Tag Archives: Lincoln Lake

NSKA

Hammer Time – 20+ Inch Bass Historical Breakdown for NSKA NWA

What is an iconic number in kayak fishing that gets everyone’s attention? It doesn’t matter where you go, what the event is or who is fishing – catching a “Twenty” immediately is recognized as an accomplishment. It’s a clear bar of what’s seen as a “big” fish. Even more so in a live tournament setting when the pressure is on. There are times you are out on the water in a tournament and run into someone who says they heard so and so has a twenty.

It’s big news.

Cole Sikes caught this 23.50″ giant in 2017. Source: TourneyX

Catching a big bass as a kicker in a tournament to finish out your limit usually will put you in contention to place in the money – especially in NW Arkansas where giants can be elusive. (except for Swepco!) With half of the season or more on Beaver Lake, it can be particularly difficult to catch these big fish.

So how often are 20s caught in NSKA NWA tournament competition? Who catches them? What does catching a “20” means to your chances to win?

Let’s find out.

Just How Rare is a 20+ in Competition?

Honestly when I started doing some of this research along with Kyle Long, we thought it was maybe more rare than it really was. However, as I look at the data, it actually is VERY rare in the overall big picture. During the past three tournament seasons (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) there have been 8,012 keepers submitted in NSKA NWA events – yet only 72 20+ bass submitted. Out of these 8,012 keepers, here is how it breaks down year by year as a percentage:

 Total Fish# 20+Percentage
2020            2,721190.70%
2019            2,128110.52%
2018            1,635171.04%
2017            1,528251.64%
             8,012720.90%

This is pretty clear…there is less than a 1% chance that any of the bass an angler submits in live competition will be twenty inches or longer. But don’t despair or give up, it can happen for any angler and lightning can strike at any time!

One of the very few 20+ Smallies. Caught by Jon Wofford on Pumpback. Source: TourneyX.

NSKA NWA Hammers

Overall, only 38 anglers are responsible for catching the 72 20+ bass in live NSKA NWA competition. Of this group, only a handful of anglers have more than one 20+ over the past three years. Cole Sikes leads the way with the highlight of three 20+ largemouth caught on one day at Lincoln Lake. He’s followed by Rance Richardson who caught FIVE 20+ largemouth that same day at Lincoln. Wow! Overall there were nine 20+ caught that day on Lincoln lake.

Here’s a list of the anglers who caught a 20+ in live NSKA NWA competition since 2017. (Note – There are anglers who have a 20+ in previous years, before the current NSKA was formed)

Angler# 20+
Cole Sikes8
Rance Richardson7
Jason Kincy5
Dwain Batey4
John Wofford3
Justin Brewer3
Kyle Long3
Justin Phillips3
John Evans3
Bo Sarratt2
Jose Rodriguez2
Rob Barnica2
Craig Wood2
Sam McClish1
Jason Coleman1
Wayne Johnson1
Avery Metcalf1
Ryan Paskiewicz1
Chris Needham1
Michael Burgess1
Clay Johnson1
Billy Bowden1
Andrew Newsom1
Toua Khang1
Josh Goforth1
Brayden Richardson1
Bill Campbell1
Danny Dutton1
Baron Meek1
Ethan Dhuyvetter1
William Jones1
Celo Delgado1
Declan McDonald1
Nathan Henthorn1
Jerry Cornelius1
Cody Milton1
Jason Cossey1
Tyler Zengerle1
72

The largest concentration of big bass caught in live events is no doubt from Lincoln Lake, followed by next level lakes of Elmdale, Pumpback and Siloam City Lake. Beaver Lake produces some, but they are few and far between.

The Biggest and Baddest Bass

So enough about numbers, what about size? Here are the largest bass caught in live NSKA NWA competition since 2017:

LengthAnglerYear
23.5Cole Sikes2017
22.75Jason Coleman2020
22.5Kyle Long, Craig Wood, Sam McClish, Sikes2019, 2019, 2020, 2017
22.25Nathan Henthorn2017
22Justin Brewer, Rance Richardson, Jason Kincy2018, 2019, 2020

Jason Coleman’s 22.75” was an absolute monster and probably more like 23.75” or 23.5″ because he had a 1” penalty on his photo submission! Wow!

The largest official NSKA NWA bass caught in live competition is the 23.50” tank caught by Cole Sikes in 2017 at Lake Elmdale, I suspect on a jig. Ha!

Jason Coleman’s beast which should have measured more than 23″ but that mouth is a bit open… Source: TourneyX

It’s Go Time!

In 2021 get out there, have fun and fish! Any cast could net you a 20+ tank! You don’t have to only throw certain baits to catch them either, almost any technique can do it at the right place and right time. I’ve caught 20+ bass on crankbaits, topwater, chatterbaits, jigs, spoons, and soft plastics. Keep fishing and be optimistic that you can catch ‘em!

Heavy Hitters Coming Back for 2021!

If this is getting you excited about catching big bass, watch for information coming soon on the return of the NSKA NWA Heavy Hitters competition for the upcoming season. This is a live tournament cumulative big bass competition that gives you something to aim for in every tournament. There will be a $10 entry and the pot goes to the winner at the end of the season.  Details coming soon.

NSKA, Uncategorized

NSKA NWA RoadRunner – Recap

The 2020 NSKA NWA RoadRunner was one to remember for a few reasons. First, an expanded radius of 60 miles from Siloam Springs put more water in play than ever for a road runner. Secondly, due to the COVID-19 outbreak and social distancing there was no captain’s meeting and no weigh-in get together. Finally, it will be remembered as a day where some big fish totals and giant bass were put in the kayak!

Tournament Results

My 22″ bass was only good for 2nd place Big Bass. Caught on a Norman Middle N.

Overall the road runner kept true to form by producing some big limits and a large number of fish submitted. What didn’t hold was involvement of the usual big fish destinations in the standings, with Elmdale, Siloam Springs City Lake and Lincoln Lake not making the top three. A really strong 41% of the field turned in a limit and an outstanding 77% of the field turned in fish, however, these totals are a step back from 2019 which were 52% and 83% respectively.

Justin Brewer dropped the hammer early in the day and took first place with 94.25″, followed by Devin Mathews with 90.5″ in second and Roy Roberts in third with 88″ on the day. Finishers fourth through ten were: Dwain Batey, Jason Ray, Cole Sikes, Devon Esry, Michael Burgess, Chris Needham and Kyle Fields. Check out all of the results on TourneyX.

Big Bass was a MONSTER

Angler Jason Coleman won Big Bass with a 22.75″ pig (that was really bigger but had a mouth open deduction) and beat out my 22″ 2nd place Big Bass. His story is too good not to share and I’m sure we all can identify with how he felt when he got it in the kayak:

“I was planning to fish Tenkiller for this event and drove over to OK Saturday afternoon to camp near the lake. I didn’t realize that Tenkiller was washed out and most of the launch sites were closed. I drove all the way around the lake and it was a mess and lake looked like chocolate milk and there was debris everywhere. I wasn’t feeling it so I ended up driving back to Bentonville…Glad I did! It wasn’t until about 9:00 Saturday night that I decided where I was going to go. I got on Google Earth and picked a place that I had fished near before. I felt wanted to get away from crowds and go somewhere that had quick limit potential. Big bass was not even on my radar in the area…I was fishing near Holiday Island. I was lucky to catch a small limit by 8:00 on a Green Pumpkin Strike King Shim E Stick. After I had five keepers, I switched to a White and Chartreuse Strike King Thunder Cricket (available at WM store 100 in Bentonville)! I was planning to fish the Cricket for a while and try and cull a few.

