan to attend, the state event is a great turnout and this lake will be an awesome site.

Beautiful Lake Ouachita will host the State Championship in 2019.

Angler Schedule Previews

Defending NSKA Angler of the Year Cole Sikes, Tournament Director Jeff Malott, and 2018 Rookie of the Year Kyle Long shared their quick thoughts on the schedule and the upcoming schedule and new season.

Looking at the schedule, which event are you most interested in or excited for and why? 

Cole – I’m most interested in the Bella Vista Road Runner event. For me personally, I have never fished any of the lakes and excited about the opportunity to learn new bodies of water. From a tournament standpoint, I think it will be interesting seeing how each lake fishes differently with them being close in proximity to each other.

Jeff – Lake Ft Smith strangely enough. In four years I’ve carded a total of three fish there I believe, and while I hate the lake I invite the challenge of finally figuring something out.

Kyle – The first one.  March 2nd.  Beaver Lake South.  Once that first one happens I know that the season has begun and it’s time to get serious.  I had so much fun in 2018, it being my first year and all, that I can’t wait for 2019 to get going.  Also Bella Vista.  I’ve never been to any of those lakes so just fishing new water is always fun and exciting.

The event you expect the largest limit to come from is which one? And the smallest?

Cole – The largest limit will come during the Road Runner event at one of the small local lakes. The smallest limit will be either Beavertown or Lake Fort Smith.

Jeff – The largest limit will be from the NWA Road Runner most likely, the angler that picks right could bust 100. Smallest I will guess Beaver Town although I expect solid limits from every lake on the schedule.

Kyle – I’m going to say the smallest limit comes from Beaver Town.  With it being a month earlier than last year, I’d bet if someone gets 75” they’ll have a really good chance.  Largest limit…hard not to go with the NWA Road Runner.  Even though it’s almost in July, someone will know where to find some big ones.  I’m going to say it’ll take really high 80s at least to win that one…probably low 90s.

What’s the key to a successful AOY run for the year?

Cole – The key to a successful AOY run is to never give up and keep fishing. I had many late afternoon flurries and culls in the 2018 season where I almost loaded the boat up early but stuck it out and kept grinding.

Jeff – Consistency not only in how you finish but how you manage your schedule. Being able to prefish and make enough events to cull a bad finish or two is huge.

Kyle – When it’s tough, grinding out a limit, no matter how small it might be, could be the difference in a 12th place finish and a 24th place finish.  I looked back at last year’s first tournament and the difference between 15thth and 33rd was one 10” fish.  That’s 18 AOY points…exactly the points difference between our 2018 AOY and who finished 4th place.  One 10” fish could be enormous so grind when it’s tough.  Also, when they are biting, and everyone is catching them…you need to do your best and find a pattern and try to limit how much unproductive water you fish.  Don’t get lulled into just going down the bank.  Pick your spots and fish them out really well.  That said, you have to be able to adjust quickly if the pattern changes.

Best tip for new tournament anglers?

Cole – The best tip I can give a new tournament angler is learning to know when and how to ask your spouse for permission to go fishing. If you can’t fish you can’t win! Jokes aside, the best tip I can give is just to have fun and ask questions. The kayak community is very open and eager to help out new anglers.

Jeff – Show up and ask questions. This sport is full of people that enjoy helping and are very willing to share what they know.

Kyle – One, learn your boat and how you like it set up.  Get a routine established on how you load it, what you take, etc. so everything is always where you want it to be.  This comes with time on the water and everyone’s boats are set up differently.  Two, get used to the Hawg Trough and taking pictures of fish.  Practice on every fish you catch even when you are just out in a non-tournament setting.  It’ll save you some heartache.  Three, learn from the other guys when you’re just out having fun and don’t be hard-headed.  Learn new techniques every chance you get by watching other guy’s fish and listening to what they say when you are having conversations.  Lastly, you don’t need to spend $300 per setup to compete and have fun.  If you want to, go for it.  I got 7th in AOY last year and most of my stuff comes from Wal-Mart.  Practice, take good notes, listen and learn from other guys, pay attention to fish behavior based on different weather and water temps and really try to learn what fish are doing, why they are doing it, where they want to be, when and why they want to be there and what do you need to do to catch them.

