Tag Archives: NSKA

Tournaments

2020 NWA NSKA Classic Championship Recap / AOY / Sportsman of the Year

The second annual NSKA NWA Classic Championship took to Beaver Lake for a two-day tournament that stretched from the dirt and wood of the White River to the open crystal clear rocky waters near Beaver Dam. A great angler Jeriamy Vann won the 2019 Classic and the field was strong and set for a showdown in September. The Classic Championship was a great idea and has really gained traction in the club as a goal to qualify for many anglers. The Top 25 were invited to fish, and 23 were able to take on the lake in 2020. Special thank you to Nite Ize who sponsored the event yet again and to Chad Warford for his help in making this all happen.

On a personal note, I was very concerned about preparing and competing in the Classic because my Hobie 360 Drive broke down halfway through the Beaver Lake North event and needed replaced. As the days ticked by working with Hobie on a replacement I was getting very nervous but the new drive arrived a few days before the event and I was all set. Thank you to Dave at Oklahoma/Tulsa Kayak – they have been great to work with and he’s had my back every step of the way!

Classic Results

Being a two-day event it’s a bit difficult to capture the action from both days, but it is important to recognize individual daily performances by these anglers.

Day One – Hwy 412 and Twin Bridges

It’s unclear if any anglers went to the Twin Bridges launch area, it sure seemed like everyone was at the 412 launches on Saturday morning. This day we’d be battling the Elites boat tournament for water as well. As expected from this strong group of anglers, 87% turned in a limit and everyone had a keeper. Nobody knew what each other had, but Taylor released the rank order and the top five were: Jason Kincy (83.75″), Cole Sikes (78″), Chris Needham (76.5″), Justin Brewer (76.25″), and Ryan Paskiewicz (75.5″) .

There were some big fish caught on day one. I was able to land a 20.25″ largemouth in the first half hour which got the juices flowing for the day. That Beaver Lake bomb held up for Big Bass of the weekend. Jon Swann also pulled a nice 19″ Largemouth to put him in the top ten for day one!

This big Largemouth hit my War Eagle lure like freight train. – Photo: Kayakfishingfocus.com

Day Two – Indian Creek and Beaver Dam

The conventional wisdom that day one would be the big fish day and day two would be the dinkfest didn’t really play out that way. Monster Smallmouth came to play on day two. Ryan Paskiewicz, sitting in fifth after day one had a monster day two, leading the top five: Ryan Paskiewicz (83″), Devon Esry (77.5″), Cole Sikes (77″), Dwain Batey (76.75″) and Roy Roberts (76″). Ryan pulled the biggest bass for day two with a 19.5″ Smallmouth, and others caught some tanks up north: Devon Esry (19), Roy Roberts (18.5), Cole Sikes (18.5, 17.25), and Tyler Zengerle (18.75).

Ryan’s big smallie from day two almost shook up the Classic. What a Birthday present! – Photo: TourneyX

In the end, it was close close close! I did just enough to hold on with 75.75″ on day two to win the Classic by one inch over Ryan. He sent me a picture of his giant smallie with some smack in the middle of the day and had me FREAKED out! Just knew he was going to catch me and I tip my hat to him for a dominating day two.

Your Top 10 finishers for the Classic Championship:

  1. Jason Kincy 159.50
  2. Ryan Paskiewicz 158.50
  3. Cole Sikes 155.00
  4. Chris Needham 149.50
  5. Dwain Batey 148.25
  6. Michael Burgess 146.75
  7. Tyler Zengerle 145.00
  8. Jeriamy Vann 145.00
  9. Jon Swann 144.75
  10. Billy Bowden 144.25
Receiving the hardware from the legend himself, Taylor Frizzell. Photo: Kayakfishingfocus.com

Angler of the Year Race

The Classic plays a huge role in the AOY points race, contributing double the points as a usual event. The race really came down to how a couple of anglers were going to finish in this event unless both of them completely tanked. Dwain Batey or Justin Brewer were most likely to take the AOY title, and it was a razor-thin margin in the end. Dwain had a strong tournament, finishing 5th overall. Justin’s strong day one gave him a leg up to survive Dwain’s day two push. Justin Brewer is your 2020 NSKA NWA Angler of the Year!

The Top 10 AOY finishers qualify for the All-American Classic on Harry S. Truman Lake:

  1. Justin Brewer
  2. Dwain Batey
  3. Ryan Paskiewicz
  4. Cole Sikes
  5. Chris Needham
  6. Jason Kincy
  7. Tyler Zengerle
  8. Jon Wofford
  9. Roy Roberts
  10. Michael Burgess
Justin Brewer, 2020 NWA NSKA AOY – Photo: Justin Brewer

Angler Recaps

The top finishers from the Classic shared their stories of how they did it on the opposite ends of Beaver Lake:

Overall, which way/where did you go on day one and day two?

Jason – On day one I launched from the smaller 412 ramp and chose to fish in that general area and didn’t go too far south or north. Really just covered a lot of water on day one zipping around running a pattern or two. On day two I put in at the dam, thinking there would be a lot fewer anglers up in that area for more empty water.

Ryan – On day one launched out of the north ramp at Ramsey and headed north near War Eagle Marina. Day two I went across the main lake and through the cut. I fished my way back to the ramp both days at around 12:00.

Cole – Day one, I ran south because it’s probably the area I know best of the entire lake and I prefer dirtier water. On day two, I ran to the very back of Indian Creek hoping there would be some stain in the back and possibly get into some Largemouth. I was able to get a very small limit first thing but didn’t like the way it looked so moved to the main lake and started fishing for Smallmouth.

Chris – I put in at the southern ramp at 412 and worked my way north. Found a very specific pattern early which gave me confidence. On day two I just winged it. I’ve never fished that area before and made my decision on where to go when I got to the ramp and saw there was more wind than projected. I went east from Indian Creek and focused on wind blown banks.

Did you change any approach when it came to strategy or pre-fishing with a two day tournament?

Jason – Unlike some of these other guys I have to really work on pre-fishing to figure out what’s going on. So I did pre-fish both areas in advance and pre-fishing was terrible, especially the south. Since I didn’t find anything good, especially in the south, I just stayed around some water I was just familiar with.

Ryan – My biggest concern was day one because you can’t win it on day one but you can certainly lose it. My goal was to simply find a limit hopefully a kicker. I fished history mostly on day one and it paid off. I didn’t pre-fish the South end. I eliminated some water pre-fishing on the north side. I chose to go away from the crowd and fish a relatively quiet area. I thought they’d be shallow and I knew I had ground to make up so I stuck with my jig and it produced some solid bites.