22.75″ scored Big Bass caught by Jason Coleman near Holiday Island would have gone 23″+ if the mouth deduction had not been applied. Likely 10+ pounds!

Within ten casts I hooked in to the big gal! When I first hooked her I knew it was a big fish. She turned my kayak 180 degrees real quick. When I first got a glimpse I thought I had snagged a big carp. The water was stained and I’d never seen a bass that fat. When I got a second glimpse, I realized this was a TOAD! I don’t know how long I fought her, but it seemed like forever. When I got her to the boat it took me about three or four swipes to get her in the net. She was too big for it! Once I was finally able to get her nose in it I could half swing her into the boat….I was shaking for about two minutes while I left her in the net. I don’t smoke but I needed a cigarette. She was so big I was scared to take her out and try and take a pic. Once I got my phone and bump board ready I pulled her out the net and started trying to get a photo. I was shaking like a heroin addict without methadone! The first two tries she started flopping around and I had to tackle her in my chair! It was a shit show! I finally got her to calm down enough to get a few pics. They turned out be be all bad. Her mouth was wide open and she was half on and off the board in all the pics. At this point, she had been out of the water for a few minutes so I held her back in to take a few breaths.

I then went back at it again. I snapped probably ten more pics between several close call flops, but could never get her to close her lips all the way. This went on for about three or four more minutes before I decided to give up. I had her out of the water for while and I didn’t want to stress her too much. I figured I’d rather get a penalty than to see her go belly up on the release. Over the years I’ve weighed several fish in the 8’s and 9’s, but never an official 10. This gal was by far bigger than any bass I’ve put my hands on. I didn’t have a scale, but I’m pretty sure she’d hit 10 and then some…Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

Angler Roundtable – How they caught ’em!

The top four anglers were good enough to stay more than six feet apart and share how they caught their limits. Check out below how Justin Brewer, Devin Mathews, Roy Roberts and Dwain Batey did their damage:

Where did you go and why did you choose to go there?

Justin – Going into this event I wanted to find a lake as far south and secluded that I could find. First, hoping the water would be warmer and maybe warm enough for fish to start the spawning process. Second, to try and avoid the 95 other anglers that would crawling all over the local lakes. I do believe I accomplished that by the fact that I didn’t have another competitor on that lake, only local traffic.

Devin – I fished elk river in Missouri, water was high and murky making it move pretty good.

Roy – I went to the east end of Eucha. I probably would have fished closer to the dam but since I don’t have an “adult sized” kayak I decided to stay on the upper end to follow all the “local rules” for Oklahoma. That probably worked out for the best. It seemed like the bite was tough everywhere I went leading up to this event so I wanted to go somewhere I would be around quality fish and Eucha has that reputation. I had not been there in a few years but had some previous experience to draw off of.

Dwain – I was unable to practice anywhere more than a couple hours at Siloam City Lake, and practicing there I managed to only catch one 15” fish. I still felt that I would be able to catch them there, with the warming trend and fishing wanting so badly to begin spawning.

What was the water temp where you were fishing and how did that affect your approach?

Justin – The water temp was actually a lot cooler than I was expecting and hoping for. Started at 60 in the morning and slowly climbed to 66 by 2 p.m. But really did not change my approach due to the cooler temps the night before I figured the surface temps would be cooler.

Devin – I don’t know, didn’t have any electronics to check the water temp.

Roy – It was 53 degrees in the morning. A little cooler than I expected. I tried to slow down and use some pauses in my retrieves to trigger strikes.

Dwain – The water temperatures were from 57 to 59 degrees, and this was really getting those male bass in the mood to move up and start making beds.

What baits or general techniques that worked for you?

Justin – With the lake still being a little flooded my main approach was to flip bushes all day because pre-fishing this lake I was able to catch 89.50″ in an hour doing this. But I did not start fishing till 10:00 that day. So when first cast rolled around I picked up a white Booyah Melee to pass the time and it just so happened to be the key bait for me catching three of my keepers at 6:43, 6:47, 6:55 then rounding out my first limit of 90.75 with one at 7:15 and 7:22. Eventually culled up later in the day.

Devin – I used moving baits all day long.

Roy – My best bites early came on a Megabass jerkbait (French Pearl) and a Jackhammer chatterbait (Black and Blue). There was some intense fishing pressure with 10-12 boats in my small area by 7:30, so I had to use some finesse tactics to finish my limit and cull a little bit.

Dwain – I caught one fish on a vibrating jig, and the rest on a weightless soft plastic bait.

Any interesting stories or tidbits you want to share from the event?

Justin – Seeing how the results turned out I could have loaded up and been headed home by 8:00 and still been alright. But I just knew that with the fisherman in this tournament and how good they were biting for me I was gonna have a lot of work to do to keep the lead.

Roy – I have a student in class who I was able to convince to fish his first kayak tournament. It was so rewarding to get to talk to him about his experience and how different this tournament was compared to a boat tournament. I challenge everyone else to find a youth angler they can encourage to join us and fish sometime.

Dwain – I had a few things happen, first off it was really slow and it took a while to boat my first fish. I got it in and thought, “I’ll use my new phone today.” So I snapped pictures of the 16.75” fish and checked to make sure they were good, let the fish go. Started to put it on TourneyX and it says it doesn’t have the location. I looked, sure enough no location, but the sunrise picture I took an hour before was fine. Go figure. Needless to say I didn’t take any chances and used my other phone the rest of the day with no issues. Second was just how the whole day went. First off, I fished Siloam City Lake, with the plan to move to Lincoln Lake at some point in the day. After that first fish that didn’t count, It was a long time before I caught another fish, and I was fishing my way back to load up when I caught my best fish at 19.25” and that made me stay until it was too late to move lakes.

After the sun came up I saw lots of beds, but no fish on them. I kept thinking that as the water warmed up it would get those fish back on those active beds, and they almost outlasted our event time. I had about an hour left when suddenly every bed seemed to have a male bass that was ready to eat on it. I got a couple of culls and missed a few fish, and then with seconds to go I missed a big one that I got to see, but I am really glad I didn’t catch it. My Dakota Lithium battery had been out a couple of trips since I charged it, so with an hour left my graph had died, so I didn’t know exactly what time it was.

As soon as I lost that fish I looked and it was 2:30 on the nose. If I had gotten that big fish in I would have been so mad that it was too late ha ha. Morals of the story: 1. Check all of your gear even your phone before you use anything in a live event. 2. Have a plan but be flexible and follow the conditions and the bass. 3. Don’t give up, it took all day to fill my limit and finally start culling.

Next NSKA Event: ONLINE Beaver Lake event in April – No AOY Points

NSKA

NSKA NWA Roadrunner Recap – City Lake Dominates

There are times when things don’t go as expected, and there are times when things go exactly as you think they will. This was one of those times. In the NSKA Roadrunner Preview, the historical data implied that Siloam City Lake would be a major player in the standings – and man did that come through in the final standings. Of the seven anglers reported to have gone to Siloam City Lake, four finished in the overall top six for the day and five finished in the top 10.