READ: Bending Branches Navigator Paddle Review

 

Uncategorized

NSKA Lake Fort Smith Tournament Recap

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

Tournament Results

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

The top ten anglers were:

  1. Christa Hibbs
  2. Cole Sikes
  3. Declan McDonald
  4. Shane Oakes
  5. John Evans
  6. Craig Wood
  7. Ryan Paskiewicz
  8. Toby Bogart
  9. Dwain Batey
  10. Roy Roberts

NSKA Fort Smith Big Bass caught by Josue Rodriguez – 20″

Angler Recaps

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

In general what part of the lake did you fish?

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

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

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

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

What were the main baits that worked for you?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

NSKA, Uncategorized

NSKA Lake Fort Smith Tournament Preview

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

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

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

Tournament Stuff

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

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

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

Angler’s Preview & Predictions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Predicted winning length and big bass?

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

Brandon – I predict 76″ and Big Bass 21.25″

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

 

News

Bass Boat vs Kayak Tournament Fishing

Kayak bass fishing continues to grow in popularity and as a result, more and more glitter rocket anglers have moved into the kayak tournament scene. How does bass boat vs kayak tournament fishing compare? Is there an adjustment to transition from bass boat tournaments to kayak tourneys? Why are boaters moving into the kayak realm? Can kayak anglers compete with bass boat anglers?

Bass Boat vs Kayak - Armada of kayak anglers
Armada of kayak anglers ready to take of at a tournament on SWEPCO Lake.

Experienced bass boat and kayak tournament anglers Cole Sikes, Nathan Henthorn, Bo Sarratt and Carson McBride weighed in on the topic in this roundtable discussion. These anglers have proven their abilities on the water with tournament wins or top finishes in the Natural State Kayak Anglers (NSKA) trail – one of the largest kayak fishing groups in the country.

Why do you participate in kayak bass fishing tournaments after having competed in the bass boat category?

Carson – I always loved fishing the War Eagle Creek and wanted to explore more of it so I really wanted a kayak. Once I finally got one I found out about tournaments and now I love it.

Cole – I still fish both boat and kayak tournaments but i just love to fish because of the challenge. Every day is different and a new puzzle to solve. With kayak fishing, there are more elements to deal with so it is even more of a challenge.

Bo – I do the kayak tournaments because I fish with my uncle out of his boat in team tournaments. I bought a kayak so I could go fish on my own time and doing the kayak tournaments is just a lot of fun for me.

Nathan – I am from Oklahoma City and moved to northeastern Oklahoma after college, away from my dad and his boat. I needed a cheap and accessible way to get on the water, and fell in love with kayak fishing.

What has been the biggest adjustment in moving from big boat tourneys to kayak tourneys?

Cole – The biggest adjustment from moving from bass boat tournaments to kayak tournaments is determining the location you’ll be fishing. The obvious thing is that you can’t cover as much water from a kayak than a bass boat but wind is one of the biggest variables.  If you have 10+ mph wind from a certain direction then it typically groups the kayak anglers on one part of the the body of water which decreases the amount of fishable water.

Bo – The big adjustment for me between kayak and big boat fishing is the limited amount of stuff you can bring and not being able to move around. In our big boat tourneys we have 25-30 rods in the boat along with lots of tackle. In my kayak I can take 8 rods and my 8 small boxes I have in my black pack.

Carson – I constantly move back and forth between boat tourneys and kayak tourneys. I would say the biggest adjustment is limiting yourself to not as much water and not having as many rods. In the boat I can take 15 rods out there but in the kayak I normally only take 6 rods. I always bring my tackle crate in the boat so I normally have the same amount of tackle.

Nathan – The biggest adjustment is committing to an area like Carson said. That makes decision making about an area to fish that much more important.

Bass Boat vs Kayak - Kayaks ready for a shotgun start on Lake Fort Smith.
Kayaks ready for a shotgun start on Lake Fort Smith.