Cole – I was only able to pre-fish two weeks prior to the tournament because my wife and I were on vacation in Montana. I was able to get a rough idea of what could potentially work for tournament day and just ran areas I felt comfortable and confident in.

Chris – My approach didn’t change for a two day event. I just went fishing and was hoping to execute my game plan and fish clean which I did. I didn’t have any time to pre-fish since we just had a baby.

Of all the fish catches for the weekend, talk about the one that meant the most to you.

Jason – You would think it would be the 20.25″ which was huge, but I was really upset with myself later over a mental mistake. On day one I had a really good limit in the afternoon and was trying to cull. I threw back THREE bass between 15-15.25″ thinking my smallest was a 15.25″. Late in the day I looked at my limit and saw I had a 14.75″ and was just sick and wanted to puke right then in my kayak. Instead of panicking, I knuckled down and caught a 16.25″ with a Bomber crankbait to cull that smaller one and then I just knew it was my day.

Ryan – It was my Birthday and I really just wanted to have a good day up north. I seem to always catch fish but at times struggle to find size. About 8:00 on day one I caught my PB Smallmouth. I knew then I had a chance to make a run. It went 19.5″ and was I couldn’t ask for a better gift!

Cole – I had two fish catches this weekend that meant the most to me. On day one, I was able to catch a 16.25” at 2:58 pm that slightly separated me from the pack of 74 to 76 inch anglers. On the final day, I was really struggling and went hours without culling any fish. I moved to the main lake and was able to catch an 18.50″ Smallie which gave me more confidence to keep pushing and not quit.

Chris – The fish that meant the most to me was a 16” smallie on Sunday. I was hardcore struggling getting bites but as soon as I caught the fish my confidence came back. I instantly caught another decent one then another. I went up and down this 75 yard stretch of bank for hours. Every time I got bit or caught one. It was unreal it kept replenishing like that.

Making the Classic was an achievement, what was your favorite event from the year and why?

Jason – Love, love, love the Classic format that puts everyone on equal footing. And I’m not sure if there’s another kayak event in the country like this that put anglers in dirty river water on day one and big clear water on day two. It’s the ultimate test. Just not a fan of the road runners, Beaver Lake (a.k.a. Dead Sea) is an iconic fishery and always feels like a big-time bass event. Hope the King of the String is on Beaver only next year.

Ryan – This year started off horribly with a zero….. but I turned it around and had my best year yet. This Classic was amazing even though I came up an inch short. That being said, winning and getting Big Bass in Beaver South has to be my favorite this year. It’s incredibly hard to win, much less cash checks on this trail and I’m proud to say I’ve won one.

Cole – The Classic was by far my favorite tournament. I feel like the way we have the Classic set up makes it an equal playing field and really challenges the anglers. Everyone is dealt the exact same conditions and whereas some other tournaments it is all about if you’re on the hot lake or not.

Chris – I really enjoyed our MLF style format. That format suits my style of fishing. Catching numbers usually isn’t a problem but quality is.

159.9″ and 20.25″ won this event, what are your predictions for winning total and Big Bass for the State Championship on Beaver?

Jason – Beaver Lake is fishing pretty well lately, but it’s going to be tough for those coming in from the other clubs to get up to speed and some are going to get smacked right in the face by the Dead Sea. However, there are great anglers in Arkansas and Beaver heats up in the fall. BIG bag needed to win this one: 161.75″ and a 21″ for Big Bass.

Ryan – I think Beaver is gonna fish well for State. I’m predicting 157.5” will win. Big Bass will go 20.75”.

Cole – I personally think it will take an average of 80” a day to win but would not be surprised to see someone catch close to 163”. Big bass will also be about the same in the 20″ to 21.50″ range.

Chris – 155” and 20.5” for the W.

Sportsman of the Year – Kyle Long

This season’s Sportsman of the Year is Mr. Kyle Long. He’s very deserving of the honor and many people don’t know, he was key in getting us back on Beaver Lake with the permits and paperwork needed because of Covid. Asked Kyle a few questions about this honor:

Me with Kyle Long at Lake Fork, Texas.

What does it feel like to be named SOTY? I value it up there with any accomplishment or accolade I’ve ever received.  I am so appreciative. 

What does the club mean to you? I can’t even explain it fully but when you get to be my age, and that all the stuff you once had that’s gone can be found again…It’s overwhelming.  It’s emotional.  I didn’t know a single person in this club three years ago…and now it’s my team.  My guys I’d go into battle with.  I love it to my core.  And when I say it…I mean the people.  A club is only as good as the people that make it up.  And this club has elite people.

For people new to the club or to kayak fishing, any advice to find your place? I’m not saying the way I did it is the best but it worked for me.  I tried to integrate slowly.  A lot of these relationships seem to have been built and fire tested so I didn’t want to be off-putting lol.  I went to every meeting and tournament on the schedule.  I hung out and visited and formed relationships at the weigh-ins and then volunteered to help if the need arose.  When it did, I jumped on it.  Then I just tried to fill the role of a good team player.   As we get bigger, we’re going to need more people to help so if you think you have a passion for it…work your way in, find a role that needs filled…and fill it.

Performance Points Rankings

Performance Points show the history of competition finishes over a rolling 5 year and 3 year trend. This recap article got waaaay too long, so watch for an update on end of season standings on Performance Points coming next week.

NSKA

NSKA Beaver Lake South Recap – Dinkfest / Heavy Hitters / AOY Race Update

Beaver Lake in the spring earlier this year was a barrel of laughs for anglers who found lots of fish, including big fish, all over the lake and easy to catch. Well the laughter is on hold for now as Beaver Lake in the summer heat is an entirely different proposition.

The only two Beaver Lake South tournaments in the past few years prior to this one yielded winning totals of 70.25″ and 75″ which were indications of what was in store for the 61 anglers who took to the water on a scorching Saturday in July. Fighting the fish, the heat and the jet skis made for a grinder of a day.

Beaver Lake native species: Southern Fishus Interruptus

Tournament Results

Overall, the quantity of fish caught wasn’t that bad considering the conditions. The caliber of anglers in NSKA has certainly improved, accounting for more fish in the yak. A very good 54% of anglers (down from 75% in June) turned in a limit, with an awesome 95% turning in at least one keeper. The challenge of course was catching fish of good size.