Tournament Results

Of the 63 anglers in the event, 52% (33) caught a limit and a very strong 83% turned in a keeper on this blistering hot day in Arkansas. NSKA members brought it on the fish catching front with 287 fish submitted for a robust 4.53 FPA average.

Bo Sarratt repeated as the Road Runner champ by carding a strong 91.25″ at Siloam City Lake, followed by Cole Sikes with 89.25″ on the War Eagle river, and Dwain Batey took third at Siloam City Lake with 86.75″ on the day.

Lincoln Lake dominated Big Bass honors, but was stingy otherwise. Rance Richardson took big bass with a 22″ giant and Clay Johnson was second Big Bass with 21.75″ – unfortunately Lincoln was only giving up dinks otherwise which prevented these guys from the money.

Rance Richardson’s 22 inch bass from Lincoln won Big Bass and knocked flip flops off.

Top ten finishers:

  1. Bo Sarratt
  2.  Cole Sikes
  3.  Dwain Batey
  4.  Justin Brewer
  5.  Carson McBride
  6.  Danny Dutton
  7.  Andrew Newsome
  8.  Josh King
  9.  Tyler Zengerle
  10.  Rance Richardson
Angler Recaps

Top finishers Bo Sarratt, Cole Sikes and Dwain Batey share their secrets in how they caught the big limits in the recap roundtable.

Where did you go and why?

Bo – I went to Siloam city lake because it’s got the big fish and I usually have a pretty good handle on how to figure them out there.

Cole – The week prior to the tournament I was considering fishing Lincoln, Elmdale or Beaver. I was able to get out for a few hours and prefish Beaver and Elmdale and they were a bust. Then there was Lincoln, I heard that the bite was tough but had been getting better. The forecasted weather for Saturday was hot, calm and sunny which from my experience is usually a tough bite on lakes. Also, I thought there would be lots of fishing pressure on Lincoln so I made an audible and decide to go float War Eagle and stay cool, catch lots of fish and hope to get lucky and catch upper 70 or low 80s to sneak into top ten.

Dwain – I hadn’t been able to fish a lot leading up to the event, so my choice was Siloam Springs City Lake, just because I felt like I could catch them there with no practice.

How did you catch them?

Bo – I spent about 3 hours offshore because I didn’t want to fish behind the guys there, but after not catching anything I went shallow. I knew the full moon was just a day or two away so I went to pitching and throwing perch imitation baits knowing there should be a perch spawn happening and it worked out.

Cole –  My primary bait was a River2Sea black Whopper Plopper. The best areas were at the upper ends of the holes in the current and the holes that had a little more depth were best. I was able to catch a quick solid limit of low 80s by 8:30. Later in the day I ran into some holes that were better for Largemouth. The holes were calm and shallow so I switch to my Slowtown Custom jig and started flipping laydowns and skipping into shade pockets. Around 12:30 I caught my 20.75 kicker on some roots on the bank that helped put me towards the top.

Dwain –  I wasn’t on any real pattern so I just junk fished. I caught the first fish an hour into the event on a Fluke in less than a foot of water. After another long dry spell I found one on a shaky head offshore. Then I managed to catch several, including two that made the big show, on a Chicken Rig, before finally catching my last and largest fish on a Skirmish Baits squarebill offshore.

What was your first kayak tournament event and how did you do?

Bo – I believe my first kayak tournament was at Swepco back in probably 2016. I didn’t do any good that day!

Cole – My first kayak tourney was on Swepco in 2017. It was very overwhelming and I didn’t know what to expect. I pulled up to the ramp and the parking lot was completely full and I didn’t know anyone. Even considered on turning around and heading home but I got up crazy early and was already there so just stuck with it. We had a shotgun start and I headed across the lake as my starting spot. My kayak was pretty new to me and didn’t know it well but I had my pole in poorly designed slot on my kayak and I pulled my bungee to access my rod and it fell straight into the water. Was a terrible way to start my first tournament. Soon after that I caught an 18.5 inch fish, I hadn’t had any practice with taking pictures of fish on my Hawg Trough. I struggled to get a picture and finally got it done but just like every rookie, I had the mouth open and had a 1 inch deduction. I only ended up with 4 keepers and finished 30th of 61 anglers. All in all, I’m glad I didn’t turn around and go back home, I learned a lot and made some great friends on that day.

Dwain – What was the first kayak tourney you entered and how did it go? When I first got my kayak I fished some of the Angler Combat online events just to get a handle on taking photos and the whole process. My first would have been in November 2015, I finished 12th out of 54 anglers nationwide. If i’m not mistaken though, those were land, boat or kayak.

Three Year Rolling Rankings

Looking back over the past three years I broke down the most successful anglers in NWA NSKA events and the standings have moved just a bit after the Road Runner.  We will keep adjusting these totals through the end of 2019.

The top ten anglers from 2017 – 2019:

  1. Cole Sikes (30)
  2. Dwain Batey (23)
  3. Roy Roberts (19)
  4. Jason Kincy (16)
  5. Carson McBride (15)
  6. Declan Mcdonald (15)
  7. Jeriamy Vann (12)
  8. Christa Hibbs (11)
  9. Baron Meek (11)
  10. Bo Sarratt (10)

NEXT TOURNAMENT – BEAVERTOWN ON SATURDAY AUGUST 17

 

 

 

NSKA

NSKA Road Runner Preview – Hot as a Firecracker

Kick the tires and light the fires, it’s time for NWA NSKA to sprint across Northwest Arkansas in search of bass in the summer heat. The NSKA Road Runner is one of the best tournaments of the year with kayak anglers checking out new water in search of fish or banking on their favorite honey hole to come up big. This year looks to be another tough one with a long stretch of summer temps in the 90s leading up to tournament weekend.

IMPORTANT NOTE – Because this is a road runner, ALL eligible water is off limits after Wednesday, July 10, not just where you plan to fish. Swepco, Lake Prairie Grove and Bella Vista Lakes are NOT ELIGIBLE for this event, nor are any private access areas, launches or take out points. The boundaries are 30 miles from Boar’s Nest in Rogers.

Boundaries for the 2019 NWA NSKA Road Runner.

History Says The Roadrunner Can Be Won Anywhere

A quick look at the lakes with wins from the past Road Runners shows that there’s no monopoly on where to catch the right fish in summertime. It’s more a matter of the right angler on the right lake on the right day.  Past road runner results in order of First, Second and Third.

2015 – Beaver Lake, Crystal Lake, Lincoln Lake

2016 – Beaver Lake, Siloam City Lake, Bob Kidd

2017 – Elmdale, Elmdale, Swepco (off limits in 2019)

2018 – Siloam City Lake, Siloam City Lake, Beaver Lake

In 2018, almost all of the anglers (93%) carded a keeper and a stout 65% turning in a limit. Getting to pick where you want to fish gives anglers and advantage to put their best foot forward and find water that suits them.

I just can’t wait to get on the road again…the life I love is goin’ fishing with my friends. And I can’t wait to get on the road again.

Breakdown of the Fisheries

It’s a long list, but here are some of the key bodies of water that anglers will be fanning out to in search of bass. For each body of water I’ve listed my (PB) and a one-liner description.

Beaver Lake (21.5) – The Dead Sea has been a major player in past Road Runners and is a “spot lake” where anglers can find a place they feel comfortable.

Beavertown (18.5) – One of the most scenic fisheries in the area with a strong population of bass, from Holiday Island marina up to the bridge and beyond.