Do you prepare any differently for a bass boat vs kayak tournament? How?

Nathan – I prepare by doing much more Google maps research. And if I pre-fish, I might trailer to different locations. I don’t do a lot of actual pre-fishing because I like to have an open mind, and what caught them one day might not catch them the next, especially in the springtime. I will do more paddling around and looking at my graph than anything.

Cole – Overall, I do not prepare any differently for a kayak tournament than a bass boat tournament however you have to be more methodical in the area you’re choosing to fish. Since you’re not able to run and gun as well from a kayak you need to fish high-percentage areas depending on the seasonality and stages of fish.  If it’s a new body of water that I’m not familiar with, I like to choose an area that provides a variety of different structure and cover that are relatively close. This gives me the ability to try and determine if fish are shallow, deep, or are they relating to flats, weeds, rocks or wood and then expand on any patterns I might have discovered.

Bo – The only difference in a kayak tourney is that I have to narrow down the one area that I want to fish all day. I never do that in a big boat tourney.

Carson – I do prepare myself differently for a kayak tourney because like I said you are limited to a smaller area. I try to find a place that has a little bit of everything as far as fishing terrain goes. With the boat we have been down at hickory creek on Beaver Lake and weren’t catching them so we motored up to the dam. In the boat your only limited to as much water as you want.

Is there anything that is easier in a kayak tourney than a boat one? Harder?

Nathan – It is easier getting started fishing kayak tourneys than bass boat. Kayaks are much cheaper than bass boats!

Cole – Overall, kayak fishing is much more difficult than fishing from a bass boat.  There are only a few instances of where I think fishing from a kayak is easier. One is that you’re able to get to areas that a bass boat might not be able to which means less-pressured fish.  Secondly, sometimes it’s easier to skip baits around cover from a kayak because of how close you are to the water’s surface creating a better casting angle.

Bo – I do not think there is anything easier about fishing a kayak tourney. Wind effects more, have to deal with your phone and Hawg Trough are the main things I can think of making kayak tourneys harder.

Carson – One thing that’s easier in most kayak tourneys is length limit is 10 inches for all species but in boat tourneys depending on where your at it’s different. Beaver Lake is 15 inches for Largemouth and Smallmouth and 12 inches for Spots. That’s a lot tougher than trying to catch five 10 inch fish.  So, normally it’s easier to get a fast limit in a kayak tourney. One thing harder in a kayak is dealing with wind and conditions and also trying to measure your fish and take a picture and then submitting them rather than sticking your fish in the live well real quick and then getting back to fishing.

Bass Boat vs Kayak - Bass boats ready to motor all over Beaver Lake for a big tournament.
Bass boats ready to motor all over Beaver Lake for a big tournament.

“My advice to a boater getting into kayak tournaments is…”

Nathan – … learn how to take and submit photos correctly right off the bat. You also need to learn boat control and position. Casting angles are a little different. The wind is a much bigger factor. A kayak with a rudder is a must-have.

Cole – …just because you get a fish in the boat doesn’t mean she is getting an easy ride back to the weigh-in.  There is still work to do. You must practice handling and taking clean photos of your fish because they could flop off your board at any moment and could result in possible loss of winnings.

Bo – …is get you a couple techniques that you have confidence in and take them with you on the kayak. Get a finesse technique for tough days and some good power fishing techniques for when you’ve got wind and clouds or dirtier water and go with those.

Carson –  …to learn to fish smaller areas instead of having the mindset to be able to run all over the place. And, to learn to fish slower and more patiently.

Could kayak anglers be competitive vs boaters in the same tourney? Why or why not?

Nathan – Kayak anglers could be competitive if it’s on a lake where that angler is seasoned and has some good spots. But on a trail that has many stops it would be very difficult.