Of the 274 fish caught and submitted, only 16 bass were 16″ or above. Sixteen! Out of 274! Thirteen of 61 anglers accounted for the 16″ and above club (J Brewer (2), J Phillips (2), R Paskiewicz (2), J Kincy (2), H Wofford, J Wofford, K Long, D Kelley, R Roberts, D Esry, P Vongpraphanh, D Mathews, and V Vang). The “Beaver Lake Specials” of 13s and 14s were the trend of the day.

Justin Brewer found the right formula to win with four OK keepers and a good kicker adding up to 76″ which is right in line with summer on Beaver Lake. Hope Wofford just barely missed out on the win by placing 2nd on a tiebreaker – she also had 76″ on the day. Justin Phillips finished 3rd with 74.5″ of bass.

Big Bass was won by John Wofford with a 19.25″ largemouth, and Justin Brewer edged out Hope Wofford again in a tiebreaker with an 18.50″ bass for 2nd Big Bass. (Tough breaks for Hope!)

Wofford’s 19.25″ Big Bass.

Angler Roundtable

Here’s how the top anglers on the day did their damage. Justin Brewer, Hope Wofford and Justin Phillips share their path to success on that hot day.

Where did you go on Beaver and why?

Justin B – I went in trying to find cooler water so I chose to fish way up the War Eagle.

Hope – To be completely honest, I don’t get a ton of say in where we choose to go. I let John make that decision and roll with it. I did tell him I didn’t want to get beat up by the wind and pleasure boaters so we opted for Twin Bridges.

Justin P – I ended up going to Blue Springs. I had pre-fished a handful of spots and it seemed my more consistent bites came from that area.

Overall what strategy did you have for the day and did it play out like you thought?

Justin B – My main goal was to get on a good early bite and maybe find a cull through out the day. It did not work that way. I didn’t find a limit until 9-10 and my key fish fish didn’t come until noon.

Hope – My strategy was simply to beat my last tourney score and catch a limit earlier than last time. I wanted to try and fish my strengths, but also to try out a few baits I tend to leave alone. I definitely stuck to my strategy and it worked.

Justin P – My strategy was fairly simple; start shallow with some top water and shallower crankbaits first thing in the morning and then move out to deeper water with sharper drop-offs as the sun climbed in the sky. Going into it, once the sun got up I felt like I could catch them on a jig and a deep diving crankbait in that 15′-19′ range as I had in practice.

What were the key baits for you for the day?

Justin B – I ended up finding a short section of the river that was super dirty with less than a foot of visibility and that small section is what held my fish. I rounded out my limit swimming a Booyah swim jig with YUM Baits chunk trailer. When that bite died off I tried something a little different and tied on a Booyah Flex II chartreuse squarebill and that’s what got me my bigger bites.

Hope – I played my strengths and stuck with a spinnerbait (which I used to despise) and Texas rig. I also landed my first fish on a squarebill. To say I hate treble hooks is an understatement, but I saw a spot where I knew the squarebill would work and it paid off.

Justin P – In the morning it was calm and with the low light conditions I caught my first small keeper on a whopper plopper. However I was having to fish it in a slow method utilizing short pulls. I felt like I was burning too much time so I put it up and got out a DT6 and started covering water. I caught my next 4 keepers utilizing it and pitching a jig. At this point it was just before mid morning. I had a 16″ and the rest small keepers. I decided to start transitioning to steeper banks and testing the deeper waters looking to cull. I finished my starting stretch and moved out to the “river” section focusing on the bluffs. With the wind picking up I was able to keep culling utilizing a chatterbait and a jig.

In the summer it is key to beat the heat, do you have any advice or steps you take to stay cool?

Justin B – I carry a gallon Yeti jug with me so I have plenty of ice cold water and I also where a long sleeve hooded shirt to keep as much sun off as me as possible. Periodically I’ll wet my hat and the sleeves of my shirt. That helps provide just a little more coolness throughout the heat of the day.

Hope – I always have my gallon jug of water. I added a bottle of Gatorade for the extra heat as well as a cooling towel. Feet are in the water as much as possible! Thankfully the breeze kept it very bearable until around noon.

Justin P – The Arkansas summer heat can be brutal. When the weather heats up I usually combat it by drinking something on my way to the ramp and freezing bottles of water, (my all time favorite) Diet Mountain Dew and storing them in the hatch. Then as the day goes on, and the temperatures climb, the drinks melt. By the time I’m ready for my next beverage it still has a little ice in it and serves as a cold refresher.

Heavy Hitters Update

With one regular season tournament to go, the Heavy Hitters crown looks like it will come down to either me or John Wofford. I’m sitting with 95″ for the best five, with John in second at 89″ followed by Ryan Paskiewicz with 88.75″, Michael Burgess with 87.75″ and Justin Phillips and Roy Roberts with 87″.

My Heavy Hitter for this event. Yellow socks may be the key.

John has the biggest opportunity because he can replace an 11.75″, needing only a 17.75″ to tie me and an 18″ to win. That is unless I can replace a 17.75 with something larger. Going to be a close one!

Angler of the Year and Classic Race

With one event to go things are taking shape to identify the final contenders for AOY and also the top 25 who will make the end of season Classic. Justin Brewer and John Wofford both helped themselves in the AOY race, with Justin making the strongest move. It still isn’t settled though with 4 or 5 anglers still in the mix with one event and then the Classic to go.

Many of the anglers in the top 25 who are planning on making the Classic better not get too comfortable. There are several anglers outside of the list who either only have four scores to date or have one horrific score they can drop. If those already in the top 25 don’t put up a good score, some of them may finish out of the Classic when the dust settles.

With a month off, there’s plenty of time to rest up for the regular season finale on Beaver Lake North. See everyone on the water!

NSKA

The Dead Sea Strikes Back! – Beaver Lake 2020 Recap / Heavy Hitters / AOY Race

After a Covid-19 induced ban on tournaments on Beaver Lake by the Corp, NSKA anglers were finally able to hit the water for a day-long fishing expedition on the Dead Sea. Some of the recent tournaments on Beaver lulled anglers into a comfort zone and the predictions for this tournament had big totals and big bass in mind. Not so fast…this is post-spawn Beaver Lake.

Tournament Results

It was a mixed story for the 60 anglers entered into the event, with a lot of fish caught, but size was hard to find. A very good 92% of anglers turned in at least one keeper, with 75% turning in a limit. Ryan Paskiewicz took first place with 79.5″, Craig Wood second with 78.5″ and Tyler Zengerle took a leisurely route to third with 78.25″ on the day. Ryan Paskiewicz also won “Big” Bass with a 19.25″ largemouth, followed by Tyler Zengerle’s 18.75″ 2nd place Big Bass.