Elmdale (21.5) – Also a major player in past Road Runners of the past. Elmdale has had a bad rep this year but word on the street is it’s been rebounding lately and the muck is disappearing. Could it get hot?

Lincoln (20.5) – A big bass lake that historically hasn’t performed well on tournament day. Last year was the exception to the rule, will it happen again or will the fickle lake strike back?

Lake Wilson (20.5) – This little lake has some massive fish and gets almost no pressure. If you like to fish a frog and vegetation this could be a hidden gem.

Crystal Lake (18.5) – Crystal Lake is the Steady Eddie of the group, always seems to be in the mix somehow. Although big fish are harder to find, there have been many 20+ caught there.

Bob Kidd (19.5) – A really nice lake with a bit of everything from riprap to timber to grass, could be a real dark horse this year.

Shadow Lake (21) – This is one of my favorite summertime and wintertime haunts to catch fish. Float the Elk and land in Shadow, that’s a great summer Saturday.

Siloam City Lake (19.5) – Some real bruisers live in this shallow lake which is why it’s been in the money several times in the past and rivals Swepco for monthly online tournament giants.

Some others I don’t fish as much include Lake Wedington, Lake Fayetteville, Illinois River (within 30 miles), War Eagle, White River.

Top Angler Previews

Established tournament anglers Kyle Long and Roy Roberts provide their take on what might happen in this year’s Road Runner. Are they giving the inside scoop or spinning some dock talk?

The winner will come from which three bodies of water?

Roy – Siloam City Lake, Lincoln or Beaver Lake.

Kyle – I honestly have zero clue. Conventional wisdom says maybe Lincoln, Siloam City Lake, or possibly Elmdale but I also would not be surprised if Lincoln and Siloam put up some zeros and Elmdale with the muck is unfishable in most places. I’ve zeroed fishing on Lincoln plenty and Siloam is as finicky of a lake as there is. Dark horse…I wouldn’t be surprised if someone in the money fishes Beaver.

Summer heat fishing, is a limit or big fish more important and why?

Roy – There are several places where I think a person can pretty easily catch a limit in this tournament. Catching a limit of 15” or better fish should finish near the top. One giant and a bunch of squeakers usually is not the best formula. So overall I think quality bites are what to look for not necessarily number of bites or spend all day looking for a giant.

Kyle – In any tournament, no matter what season I think a limit is always the goal. Big fish are a bonus but sometimes, when it’s tough, get your five, get some AOY points, and live to fight another day. And it’s tough right now.

What’s a body of water you are staying away from and why?

Roy – I really haven’t ruled anything out. We have small lakes, big lakes, and rivers that could all produce good limits. There are a couple small lakes likely to attract a crowd that I might try to avoid for that reason.

Kyle – All options are open for me. I mean all options. I know that’s a cop out answer so I’ll pick one. Where do I think a zero is the highest likelihood? Lincoln. It’s the epitome of a coin flip lake. Feast or famine. Doesn’t mean I won’t give it a shot if I need to upgrade a dink limit but I’d rather play it safe…probably why I won’t win.

Winning length and big bass?

Roy – 88.5” to win and 21.75″ for Big Bass.

Kyle – Too many good sticks in this club to think that anything under about 84” will have a shot so I’ll say 85.25”…And Big Bass…21”

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READ: TOP TEN NWA NSKA ANGLERS 2017-2019 – WHO IS MONEY?

READ: NSKA NWA RECAP – BELLA VISTA NIGHT OPS

 

 

NSKA

NSKA Draw 4 Recap – Hitting the Century Mark

In last week’s tournament preview article there was no indication in the predictions we would see the huge limits turned in by the top finishers. Almost sixty Natural State Kayak Anglers fanned out across five lakes on a hot Saturday in the Ozarks. The five lakes fished were Elmdale, Bob Kidd, Crystal, Lincoln and a late addition of Siloam City Lake due to the size of the field. On a hot summer day the fish weren’t supposed to cooperate, but the leaderboard provided historically big catch totals.

Rance Richardson displays his 21.25″ bass on Lincoln Lake. Rance had a one day total of 102.75″ – Kayakfishingfocus.com

Tournament Results

The last time the NSKA held a Draw 4 event, Lincoln was the skunk of the group of lakes with almost everyone drawing that lake having a terrible outing. The tournament in 2018 was radically different as Lincoln lake showed out for anglers who were fortunate enough to draw that lake.  Of the 58 total participants of the Draw 4 event, 50 (86%) submitted a fish, with 28 (46%) turning in a limit.

Rance Richardson won on Lincoln Lake with a NSKA record 102.75″ followed by Cole Sikes with 94.5″ and Carson McBride in 3rd with 86.25″ also on Lincoln Lake. The top 10 anglers looked like this:

  1.  Rance Richardson – 102.75″ (Lincoln)
  2.  Cole Sikes – 94.5″ (Lincoln)
  3.  Carson McBride – 86.25″ (Lincoln)
  4.  Jason Kincy – 84.25″ (Lincoln)
  5.  Jason Thomas – 78.5″ (Siloam City Lake)
  6. Chad Warford – 78.25″ (Bob Kidd)
  7.  Josh Sherrill- 76.5″ (Lincoln)
  8.  Jason Adams – 75.5″ (Elmdale)
  9.  Kyle Long – 75.5″ (Elmdale)
  10.  Tyler Zengerle – 75.25″ (Siloam City Lake)

Big Bass was a tie between Rance Richardson and Jason Kincy with 21.25″, however Rance Richardson won the tiebreaker to take the title for the day. View all of the NSKA Draw 4 Results on TourneyX. 

Lincoln Lake 21.25″ largemouth tied for first for Big Bass. – Kayakfishingfocus.com

Angler Recaps

The anglers in the money for the day provide a recap of how they got the fish to bite and how they assembled their limits.

1. Overall what approach worked for you in catching your fish?

Rance – I started the morning half way down the dam trying a Whopper Plopper, after a few casts and no luck I quickly moved to a squarebill and medium diving crank bait that I always have good luck on at Lincoln. I tried different plastics with no luck so I decided to stick with the crankbaits and cover a lot of water. Both gave me fish but the bigger ones came off the medium diving crankbait in water 5 feet or less.

Cole – My game plan for the day was to start out fishing shallow and then move out deeper once the sun came out. I started the day off really slow and only had two small dinks and a 15 incher at 10 a.m. I moved out deeper and that’s when I started catching the better quality fish. I was catching them in 10-15 feet of water on a SlowTown Custom jig.

Carson – My approach to this tournament was to try and get a limit early. Which I did, so I just kept fishing and hoped for better bites. All my fish came off of a jig in shallow water around shaded areas.

Jason – My initial plan to burn the banks early with a buzzbait didn’t pay off, and finally worked my way around to the back of the lake and caught some small ones on a Bandit 100 squarebill. I kept trying some of the soft plastics I had planned on but they didn’t yield any catches and when I’d go back to a squarebill I’d catch one. The last couple of hours things really slowed down so I switched to a jig around rocks and that netted me a couple of late culls.

2. All of the top anglers were on the same lake, did that change how you were fishing or mindset knowing others there were doing well?

Rance – I didn’t change the way I was fishing. Cole was making me nervous toward the end when I saw him catch a big one and the leader board was turned off so I didn’t know how close he was.

Cole – I knew Rance was on fire so I knew I needed big fish to even have a chance. I started fishing the deeper rock piles where the fish were not pressured and it paid off for me. I broke off on two other 20+ inch fish that would have made things interesting! It was a really awesome day watching the other guys catch big fish all around me!