Cole – No doubt, and a few anglers proved that this past year at the Beaver Lake tournament on April 15th. I wasn’t able to fish the kayak tournament because I was fishing the Everett Team Trail bass boat tournament that same day on the same body of water. We had a little more than 150 bass boats in that tournament and it took 17.64 pounds to win. In the kayak tournament, Dwain Batey, Craig Wood and Nathan Henthorn all had just under an 18” average that day which is probably around a 3 pound average. To put this into perspective, their best 5 weighed at least 15 pounds. My dad and I placed 4th with over 16 pounds, however, these kayak guys did it by themselves without a partner. This proves that they can be competitive but on a day to day basis the bass boat guys would have an easy advantage.

Bo – If the tourney started like big boat tourneys all from the same place I don’t think they could compete, but if the kayak people were allowed to put in where they please I think it could be. I know I had an Everett tourney last year the same day there was a kayak tourney on Beaver and Dwain Batey probably would’ve gotten top 10 in our tourney with what he caught that day. I think the body of water would make a difference as well.

Carson – Yes I do think that kayak anglers could compete with boat anglers because in a kayak you fish slower it seems like and you really pick everything apart and catch more fish in a smaller area. In the boat it feels like your fishing faster and you miss fish that you could catch in a kayak. I’ve fished many kayak tourneys while there was other bass boat tourneys going on at the same time and have done as well as I could have if not better than if I was in the boat.

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razoryak tournament trail

Lake Fort Smith Tournament Preview with Brandon and Kyle

Next up on the Razoryak Tournament Trail for AKA and WAKA is a big-time event on the infamous Lake Fort Smith. I’ve asked kayak tournament anglers Kyle Fields (AKA) and Brandon Ward (WAKA) to give their thoughts on the lake, their strategies and what it will take to win. This event is big because points count toward AOY points in each trail. Another record turnout is possible, depending on weather conditions.

LakeFSM
Competitors should get used to this water color.

For more general info on my nemesis, Lake Fort Smith, check out a preview posted earlier in the year which outlines the general makeup of the lake and other items. Due to spring rains, the water has been up and stained which will challenge fishermen who can’t adjust to the conditions.

Kyle Fields is a veteran kayak angler from NW Arkansas who is very familiar with Lake Fort Smith and has fished it in all conditions, and Brandon Ward is a River Valley based fisherman who has posted a good tournament history on the lake. Below they share their insights on the upcoming tournament.

Lake Fort Smith is once again muddy and a bit high. How do you approach a lake differently when there’s been a lot of rain?

Brandon: I will approach it no differently than I do any lake we have in the River Valley. One of the perks of growing up around our chocolate milk lakes is knowing how to fish Lake Fort Smith when it gets muddy and nasty.

Kyle:  Lake Fort Smith is almost always muddy so you have to get clear water tactics out of your head – it’s not Beaver Lake. Focus on loud, bright, vibration baits to get bites. I believe the key will be who can get them early.

FSFMmap
Whether going north or south, Lake Fort Smith is dark and full of terrors.

You both have caught good numbers of fish at Lake Fort Smith, any insight you want to share on how to break through on this lake?

Brandon: I think the main reason people struggle is the lake’s size. I know it has got me before. I’ll have my plan laid out then tourney day comes and I overthink where I need to go. There are many quality areas and when fishing from a kayak you need to choose where you are going wisely.

I have fished three different Kayak tournaments on this lake. Every time I’ve done really well, and each time has been with a different core choice of baits. Before the first tourney I’d never even been to the lake. I relied on Google earth to help me locate some potential hot spots. The lake is full of good wood to crank if that’s what you like, and also has some great rock piles and points for Carolina rigging. All three times I’ve even been able to find just enough clear water to throw a stick bait. The main thing I’ve found is don’t give up on it. The lake has produced some pretty good fish later in the day when half of the field is already headed back to the ramp (Shane Oakes).

Kyle: I like to think of this lake still as 2 lakes. One has brush and multiple feeder creeks and is relatively shallow; with the other end deep, steep banks, rocky and tree stick ups. I have forced myself to learn to fish it. Most of my time has been spent on the Fort Smith side.

In a shotgun start with potentially 60-70 or more boats, do you think that affects strategy on where people will go fish?