The top ten finishers were as follows:

  1. Ryan Paskiewicz
  2. Craig Wood
  3. Tyler Zengerle
  4. Chris Needham
  5. Jeriamy Vann
  6. Billy Bowden
  7. John Wofford
  8. Jason Kincy
  9. Chad Warford
  10. Devon Esry
Click to view
Ryan’s “Big” bass on the day took home the money. I can’t figure out how that camera orientation worked on this photo.

Angler Recap Roundtable

Top three finishers took a few minutes to share how it went down on Saturday.

What section of Beaver did you go to and why?

Ryan – I fished the south end of Beaver. I prefer dirtier water and have more experience and confidence on the south end. I hadn’t actually been to the area I fished but it set up to my strengths so I gave it a go.

Craig – I like the stained water of the War Eagle arm and it is an area i know fairly well. I targeted pockets of wood and brush on the main lake and avoided coves.

Tyler – I chose to go mid-lake, below Highway 12. I am very familiar with the area I chose to fish, as I have fished there a numerous amount of times. I always prefer the water color and the types of structure that surround that area. As a shallow water angler, it allows me to fish my strengths and fish with confidence.

What were the main type of baits you used (category is fine) to catch most of your fish?

Ryan – I caught my fish on four different baits. I found a few keepers early on topwater. When that dried up a bit I began throwing a Slowtown jig and a 12” Ol’ Monster worm. My big fish came on a jig. Late in the day I did some cranking deeper and caught a few but couldn’t upgrade. I caught 20+ fish on the day and was fortunate to find a kicker. I did lose one off the board that i thought was going to haunt me. It would have given me two more inches. Thankfully it didn’t!

Craig – I had a shaky head, Whopper Plopper, crankbait and a swim jig tied on. The swim jig by Slowtown Custom Lures did all the work, I caught over twenty bass during the tournament.

Tyler – My main baits were pretty simple. I used a jig made by Slow Town Custom Lures in green pumpkin. I also Texas-rigged a Burner Worm (speed worm) and Bacon Rind (creature bait), both made by Gambler Lures.

How many rods do you carry for a tournament and how many are spinning vs baitcaster?

Ryan – Too many! I brought 12 on this trip. I hate retying. I used 5 of them on this trip. I carry 3-4 spinning setups and 8-9 casting.

Craig – I carry four Trinity Fishing custom rods that I build, and my heavy action rod is my jig rod.

Tyler – I carry 11 rods. 8 of those are baitcasting and 3 spinning.

What’s one thing you have in your kayak on tourney day that people might not think to take or have handy?

Ryan – Super glue and an extra measuring device. I also carry a spare charging battery for my phone.

Craig – I don’t really carry anything special on tournament day except for a exceptional lunch – usually a Dagwood sandwich cut in six pieces so I can munch on it while moving spots.

Tyler – I’m just going to say…I’m always thankful to have Dude Wipes with me and it stinks when I don’t. Besides that, I always have a socket set for my drive, and an extra measuring device (Fish Stik) just in case I lose my Ketch overboard.

Heavy Hitters Update

Beaver Lake was stingy when it came to big fish which made it difficult for anyone to really make a big move this week. Time is running out to put some big fish on the board. I was lucky to extend my lead for the moment a bit with a decent 18″ addition to put me at 93.5″. Michael Burgess (87.75″), Cole Sikes (86.75″) and Justin Phillips (86.5″) are still in the hunt but they need to haul in some tanks coming up to take over the lead. It appears that with Ryan’s “Big” Bass from this week he’s creeping into contention but needs two or three more big fish. Or, maybe someone else will smash’em in the next events to come out of nowhere for the lead – anything can happen!

AOY Update

The Angler of the Year race took an interesting turn this week as the top contenders all came up a bit short in earning any meaningful AOY points. In fact, most of the leaders missed a huge opportunity to gain on the field, but since the top four in the rankings all had a difficult day, there wasn’t much movement at the top. Some other anglers really helped their chances to have a shot to get into the mix, especially

Watch for my AOY Breakdown later this week where we will break down some hidden data, handicap the field vs upcoming schedule, and I’ll make a prediction for the AOY winner this season.

Here are the top 25 if the Classic were held today. Green indicates a “good” points total, yellow “fair” and pink “poor” and needs replaced by a better score. Dwain Batey and Jason Coleman are the only anglers with all Green and Yellow for each event thus far.

Tournaments

NSKA Pumpback Recap / John Wofford / Heavy Hitters / AOY Race

As the crazy 2020 calendar keeps rolling along with the ‘Rona and all of its side effects causing chaos in the kayak tournament circuits. The latest disruption this past weekend was not pandemic, murder hornets or ‘Karen’ driven – it was the Bella Vista Bass Club scheduling a boat tourney on Lake Fort Smith on the same date, causing NSKA to make a move to the deep water of Oklahoma on Pumpback.

Pumpback Lake (or Chimney Rock Lake) is an interesting and confusing place. According to an old article in the Tulsa World, it uses more electricity to pump the water uphill into the lake than is generated when the water is released back into Lake Hudson. I guess it’s a profit deal that they do when there’s peak demand and can charge more for the electricity. Which explains the unpredictable timing of when water goes up and down. But I digress…

Preparing for a “shotgun” start on Pumpback. Photo: kayakfishingfocus.com

NSKA Pumpback Tournament Results

For a lake that not a ton of NWA anglers had fished very often and a very tough, hot day, a lot of good fish were caught. This is a testament to the fish population and angler skill. The numbers reflected a strong showing by the lake with 91% of anglers turning in at least one fish and a respectable 51% posting a five fish limit.

When the lake was announced my immediate thought was that all of the Okies were going to get paid with NSKA making the trek over into their territory. This was flat wrong – in fact – the top 13 finishers were from Arkansas even though there were at least a dozen Oklahomans in the field.

First place was won by John Wofford with a whopping 93” on the day including TWO Smallmouth over 20” contributing to his total. Dwain Batey was second with 89.5” and Justin Brewer third with 85.25”.

John Wofford’s 21″ Smallmouth that won Big Bass. Photo: TourneyX

John also won Big Bass with his 21” bruiser Smallmouth and Justin Phillips took second Big Bass with a 20.75” Largemouth caught late in the day.

The top 10 were as follows:

  1. John Wofford – 93”
  2. Dwain Batey – 89.5”
  3. Justin Brewer – 85.25”
  4. Cole Sikes – 83.25”
  5. Kyle Long – 83.25”
  6. Michael Burgess – 82.50”
  7. Jason Coleman – 82.25”
  8. Billy Bowden – 82”
  9. Roy Roberts – 81.25”
  10. Danny Dutton – 81”

Angler Profile – John Wofford

John Wofford dominated the day on Pumpback with his first-place finish and Big Bass. This is another good day in a recent string of good performances by John (we’ll forget the bracket challenge…) in competition with a second place finish in King of the String and first place on Pumpback. In this tourney recap I thought we’d focus a bit on getting to know John and how he’s been catching them.