Carson – It didn’t change my mindset at all I just kept on doing what I was doing because I knew it was working and I had a ton of confidence with it. I knew the fish were biting based off of what I had heard so I just kept grinding at it.

Jason – I’d had a very slow start and only filled in my limit at around 10:30. Compared to what I was seeing from Carson and Rance (even took a photo of Rance and his big one) I was discouraged and felt like I was out of it. When I finally caught a big one, that let me know maybe I could still make a run at a decent total.

3. Describe your biggest fish catch of the day.

Rance – Biggest one of the day was around 10 a.m. toward the back of the lake. It was very shallow in full sun light so I stuck with that pattern the rest of the day and it was working all around the lake.

Cole – I caught my biggest fish around noon in about 15 feet of water next to some of the big rocks offshore. I knew it was going to be a big fish the way she bit. I set the hook and I was almost certain it was an 8 pounder when I hooked into her because she was so heavy. It turned out to be a 21” fish but pretty sure it weighed at least 6.5 pounds.

Carson – My biggest fish catch of the day was an 18.25 incher and he slammed my jig as I was reeling it back in for another cast.

Jason – I was about to call it an early day, having a small limit and knowing these guys were smashing it, I was pretty pissed off at myself for losing three big fish already. Heading toward the ramp around 11:00 a.m., I had just told Cole I was about to load up and then hooked a 21.25″ fatty on a squarebill. No way I could leave then so I kept going and slowly grew my total. I had about 54″ when I caught the big one and finished with 84.25″ three hours later. Good lesson to never give up.

Other Lake Champs

One of the very cool things about the Draw 4 is the different water brought into play. I asked the top anglers on the other lakes how they caught fish on their lake.

Primarily how’d you catch most of your fish , and when you drew your given lake or got there, what was your overall strategy for the day?

Jason Thomas – Siloam City Lake – Everything I caught was on white Slowtown spinnerbait. And when we drew I was a little bummed to have a lake that I didn’t really know anything about. But after getting there I decided to run the bank quickly with a crankbait just to get to know the lake and maybe pick up a fish or two along the way. After a couple of hours and no fish I was beginning to get worried. Then the wind picked up a little and I decided to go to my spinnerbait. After about twenty minuntes that paid off and all my fish were caught in about a 100 yard strip of bank in about 3 to 5 feet of water.

Josh King – Crystal Lake – Bites were few and far between, but patience paid off by slow fishing a jig. Like most, I’d assume, the plan was to catch everything early on topwater. Then either pick the lake apart to cull or go find some air conditioning. Unfortunately after two hours of no topwater bites, I had to slow it down and grind it out.

Jason Adams – Elmdale (Tie) – Fish bit on three baits. The first on was on a carolina rig in the middle of the lake by the overhead lines. Carson put me on his go to lure and it worked for a 13.25 bass that fell pray to a green lizard. This was around 8 am so I was glad to get on the board. Tried to duplicate it and it didn’t work. I saw Kyle Long pick up one in the back and noticed he was throwing something black. The water was stained so it made perfect sense. So getting a jig made up in black and blue was the ticket to getting the next fish and filled a limit. I had a Skirmish square bill tied on the other rod and that helped me cull two fish that ended up being the largest fish in the livewell at the day. All of these fish came from the same lay down. Noticed if I backed off for about 15 minute it would replenish. The jig produced all day. Hitting the stand ups in shallow water and swimming it back to the boat really produced. Couldn’t believe how many fish there was in 6” to 1’ of water. Typically fish are deeper when its this hot.

Kyle Long – Elmdale (Tie) – I started by going straight across from the ramp and threw a buzzbait a little bit. Since I always have a Texas rig tied on I threw around the first lay down I came to and caught a 12.25″. Then caught an 11.5″ at the next one. Fished along some more and noticed lots of birds and then fish hitting topwater really shallow…inches of water. Threw a frog a little but nothing. Started throwing a Texas rig in the same areas and caught a 16.25″ then another 12.25″. Caught my fifth fish doing the same thing at 8:15 a.m.  Felt good to have a limit by then. By this time I had fished my way down to the shallow end. Kind of outsmarted myself at that point and went back to the deep end to drag a jig deep to try to get some big bites. Should have stayed put in hindsight. Didn’t boat a fish from 8:15-1:00. At around 11:00 a.m. I started targeting lay downs again but the bite had stopped. Threw a drop shot a while, cranked a while, nothing. Went back to fishing a Texas rig at laydowns and caught a 19.5″ at 1:00. I knew from the leaderboard I needed a little more and finally got another 13.75″ on a Wiggle Wart at around 2:20 p.m. Every fish but the last one came in 3 feet of water or less. All my scoreable fish but one came on a black and blue Beaver style bait on a Texas rig. I had only been on the lake once and I thought if I didn’t catch a few early on top I’d have to crank or dropshot deeper to grind out a limit. My strategy changed pretty quickly when the Texas rig bite was on. Of course I left that bite which was a mistake but that 19.5″ midday ended up being the kicker I needed to finish tops on the lake for the day.

Chad Warford – Lake Bob Kidd – I fished Bob Kidd earlier on in the season during the NSKA NWA Roadrunner in May. It was interesting to see how the fish responded then vs. this weekend. I concentrated on three main baits for Bob Kidd based on the current conditions and what I had learned from in May. The bite was a little tougher right out of the gate but by 6:45 a.m. , I had logged 3 fish using a Berkley drop shot green pumpkin minnow. The wind was calm until late into the morning which became my toughest time and didn’t get another bite until just after 11:00 a.m. As the wind picked up, I keyed in on areas that would likely hold fish during windy conditions and indeed, had my next two fish to round out my limit by 11:45 a.m. Now that my limit was secured, it was time to find the bigger fish. As the temperature rose, I adjusted my strategy and searched for the bigger fish deeper. Early on I caught all of my fish in water 4′-8′ deep. As the temperature rose, I began looking for them in 14′-20′. It took almost two hours to key in on a pattern that would allow me to cull a few of my smaller fish. I found an area that did have structure but also dropped off deep, relatively quickly. It wasn’t enough to just find deep water because I tried that all morning and into the early afternoon and it didn’t work. With the wind finally getting after it and the sun scorching the earth (and me), finding a steep drop off, with structure was the key to successful day on Bob Kidd. And of course, not giving up. The conditions were no doubt tough and it would have been easy to call it at noon with a five fish limit, but I tend to do my best when its a challenge and would encourage anyone faced with difficult situation not to give up. Just keep narrowing down your options!

 

NSKA

NSKA 2018 Draw Four – Tournament Preview

If the NWA Road Runner is the Kentucky Derby of the NSKA schedule, then the Draw Four is the World Series of Poker, where your draw may determine your fortunes. How a particular lake matches up with an angler’s skill set or experience on that water will play a big key in who takes home the money. Get ready to adapt, overcome and improvise on either Lake Elmdale, Lincoln Lake, Lake Bob Kidd, or Crystal Lake.

These four lakes are hotbeds for kayak fishing activity in the area and everyone has a favorite among these. Small lakes in the heat of summer will be a great challenge for NSKA competitors.