Brandon: I don’t think it’s going to affect it too much. You will always have your folks who want to get away from everyone as soon as possible no matter how far they need to go. Then there will be some that fish around the marina all day long. It may just be a little more crowded than usual.

Kyle: I think with the water being high and all of the debris in the lake it will limit anglers on where they plan to fish. I feel like if anyone had a strong pattern a week ago it has since changed. It has changed up my spot some but I feel good about how the high water may have positioned the fish.

What is your prediction on the winning length for this event?

Brandon: With the on and off rain that we’ve had in the area this week changing to sunny skies on Sunday, I’m going with 72.5 inches to win. I have a feeling it’s going to be a tough day for many anglers. A few will get on enough fish to put together a nice stringer though.

Kyle: As far as limits you have to choose an area and pick it apart to catch fish. I think 65 inches would be a conservative estimate on the winning sack.

To learn more about Sunday’s event, go to the RTT NWA – Lake Fort Smith Facebook page. Check-in is 5:00-5:30 a.m. followed by the captain’s meeting and then shotgun start.

razoryak tournament trail

WAKA Roadrunner Preview: The Lakes

This weekend is the Western Arkansas Kayak Anglers Lake or Reservoir Road Runner to any publicly accessible Arkansas Lake. The question is which lake will produce the winning limit of big bass? There are a few lakes that could be contenders, or at least some of the most obvious choices that anglers will get to choose from.

In kayak fishing a road runner event means anglers have the choice of fishing a variety of waters within a pre-determined radius and must account for drive time to turn in their scorecard on time. For this event, lakes must be publicly accessible (no private or membership lakes) and must be an officially named lake or reservoir. With rivers, creeks and Arkansas River backwaters off limits, here are some of the Arkansas lakes most likely to be fished:

Lake Greenwood – This little lake on the south side of Greenwood is nice lake not too far from Fort Smith. I fished this in a tournament last year and did fairly well. Mixture of grass with some cover and an old railroad bridge which divides the lake into two parts. This should be a popular spot.

Lake Dardanelle – Although this is a Lake or Reservoir only road runner, for this event there is an exception allowing Lake Dardanelle. This is a bit of a drive but could pay off for someone who knows how to find the fish on this lake.  This large body of water should give you plenty of options to find what you are looking for.

Lake Atkins – Lake Atkins is a wild-card for someone willing to make the longer drive. There is no doubt there are big bass in this lake and a lot of them. For someone trying to win total length and big bass, this is a good bet.

Jack Nolen – I’ve not fished Jack Nolen and have heard from some anglers that this little lake is a great fishery, while hearing from others that they don’t care for it. Based on who I’ve talked to, I tend to believe that it is a good lake for bass and provides a variety of cover options. Might be a sleeper location.

TJ House Reservoir – I know nothing about this lake and have never been there. Some online sources say there are bass here, but I don’t see it being a factor this weekend. There are just too many other options.

Charleston City Lake – WAKA already has held one tournament here this year and the fishing was reportedly very tough. The tournament I fished there previously was also a bit difficult, but I am told there are fish here. Will anglers stay away of this shallow lake because of the recent tournament history?

Lake Fort Smith – Most anglers competing will likely be familiar with Lake Fort Smith, a beautiful lake nestled in the mountains. There are bass in this lake and all types of cover, and could be an advantage to anglers who’ve fished it before. As a bonus, Lake Fort Smith is the site of an Arkansas Kayak Anglers tournament in June, so this would double as a pre-fishing opportunity.

Sugar Loaf – This lake is about 45 minutes south of Fort Smith and is a pretty little lake. I’ve fished here once and it has lots of grass as its primary feature. There are some fish here, just not sure how big they are.

Some other lake options for the weekend include Blue Mountain, Ozark City Lake, Waldron Lake and Lake Hinkle.

There are certainly many other lake options for kayak fishing in the Arkansas River Valley, but these are some of the most common destinations. Normally, some Washington County lakes might come into play on this event, but with the AKA road runner the very next day, those lakes are off limits, keeping this event south of the Bobby Hopper Tunnel.