John with his giant Smallmouth on Pumpback. Photo: John Wofford

First of all, what happened on Pumpback!? How’d you catch those monster Smallmouth?

Pumpback was literally a magical day. I had only fished the lake one time and only caught 3-4 fish so my expectations were not high at all and I was just concerned about getting a limit.

First thing in the morning I noticed a Shad spawn happening so I automatically began throwing shad-like baits. Right off the bat I missed a MONSTER Smallie bigger than my 21” because I was using a rod that was too light for what I was doing. Shortly after losing the first big one I noticed on my graph I was coming up on a ledge at the end of a flat/point. My first cast into there I caught my 19.5” Smallmouth. Between losing the first Smallie and catching the 19.5” one I realized I had stumbled upon my patterns for the day. I fished out that whole cove losing more and more fish and one Largemouth that would’ve went 18-19” at least.

I was almost spinning out in my head after losing the Largemouth but I took a second to compose myself and changed gears. Started throwing my fluke on a MH power rod and only lost maybe 1-2 fish the rest of the day. After fishing the back of my first cove I had a few people come in on me so I decided to leave and make some runs to areas that my graph looked similar to where I hooked up with the big fish – and man did that pay off. I believe it was on my second cast in the second spot that I hooked into the 21” and the fight was on! I swore I had a Drum or a Striper on because it took forever for her to come up but once she did I about had a heart attack as I did everything in my power to get her in the net. Once I got her in a wave of emotion came over me and I had a feeling that today just might be my day. Thankfully, Ryan Paskiewicz was nearby and I hollered at him to come get a picture because I not only just broke my Smallmouth PB but I broke my kayak bass PB with a 21” Smallie!

After getting my pictures we let her go and I thanked Ryan and we went our separate ways. I tried to calm my nerves for a moment before getting back to fishing and it wasn’t two casts after the 21” I hooked into the 20.25” on a ledge 20 yards down the cove. This one I was sure was a drum but to my surprise it was the hardest fighting smallmouth I’ve ever caught. It took longer to get this one in the boat than any bass I’ve ever caught. That last big bite came at about 9:15 and from then on it was a dink fest. I moved to the north side of the lake and found some shaded areas with deeper pockets adjacent to them and managed to cull some 14’s with a 15.5” and a 16.75” around noon but other than that the bite slowed down and what I was catching were all smaller than 15.5”. I had an amazing time fishing Pumpback and it is a heck of a fishery! 

You seem to have really taken a step forward in tournament finishes this year, what’s been the biggest change or contributor to that?

I lost my Grandpa at the beginning of the season this year and I decided that I was going to dedicate this year to him. Also, I have really been working on myself to stay out of my head to not put too much pressure on myself and just fish. I ask the good Lord before every tournament to keep everyone safe for the day and to allow me to fish clean and give me the knowledge to fish to the best of my abilities.

I know you fish a lot with your wife, Hope, can you talk a bit about that and how that’s helped your fishing and/or relationship?

Haha! Oh man…kayak tournament fishing with my wife has been fun and a strain at the same time. I love taking her out with me and seeing her learn new techniques and catching fish on bodies of water she used to zero on. I’m probably a little hard on her at times but that’s because I want her to do the best she can do and she has really surprised me this year and has learned a lot each time we fish a tournament. I do worry about her sometimes though when we are on the water if there’s a lot of boats around with the weather starts to turn a little, I’ll make my way around the corner or where I can see her and she’s just out there fishing away not letting any of it bother her. I really do love the fact that she has that competitive drive like I do and we are always competing against one another in the tournaments as much as we are the rest of the field and I think that has made both of us better anglers.

John with a Beaver Lake Largemouth Bass. Photo: John Wofford

What’s the biggest thing you’ve improved on this year from a fishing standpoint?

My biggest improvement this year has just been getting back to my strengths and not trying to go out and fish other techniques that are other people’s strengths. And I am always studying bass fishing every single day, it’s almost as if that is all I think about anymore. Anytime I talk with someone, read an article or watch a YouTube video I soak up every bit of information I can and then I try to apply that to my style of fishing. And most importantly I have been able to stay out of my head for the most part this season and just went out and fished the conditions that were dealt to me instead of getting upset the conditions aren’t the exact same they were when I pre-fished.

What’s the best advice you can give an angler who is struggling halfway through a tournament? Take what you’ve done earlier and try to learn from it, make your changes and go catch some fish…but most importantly, never give up. I didn’t cull out my smaller fish until right at noon, but if I would’ve given up before that Dwain and I would’ve tied for first instead of winning.

Heavy Hitters Update

More big fish are in the books after Pumpback. I’m still lucky enough to be in the lead (75.5) followed by Michael Burgess (71.75), but there are some strong moves being made, especially by John Wofford (69.5) with his two 20+ and Cole Sikes (70.5) and Justin Phillips (71) who have 20+ inch fish on the board. It’s still anyone’s crown to win.

NSKA Angler of the Year Update

Things are starting to take shape and contenders are emerging for AOY for NSKA. After four events the contenders and pretenders are starting to separate. There is a long way to go and some big events coming up but so far it looks like Roy Roberts, Dwain Batey, Justin Brewer, Jason Coleman and Michael Burgess are best positioned. Cole Sikes is still within striking distance but has no more room for error.

Here are the top 25 anglers if the Classic were held today. Green indicates a “good” points total, yellow “fair” and pink “poor” and needs replaced by a better score.

NSKA

2019 NWA NSKA Classic Recap and AOY Race

The first ever Natural State Kayak Anglers NWA end of season Classic was held over two days on beautiful Beaver Lake in the Ozarks. The Classic was going to crown an event winner, but also would go a long way in deciding the NSKA Angler of the Year. Day one was launched out of the Hickory Creek area and day two would be out of Prairie Creek. The top 25 anglers from the regular season were ready to battle it out.

Day One – Hickory Creek

On the first day there were 24 participants who took the water on a very tough post-front, high skies bluebird day with little wind. Beaver wasn’t going to make it easy. Of the 24 anglers, all but one (96%) turned in at least one keeper, while a strong 17 (70%) turned in a limit. Big Bass for the day was a Beaver Lake beast at 20.50″ and after day one the leaders were Jeriamy Vann with 75.25″ and Ryan Paskiewicz with 75″ followed by Devon Esry, Jason Cowell and Justin Brewer with 70″ each.