Lake Elmdale has been the site of many NWA yakpots. – Source: kayakfishingfocus.com

Draw 4 History

The last Draw 4 for NSKA was back in 2016, and consisted of the same four area lakes. In that event, 38 of the 50 anglers (76%) turned in a keeper and 15 of 50 (30%) submitted a limit.  The winning total was 72″ and Big Bass was 17.5″ in length.  This has not been a big limit total event.

The 2016 top 10 finishers, lake and total inches are below:

  1.  Jackie Wright, Crystal, 72″
  2.  Justin Phillips, Bob Kidd, 71.25
  3.  Vince Minnick, Bob Kidd, 66.25″
  4.  Jason Kincy, Crystal, 66″
  5.  Michael Sandlin, Elmdale, 64.75″
  6.  Benny Williams, Bob Kidd, 64.5″
  7.  John Evans, Crystal, 64.25″
  8.  Baron Meek, Crystal, 64.25″
  9.  Jeff Malott, Crystal, 64.25″
  10.  Jeff Her, Elmdale, 63.5″
Lake Previews

Lake Elmdale – This is a very popular lake for kayak anglers and is in an easy location, just off of I-540. Lots of anglers have fished yakpots on this lake and many will probably be rooting to draw this one based on familiarity. Overall, not a very deep lake, but different types of structure with both shallow flats and steep banks. This year there seems to be shallow moss flourishing which will be frustrating to some anglers.

Lincoln Lake – This is one of the legit big fish lakes in all of Arkansas. Those who fish this honey hole often have pulled out some massive bass. The challenge with this lake is getting a limit to go along with your lunker. Amazing rock formations and grass lines are the key features for this crescent shaped lake. If you pull five keepers on Lincoln, you have a very good chance to win the tournament.

The bluffs of Lincoln Lake are the signature feature of this crescent shaped lake. – Source: Lincoln Chamber of Commerce

The main dock by the ramp at Lake Bob Kidd. – Source: KUAF

Lake Bob Kidd – Not too far from Lincoln Lake sits Lake Bob Kidd, another lake known for having some good size bass. This lake has lost some of its normal lily pads and other vegetation but still is ringed by large grass beds along most of the banks. This is one of the very few (if only) small lakes in NW Arkansas with some standing timber, setting it apart from the rest. In 2016 Bob Kidd was a player in the rankings.

The airstrip is one of the things that makes Crystal Lake unique. Source: airport-data.com

Crystal Lake – Used to be known as a dink fest lake, but in past years has improved in quality. Limits will be plenty at Crystal, the fish are numerous and usually bite. This lake has two launch points, one being the main ramp on the west end, and the other is a gravel area on the far east shallow end. I call this the “panty” end of the lake, because one morning we found the largest pair of women’s underwear I’ve ever seen laying on the bank…so use this launch with caution. The dominant feature of this lake is an airstrip that runs parallel to a good portion of it’s length. The winner of the 2016 Draw 4 and many of the top 10 came from Crystal.

Angler Predictions

NSKA anglers Tim Hotchkin, Taylor Frizzell and Kyle Fields participated in a roundtable to share their insights and predictions.

Of the four lakes (Lincoln, Crystal, Bob Kidd and Elmdale) which one do you think is most likely to produce the winner and why?

Tim – I think Elmdale will pull off the W. There are a lot of fish in that lake and everyone seems to be able to catch them there. It will take someone finding 1-2 good ones there and then to round out a limit. The wild card is Lincoln if the bite is right. It will be incredibly hard to beat with it being a summer pattern, that could be a large if though.

Taylor – I think Lincoln will be the winning lake. It’s one of those small lakes that tends to give up a couple nice ones whether you know the lake or not. If the conditions are right it can produce winning number.

How does someone best prepare for a tournament when they don’t know where they are going until the night before?

Tim – I think it is just focusing on what you are good at. It’s tough to get a true pattern on 4 lakes not knowing which you will end up at. I plan to just go out with my normal set ups and adapt based on what I figure out through the day. If the day starts slow stay calm and try and figure out what the fish are doing. I have only fished one of the lakes this year so unless I get that one I will have no idea what to expect but my plan will be the same regardless what I draw.

Taylor – Preparing for this one was tough. Luckily there was enough time in advance to make some trips and check out the lakes. I might get the one I want, I might not but at least I’ve been on all of our options either way.

What is your prediction for winning length and Big Bass?

Tim – I think it will take 78.5″ to win. Big bass will be 20.25″ as each of these lakes hold quality fish and someone will find one.

Taylor – Winning length will be somewhere around 83.5″ total with a 22″ Big Bass.

Reminders

  • Captain’s meeting at the Grove in Lowell at 6:00 on Friday
  • Can be on the water at 5:15 a.m. and lines in at 5:30 a.m., lines out at 3:00 p.m.
  • Weigh-in on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. at the Grove in Lowell
  • Wear your PFD
  • Do not crowd others, or cut off other anglers. If you are worried you are too close, you are probably too close.

Sign up for the NSKA Draw 4 on Tourney X. 

 

NSKA

2018 NSKA Tournament Schedule Preview

The new year is upon us in Northwest Arkansas and that means a challenging season ahead for anglers in the NSKA Tournament trail.  This year should be big for the Natural State Kayak Anglers with seven events on beautiful Arkansas waters.

For those who have fished in NSKA the past couple of years you will notice a couple of differences for 2018. The warm and cozy waters of SWEPCO Lake are not on the schedule due to the limited parking situation. Additionally, you better get your Beaver Lake maps out, with three events on the premier lake in the area.

Before diving into each tournament on the schedule, here’s a snapshot of the NSKA Tournament events for 2018. Mark them on your calendar now:

  • March 10 – Beaver Lake South
  • April 21 – Lake Fort Smith
  • May 12 – NWA Road Runner
  • June 16 – Beaver Lake
  • July 14 – Draw Four
  • August 4 – Beaver Lake North
  • September 8 – Table Rock (Beaver Town)
NSKA Tournament Schedule Analysis

Beaver Lake South – As mentioned, in previous years SWEPCO Lake kicked off the season and bass were easy to catch in the warm waters in early March. This year will be a different challenge with Beaver Lake South up first. Water should still be a bit chilly and the bass might still be sluggish. The zone for fishing this event is the Hwy 12 bridge and south. We’ll see what the #deadsea has in store for us this year.

Lake Fort Smith – Back on the schedule for 2018 is Lake Fort Smith, a beautiful mountain lake south of the Bobby Hopper tunnel. April showers bring flowers, but they also can bring muddy waters to this usually clear fishery. One of the great things about this event is it will be a shotgun start from the ramp area which makes for a spectacle. I’m not going to lie, this is a weird lake and I used to dislike it…but really missed it last year. It has a bit of everything from deep bluffs to standing timber to creek run-ins to grass edges. Keep your head on a swivel, there’s a reason some refer to it as Snake Fort Smith.

NWA Road Runner – The glitter boat crossovers had their advantage back on Beaver Lake South, but now the hardcore kayak anglers get their turn. With a true NWA Road Runner, kayaks can be put in almost anywhere in pubic waters. Tiny lakes or rivers with secret spots come into play here as NSKA anglers will scatter across the area to pick the type of water and situation they think will produce on tournament day. That deep brushpile on your favorite body of water that only you know about might be the winning ingredient. Kayak heavy lakes like Lincoln, Siloam Springs, Wilson, Crystal Lake and Elmdale will have a part to play in the outcome. Swepco doesn’t follow the traditional seasonal patterns of the other lakes and will be off-limits for the road runner.

Beaver Lake – Access to the full lake for the June event should really allow anglers to choose how they want to fish the lake. From the clear water and smallmouth central at the dam all the way up to the river will provide a multitude of options. June is a beautiful time of year on Beaver, but is also buzzing with activity from fishermen to the party crowd. Most of the lake will be well into post-spawn time which could make things tough, but I think NSKA anglers will find a way to pull in some big limits. An added bonus to this date is that it coincides with a KBF Open on Beaver Lake same day, so anglers could fish both events should you so choose.

Draw Four – My absolute favorite event of the year is the Draw Four road runner. All participants will draw from one of four area lakes right before tournament time and that will decide where each angler will fish. The Draw Four lakes have not yet been determined, but will be announced well before tournament weekend so people can prepare. Doing well in this event means that you are able to quickly adapt to whatever water luck has chosen for you. Being in July, you better catch’em early in the day…

Beaver Lake North – This one will be the grinder of the season and a good test for anglers. Beaver Lake in August is usually in full #deadsea mode and is an opportunity to see who really can put fish into the kayak. Smallmouth up near the dam area might be the key for this time of year. By this event the Anger of the Year race should be taking shape and the top contenders may be able to seal the deal with a good day on Beaver Lake. Fishing in this one will be limited to the Hwy 12 bridge and the dam.

Beaver Town Arkansas - kayakfishingfocus.com
Beaver Town Arkansas – kayakfishingfocus.com

Table Rock (Beaver Town) – In my opinion the most scenic venue of the year for NSKA Tournaments. If you haven’t kayak fished around Beaver Town, you need to check it out. There are some big fish lurking in these skinny waters between Beaver Lake and Table Rock. This unique area allows you to fish current or find still waters if that’s more to your liking. Another shotgun start, this is a fun final event to bring everyone together. Each year there is also a big camp out at Beaver Town that weekend for anglers to fellowship. Watch for more details.

Looking Forward To The Season

Here’s looking toward a great NSKA season, watch the blog for more individual tournament previews and recaps throughout the year.

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NSKA, Tournaments

NWA Roadrunner – NSKA Preview

The Natural State Kayak Anglers (NSKA) hit the road for the next tournament to be held on Saturday, May 13 – with a Northwest Arkansas road runner event. Because of recent flooding, the River Run was postponed until later in the season and the road runner moved up in its place. Many lakes are in play and are good options for this choose your own adventure kayak fishing tournament.

Participants may choose from almost any publicly accessible body of water within a 30 mile radius (with the exception of Bella Vista lakes) including some newly approved lakes for this season. The NSKA NWA Road Runner is one of my favorite events because it allows everyone to choose an option that fits their style, and should result in a decent overall winning total.

Choose Your Own Adventure

Here are some of the primary options anglers will be considering for tournament day:

Lake Bob Kidd – I haven’t fished this lake much but it has been in the mix each time there’s been a road runner. There are some big bass in this lake and if you like vegetation and wood structure, it is a great option.

Lincoln Lake – To me this is the undisputed “Big Bass” lake in Northwest Arkansas. On average you will catch a bigger fish here than anywhere else. If it is on, the winner will likely come from Lincoln Lake.

SWEPCO Lake fatty.
SWEPCO Lake fatty.

SWEPCO Lake – The only other lake on the list which could challenge Lincoln for large numbers of big fish. This lake’s going to be a bit warmer than some others, but hasn’t heated up too much yet for the summer. A big limit could be filled quickly here, but every once in a while these bass can get tight lipped.

Lake Elmdale – Easily accessed from I-49, this is a very popular lake, meaning it gets tons of pressure and can get quite crowded. (I counted 28 cars in the lot the last time I was there) It’s a solid lake that can at times produce good fishing, however, it has never really produced top results in a road runner style tournament. Will see what this year brings.

Crystal Lake – Gaining a lot of respect in recent tournaments, this gem of a little lake is near Decatur. I’ve fished it twice in road runners, making top five in both events. Not many giant bass like Lincoln and Swepco, but a very healthy population of keepers packed into a lake of manageable size.

Beaver Lake – Here we go…this will be interesting to see who heads to Beaver Lake and rolls the dice.  Historically Beaver Lake has factored in to the top places in road runner events – there’s no doubt it has fish and some really good ones. The person who can find some bass at Beaver might roll a seven and win this thing.

Wildcards – Some lesser known lakes are also in the mix and options for competitors: Wilson, Wedington, Lake Fayetteville, Lake Sequoya, Lake Prairie Grove and Siloam City Lake are all possibilities. (note – am told Lake Prairie Grove is currently closed)

Historical Look Back

In 2015, my first year with AKA/NSKA, the first roadrunner was earlier in the spring (April 14) and Lake Swepco was off-limits as an option. The winning angler fished the upper Beaver Lake area near War Eagle, 2nd place came from Lake Bob Kidd, 3rd place from Crystal Lake, 4th place from Lincoln Lake/Bob Kidd and 5th place from Lincoln Lake. It took close to 80″ to win this event.

In 2016, some of the same lakes produced the top results. Although I don’t have the order of finish, I do know that Beaver Lake produced the winner with approximately 86″ and Lake Bob Kidd, Siloam City Lake and Swepco Lake were in the mix for the other top finishers.

Not a real road-runner but the NWA Draw Four tournament featured Lincoln Lake, Crystal Lake, Lake Elmdale and Lake Bob Kidd. 1st came out of Crystal Lake with 2nd and 3rd coming from Lake Bob Kidd I believe.  Mid-70s was required to win this one.

NSKA Predictions

Northwest Arkansas kayak anglers Tim Hotchkin and Rob Bomstead weighed in along with me on what to expect this weekend:

What top two lakes do you think will produce the winner?

  • Jason – Based on historical data, the winner will come from Beaver Lake, Swepco or Lincoln. I’m betting Lincoln this year.
  • Tim – Swepco or Elmdale. Swepco stayed pretty clear after all the rain it’s just high from the rain. Elmdale has had alot of success lately so it will draw a lot of anglers.
  • Rob – I think Beaver or Swepco will produce the winner, although a smaller sleeper lake may surprise us all.

How does a road runner change your strategy?

  • Jason – Normally it is about finding the type of water you want to fish, but this year it is all up and dirtier than normal, so not as much of an issue.
  • Tim – It doesn’t change my strategy. If anything it helps me. I can to to whatever lake I feel confident in based on our recent weather changes and lake elevations due to all the rain.
  • Rob – Weather, water temp, water clarity, recent catches and wind all are part of the decision, however, personal confidence in a body of water and fishing how I like to fish play an important role.

Recent rains have muddied up about everywhere except Swepco, how will that affect things?

  • Jason – I think this is going to drive overall size totals higher than normal and some will catch a lot of fish. This won’t be a grind it out just for a limit in clear water event.
  • Tim – It will put a lot of stress on some anglers as their normal waters may not be fishable.  A lot of anglers may have to change their styles which could cause some anglers to try techniques they are not used to.
  • Rob – The rains definitely have changed the game plan, but good weather this week hopefully will calm things down and we should see some clearing of the water a bit.

Winning length and big bass size?

  • Jason – 86.5″ to win and a 20.75″ big bass
  • Tim – Winning Length: 78″ with a 21″ big bass
  • Rob – This group has some great anglers and I would be hard pressed not to believe someone will have them figured out. I’m going to say just over 98″ and big bass will be 22.5″

What is the key bait?