Kyle Long’s 20.50″ Big Bass led the way in the NSKA Classic.

Day Two – Hickory Creek

The second day of the event was more of the same with little to no wind, clear skies and lots of sun and heat. The anglers would have a big challenge to find quality bass. On day two 23 (95%) of the 24 participants turned in a keeper and only 13 (54%) of the anglers turned in a limit. The numbers, including Big Bass for the day by Jason Kincy and Jacob Hudson both at 18.57″ showed that it was a tougher grind than day one. Top performers on day two were Andrew Newsom with 79″ followed by Cole Sikes with 76.5″ and Jeriamy Vann with a 74″ total.

Final Standings

Jeriamy Vann took first place with a two day total of 149.25″ followed by Andrew Newsom in second place with 147″ and Cole Sikes third with 145.25″.  Kyle Long’s day one 20.50″ bass was the largest of the tournament.

The top ten finishers:

  1. Jeriamy Vann
  2. Andrew Newsom
  3. Cole Sikes
  4. Ryan Paskiewicz
  5. Dwain Batey
  6. Tyler Zengerle
  7. Jason Kincy
  8. Jason Cowell
  9. Jonathan Brewer
  10. Justin Phillips

Jeriamy Vann wins the 2019 NSKA NWA Classic on Beaver Lake.

Angler Of the Year

Cole Sikes wins the 2019 NSKA NWA Angler Of the Year title.

The NSKA Angler of the Year race came down to the final event, with Dwain Batey and Cole Sikes in a dead heat in points. Cole’s higher finish in the Classic propelled him to his second AOY in a row – an impressive achievement.

Angler Recaps

The top finishers in the Classic provided their insights as to how they did it and their final thoughts on the season. Jeriamy Vann, Andrew Newsom, Cole Sikes and Ryan Paskiewicz shared their thoughts in the roundtable.

How do you compare or contrast Hickory Creek and Prairie Creek? Did you approach them differently?

Jeriamy – First off I want to thank my Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ. I love him and everything good in my life flows through him.  I’ve never had much luck at Hickory Creek so to be honest I tried to fish as far away from there as I could. For some reason it’s always been a tough area on Beaver Lake for me. Prairie Creek I’ve always enjoyed and one difference I think is access to a bigger portion of the of the main lake.

Andrew – I try and fish my strengths no matter the area of the lake I’m fishing. I just try and find an area I’m comfortable with and go for it. At Hickory Creek, I was able to stick with my game plan pretty much the whole day. I know the area well, so I knew where I was going all day long. At Prairie Creek, you have a lot more boat traffic. Bass boats fishing the same area kind of dictated where I was able to go. My game plan changed multiple times so I was hopping from spot to spot all day.

Cole – In my opinion, Hickory Creek and Prairie Creek fish quite a bit different even though they are only 12 miles apart. The great thing about Beaver Lake is that you can target different species depending on which part of the lake you’re fishing. Hickory Creek bass population is primarily Largemouth and Spotted bass and the water clarity usually has a little more color than Prairie Creek. Usually you’ll be able to target Largemouth up shallow and can catch a few spots around bluffs. The wild card for Prairie Creek are the Smallmouth, an angler could win a tournament by just catching Smallmouth in that area. Typically, an angler will need to fish out deeper around Prairie Creek once the sun gets up. Knowing this, I did approach them differently. While fishing Hickory Creek, I stayed up shallow all day trying to find the better quality Largemouth. While fishing Prairie Creek, I fished shallow for the first few hours until the sun got up and started targeting Smallmouth and spots out deeper.

Ryan – I actually ended up pedaling to War Eagle marina area to start and didn’t fish much if any in the Hickory area. With that being said, it fished vastly different for me. My approach on day one was to move from main lake/river channel swings and transitions to the next, covering a lot of high percentage areas. Prairie provided more water clarity and obviously fished a bit different. My initial plan was to hit a couple key main lake points. Unfortunately this didn’t produce and I then began targeting smaller main lake pockets with docks These produced some fish early but as the day went on I couldn’t get bit. Not having a lot of known areas i was left scrambling a bit as the day went on. Boat traffic and wake was another key difference and factor in comparing the two areas.

What were the primary baits that led you to victory?

Jeriamy – I caught all my fish on a jig and craw. Surprise, surprise.
It’s kinda what I do. 😁

Andrew – All my keepers both days came on a Slow Town jig. I threw a few other baits, but the jig bite was what seemed to be working.

Cole – By no surprise, every single fish I caught this weekend was on a football jig by Slowtown Custom Lures. The great thing about a football jig is the versatility, I used the exact same bait and caught fish in 6 inches to 35 feet of water during this tournament.

Ryan – No victory here but a solid finish, lol. I used a  3/8 oz round ball jig with a Rage Menace and ½ oz football jig with a Rage Craw.

What were the key fish you caught and what were the circumstances?

Jeriamy – Probably the key fish for me were my last two culls on day one. I had a long dry spell without a bite so I decided to change everything up in my approach and it worked out.

Andrew – At Hickory Creek, I caught my biggest bass of the day around 1:30 pm. I had not had a bite for a few hours and found myself in an area that had been heavily fished by fellow kayakers all day. Catching a good one that late in the day really gave me a lot of confidence going into day 2.

Cole – On day one at Hickory Creek, I was able to catch one quality Largemouth of 18.5 inches skipping my jig under a boat dock. That fish was the only reason I had somewhat of a decent day on day one. Prairie Creek was a grind for the most part, I had a small limit majority of the day but at 1:30 I was able to cull over 10 inches on an offshore spot where bass were loaded up. I was such in the zone, I forgot about all of the ski boats whizzing only 30 yards away from me.

Ryan – I caught a day 1 kicker around 1:30 that went 17”. On day 2, I couldn’t find the right size and fell short because of it. I was able to scrape together a limit but it just wasn’t enough against the sticks ahead of me.

First year of the Classic, what did you think?

Jeriamy – I loved the classic idea from the start. You have to earn your way there and when you get there you know you’re fishing against the best 25 anglers in our club for the year. It was a great challenge indeed. We have hammers.

Andrew – My goal all season was to make the Classic. When I realized I had enough AOY points to get in, I was super excited. The entire tournament was a blast and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to be in it.

Cole –  I thought the Classic was a lot of fun, it gives the anglers all year something to work towards even if they are out of the Angler Of the Year race. I think it would be cool if we rotated different spots each year on Beaver so it’s not Hickory and Prairie Creek each time.

Ryan – Man, this was awesome. After a really disappointing season on the whole, I was able to qualify and gain some confidence on Beaver Lake and in general. The format is great and requires you to adjust, adapt and also have different plans for each day. You get to test your skills against the best that year, as well as, test yourself against a grinder of a lake. I can’t think of anything I would change.

Season is over, what’s your best memory from it?

Jeriamy – I gotta say holding that classic trophy at the end was pretty dang sweet, but I did enjoy this year overall.  I feel like I got to know some good people a little better and to me that’s really cool.
What a great fishing family !

Andrew – This was my first full season and meeting so many awesome people along the way made for my best memories.

Cole – This is a tough one, overall I had an amazing season and had lots of great memories. There are two tournaments that stuck out to me the most and I didn’t win either one. The first one would be the road runner. I chose to fish War Eagle Creek and was able to catch a huge Smallmouth and Largemouth that was good enough for 2nd place. The reason this memory was so great was because this exact creek is where I really learned to fish, it is where my family would go almost every weekend in the summer and it’s a special place to me. The second memory was that last hour of the Classic. Fishing that offshore spot in the last hour to cull over 10 inches was an adrenaline rush, grinding all day and finally pull up to the right spot in the last hour to win Angler Of the Year was an amazing experience.

Ryan – Lots of good memories but participating in the State Championship was number 1. Spending 4 days with a great group of guys fishing and hanging out was awesome. I learned a ton on that trip and can’t wait to do it again.

 

 

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 / Hobie BOS Beaver Lake Preview

The biggest kayak event of the year on Beaver Lake is coming up this weekend with the Natural State Kayak Anglers (NSKA) and Hobie Bass Open Series (BOS) holding a full lake tournament on the Dead Sea. With the spawn approaching and a warming trend this week, word is going around consistently that the lake is turning it up to 11 lately and will put out some serious fish this weekend.

One of the many non-ramp public launches on Beaver Lake. This is a good one in April.

Guaranteed: Stripers will be caught and will fool someone into thinking they hooked a giant Largemouth.

This is traditionally the time of year where the FLW tour would be in town beating up Beaver Lake and using a shakey head in the last hour to try to catch a 12″ Spot to round out a limit. FLW no longer comes, so it’s fitting that the biggest kayak event of the year in NW Arkansas will be in April. Beaver Lake has been said to be a “spot” lake, instead of a pattern lake. Patterns can be difficult to carry over from one day to another, so find a good spot and figure out how to get bit.

NSKA and Hobie BOS

There will be two concurrent events going on at the same time. Anglers can either one or both events, but there are separate entry fees. For more details on the NSKA NWA Beaver Lake event, visit the event page on FB and register on the TourneyX page – entry is $30.  For information on the Hobie BOS event, visit their iTournament Angler page – entry is $100.

A 21″ Beaver Lake Largemouth Bass. There are some big bass to be had if you can find them.

 

Angler Roundtable Preview

Some of the top anglers in NSKA agreed to share their insights for the upcoming event on Beaver Lake. First-timers to Beaver can find some good nuggets in here to help on the Dead Sea. Thanks to Tyler Zengerle, Cole Sikes and Roy Roberts for sharing their expertise.

This is an April tournament on Beaver Lake, what do impact do you think the spawn will have on the tournament?

Tyler – I honestly don’t think the spawn will be a huge factor at this point in time. With the inconsistent water temperatures I think the fish are confused and are still in that pre-spawn transition, but are making their way up shallow. The fish I’ve caught recently haven’t shown significant signs of spawning. I think the spawn will be soon, but not until after Saturday.

Cole – This is a great time of year to fish Beaver, there should be fish in all stages of the spawn however I believe the bulk of fish are still pre-spawn or will be spawning. Keep your eyes peeled and you might be able to catch a kicker or two spawning!

Roy – There should be fish in all stages of the spawn. The weather has been inconsistent but we do have a full moon approaching. The stained and shallow river arms of the lake are going to be the farthest along in the spawn with warmer water temps. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some post spawn patterns coming into play there. Farther north you are more likely to come across fish that you can sight fish for or even catch on transition banks in a pre-spawn pattern. Figuring out your chosen area and what the fish are doing that day will be key. It is changing everyday.

2019 has been a tough one on Beaver Lake in the boat and kayak tournaments, is the lake turning on or will it be a grind? 

Tyler – The lake is turning on for sure. The last few times I went to Beaver, I’ve caught more than a limit, which is pretty unusual for the “Dead Sea”. I’m sure with the bipolar weather, some days are better than others, but fish are being caught in good quantities.

Cole – It’s definitely starting to turn on with the fish moving up to spawn. I expect majority of the field will catch a limit but it’s about finding those quality fish 15 inches and bigger.

Roy – Numbers wise there have been lots of fish caught lately. There have been some 20+ Lb. bags brought in to some bass boat tournaments. I think we will see a high percentage of anglers turn in a limit and should see several big fish. Getting quality 15”-18” fish will be important. I wouldn’t rule out a big stringer of Smallmouth coming from the clear water.

With this being a Hobie BOS satellite we’ll have some out of towners visiting Beaver Lake, any friendly advice?

Tyler – Beaver Lake is tough and it can really be a grind to get a limit. The good thing about Beaver is that it is different in all parts of the lake. Choose your strength whether it’s rock, timber, sand, or ledges, and fish that area with your confidence bait. Don’t leave fish to find fish because with this lake, you’ll never know when your next bite will be. With nice weather approaching, beware of the glitter-rockets. They are abundant!

Cole – Beaver lake is a very diverse fishery, you can pick areas that fit your style of fishing. Typically people break the lake up into three sections and they all fish different. If you fish by the dam expect to see crystal clear water and the ability to catch some big Smallmouth and spotted bass. Also, in my opinion some of the biggest Largemouth live down on that part of the lake as well. The mid section of the lake is also typically clear as well but in the back of some of the creek arms the water will have some stain. There is a high population of fish in this section of the lake and expect to start seeing fish on beds. Lastly, the upper end of the lake in the river arms will typically have the most stained water of the lake. This part of the lake will typically catch Largemouth and spotted bass.

Roy – Don’t bank on a pattern you found pre-fishing or on past trips. This lake always fishes different so pay attention to the conditions and make adjustments. Don’t be afraid to load up and make a move. That decision got me a win at our last Beaver tournament.

What do you see as the winning limit total and big bass?

Tyler –  I think there will be some decent limits caught and someone will find some big ones. I’m saying winner will be 88.75” and big bass will be 22″.