  • Jason – Spinnerbait or jig
  • Tim – Texas rigged creature bait.
  • Rob – Jig and crankbait.
Events, News, NSKA, razoryak tournament trail

2017 NWA Natural State Kayak Anglers Season Preview

One of the largest kayak bass fishing tournament tNatural State Kayak Anglers (NSKA)rails in the country, Natural State Kayak Anglers, is about to start for 2017 and we contacted some veteran NSKA anglers for their take on the upcoming season schedule. The Natural State Kayak Anglers (NSKA) tournament series is a great way to improve your fishing skills, meet other anglers and most importantly to have a lot of fun on the water.

The 2017 NSKA Tournament Schedule

Jeff Malott is the tournament director for NSKA events this year, we asked him some general questions about the upcoming season:

What’s the best change you made this year to the NSKA tournament trail?

Jeff – Changing tourney management over to 100% use of tourneyX.com will be a real game changer. No more long waits at weigh in and the ability to follow a live leaderboard should take our events to another level.

Knowing you are not fishing the tournaments this year, what’s the one event you will miss fishing in the most?  

Jeff – To ensure the NSKA events go smoothly I won’t participate locally this season. The one event I’ll miss most will probably be the NWA Road Runner, only because I historically do really well, lol.

Which event will have the most impact on the AOY race?

Jeff – With there being only 1 drop this season (best 5 of 6 count towards AOY), all events are going to have a huge impact, but a good start is essential so probably Swepco in NWA and Spadra in the River Valley.

Roundtable – NSKA Angler Season Preview

Natural State Kayak Anglers Taylor Frizzell, Justin Phillips, Rob Barnica and myself shared predictions and thoughts on the upcoming schedule for 2017:

Which NSKA event will produce the longest length? 

Jeff – The longest string should come from the road runner event, folks can really tune in on the handful of big bass lakes around NWA and the River Valley.

Taylor – I think the NWA road runner will produce the the longest length. Only because there will be so many bodies of water in play that you won’t have 60+ anglers on the same lake. I feel like someone will end up with a area pretty much to themselves and be able to really work the body of water.

Jason – To me it is clearly the online event, anglers will have multiple days to put a limit together.

What’s the key in getting off to a fast start for the season?

Rob –  For myself it simply placing top 10 in a tournament. This is my first year fishing kayak tournaments.

Justin – For me it comes down to preparation, practice and homework. All of these have one thing in common. Trying to maximize control over known variables. In short, take care of what you can and when hiccups come you’ll be less inclined to get rattled and more inclined to formulate a solid Plan B.

Jason – I’ll be happy if I can get any sleep the night before tournaments. It’s hard for me to do because I’m excited and ready to go.

Which event do you have circled where you want to do the best?

Rob – The first one at Swepco Lake. It’s a huge confidence booster to know you can compete in your first year with so many great anglers.

Taylor – I’m looking forward to the KBF/NSKA event the most only because I feel like turn out will be amazing and it will give a lot of competitive NWA guys a chance to prove themselves on a larger scale. It’s going to be a lot of fun to have that opportunity to fish a big event and not have to travel hours to do so.

Jason – Probably the NWA Road Runner…there is so much strategy involved on where to go it is interesting to see where anglers wind up fishing.

Swepco Lake is notorious for being a wind tunnel in March. How might this impact how anglers attack the lake? What’s the winning length going to be?

Justin – It really depends on how much wind and what anglers are willing to put up with. Wind can be great in some circumstances but if it’s white capping not many will want to deal with that. The protected pockets may become so packed a guy will be able to walk across the water and not get his feet wet.  If it’s not too bad it may keep everyone more dispersed. I predict 84 inches will win.

Rob – The wind is simply a mindset. Between anchors and pedals I don’t feel it’s a huge obstacle. Winning length on Swepco will be 90+ inches.

Taylor – The wind tunnel in March is always interesting. It makes you really be on your toes and you have to be able to adapt to this on a whim. I think the paddlers will hug the banks and try to attack the coves and the peddlers will have more of an opportunity to fish where they want. It will also make the finesse guys figure out a strategy to put fish in the boat. I know last year I had to change tactics several times based on the wind. It tends to make it really hard to keep your position when Texas rigging or Jig fishing. I used a Ned rig a lot last year but when the wind picked up I had to change my plan of attack. I think for the winning length at Swepco will be over 90 inches because of the size of fish that are in that lake.

The NSKA/KBF event is on Beaver Lake in April. Last year the lake was high and muddy, so far this year it is low and very clear. How do you expect this change to affect this event?

Justin – If it stays as it is the low water will keep the fish pooled in tighter areas. With the decent year on Beaver Lake last season that may prove to provide great regardless of your style. However, I wouldn’t get overly excited just yet. The spring rains may flood and upset the apple cart. If that happens the water would probably become muddy and power fishing techniques will come more into play. 

Rob – Hopefully it keeps the big boats away from several spots. Obviously the lake and all structure has changed. Let’s pray we don’t have a torrential downpour the week before our tournament.

Jason – Should benefit the finesse anglers mid-lake to the dam. A lot of others may run up closer to the river looking for some stained water. I’m happy we’ll get a shot at Beaver Lake before the FLW pros do. Last couple of years they hammered the lake right before our event.

With the NWA River Road Runner focused on river fishing, where do you think the hotspots for anglers will be for this event?

Rob – Illinois, Kings and White would be my best guess.

Justin – I’d like to look at War Eagle, could be a solid choice.

Jason – There are some great river fishermen in NSKA and I’m not one of them. Have heard great things in the past about the Illinois and Kings. Might be that there’s a honey hole on a little known creek or river that may be the secret to victory.

For the NWA Road Runner, strategy comes into play big time for this event – big bass lakes can pay off or burn you. What’s the best high risk high reward destination for this event?

Taylor – The NWA roadrunner high risk high reward destination is Swepco Lake. The fact that there are so many large fish in that lake makes it a go to option but the time of year makes that lake a coin flip. If that water is hot the angler who knows how to fish deep and entice the fish to bite could have a winning outcome, but at the same time it could set them up for failure.

Jason – When I think about the biggest bass in NWA I tend to think Lincoln Lake. That place has the ability to provide a good limit with two to three 20s in it, but it can be fickle sometimes. I’d say Lincoln is the best home run chance.

There is a weekend online tournament in July, that is obviously a different type of deal than a one day event. How should anglers approach this differently than a normal tournament?

Rob – Due to being my first year, I really don’t know the answer. I’m still learning myself.

Taylor – The summer slam online is going to be an interesting event. I feel like Anglers should stick with what they’re comfortable with but at the same time it might take stepping out of that comfort zone to win. I personally won’t run to the “go to” lakes that we normally would in the spring. It’s going to be a hot summer I think and I feel like the rivers are going to have an advantage over the lakes for this particular event but with fishing you honestly never know where the money stringer is going to be.

Jason – Those who fish the most over the weekend won’t necessarily win, I think it will be the angler that picks the right spots at the right time.

Get Ready – It’s Go Time!

Check out the Razoryak Tournament Trail website for info about NSKA as well as the River Valley, Central Arkansas, and NE/North Central trails. If this is your first tournament season, read this article on Five Catch Photo Release (CPR) Protips and the one on a Kayak Fishing Tournament Packing List for helpful information.

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