Cole – My guess would be around 86” for total and big bass of 21”. There will be quite a bit of pressure on the lake with nice weather bringing out the weekend fisherman and also a big bass boat tournament going on. If we had the lake to ourselves I would expect close to 90″ would win.

Roy – 21.75” for BB and 90.25” for the win. It will take 80+” to be in the top 10.

What’s your personal best out of a kayak on Beaver Lake?

Tyler – My Beaver Lake PB was from a tournament on April 15, 2017, almost exactly two years ago. It was 21.50”.

Cole – My personal best from a kayak is 19.5”. Hoping to break the 20” mark this tournament!

Roy – My PB in a kayak on Beaver is 18.5″. I hope I can set a new one Saturday!

 

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

NSKA Beaver Lake South – Tournament Recap

Sixty-three kayak anglers took to the water among frigid temperatures in the first event of the 2019 season for the Natural State Kayak Anglers. The Dead Sea is a pretty tough body of water to fish out of a kayak, but when you’ve had a few days of freezing temperatures and dirty water conditions, it can set up for an exceptionally challenging day of fishing.

NSKA Beaver Lake South Results

Many were predicting a slugfest on Beaver Lake for the opener based on some of the big numbers from last year. Although water temps were relatively similar year over year, this year the weather had been quite a bit different in the lead up to the tournament and the water was much more stained. The warming trend preceding the tournament in 2018 helped a strong 41% to turn in a limit, while this year the hard cold front allowed only 21% to card five keepers. The difficult day is best illustrated by whopping 51% of the field catching one or zero keepers this year, compared to 30% in 2018.  So, who did overcome the tough conditions to find fish?

Chris Needham's 19.75" Largemouth took Big Bass in the NSKA Beaver Lake South tournament.
Chris Needham’s 19.75″ Largemouth took Big Bass in the NSKA Beaver Lake South tournament.

Roy Roberts took first place with 70″, followed by Declan McDonald with 68.75″ and Cody Skelton in third with 68.50″. Big Bass was won by Chris Needham with a 19.75″ Beaver Lake fatty. The top ten is below and full standings are available on TourneyX.

The top ten finishers:

  1.  Roy Roberts
  2.  Declan McDonald
  3.  Cody Skelton
  4.  Billy Bowden
  5.  Andrew Newsome
  6.  Carson McBride
  7.  Jonathan Brewer
  8.  Christa Hibbs
  9.  Jason Kincy
  10.  Jason Adams
Top Angler Recaps

The top three anglers share how they caught them and how it went down on Beaver Lake.

Roy Roberts, Declan McDonald and Cody Skelton take 1st, 2nd and 3rd for NSKA Beaver Lake South.

What part of Beaver Lake did you go to and why?

Roy – I chose to fish in the War Eagle arm. I didn’t get a chance to practice so I made my decision based on my knowledge of the area and hoping to be less pressured from the Team Trail tournament going on. Water temperatures were in the 44-45 degree range, with pretty stained water, maybe 1 foot visibility.

Declan – I went to Beaver Shores mostly because I have a lot of confidence in the spot, but I also like the chunk rock and docks.

Cody – I went to Horseshoe Bend only because I rode with Lloyd Mize because I have never been on Beaver Lake a day in my life. I was going to put in and head to the marina but when we got there the gate was closed, so we headed to the next ramp there.

How did the hard cold front affect your strategy or how did you expect the fish to react?

Roy – I knew with the weather patterns and water conditions it was going to be a grind to get bites. I am more comfortable fishing clear water, but that wasn’t an option with the boundaries. I had a plan to mix it up using winter patterns and looking for staging/transition areas that would be holding groups of fish. My confidence baits under these conditions were to use a deep diving jerkbait with long pauses, slow roll an A-Rig in deep water, or use a stop and go retrieve with a Wiggle Wart on rocky banks.

Declan – The cold front really didn’t change my strategy, I just knew I needed to slow it down a bit more. I had a feeling I wouldn’t get bit on a moving bait so I went into the day fishing on the bottom and got bites so I stuck to it.

Cody – Changing ramps and with all of the big boats running around changed what I was going to do. So I just started fishing and I looked across the lake and saw a bluff wall and with the front moving in and 42 degree water I figured that was a good place to head.

How did you catch your fish? Any specific baits or method?

Roy – I fished the techniques mentioned above along with mixing in a jig, shaky head, and Ned rig for most of the day. I caught my first bass at around 1:15 on the Ned rig on some shallow rocks. At first I was just glad to get the skunk out of the boat. I got 4 more bites and landed 3 of them in the next few minutes to put me at 4 fish. I was surprised how shallow these fish were and I suspect they just pulled up for a minute to feed. As I was measuring my 4th fish, a 16” Kentucky, a boat came through my area and the wake muddied the shoreline. This shut the bite off and I started seeing fish suspended in deeper water on my graph. I let the area settle down for about 30 minutes and wound up being able to catch two more keepers to finish my day.

Declan –  I caught my fish using a Ned rig, I love the Ned rig this time of year. I went pre-fishing last Sunday and only caught two. So going into tournament day I was a little bit nervous. My first fish came in between two docks and that outlined the rest of my day. In fact, three of my keepers came in that same spot. I was keeping my bait close to the bottom and slowly dragging it while giving it small pops.

Cody – When I got there I started throwing a drop shot knowing it was going to be a grind. I fished slower than I ever have in my life. I fished seven hours of the day on a three hundred yard stretch. Every fish I caught was on a Strike King KVD perfect plastic green pumpkin drop shot .

Not knowing the leaderboard status, how did you feel about your limit heading to weigh in?

Roy – I knew from the other anglers I had talked to on the water it was a really tough day. I figured limits would be hard to come by, but I was not expecting to be in the top 5 when the dust settled. I was excited to keep my limit streak in NSKA tournaments alive and to have a decent finish to start the AOY race. The scoreboard being off is a game changer. I didn’t realize how much it effected the way I fished and my effort towards the end of the day. I think I would do my best to ignore the leaderboard in the future even if it was turned on. I also would like to thank my wife for putting up with my fishing obsession!

Declan – With the shut off leader board I thought I would be lucky to be top ten. It was definitely less stressful. Although I think if I saw what place I was in I would have fished harder to get upgrades, but I definitely like it.

Cody – As far as the leader board being off I really liked not knowing because several times I wanted to stop and go to the truck, but not knowing keep me fishing hard until the last minute. With 68.50 inches going to weigh in I was just hoping for a top ten, never thinking it would be a third place finish.

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